http://faithcommunity.com Exalting Christ As Lord Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:44:52 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en We began learning a new song--All I Have Is Christ--on Wednesday.  It is a song of testimony, declaring to each other and to God that our only possible salvation is in Christ and His work on our behalf. This video is a live version of that song, put together by Sovereign ... http://faithcommunity.com/all-i-have-is-christ.htm I ran across this brief exhortation from Piper on the importance of small groups in the life of the church.  I hope it will encourage you to deepen your commitment to living in community with other believers, because as he says, church is more than preaching. http://faithcommunity.com/john-piper-on-small-groups.htm Since I taught last Wednesday on why it matters what we sing, I have received several requests for resources for finding recordings, lyrics, and sheet music for the songs we sing.  So I am compiling here a list of links that will help you find not only the specific songs ... http://faithcommunity.com/songs-to-help-the-word-dwell-richly-in-you.htm The following is a report from Baptist Haiti Mission.  The situation sounds unimaginably terrible. The following is from Ron Pierre, board President for Baptist Haiti Mission: So many of you are inquiring regarding the situation in Haiti and particularly at the mission. I’ve just now been able to make telephone contact with ... http://faithcommunity.com/haiti.htm FCC Family: If you did not hear Pastor Tim's sermon Sunday 12/27/09 entitled, "The Way of Forgiveness," it's a must! Here is an article I wrote regarding arrogance as a follow to that sermon. - Jack Colwell "Snares of My Own Arrogance" I automatically and continually think in one of two ways that ... http://faithcommunity.com/the-way-of-forgiveness-and-snares-of-my-own-arrogance.htm The Gospel Coalition (a group organized to build up local churches toward Gospel-centeredness) articulates on their website the distinctives for Gospel-centered ministry.  The first item on their list is empowered corporate worship: The gospel changes our relationship with God from one of hostility or slavish compliance to one of intimacy and ... http://faithcommunity.com/what-makes-a-gospel-centered-church.htm Yesterday in his sermon, Tim referenced the trend toward "missional" churches--tending to focus on "being" missionaries to their own locales rather than "doing" missions globally.  He cited Ed Stetzer, who works as a researcher and writer for LifeWay (of the Southern Baptist Convention), as one who is on the front ... http://faithcommunity.com/missional-or-missions-minded.htm (More on the idea that right worship involves passion--or feelings, or emotions.) On the suggestion of a church member, I have been rereading the chapter on Worship from Piper's Desiring God.  One section in particular bears sharing here.  Even if you've read it before, I think it will benefit you ... http://faithcommunity.com/the-affections-of-worship.htm Continuing on the theme of giving God the honor due His name, I'd like to share some excerpts from an article I just read by Kevin DeYoung.  (Some of you may know his name from the book Why We're Not Emergent.)  He is writing concerning the issue of reaching the ... http://faithcommunity.com/fervent-in-spirit.htm This is from The Valley of Vision, the collection of Puritan prayers we've used in corporate worship several times.  In light of the previous post, I thought this might be helpful for you in your preparation for worship. GLORIOUS GOD, It is the flame of my life to worship You, the crown and ... http://faithcommunity.com/a-prayer-for-worship.htm