Let’s say your family has just started coming to church and you’re starting to think that you’d like to start treating it like it’s “your church”. What now? How do you get “plugged in” in a healthy way? Here are a few suggestions…

Step 1: Get really familiar with what the church believes and practices

What does their statement of faith say? Do they believe that God is Triune (Father, Son and Spirit)? Do they believe the Bible is God’s word and without error? What do they believe about baptism? Do they believe that Jesus is God in the flesh? Do they believe that Jesus died to pay for our sins? Do they actually believe he rose from the dead?

Next, what does their church covenant say? A church covenant is simply a document that summarizes what the Bible teaches about how Christians are supposed to live and worship together. It will explain what they mean when they use the word “membership” or when they talk about “joining the church”. It’s a simple way of summarizing how they intend to relate to God and to one another.

Finally, who are the leaders of the church? Are there multiple leaders or “elders” as described in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1?

Step 2: Think and pray through whether or not you could happily join the church and partner with them in ministry.

If you’ve become acquainted with what the church believes, ask:

• Do I believe the same things this church believes?
• Am I ready to commit myself to the good of other believers here?
• Do I have a desire to let this body of believers help me follow Jesus?
• Do I have a desire to help others follow Jesus along with these believers?
• Could I happily accept the leadership of the pastors/elders?

Having gone through any necessary steps to join the church, move on to:
Step 3: Prioritize Sunday Morning Worship

Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

One of the main ways that God intends to encourage believers is through the regular assembly of believers on the Lord’s day. The word church literally means, “assembly” and Hebrews 10 tells us that assembly is meant to stir us up to love, good works and encouragement. You can’t be connected if you neglect the assembly. It’s also one of the main ways that you disciple your family without even saying a word. Regularly sacrificing other plans in order to assemble with believers shows your family and the world what is most important in this life: worshipping the one true God and equipping yourself for ministry in His world.

Step 4: Don’t Feel Pressured to “Pick a Ministry” right away.

Many churches have been taught that to help people feel connected they need to be given “a job” to do right way. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with jumping in right away if that feels natural. However, no one should feel pressured to find a job right away. This is because we don’t want people to feel like they’re wanted simply because they’re useful. We want them to feel wanted because they’re wanted. In addition, anytime you’re joining a “new team” it’s helpful to focus on relationships first rather than tasks and jobs first. Strong relationships will make for more fruitful ministry anyway. So, just worship and focus on getting to know people.

Step 5: Practice and Accept Hospitality

This is the outgrowth of step 4. Just decide to take advantage of any opportunities the Lord gives you to practice hospitality. Have people over to your house for a meal, go out for ice-cream, host a game night in your back-yard, etc. If it seems like you’re not getting these opportunities start praying for them to happen or just start getting to know the elders and their families. Ask your pastor if there are other people who are eager to get connected to other people. Example: Maybe there are a few college students or young single adults who frequently “fall through the cracks.” You might not have a lot in common with these people but you might be a real blessing to them if you made a home cooked meal or invited them over for a movie night. The goal of getting connected isn’t to find people just like you. It’s to minister and be ministered to the whole body of Christ.

In Conclusion:
There's no magic formula to this and no one can do the hard work of getting connected but you. Church will be a blessing to you if you decide to be a blessing to others. So, roll up your sleeves and commit yourself to getting to know the Christians you are worshipping with weekly.  

Knowing how to apologize and how to accept an apology is not common knowledge these days. Maybe you haven't been able to articulate this exactly but you've probably sensed it when an apology doesn't seem quite right.

As Christians we should be experts at this. We should feel free to confess our wrongs to God and others, knowing that Christ has paid the price for our sins. We should also feel empowered to forgive others since Christ has forgiven us of our sins.

With that in mind here are a few ingredients in a genuine, robust and helpful apology:
1. The apology will call the sin what God calls it.
When we do something that is wrong or sinful we need to "call it what it is." Let's say, for example, that we spoke to someone in anger and used words that were cruel.  We should NOT apologize like this: "I didn't mean to sound so rude...I'm sorry IF it sounded mean."
This is really just a sneaky way of saying, "I'm sorry you are so sensitive." When we lash out in anger the problem is not that we "might" have done something that was interpreted poorly. If it was anger or malice or quarreling or pride then we need to own it.
Owning would sound something like: "I realize that yesterday when I said __________ that I was speaking in anger. This was sinful and wrong and I am sorry."

