Ideas for Worshiping at Home
SUNDAY, FEB. 22, 6:25AM – BOTH SUNDAY SERVICES, CLASSES & MINISTRY ACTIVITIES ARE CANCELED FOR THIS MORNING due to hazardous road conditions. Please be safe and enjoy time worshiping the Lord at home this morning!
The Youth Missions Application meeting scheduled for this afternoon is also canceled.
Updated 11:55AM – AWANA and Financial Peace University are canceled for this evening.
Scripture is clear about the importance of being a part of the church – both the “big-C” Church (the universal body of believers for all time) and being involved in the localized expression of the Church, what we might call the “little-c” or local church. Scriptures like Acts 2:42, Hebrews 10:25, 1 John 4:12, Hebrews 10:24, Galatians 5:13, Romans 12:10, Romans 15:14 and 1 Corinthians 12 – among many others – show us the importance of the Christ-based community unique to church, where we can use the gifts God has given us to love, serve and instruct one another for His glory. Though we will not meet together this morning as we usually do, we encourage you to use the time at home this morning to do the same – to love, serve and instruct one another in the context of worshiping our great and glorious God.
Here are some quick ideas for at-home family worship this morning:
- Worship God in song: Put on some of your favorite worship songs and sing along. Our live worship album No Other Name offers some familiar voices to sing along with.
- Proclaim His excellencies: 1 Peter 2:9 tells us “you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” Tell about a time you recently saw God do something great.
- Honor the Word of God: The early church “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). Peruse our sermon archives and pick out an old favorite to listen to or watch again, or catch up on a missed Sunday. Take some time to read some of your favorite Scriptures aloud and share why they are meaningful to you.
- Pray: Spend some time praying for each other, for others you know are in need and for our church.
- Give: To give tithes or offerings, you may do so securely online here.
Take 5: Examples from Jonah, Part 5
The testimony of Jonah’s life points us right to Jesus.
Take 5 is a series of videos for pastors & teachers of God’s Word. Mike Minter, teaching pastor and founder of Reston Bible Church, shares practical wisdom from over 40 years of ministry experience.
For more Take 5 videos, visit vimeo.com/channels/minter or subscribe via RSS here: blog.restonbible.org/category/resources/take-5/feed/
To suggest a topic for Pastor Mike to cover, send an email to questions@restonbible.org.
Event Update: Daddy-Daughter Dance
This year was the 5th Annual Daddy-Daughter Valentine’s Dance, and it was a huge hit once again! I had the privilege of serving at the event for the 4th year in a row. Needless to say, I am richly blessed by this event each year, so that is why I keep coming back to serve!
This year’s theme was “Paint the Town Red” and the painting theme was incorporated throughout the church. In addition to a large paintbrush in the lobby, there were paint cans hanging above the tables in the Clubhouse where red plastic flowed out and onto the tables. There were even dipped pretzel sticks that looked like paintbrushes!
The evening began for the girls with a special dinner date with their dad. Afterwards, they arrived at the church to receive their corsage and to get their portraits taken with their dad. Both dads and girls were all dressed-up for the evening. The girls had obviously spent time carefully picking out their lovely, sparkling, flowing dresses especially for this evening. They were absolutely stunning with their hair styled and make-up done (some of them better than I can accomplish, I might add!). Afterwards, they enjoyed an evening of crafts, ice cream sundaes and dancing. The evening finished off with a talk about the “Grand Finale of Creation” – the girls themselves. What an excellent ending to the evening where these girls were being celebrated! The second grand finale was a shower of red balloons falling from the ceiling of the sanctuary, which the girls absolutely loved!
While all of the dresses, decorations, crafts and desserts were amazing, the REAL focus of the evening was daddy-daughter relationships. This dance provides an opportunity for dads to be intentional about spending one-on-one time with their daughters, which is something that can be hard to do in the hustle and bustle of life. I especially loved watching the girls posing for pictures with their dads. I was able to look through the pictures at the end of the evening and tears filled my eyes. What a wonderful keepsake for the girls to remember this evening with their dad, where they felt cherished and connected with their father. I know the girls will remember this time fondly.
