News
August 27, 2023 || Genesis 8:1-9:17 || Walt Alexander
NEW WORLD, NEW COVENANT
MAIN POINT: Life is forever the undeserved gift of God and to be lived unto him.
God remembers Noah (v. 8:1-19)
God blesses Noah. (v. 8:20-9:7)
God makes a covenant with Noah. (v. 9:8-17)
Joins us this Sunday at 9am at the YMCA as we talk about parenting 0-5 year olds. Childcare will be provided.
1Co 3:5-7 - “What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.”
This passage captures the truth of how God uses his people to carry out his purposes of bringing new life - and he often does so incrementally.
This past Sunday, we invited David Park to share about who planted and watered the gospel in his life and how God used this influence to bring the gospel’s effects to fruition in his soul.
The following is David’s testimony:
My name is David Park. My family and I have been attending Trinity Grace for about a year and a half. We officially joined the Church in the most recent batch of new Church members. We couldn’t be happier to be here.
When asked if I would do “Who Told You” I began to think through and remember the various people God has placed in my life to share the Gospel with me. I was four years old when I was saved. It’s one of my earliest memories.
I do have one memory before that, it was a doctor giving me stitches, three year old me did not like that he was poking me with a needle, then when he approached my face with a pair of scissors, I was completely done (get the man with the scissors away from me!).
I have virtually no memory of not being a Christian. I grew up in an amazing environment where Deut. 6 was lived out. The Gospel saturated our lives when we sat in our house, when we walked by the way, when we lied down and when we rose. And leading the way in that lifestyle was my father.
My dad has been in full time ministry (writing, speaking, counseling) for nearly forty years. One of the core truths he’s focused on during that time is the message of who we are in Christ. I grew up immersed in truths like,
- I am a child of God, I have been adopted by him
- You are a new creation, the old has passed away, behold a new thing has come
- I am a temple of God (the holy of holies)
- The Holy Spirit is at work in me to bear fruit
Whenever I was headed out the door, my dad didn’t say things like, "be good.” Instead he always said, “Remember who you are.” I knew exactly what he was talking about. It helps too, teenage me made way better decisions because I gained my self worth from my identity in Christ, not from my peers.
The second thing my dad did, he made the Christian life fun, adventurous, and incredibly attractive. There was so much laughter in our house. Christianity was never a stuck up, stiff, dead thing in our home. Instead we had a mission, there were people who needed to be saved, places to go, and stories to tell. My dad reminds me of King Lune from the Narnia book, A Horse and His Boy. He was a jovial, happy man who delighted in his sons and in the book King Lune tells his son,
“For this is what it means to be a king: to be first in every desperate attack and last in every desperate retreat, and when there’s hunger in the land to wear finer clothes and laugh louder over a scantier meal than any man in your land.”
My dad lived that out.
Third, he has modeled a lifetime of faithfulness. In decades of serving God, he never gave up, burned out, or quit. A few years back he had triple bypass, open heart surgery. It’s a brutal procedure and he had complications that made it really touch and go for a while. But he’s there, laying in his hospital bed leading a nurse to Christ. He’s basically on his death bed but he’s busy furthering the Kingdom of God. And he hasn’t quit since. He’s in almost constant pain but he’s leading tours in Israel, he’s speaking in conferences, he’s writing, he’s mentoring people. He’s just not going to stop till he hears the Father say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.
I know what it’s like to have a dad who spoke the truth (who God is and who I am), a dad who laughed and brought joy to his home, and who did that faithfully. I recognize now what sacrifices go into that, but I couldn’t be more grateful that my father blessed us in that way.
God bless!
August 20, 2023 || Genesis 6:9-7:24 || Taylor Hollingsworth
THE FLOOD
MAIN POINT: Keep trusting the Lord and take refuge in Christ.
The corrupt and the righteous. (v. 6:9-12)
A call to continual trust. (v. 6:13-7:5)
Salvation through Judgment. (v. 7:6-24)
Most people in our culture know what they don’t believe.
The headlines are the seemingly endless back and forth of the far right and the far left, the LGBTQ+ affirming and the not affirming, the Trump-supporting and the anyone-but-Trump-rejecting. The two sides are lined up and opposed to each other.
They know what they don’t believe—but they know what they believe?
Do we know what we believe?
We Believe is a course designed to help you know what we are for.
It is entitled We Believe: Doctrines to Know, Believe, & Live. It seeks to introduce and explain what we believe by carefully unpacking our Statement of Faith.
It is for all members, whether young or old, new to the faith or a seasoned saint.
But it is also a great course for your high school students as well. Last year, we had both a father & son take the course together, as well as a mother & daughter.
Do we know what we believe based on God’s Word?
We Believe is a course designed to help you know what we are for as a body of believers.
It begins next Wednesday, August 23 by studying the doctrine of Scripture. How did we get the bible? What is the bible for? Can we trust it? Can we build our lives on it? Please join us to explore these questions and more by signing up below.
August 13, 2023 || Genesis 5:1-6:8 || Walt Alexander
MAIN POINT: Death reigns—but the good & glorious purposes of God remain for his people.
The good purposes of mankind still continues.
The offer of fellowship with God still stands.
The promise of God still endures.
Last Sunday, we noted how Lamech hoped in God. He named his son Noah, which sounds similar to comfort. And then, he said, “Out of the ground, this one shall bring us relief from our work & from the painful toil of our hands” (Genesis 5:29).
In the world under the shadow of the fall, Lamech refused to turn to anyone else but the Lord.
I want us to be like Lamech.
Right now, our church is afflicted by disease & I believe God is calling together to cry out to him. Greg Johnson is battling stomach cancer. Janet Hamm has just completed her third bout with breast cancer. Sara Jaquish is battling leukemia. Jenna Barbee is battling inflammatory breast cancer & is being seen at MD Anderson in Houston, Texas this week.