2. The apology will acknowledge the cost of the sin.
Using "anger" again as an example, a genuine apology will recognize that this anger takes a toll on others. So, we could add this to the apology above: "I realize that yesterday when I said __________ that I was speaking in anger. This was sinful and wrong and I am sorry. I'm sorry because not only have I sinned against God, my anger made you feel embarrassed or unloved or fearful, etc."

3. The apology will communicate a plan for restitution.
If we are genuinely sorry we will make a plan to fight our sin and we will follow that plan. If we're talking about anger we could commit to meeting with other mature believers that we trust and ask for the help in getting to the root of our anger. It might sound something like this: "I'm sorry because not only have I sinned against God, my anger made you feel embarrassed or unloved or fearful. Because I don't want to sin this way I've reached out to _______________ for a conversation over coffee. I'm going to talk to him about what I did and ask him to help me get to the bottom of this and hold me accountable. If there is anything else I can do to show you that I'm truly sorry, please tell me."

4. The apology will ask for forgiveness.
Finally, having done all these things, it is now appropriate to ask for forgiveness. And once you've asked for it - you have to leave the situation in the hands of the offended and in the hands of God. You are not allowed to get righteously upset if the other person can't forgiven you right away. You're not allowed to get all huffy if they bring it up again. Do your part well, stay humble, and trust God.
 

One thing I've noticed from opponents of Charlie Kirk since his tragic assassination is a kind of righteous indignation over the level of our grief. For example, we didn't grieve in the same way when Minnesota Representative Melissa Hortman was assassinated back in June. And Mr. Kirk's death has received way more attention than the most recent school shooting in Evergreen, Colorado.  
It is fair to say that my liberal friends are not imagining things when they notice that many are more shaken by what happened to Charlie Kirk. While all of these things are nightmarish tragedies, Charlie Kirk's assassination hits us differently. This is my attempt to identify some reasons for this. To clarify, this is not an attempt to pretend that the other tragedies are not horrific. Rather, I want to process and identify the unique kind of tragedy we witnessed in Utah on September 10th, 2025 and why it feels like a real tipping point in our time.

1. We saw it.
I did not personally see the video of Kirk being shot. I'm told it's very graphic and, at this point, I don't want to see it. Maybe there will be a time when I am convinced that there's a good purpose in seeing it, but right now, I don't know what that would be. In any case, my point is that millions of people did see it. In the past "we" were not the witnesses. We're told about the violence and, maybe, we see the aftermath but we are rarely the witnesses. This one we witnessed in all its graphic detail. If you personally knew someone who witnessed a murder you would not blame them for being more shaken by it than by the news of another murder that they did not. As humans we are grieved by both but more shaken by the one we witnessed in broad daylight.  

2. He was a brother in Christ.
As Christians we are part of a spiritual body. Christians are told in the Scriptures that we are "members of the body of Christ" and that if "one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together" (1 Corinthians 12:26). So, because Charlie was a member of Christ's body that body feels a profound loss - the severing of one of our members. This hits harder because: We. Can't. Help. It. It's like the loss of a body part.

3. His death wasn't strictly political
When was the last time we witnessed someone get martyred in the United States? I've seen a lot of people on both sides of the political aisle denouncing "political violence". This is entirely appropriate. This does remind me of what I've read about the political violence of the 1960s. Stephen Colbert drew this comparison himself in a recent statement. But Charlie Kirk's death was not strictly political. He was not running for office like Donald Trump was in 2024 or have the power of an elected official like John F. Kennedy in 1963. In fact, if you listened to Kirk speak you would find that it didn't take long for him to bring Jesus into the conversation. For Kirk, politics was the starting point of a conversation meant to lead to Jesus. Which, I personally believe, makes Charlie Kirk a 21st Century American martyr for Jesus Christ.  

4. His death was celebrated  
One reason Charlie Kirk's death is hitting us differently is that people are celebrating it. I didn't hear about anyone celebrating Melissa Hortman's death. I don't hear about anyone celebrating school shootings. But we do see this with Charlie Kirk's death. Reportedly, there was a man in the crowd in Utah who was fist pumping and celebrating when Kirk was initially shot. There are videos online of trans-activists celebrating the advancement of their revolution because of Kirk's murder (you can check out the 12:21 mark HERE if you have a strong stomach). There are university professors expressing a "no big deal" kind of attitude about the slaying of a young husband and father in cold blood. When even someone as liberal as Bill Maher is mourning this kind of intolerance and hate then we know Charlie's death is the mark of a shift in our country. Charlie himself said, essentially, that when we stop talking, when we stop being able to have the conversation, that's when things get violent and scary.

