Calvary Now

"Let's Do Lunch"

2008-11-24T14:33:00.002-05:00

I am on vacation this week at the beach with all of my family. It is wonderful. I am currently sitting on the back porch listening to "Revelation Song" by Gateway worship, looking at the ocean!

I have also been reading a book that has been challenging me. It is called "Total Church" by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis. The following made me think:

"A woman once told me about the difficulties she faced as a Brit fitting into American culture. One of her struggles was with people who said, "Let's do lunch." She expected them to phone and arrange a date. They never did. "Let's do lunch" was just an idiomatic way of saying farewell. We all say, "Let's do mission," but does it carry any more intent than "Let's do lunch"?

I was convicted!

Your thoughts?

Will

Defining Sin - Part II

2008-10-14T13:27:00.004-04:00

Today I want to continue to our series on sin by looking at the impact it has on our everyday lives. We have defined sin as being more than just doing something wrong...it is allowing good things to become ultimate things. Obviously when that happens the consequences are serious and far reaching.

Tim Keller said:
"Defining sin this way, we can see several ways that sin destroys us personally. Identity apart from God is inherently unstable. Without God, our sense of worth may seem solid on the surface, but it never is--it can desert you in a moment. For example, if I build my identity on being a good parent, I have no true "self"--I am just a parent nothing more. If something goes wrong with my children or my parenting, there is no "me" left. Theologian Thomas Oden writes:

"Suppose my god is sex or my physical health or the Democratic Party. If I experience any of these under genuine threat, then I feel myself shaken to the depths. Guilt becomes neurotically intensified to the degree that I have idolized finite values....Suppose I value my ability to teach and communicate clearly....If clear communication has become an absolute value for me, a center of value that makes all my other values valuable...then if I [fail in teaching well] I am stricken with neurotic guilt. Bitterness becomes neurotically intensified when someone or something stands between me and something that is my ultimate value."

If anything threatens your identity you will not just be anxious but paralyzed with fear. If you lose your identity through the failings of somone else you will not just be resentful, but locked into bitterness. If you lose it through your own failings, you will hate or despise yourself as a failure as long as you live. Only if your identity is built on God and his love, says, Kierkegaard, can you have a self that can venture anything, face anything."

In what ways have you sought to find your identity in someone or something other than God?

I know for me, when I am still before God, this is a very humbling question. It is a question that I need to ask all the time!

Will

Defining Sin - Part I

2008-10-06T08:43:00.004-04:00

I know that it has been a while since we have updated the blog and for that I apologize. We are going to work hard at keeping it updated much more regularly and we would love your input and comments.

This morning I want to begin a series of posts on "sin" and what the implications of sin really are. As I have shared with you before I have been really challenged by Tim Keller's book The Reason for God. The book really is a must read for all Christians. You can get a copy here.

In Chapter 10 entitled "The Problem of Sin" Keller systematically addresses the implications of sin, and I want to spend some time looking at each of them and also hearing from you and what your thoughts are.

I know that long quotes can sometimes be tedious, but let me share some thoughts from Keller regarding the meaning of sin. He writes:

"The famous Danish philospher Soren Kierkegaard wrote a fascinating little book called The Sickness Unto Death in 1849. In it he defined "sin" in a way that is rooted in the Bible but also is accessible to contemporary people. "Sin is: in despair not wanting to be oneself before God...Faith is: that the self in being itself and wanting to be itself is grounded transparently in God." Sin is despairng refusal to find your deepest identity in your relationship and service to God. Sin is seeking to become oneself, to get an identity, apart from him.

What does this mean? Everyone gets their identity, their sense of being distinct and valuable, from somewhere or something. Kierkegaard asserts that human beings were made not only to believe in God in some general way, but to love him supremely, center their lives on him above everything else, and build their very identities on him. Anything other than this is sin.

Most people think of sin primarily as "breaking divine rules," but Kierkegaard knows that the very first of the Ten Commandments is to "have no other gods before me." So, according to the Bible, the primary way to define sin is not just doing of bad things, but making of good things into ultimate things. It is seeking to establish a sense of self by making something else more central to your significance, purpose, and happiness than your relationship to God."