I want us to hope in God through this season of cancer.
For this reason, we are having a Day of Prayer & Fasting on Wednesday, August 15.
We should fast because we do not hunger for God as we ought.
We allow him to be tucked into the margins of our lives. We find it easy to spent hours on social media but struggle to spend a few minutes in prayer. We carve out plenty of time for work and sports but find little time for God. We do not hunger for God as we ought.
When we fast, we are saying to the Lord, I want to hunger for you more. I want to know you more. I want to be satisfied in you alone.
In addition, throughout the story of the Bible & church history, the people have regularly set aside days & seasons too fast together. That’s why we are fasting right now as a church together.
In a word: Pray!
If you begin fasting at dinnertime on Tuesday & continue until dinnertime on Wednesday, take all the times you would normally eat to pray. And, whenever you experience hunger pains during those 24 hours, take time to pray.
Below are some things to pray for:
Pray for wisdom, guidance, & clarify for Jenna & John Barbee this week in their meetings with doctors at MD Anderson.
Pray for strength & perseverance for Greg Johnson as he recovers from a chemo treatment last week & prepares for his next treatment on September 1.
Pray for strength & help for Sarah Jaquish as she struggles with the ongoing symptoms of leukemia & other health concerns.
Pray for a clear scan for Janet Hamm in October & for the cancer to not return.
Pray for full healing for each of these individuals & for them to be able to serve you with all their heart, soul, mind, & strength!
Genesis 4 // Cain, Abel, & the Enemy Within
August 6, 2023 || Genesis 4 || Walt Alexander
MAIN POINT: Kill sin or sin will master and kill you.
Ungodly desires lead to sin. (v.1-8)
Sin brings about the judgement of God. (v.9-16)
Despite sin and judgment, God gives more grace. (v.17-26)
TGKIDS
The heart of TGKids is to help children understand that the Bible is all about Jesus! Below is the story, scripture, and main teaching points from the TGKids lesson, so that you can talk with your kids about what they learned.
Bible Story: The Birth of Jesus Foretold
Scripture: Luke 1
Bible Truth: The baby to be born to Mary would be the Savior of the world.
Where is the Gospel?
How does today’s Bible story fit into God’s greater plan of redemption?
When Mary saw Elizabeth with child, she realized that what the angel Gabriel had told her was true. Then she heard Elizabeth’s prophetic blessing. Filled with wonder and joy, she worshiped God with a song.
Mary was a sinner just like us. She needed a Savior (Luke 1:47), and she knew that God’s promise was going to be fulfilled with the birth of the baby inside her. She knew that God’s plan of salvation would somehow be about her son. Her words are a song of praise to God for his incredible promise to Abraham and his descendants. The fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham was going to come through Jesus. But Mary could not have understood that her son would be sacrificed on the cross in order to fulfill that promise. It is through Jesus that people from every nation are blessed.
If you want to learn more about TGKids, click the button below!
TG Youth Starts August 9
WHEN: Wednesday | August 9 | 6:30 pm
WHAT: 6th-12th graders and parents are welcome to join us at the Pritchett’s house!
Back to School Block Party
WHEN: Saturday, August 12th
WHAT: Be a part of the fun and fellowship as we celebrate back to school at the Athens YMCA from 11 am - 2 pm. Sign up below for more information on how you can volunteer.
Community Groups are back in August
WHEN: Sunday afternoon/evening or Wednesday evening every other week.
WHAT: Community Groups are starting back the first week of August. If you would like to find out more about a Community Group and how to get involved, select the link below.
We Believe
WHEN: Monthly on Wednesday | 7 - 8:30pm | Church Office - Starts August 23
WHAT: In a culture that is rapidly changing and redefining so many things, it is important to know what we believe. Sign up below to get more information.
Membership Class
WHEN: September 16, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm
WHAT: Join us as we unpack our doctrine, values, & the commitments we make to one another. Sign up below to get more information.
Women’s Retreat
WHEN: September 22-23
WHERE: Camp Fairview
Mark your calendars! You will not want to miss this spiritually refreshing retreat and wonderful time of fellowship, food, and fun. Registration is now available with more information coming soon.
A Psalm of Creation
July 30, 2023 || Psalm 8 || Walt Alexander
MAIN POINT: Let our all-powerful God be exalted & let us serve him in heartfelt awe.
The power of your weakness.
The wonder of your insignificance.
The potential of your toil.
TGKIDS
The heart of TGKids is to help children understand that the Bible is all about Jesus! Below is the story, scripture, and main teaching points from the TGKids lesson, so that you can talk with your kids about what they learned.
Bible Story: Nehemiah
Scripture: Nehemiah 1 - 6
Bible Truth: God works through people to accomplish his redemptive plan.
Where is Jesus: Mark 15: 22 - 24
One day Jesus would minister in the restored city of Jerusalem. Although the people of Israel rebelled against God, God had a plan to redeem his people through Christ.
Part of that plan was to restore the walls of the city of Jerusalem. Jesus was crucified just outside those city walls. Jesus walked through the Judgment Gate in the wall that led to Golgotha, also called the Place of the Skull, where he gave his life for the atonement of our sins.
If you want to learn more about TGKids, click the button below!
TG Youth Starts August 9
WHEN: Wednesday | August 9 | 6:30 pm
WHAT: 6th-12th graders and parents are welcome to join us at the Pritchett’s house!
Back to School Block Party
WHEN: Saturday, August 12th
WHAT: Be a part of the fun and fellowship as we celebrate back to school at the Athens YMCA from 11 am - 2 pm. Sign up below for more information on how you can volunteer.
