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At some point, most of Paul's letters contain a shift from principle to practical, from doctrine to duty, from orthodoxy to orthopraxy. The book of Ephesians is no different. Beginning with Ephesians 4:1, Paul pauses to say, "In light of all the great theological truths I've just shared, act in the following way." Think back to the profound doctrinal principles he has been developing in his letter to the Ephesian believers:
1. our adoption as God's children (1:4-5) 2. the hope of our inheritance (1:11, 18) 3. the riches of God's grace (2:1-10) 4. our unity with God and with each other (2:11-22) This Sunday at 9:30am, Pastor Larry will begin our transition away from doctrine, as we turn our attention towards how we are to live as followers of Christ, and in response to God's amazing grace. Our sins are forgiven by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and now we have been made alive in Christ – but what now? Paul answers that question in Chapter 4. This week we are going to talk about the implications of the grace that God has poured out upon us. We are going to talk about the worthy walk of those who have put their trust in Jesus. Jesus calls us to walk in humility, gentleness, and patience; forbearing with one another in love. Sounds easy – right? Since Jesus has defeated the powers of darkness that enslaved us and we are free from that power – He is able to equip His leaders of His church and the people of His church for the work He has called us to do. We are called to unity and He has called us to mature in His Kingdom and we are all called to a life of serving as we labor to advance the Kingdom of God. Join us this Sunday at 9:30am, as we gather together to worship God passionately, grow to know God deeply and connect with one another authentically. New Adult Discipleship Class Study: Speaking of connecting with one another authentically, make plans to join us after the service at 11:00am, as our Adult Discipleship Class begins a new study in Psalm 119. Psalm 119 just happens to be the longest chapter in the Bible and was authored by King David. Through the words of David, we will experience times when God felt distant, his Word felt dry, and the vibrant relationship David knew seemed to have vanished. In our study of this Psalm, we will quickly discover the power of God's Word in the lives of believers and its ability to provide a warm blanket for the soul. Trunk o' Treat: Mark your calendars for our annual Trunk O' Treat neighborhood outreach event, which will take place on Saturday, October 28th from 4:00pm to 7:00pm and will include food, candy, carnival games, a bounce house, hay ride, pumpkins and more. Please spread the word to your neighbors, friends and relatives. More details coming soon! Thank you for being a church that values prayer. See you Sunday! Doug  Since we launched in March as a replant with the Calvary Family of Churches, Larry Annes and I have been diligently praying that God would send us a young family to join us in our vision to make Jesus non-ignorable in Beaverton and to the ends of the earth. A family to help us as we learn to worship God passionately, connect with one another authentically, grow to know God deeply and to go, show and tell the gospel boldly.
After months of prayer and dialogue with several individuals, we believe God has answered our prayer and provided us with a unique opportunity to hire an Associate Pastor with the ability to lead our Sunday worship, preach occasionally, teach/lead Bible studies and build bridges between Calvary Parkside and our community. I shared about this opportunity last Sunday during our Calvary Parkside Fall Update. Larry and I are excited to introduce you to the Everett family. James Everett, his wife Ali, and their 3 young kids have spent the last 4 years church planting in Bangladesh. Prior to that, they served God for 2 years doing campus ministry. Now, they are excited to serve the Lord in the local church. James is passionate about God's Word, singing, developing music teams to enhance Sunday morning worship services and writing. Ali is also a gifted singer and passionate about children's ministry. Together, they want to make the goodness of God known to everyone. You will have the opportunity to meet James on Sunday October 1st. Until then, please continue to pray for God's discernment and direction for our church. Praying for God's glory to shine through our church! Doug If you're in sales, or if you buy things that others sell (and we all do), then you know that one frequently used and extremely effective strategy for selling a product is called the "before and after" method. Here's how it works: A salesperson demonstrates to the potential customer how bad things are prior to their product arriving onto the scene. Then the salesperson helps the potential customer to see how good things could become if they would just make this "new and improved" product a regular part of their lives. A lot of the time, to make the point, the seller will even show dramatic "before and after" pictures, contrasting the "old that is" with the "new that could be". This is the exact communication technique that the Apostle Paul uses in Ephesians 2 to teach us a huge Biblical lesson. Specifically, Paul is showing us what it is like before Jesus enters one's life, and what it is like after Jesus enters one's life.