I thought one of the most challenging thoughts was how we can turn "good things" into "ultimate things?" Are there ways in which you have done that?

Will

Would our community miss us?...

2008-07-14T15:33:00.004-04:00

Today I had the opportunity, along with Al and Guy, to visit several of the Mission Winston-Salem projects where our membership are sharing the love of Christ in our community. Needless to say it was pretty incredible. I had a friend ask his church "If we were no longer here would our community miss us?" My prayer is that we will serve our community in such a way that people will take notice and realize that we treasure Jesus more than anything else in the world.

Let me give you an example of some of the incredible things that are taking place today. I got this email from a Captain in our Fire Department. The email read:

"I am the Captain at Engine 15 on Shattalon Dr. A group from your church came by with cookies and stuffed animals for kids affected by fires or other incidents. We gave the kids and the moms a tour and they prayed with us. I wish to thank you for this kind service. We do not get much help with things like the animals which I have seen can be a great help for a young person when they have lost all their things or a parent. We here at Engine 15 thank you for this and all your church does for the community."

May God receive all the glory!
WT

Praying for our children...

2008-06-24T16:54:00.005-04:00

This week is no ordinary week in the life of our church. In fact all you need to do is show up around 9:00 am and you will notice a sea of parents and children rushing into the building. This week is our Vacation Bible School week and today there were over 1,100 leaders and children here!

Each day this week between 9:00 and noon these kids will have an opportunity to hear the Gospel and be challenged by the Scriptures as they study about some of the heroes of the faith. They will also have opportunities to fellowship, play games, sing, and make crafts. VBS is a wonderful outreach to families in our community.

In your prayer time this week take a few moments to pray for the next generation and their families. Pray for all that is transpiring this week through Vacation Bible School. Pray that children will give their lives to Christ and spend their lifetimes passionately pursuing Him.

Finally, if you think about it this week take a moment to thank Karen Malek and her team working with pre-schoolers and Sheri King and her team working with our children. They have spent countless hours preparing for this week and they are phenomenal leaders!

WT

Calvary West...A Step of Faith

2008-06-23T13:06:00.004-04:00

I have been a member of Calvary Baptist Church for most of my life. It is where I gave my life to Christ and was baptized. It was where countless people invested their time, resources, and Biblical wisdom into me and countless others. Through those years there have been times where, as a church, we have decided to take steps of faith that would seek to further the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Those steps have included building buildings that would facilitate growth, beginning strategic initiatives and programs that address needs within our community, and a strong commitment to sending both short-term and long-term missionaries throughout the world.

I believe that yesterday, June 22, our church took another great step of faith in voting to move forward with starting a second campus in Davie County. The motion, brought from our deacons passed with 99% approval! This vote comes in the wake of countless hours of prayer, seeking the will of God, and planning.

My prayer is that we will look back at this defining moment years from now and rejoice over the countless lives that have been changed because of the willingness of our church to take a step of faith in order that the Gospel might go forward. It is such a great privilege serving at a church where the people long to honor God and are passionate about the bringing the "Good News" to the world.

WT

Calvary West

2008-05-05T12:36:00.004-04:00

Yesterday in all of our morning services we shared with the congregation that the location for our second campus will be in Davie County. We are so excited about what God is doing in our midst and what we believe is going to be an incredible step of faith as we start the second campus this fall.

There are several reasons why we feel led to Davie County some of which include the fact that it is the fastest growing county in the Triad and that almost 40% of our congregation live in that direction.

As we continue to move forward it is imperative that we continue to pray and seek God's will and direction. Here are some of the things that you can be praying for:

Pray that God will begin preparing the hearts of those who will hear the Gospel message faithfully proclaimed at our West Campus.
Pray for God to lead us to the right facility to meet the needs of our West Campus.
Pray that God will continue to raise up leadership that will commit to serve at both of our campuses.
Pray for wisdom for both staff and leadership as they continue to look for ways to maximize the strength of our central campus.

Remember if you are interested in being a part of the team that will be pioneering this adventure email us at scw@calvarynow.com.

