Archives for 2008

Christmas vacation ends, a New Year begins, we press on in our ministry, looking forward to good days to come.

Our New Years Sunday begins the day before my two University students head back to school. My number two son and number three child, Rory, is our Guest Speaker for two out of three services this Sunday.

Thanksgiving for Saints (Rm 1.8) | audio | notes

Our morning service marks a return to Romans, our current expositional series. Romans 1.8 is a good verse for a church looking forward to the New Year.

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

I spoke on the delight Christians ought to have with one another – their thanksgiving to God for the fact of faith in the heart of a fellow believer. This delight enables disparate people to work together in common cause of the gospel.

I do thank God that we have true believers in our local church. None of us are what we desire to be, but thank God we are not what we were by nature either.

Call to Remember (Ex 13.3, et al – Rory Johnson) | audio | notes

For our Bible lesson, Rory led us through the commands God gave to Israel to remember Him. Though Israel failed, God’s persistent commands to succeeding generations are evidences of His grace. Now in the New Testament era, all men are called to remember the God of Israel. Do you remember, or are you numbered among the many failures of Old Testament Israel?

In Remembrance of Me (Lk 22.19 – Rory Johnson) | audio | notes

Rory gave us a study in the failures and futures of the disciples who heard these words. Judas, Peter, the whole band all failed the Lord to greater or lesser degrees that night. They failed to remember even those things he taught them that very night. They failed to remember Who it was they followed. The disciples were restored by God’s grace, save for Judas. All men may likewise enter into restored fellowship and service for God because of the Lord’s work on the cross. May your life be lived in remembrance of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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Our attendance was ‘down’ to 44 this Sunday, but some of our recent visitors were in that number, returning for their third Sunday in a row. We are hopeful for a good new year in the Lord’s service.

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

I am taking time on New Years Day to catch you up on last Sunday. Somehow, this week we have managed to fill almost every day with activity. Last night was our New Years Eve fellowship, check our Photo Gallery for pictures. Wednesday is our regular prayer meeting night, then Thursday we have our monthly Bible study in a town north of us. Friday my kids and I are going skiing up island. What was I thinking when I scheduled all this?

We did have some new visitors last night at the New Years Eve fellowship. I preached the gospel in our short service last night, so we pray the Word will bear fruit.

On Sunday, I preached the morning message and had my oldest son, Duncan, home for the holidays to preach the other two. If you take the time to listen to his Bible study lesson and compare it with his notes, you may see that he didn’t finish. He did run into our time schedule (not overly time conscious, but…). I went to the back of the room and drew his attention to my watch. He was pretty smooth as he wrapped it all up, I thought.

Anyway, Duncan is working on his M.Div. at Bob Jones University. He has grown in his preaching ability tremendously. I am kind of partial to him, but I think if you listen, you will see that he is well trained and tries to be a careful expositor.

Now for the summaries…

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