Zion E-News (10-11-2018)

I’m getting a free book! A few weeks ago, Ed Stetzer released his newest book, Christians in an Age of Outrage. I have been a fan of Ed’s since he came to speak at an event for our Classis about 8 years ago and we met in the bathroom. And then realized I was running tech support for his room that day. I never told him I was on the team that invited him to speak that weekend and enjoyed getting to be a somewhat anonymous volunteer. I was truly impressed by his gracious and kind spirit to his occasionally frazzled tech support volunteer. 🙂

Since then, I have read several more of his books, taken an on-line coaching class from Ed and still participate in a private Facebook discussion group moderated by Ed. He is a prolific writer, teacher, and tweeter. He is also the Billy Graham Chair of Church, Mission, and Evangelism at Wheaton College and just started a weekly radio show on Moody on Saturday mornings. He is broadly engaged in popular issues, deeply rooted in scripture, and sprinkles it all with a little ADD inspired bunny trails.

I am excited about my free book because it is free, but even more so because I sense in myself and I experience with many others a growing low level of anger, maybe just about simmering rage. We are ready to blow up about the latest political controversy, social media post, sports scandal. You name it and someone is probably angry about it.

But scripture speaks often of anger, and rarely is it good. For example:

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. ~ James 1:19-20

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. ~ Psalm 37:8-9

An angry person stirs up conflict, and a hot-tempered person commits many sins. ~ Proverbs 29:22

I wonder, what witness might we have as believers if we remained calm, present, and able to listen respectfully even to those with whom we disagree in a culture that can barely hold a civil conversation anymore. Conversely, I wonder how we damage the name of God when we become entrapped by the anger and rage of our age.

As a follower of the Prince of Peace, I am trying to be a person of true peace. Not ignoring injustice and abuse, but also not perpetuating violence and the abuse of violence by my own language and behavior. Will you join me?

Connect to God
After God rescues the Israelites from their captivity in Egypt, he brings them to Mt. Sinai where he gives them the law, which includes the 10 Commandments. These commandments are not guidelines for all humanity, but a call from God to live as a counter-cultural community. They produce a people who in our daily live as a sign, a signal, and a witness that God has not left the world to its own devices. Instead, God has come to rescue, save, and restore all that has been broken and marred by sin. This fifth week of our series, we consider the only command that also includes a promise “that we may live long in the land.”

Grow in Community
Larry Westra is home recovering from back surgery. We thank God for his recovery so far and pray for continued strength, perseverance, and healing.

Also, please join me in praying for all those affected by memory loss in our congregation. We have several families caring for parents who grow more easily confused and then also some of our own members in their own struggles with Alzheimers and dementia. May God give them all peace and confidence in the face of an often frightening future.

Serve the World
Currently, Zion supports two different church planting efforts in Nepal. We support Jibit Asha International through our budget and have given to Good News Nepal through love offerings. Both organizations are focused on raising up pastors and planting churches in one of the most unreached people groups in the world. You can learn about both these organizations and their missions in Nepalhereandhere.

Following is an update from Ron Radcliffe on the first official week of worship at City Chapel:

Just wanted to let you all know how the launch went:

It went SUPER well!  We had (at 10:15) 120 people there, and by about 10:30 about 20 or so more people had showed up.  We had about 150.  I emailed CityFlats as to how many seats they had available downstairs for us, because we used all of them, and some people were sitting on the couches in the back, too, so we can get a more exact number.  Here are some other highlights:

• It was super high energy,
•  we had about 40 college students.  20-25 from GVSU, and the rest from Kuyper, Calvin, and Kendall.  
• Our mailer that we sent brought in a handful of people.  Many who never went to church or haven’t been in years (one, an older gentleman, 75+ years old, said he hasn’t been in many years and loved it.  Bought a City Chapel shirt, gave money, and said we’re gonna see so much of him we’re gonna get annoyed of him! Yes!) and even some recent college grads who got it in the mail and said, “oh, this is walking distance from our apartment, we’ll go.”

We’re excited for what comes next!  Thanks for all of your prayers and support!

If you are praying for City Chapel, they ask specifically for prayers that their launch team does not get burned out and that they can expand their volunteer base, the launch of City Groups (their small group ministry), and that those far from God might encounter God in a new way at City Chapel, be changed by God’s grace and plugged into a local church, whether City Chapel or another church.

Administrative Details
Our next Leaders Meeting will be on November 4 from 5-7 pm. We look forward to a great evening of fellowship, worship, and some training. Details for the night are still being worked out and will be shared as they are finalized.

We continue to thank God for his provision of all of our needs and for the generous support of our congregation with their time, talent, and treasures.
Fiscal Year to date budget:  $206,628.80
Fiscal Year to date contributions: $200,327.87