Blog (Page 15)
That the World May Know (part 2)
I love how Jesus cuts through all the pretense and “wisdom” of men and exposes the heart of the matter with powerful simplicity. When confronted by the Pharisees and the scribes, He reduced all the law and the prophets to two incredibly clear and succinct statements (Matthew 22:37–39); You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You…
That the World May Know (part 1)
Jesus made two shocking statements to His disciples on the night of His betrayal. Judas had left the group and the mechanisms that would lead to Jesus’ arrest, trial and crucifixion had been set into motion. Knowing what was about to unfold and just hours before His death on a cross Jesus turned His attention to His disciples and made two startling forward looking statements. Jesus spoke to those around Him but His audience would be all who would call Him Lord…
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Propterea sicut per unum hominem in hunc mundum peccatum intravit et per peccatum mors et ita in omnes homines mors pertransiit in quo omnes peccaverunt. Sic enim dilexit Deus mundum ut Filium suum unigenitum daret ut omnis qui credit in eum non pereat sed habeat vitam aeternam.
Baby Dedication
We believe that our children are a blesssing from God and we are to treat them as such (Psalm 139:13-16). Our time for influence as parents in the lives of our child is limited. We recognize early that they are first and foremost God’s children. By dedicating our children, we are giving them back to the one that gave them life. Dedication of our children is a statement of our trust in God and that his plans and pourposes for…
Water Baptism
Biblical Christianity is surprisingly simple. When distilled to its essence, the teachings of Jesus involve virtually none of the ceremonies, rituals or other features usually associated with religions. Yet Jesus did leave us with ordinances, concrete ways of connecting with His person and with other believers. Water baptism and Communion are the two ordinances practiced by 970 Church. Neither are salvific or make us a Christian, but both are part of what it means to be a follower of Christ. While Jesus himself…
Communion
Communion (also called “The Lord’s Supper”) is one of the ordinances of the church. It began on the night before Jesus died on the cross when he was celebrating the Passover with his disciples. Passover is an annual Jewish celebration remembering when God delivered the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. During the meal that commemorates the night that the Death passed over them, Jesus picked up the bread, broke it and related it to His body, which would be broken for them and all mankind. Then He picked…
I Love the Church
My heart has always been captivated by God’s vision for the Church. I find it very compelling and attractional when I experience glimpses and outbreaks of what He intended within a fellowship of believers. I love God’s dream for her and there’s nothing like it on earth when she is working as He designed. But I am not just in love with the idea, I love her even when she is messed up, misdirected and functioning below her potential. Oh, I was…
Christmas Project – Hope of the Grand Valley
Let’s help Hope of the Grand Valley spread the message that this is a season of hope and that there are neighbors in this valley that care about their struggles and their family. The following is a note from Vickie McGee, Director/Founder of Hope of the Grand Valley, one of our strategic partners. In order to not duplicate services, and provide for more families in need, HOPE of the Grand Valley is focusing on our employed working families that are…
It’s Ok, We’re All Messed Up
So what does NineSevenZero Church look like? Who is it for? These are extremely important questions for a church plant to be able to answer, but they are surprisingly difficult to succinctly express. Looking at a spectrum of church types it’s easier to say what we don’t want to be rather than what we desire to be. On one end of the spectrum is the hyper liberal church that has abandoned the truth of the Bible and embraced cultural mores. They emphasize the love…
God`s Social Change Agent
Cultural norms and morals don’t originate in in the political and legal structures of our government. Our political leaders and systems are simply a reflection of the character and values of the people of our nation. Positive social change and movement rarely begins in our nation’s capital and usually is the last place it appears. Washington is a place where tenured bureaucrats are totally invested in maintaining the status-quo, politicians are consumed with managing public opinion and getting re-elected, and powerful special interest…
A Church Rising Up Out of the Culture
One of the books that we have referenced in the formation process of NineSevenZero Church is John Burke’s, No Perfect People Allowed. There he described a type of missional church that resonated with our hearts and our intentions – A Church Rising Up Out of the Culture. “This is…not a church for a post-Christian culture, where Christians huddle up behind the fortress walls and make forays outside into the messy culture, but a church molded out of a post-Christian people ~…
WATER – A Community`s Life Blood
The Colorado River is the life blood of the Grand Valley. It provides irrigation for our agriculture and homes, water for our ranches and their herds, supplies a majority of drinking water for our communities, and also supports the diverse wildlife of the high desert. Water is an integral component of the region’s agricultural, recreation, tourist, and even the oil/gas industries. People of the Western Slope understand the importance of water to life, economy, and enjoyment. Water is valuable and…