The Christian and Freedom

2008-04-22T17:09:00.003-04:00

Ok, I have been totally blown away by Tim Keller's book The Reason for God. I believe that it is a must read for every person. It is thought provoking, God honoring, and seems to be written with great humility and passion for the Gospel.

I was reading the third chapter again this morning, in which Keller talks about what it really means to be "free." Let me share with you some of his thoughts. He shares that within our culture freedom is often defined as "the absence of limitations and contraints." But is that really freedom? The answer is NO!

He says, "Freedom, then, is not the absence of limitations and contraints but it is finding the right ones, those that fit our nature and liberate us." Keller gives a couple of illustrations of how "limitations and constraints" actually lead to freedom. For example, Keller writes, "If you have musical aptitude, you may give yourself to practice, practice, practice the piano for years. This is a restriction, a limit on your freedom. There are many other things you won't be able to do with the time you invest in practiciing. If you have the talent, however, the discipline and limitation will unleash your ability that would otherwise go untapped. What have you done? You've deliberatly lost your freedom to engage in some things in order to release yourself to a richer kind of freedom to accomplish other things."

Therefore we must ask ourselves, "What is the environment that liberates us if we confine ourselves to it, like water liberates a fish?" The answer that Keller suggests is LOVE! And he is absolutely right!

Keller writes, "One of the principles of love--either love for a friend or romantic love--is that you have to lose independence to attain greater intimacy. If you want "freedoms" of love--the fulfillment, security, sense of worth that it brings--you must limit your freedom in many ways. You cannot enter a deep relationship and still make unilateral decisions or allow your friend or lover no say in how you live your life. To experience the joy and freedom of love, you must give up your personal autonomy."

Let me share this last quote to wrap this up.
"When you fall deeply in love, you want to please the beloved. You don't wait for the person to ask you to do something for her. You eagerly research and learn every little thing that brings her pleasure. then you get it for her, even if it costs you money or great inconvenience. "Your wish is my command," you feel--and it doesn't feel oppressive at all. From the outside, bemused friends may think, "She's leading him around by the nose," but from the inside it feels like heaven.

For a Christian, it's the same with Jesus. The love of Christ constrains. Once you realize how Jesus changed for you and gave himself for you, you aren't afraid of giving up your freedom and therefore finding your freedom in him."

How does this hit you? How does this shape the way that you think about "freedom?" How does this impact the way you live your life?

WT

Global Impact Celebration: We are off to a great start!

2008-04-17T16:35:00.003-04:00

Last night we began our Global Impact Celebration with an incredible night of worship as we welcomed the field workers from all over the world.

Richard B. shared how God is using the North Carolina Baptist Relief Organization to dig wells in India and how they are using this platform as an opportunity for the Gospel. You may not know that the family of Hal Newell made an incredibly generous contribution towards this effort in Hal's honor. Hal was passionate about the nation of India and went on several short term mission trips. Hal passed away last fall after battling cancer.
We heard an incredible testimony from our friends at Conexion 10/40 about two Cuban nationals that we are sending to the 10/40 window. Conexion 10/40 is a ministry that is partnering Latinos with those seeking to take the Gospel to those that live in teh 10/40 window.
We also heard an incredible testimony from Mike about how God is using several churches around the country to minister to over 300,000 Arab Muslims living near Detroit, Michigan. This has been a wonderful opportunity for the Gospel amongst Muslims right here in the United States.

This is just the beginning. Keep praying about how God might use you! Pray that God would use this opportunity to interact with field workers to challenge us to see the need like we never have before! Pray that God would raise up those who would give their lives to full time missions!

Global Impact Celebration

2008-04-16T08:58:00.002-04:00

Tonight we begin our Global Impact Celebration. We have a great opportunity to hear how the Gospel is moving from missionaries who are serving all throughout the world. Let me take just a minute to remind you of our schedule and to encourage you to be a part of as much as you possibly can.

Wednesday, April 16
9:00 am Women of the Word and International Ministries Fellowship
10:00 am Calvary Baptist Day School Chapel (Worship Center)
5:00 pm Fellowship Meal with the Field Workers (Dining Room)
Bring your family to dinner and eat with a missionary!
6:30 pm Global Impact Celebration Kickoff (Worship Center)
Meet our field workers and join in on our missionary fair in the lobby!