Community Groups are back in August
WHEN: Sunday afternoon/evening or Wednesday evening every other week.
WHAT: Community Groups are starting back the first week of August. If you would like to find out more about a Community Group and how to get involved, select the link below.
We Believe
WHEN: Monthly on Wednesday | 7 - 8:30pm | Church Office - Starts August 23
WHAT: In a culture that is rapidly changing and redefining so many things, it is important to know what we believe. Sign up below to get more information.
Membership Class
WHEN: September 16, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm
WHAT: Join us as we unpack our doctrine, values, & the commitments we make to one another. Sign up below to get more information.
Women’s Retreat
WHEN: September 22-23
WHERE: Camp Fairview
Mark your calendars! You will not want to miss this spiritually refreshing retreat and wonderful time of fellowship, food, and fun. Registration is now available with more information coming soon.
The members of Trinity Grace Church partnered with the YMCA to facilitate a short Vacation Bible School (VBS) as a part of Day Camp. The theme was Radical Rescue. Each day featured a story that pointed to the power, kindness, and goodness of God.
Through stories, songs, games, and crafts, we highlighted the good news of Jesus Christ in the stories of Jesus calming the storm, the lost son, and the Good Shepherd.
It was a joy-filled, high-energy time of serving our community. We are grateful that the Good Shepherd laid down his life for his sheep. We hope more sheep in McMinn County will be added to the fold (John 10:11).
Below are some pictures of our 3 days of VBS. Enjoy!
Paradise Lost
July 23, 2023 || Genesis 3:7-24 || Walt Alexander
MAIN POINT: The only appropriate response to the unimaginable wreckage of sin is turning in humility to God.
Sin is worse than imagined (v. 8 - 13).
Sin’s effects are greater than imagined (v. 14 - 19).
God’s grace is better than imagined (v. 20 -24).
TGKIDS
The heart of TGKids is to help children understand that the Bible is all about Jesus! Below is the story, scripture, and main teaching points from the TGKids lesson, so that you can talk with your kids about what they learned.
Bible Story: The Temple is Completed
Scripture: Ezra 6 - 7
Bible Truth: Nothing stops God from redeeming his people.
Where is Jesus: Ephesians 2: 19 - 22
After the rebuilding of Zerubbabel’s temple, seven hundred animals were sacrificed. At the completion of Solomon’s temple 142,000 animals were sacrificed. Neither temple remains today. Those hundreds and thousands of sacrifices were temporary. Those temples were temporary.
Jesus is God’s temple (Revelation 21:22) just as Christ’s body—the church—is God’s temple (Ephesians 2:19–22). As a part of the church, we are each individually God’s temple (1 Corinthians 6:19–20).
We are God’s temples because the Holy Spirit dwells in us. Together we make up his church and all of us form the body of Christ. In Christ we have become the new temple of God. Only one sacrifice was made and only one was ever needed—the death of Christ on the cross.
If you want to learn more about TGKids, click the button below!
Gil Balch Special Offering
WHEN: Sunday, July 30th
WHAT: You are invited to prayerfully consider participating in a special offering to help support Gil Balch and his family as they step out on faith to pursue the Lord’s calling on his life.
Back to School Block Party
WHEN: Saturday, August 12th
WHAT: Be a part of the fun and fellowship as we celebrate back to school at the Athens YMCA from 11 am - 2 pm. Sign up below for more information on how you can volunteer.
Membership Class
WHEN: September 16, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm
WHAT: Join us as we unpack our doctrine, values, & the commitments we make to one another. Sign up below to get more information.
Women’s Retreat
WHEN: September 22-23
WHERE: Camp Fairview
Mark your calendars! You will not want to miss this spiritually refreshing retreat and wonderful time of fellowship, food, and fun. Registration is now available with more information coming soon.
Paradise in Tension
July 16, 2023 || Genesis 3:1-7 || Walt Alexander
MAIN POINT: Watch out, your main enemy is not the world, the devil, or your neighbor—it is your own sin.
The Serpent (v. 1 - 3).
The Lie (v. 4 - 5).
The Sin (v. 6 - 7).
TGKIDS
The heart of TGKids is to help children understand that the Bible is all about Jesus! Below is the story, scripture, and main teaching points from the TGKids lesson, so that you can talk with your kids about what they learned.
Bible Story: The Exiles Return
Scripture: Ezra 1 - 3
Bible Truth: God moves in the hearts of men to rebuild the temple and accomplish his purpose.
Where is Jesus: Ezra 3: 8 - 13
Some of the people of God who returned to Jerusalem from Babylon were very old. If a child had been a ten-year-old when first captured, he would be an eighty-year-old now after the seventy-year captivity in Babylon.
The older men remembered how beautiful Solomon’s temple had been before being destroyed. That’s why they were sad and crying. But their children, who had grown up in Babylon, had never seen Solomon’s temple, so they rejoiced when the foundation was laid.
Even though the new temple was not as big and beautiful as the original, something very special would one day happen there. Jesus would visit this rebuilt temple; he would walk across the very foundation they were laying. The older men had good reason to be sad, but if they had only known that Jesus would teach and heal in the rebuilt temple, they would have rejoiced instead of crying.
Jesus is the new temple. When we become Christians we become a part of Christ’s body, the church—we become a part of the new temple (1 Corinthians 3:16–17). God’s new, most glorious temple is not man-made but God-made. The same presence of God that filled Solomon’s temple fills the heart of every Christian.
If you want to learn more about TGKids, click the button below!
VBS: Stories of Radical Rescue
WHEN: July 19- 21 | 2 - 4 pm | YMCA
WHO: TGC kids ages 5-12 years old are welcome to join for free!
HOW: Please arrive around 1:45p and let the front desk know you are dropping kids off for VBS. Parents can then register their kids for the day in the gym. Pickup is in the gym at 4pm.
