Pastor’s Corner – February 2019

Posted on Feb 1, 2019 by David Garrison in Christian Living, Devotions, General, HomePage, Pastor's Corner, Reading the Bible, Spiritual Growth | 0

Feb '19

If you give a man a fish he is hungry again in an hour. If you teach him to catch a fish you do him a good turn. — English proverb

But Jesus answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” — Matthew 4:4

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” — 2 Timothy 3:16–17

Learning to Study the Scriptures

One of the core beliefs we hold as Christians is the authority and importance of the Bible. We believe it is divinely inspired, without error and fully authoritative for us and our lives. We also believe that Christians should regularly study and learn from the Bible. But much of how we do that is through sermons and Sunday school lessons, which usually involve someone (the preacher, for example) reading a passage, telling us (the congregation) what it means, and then how to apply it to our lives. It is, in many respects, a passive learning experience – knowledge and information is given to us to receive and absorb, and hopefully live. But we all learn best by doing ourselves, rather than someone doing the work for us (see the English proverb above).

Getting SOAPy

On Sunday evenings, the youth have started studying the books of the Bible. In doing so, we’re seeking to teach them not simply what the Bible says and means, but more importantly how to study the Bible for themselves. I think the technique we’re teaching them might be of benefit to you, particularly if you’ve struggled with how to study the Bible on your own. The method we’re teaching is an acronym called SOAP – Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer. Here’s how it works:

Scripture

The first step is to identify a Scripture passage for study. It is generally good to Study one or two paragraphs – or about 6-10 verses — at a time. After selecting a passage, it is good to identify what Testament you are in (before or after Christ’s birth), and what kind of literature you are reading (history, law, prophets, poetry, gospel, letters). It is helpful to copy the passage or key verses into a journal, as this increases comprehension and sets the stage for learning. Remember: You can Google any book of the Bible for answers to simple questions about that book.

Observation

Observation is taking time to look at the passage and ask questions to learn what it is saying. What are the commands to obey or examples to follow? What are the promises to claim? What does it teach me about God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit? Take time to identify questions you may have that will lead to additional study. Write your observations and questions in your journal. Consider using a Bible handbook or simple commentary for further study.

Application

Do not stop with observations; take time to make applications. Ask: How will this truth change me or my family? Where do I fall short and who can help me? What will I change in my attitudes, relationships, and behaviors? What must I do today as a result of this study? How am I strengthened and encouraged by this passage? Record your applications in your journal.

Prayer

Conclude your Bible study with prayer. Ask God to help you apply the passage to life. Where do you need God’s help or forgiveness? What are you thankful for in this passage of Scripture? Write the answers to these questions in your journal.

Learning to study the Bible is not difficult, but it takes practice and commitment. Like any good habit, the benefits of practicing regular Bible study, by yourself and in groups, make the effort of cultivating it worthwhile. It is my prayer that using a little SOAP in your study of the Bible will help you know God’s Word and its importance for your life.

Blessings,

Rev. David Garrison

Nov '18

Pastor’s Corner – November 2018

Posted on Nov 1, 2018 by David Garrison in Christian Living, Devotions, General, Pastor's Corner, Spiritual Growth | 0

Nov '18

The End of the Year Is Upon Us

The end of the year is here! Perhaps you’re wondering if I mixed my months up – a distinct possibility! But no, I’m just looking at a different calendar. While the Gregorian calendar (the one we use on a daily basis) has two months left, the Christian calendar is drawing to a close.

The Spiritual Celebration of The King

The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15)

Toward the end of this month the longest season of the Christian Calendar (called “Ordinary Time”) comes to a close. Ordinary Time is a season devoted to giving space to consider all the implications of God’s salvation in Jesus Christ for our day by day, week-in, week-out lives. But as the season moves on, and the chaos of the world presses in, we can begin to wonder if God is even at work any more. And so Ordinary Time ends with Christ the King Sunday (this year, November 25), the last Sunday before Advent and a reminder that Jesus is king, that all the world is subject to him, that the Kingdom of God is already at hand, and that one day soon He will come back to consummate His kingdom and His rule. The world may seem to be spiraling into chaos, but Jesus is still sovereign and holds it all in His hands. We may not understand much of what is happening, but we can trust that Jesus does.

A Secular Season of Gratitude

But what fascinates me about these calendars is how the Spirit moves in both sacred and secular seasons. I don’t imagine that those who suggested we celebrate Thanksgiving in November did so with any thought for the Christian calendar, but there are few ways better to celebrate the end of the Christian year than by focusing on being grateful for the kingship of Jesus Christ as well as for all that we have and are. Perhaps that’s one of the problems with the rampant anger and angst in our culture today – we focus too much on our discontent and not enough on being grateful for what God has provided for us. As Paul writes to the Colossians:

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16)

May God bless each of us as we celebrate not just all we have to be grateful for, but also that ultimately we can be thankful because Jesus is King and we can trust in Him!

