If you need help with directions like I do, a GPS (Global Positioning System) is essential. Without it we often get lost, take wrong turns and make poor directional choices. The thing is, we need direction in our spiritual life just as much or more than we do on the road. GPS in our upcoming sermon series stands for God’s Positioning System. We will learn how to make God-honoring choices by hearing God and responding to the Spirit’s direction in our lives.

Join us to explore ways in which we can hear from God and get the direction we need to live holy lives and make God-honoring choices.

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Join us Sunday for the start of our new series: GPS: God’s Positioning System, Finding God’s Direction In Your Life!

GENERATIONS CHURCH - a Church of the Nazarene

Southside Family YMCA, Farmville, VA
Sunday 10:30 AM

God restores broken vessels so that they can be used to serve others and glorify God.

Vessels. They come in all shapes and sizes. The Apostle Paul tells us that Christians are like clay vessels, which hold a special treasure. God is in the business of restoring broken vessels, filling them with the Holy Spirit so that they can be used to serve others.

Does your life every feel fragmented, broken into pieces, needing an archaeologist to piece them back together? Jesus is the Great Archaeologist!

The good news is that God is in the business of restoring broken vessels and using all of our unique shapes, sizes, and functions to expand God’s kingdom!

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Join us Sunday for the start of our new series: VESSELS

GENERATIONS CHURCH - a Church of the Nazarene

Southside Family YMCA, Farmville, VA
Sunday 10:30 AM

Pentecost was originally an Old Testament festival, since the time of Josephus calculated as beginning on the fiftieth day after the beginning of Passover. In the Christian calendar, it falls on the seventh Sunday after Easter. It was called the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot), and in the Old Testament was originally an agricultural festival celebrating and giving thanks for the “first fruits” of the early spring harvest (Lev 23, Exod 23, 34).

By the early New Testament period, it had gradually lost its association with agriculture and became associated with the celebration of God’s creation of His people and their religious history. By the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, the festival focused exclusively on God’s gracious gift of Torah (the “Law”) on Mount Sinai. It continues to be celebrated in this manner in modern Judaism.

While there are other references to Pentecost in the New Testament (e.g. 1 Cor 16:8), it is most significant in Acts 2 and the familiar scene of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on those in the “upper room.” The New Testament writers associate the events of Acts 2 with Pentecost, and relate it to the prophecies of Joel 2 and promises of Jesus (Acts 1:8). In both, the emphasis is on a empowerment through the Holy Spirit to enable the people of God to witness to Jesus the Christ.

There is much debate in some circles about exactly what happened at Pentecost, whether it is a repeatable event or only for the early church, or whether it should or should not become a paradigm for personal religious experience. Those who advocate it as a paradigm are sometimes termed Pentecostals, although that term usually refers more specifically to church traditions who advocate speaking in “tongues” or a special Spirit-inspired prayer or praise language.

In any case, what seems clear is that Pentecost represents God’s gracious, enabling presence actively at work among His people, calling and enabling them to live out in dynamic ways the witness of being His people. Perhaps at this point there is direct contact with the Pentecost of Judaism, for in Judaism the Torah, God’s instruction to His people, is the means by which they become His witness to the world.

The word “pentecost” means “fiftieth day.”  In most Christian traditions, Pentecost Sunday occurs 50 days following Easter Sunday (counting Easter Sunday since it is the first day of the week).  Those 50 days span seven Sundays after Easter, so Pentecost is the seventh Sunday after Easter (7 weeks times 7 days = 49 days, plus Pentecost Sunday).   Since Easter is a “movable feast,” meaning that it occurs on different days in different years (it is tied to the lunar cycle while the calendar is solar based), Pentecost is also moveable.  It can occur as early as May 10 and as late as June 13 (see The Church Year for current dates).  Some Christian traditions, Eastern Orthodox for example, use a different religious calendar and so have different dates for much of the Christian Year.

