November The Briefing Monthly Newsletter.pdf
- 1. FURTHER ON... Elders Update 5 Finances Update 3 Christmas at TCC 4 Testimony - Mika Pike 4 What is Reformed Theology? 6 N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 3 | V O L . 3 MEMBERSHIP MATTERS Fellowship is one of those buzz Christian words. Churches have fellowship halls, fellowship meetings, and times of fellowship. But what do we mean? The Greek word is koinonia, which translates as partnership. The origin of the word is koinonos, which means partner, sharer, and companion. In short, it is a shared community that involves deep, close-knit participation among its people. The picture then is not of a surface-level, friendly fellowship but of a radical and almost intimate unity. And this is the consistent teaching of the New Testament. The first occurrence of koinonia in the Bible comes in Acts 2:42. The newly baptized believers “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship (koinonia), to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Luke comments that they, “had everything in common” as they sold property to give to anyone in need, gathered regularly in the temple courts, and ate joyfully in their homes (Acts 2:43-47). This is far more than formal nominal Christianity. This is the real deal. And it’s attractive because it’s so real. God has saved us to belong to his new family, and the mark of true belonging is an active love which sacrificially serves. The Biblical picture of church membership is therefore not of passengers but of partners. We are a body. We belong to one another. Each part has the privilege and responsibility to serve with the gifts we gave been given for the common good. So Paul writes: “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’ … there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:21, 25-27). Did you know that the phrase "one another" occurs 100 times in the New Testament? Approximately 59 of those occurrences are specific commands teaching us how (and how not) to relate to one another. We are to love one another (John 13:34 - This command occurs at least 16 times), to be devoted to one another (Romans 12:10), to honor one another above yourselves (Romans 12:10), to live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16),to build up one another (Romans 14:19;... K O I N Ō N I A “ P A R T N E R S H I P ” 1
- 2. “We are excited to have received our first batch of new members and will be receiving a second round of new members on Sunday, November 19th.” N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 3 | V O L . 3 ...1 Thessalonians 5:11), to be likeminded towards one another (Romans 15:5), to accept one another (Romans 15:7), to admonish one another (Romans 15:14; Colossians 3:16), to greet one another (Romans 16:16), to care for one another (1 Corinthians 12:25), to serve one another (Galatians 5:13) to bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2), to forgive one another (Ephesians 4:2, 32; Colossians 3:13), to be patient with one another (Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:13), to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15, 25), to be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32), to speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19), to submit to one another (Ephesians 5:21, 1 Peter 5:5), to consider others better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3), to look to the interests of one another (Philippians 2:4), to bear with one another (Colossians 3:13), to teach one another (Colossians 3:16), to comfort one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18), to encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11), to exhort one another (Hebrews 3:13), to stir up one another to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24), to show hospitality to one another (1 Peter 4:9), to employ the gifts that God has given us for the benefit of one another (1 Peter 4:10), to clothe yourselves with humility towards one another (1 Peter 5:5), to pray for one another (James 5:16), and to confess your faults to one another (James 5:16). This is not passive but active. We are excited to have received our first batch of new members and will be receiving a second round of new members on Sunday, November 19th. Membership matters because it involves committing to the care of others as we submit to the care of the church through the leadership of our elders. The main place of fellowship outside of our Sunday gathering is at our Growth Groups, and it’s been encouraging that so many have grown so much through them. We take these groups seriously as the main place of pastoral care. If you are not yet a member, we want to encourage you to join. There will be a new membership class beginning January 14th and more members will then be received in February. Because of the Bible’s teaching about koinonia, and the importance of membership, the elders have made the decision that starting in spring 2024, Growth Groups will only be open to active members of Trinity Central in regular attendance. We pray with Paul: may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, evermore. Amen Pastor Tony Jones “Did you know that the phrase "one another" occurs 100 times in the New Testament? Approximately 59 of those occurrences are specific commands teaching us how (and how not) to relate to one another.” 2