Blessings,

Rev. David Garrison

Sep '18

Pastor’s Corner – September 2018

Posted on Sep 1, 2018 by David Garrison in Christian Living, General, Ministry, Missions, Pastor's Corner, Spiritual Growth | 0

Sep '18

For [the sacraments] are visible signs and seals of an inward and invisible thing, by means whereof God worketh in us by the power of the Holy Ghost.
– Belgic Confession Article 33

A New Sign…

Have you noticed there’s a new sign on the front of the church? It’s kind of hard to miss. Read more…

Jul '18

60th Birthday Celebration!

Posted on Jul 3, 2018 by David Garrison in Announcements, Christian Living, News | 0

Jul '18

Join us on Sunday, July 15 as we celebrate 60 years of experiencing and sharing God’s love to transform our homes, communities and world! We’ll have a covered dish luncheon immediately following worship. In addition to fantastic food and fellowship, we’ll take some time to look back at how God has worked in and through Northminster over the past 60 years and also look ahead to dream about how we anticipate God continuing to work in the years to come. We look forward to seeing you there!

Mar '18

Pastor’s Corner – April 2018

Posted on Mar 29, 2018 by David Garrison in Christian Living, General, Pastor's Corner, Table Talk, Worship | 0

Mar '18

Easter is HERE!

The forty days of spiritual house-cleaning has come to a glorious conclusion! Springtime for our souls, and in our lives, has finally arrived! All that kept us from God – our sinfulness, our insecurities, our doubts and so much more – has been swept away through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The wonder of this is more than can be comprehended in a day, and so with Easter Sunday we also begin the fifty day season of Easter. “The Easter season is a time to let the implications of the resurrection sink in deeper, inviting us to realign our worldview and conform our living to the reality that we have been raised with Christ to new life” (Philip Reinders, Seeking God’s Face pg 329).

The Centrality of the Atonement

But that is the crux of our modern struggle – realigning our worldview and conforming our lives to the reality of new life in Christ through his sacrifice on the cross. In short, we struggle to believe and accept the doctrine of the Atonement – so much so that many Christians have rejected it outright. But as Emil Brunner once wrote, the atonement “is the Christian religion itself; it is the main point; it is not something alongside of the center, it is the substance and kernel, not the husk.” To that end, on Sunday mornings through the season of Easter, we will seek to explore and unpack the wonder and glory of the atonement in order to “realign our worldview and conform our living” to our new life in Christ.

Tiptoeing Through the TULIPs

As Presbyterians, we are a part of a “stream” of Christianity known as Reformed Theology, which is itself heavily inspired by the writings and teachings of John Calvin. If you want to kill the mood at a party, just casually mention you’re a “Calvinist.” Most people view Calvin and the theology named after him with something of a stuffy, negative intellectual light. But nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, Calvin and his theology is very passionate and full of life and Spirit, as evidenced by his logo and slogan, pictured at right. We hope you’ll consider joining us for Table Talk on Wednesday evenings beginning at 5:30 on April 11 as we “tiptoe through the TULIPs” and see just what Calvin taught and what it means for us today.

Blessings,
Rev. David Garrison

Mar '18

Pastor’s Corner – March 2018

Posted on Mar 1, 2018 by David Garrison in Christian Living, Devotions, General, Pastor's Corner, Spiritual Growth | 0

Mar '18

6You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. — Romans 5:6–8

Too Good to be True?

On Sunday mornings the past few weeks we’ve been exploring the idea of Lent as an opportunity for us to have “Springtime for our Soul” (you can get caught up on that idea by reading last month’s article and listening to the sermons at www.npcmh.com/teaching). One of the central themes running through this series is that God loves us, delights in us, knows us, and desires for us to abide in Him (John 15). For many of us, this idea sounds good in theory, but in reality we suspect too good to be true. There’s no way God could love me that much. In fact, just the other day someone asked me, “Doesn’t God sometimes just turn His love off?” What a fantastic question! And aren’t there times when we all feel that way? Maybe God loves me in general, but he’s sure turned it off lately!

God is Love

Thank goodness for the apostles and the Bible! In 1 John 4:8 and again in 16 it says, “God is love.” God is entirely made up of love, so it would be impossible for God to “turn off” His love. If He were to do that, He would cease to exist. Paul writes in Romans 8, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38–39)

Yeah, But You Don’t Know…

No, I don’t know. I don’t know what you’ve done, I don’t know what’s in your heart. I don’t know the hurts and wounds you carry. But I know that God does. And I know this: that God loved you this much even before you were saved (see verse 8 at the beginning of this article). And I know that the verses from Romans 8 say that there’s nothing in heaven or on earth that could separate you from His love. How wonderful that God’s amazing love for us doesn’t depend on our believing or accepting it!

