More on Romans 12

This is the passage Donnie continued to speak on tonight. I will work to get the audio of messages up online soon.

Romans 12: 1-8
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

Donnie's thoughts are that this passage gives us the true definition of Worship (and I agree). Using our gifts to serve God and others is the greatest form of worship. My thoughts focused on one specific part of Donnie's message. I've seen so many people wait and wait for a class and/or a test to tell them what their spiritual gifts are. Donnie talked about the fact that this might be a mistake. In Romans the Spirit distributed gifts that were needed at that time. Now, it seems we (the church) have a class every 6 months and distribute 8 specific gifts out to 100 people and feel like we've done our job (I'm guilty). Everyone is gifted differently. A test might make you more aware of your gifts but if you are waiting for a test to tell you your gift, you are missing out. God wants your best and he wants it now. "Jump in" is the call we heard during last night's message. You want to know what your gifts are? Romans 12 says, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Matthew 6:33 tells us another way to discover God's will for your life. "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

At Cedar Tree we hope to enter into community with people and allow them to discover their passions and gifts and together find ways for them to use their gifts. Our greatest worship will take place Monday-Friday and we will come together on Sundays to celebrate what God is doing.

Have a great week.
Barry

Romans 12 Initiative

Thanks to Donnie Williams for kicking off our "Romans 12 Initiative" during our 2nd meeting on Feb 15th. Donnie basically poured the foundation of our series on Romans 12 by taking a whirlwind high-altitude tour through the doctrinal maze of Romans 1-11. Donnie and Bruce Roquet will now build on this foundation by teaching on the practical outworking of these doctrines in the heart and life of the church in Romans 12. Here is the cliff notes version of Donnie's high-altitude doctrinal tour...

Romans Fact #1: God had some very Good News. Romans 1:17 (NLT) 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight.

Romans Fact #2: God is angry with all sinful wicked people, whether you are a good moral Gentile or a law abiding Jew. It doesn’t matter, God is going to judge us… Romans 2:16 (NLT) 16 And this is the message I proclaim—that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret life.

Romans Fact #3: All people are sinners and under the power of sin. BUT NOW… Romans 3:22 (NLT) 22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

Romans Fact #4: We are made right by God through the same faith Abraham demonstrated. Romans 4:3 (NLT) 3 For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”

Romans Fact #5: Since we have been made right with God, we can rejoice. Romans 5:11 (NLT) 11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

Romans Fact #6: The problem of sin is solved. Romans 6:7 (NLT) 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.

Romans Fact #7: In this life you will constantly struggle with sin. Romans 7:24 (NLT) 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?

Romans Fact #8: Regardless of our sin there is no condemnation for those who belong to Jesus and we are to follow the Spirit. Romans 8:2 (NLT) 2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.

Romans Fact #9: Israel, God’s chosen, missed their opportunity. Romans 9:32 (NLT) 32 … they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law instead of by trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path.

Romans Fact #10: The remedy for everyone is the same. Romans 10:9 (NLT) 9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans Fact #11: God set Israel aside… temporarily. Romans 11:26 (NLT) 26 And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say, “The one who rescues will come from Jerusalem, and he will turn Israel away from ungodliness.

Romans Fact #12: On the basis of God’s mercies (help to the helpless) which are explained in Chapters 1-11, I beg you, let God transform you. The Spiritual mind rests on spiritual information.

Opening Night of Cedar Tree Bible Church

Praise God. A new church was birthed on Sunday evening. According to Tim Keller, Senior Pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian Church, New York City, “the vigorous, continual planting of new congregations is the single most crucial strategy for the
1) numerical growth of the Body of Christ in any city, and the
2) continual corporate renewal and revival of the existing churches in a city. Nothing else - not crusades, outreach programs, para-church ministries, growing mega-churches, congregational consulting, nor church renewal processes - will have the consistent impact of dynamic, extensive church planting."

The Ritland's home constitutes our "church building" until we grow out of that and into the multi-purpose room at St Paul's Evangelical Free Church.



Thanks to Joe Shapiro for leading worship. Joe and Tina recently moved back to St Louis from California where Joe had been studying philosophy at Talbot Theological Seminary. Tina and their son, Michael, can be seen (below) along with Andrea Craven and her son Logan at the kitchen island (nursery;-), where they listened to Bruce Roquet share his vision for Cedar Tree Bible Church.


We will begin an eight week series from one of the great chapters of the Bible, Romans 12, this coming week. We look forward to having Donnie Williams teach us the next two weeks. And we hope to see you there.

What is Cedar Tree?

Some have asked, "What is Cedar Tree?"  First let me tell you a little about the "who" of all of this and then we'll get to the "what".

I'm Barry and my wife is Sue.  We've been married for 12 years and working in Ministry all those years. Everything from youth ministry to adult education and small groups. We recently moved back to the St Louis area to start our own Marriage Ministry (www.marriagelinks.org).  We met with some great folks from the Evangelical Free Church of America (aka E-free).   They asked Sue and I to consider planting a church.  We've been close to planting a church several times over the past 3 years or so but always hesitated.  

About 3 months ago we were introduced to John and Susan Ritland.  John has a huge heart for church planting and works with the e-free denomination.  He asked if I'd be willing to meet with someone who was in a similar place as us with the idea of planting a church.  Bruce and Deb Roquet have been wrestling with the idea of planting a church for the past few years as well.

We hit it off right away and share the same passion for seeing people loved and cared for.  We've been meeting together regularly for the past 3 months and have decided to see what God can do through us.  Together we make a great team and are excited to work together and plant Cedar Tree Bible Church.

We don't claim to have church "figured out".  We don't think the churches around us are doing it wrong.   We just have a heart for knowing people, praying for people, loving people, teaching people and connecting people.  There is a HUGE group of people who simply aren't getting connected in church and it is our hope to bring those people into community and help them know God.

I know that is a vague description but it is a start.   We'll all be blogging on here often and you can find out more at www.cedartreebiblechurch.com.

Have a great day!