Thursday, April 17
10:30 am Senior Adult Fellowship and Luncheon (Dining Room)

Calvary Baptist Day School Classroom Visits

Friday, April 18
6:45 am Men's Breakfast (Dining Room) .
Tickets ($5) available at Church Offices or on Sundays in the lobby.

Evening: Home Fellowship with Bible Fellowship Classes

Saturday, April 19
10:00 am Women's Brunch (Dining Room)
Tickets ($5) available at Church Offices or on Sundays in the lobby.

Evening: Home Fellowship with Bible Fellowship Classes

Sunday, April 20
8:15, 9:30 11:00 am
Bible Fellowship Class Events
Celebration Morning Worship (Worship Center)
Combined Elevate and Blended Services
11:00 am Lunch served by NC Baptist Men (Athletic Fields)
5:30 pm Persecuted Church Emphasis (Worship Center)

Let's be in prayer for what God is going to do in the life of our church in these next days.

WT

Can I tell you a secret?

2008-04-05T08:59:00.000-04:00

I’m wondering who’s reading this blog. So, here’s a little secret for all you of have found this site. Monday (04/07) is KK’s birthday.

Sunday night—we’re slipping out of town for a couple of days (her love language is “quality time”). Anyway, if you read this....find her on Sunday or Wed and tell her:

“Happy Birthday! Pastor Al wrote about your birthday on the blog!”

That way, I’ll know that you are really out there…and somebody is reading what we write!

AG

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord

2008-04-03T20:33:00.001-04:00

Last night I stopped by the choir room and spent a few minutes listening at the beginning of their weekly rehearsal...they were preparing some of the music for the upcoming Global Impact Celebration. My heart soared and I was moved to pray even more for our church…

There is quite a sense of anticipation as we pray for the 30+ missionaries who will be with us for five days, sharing their lives and the stories of how God is working in other parts of the world.

I’d like to challenge you to join with us as we pray. Pray that God will open our eyes and help us to see what Jesus sees. He saw the crowds and…

Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." (Matt. 9:37-38)

AG

Calvary Missions and a Global Impact

2008-03-31T16:01:00.002-04:00

Last Sunday evening our Pastor, Al Gilbert, challenged those in the worship service to pray for missions. We were challenged to learn and pray for unreached people groups in the world. He suggested two websites to assist our prayer support:

www.operationworld.org

www.global-prayer-digest.org

I pray that these two websites will assist you as you open your mind, heart, checkbook, and time to reach our world for Christ.

Guy

Permeating Our Community with the Love of Christ

2008-03-24T09:34:00.002-04:00

This email came to me this morning and I thought I would share it with you. It tells the story of how someone took a simple opportunity to share the love of Jesus Christ.

"I just wanted to say thanks to a young lady that provided lunch for my mom and two girls at the Japanese restaurant in the shopping center where Staples is located in Clemmons. As we approached the counter to pay the lady, she told us our meal had been paid for by a young lady that sat behind us. I paused for a moment and looked at my mom and two daughters and said nice things still occur in the world today. I was raised in a christian home and still remember values, morals etc. that was instilled in my life and continue to teach my 4 kids ages 21, 19, 15, and 13. Without the guidance and faith that God has provided me over the last 6 years when their dad chose to leave his family, I would not be where I am today. Thanks again to a member of your church that will be blessed for her kindness."

I hope that this will encourage you to continue to look for the open doors and opportunities that God is placing before you to be a blessing to others and to our community.

If you have a similiar story to share take a moment to let us know...

WT

Easter Weekend and the Reality of Hell

2008-03-22T17:23:00.004-04:00

One of the things that has permeated my thoughts over the last week preparing for this Easter Weekend is the majesty of Heaven and the reality of Hell. As followers of Jesus we long for the day that we will be face to face with Jesus, enjoying Him for all eternity. Through faith in Jesus Christ and repentance of sin we know that heaven is a glorious and impending reality.