Some Exhortations for my Christian Brothers and Sisters:
1. God has ordained all this for our time.
I have not heard anyone say this yet. This tragedy and the tragedies of this time are not a mess that God is scrambling to clean up or that he has to figure out how to manage. All of this is ordained by God for good.
It is meant by men for evil but God "intends it for good" that will be revealed at the right time (Genesis 50:20; Acts 4:27, 28).
The Scriptures teach us that God works "all things according to the counsel of his will" (Ephesians 1:11) and that he has chosen each of us for this particular time (Acts 17:26-28).
So, we are meant to use this time well and to use it with confidence that God will have the last word.

2. Study the Word of God.
Care about doctrine. Care about careful and intentional Bible reading. Let it shape your faith and practice. Don't waste this time that you've been given by God.  

3. Orient your life around weekly worship
Make worship the focus and center of your week. Worship with other believers on a weekly basis. Do it under shepherds who are committed to your spiritual care. Do it with believers that will challenge and encourage you. Do it to serve. Do it to get out of your self. Do it to sit under the word of God regularly. Do it to magnify Jesus and proclaim to the world that God is worthy.

4. Worship in your home. Disciple your kids.
Spend time with your family in the word of God. Don't just be a Sunday Christian. Disciple your children. It's your main job.

5. Speak faithfully boldly where you have opportunity  
Each of us have opportunities to speak openly about Jesus. Even the Apostle Paul prayed that his eyes would be open to all the opportunities he might be given. And he prayed that God would give him the words in those moments (Colossians 4:3-4, Ephesians 6:19-20). We should pray the same way and speak the same way. A blessing is promised to us if we are persecuted for this (Matthew 5:11-12).

"Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak."
- Colossians 4:2-4 

I recently stumbled across a video of two comedians bemoaning the nature of religion. One said something like, "How do people not see that this is basically just Amway?" Amway is like the Godfather of network marketing. Like it or not many people got into it and felt cheated. After being promised great things they just ended up feeling targeted and used for someone else's gain.

People level this same accusation against religion in general and especially the Christian religion. The other comedian in the video said it something like this: "How convenient for the church to convince all these people that they are in mortal, eternal danger, and then all they need to do to get out of it is to join the church as a paying member."

The sum of the accusation is this: Religion is just a man-made idea designed to scare people into financially advancing the people who are in charge of religion.

Here are a few reasons why this is...how can I say this delicately...just plain dumb.

1. Corrupt religion does not rule out the possibility of true religion
Sure, they have a point. There have been, there are, and there will be more large groups of people who are manipulated into lining the pockets of religious leaders for the (empty) promise of spiritual benefit. But the existence of counterfeits implies that there's such a thing as a "genuine article." We know what a counterfeit dollar is when we compare it to a real one.
Jim Wilson says, "Never let a hypocrite stand between you and God. That just makes him closer to God than you are." It's something to think about before dismissing religion altogether. After all, you don't swear off dollar bills because of the counterfeits.

2. The founders of Christianity had no material advantages in being Christian
Jesus was crucified after having most of his fans abandon him. Most of Jesus' disciples were brutally killed and the one that wasn't spent years on a prison island. The earliest believers were social rejects who were accused of being anti-social (they didn't attend the games at the coliseum), cannibalistic (because of how people misunderstood the Lord's Supper), atheists (because they would not worship the pantheon of Roman gods). And yet, despite this mockery and derision there were faithful worshippers of Jesus who established themselves as a community of faith that loved their neighbors. They would rescue abandoned infants, care for the sick, the elderly and the outcasts of society, and were among the first to actually treat women and slaves as people deserving of equal dignity as everyone else. Being a Christian wasn't about blindly following human leaders and lining their pockets. It was a risk. It was dangerous. A reasonable explanation for this is that, in knowing Jesus and what he revealed, people found something truly life-changing.  

3. To accuse religion you have to borrow the standards of religion
The sum of the aforementioned accusations  comes down to this: "It's wrong to lie to people in order to get money out of them." Hmmm...that sounds familiar. Where have I heard that before? It sounds a little like, "Thou shall not bear false witness...Thou shall not steal."
So, by what standard can these two men criticize religion? Popular opinion? Well that changes every week. Innate instincts? Those are too often in conflict with one another. The bottom line is that these men have to hop in "the Christian car" before they can even try and drive it off the cliff. They can't try to destroy it without relying on it. They can't criticize it without actually borrowing its standards. Which makes them the dishonest ones.