The sanctuary color for Pentecost Sunday is red, the color of the church.  Technically, red is used only for the Sunday of Pentecost, although some churches use red for the Sundays between Easter and Pentecost Sunday. The red symbolizes both the fire of Pentecost as well as the apostles and early followers of Jesus who were gathered in the Upper Room for the empowerment from God to proclaim the Gospel throughout the world.

For Christians, Pentecost Sunday is a day to celebrate hope, a hope evoked by the knowledge that God through His Holy Spirit is at work among His people. It is a celebration of newness, of recreation, of renewal of purpose, mission, and calling as God’s people. It is a celebration of God’s ongoing work in the world. Yet, it is also a recognition that His work is done through His people as He pours out His presence upon them.

The Old Testament Lectionary reading for Pentecost Sunday from Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones (Ezek 37:1-14) dramatically illustrates this sense of newness and renewal of mission. The reading from Isaiah 44:1-8 also connects renewal with the “breathing” of God in beautiful imagery of “streams in the desert” and the recreation of His exiled people. The reading from Genesis 11:1-9 (see Commentary on Gen 11:1-9) emphasizes the restoration of community and unity of purpose that had been disrupted by sin and selfish ambition. The Psalm reading (104:24-34) is also in creation language that speaks of newness and renewal. The New Testament readings include Acts 2, as well as John 14:8-17, 16:5-15, 20:19-23, all of which carry through this theme of God enabled mission in the world. The Epistle reading from 1 Corinthians 12:3-13 emphasizes the gifts of the Spirit that enable God’s work in the world.

This focus on the church’s mission to the world, and the enabling presence of God through the work of the Holy Spirit in the church to empower that mission should provide a powerful impetus for churches, especially those in the evangelical traditions, to recover this season of the church year. There is tremendous opportunity to use this sacred time to call people to renewal though the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

-Dennis Bratcher, Copyright © 2010, Dennis Bratcher, All Rights Reserved
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Full Article by Dr. Bratcher

BY MY SPIRIT
Pentecost Services @ Generations Church
May 16th, 2010
May 23rd, 2010

Southside Family YMCA
Farmville, VA
10:30 AM

Article on Pentecost

This is a strong testimony. When we get real with God, God changes our lives…powerfully.

May 8, 2010

Questions

The church doesn’t have a mission. The mission has a church.”

It is very difficult to be a Christ-centered church in a culture that is steeped in consumerism and individualism. It is much easier to fit in and go with the flow. It is much easier to be a “bless me” club that focuses its energy and resources on serving its members. To attract the maximum number of people churches offer attractive programs designed to help members to feel good about themselves and to be successful in life. They offer services such as coffee shops, book stores, sports teams, and others that appeal to member interests. The church that is successful in the market focuses on the customer and strives to keep the customers happy.

It is very difficult to be a Christ-centered church in a consumer culture because its mission is to transform, not fit into and accommodate, the world as it is. When the church becomes a distributor of religious goods and services its focus is in the wrong place. Such churches tend to adjust the gospel of Jesus Christ to match what ever the culture deems to be important. When people come to most North American churches they expect to be served, comforted and blessed. The church, therefore, responds by focusing its energy and resources upon the work needed to serve, comfort and bless more and more people. Leaders expend all their time and energy to find more and more creative ways to attract more and more people to the church. I say the focus in such a church is in the wrong place because it is upon the people in the church itself. God becomes little more than a marketing tool that attracts people to a “bless me club.” This is described by U2 in their song “If God Will Send His Angels”

Jesus never let me down
You know Jesus used to show me the score.
Then they put Jesus in show business
Now it’s hard to get in the door

The real mission of the church is doing all in its power to get more people to join and to give so that it can develop more programs to attract more people. In a culture that measures success by numbers and dollars, it is very difficult to be the church of Jesus Christ.

The Christ-centered church is not a “bless me” club. Certainly, the people who come to its worship services and participate in its programs and ministries are helped, comforted and blessed. The key, however, is that is not the focus of its programs and ministries. The church’s focus is on participating in God’s mission in the world. Christ-centered churches understand that they exist for the benefit of Christ and his mission.