Not only was this evening important for the special relationship between dads and their daughters, but it also has implications for the girls’ future. A friend of mine posted something on Facebook that I think directly relates to this. She said that when she was younger, her Daddy gave her a strand of pearls and told her that she, like the pearls, was beautifully refined and worthy of being treasured. Now in college, she was wearing the strand of pearls while on a date with a man who truly treasured her. She said she was thankful for her dad who set the standard for how she should be loved. I love how the Daddy-Daughter Valentine’s Dance provides a place where this teaching can begin. Here, fathers can teach their daughters what it looks like to be cherished and loved, setting a precedent for the rest of their lives. It is truly a special event!
-Angela Caldwell, event volunteer
From the Field: Where’s the Ban-yay-ro?
Twenty-two members of Reston Bible Church, led by Mike Meyers and Jason Goetz, are preparing to jet down to Brazil over spring break to help host a Vacation Bible School (VBS) for up to 200 children of the Terena Indian Tribe. The mixture of parents and kids from 5th grade and up met for the second time last week to get to know each other, learn important words like ban-yay-ro (bathroom), and figure out how to make this VBS absolutely amazing.
A few numbers from the meeting:
7 pizzas consumed
2 cups (of water) spilled
5 sentences learned in Portuguese
2 worship songs sung
5 craft projects picked
And a zillion other details discussed
WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR FAMILY MISSION TO BRAZIL? Join us for Family Fun Night on February 20 from 6pm to 10pm as we play games, eat, and have a bonfire on Mount Minter. Where else can you go for dinner, friends, and hours of fun for just $10 and get to hear about our mission to Brazil? Hope to see you there!
Take 5: Examples from Jonah, Part 4
When we sin – privately or publicly – people will be affected by it. There’s always a fallout zone.
Take 5 is a series of videos for pastors & teachers of God’s Word. Mike Minter, teaching pastor and founder of Reston Bible Church, shares practical wisdom from over 40 years of ministry experience.
For more Take 5 videos, visit vimeo.com/channels/minter or subscribe via RSS here: blog.restonbible.org/category/resources/take-5/feed/
To suggest a topic for Pastor Mike to cover, send an email to questions@restonbible.org.
Sunday Rewind | 2.15.2015
MUSIC & SCRIPTURE
Awesome Is The Lord Most High (Psalm 47:1-2) – See The Morning by Chris Tomlin
God Is Able (Ephesians 3:20-21) – God Is Able by Hillsong
How Great Thou Art (Psalm 145:3) – Hymns: Ancient & Modern by Charlie Hall (Passion)
Beautiful Jesus (Romans 1:20) – Attention by Kristian Stanfill
Give Me Faith (Psalm 73:25-26) – Nothing Is Wasted by Elevation Worship
TEACHING: A Better Sight
There is a sight better than sight and a blindness worse than blindness. The greater miracle in John 9 is not the opening of the blind man’s eyes but the opening of his heart to Jesus.
CLICK HERE FOR THE SERMON AUDIO & VIDEO
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS
- What was one thing you found particularly interesting, insightful, helpful or difficult to understand from this sermon?
- Have you ever received difficult or devastating news? How did you respond?
- What is something in your life that would devastate you if you lost it? Or, what is something you desperately long for, but have not received?
- Read through John 9. What does this chapter reveal to us about Jesus? What do you observe about the disciples, the Pharisees and the blind man? Where do you see yourself in this narrative?
- Why do you think that when we see or experience loss or pain, our instinctive question is often “Why?”
- What is the difference between a cause and a purpose? Why does this matter?
- Why is spiritual blindness a “devastating blindness”? Why is spiritual sight better than physical sight?
- Instead of giving explanations, in John 9 Jesus provides an opportunity for faith & obedience. Where else in scripture do you see this? Have you seen this happen in your own life?