There must be a reason, a foundation, and source of our moral standards. And the source must be God or man. Christ or chaos.

For more on this final line of argumentation I highly recommend you check out the fascinating documentary Collision. The film documents the debate tour between Atheist Christopher Hitchens and Pastor Douglas Wilson who, aside from being friends, also provide one of the greatest examples of these two views colliding.  

In our current age it can be a real struggle for someone to find a church. It's not because there's a shortage. The glut of options is overwhelming. Then there's the plague of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) which seems to be more and more prevalent. What if we pick a church too soon? If we start looking, how many should we visit? How many times should we visit them? We want to pick "just the right" place for us and our kids. Where do we begin?

I've heard this asked several times and, of course, as a pastor I've talked with countless people in the process. Here are some factors I would love to see more people consider as they look for a church.

First: Ditch the term (and the mentality) of "church shopping." This is not like going to Wal-Mart for a grill. You're not weighing the differences between Coke and Dr. Pepper, State Farm and Aflac, or Jeep and Toyota. You are not shopping. Does anyone use this phrase when looking at colleges? Do we use this phrase when seeking a spouse? Do we "shop" for a doctor to deliver our first child? We really don't. And why? It's because, instinctively, we know these things are too weighty and important to be downgraded with language like "shopping." Local churches are small representations of the universal body of Christ that has been loved by God, saved from sin, and purchased by the cross to praise and enjoy God forever. The church is the "bride of Christ" and Jesus "gave himself up for her" (Ephesians 5:25). Let's not downgrade the search for a church with consumeristic language.

Alternative: Get acquainted with the biblical gospel (the good news of Jesus' life, death and resurrection that sinners might be forgiven and change for eternity) and look for churches that seem to make that message central to their preaching, worship and fellowship. Ask yourself: does this church seem to believe that everyone (even Christians) need to hear and be changed by the gospel continually? Here's a brief explanation of the essential elements of this good news. 

Second: Abandon the notion that you'll find one that's "just right". A church is a community. A community is made up of people. People are messy. They hurt your feelings - sometimes on purpose. Not only this but, often, what's drawn them to a community of faith is the realization that they are sinners. Which means that it's a community of people engaged in a war against their own sin. They don't win every battle. And you don't either. Don't look for a perfect fit. You won't like every song that is sung. You won't like every sermon. You won't be BFFs with every person you meet. You must realize that often we love our "fantasy church" more than the one Jesus actually died for.

Alternative: Look for somewhere that you can imagine serving and being an encouragement to others. Is this church's mission something that you can "get on board with" and support? Go in with a mentality that you are going to support and serve with a joyful heart. Go in with the mentality that God will sanctify you through the people there. He will test out whether you really believe commands like "forgive one another" and "bear one another's burdens". Go in with the attitude that you are ready to be made more like Christ in uncomfortable ways. Go in looking for evidence of God's grace in the people there.

Third: Avoid "motivational" and "relevant" preaching. I know that might seem counter-intuitive. Shouldn't we be motivated? Shouldn't the teaching be relevant? Well, yes, of course. BUT, don't assume that you are the best judge of what is relevant. Usually what we mean by these things is how the message makes us feel. If we feel good, we consider the message good. This is not biblical preaching. Yes, the Bible will often make us feel good BUT it will often challenge us, offend us, convict us, grieve us and painfully introduce necessary changes into our lives. This is what makes the Bible relevant.

Alternative: Find a church that preaches the Bible as God's Word - and I would add that the best kind of preaching is likely to be dedicated to making the main point of each sermon the same as the main point of each Scripture that is being preached. This is sometimes called expository or exegetical preaching. Avoid preaching that simply uses some words or ideas from a text as a springboard into whatever "buzz-word" topic the preacher wants to talk about. You'll often find expository preaching is going through whole books of the Bible one passage at a time and is often going back and forth between Old and New Testaments to give their people the whole scope of God's Word. Another pitfall to avoid here would be preaching that neglects to make Jesus the whole point of the Bible. Ultimately, the whole Bible is "Christo-centric" and good preaching recognizes that, even in the Old Testament, Jesus is the whole point.