“Bless me” club churches are shaped by the General Rule of Pastoral Prudence, “The absolute minimum in obligation in order to keep the maximum number of people.” Christ-centered congregations are shaped by the General Rule of Discipleship: “To witness to Jesus Christ in the world, and to follow his teachings through acts of compassion, justice, worship, and devotion under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.” The majority of energy and resources are directed outward, toward the world that God loves and not so much on the church. This is because Christ-centered congregations know that the church is a means to God’s end and not the other way around. The church is a living, breathing flesh and blood organism, Christ body in, with, and for the world. Its members are connected to one another in order to be sent into the world as Christ’s ambassadors who use their spiritual gifts in ways that contribute to the body’s mission in the world.

Christ-centered congregations understand “The church does not have a mission. The Mission has a church.” The mission of the church is to cooperate with, be a channel for, and be a participant in God’s mission in the world. This means the Christ-centered congregation is missional, just as Jesus Christ is missional. The life of a missional church is centered in the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Members are equipped to live lives that are good news to the poor, open the eyes of the blind, and proclaim liberty to prisoners and the oppressed. Christ-centered, missional congregations are sign communities of the reign of God that is among us and is coming. It doesn’t exist to point the world towards itself. Rather it lives to point the way to God and to welcome the world to life in God’s household.

Early followers of Jesus found their way to some of the darkest, most corrupt places in the Ancient World and lived as a counter-intuitive kingdom presence in those places. In what ways are you seeking out darkness in order to be light?

Join us this Sunday and next to discuss how the church brings salt to the earth and light into the darkness.

Worship Gathering 10:30 AM, Southside VA Family YMCA – More info

HELP US RESPOND TO THE RECENT CATASTROPHIC EARTHQUAKE IN HAITI.

A major earthquake measuring 7.0 magnitude on the Richter scale hit Haiti January 12. The initial quake lasted about a minute, followed by strong 5.9 and 5.5 aftershocks. The epicenter of Haiti’s earthquake was six miles west of Carrefour, just outside the capital city of Port-au-Prince.

The full extent of loss of life or property damage is not yet known, but Bill Dawson, French Field Strategy Coordinator, emailed to say that the situation “is grave and urgent.”

“There are many injured all over the city. Major buildings, three and four stories, are down. … Neighbors who work for the UN report many injured, people carrying wounded through the streets,” Dawson said.

The population in the capital area is about 2 million people, living in dense urban communities, and they continue to experience significant aftershocks. Catastrophic casualties and damage are expected, as Haiti’s weak infrastructure is not prepared for this kind of disaster.

Our Nazarene Compassionate Ministries Disaster Response Teams are already on location beginning to help those in need. Here are some of the things you can do today:

1. Pray. Prayer works. Prayer connects us to the heart of God.
2. Give of your resources. You can help Nazarene Compassionate Ministries in Haiti respond to the needs around them. Donate here: http://www.ncm.org/projects/acm1204
3. Prepare Crisis Care Kits. Use the following link to find the exact needs and all necessary instructions: Crisis Care Kits

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loves, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Colossians 3:12

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The Caribbean’s “continent of islands” sits in the middle of the Atlantic Hurricane Belt, making storms an ongoing part of life for most people in the region. Your gift will allow countries in the Caribbean to be ready to respond when the winds and rain come.

Hurricanes and tropical storms are especially hard on areas prone to flooding and mudslides and those where housing structures are unstable. During times of crisis, community members often turn to churches in search of shelter from the storms.

Caribbean Disaster Response is set up to allow local churches to provide immediate relief assistance (clean water, food, hygiene supplies, etc.) when disasters such as hurricanes and floods hit their communities, destroying homes, schools, crops, and livelihood. As churches reach out to their communities to meet physical and spiritual needs, they are in a position to continue to response to longer-term needs of those in their communities.