As the temperature slowly warms up over this month, may the warmth of God’s love saturate your heart and soul as well.

Blessings,
Rev. David Garrison

Feb '18

Christian Faith & Other Faiths: Judaism

Posted on Feb 18, 2018 by David Garrison in Announcements, Christian Living, News, Table Talk | 0

Feb '18

Beginning Wednesday, February 21, Table Talk will resume the series Christian Faith and Other Faiths: Understanding and Outreach. Our focus will be on Judaism, emphasizing how our understanding of Jewish history and theology shapes our understanding of Christianity. On the first two evenings, Michael Babcock will highlight Jewish history from the biblical era until today. For the next two weeks, Bob Mills will help us explore three distinctive Jewish doctrines – monotheism, covenant, and law – and consider how those doctrines are foundational to, and have been transformed by, Christianity. Our final evening will return to the topic of outreach, specifically looking at the local church as the base for evangelism.

Jan '18

Pastor’s Corner – February 2018

Posted on Jan 30, 2018 by David Garrison in Christian Living, General, Pastor's Corner | 0

Jan '18

Most folks really struggle with February. Even though the days are getting longer, it’s often the month that winter really kicks into gear – the coldest temperatures and messiest weather. I think part of what makes it worse is the “indian summer” that so often happens in mid- to late-January. Having been teased a taste of spring, to have winter make a comeback just makes it so much worse. Added to the mix is the reality that, in most years, Lent kicks off in February. So not only is it still cold and dark weather-wise, but the church kicks off what is often considered to be it’s most drab and drear season. At least, that’s how I always viewed Lent when I was a child. Maybe for you as well.

Lent = Lencten = “Springtime”

So it’s probably not too hard for you to imagine my surprise when I found out that the word “Lent” comes from an Old English word, lencten, which is best translated as “springtime.” Chuck DeGroat writes, “In this season, one begins to see the goodness which emerges from the darkness of Winter. But the darkness of Winter is necessary for the greening of Spring.” There is, and ought to be, a somberness associated with the season of Lent, but that’s not all that there should be.

Spring Cleaning for your Soul

As we transition from winter to spring, most of us will celebrate the annual ritual known as “spring cleaning.” We clean out the cruft, muck, dust and general detritus that’s built up in our homes and yards over the past year in preparation for the warmth and growth of spring. Spring cleaning isn’t usually fun, and it’s often messy, but it’s worth the work because we know what is to come. Lent is the season of the year when we do the same thing spiritually. What happens physically in and around our homes happens spiritually in our hearts and souls as well. It is my hope and prayer that the season of Lent would be an opportunity for you to have “Springtime for your Soul.”

This year, Lent begins on Wednesday, February 14 (how ironic). We have a variety of ways for you take time for spiritual spring cleaning, from new devotionals, to a Sunday sermon series, to Wednesday Lenten services shared with churches around the area. Keep your eyes and ears open for special worship opportunities during Holy Week as well. May God bless you and enrich your soul this Lent!

Blessings,
Rev. David Garrison

Dec '17

Truth, Understanding, Purpose and the Five Living Generations

Posted on Dec 23, 2017 by David Garrison in Announcements, Christian Living, General, News, Table Talk | 0

Dec '17

For the first time in human history, we have five generations alive, interacting, and shaping our world at the same time. Actually, we have an unprecedented SIX generations, although the youngest is just now finishing their first decade. Each of these generations has very different values, priorities, understandings of truth and meaning, and approach life in very different ways. What does that mean for us, individually? What does it mean for us, as a church?

With each passing year, these questions and the challenges these generations face in understanding each other only grows. And yet, we are called to be a people of many generations, and if we want to effectively pass the faith on to the generations to come, we need to build bridges and relationships across generational lines. There is much each generation can learn from the others, and much each generation has to offer the others.

Join us at Table Talk, beginning January 10 at 5:30pm.

Dec '17

Join us for Table Talk, beginning January 10.

Posted on Dec 22, 2017 by David Garrison in Announcements, Christian Living, General, News, Table Talk | 0

Dec '17

We invite you to join us for a new weekly opportunity to fellowship together, explore how culture and God’s Word connect, and enjoy a great dinner. Each Wednesday, beginning at 5:30, we’ll enjoy a delicious dinner and then have a time of teach and discussion. Some weeks we’ll hear from missions and missionaries we support. Some weeks we’ll pray for one another and our community. While exactly what goes on might change, what will be consistent is the opportunity we have to grow as a community and as individual disciples of Christ.

Dinner is $5 per person, $15 per family. RSVPs (contact the church office) are appreciated, so we can make sure to have enough food. But don’t worry, if you don’t RSVP, come anyway, we’ll always make sure to have plenty.

We’ll wrap up around 6:45 each week, so those of you who are in the choir will have plenty of time to get ready.

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday, January 10 for our first Table Talk!