Fourth: Avoid over-programming. The world already makes you busy enough and sends your family in twelve different directions at the same time. We often want churches to do something for us that is spiritually beneficial and then they do the same thing the world does: make us even busier, splitting our families in multiple directions. While this is inevitable and, to a certain degree, can be healthy (it's good, for example, for kids to have friends in the church they learn with) the church is supposed to be distinct from the world. If the goal of Christianity is simply to follow Jesus and help others follow Jesus, then I think it's safe to say the modern church has made this far more complicated than it needs to be.

Alternative: Find a church that challenges parents, especially fathers, to be the primary disciple-makers of their children. The word of God puts the responsibility, primarily, on fathers for the spiritual health and discipleship of their homes (Ephesians 5:25-27; 6:4). Look for churches that make a big deal of dads. Be counter-cultural in this age and find a church that is not embarrassed about godly, masculine dads taking glad, sacrificial responsibility for their households.

Conclusion: There are so many more factors we could consider. Modern worship music alone is a minefield that probably deserves a post of its own (in short - look for a church that sings songs with theological weight). For a list that's complimentary to this one you could check out this one from 9Marks. But the last thing I'll advise is this: Pray. You can do nothing apart from the grace of God (John 15:5). Ask God to bring truth and conviction from His word into your heart and mind that it might lead you to the church where He wants to use you for His glory and your joy.

While I may not be inclined to address this topic directly from the pulpit I do feel strongly enough about it to address it in writing as your pastor. Let me clarify this reasoning. As a pastor my job is to shepherd the disciples of Christ that have explicitly asked me to be their shepherd. I am supposed to faithfully communicate God's word to them and help them follow Christ. One way I do this is by obeying God's commands myself and directly telling the Christians under my care what the word of God directly commands. Another way I do this is by sharing openly what I think is biblically wise. Many things I share about biblical wisdom may not be automatically binding on the conscience of every believer, but I still have the responsibility to announce what I think is biblically wise. As I address this topic I am speaking from the "wisdom" sphere of my authority: sharing/announcing what I think is most consistent with Biblical wisdom.

Here is why I will be voting NO on SD IM 29 (the legalization of recreational marijuana)
1. I love my neighbors. If my neighbors use it they will be harmed. If they use it they are more likely to harm my other neighbors. See reason 2.
2. Where recreational marijuana is legalized there is always a rise in violent crime, psychotic episodes, suicide (especially among children), workplace accidents and auto accidents (not to mention the increased risks of heart attack and stroke). Just ask any leader of any state that has legalized it if it has improved the quality of life in their state. It has done the opposite. I recently sat next to Paul Ten Haken at a pastors breakfast and he told me that he's talked to multiple state and urban leaders on this issue. He said that "not one of them will say that it has made life better in their state." Colorado alone saw an increase in cannabis poisoning among children increase by 148% between 2012 and 2016.
3. Reasons 1 and 2 demonstrate that legalizing it will create bondage for people and not more freedom. Our laws should protect freedom and not create more chains and more harm.
4. Personal experience: I have watched both the use and distribution of marijuana rob young people of their lives. Literally. There are many issues where we are not given a choice. On this issue we have a choice and I will be voting NO on IM29. I encourage you to vote NO as well.

Pastor Cory 

The elders of Discovery church would like to take this opportunity to formally ask the South Dakota residents in our congregation to pay special attention to this year's ballot. There are several measures and amendments that deserve your attention. Please prayerfully consider each of them. We would particularly call your attention to Amendment G and exhort you to VOTE NO on G. We urge this for at least two reasons. First, because we want to honor the Lord Jesus in the way we steward our South Dakota citizenship. We believe that this means taking our state motto seriously: Under God the people rule. We believe this is a God-honoring motto which tells us that, as citizens, we should work to make sure that all our laws should not fail to honor the God that has granted us life in this great land. 

Second, we also urge you to vote "no" on G because our primary citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). The crucified and risen Lord Jesus is our King and Savior. He has saved us from our sins according to His own mercy and so He rules our hearts. As the resurrected one, He is also the rightful ruler and judge of all heaven and earth. We look to Him and His word to guide all our decisions in matters that pertain to our life here on earth.

For these reasons we stand united against Amendment G which oppresses unborn children, threatening their lives and the physical/emotional health of their mothers. 

