Brothers and Sisters,
Hope you were as encouraged as I was last Sunday as we looked at Paul’s prayer for the church in Philippi. Joyful praise permeates Paul’s prayer for a church he undoubtedly loved which led to confident requests to God on their behalf (Phil 1:3-11). The content of this love filled prayer is worthy of some reflection. Notice Paul ask for this already loving church to abound more and more in love as their knowledge and discernment increase (Phil 1:9). The abounding of love is directly tied to knowledge and discernment. Love without knowledge is foolish and harmful. One who is loving without knowledge often misunderstands love and begins to confuse it with complete acceptance of all things. It is easy to see how this way of thinking can become problematic. One has to bounce around from person to person with little direction accepting everything they say and do (i.e. false religion, harmful behavior, etc.). Much like a bobblehead chaotically looking around unable to focus. Knowledge and discernment ground love and give it it’s power. When love is driven by the knowledge “that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion and the day of Jesus Christ,” we will lovingly sacrifice for Christ to reign supreme in one another’s lives (Phil 1:6).
Brothers and Sisters, it is our prayer that this love would abound more and more here at Church on Mill!!!!
Members Meeting
Don’t miss our members meeting this Sunday Aug 28th from 6pm-8pm!!! This will be a time of encouragement and fellowship (see Sunday’s message) for us as a family. So make it a priority to attend and hear all the latest that God is doing in and among us through testimonies and updates. There will be childcare provided.
Connection Classes
A new round of connection classes will begin on September 4th and run six weeks ending on October 9th. The three new classes will be The Bible’s Grand Story, Finding God in the Midst of Pain and Suffering, and Living in Exile. Click here for a description of each class. Let me strongly encourage you to take a few minutes and click the aforementioned link and consider which class you will attend. These classes are significant in building us towards a solid biblical understanding and help us uphold one of our major distinctives of being bible-believing.
20schemes
Last week we introduced a unique way for you to support our longstanding partnership/fellowship (see Sunday’s message) with 20schemes. It is rather simple, just click this link and purchase a ticket to an awareness concert on October 5th at Scottsdale Bible Church. Then make a list of a few people you know who would be interested in the work 20schemes is doing to passionately engage their community and invite them to the concert. We are strongly encouraging everyone to attend and invite others, so there will be no Wednesday night activities that week to free us all to attend. Grab a friend and make a night of it!!!
Grace be with you,
Bryan Jerry