Join us this Sunday at 9:30am, as we continue our journey through the book of Ephesians. Beginning with verse 11 of chapter 2, Paul makes a turn from talking about God's incredible plan to reconcile us as individual sinners, to talking about the body of Christ...the church. Paul is moving from the "me" of the Christian journey (from my personal relationship with God), to the "we" of the Christian journey (to our relationship with God and one another as the church). This Sunday is less about you and more about us as the body of Christ. Join us this Sunday at 9:30am as together we grow to know God more deeply. Note: Larry Annes and I want to invite you to stick around after the service, as we share where we see God leading Calvary Parkside this fall. We will meet in the large Sunday School Classroom #1 at 11:00am. Hope to see you there! Gary Sullivan Memorial: Join us TOMORROW, as we celebrate the life of Gary Sullivan. This special time of remembrance will take place at 2:00pm on Saturday, September 16th at Calvary Parkside. Sunday Morning Adult Discipleship. On Sunday, September 24th, we will begin a new study through Psalm 119. Join us at 11:00am, as we take a deep dive into the longest chapter in the Bible. Even the most mature believers face dark times where God seems distant, his Word feels dry, and the vibrant relationship we knew before seems to have vanished. In Psalm 119, we will be introduced to the words of King David who experienced similar seasons of life. Psalm 119 demonstrates the power of God's Word in the lives of believers and its ability to provide a warm blanket for the soul. Calvary Parkside Membership Class: Sunday October 15th @ 11:00am. Sign-up using the Connect Card or stop by the Next Step Table. See you Sunday! Doug When you buy a new car, the dealer gives you an owner's manual that explains what the vehicle is and how the thing works. That's sort of the way we can view the Bible book of Ephesians. It is like an "owner's manual" for the Christian life, given to us by God through the Apostle Paul. Now, as we learned when we initially began our study of Ephesians, the first half (chapters 1-3) contains the doctrinal part. It tells us what the Christian life is by clearly identifying the foundational belief principles of our faith. The back half of the owner's manual (chapters 4-6) is the lifestyle section. It explains how the Christian life works by identifying the framework behavioral practices of our faith.
Join us this Sunday at 9:30am, as dive into Ephesians 2. In this chapter, our attention is directed to the doctrine of our God-provided gift of salvation. This Sunday, we'll discover what God can do when His mercy comes in direct contact with our mess. As you prepare your heart, mind and soul to worship God passionately, let me leave you with this thought: God's love is at the very core of the salvation His mercy provides! Sunday Morning Adult Discipleship. Join us at 11:00am, as we look at the Stories Jesus Told in the New Testament. Jesus spoke in parables so that we can gain a better understanding of who God is, who were are, and his desire for our lives. Our Sunday morning discipleship class is also a great way to connect with one another authentically. Consider joining us and together, let's grow to know God more deeply. Gary Sullivan Memorial: As most of you know, Gary Sullivan, who faithfully served on our church staff for 10+ years, went home to be with Jesus this past July. On behalf of his family, I want to invite you to attend a memorial service for Gary Sullivan. This special time of remembrance will take place at 2:00pm on Saturday, September 16th at Calvary Parkside. Note: This will be the last Sunday to fill-out our Calvary Parkside Volunteer Interest Survey. After this Sunday, our Elders and Deacons will begin the process of creating volunteer teams in order to cover the needs of our church facility, administrative, and congregation. Remember, "Many hands make light work", so if you have not yet filled out the interest survey, be sure and stop by the Next Step table this Sunday and complete the survey. Thank you for prayerfully considering how you can support Calvary Parkside. See you Sunday! Doug Last Sunday, we launched into a study in the New Testament book called Ephesians. More than any other New Testament book, Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus was written as sort of a "training manual" for the Christian life. In Ephesians, Paul tells us what a follower of Jesus Christ believes (chapter 1-3) and how a follower of Jesus Christ behaves (chapters 4-6). In other words, the Apostle Paul lays out for us God's truth to learn and show us how to live truly for God.
