Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology is now available, all 52 chapters, as a podcast on iTunes. But, here’s the best part: it’s not a narrator reading the text, but Dr. Grudem instructing the course at his home church. Each session includes question and answers from participants. You can also download individual chapters or subscribe by going to feedburner.
This is probably the most widely used theology ever and the men at NCCF have gone through it a couple times on Sunday mornings over the past ten years. Now anyone can join us in the study and discussion. I know that this has been a valuable resource for a number of us, as we “grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus.”
The Tuesday morning crew at Java John’s just finished George Eldon Ladd’s Gospel of the Kingdom — it was a very worthwhile look at the Kingdom of God and the “already and not yet” quality of Christ’s reign on the earth. We closed with this thought, which is both timely and relevant to our mission at NCCF:
Do you love the Lord’s appearing? Then you will bend every effort to take the Gospel into all the world [beginning with the Brunswick and Nevada County]… All authority is His. “Go ye therefore.” Wherefore? Because all authority, all power is His, and because He is waiting until we have finished our task. His is the Kingdom; He reigns in heaven, and He manifests His reign on earth in and through His church. When we have accomplished our mission, He will return and establish His Kingdom in glory. To us it is given not only to wait for but also to hasten the coming of the day of God (II Pet. 3:12). This is the mission of the Gospel of the Kingdom, and this is our mission.
Over the next couple of months, we will be discussing The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith by Tim Keller. Even if you don’t join us on Tuesday mornings at sunup, please get a copy and join us in online discussion or when we get together.
Before I move on, did anyone have any comments about The Gospel of the Kingdom?
I recently finished reading Real Love for Real Life: The Art and Work of Caring by Andi Ashworth (her husband is writer, performer and producer Charlie Peacock). Hospitality and caregiving in a Christian context has been an interest of mine since the first time I read the Acts of the Apostles. Denise and I have always been blessed to enjoy fellowship in Christian communities that value table fellowship and deep relationships. Alex Strauch’s Hospitality Commands came along to provide a Biblical framework for the experience.
Real Love takes the discussion even further, emphasizing the creative nature of caregiving that flows from a deep sense of calling or vocation, as followers of Jesus. This is a particularly valuable insight for moms and others, providing care without financial compensation for family, friends and neighbors. From Amazon.com:
In Real Love for Real Life, caregivers of all kinds can find the help and hope they need to fulfill their calling. Through personal illustrations, timely research, and thoughtful quotations, Andi Ashworth addresses the practicalities, philosophies, challenges, and joys of providing care in the relationships of home and community – leading readers to a greater understanding of the value and the validity of their call to be caregivers. With the encouraging hope and creative insights they’ll find in these pages, they can serve others in more effective, more fulfilling ways–in the name of God.
Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.
On Sunday evening November 16, 2008, we had our congregational meeting. Mark and Tyler were gracious enough to lead us in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord and Jesus spoke a word of encouragement to us, through Jim, from the Scriptures.
Jim led off with a restatement of the direction the Lord gave us two years ago and a recap of His providence in taking us down the road He’s laid out before us, even through a difficult and heartrending year. The following are a few highlights:
Outreach
We were blessed this year to partner with a number of ministries/churches in Nevada County and around the globe, resulting in the gospel being preached, Christians built up in the faith, widows and orphans cared for and solid relationships established. To view most of these ministries, see the Ministry Partners links in the sidebar on the NCCFToday site.
What Others Are Saying About NCCF
Jim pointed out that, through working with others in the community and abroad, we received a lot of positive feedback from visitors, concerning what the Spirit seems to be doing at NCCF. Many of them took note of our love for one another, a welcoming spirit and the fact that NCCF probably has the largest attendance of any church in Nevada County… 30 minutes after the service has ended 
Those unsolicited observations, expressed over and over, have been very encouraging and we thank God for His grace in this area. Our love for one another is crucial to our witness to the watching world (John 17 and John 13:35)
Our Main Objectives
It was very evident to us two years ago that the Lord was leading in a specific direction. Two objectives were at the top of the list.
1) Provide a Sunday morning and Tuesday evening meeting appropriate for the entire church, involving praise, prayer and the proclamation of the Word.
2) Begin forming small groups to strengthen relationships between believers, focusing on specialized areas of ministry, throughout the week.
Tuesdays and Sundays
Our Sunday morning assembly has undergone some very positive change, particularly in the area of praise and worship, as well as corporate prayer. The worship team meets an hour before we begin, for prayer and coordination with Jim, the media team and the Sunday teacher. The result is praise and worship, focused on Jesus, and a time of solid edification for believers. Pat has taken the Sunday School and nursery under his wing and come up with a unified curriculum from CEF. The result is a Sunday School, fully staffed with folks that love to tell children about the love of God in Jesus Christ.
Tuesday nights have been transformed into a celebration of sorts, beginning with a very large group for dinner each week, followed by youth group, Tina’s class for the kids between the ages of 7 & 12, the adult Bible study and, of course, a nursery. The majority of kids are from the wider Christian community and their friends, so we count it a privilege to minister to them and work hard to be faithful to that calling. The adult Bible study has grown substantially, as well. We have also been blessed with special events, featuring Jim Jessup, Joshua Lickter and our missionaries home on furlough.
Of course, we discussed how an attractive facility, as well as a cheerful staff, are vital to effective hospitality. We have been blessed with both. George and Sandy have the building looking beautiful with tasteful landscaping, a newly painted fellowship hall and a finished kitchen, thanks to Ralph and others. Linda keeps the place spotless and running smoothly. Mike is faithful with the coffee and a crew of women, too numerous to name, provide delicious meals, which are obviously appreciated, based upon the numbers of those joining us for supper!
Small Groups
Small groups fall into a number of categories, with the soire´ at the King’s home busting out to become a Big Group. So, we hope to see some from that group go out to plant more small groups. The college and career group meets at the Mack’s for a time of Bible study, prayer and fellowship. The women’s Bible study and fellowship have grown in number, seeing even greater growth in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus! The men’s monthly fellowship has grown considerably under Pat’s oversight and we have enjoyed the wisdom of older men in our fellowship, as well as good number of brothers from other churches providing us with a fresh outlook into what it means to be a Christian man. Of course, the men’s theology group continues each Sunday morning and are about half way through Grudem’s Systematic Theology… for the second time.
Finances
Mark Bauman gave us a somewhat surprising financial report. As mentioned, it was a tough year and we saw our giving drop dramatically in the Spring. However, we are finishing the year at the same monthly level of giving we saw back in the first couple months of 2008 and the trend is upward! Praise God for His provision. One new item in the budget is pastoral compensation and we have committed 10% of our budget to that end in 2009 with an adjustment every six months. Our long-term goal is to compensate one or more paid staff within 3-5 years, in faithfulness to God’s Word in 1 Timothy 5 and love for the upcoming generation of leaders at NCCF.
We have so much to be thankful for and we anticipate the Lord’s greater blessing in 2009.