Advance 2023!
WHEN: July 27 - 29
WHAT: Advance is back . . . and better than ever! Advance is a summer retreat for youth. Sign up below to reserve your spot.
Membership Class
WHEN: September 16, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm
WHAT: Join us as we unpack our doctrine, values, & the commitments we make to one another. Sign up below to get more information.
Women’s Retreat
WHEN: September 22-23
WHERE: Camp Fairview
Mark your calendars! You will not want to miss this spiritually refreshing retreat and wonderful time of fellowship, food, and fun. Registration is now available with more information coming soon.
Nearly 30 members of Trinity Grace participated in our Lawncare and Prayer day. Baskets were assembled with baked goods, information about our church, and a copy of “The Cross-Centered Life” by C.J. Mahaney. 5 teams fanned out across Athens to help folks in need. It was a wonderful day connecting with people in the community and serving together. Below are just a few snapshots from the day. Please pray for opportunities to follow up with some people who are interested in learning more about Jesus.
Keep an eye out for future serving opportunities. We hope to connect with more and more people in our community who do not know Jesus and do not have a church home.
Openness to the Lord
July 9, 2023 || 1 John 1:1-2:1 || Gil Balch
MAIN POINT: God is holy, and he calls us to live in humble, honest confession to receive forgiveness through the blood of Christ.
The Standard (v.5).
The Claims (v. 6, 8, 10).
The Truth (v. 7, 9, 2:1).
TGKIDS
The heart of TGKids is to help children understand that the Bible is all about Jesus! Below is the story, scripture, and main teaching points from the TGKids lesson, so that you can talk with your kids about what they learned.
Bible Story: Daniel in the Lion’s Den
Scripture: Daniel 6
Bible Truth: God Preserves His People by His Sovereign Hand.
Where is Jesus: 1 Timothy 1:15-16
Like Paul, we are all sinners. We have broken God’s law and deserve a death sentence. God’s law cannot be repealed or changed. Similarly in Daniel’s day, the law of the Medes and Persians could not be repealed. When the king’s law was broken, the person who broke the law had to be punished. King Darius could not save Daniel. God, however, could save Daniel.
Like Daniel, we have all broken a law that cannot be changed: God’s law. But, we have a heavenly king who can save us, not by changing the law but by taking the punishment we deserve. God saved Daniel from the lions by the angel and God has saved us by the death of his Son, Jesus, on the cross. Our God is a God who saves! By remaining in the lions’ den overnight, Daniel satisfied the law of the Medes and Persians. By taking our punishment on the cross, Jesus satisfied the law of God.
If you want to learn more about TGKids, click the button below!
Lemonade Stand: Isaiah 117 House
WHEN: Saturday, July 15 10am - 2pm
WHERE: YMCA, 205 Knoxville Ave
Enjoy some refreshing lemonade and support the work of Isaiah 117 House as they provide physical and emotional support in a safe and loving home for children awaiting placement.
VBS: Stories of Radical Rescue
WHEN: July 19- 21 | 2 - 4 pm | YMCA
WHAT: Are you interested in helping serve at this year’s VBS at the YMCA as we proclaim the good news about the radical rescue of Jesus Christ?
If so, click the button below to sign up and receive more information.
Advance 2023!
WHEN: July 27 - 29
WHAT: Advance is back . . . and better than ever! Advance is a summer retreat for youth. Sign up below to reserve your spot.
Membership Class
WHEN: September 16, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm
WHAT: Join us as we unpack our doctrine, values, & the commitments we make to one another. Sign up below to get more information.
Women’s Retreat
WHEN: September 22-23
WHERE: Camp Fairview
Mark your calendars! You will not want to miss this spiritually refreshing retreat and wonderful time of fellowship, food, and fun. Registration information coming soon.
1Co 3:5-7 - “What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.”
This passage captures the truth of how God uses his people to carry out his purposes of bringing new life - and he often does so incrementally.
This past Sunday, we invited Jeremiah Kersey to share about those who planted and watered the gospel in his life and how God used their influence to bring the gospel’s effects to fruition in his soul.
The following is Jeremiah’s testimony:
My name is Jeremiah, and I’ve been a Christian for 10 years. I would like to tell you about the person who told me about Jesus and the true gospel.
I was born in Cleveland, Tn. I did not grow up in Church, but I was raised with the understanding that my family was Christian. When I was about six or seven years old we attended a handful of services, but then we stopped and never returned. My father explained that the church was full of hypocrites. I didn’t understand what he meant. As I got older I assumed that church attendance was mostly for appearances, and in no way necessary.
My views on Christianity were so warped that I thought everyone I met was a Christian. I knew other religions existed and that some people didn’t believe in God, but it wasn’t until middle school that I listened to someone, face to face, deny God’s existence. They were obviously trying to be as edgy as possible, and it was goofy. Even though it was memorable, it was not compelling in any way. This is also the same year I met another kid, who would become my closest childhood friend.
Later in high school this was the young man who told me that God wasn’t real. I remember feeling afraid and nervous. He wasn’t trying to get a reaction. He was sincerely sharing his beliefs with his best friend. I admired him so much that I had to hear his reasoning. He provided several arguments against the authenticity of the Bible and walked me through the problem of evil. With no biblical knowledge and a whopping 4-5 entire children’s church sessions under my belt, it’s safe to say I was ill-equipped to provide any rebuttal. We just never talked about it again, but my understanding of the world was dramatically changed. By the time I was a senior in high school I was firmly agnostic. Like any good agnostic I researched a ton of sources that confirmed my bias and settled into a more atheistic stance.