And what about those who never by faith and repentance come to know Jesus Christ? The horrible reality is eternal separation from God...the horrible reality is Hell. God's word is not ambiguous nor silent regarding Hell, its reality, and its attributes.

How then should we respond? How should the reality of Hell impact our daily lives?

First I believe that it ought to cause a follower of Christ to fall on their face before Almighty God and give Him thanks realizing that it is only because of His grace and mercy that we do not incur His wrath and judgment. Read Ephesians 2:1-22.

Secondly, it ought to lead every follower of Jesus to approach life and the Gospel with great urgency. We can never forget the reality of Hell.

Listen to this quote from John Piper in his book, "Brothers, We are Not Professionals"

"Brothers, you have heard it said, "Do not think such negative thoughts, do not preach such negative things, do not look back. Speak of the blessed love of God and look to the new creation." But I say to you, on the authority of Scripture, remember, remember, remember the horrid condition of being separated from Christ, without hope and without God, on the brink of hell. "Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world" (Ephesians 2:12)

If I do not believe in my heart these awful truths--believe them so that they are real in my feelings--then the blessed love of God in Christ will scarcely shine at all. The sweetness of the air of redemption will be hardly detectable. The infinite marvel of my new life will be commonplace. The wonder that to me, a child of hell, all things are given for an inheritance will not strike me speechless with trembling and humility and lowly gratitude. The whole affair of salvation will seem ho-hum, and my entrance into paradise will seem as a matter of course. When the heart no longer feels the truth of hell, the gospel passes from good news to simply news. The intensity of joy is blunted and the heart-spring of love is dried up."

May the reality of hell and the glory of heaven permeate our thoughts so that we seek to further the Kingdom of Jesus Christ with the greatest sense of urgency.

Invite your friends and family this weekend to our Easter services (7:00 pm Saturday, and 8:00, 9:30 and 11:00 on Sunday)! See you then.

Fear, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God

2008-03-17T08:27:00.003-04:00

One of the common reasons that people give for not sharing their faith verbally is fear. Fear manifests itself in a variety of ways. There is fear of rejection, fear of "messing it up", fear of condemnation, and we could go on. How should we respond to fear when we face it?

When facing the fear of "messing it up" we need to go to God's word and claim the promises that exist there. When we do we will realize that we don't save ANYONE! Jesus reminds us in John 6:44, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent Me draws him..." God is the one who draws men to Himself. God is the one who gives man a new heart. God is the one who saves! Our responsibility is to faithfully share the Gospel message by challenging others to repent and transfer their trust to Jesus Christ.

J. I. Packer in his book "Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God" wrote,
"First, we must admit that we were silly to ever think that any evangelistic technique, however skillful, could of itself guarantee conversions; second, we must recognize that, because man's heart is impervious to the word of God, it is no cause for surprise if at any time in our evangelism fails to result in conversions; third, we must remember that the terms of our calling are that we should be faithful, not that we should be successful; fourth, we must learn to rest all our hopes of fruit in evangelism upon the omnipotent grace of God.

For God does what man cannot do. God works by His Spirit through His Word in the hearts of sinful men to bring them to repentance and faith."

Let's be confident that God will bring men to salvation as we faithfully and passionately share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Who are you praying for? Who has God brought into your life to share the Gospel with?

WT

God keeps using Dr. Chapman!

2008-03-13T16:11:00.002-04:00

A few months ago Dr. Chapman launched a new radio program on the Moody Broadcasting Network. The one-hour program (Building Relationships with Dr. Gary Chapman) airs every Saturday morning and features many topics designed to help people understand how they can build long-term positive relationships. Chris and Andrea Fabry serve as co-hosts along with Dr. Chapman. The weekly program is available as a download and can be accessed at http://www.fivelovelanguages.com/

“As we move into a more talk-oriented, issues-focused format, Gary and the Fabrys bring great depth to Moody Radio,” said Wayne Pederson, Vice President of Moody Broadcasting. “We feel it is important for our listeners to hear the scriptural perspective and how it applies to relationship topics.”

