Redemption Stories: At The Table (Part 1)
Brittany’s family ate dinner together at the same time every night, no matter what. Her mom would make the meal with Entertainment Tonight on in the background, and every night Brittany would come to the table worried about what would set off her dad’s temper... making the gesture of family dinner didn’t make up for the reality of a broken family life.
Communion is for Baptized, Repentant Christians
Last Sunday, I said that the sacrament of communion is for “baptized, repentant Christians.” Every time I say this, I get a lot of questions.To be clear, there is no Bible verse that says, “Thou shalt not take communion until thou art baptized.” (If there were, I wouldn’t be writing this essay). Rather, the fact that communion is for baptized, repentant Christians is a theological deduction – a conclusion from what Scripture does say. I explained the deduction briefly on Sunday; let me do so more fully here.
A Letter from Kaitie: What Gospel-Centered Feels Like
The word "gospel-centered" gets thrown around a lot these days. So I'm always looking for stories that convey what we mean when we talk about planting gospel-centered churches. This past week, God graced me by stirring Kaitie, a young woman in our church, to write the letter below.I first met Kaitie almost six years ago when she moved to Omaha as a college freshman. She is now graduated, married to a young man she met in Coram Deo, and getting ready to move again to pursue God's calling. Her letter aptly and narratively describes the "feel" of a gospel-centered church. I pray for many more letters like this - written not just to me, but to church planters all over North America who are building churches with "gospel DNA."
Stewardship: How Should I Think About Giving?
One of my brothers in the Acts 29 Network, Matt Kruse of Seven Mile Road near Boston, recently wrote this reflection on money and stewardship. He gave me permission to post it here to help in the process of re-forming our hearts when it comes to money. One of God’s graces to me over the years He has been His prying open of my fingers that tend to lock themselves tight around my money. (It’s still a work in progress.) Below are some simple thoughts that have shaped how I think through my giving to the work of the gospel.
Easter Sunday 2012
On April 8, 2012, nearly 875 people gathered at Aksarben Village in midtown Omaha to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus with the Coram Deo Church Community. It was a great day of worship and celebration as we pondered Jesus' victory over Satan, sin, and death, and a great day for movement and mission as we gathered publicly in the heart of the city.
Acts 29 Re-Org
In a letter posted on the Acts 29 blog today, Mark Driscoll announced a major re-organization of the Acts 29 Network to build on the past and prepare for an even more fruitful future.Coram Deo is a part of the Acts 29 Network, and Pastor Ethan and I maintain close personal friendships with many of the leaders in this movement. We are excited and humbled to be a part of this new season as God moves his mission forward.
Redemption Stories: Neal
Neal participated in "one of the worst sins someone could do." But in Christ, he found forgiveness for the sins of his past, a new joy and purpose for the present, and hope for the future.Thanks, Neal, for your courage in sharing this story so that Christ may be glorified.
Redemption Stories: Jodi
Jodi grew up religious and self-righteous... until some skeptical friends and a re-reading of the Bible made it clear that she was missing something. Through community, she realized that Jesus was her only true source of righteousness. Now, God is using her marriage to Tyler to show her how to live in light of his grace and glorify God as she dies to herself.
Redemption Stories: Jodi Cooper from Coram Deo Church on Vimeo.