Our Soft Reopening
What’s missing in this picture? Well, it is you! We have been working hard in getting all those last minute details in place so that we can start worshiping at 123 West Wood Street- THIS SUNDAY!...
Keep ReadingThis 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. ...
What’s missing in this picture? Well, it is you! We have been working hard in getting all those last minute details in place so that we can start worshiping at 123 West Wood Street- THIS SUNDAY!...
Keep ReadingEvery once in awhile I see (personal experience or through social media) or hear about how former attenders or church members poorly leave a church they can no longer commit to for one reason or another. In time, I will write about when and how one should leave a church, but for now, I will let you in on some wise words from Tim Challies (HT)....
Keep ReadingEvery week the church, Missio Dei Church gathers to worship. Throughout the North American landscape, we see that there is a growing lack of prioritizing of the gathering of the church. Family birthday celebrations, trips for the zoo with the kids, a day in the city, little league games, lawn mowing, or just a family day at home for tired souls are all vying for the averag...
Keep ReadingThere are several hopes that we as the leadership of Missio Dei have for this next season of ministry as we transition to our Missional Outpost in New Lenox. The church is an identity of God’s “called out†and “gathered people,†whose foundation is God’s revelation and the work of Christ (Matt. 16:13-20). Therefore, we want to be faith...
Keep ReadingIf you know me well enough, you probably know that I don’t really follow baseball, I can’t give you any stats about the players or the teams that they play for, nor do I honestly care, but I do enjoy a good game and all that come with it (beer, hot dogs, friends, etc.) and watching people and their responses to the game....
Keep ReadingThere 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 Reading