• Amendment G will effectively allow abortion through all 9 months of pregnancy
• Amendment G will deny parents the right to know if their underage daughter is undergoing an abortion procedure. 
• Amendment G endangers women by canceling requirements for abortionists to follow basic hospital health and safety standards. Abortions will be conducted without doctors and outside safe facilities. 

You can read all ballot questions at the SD Secretary of State Website HERE. Among the most foundational reasons to oppose Amendment G is the fact that pre-born babies are fully human. God’s word says that they are fearfully and wonderfully made in his image, and each one is “knit together” in the mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13-14, Genesis 1:27). Amendment G has no compassion and practices no justice for pre-born, human life. Amendment G clearly violates God's commands against murder (Exodus 20:13). 

Amendment G also violates an essential Christian belief: all human beings at all stages of development are made in God’s image and deserve the protection of a fair and just society. Amendment G would make South Dakota a place where both mothers and their children are treated unjustly and without compassion.

So, we exhort you to stand for life. James 1:27 tells us, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” This means that, as Christians, we must defend and speak for those who have no one else defending them or speaking for them. Certainly this applies to the pre-born and also their mothers who often believe the lie that there are no other options for them. 

Further, let it be known that our conviction according to the word of God is that any church which supports or endorses abortion as right and lawful has sinned against the Lord Jesus and should turn from their sin and acknowledge the clarity of God’s word. Pray for these churches. It is not too late for revival and reformation and the Savior’s arms are wide open to those who call on him in faith and turn from their error. 

Finally, we encourage you as brothers and sisters in the Lord to speak on this matter with boldness and grace. It has been said that the world ought to know where we stand not because we are attacking what's in front of us but because of how we're defending what's behind us. Pray that we take a stand like this - standing up for what we love. We love our neighbors and don't want them harmed by the violence, trauma and oppression of abortion. We love the Lord and want our lives to accord with His will. We pray that you will stand with us.

In love, in faith, and in obedience, 
The elders of Discovery Church

This short article is designed to simply announce the gospel: the good news about what Jesus has done in his life, death and resurrection. Specifically, this is here for those visitors to our church website that wanted to know a little bit more about how to get connected to Discovery Church. The first step in getting connected to the believers here is to believe this amazing news about Jesus. Here it is!

To help remember it, we like to explain it in four brief sections.

God – God is our Creator and is worthy of all our love, admiration and worship. He is good, awesome and holy in all his ways and is perfectly righteous and true. He has made me to find my highest and best joy in knowing Him and there is no other god.

My Sin – But we have failed to love, admire and worship God as he deserves. We have pursued our own pleasure in lesser, created things. We have been ungrateful and rebellious, seeking our own way and honoring our will and desires over His. For this ingratitude, rebellion, dishonor and foolishness we deserve a punishment that will never end. This is a punishment that I can never satisfy or pay because we have sinned against an infinitely worthy Creator. We could not save ourselves or do anything that would earn God’s love because we were enslaved to sin and helplessly controlled by its power.

Christ – But God did for us what we could not do for ourselves. By sending His own Son into the world to die on the cross for our sins, He has shown us unfathomable love. God loved us so much that he was willing to punish his own Son in the place of all who believe, and even more amazingly, Jesus was willing to suffer His Father’s wrath toward sin in our place. Jesus loved us so much that he was willing to lay down his life for us. On the third day after Jesus’ death, God raised him from the dead, thereby announcing that his death was completely sufficient to atone for every sin. God then exalted Christ to his own right hand, where Christ now reigns from on high, granting salvation and forgiveness to all who call on him by faith.

My Salvation – When someone calls on Christ in faith, God instantly grants salvation and forgiveness of all their sin – past, present and future! God makes them his own child and a permanent citizen of his kingdom. Through Christ you can be declared free from the punishment your sin deserves because He took all your punishment on the cross. He causes His Holy Spirit to change our hearts and empower us to live a life free from sin’s power. Because of Christ’s life and work on your behalf God always looks upon the believer and treats them with gracious favor, always working all things together for their ultimate and eternal good. The believer can still sin, but when they do, God feels no wrath in his heart against the believer. His heart is filled with nothing but love for them, and he longs for them to repent and confess their sins to Him, so that He might show them the gracious and forgiving love that has been in his heart all along. We don’t deserve any of this, even on our best day, but this is our salvation and we stand in this good news each day!
Posted 11-16-2023

The church is the “household of God” (1 Timothy 3:15) and like all the households of God’s design it has order and purpose. Elders and Deacons are part of this order and purpose. To some, it might seem like “organizational drudgery” to talk about church structures and offices, etc. But, ultimately, elders and deacons are one of the many complementary relationships God has created to display his glory. Just as a husband and wife are equal in dignity and value, so elders and deacons are equal in dignity and value. Just as the husband in a marriage is called and given certain essential responsibilities and the wife is called to and given different, essential responsibilities, so elders and deacons are given different and essential responsibilities.