This program is in addition to Dr. Chapman’s daily one-minute program (Love Language Minute) that airs Monday through Friday on the Moody Broadcasting Network. More information about this program can also be found at http://www.fivelovelanguages.com/

We’re proud of how God is using Dr. Chapman. I hope that you will check this out and keep praying for Gary as God continues to open doors for ministry.

AG

New Births...New Beginnings...and Easter Weekend

2008-03-10T08:29:00.003-04:00

On Friday morning Dr. Tim McNight, our Associate Pastor for Evangelism and New Member Assimilation, and his wife Angela had their fourth child Maryanna Faith McNight. Tim and Angela are thrilled as are their other three children Noah, Micah, and Charissa. Let's make sure that we are praying for them as they adjust to another child at home! CONGRATULATIONS Tim and Angela!

Let's also remember this week to pray for Eric and Becky Davis as they make a different type of transition. In case you haven't heard Eric has accepted the position of Associate Pastor for Connections at Green Street Baptist Church in High Point. Eric and Becky have faithfully served at Calvary for over 11 years in our Children's ministry. Although we will greatly miss them and the influence that they have had at Calvary we are excited about what God has in store for them at Green Street.

Finally, let's be praying and begging God for a great moving of the Holy Spirit on Easter Weekend. Our service times are 7:00 pm on Saturday, March 22 and 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 on Sunday morning March 23. Take advantage of the invitation cards that we have printed for you that gives you an opportunity to do an intentional act of kindness towards another and at the same time invite them to one of our Easter services. We would love to hear how you are using them, so take a minute and post a comment sharing what you have done to "love your neighbor."

WT

What a week!

2008-03-07T19:50:00.003-05:00

I’ve had a great week….what about you?

Sunday night I spoke at the closing session of a Global Impact Celebration in Birmingham. The travel went well, God’s hand was on the service and there was a tremendous response—thanks for praying for me! Shades Mountain BC is a great church with a heart for missions!

Monday morning, Steve Hardy and I drove to Atlanta for some meetings and I met up with KK. Steve stayed behind for more meetings; KK and I drove home Tuesday night…just in time get unpacked before the power went out! We lit a bunch of candles and enjoyed the quiet.

Wednesday night, I had the chance to spend a few hours with 15-20 church leaders who are seeking to know God’s will for our Second Campus. It is a big challenge, and we are struggling with the details, but we know God is at work and we are excited as we watch Him opening doors.

Last night I got home just in time to play outside with the grandkids! I am really looking forward to the time change and spring temperatures.

Don’t forget to set your clocks forward Saturday night….and we’ll see you Sunday morning with great anticipation that God will speak to our hearts as we gather around His Word.

AG

Greetings from Bangladesh

2008-03-03T14:50:00.007-05:00

On a couple of different occasions over the last couple of years we have had the privilege of having Chad and Cyndi Tilley and their family visit our church. The Tilley's, along with their five children, are currently serving in Bangladesh. We wanted to share with you a note they sent to our church family.

Dearest friends at Calvary Baptist Church,
Greetings from Dhaka, Bangladesh! We pray that Calvary is being blessed abundantly as you have been and continue to be such an amazing blessing to us. We thank you for your support and prayers for our family and ministry here in Bangladesh. Your support has equipped us to reach the hardest hit areas after the cyclone; to bring others with aid the people so desperately needed. Thank you for being a part of blessing the lives of thousands of Bangladeshis.

In Christ,
Chad, Cyndi, Mark, Zac, Nina, Emma, and Rebecca Tilley

Let's continue to be in prayer for those who are serving God so faithfully overseas! If you want more information about the Tilley's and their ministry, please visit their website at http://www.chadtilley.com/.

WT

Personal Stuff and Prayer Requests

2008-03-01T20:26:00.002-05:00

As Will said in the first post, we have lots of reasons for starting this site. One of the things we have talked about is finding a way to share some personal things with you. So, here goes:

KK spent the week in Boise with two of our grandkids. She got back last night and boy was I glad….for a week now I have been quoting Gen 2:18 to her: “it is not good for the man to be alone…” Josh and Erin are doing great and you can pray for them as they start a new church in Boise.