A few years later while I was working in Cleveland a beautiful girl named Carrie started her first week of training at the same call center. A couple dates, a ringless proposal, and within 6 months we were married. During our very short engagement she had one requirement. I had to attend church services with her. I didn’t argue because beliefs are loosely held when you throw a cute girl into the mix. So, in the blink of an eye I went from an atheist back to agnostic. I attended services with her, but I mostly just spaced out until they were over. Anyways, as young love goes we both ended up losing our jobs from missing too many days.
Thankfully, I was able to land my first IT job and that’s where I met a man who would quickly become a close friend and mentor. His name is Anton Burnette, and this is the man who told me about Jesus. I don’t know why he took an interest in me, but I will forever be in his debt. Not only did he mentor me regarding the day to day job, but he also taught me how to work diligently in any position and how to lead a team. More importantly, he shared the gospel and defended the faith against every argument I had. He would walk me through the most basic points, step by step, until I realized I had no defense for that particular belief. Through the next 2 years Anton sent me countless videos, websites, and books on various Christian doctrines. I knew that there was no possible argument against the Christian God. He was absolutely true. I knew that the Bible was God-breathed and uncorrupted. I understood the doctrines of grace.
However, something didn’t feel right. I had knowledge of God and a defense of the faith, but it was just knowledge. Through both God and Anton’s wisdom a couple of things happened, almost back to back. Anton sent me a youtube link on a discussion of Acts 2. Two of the verses referenced were Acts 2 v.38 and 39, “And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” I didn’t really think anything about that particular reference as I watched it, but then that ole youtube algorithm hit the jackpot. I came across R.C. Sproul’s lessons on “The Assurance of Salvation.” Here again, I seemed to understand the lesson and I would pause the video and confirm my understanding with Anton and nothing surprising came up. I was, however, growing more and more scared as the lessons continued. There was a reference to Matthew 7 v.23, “...depart from me I never knew you.” Then there was a section on all the variations of false assurance. Finally at the end R.C. Sproul explained that a person could know they have been regenerated by their new found hate for sin. A person’s correct love of Christ would cause them to love Christ’s law and to hate lawlessness.
A number of things washed over me at that moment: I admitted that I always knew God existed, but I didn’t love him before. I loved my sin. At that same moment I realized how disgusting my sins were in the sight of God. As my eyes were welling up my mind flooded with the number of times Anton had referenced Acts 2 v.38, but this time it clicked. I finally understood the gospel, and after my eyes dried up I turned to Anton and said, “I need to be baptized.” I was baptized two weeks later. Anton continued to instruct me in biblical doctrines over the next three years until our careers took different paths. He will always be one of my most trusted friends.
I thank God for putting Anton in my life. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without him. He set an example that I will always strive for. Thank you all for the opportunity to share my story.
What is Marriage?
July 2, 2023 || Genesis 2:24-25 || Taylor Hollingsworth
MAIN POINT: Honor, protect, and rejoice in the covenant of marriage for God’s glory and for our good.
Marriage is a design created by God.
Marriage is a covenant ordained by God.
Marriage is a sign displaying the gospel of God.
TGKIDS
The heart of TGKids is to help children understand that the Bible is all about Jesus! Below is the story, scripture, and main teaching points from the TGKids lesson, so that you can talk with your kids about what they learned.
Bible Story: The Glory Belongs to God Alone
Scripture: Daniel 4
Bible Truth: The glory for all we do belongs to God.
Where is Jesus: Daniel 4:27–33.
Daniel told the king to obey God’s commands—to stop sinning and practice righteousness. But even if the king wanted to stop sinning, he would not be able to. And if he could stop sinning, he would still be guilty of all the bad things he had already done and would still need to be punished for his sin. What the king really needed was to give up and call out to God for mercy.
We are all sinners. We continue to sin no matter how hard we try not to. Plus, all the good things we do cannot cover up the bad things we have already done. Our only hope is to call out to God to save us. God has provided a way for us to be forgiven by sending his Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. It is only when we trust in the good work of Jesus on the cross that we can be saved..
If you want to learn more about TGKids, click the button below!
Lawn Care & Prayer
WHEN: July 8 | 8am - 12pm
WHAT: We want to freely give to people in our community as a small expression of how Christ has freely given to us in the gospel by serving folks who may struggle to maintain their lawn for one reason or another. Our Lawn Care & Prayer teams will consist of people like you who will physically care for the person through mowing or spiritually care for the person through prayer.
Click below for more information on how to serve.
Picnic on the Lawn
Join us this Sunday, July 9th, after church for a time of fellowship. Bring your picnic lunch and lawn chairs and enjoy some summer fun!
VBS: Stories of Radical Rescue
WHEN: July 19- 21 | 2 - 4 pm | YMCA
WHAT: Are you interested in helping serve at this year’s VBS at the YMCA as we proclaim the good news about the radical rescue of Jesus Christ?
If so, click the button below to sign up and receive more information.
The following is a transcript from Kaitlyn Akers as she honored her dad, JD:
Last week Walt preached about how “a man gladly takes up sacrificial responsibility to provide for and protect others in appropriate ways to the glory of God.”
So I wanted to tell you about one amazing man in my life.
When I was 6 years old and my mom was pregnant with twins, my biological father decided he no longer wanted a family. He walked away, taking everything, and shedding every ounce of responsibility he had and never looked back. I remember everyone that stepped in to help us survive during that season wondering how was my mom going to make it alone with 3 kids. But little did we know Gods plan for our lives. 3 months after she delivered the twins, she reconnected with a high school friend, who was actually her old prom date!
They started dating and some of my family members were worried that it was happening too quickly. But they were all over at our house one day and JD walked in. I screamed his name from across the house and leaped into his arms. My mom’s brother then looked at my mom and asked: “So when are you getting married?” And that question was answered about 1 year later.