Join us this Sunday at 9:30am, as we look at one of the most heavy-duty theological sections of the entire Bible and one of the most happy parts of all the Bible. It is heavy duty because in just one Greek sentence (12 verses), Paul spotlights God's amazing grace by showing us the unique roles that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit each play in bringing salvation to you and to me. Come and see how Paul passionately and joyfully gives our Triune God all the glory for providing salvation to us. Join us this Sunday as we dive into God's Word. Pray that the Lord will stretch your mind with the truth of His grace and grow your heart to give Him all glory and praise! Note: This is Josh Pounders last Sunday leading us in praising God through music. Josh has a played huge role in helping us replant as Calvary Parkside. Take time on Sunday to thank him for giving of his time in helping us grow in our love for God. Thank you Josh!! Sunday Morning Adult Discipleship. Join us at 11:00am, as we look at the Stories Jesus Told in the New Testament. Jesus spoke in parables so that we can gain a better understanding of who God is, who were are, and his desire for our lives. Our Sunday morning discipleship class is also a great way to connect with one another authentically. Consider joining us and together, let's grow to know God more deeply. Gary Sullivan Memorial: As most of you know, Gary Sullivan, who faithfully served on our church staff for 10+ years, went home to be with Jesus this past July. On behalf of his family, I want to invite you to attend a memorial service for Gary Sullivan. This special time of remembrance will take place at 2:00pm on Saturday, September 16th at Calvary Parkside. See you Sunday! Doug Time, tears, trials, teaching, and testifying--these things summed up Paul's ministry in Ephesus. For a brief time at the end of his second missionary journey, and then for more than two years on his third missionary journey, Paul ministered to the church in Ephesus. During his time in this bustling, cosmopolitan, multi-ethnic port city, that housed the famous temple to the Greek goddess Artemis, Paul saw many converted to faith in Jesus Christ and many who opposed his preaching in the synagogues and homes. One prominent silversmith, Demetrius, who made trinkets for the worship of Artemis, found his business suffering greatly because people were converting to Christianity, and a near riot ensued. TO BE CONTINUED...
Join us this Sunday at 9:30am, as we begin a fall study in the book of Ephesians. Ephesians is one of Paul's most formal letters. It hits on a wide range of moral and ethical behaviors, designed to ensure believers are living up to our heavenly calling. As we continue in our faith from day to day, month to month, and year to year, the temptation to get comfortable will always exist. In Ephesians, Paul reminds us of the gift of God in Christ and the benefits we receive so clearly that we cannot help but ask ourselves if our lives reflect that reality as they should. Sunday Morning Adult Discipleship. Join us at 11:00am, as we look at the Stories Jesus Told in the New Testament. Jesus spoke in parables so that we can gain a better understanding of who God is, who were are, and his desire for our lives. Our Sunday morning discipleship class is also a great way to connect with one another authentically. Consider joining us and together, let's grow to know God more deeply. Where's Calvary Parkside?: Only one week left to participate in our Calvary Parkside Summer Road Trip. Grab your t-shirt and snap a picture of you wearing it in some exotic, or not-so-exotic, location. Email your photo to doug@thecalvary.org. It's that easy! Need a Calvary Parkside t-shirt? Stop by the Next Step Table this Sunday and pick one up and let's continue to "Make Jesus non-ignorable in Beaverton and to the ends of the earth." See you Sunday! Doug Hebrews 11 is a role call of great men and women who lived by faith during times of spiritual warfare. Not all were decorated for their victories. Many suffered and died in the midst of the battle. And even though none of them were able to see and experience the establishment of the everlasting kingdom of Christ, all of them stand as permanent testimonies to the fact that the life of faith pays off. Because they endured in faith-driven hope, we can too.
The practical point of Hebrews 11 is that all these saints of old were born and raised in imperfection, lived lives that I would not recommend you emulate, but are still saved by grace and persevered through hardship with faith and hope. As humans, they were no better than you and I. Therefore, we can have enduring hope to climb from the trenches, listen to God's voice and live faithful lives as we fix our eyes on Jesus. Join us this Sunday at 9:30am, as we conclude our summer teaching series, Heroes of Faith. We should give thanks for these saints of old, for they exemplified courageous faith during difficult times, and yet we are the ones who have received the better blessing through Jesus Christ. If these "heroes of faith" had not trusted God and obeyed His will, Israel would have perished and the Messiah would not have been born. Sunday Morning Adult Discipleship. Join us at 11:00am, as we look at the Stories Jesus Told in the New Testament. This week, we will look at the Parable of the Soil from Matthew 13. This parable is a story about four different conditions of the heart. Why did Jesus tell this story, and what is the current state of my heart. Join us Sunday at 11:00am and learn more about how the condition of your heart can impact God's ability to use you to make Jesus non-ignorable. IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Don't forget that tomorrow, Saturday, is our BHS Weeding Party. We will meet at Beaverton High School at 8:00am. Please bring a pair of gloves along with weeding/landscaping tools. We will gather at the flagpole (near the main entrance) for instructions. In order to beat the heat, we will plan to be done by 11:00am. Consider joining us for this opportunity to show the love of Jesus in a practical way. Where's Calvary Parkside?: Only a few weeks left to participate in our Calvary Parkside Summer Road Trip. Grab your t-shirt and snap a picture of you wearing it in some exotic, or not-so-exotic, location. Email your photo to doug@thecalvary.org. It's that easy! Need a Calvary Parkside t-shirt? Stop by the Next Step Table this Sunday and pick one up and let's continue to "Make Jesus non-ignorable in Beaverton and to the ends of the earth." See you Sunday! Doug When you and I think of King David from the Old Testament, we don't immediately think of limitations. Here is a man who achieved great success and made it to the top. He was a great warrior and the greatest of kings. Yet, there were many who never saw his potential. As a young man, he didn't look like a warrior or king. He was the youngest in his family, and as a boy he did not receive the affirmation from those around him.
