An Awesome Growth Weekend!

This weekend we are having one of the best teachers of the New Testament in the United States, perhaps the world with us all weekend. He will teach in depth sessions for our church on Friday night and on Saturday on 1st century wisdom for 21st century living... which will be a study on the letters that the apostle Paul wrote in the New Testament. Dr. Mark Scott is academic dean of Ozark Christian College where he has served since 1983. We are thrilled to have him with us!
He will preach for all of our Sunday services this weekend as well! That will be a treat!


Perhaps the best thing about these in depth teaching sessions that we sponsor as a church is that it gives our people who really want to be challenged in their faith walk a great chance to grow in the depth of their knowledge, to move to another level or tier in this thing called the Christian life... thus we call call these events Christian Life Development: Tier 2.


As i listen to him teach at this moment, i think how awesome it is to be at a great church like Westbrook... this is what it means to grow! i love it!

Consider the times...

Can i ask a question....

What do the following characteristics remind you of…

• Tolerating all religious beliefs, philosophical teachings, and government systems made ultimately compatible, or a reflection of, a larger system…

• An obvious disparity between rich and poor....

• A government that requires heavy taxation of its people…

• Women being considered second-class citizens…

• A culture very interested in the supernatural…

• A culture thriving on syncretism – seeking to have all people maintain their own traditions and philosophies, and yet seeing them all under a general governing perspective…

If you were thinking of our nation, the United States... you would be incorrect. The above characteristics marked the 1st century world of the Roman empire.
It is this world that Jesus was born into... and it was perfect timing....

But when the fullness of the time was come,
God sent forth his Son, made of a woman (Gal 4:4 KJV)

There is much to be learned from the 1st century world that Jesus was born into... it would seem that for all of our technological achievements and sophistication in this current century... the more things have changed the more they have stayed the same.
Perhaps that is part of the reason this simple story of a babe in a stable feeding trough (manger) wrapped in rags (swaddling clothes) still inspires awe over 2000 years later... I love that!