When deacons and elders are appointed and appropriately assigned to these responsibilities, the church is acting as the “pillar and buttress of the truth” because it is submitting to God’s design for it.

What Is The Biblical Picture?
Let’s take a look at what we see in Acts 6:1-6
“Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. 2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.3 Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.”

A few observations:
First of all, I see an important implication in this story. The men who were called to prioritize the teaching of the word and prayer were servant-hearted men. Consider the scene: the men knew they were supposed to prioritize teaching, preaching and prayer BUT they did not protect their work by allowing the neglect of the widows to continue. They didn’t say, “not our job!” They actually said, “both these things are important, so how can both be done by the church?” I take the actions of the apostles here to mean that elders/pastors must not think they are “above” the work of deacons. They should not think that the work of deacons is less important than the work of elders. The two roles are different, but both are vital.

This leads to the second observation: The work of deacons is vital because it meets both significant needs in the body, and it gives elders/pastors freedom to protect the quality of the word and prayer ministry. So, this is really two observations in one. (1) Deacon work will involve compassionate care for the needy in the body and (2) will give the elders freedom to concentrate on the word and prayer (e.g., teaching, preaching, spiritual care, prayer, etc.).

Third: the apostles led the way in how the deacons should be chosen, but ultimately, the church chose them. The apostles set the standard for the type of person that should fill the role (good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom). Under that standard, the believers selected these first (or prototype) deacons.

Fourth: The qualifications for deacons were primarily qualifications of character. This is an observation that can be also drawn from 1 Timothy 3:8-13 (see below). Skill was not the deciding factor in appointing these servants. It was character and spiritual maturity.

Now let’s turn to 1 Timothy 3:8-13,
“8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.”

A few observations:
First, and again, we see that the qualifications listed here focus on spiritual qualities. Dignified, says what he means, self-controlled, not greedy, etc. It makes practical sense to look for highly skilled people for these roles that require so much hands on activity. But Paul (and the Holy Spirit) places much more importance on character than on skill. Incidentally, I’ve heard recently that even secular business and military leadership is beginning to recognize this principle. Businesses are beginning to build their models on the premise that more people will follow a trustworthy person better and longer than a highly skilled individual that is not trustworthy.

Second, skill can’t be totally absent and the character qualities prove that. When we’re told that deacons cannot be greedy for gain it implies that they must have had some responsibility over finances. We don’t know everything this involved in the first century but it’s conceivable that if the church took donations, disbursed benevolent gifts, or compensated the pastors, the deacons had some level of responsibility for this. So, character is primary, but skill can’t be absent.

Third, the gospel should be the motivation for serving. Deacons must “hold the mystery of faith with a clear conscience”. They must believe the gospel, know the gospel, and be able to explain the gospel to people with confidence and conviction. They need not be skilled teachers. They need not be master debaters, able to silence every atheist blogger they come across online. But they should genuinely believe the gospel and love telling people about it.

Fourth, when deacons take their responsibilities seriously their faith increases. Deacons and elders get a front row seat to all the church’s troubles. They get a look “behind the scenes” and this means they are usually the first to know about the troubles. But, that also means they get a front row seat to how God uses those troubles for His glory and how God provides and delivers in the midst of trial. Because of their position, they “gain great confidence.”

Some Brainstorming Material
9 Marks has a helpful article about the nature of deacons. In that article they helpfully explain that the work of deacons is largely to “facilitate congregational involvement in the ministry”. I think this is helpful. Deacons are not “doing all the work.” They’re helping the body do the work of ministry.

So, as we labor to consider the practical change from an Elder/BOD leadership model at Discovery to an Elder/Deacon model let’s imagine some of the types of ministries that deacons will do or help facilitate.

All Current BOD Responsibilities
– The BOD has served the body well by managing finances, and caring for the facility and this should continue. The men who serve in this capacity are gifted and appreciated for this work and have had a front row seat to how God has provided over the years. This seems a very fitting ministry for deacons.

