This part-time position is ideal for those individuals who are considering full-time vocational ministry. The position requires an individual to be musically gifted, able to lead and develop worship teams, do administrative and social media work, and be a theological thinker who can work out his/her reformed theology in real-life kind of ways. The individual should expect to be working closely with the lead pastor in the day-to-day duties: the exciting, mundane, and frustrating....
On Monday, April 19, the Session met from 6:00-11 PM to deliberate on a wide variety of matters pertaining to our church. ...
On Wednesday, May 12, the Session met from 6:00-10:30 PM to deliberate on a wide variety of matters pertaining to our church. Here is a synopsis of what took place!...
How can we be focusing special attention on exceptional hospitality and purposeful welcome? We want people to be able to find their home here and ultimately, to find their home in Jesus. Here are some ideas!...
Hooray! After almost a year, we’re excited to offer a modified Kids Crossing experience! For the months of March and April, nursery and one Kids Crossing class will be provided on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month (March 14/28, April 11/25). (Decisions regarding a schedule for May will be made once we are closer to that time.) We can’t wait to see the kiddos of MDC again!...
According to our Book of Church Order, an elder is called an overseer of the flock and household of God. This means that the elders are required to govern and rule over all the affairs of the church. “It belongs to the office of elder, both severally and jointly, to watch diligently over the flock committed to their charge, that no corruption of doctrine or of morals enter therein” (BCO 8-3). This overseeing work involves meeting frequently to deal with matters that require a great deal of biblical discernment and wisdom. Most church members do not realize how important this overseeing function is or realize how great are the sacrifices our elders make for the well-being of this church. Be praying for your Session as they meet tonight....
Scripture and the Book of Church Order charge the Elders of Missio Dei Church "to watch diligently over the flock." This is a daunting task, but it is for your good, the good of the whole church, and for God's glory....
Yesterday morning I spent some extended time in our sanctuary praying for each of you by name. As your pastor and as a fellow human walking through this strange and extremely disruptive and exhaustive season, I want you to know that am concerned for each of you. I know the condition of my own heart (see this Facebook post) and I think I can safely assume it maybe be true of yours in one way or another as well. ...
There is silence. Everyone’s mouths are closed and a single vocalist steps up to the microphone. She takes a deep breath and releases an effortless stream of pure tone. This audio-joy fills the room and the beauty cleans you from the inside out. This is a picture of what the Church is like. She gets to sing a beautiful message to the world about Jesus. That message is...
Keep ReadingD.A. Carson, Tim Keller, N.T. Wright, Mark Driscoll, etc.: they all say this in one way or another. Why do they all agree? Because the Bible is so clear about this principle. In some ways, the whole story of the Bible’s conflict after Genesis 3, that is the theme of sin, is really the conflict between the worship of idols (created things) and the worship of the true god ...
Keep ReadingThe Oxford dictionary will tell you that the English word “worship” is derived from the old English weorthscipe, which means ‘worthiness, acknowledgement of worth’. It denotes anything that is of supreme worth or value. Obviously, that’s not where the Greek, Aramaic, or Hebrew word comes from, but that’s another blog post for another day. The point here is that...
Keep ReadingAround 2000 years ago this was the type of question the one woman used to sidetrack a conversation she was having with Jesus (John 4). The scene is pure genius on Jesus’s part. This is classic Messiah-stuff. He follows her rabbit trail and brings it back around to the point he wanted to make all along. Love it. It’s funny how Christians in the west still bring up that ...
Keep ReadingSome fifty years ago, John F. Kennedy gave his famous Inaugural Speech. The line “ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country” is easily identified. It was a call to sacrifice and service. As an American this is a call that we still need to hear. In a country that is showing an ever-increasing entitlement attitude, it is a needed c...
Keep ReadingOur gospel-centered relationships must reflect this truth. We were once broken and sinful and in need of a Savior (the Fall). Christ has redeemed us by his blood (Redemption). This points us toward how we should now live (New Creation). This is “new creation living.” Our relationships should reflect the way relationships will be in the New Heavens and New Earth....
Keep ReadingAgain, living in true community together magnifies our need for a Savior. The beauty of the gospel is that it not only restores our relationship with our creator God but it restores our relationships with one another as well....
Keep ReadingA proper understanding of sin also points to the fact that relationships are messy. When people live in community together it is no different. Actually, it magnifies our sin and our need for a Savior. This brings us to the nucleus of Gospel-Centered Relationships....
Keep ReadingCommunity. It sounds like a really great word, doesn’t it? We all crave it. We are all part of different kinds of communities. We dream of or deeply desire a perfect, almost utopian kind of community. We have all experienced at one time or another a community that has been rich, meaningful, life-altering and something to work towards. But here is the reality: community i...
Keep ReadingBecause of that starting Sunday, August 19, Missio Dei Church will be gathering for worship at Oster-Oakview Elementary School in at 809 N. Cedar Road in New Lenox and will be meeting there until the building is renovated (approximately through the end of September)! We will still be meeting at our regular worship time of 9:30 AM!...
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