A man gladly takes up sacrificial responsibility, and that is exactly what JD Akers did. He always says that he fell in love with us as quickly as he did my mom. Even before they were married he helped my mom provide for us. He became the dad my brothers and I so desperately needed. He is the man that stepped up and took on the responsibility that one man shed. He taught me how to follow the Lord even when it means going completely against what the world preaches. He taught me how to ride a bike without training wheels. He taught me how to be bold and brave, but that he was always there to catch me. He taught me that a penalty flag thrown on to a football field is not a rubber chicken. He is not only my dad he is one of my best friends…and he will never ever leave.
That is why I chose to honor him in one special way, to show everyone that being a dad is so much more than sharing DNA. This Father’s Day I presented him with a gift. I legally changed my last name to Akers to honor him and to share my last name with the man that sacrificially provides and protects us both physically and spiritually on a daily basis. He is my daddy, my pa, and I am honored and excited to officially be Kaitlyn Akers.
What is Woman For?
June 25, 2023 || Genesis 2:18 - 25 || Walt Alexander
MAIN POINT: A woman gladly takes up sacrificial responsibility to help, nurture life, & adorn true beauty in appropriate ways for the glory of God.
The Woman.
The Mission.
The Mandate.
TGKIDS
The heart of TGKids is to help children understand that the Bible is all about Jesus! Below is the story, scripture, and main teaching points from the TGKids lesson, so that you can talk with your kids about what they learned.
Bible Story: Four Men in the Furnace
Scripture: Daniel 3
Bible Truth: Our God is Able to Deliver Us.
Where is Jesus: Hebrews 11:34
In the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, there is an obvious answer to “Where is Jesus?” The Son of God was with them in the fire as the fourth person. Just as God was willing to come down to earth to save them from the fire, so Jesus was willing to come down to earth as a man to save us from our sins. God delivers these men from the flames so that not even their clothing is singed!
Though not mentioned by name in Hebrews 11:34, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego certainly “quenched the power of fire.” These three men are a part of the “great cloud of witnesses” that the book of Hebrews says should motivate us to look to Jesus (Hebrews 12:1–2).
If you want to learn more about TGKids, click the button below!
VBS: Stories of Radical Rescue
WHEN: July 19- 21 | 2 - 4 pm | YMCA
WHAT: Are you interested in helping serve at this year’s VBS at the YMCA as we proclaim the good news about the radical rescue of Jesus Christ?
If so, click the button below to sign up and receive more information.
Lawn Care & Prayer
WHEN: July 8 | 8am - 12pm
WHAT: We want to freely give to people in our community as a small expression of how Christ has freely given to us in the gospel by serving folks who may struggle to maintain their lawn for one reason or another. Our Lawn Care & Prayer teams will consist of people like you who will physically care for the person through mowing or spiritually care for the person through prayer.
Click below for more information on how to serve.
This Summer, we have the joy of participating in several different Serve Days.
June 10 - Helping Mountainside Community Bible Church
July 8 - Lawn Care & Prayer
July 19-21 - VBS at the YMCA
August 12 - Back to School Block Party
Though the opportunities are diverse, the driving aim of these days is to help us engage in the Great Commission:
Mat 28:19-20 - Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
The mission of going, disciple-making, baptizing, and teaching are all features of reproducing local churches. The pattern demonstrated in scripture includes going to where people live, preaching the gospel, gaining converts, gathering new believers into local churches, instructing believers in the faith, appointing elders, and then repeating. In this way, local churches are both the goal and the means of making disciples. Once a new local church is established in a particular region, those believers continue to learn, grow, and live out the Kingdom ethic in that community.
So, we are a church that has been planted in McMinn County. What does it look like for us to continue living in light of this Great Commission? Part of what we want to do is focus our energy and resources as a church toward opportunities for evangelism and strengthening local churches. Making disciples by nature means helping non-followers become followers of Jesus. This is at the heart of evangelism. Additionally, once people are following Jesus, we want to do what we can to help them grow to love the Lord more and other people more.
Below are a few ways we are seeking to honor the Lord with these Serve Days this Summer - we would love for you to prayerfully consider jumping in where possible as an expression of praising the Lord with your gifts and serving others for his glory!
We want to bless other local churches who are laboring for the gospel. One area pastor and friend, Jacob Stockner, welcomed us to help renovate a building so that their congregation could have a place to regularly gather on Sundays. We were happy to help serve these brothers and sisters in many practical ways.
We want to freely give to people in our community as a small expression of how Christ has freely given to us in the gospel. One way we aim to do that is by serving folks who may struggle to maintain their lawn for one reason or another. On Saturday, July 8, we want to send out teams to serve. Each team will consist of people like you who will physically care for the person through mowing or spiritually care for the person through prayer.
Do you know anyone who may be blessed by a Lawn Care and Prayer Team visit (single moms, widows, elderly, disabled...etc.) in the Athens area?
Are you interested in helping serve on our Lawn Care & Prayer Team?
If the answer is “Yes!” to EITHER of these questions, click below…
Our friends at the YMCA have generously offered to let us come into their summer day camp and facilitate a condensed version of Vacation Bible School from Wednesday, July 19 - Friday, July 21. The theme is "Radical Rescue." Through a combination of stories, drama, games, and crafts, we will draw out the radical rescue we find in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our aim is to leave kids with an amazement at the power, kindness, and goodness of God.
Are you interested in helping serve at this year’s VBS at the YMCA? Sign up below and we’ll give you more details about how you can be a part of the team that proclaims the good news about the radical rescue of Jesus Christ!
There are many people in our community, for one reason or another, that will not venture into a church service. But as Christians, we don’t have to wait until they come to us. The wonder of our faith begins with a God who left the comforts of heaven in order to pursue us while we were still his enemies. So, we have a wonderful precedent to intentionally pursue people with the love of Christ. One way we aim to do that is by connecting with our neighbors through a block party.