Tomorrow, after the morning services, I jump in the car and rush to catch a flight to Birmingham. I am scheduled to speak at the Shades Mountain BC as they close out their Global Impact Celebration. If you read this before Sunday night, I hope you will check out Matt. 9:38 and do what it says!

Monday and Tuesday, KK and I will be together in Atlanta. I will be in a couple of meetings there and she will spend some time with her parents. We will drive back late Tuesday.

I hate to end on a sad note but I need to give an update to a prayer request I shared a few weeks ago. A friend of ours was abducted on the way to work in Afghanistan. Cyd worked for a relief organization and was investing her life in the women of Afghanistan. This week the news is reporting that they have received reports of her death. We are grieving with her family and friends from all over the world.

If you would like to read more about Cyd, you can check it out at http://www.arldf.net/

AG

Is a Second Campus consistent with the Biblical Model?

2008-02-28T09:53:00.006-05:00

One of the questions that we have asked about a Second Campus is, "Is it consistent with the model for church found in the Bible?"

I think that is a great question and one that must be both asked and answered. As we have processed this question we looked at what Scripture has to say, and we also sought to learn from those who are currently utilizing multiple campuses.

The Scriptures do not mandate that all churches utilize a multi-campus approach. The church throughout its history has long believed that we are not mandated anywhere in the New Testament to mimic exactly what we see in the early church in terms of its organization and structure. However, Christians, and particularly Baptists, have long believed that there are principles laid out in the New Testament concerning governance, leadership, and church practice that should guide how we are organized and structured. We do not believe that a multi-campus approach violates these governing principles found in the New Testament.

In fact, we believe that it is entirely possible that due to the exponential growth in the size of the Jerusalem church, which is recorded in chapters 2-8 of the book of Acts, the early church might have been utilizing something very similar to a multi-campus approach. We observe from the text that thousands of Christians were meeting daily in the temple, possibly being taught at different times by different apostles in different sized gatherings, all under the same leadership and all sharing the same resources. Let me give a little more detail to our observations:

- The apostles were radically committed to teaching God's Word and sharing the Gospel. In Acts 2:38 we read, "And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Notice also that as the church gathered they were taught, day after day, by the apostles.

-The Jerusalem church experienced exponential growth. Acts 2:41, "So those who received His word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls." Acts 2:47, "And the Lord added to their number day by day those who who were being saved." When we read on in Acts 3 and 4 we see that 5000 more men responded to Peter's sermon (notice also that this number does not reflect women and children.) So we see that in a very short period of time the church in Jerusalem grew from 120 to over 10,000 people!

-There was only ONE church in Jerusalem! There seems to be three instances in the book of Acts where there is reference to the church in Jerusalem...each reference is in the singular form. (See Acts 8:1, 11:22, 15:4). In each of these instances it was NOT multiple churches, but ONE church.

-It is POSSIBLE that the ONE Church in Jerusalem was taught at different times by different apostles. From Acts 2:46 we see that the Jerusalem church met in the temple daily to be taught by the disciples. We know that the temple was large, but that doesn't necessarily mean that all 10,000+ people met everyday at the same time. It is very possible that they gathered in smaller groups and that the apostles shared the teaching responsibilities.

So based upon what we observe from the church in Jerusalem and the principles found in the New Testament we believe that having a multi-campus approach to spreading the Gospel does not violate Scripture in any way.

Will Toburen

(I want to share that these thoughts were compiled from Scripture, Al Gilbert, JD Greear - Pastor of the Summit Church in Durham, John Piper, and Derek Radney)

Welcome to the Blogosphere

2008-02-27T11:21:00.010-05:00

Well...today's the day!

One of the high values that we share at Calvary is building community and walking through life together. We are constantly looking for creative and innovative ways to share life together and we feel we can accomplish some of those goals through this blog.

You might be asking, "Well, what's the point of the blog?" That's a loaded question, so let me share with you some of the things we hope to accomplish through this blog:

- Build Community
- Cast Vision
- Discuss Ministry
- ...and share whatever else that comes to mind

So, let me encourage you to join in on the discussion. Feel free to post your thoughts and comments at the end of each post and give your feedback. Let's learn together, grow together, and share life together.

Will