Category: GRACE

Back at it!

On By MarkIn Flagstaff, GRACE, Laurie1 Comment

It has been pretty quiet in my blog world for the past couple of weeks. I got hit with the bug pretty good. As of today, Laurie and I are both feeling much better. It’s been good to be at the office most of the day to start catching up.

I’ve really missed being around the people of Grace these past couple of Sundays. Both weeks, I came in and preached and ducked out so as not to contaminate any of you nice people. Well, that’s done with for now. I can’t wait to see you on Sunday and catch up some.

This week I’ll be speaking from John 15. Go ahead and read up a little, that’ll help.

It’s a gorgeous day here in Flag, and we’re expecting a quick visit with Leonard and Susie. Hopefully tomorrow we can drive up the mountain and see some of the colors of fall!

I hope you’re able to enjoy this colorful season as well. Can’t wait to see you at Grace on Sunday.

Speaking Opps

On By MarkIn church, GRACE1 Comment

I would love to invite you to pray for a couple of added opportunities for me this week. Tonight I get to speak to the amazing students at InterVarsity. I love encouraging these students as they live out their faith in Jesus on the NAU campus. We’ve been given something special from God to use to advance the gospel message, let’s find it, dust it off and work it for God’s use!

Tomorrow night I get to encourage about 100 leaders at the leadership banquet at Thomas Road Baptist Church in Phoenix. This is the church I served with for 10 years prior to coming to Flagstaff. It’s been awhile since I’ve been there to speak. Can’t wait to remind them of the love of Jesus for them and for their community.

My favorite opportunity will be Sunday morning @ 10am @ Grace Community. John 14:7-14

Teaching on Gifts of the Spirit

On By MarkIn GRACE, Holy Spirit, TeachingLeave a comment

Tonight at 6:30 I’m teaching week two of our 4 week class on “Gifted for Ministry”. If you missed the first week, you can still come and jump in tonight. The purpose of this class is to help you understand how the Lord has gifted each of us with what we call ‘spiritual gifts’ and how we can best serve the Lord through our church. There is a $5 charge for the class and an optional book fee for our theology text, Understanding Christian Theology, for $32. I’ll have copies of last weeks notes and handouts for any that can join us tonight.

The Monday Night Classes that Grace offers are intentional teachings of what we call our essential doctrines and themes. Look for upcoming classes to choose from. Each class is intentionally designed to better equip our body in theology and practical living. Most classes are about 4 weeks long, so that you can continue going to your Grace Group without having to miss any sessions.

Sunday Night Thoughts

On By MarkIn church, GRACE, Holy Spirit, Teaching, TheologyLeave a comment

Wow. What a day. I love Sunday’s at Grace. Tonight I want to highlight a few things that are on my mind.

First, thanks to the Hospitality Team for an amazing lunch today. The place was packed out! It was awesome. Food was great and I’m thankful Sinagua has added more tables. It looked to me like you guys were all having a great time. Thanks for staying after church and enjoying a meal with “One Another”. Great job everyone. I hope you were encouraged.

We just finished our first Grace Group tonight. I already love our new group. If you haven’t joined a Grace Group yet, we’ll have all the updated information available for you this next week. There are Grace Groups spread around town on several different nights of the week. It is an awesome experience to get around the table or the living room and talk about what God is teaching us.

Tomorrow night I start a new class. As you know we’ve started these Monday Night Classes for teaching more doctrine and essential truths of Grace. The Classes are designed to average about 4 weeks long, some will be a bit shorter or longer. They all start at 6:30 and finish by 8. One of the main reasons we keep the classes to just a few weeks is so that you can do both a class and your Grace Group. If you are in a Grace Group and see a class you’d like to take, the design allows you to do both with only a few weeks of having two nights out. So, please don’t miss out on the classes we’re offering. We’re being very intentional about the class topics and the schedules. We’ve already had one on the Deity of Christ, one on Spiritual Growth and one on Biblical Finances. Many of the classes will be offered again.

So, tomorrow I’m starting a 4 week study on “Gifted for Ministry”. We’ll examine the biblical teaching on the Holy Spirit as a gift and the gifts He gives us. We’ll look at why the church is dependent upon the gifts that the Holy Spirit has given to individuals. By the end of the 4 week study, you’ll be able to identify how God has gifted you and how you can serve Him at Grace. I’m very excited about this and I just love the timing, especially how it fits with our recent study in John.

Most classes have fees and books. From here on out, any class that requires a theology text, we’ll be using one: Understanding Christian Theology. I have a few copies available tomorrow for $32. It’s a big book, and it’ll serve you well for years to come, especially in a variety of classes we’ll offer. For this class the book is NOT REQUIRED, but it is highly RECOMMENDED. I’ll have some handouts as well as some class notes. I believe the fee for the class is $5.

If you have any questions, let me know or call Bekah in the morning.

I really hope you’re finding your way to a Grace Group, or that you will this next week. I invite you to join me for class tomorrow night as well.