- 3. Throughout Scripture God tells His people how He will bless them if they are faithful in giving back to Him with their time, treasure, and talents. One of the most well-known Scriptures for this promise is found in the book of Malachi. It tells us “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. And thereby put Me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for a blessing until there is no more need.” (Malachi 3:10). We have seen this promise in action over the last 6 months. Our material needs have been met by the generous giving the Holy Spirit has prompted through the members of the church. Since launching in May, we have been blessed with $135,000 in giving to use for the spreading of the Gospel and the discipleship of the church. This breaks out to just under $5,000 a week, moving towards our goal of an average of $5,700 per week. God has been very gracious to us and for that we should give thanks. As this year winds to a close, the elder board will be busy preparing for the new year of ministry. Part of that will be preparing a budget for the new year. Please pray for wisdom as the elders discuss the needs of the church and how best to allocate these resources for the new year. Please also continue to pray for God’s rich blessings to continue in the life of Trinity Central and on our charge to reach the lost, send out workers and build up the body. Peter Martindell Treasurer N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 3 | V O L . 3 FINANCES UPDATE 3
- 4. CHRISTMAS AT TCC N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 3 | V O L . 3 Nine Lessons and Carols Join us for Nine Lessons & Carols on Sunday, December 17th at 6:30pm. This service will share the hope of Christmas, which is the gospel message, in a clear and engaging way, and will be a great opportunity to invite unbelieving family and friends. The Nine Lessons will guide us from the Old Testament to the New, where we will see the incarnation of the God-man: Jesus Christ. Along the way, we will sing timeless carols that shine the hope of the Gospel as we journey toward the coming of Jesus Christ. Christmas Eve Carols by Candlelight There will be no morning service on Christmas on Sunday December 24th but we will gather at 6:30pm for our Christmas Eve service. Join us for our candlelight service to rejoice that Christ came to seek and to save the lost and to celebrate the great good news of Christmas. I have always loved being in God's house. Growing up in a Church- going family was a wonderful blessing to me. Yet it wasn’t until I was in my twenties that I wanted to take steps of my own to grow in my faith and understanding of the gospel. I had grown up singing worship songs with my church and hearing the word preached every week, but my own faith journey was not yet solidified until later on. It’s funny how we can assume that our faith walk is an extension of our parents own walk with the Lord. There came a point where I realized that I was responsible for my own understanding of this good news. I’m so grateful for the many faithful servants that the Lord has placed in every season of my life, I have seen His sweet providence along the way. Even looking back on my small group leaders, Godly friendships and even thinking of my husband's role in my life… I have truly seen the Lord continually lead me to Him. To this day I still see that I am reforming and learning the Bible in a deeper way, and His goodness is evident through our church community at TCC, our Pastors and ultimately my life has been transformed and shaped by those who surround me. Mika Pike TESTIMONY - MIKA PIKE 4
- 5. Over the months of May-September, the Board of Elders spent a significant portion of time creating the TCC Constitution which was officially approved on September 24, 2023. Many thanks to Elaine Goucher for proof- reading all 62 pages of the text. The Constitution is a comprehensive document that defines our purpose, Statement of Faith and positions on contemporary issues, roles and responsibilities of officers, staff, and members, and church policies. The Constitution was reviewed by several non-TCC pastors and attorneys to ensure clarity, and to offer independent wisdom prior to finalization. The Elders recently reshuffled and changed the schedule for our weekly growth groups and have added a Wednesday day-time group to increase participation of members and regular attendees. Our goal is to have all members and regular attendees participate in this vital discipleship and pastoral care ministry. We are currently studying I Peter and using an interactive study guide published by Mathis Media. The only time growth groups don’t meet is the first week of each month when all groups meet together at our current church location for our monthly evening prayer meeting. If you are not currently in a group, please contact one of the elders. We have recently signed a contract with a website search engine optimization company to enhance our website and to increase our website traffic flow for those searching for a church with the characteristics of TCC such as Bible-believing, reformed, and Christ-centered. Our bi-weekly (and oftentimes weekly) Board of Elders meeting’s agenda includes a devotional and prayer time, a review of pastoral care needs, a finance update, facilities update, congregational involvement, communications and polity issues, and other matters as they arise. Over the remainder of 2023, the Elders will focus their attention on potential new venues stemming from the recent announcement that our current Colmar facility may be sold to another congregation. In addition, the Elders will be shifting their attention to the 2024 budget. Please pray for the Elders to seek godly wisdom, to continue to collaborate effectively and to humble ourselves before the Lord as we move forward. Dave Reich Elder N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 3 | V O L . 