Our friends at the YMCA have generously agreed to allow us to host a party behind the YMCA on Saturday, August 12 from 11am-2pm.
This will be a time to enjoy what we have in common with all people (regardless of whether or not they are Christians, yet). We will enjoy music, food, games, and community. These things should be a delight for all of us! However, we also want to provide a context to share about the Giver of all good gifts. We want to proclaim the hope of the gospel in Jesus Christ.
So, in addition to the fun, we aim to share the gospel in two ways. First will be through a public dance performance by Enoch Contemporary Ballet outlining the story of the gospel. The second is to set up a booth for free bibles and prayer. Hopefully, both of these will provide space for a clear presentation of the gospel and conversation.
To create the context for our church members to connect with our neighbors, we will need to combine our efforts in a number of ways to serve. There are numerous ways to plug in! If you are available and interested in serving, click below.
We pray that, by God’s grace, many will become followers of Jesus and his church will be built up as we live for him in our community. May God help us as we learn to walk in dependence on him and love our neighbors as ourselves.
What is Man For?
June 18, 2023 || Genesis 2:4 - 17 || Walt Alexander
MAIN POINT: A man gladly takes up sacrificial responsibility to provide for & protect others in appropriate ways for the glory of God.
The Man (v.4-7).
The Mission (v.8-15).
The Mandate (v.16-17).
TGKIDS
The heart of TGKids is to help children understand that the Bible is all about Jesus! Below is the story, scripture, and main teaching points from the TGKids lesson, so that you can talk with your kids about what they learned.
Bible Story: Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
Scripture: Daniel 2:1-49
Bible Truth: God’s Wisdom Prevails.
Where is Jesus: Romans 9:32-33
The most important part of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was the part about a great rock from God that destroyed the statue and grew into a mountain and filled the whole earth.
The rock was a picture of Jesus Christ and the mountain a picture of God’s kingdom. Throughout the Bible, God uses a rock or stone to represent his work on the earth. Another example is when water came out from a rock in the desert for the children of Israel to drink.
Later in the New Testament, we are told that the rock in the desert represents Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4). Jesus compared a life lived for God to a house that was strong and sturdy because it was built on the rock of God’s truth (Matthew 7:24). The apostle Paul said that the rock of God’s truth is Jesus (Romans 9:33).
If you want to learn more about TGKids, click the button below!
VBS: “Stories of Radical Rescue”
WHEN: July 19- 21, 2 - 4 pm at the YMCA
WHAT: Are you interested in helping serve at this year’s VBS at the YMCA as we proclaim the good news about the radical rescue of Jesus Christ?
If so, click the button below to sign up and receive more information.
If you are between 6th-12th grade, you are welcome to join us for the Red Clay Pool Day this Saturday weather permitting! The cost is $9. There are concessions available if you'd like to bring extra money. Parents are welcome to join, but we can arrange for youth who need a ride. Please contact Camille Lopez.
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. - Gen 2:1-3
Are there any boundaries between our work and rest? And what should work and rest look like? Our rhythm of work and rest actually reveals something about who our God is and what we think about him. It’s been said that “Without Christ, we will work even while we are resting. And with Christ, we will rest even while we are working.” This passage is foundational for recasting work and rest in light of our great God so that we can be truly refreshed and filled with joy as his people.
This past Sunday, we attempted to trace out the unfolding theme of the Sabbath and the implications it has for our lives as Christians. The main point of the message was that we should rest from work one day each week in order to gather with the people of God to celebrate our Creator and Redeemer.
If you’ve been struggling with what this could look like, then the following may serve you. In her helpful book, “Keeping the Sabbath Wholly,” Marva Dawn has outlined four categories to aid us in practically applying this Sabbath rest as Christians.
The rest of Genesis 2 is not rest from fatigue. Rather, this rest describes ceasing in order to enjoy accomplishment and celebrate completion. In the hymn “Come Away From Rush and Hurry” we see these lyrics:
Come away from rush and hurry
to the stillness of God’s peace;
From our vain ambition’s worry,
come to Christ and find release.
Come away from noise and clamor,
life’s demands and frenzied pace.
The first step to true rest is simply ceasing.
Dawn writes:
“A great benefit of Sabbath keeping is that we learn to let God take care of us - not by becoming passive and lazy, but in the freedom of giving up our feeble attempts to be God in our own lives.”
So, what do we cease from? How do we make sure we’re not being Pharisees who burden the Sabbath down with unintended rule-keeping and enjoy the refreshment intended by Christ - the Lord of the Sabbath. After all, the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:23-28). Dawn helpfully articulates several ways we can practically cease to make room for true rest.
Cease work - To cease work means to quit laboring at anything that is work. Activity that is enjoyable and freeing and not undertaken for the purpose of accomplishment qualifies as rest.
Cease productivity and accomplishment - Trying to accomplish a lot is one of the ways we seek to satisfy the deepest longing of our existence. But true rest is found in Christ’s accomplishments for us, rather than our own. Ceasing from this pursuit reminds us that we are precious in God’s sight, not because of what we produce, but because we are loved.
Cease anxiety, worry, and tension - Sabbath keeping reminds us that we don’t have the power to fix the world, so we choose to rest in the One who does have all power. This is not running away from problems, but an opportunity to receive grace to face our problems.
Cease trying to be God - Our ceasing acknowledges that we are creatures dependent on the Creator.
Martin Luther once wrote:
“The spiritual rest which God especially intends in this commandment [to keep the Sabbath holy] is that we not only cease from our labor and trade but much more - that we let God alone work in us and that in all our powers do we do nothing of our own.”
