Dear Brothers and Sisters of Faith Community Church,
What is the path to wisdom? Few people would claim they don’t need wisdom in their life. The reality is, however, that wisdom does not come naturally and must be purposefully pursued if we want to be people characterized by godly wisdom. The really important questions are, “What does wisdom look like?” and “How do we get it?”
In Proverbs 1:1-7, Solomon says in no uncertain terms that the way to wisdom can only begin with the fear of the Lord. When the Bible talks about the “fear of the Lord,” it means an awe and reverence for God that leads to joyful obedience. It means that we want to obey and live for our Savior above everything else. The surprising thing about this–the truth that the world cannot comprehend–is that fearing God is the path to our freedom. When we submit to our own sinful desires, to the changing winds of the culture, or the numerous other ways we are tempted to prioritize the opinions of others over God’s teaching, we find ourselves in bondage, rather than the freedom we can experience in Jesus. One pastor has put it this way:
Here is the irony. The more you fear the Lord, the less you will fear man. The more you depend on the Lord, the more independent you will be. The more you resemble Christ, the more an individual you will be. The more you obey him, the freer you will be. (Ray Ortlund, Proverbs)
This Sunday we will ask the question, “What does it look like to lean on the Lord, instead of our own understanding?” Once we’ve responded to wisdom’s call, we now must learn wisdom’s ways. I encourage you to read Proverbs 3:1-12 in preparation for Sunday’s sermon.
World Relief ESL Classes
Our church is committed to showing the mercy of God to our neighbors, and one way we are doing this is through partnering with World Relief, an organization that works with local churches to serve immigrants and refugees in our community. As part of this effort, we will host a World Relief ESL class on Saturday mornings (9 am-noon) from February until May. World Relief provides the instructor for this class. However, if you would like to volunteer to help out in the class by assisting the teacher or providing snacks for the students please let us know by contacting church office. Volunteers are not required to attend every class and are welcome to still help out even if they can only attend part of the morning.
Membership Class (February 22 and 29)
Several people have already signed up for the membership class on February 22 and 29 from 9am-noon. The class will take place at the Austin’s and we will have lunch together the second week of the class. The class will cover the key teachings of the Reformed faith, the history of our church, and the privileges of membership. Attending the class does not require you to become a member. Feel free to get in touch with me if you have any questions about the class.
Potluck and Missional Prayer Service (Sunday, January 26)
Join us next Sunday, January 26 at 5:00 pm for a potluck, followed by our monthly missional prayer service at 6:00 pm. Joe Paglia will direct our time of prayer as we pray for the spread of the gospel to all the nations.
Mark your Calendars!
Please note the following special services and events on your calendar. Be sure to check the monthly calendar (placed in your box) for a full listing of FCC events.
Wednesday, February 26 (6:30 pm): Service of Prayer: We’ll hold a service of prayer and worship, as we did last year, marking the beginning of the Lenten season, a season marked by repentance and preparation culminating in Good Friday and the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection on Easter Sunday.
Friday, April 10 (6:30 pm): Good Friday service
Sunday, April 12: Easter Sunday (no Sunday school)
Sunday, May 31: Final week of Sunday school
May we be a people who mirror more and more our wonderful Savior, Jesus Christ, the “power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24).
In Him,
Pastor Rhett