- Can you identify an area of your life where Jesus is asking you step out in faith and obedience? What would it look like to take the first step in that area? Spend some time praying about it.
Take 5: Examples from Jonah, Part 3
Drawing effectively from scriptures other than your main text can add clarity and credibility to your message.
Take 5 is a series of videos for pastors & teachers of God’s Word. Mike Minter, teaching pastor and founder of Reston Bible Church, shares practical wisdom from over 40 years of ministry experience.
For more Take 5 videos, visit vimeo.com/channels/minter or subscribe via RSS here: blog.restonbible.org/category/resources/take-5/feed/
To suggest a topic for Pastor Mike to cover, send an email to questions@restonbible.org.
Take 5: Examples from Jonah, Part 2
There are three types of storms in Jonah’s account, each with a potential lesson for us.
Take 5 is a series of videos for pastors & teachers of God’s Word. Mike Minter, teaching pastor and founder of Reston Bible Church, shares practical wisdom from over 40 years of ministry experience.
For more Take 5 videos, visit vimeo.com/channels/minter or subscribe via RSS here: blog.restonbible.org/category/resources/take-5/feed/
To suggest a topic for Pastor Mike to cover, send an email to questions@restonbible.org.
Take 5: Examples from Jonah, Part 1
Jonah fled from the presence of God. But can we really flee from the Lord?
Take 5 is a series of videos for pastors & teachers of God’s Word. Mike Minter, teaching pastor and founder of Reston Bible Church, shares practical wisdom from over 40 years of ministry experience.
For more Take 5 videos, visit vimeo.com/channels/minter or subscribe via RSS here: blog.restonbible.org/category/resources/take-5/feed/
To suggest a topic for Pastor Mike to cover, send an email to questions@restonbible.org.
TRAIL GUIDE: Loving Your Family
The “Trail Guide” devotional is used by our adult leaders of grade school groups in Quest as a way to prepare their hearts and minds for the topics we will be covering with the children on the weekend. We have made them available here to help our parents of grade-schoolers engage with their children around the topics we are discussing and also for anyone else that might be blessed by following along.
EXTREME MAKEOVER, Unit 2, Section 1, Lesson 3: Loving Your Family as Christ Loves the Church
As we started this section on loving our neighbor in the family, or “Family Ties”, we focused on how, in His wisdom, God created for us a physical picture of the spiritual family He had in mind for all who would call on the name of Christ. We’ve also looked at how that earthly family, whether biological or adopted, is a training and proving ground – bettering God’s children for life with our spiritual brothers and sisters.
This week, we’ll discuss caring for our earthly family, placing priority on them, and setting them before ourselves. This is yet another mirror image of what we’ll discuss in our next section, loving your neighbor in the church… God’s family. I pray that as you prepare this week you will take time to consider the relationships you maintain with your siblings and other relatives. How is Christ reflected in those relationships? For me, these questions have been convicting, comforting, and inspiring at the same time. Hopefully you will be challenged by God’s word as well.
What do you value? Read this “Dear Abby” letter and then replace “Mom & Dad” with other family relations.
Dear Abby: I am the most heartbroken person in the world. I could always find the time to go everywhere else, but never the time to go visit Mom and Dad. They sat at home alone and loved me just the same. It’s too late now to give them those few hours of happiness. I was too selfish and too busy to give. Now when I go to their graves and see the green grass above them, I wonder if God will ever forgive me for the heartaches I must have caused them when they were still alive. I pray to God that those who still have their parents to visit, do so, and show their love and respect while there is still time, for it’s later than you think. — TOO LATE.
“Everyone should provide for his own relatives. Most of all, everyone should take care of his own family. If he doesn’t, he has left the faith. He is worse than someone who doesn’t believe.” – 1 Timothy 5:8
MEDITATING ON THE WORD:
Matthew 15:4-6
Matthew 25:39-40