Unlike God the Creator, our rest does include a dimension of fatigue. But this is not merely physical. As creatures, we need to be rejuvenated and refreshed in a number of ways. Here are some ways we can rest on the Sabbath:
Spiritual rest - True rest is anchored in peace. But not just any peace - like the tranquility of a mountain stream or an Eastern emptying meditation. Particularly peace with God!
Physical rest - This is another declaration of our dependence on the Lord. We are able to stop and enjoy physical recovery so that we are more energized for the work in the six days ahead as we serve the Lord.
Sabbath keeping is not only about taking away, but also about embracing. One of the main reasons for being deliberate in this work-rest cycle each week is to recover more firmly the different set of values we embrace because we are God’s people.
Here are some ways we can embrace these values:
Embrace the value of Christian community - We choose to spend time, especially in the weekly gathering of the church, with the company of others committed to God, remembering our identity as his people together, and celebrating our unity in his grace. Both in the gathering of the church and in smaller clusters of relationships, we have the opportunity to deepen our bonds through sharing time with other believers.
Embrace time instead of space - By observing a Sabbath rest, we embrace a focus on relationships in time rather than using time to acquire or accomplish things. We are not out to conquer, we rest in the one who has conquered death on our behalf.
True rest is found in not only ceasing our work, but also in seeing and celebrating God. In light of this, we should indulge in the things that delight our hearts in our great God.
In the words of Marva Dawn:
“Observing the Sabbath includes not only the freedom from, and repentance for, work and worry (ceasing), the renewing of our whole being in grace-based faith (resting), and the intentionality of our choosing and valuing (embracing), but also the fun and festivity of a weekly eschatalogical [future hope] party…Our weekly celebrations help us to be more aware that God is eternally present, but the fact that our short-lived Sabbath celebrations are but a foretaste of the eternal feast that we will someday enjoy in God’s presence.”
Here are a few ways to feast on the Sabbath:
Feast on music - Eph 5:19 says “...addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart…” We are encouraged to make music to the Lord and for the encouragement of other believers. The style is not the most important aspect. What matters is how the Holy Spirit uses the music to marinate our minds with the sweetness of the gospel.
Feast on beauty - Observing the Sabbath gives us the opportunity to celebrate God’s creative and redemptive accomplishments on our behalf. Knowing God is the perfect Creator, we spend the day delighting in the beauties of his creation and thereby growing in our love for the Master designer and Craftsmen. Enjoying art or a well-crafted book or natural beauty are but a handful of ways we can use to delight in the God who created it all!
Feast with food - Historically, Sabbath feasting on the day of rest was intended to contrast the meager meals on the days of work. A weekly feast on the Lord’s Day pointed to the celebration of the gospel with God’s people while looking forward to full redemption. Feasting with food and the people of God can indicate our distinction as those who have been rescued from death to life - tidings of “great joy.”
Feast with affection - Spending time with other believers allows us to display affection in a number of ways. We can serve one another, pray for one another, play with one another, eat with one another, and outdo one another by giving honor. Taking time to be “others-focused” is a unique contrast to our culture’s insistence on running for personal gain.
In the song ‘Come Away From Rush and Hurry,” we see this wonderful line:
In the pastures of God’s goodness
We lie down to rest our soul.
From the waters of his mercy
We drink deeply, are made whole.
At the table of his presence
all his saints are richly fed.
With the oil of his anointing
into service we are led.
This captures the rest intended by God. Rather than falling into the ditches of self-interest characterized by both frenzy and sloth, God’s rest is an invitation to his created and redeemed people to cease from working in order to celebrate the Lord together.
In the words of Marva Dawn:
When the Sabbath is finally fulfilled, our divisions and weaknesses will cease forever. We will rest eternally in God’s grace and love. We will embrace his kingdom and sovereignty ultimately and perfectly. We will feast unceasingly in his presence.
The Sabbath
June 11, 2023 || Genesis 2:1-3 || Taylor Hollingsworth
SUMMARY: Are there any boundaries between our work and rest? And what should work and rest look like? Our rhythm of work and rest actually reveals something about who our God is and what we think about him. It’s been said that “Without Christ, we will work even while we are resting. And with Christ, we will rest even while we are working.” This passage is foundational for recasting work and rest in light of our great God so that we can be truly refreshed and filled with joy as his people.
MAIN POINT: Rest from work one day each week in order to gather with the people of God to celebrate our Creator and Redeemer.
God’s Rest.
Our Unrest.
Entering God’s Rest.
TGKIDS
The heart of TGKids is to help children understand that the Bible is all about Jesus! Below is the story, scripture, and main teaching points from the TGKids lesson, so that you can talk with your kids about what they learned.
Bible Story: The Fall of Jerusalem
Scripture: 2 Kings 23:28 -37; 2 Chronicles 36:1-23
Bible Truth: God’s Judgement comes when his people do not repent.
Where is Jesus: Jeremiah 23:5-6
God sent his prophet Jeremiah to warn the kings of Judah. The kings did not listen to Jeremiah, and in the end, there was no remedy—God allowed Jerusalem to be ransacked and the people carried into captivity (2 Chronicles 36:16).
God, however, was not finished speaking through Jeremiah. Jeremiah said that God would give his people another king from the line of David. This king would be a “righteous Branch” and he would be called “The Lord is our righteousness” (Jeremiah 23:5–6). Jesus is that King!
If you want to learn more about TGKids, click the button below!
VBS: “Stories of Radical Rescue”
WHEN: July 19- 21, 2 - 4 pm at the YMCA
WHAT: Are you interested in helping serve at this year’s VBS at the YMCA as we proclaim the good news about the radical rescue of Jesus Christ?
If so, click the button below to sign up and receive more information.