3 ELDERS UPDATE TCC Constitution Small Group Reshuffle Website Traffic Flow Elders Meetings Venue and 2024 Budget Information About... 5
- 6. I will never forget meeting a student at Oxford who told me that she was a reformed, evangelical, charismatic catholic! But is this possible? And what does it really mean to be reformed? Fundamentally, reformed theology centers on the theological convictions which emerged out of the Protestant reformation. In 1517 Martin Luther famously nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the church door in Wittenburg on October 31, 1517. The key issue which sparked Luther’s project was indulgences. These were papal documents which promised the full or partial remission of the punishment for sins in purgatory. But it wasn’t long before the reformers’ opposition to the Catholic Church spread beyond the abuse of indulgences to the question of authority. Where does authority in the church lie? Is it with the papacy? Or with Scripture? At the Diet of Worms in 1521 after being ordered to renounce his beliefs and return to Catholic authority Luther famously declared: “Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason (for I do not trust either in the pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves), I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not retract anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise; May God help me. Amen” At its heart, the Reformation was a re-formation of the church, away from church traditions and back to the original texts. The early reformers, Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, and John Calvin rediscovered the nature of salvation. They saw justification as a definitive declaration by God, not a long, drawn-out process of spiritual progress. It secured what Luther saw as an “alien righteousness”, that is, we are made righteous by the righteousness of another. The great discovery was “simul justus et peccator”, that we are at the same time sinful, and justified. What Luther and the reformers saw was that the authority for pardon and rule lay not with the papacy but with God, as expressed in his full, final, authoritative and sufficient word. The protest of Luther in 1517 was the initial tremor which was to lead to the theological earthquake across Europe as the gospel of grace was re-discovered. Today, we owe so much to the reformers as we enjoy union with Christ, not through the baptism and the Mass, but through the security of the covenant promise of God in the gospel received by faith. As the reformers sought to summarize the Reformation, they developed five summary statements. Salvation they taught comes sola scriptura (through God’s Word alone), sola fide (through faith alone), sola gratia (through grace alone), and solus Christus (by Christ alone). The word ‘only’ encapsulates the very heart of the Reformation and the very heart of the gospel. The central concern of the Protestant Reformation, and of reformed believers today isn’t to argue about obscure theological truths but to relate to God rightly. In many ways the last of the five solas, Soli Deo gloria (for the glory of God alone) summarizes the goal of the other four. The Reformation moved the center of gravity from the church to Christ, and from the Pope to Scripture. Salvation is from God, from beginning to end. Today, reformed theology is expressed in the Heidelberg Catechism, the Westminster Confession of Faith, and in the Book of Common Prayer. Each have their own catechisms because to be reformed is to be confessional. But a reformed church, is simply a gospel centered church that teaches Scripture alone, Christ alone, grace alone, faith alone, and the glory of God alone. In so many ways the word ‘alone’ is the key. The gospel equation is that we are saved by grace + nothing, so the moment we add we subtract. A reformed church will therefore be a gospel centered congregation by which the word of God and these historic confessions are professed, taught, and believed. Reformed theology is the gospel, which is why it is the greatest blessing to God’s people. It involves a renewal of the mind as we grasp the great truths of Scripture and grow in Biblical convictions which transform us. Trinity Central is therefore a church committed to reformed theology and our longing is that we will grow in our assurance of the certainty of our salvation and do all Soli Deo gloria You can find out more about reformed theology here Ligonier Ministries (www.ligonier.org) Pastor Tony Jones N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 3 | V O L . 3 WHAT IS REFORMED THEOLOGY? 6