It’s been a great day. Thanks to all who serve Jesus at Grace in making it a welcoming place for some great ministry to be taking place. God bless you all, have a good night.

People of the towel

On By MarkIn church, GRACE, Teaching2 Comments

Yesterday was amazing @ Grace. At the end of a sermon from John 13 on the washing of the disciples feet by our Lord, we passed out towels to all who would commit to serving one another. I’d love to hear stories of how we’re actually serving the needs of one another. Can we pass on stories without boasting or drawing attention to ourselves? Jesus was simply teaching a lesson by ‘doing’. That’s all I’m looking for. Let’s teach one another by sharing our stories of how we serve the needs around us. Any takers?

Holy Anticipation

On By MarkIn church, GRACE, Jesus!, Pray, Worship2 Comments

I’m in my office on a Saturday morning going over notes for tomorrow, cleaning up the place, and…oh yeah, listening to the Grace Worship Team rehearsing for tomorrow. As I’m listening to them, I’m thinking of tomorrow morning at Grace. I’m anticipating God’s blessings on His people as we come together FOR Him. I’m picturing hundreds of people lifting their voices and some even their hands as we worship God as His holy community. We are HIS. He’s our Abba, our God, our Saviour, our Life-giver, and our Friend.

Whether you attend Grace on Sunday or your church in your community, do you go with a sense of anticipation? Here are some thoughts to help you get ready for the holy gathering of the community:

  • Lord, what will you teach me about YOU?
  • Who will I see tomorrow that needs a fresh look at YOU, someone I can love and encourage?
  • What will I learn from your WORD?
  • How can you use ME to bless someone else in this holy community?
  • Who will be there tomorrow for the first time, seeking YOU?
  • Who will be there hanging on by a thread, needing more of YOU?
  • Lord, what can I give you?
  • Lord teach me your ways.
  • Lord show me your glory.
  • Lord, bless our holy gathering.
  • Lord, may I be rested and thoughtful as I approach this sacred moment.

I seriously can’t wait to gather with God’s people and our many guests to see what He’s got in store for us as we bring our offering of praise to Him. To the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

Rom 16:27
to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Chris

Zac Smith @Grace This Sunday

On By MarkIn Cancer, God's Glory, GRACE, Preaching, Zac2 Comments

I believe it was the Friday just before Mother’s Day when Zac went in for a colonoscopy.  That day he learned that he had a lemon-sized tumor. The next morning they did surgery and it wasn’t long before he learned the cancer was at a stage four status. There are only four stages.

I remember learning of the news by talking with my brother Jim, (Zac’s dad) and wept on the phone realizing this wasn’t going to be the news any of us wanted to hear.  Immediately I began to mourn for my nephew.  I couldn’t believe my 32 year old nephew had cancer.  I remember a few days later getting a phone call from Zac. Just seeing his name on my cell phone seemed to affect me.  It seemed surreal to be talking to a young man I know well and love much, yet feeling so helpless. There’s nothing to say, nothing to fix, simply being on the phone was going to be good enough. And it was.

Zac has served us all well by sharing his thoughts via his blog.  He’s allowed us to read the journey as he is experiencing it.  I would think it would be very easy to become very private and secluded, whether in sorrow, self pity or overwhelmed thoughts of the brevity of life.  I can’t imagine all that Zac is experiencing, but I’m grateful that he is sharing parts of the story with us. On the side of this blog, you can find a link to his blog. Go and read it.

This Sunday, Zac will be speaking at Grace. This is huge.  Zac is an excellent teacher, preacher, and thinker.  Whatever you can do to be at Grace this week, it’ll be worth the effort. I’m trusting God for an amazing time together learning of the marvelous and amazing grace of God as seen and experienced through this young man’s life.  We start at 10.  For my Grace peeps, let’s be praying now for God’s Spirit to minister in a special way this Sunday.

Sundays @ Grace

On By MarkIn church, GRACE, Missions, ZacLeave a comment

I love Sundays @ Grace. Someone has said the church is not measured by the seats in the auditorium but by those sent out. This coming Sunday July 5th, we’ll be hearing from some of our very own missionaries sent out by Grace. Each of them serve with Network of International Christian Schools. (http://www.nics.org/)

Charity LaMertha and Molly Evans serve in Indonesia and Scot and Kristen Byrd serve in South Korea. These four will be telling their stories, which is in fact a story of God’s grace in the lives of those ‘zealous for good works’ (Titus 2:14).

The following Thursday, July 9th, we’ll have a special gathering at the Ministry Center with Jason and Tami Rogers, our missionaries to Nicaragua.  (http://rogersinnicaragua.com/)  In a more intimate setting, we’ll learn of God’s great work of grace through their ministry.

The next Sunday, July 12, I’m honored to have my nephew Zac Smith as my guest. (http://www.hello-righton.com/)  Last week, I shared a little of Zac’s story. Later this week I’ll add more here about his life with cancer.

Each of these guests are amazing examples of God’s grace in obeying His call and “devoting themselves to good works” (Titus 3:8)