His father, Jesse, didn't think he had king-potential. His brothers did not think he had warrior-potential. King Saul did not think he had champion-potential. Goliath did not think David had even opponent-potential. Yet, David refused to listen to the voices of discouragement. David's vision for who God was and what God could do drove him to fight through the naysayers that questioned his motives, his character, his ability, and his experience. David pushed through all of that, because he knew what God could do through his faith, remembering that with God, all things are possible. Join us this Sunday at 9:30am, as we unpack the story of David and Goliath from I Samuel 17. When faced with an unfair fight against Goliath, David had faith to believe God for the impossible. He volunteered to fight, believing God would win the battle. Relying on Him to stand by Israel, David understood victory could be theirs, and he stepped out in faith to defeat the giant in the name of the Lord. Sunday Morning Adult Discipleship begins this Sunday, August 6th. Join us at 11:00am, as we look at the Stories Jesus Told in the New Testament. His stories, known as parables, are designed to mold and shape us, as well as reveal more about God than we ever thought possible. BHS Weeding Party, Saturday, August 12th, 8:00am to Noon. As Beaverton High School prepares to welcome a brand-new crop of high school students onto its campus, they have reached out to Calvary Parkside with an emergency request. The exterior landscape is in need of some weeding and general clean-up. I have reached out to Pastor Avery from Common Ground and they will be joining us, as we work together in helping our neighbor kick-off another school year. Consider joining us for this opportunity to show the love of Jesus in a practical way. Where's Calvary Parkside?: Hawaii...Washington...Idaho...Kansas...Alaska...don't be left out as we continue to take Calvary Parkside on the road. How? It's simple. Take your Calvary Parkside t-shirt with you on vacation. Then email your photo to doug@thecalvary.org. It's that easy! Need a Calvary Parkside t-shirt? Stop by the Next Step Table this Sunday and pick one up and let's continue to "Make Jesus non-ignorable in Beaverton and to the ends of the earth." See you Sunday! Doug The writer of Hebrews made it clear that faith is a very practical thing, in spite of what unbelievers say. Faith enables us to understand what God does. Faith enables us to see what others cannot see. As a result, faith enables us to do what others cannot do. D.J. Oswald Sanders put it perfectly: "Faith enables the believing soul to treat the future as present and the invisible as seen".
The best way to grow in faith is to walk with the faithful. To see how faith does, and does not work. This Sunday, at 9:30am, Pastor Larry will continue our series on Heroes of Faith, as we look at the life of Gideon. His faith was at best shaky, and he needed a lot of assurance. But God chose Gideon. God told Gideon, "I will be with you" (Judges 6:16). God used Gideon to deliver Israel. In the story of Gideon, we will look at when faith fails and how faith works, even in the midst of broken situations. Gideon's faith begins in anxious circumstances and with honest questions. Come join us this Sunday, as the heroes of faith will encourage us as God uses frail, fearful, and broken people to accomplish His purpose. Sunday Morning Adult Discipleship will not meet this week. We will be taking a two week break, as we prepare to launch a brand-new study on Stories Jesus Told. Through our time together, we will hear directly from Jesus through the Bible. His stories, known as parables, are designed to mold and shape us, as well as reveal more about God than we ever thought possible. This brand-new study will begin on Sunday August 6th at 11:00am. Calvary Parkside Parents Night Out. On August 4th and August 18th, from 5:00pm to 8:00pm, Parkside will be hosting a Community Parents Night Out. This event is designed so parents can go out for a night on the town feeling confident that their kids are safe and having the time of their lives. Parkside will provide dinner, snacks, games and fun activities for the kids. If you are interested in volunteering to help with this event, please contact Melanie Annes at melanie.annes@gmail.com, or stop by the Parkside Kids check-in table to get more information. There will also be flyers for you to take and hand-out to your friends, neighbors and others who have young children and could benefit from a "kid-free" evening. Where's Calvary Parkside?: Hawaii...Washington...Idaho...Kansas...don't be left out as we continue to take Calvary Parkside on the road. How? It's simple. Take your Calvary Parkside t-shirt with you on vacation. Then email your photo to doug@thecalvary.org. It's that easy! Need a Calvary Parkside t-shirt? Stop by the Next Step Table this Sunday and pick one up and let's continue to "Make Jesus non-ignorable in Beaverton and to the ends of the earth." See you Sunday! Doug |
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