– Welcome and Hospitality Ministry. This would involve organizing ushers and greeters for Sunday morning and putting intentional thought and practice into welcoming people and showing them a path to greater church involvement.

– Benevolence and mercy. Since the prototype deacons in Acts seemed to have direct concern for meeting the physical needs of a particularly needy segment of the church, this is something that is appropriate for deacons to facilitate at Discovery. This could be as simple as a few deacons establishing a process for checking with our widows or low-income families and finding ways to involve other gifted members in these efforts. They may also want to take charge of the benevolence fund and propose policies for the disbursement of these funds. Since the coffee shop is a ministry of benevolence or good-will to the community it would be natural for some deacons to have a role in facilitating this ministry as well. Probably not essential, but certainly appropriate.

Conclusion:
That’s probably plenty to chew on for now. As the year continues I have no doubt the Lord will lead and give us a clarified vision for how we can appropriately apply the New Testament model of elders and deacons to Discovery Church.

PS: Additional Resources
When it comes to the organization of a church according to Biblical standards there is no one out there that is as helpful and clear as 9marks.org. Here are some links to a few helpful articles and books if you’re interested in digging in.

The Biblical Qualifications and Responsibilities of Deacons

How To Separate Deacon Work From Elder Work

The Committee-Free, Task Specific Deacon (A Note Here: I’m not suggesting this article because I agree with everything in it. I’m suggesting it because it’s provocative in a good way and because it could give us an imagination for how to get some things done more efficiently or organize ministry teams under the deacons’ leadership).
Posted on 4-13-2022

It can be a real challenge to feel connected to your church in this busy age. Not only is it busy there is also an information overload. Our inbox is loaded with easily dismissed messages and we’re constantly bombarded by entertainment and advertising. Not only that, when we come to church we might be so focused on catching up with friends we haven’t seen all week, that we can overlook slides and bulletin info that is meant to keep us informed. How can we meet these challenges?

Here are 10 ideas to start:
1. Prioritize church attendance every week. Many of the things that take us from the worship gathering are usually good things. But, the cost is often that we feel less connected to and appreciative of our church. Think about it. If I miss one Sunday of church I might actually not see people from church for 12 days (the six days following my last time in church and then the six days following the week I miss). Since we need our church family to stay encouraged, that can be a high price to pay and give our enemy too much of an opportunity to discourage and divide us.

2. Read the newsletter and bulletin each week. I’m as guilty as the next person for breezing over e-mails. Such are the times. But the newsletter is usually a quick read and is a convenient, 5-minute way of getting caught up on the church calendar. Our church app is also a good way of quickly seeing what's coming up on the church calendar! You can download that HERE

3. Attend any special church meetings – especially if they’re prayer meetings! Not every church “meeting” needs to be a business meeting. At Discovery we are striving to develop the routine of regular church meetings strictly for fellowship, praises, and church updates. These are great opportunities for prayer, bonding, and testimonies about the work of the Lord in our midst. Absence DOES NOT make the heart grow fonder. It makes it grow cold and distant. Meeting like this fights against letting your heart grow cold.

4. Come to Sunday School – seriously! We have a great time!

5. Ask to meet with a pastor – the Pastor (and sometimes an elder or two) stay for lunch after church almost every week specifically so that we give ourselves tons of time to visit with anyone and everyone that wants to visit.

6. Practice hospitality – Invite another family over for a meal in your home or agree to meet somewhere for a meal. Doesn’t need to be anything fancy. Just get together for the sake of getting to know other people in the church – especially if they’re in a different age group than your own.

7. Attend mid-week activities on Wednesday night. Each semester begins with 6-7 weeks of classes for every age group (children, youth group, and adults). After 6-7 weeks the youth group continues as normal, but the adults switch gears in "Adult Discipleship Nights" which are less like classes and more like small group discussion and prayer time. Intentional child-care is provided during this time. The Summer schedule changes slightly but there’s still something to gather for nearly every week.

8. Get a directory and pray through the names throughout the month
Ask the office for a church directory. A directory is an essential tool in my prayer life. I highly recommend taking a few names at a time and saying a one or two sentence prayer for each. Then, when you see them in church on Sunday (because you’re going to prioritize attendance, right?) you can tell them you prayed for them this week. How cool would that be?!

9. Pray that the Lord would lead you to find a ministry within the church to help with. One of the ways God designed us to be encouraged is by serving. There’s always a way to help and, quite often, when we ask the Lord to show us – he gives us an opportunity to be encouraged through serving.