Rev. Zach

Genesis 17:1-7 Ephesians 2:1-10 John 4:1-42 Today is part three of a three-part series based on scriptures that reflect on topics from the book, I Am A Church Member by Thom S. Rainer. The first week we talked about being functional members, and not just of this congregation but also of the body of Christ. Last week we talked about the way in which being members of a body requires us to work for greater unity – not uniformity but unity in purpose, unity in love for one another that draws even an enemy into a closer embrace. This week we are going to talk a little about the way that church membership is a gift from God. Yes. I will be so bold as to say that being a member of this congregation is a dispensation of God’s grace. You see, I believe that there is a certain aspect of calling that is a part of joining and being part of a church, and it is God who calls us. When I say joining and being a part of, that means that our calling is not just to join. Our calling is to ...

Numbers 21:4-9     Ephesians 2:1-10     John 3:14-21 As a child – I must confess – I grew up in relative paradise.  We lived on a five acre plot in Northeast Georgia surrounded by twenty undeveloped acres that were owned by someone who lived in New Hampshire – which might as well have been another planet as far as I knew.  I spent many a night outdoors camping and playing.  I was never afraid of the dark.  I can remember sneaking out at night and having no fear other than the possibility of getting caught.  Many years later I found myself in a cave with a church youth group.  Our guide had us turn off all lights to experience total darkness.  I remember being astonished that my hand touched my face without expectation from any visual cue.  We were told to consider this to be like the formless void of creation, the abyss of nothingness, the womb of the earth, or perhaps the presence of God even in the absence of bein...