Week of 7/19/26, Resources and Men's Breakfast

Dear Church Family,
We're looking at our doctrinal statement of faith the next several weeks. I encourage you to go look at the statement on our website here. I want to encourage you to go and read and meditate on the scriptures under each one as we come to it. Peter will be teaching this Sunday on God and his attributes while my family and I go to Nebraska for Connect, the Berean Fellowship of Churches' annual conference. I will miss you all but I am thankful for the team of shepherds that have been able to teach this month so I can be part of our Jr Camp, spend some time with my family, and go to the conference for mutual encouragement of the brothers and sisters in our fellowship. You are loved by the Lord and those he has put together in this place those who love you and are looking to the Lord for the building up of his church in our community!

There is Men's Breakfast this Saturday at 8am. Bible Study, fellowship, and good food!

Below are the resources I mentioned to help you further your understanding of the reliability and authority of the Bible as our foundation.
Video -
Gavin Ortlund - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpmcr7jOev4 
Wes Huff - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtp-DmgZbwA 

Books -
Accessible reads -
Greg Gilbert (9Marks) - Why Trust the Bible? 
R.C. Sproul - Can I Trust the Bible? 
Deep Dive -
Michael Kruger - Canon Revisited: Establishing the Authority and Origins of the New Testament 

Berean Enjoyment
Searching the scriptures...
In Acts 2:42, the early church devoted themselves to the Apostles’ teaching. How do we do that today? Where can we find the Apostles’ teaching?
In Acts 17:11, the Jews of Berea received the Word with eagerness, but also examined the Scriptures to be sure what they heard from Paul was in line with God’s prior revelation. We desire to imitate them. What is your personal plan to do that?

Treating God's Word as Holy in your life...
For the one who believes the Bible is truly God’s word to us, we trust it to give us guidance in every area of our lives. Is there an area of your life that does not align with God’s instructions? Are you willing to examine your own life to check?
Is there a place you think you know better than God's Word that you are willingly not obeying?
Are you justifying yourself in not obeying? (I don't feel well, I did good yesterday, but she... but he...) How do we combat our limitations/justifications? (1 Cor. 10:13, Romans 8:26-27)

I encourage you, as well as myself, to go beyond hearing the Word. Read the Word of God daily. Study it faithfully. Memorize Scripture that God uses to speak to you. Meditate on it, and then be careful to DO what the Lord commands.

A Word on Meditation...
Eastern meditation often points towards emptying oneself, Biblical meditation is based on filling oneself with thoughts and love for what God has said, and who He is, his love and holiness (Psalm 119:15-16). And being filled by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18, Gal. 5:16-25).  Meditation is like a cow or sheep chewing the cud; a regurgitation and deeper digesting of the 'food' to get the most value out of it.  
Helpful thoughts for meditation...
When will you revisit what you have read this morning to digest it more?
Will you ask for the help of the Holy Spirit to renew your mind and fill you with the truth of scripture? (Romans 12:1-2)
What does the passage say about God?
How does it fit with other scripture?
How does it change how you are to think or act daily?

In Christ,
Pastor John and Pastor Phillip