In the thriving metropolis of Plevna, MO (pop. 12), I had the privilege of marrying Joe Williams and Angela Pulse in a packed-out country chapel this past Saturday. After the reception at the Wooden Nickel in the major urban center of Kirksville, MO (pop. 15,000), Clete, Josh, and I drove six hours to Chicago and arrived in the early morning hours. About five hours later, we groggily awoke to attend a worship service in the area. As physically weary as I felt that morning, I more than anything felt spiritual dryness and in need of refreshing from the Lord. We had been performing some web research for several weeks on potential churches to attend in the area, but it wasn’t until the last minute that Josh discovered Sovereign Grace Church in Oswego, IL.

In His mercy, the Lord poured out refreshment and reviving on us during that worship gathering. First, in worship by song the Spirit once again closed the gap between my affections and my theology. How sweet and celebratory was this time of Cross-centered praise! Second, in worship by sermon I was intensely convicted and acutely felt afresh my need for the Gospel. You can listen to great message on the importance and practice of guarding your heart (from Proverbs 4:23) by Josh Fenska here.

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Beginning Tuesday, we will be attending The Gospel Coalition National Conference here in Chicago and look forward to both the preaching and the fellowship with great anticipation. Tim Tsuei is flying in to join us for the conference.  Pray for us as we study the book of Second Timothy together and seek to apply it to our lives and ministry.

But if the only message I heard while in Chicago was the one God blessed with this Lord’s Day, then it was worth the entire trip.

Thank you, Lord, for Your refreshing presence!
Mike

This Resurrection Sunday gathering, we will rejoice that Christ has overcome sin, death, Satan, and hell by His death on the cross and resurrection from the grave!

• Scripture Reading:  Acts 13:13-48
• Christ the Lord Is Risen Today (Wesley)
• See What a Morning – Resurrection Hymn (Townend/Getty)
• I Will Rise (Tomlin/Reeves/Giglio/Maher)
• Sermon:  “What Christianity Is All About”
• Testimonies of God’s Grace
• In Christ Alone (Townend/Getty)
• Baptisms
• Jesus, Thank You (Sczebel)

by His grace, for His glory
Josh

* This tentative order of our upcoming gathered worship is posted as an opportunity to use it in your private or family worship prior to our meeting together in a few days.  The worship team of GTBC, service directors, and elders have found great benefit for their souls in having these available for their own private worship and reflection, so we wanted to make this resource available to all that might desire to use it in this way.  May we all be better “cross-boasters” as a result!

“The Gospel matters.  Getting the Gospel right matters.  If you get the Gospel wrong and you don’t distinguish between what the Gospel is and what morality is, then what you’ve done, at best, is re-trained the hearts of people; but you will not see them transformed.  If you don’t get the Gospel right, then what ends up happening is that men and women become conformed to a pattern of religion but they are not transformed by the Holy Spirit of God.  Without the Gospel you inoculate people to Jesus Christ.  You give them just enough of Him to never know Him.  The Gospel matters.”