Gospel

New Testament Challenge, Introduction

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Here are the published notes for Sunday’s talk at Cityview.

The Big Idea: Jesus is the New Testament Challenge!

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’”  John 1:29

1. Getting to know someone requires their self-disclosure.  When we talk about getting to know God in the Christian worldview,  we speak of  the self-disclosure of God.  We can know only what God reveals about Himself.

“The LORD has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations.”  Psalm 98:2

Creation                                             ALL POINTING TO JESUS CHRIST.
Scripture
Covenants
History of Israel
History of the Church

2. The Christian Worldview accepts the Bible as God’s revelation of Himself and what He is doing in the world.  The Bible is the primary documents from which we see WHO Jesus Christ is and see WHAT He is doing in the world.

“You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”  John 5:39-40
3.  Our challenge is to treat the Bible as inspired, trustworthy, true, and
authoritative Word of God and therefore to adjust our lives accordingly.

“Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it
says.”  James 1:22

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman
who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word
of truth.”  2 Timothy 2:15

4. The Word of God comes with benefits.

“The man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in all he does.”  James 1:25

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  2 Timothy 3:16-17

“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply from the heart.  For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.  For ‘All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.”  1 Peter 1:22-25

5. Get to know Jesus through the Word of God.

A.  Read it.

I commit to take the New Testament Challenge.
I will read the New Testament through in 83 days.

When:  _________________________________
Where:  _________________________________

B.  Apply it together.

I will be a part of a Growth Group.
My group meets on ____________ at __________PM.

C.  Pray it.   This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if
we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know
that he hears us-whatever we ask-we know that we have what we asked of him.   1 John 5:14-15
D.  Share it.  See Mark 4.
E.  Receive Jesus as Lord.

“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him
who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has
crossed over from death to life.  John 5:24-25

Cityview New Testament Challenge 2009

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This Sunday Cityview begins a 13 week journey through the New Testament.  I am expecting God to do amazing things in our lives as we read and apply His Word together.  I hope you will be a part of the New Testament Challenge by doing three things:

1.  Commit to read the New Testament with us over an 83 day period.

2.  Join a Growth Group for encouragement and growth.

3.  Be a part of our weekly gatherings to explore the challenges God’s Word presents to our lives and how to meet them.

You can sign up Sunday on the Communication Card.

You can download the Cityview New Testament Challenge 2009 Guide.  This guide has the schedule for the readings, questions for your personal reflection after each message, and a weekly memory verse.  It is also packed with information about our Cityview Growth Groups and with other pages on how to grow in your faith.  Download the pdf and print it out as a booklet.

Raising Cross-Cultural Competance in Leaders for the Urban Multi-Cultural Church

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In 2003 I graduated from Golden Gate Theological Seminary with a Doctorate of Ministry.  Its been six years since I laboured through courses and my project, Raising Cross-Cultural Competance in Leaders for the Urban Multi-Cultural Church.  I recently made a digital copy of the project so I could publish it here.  I hope that it may be helpful to others in church and marketplace ministry who desire to increase the depth of their relationships and the fruitfulness of their  leadership across cultures.

Part 1, Raising Cross-Cultural Competance in Leaders

Part 2, Raising Cross-Cultural Competance in Leaders

Part 3, Appendix A, Developing a Christocentric View of the Disciple

Part 4, Appendix B, Cityview Mission and Values

Part 5, Appendix C, The Learning Needs of an Emerging Cross-Culural Leader

Part 6, Appendix D through O

Part 7, Selected Bibliography

the gospel coalition 2009 talks on-line

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The Gospel Coalition has made audio and video of the talks and some of the workshops from last week’s conference available on-line.  You can scroll down the schedule and pick the one you would like to listen to.  I heartily recommend Timothy Keller on idolatry and John Piper on courage.

cityview hosts Dave Ramsey’s Town Hall for Hope

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Town Hall for Hope with Dave Ramsey

Town Hall for Hope with Dave Ramsey

Cityview will be hosting Dave Ramsey’s Town Hall for Hope this Thursday, 23 April 2009, at 7 PM PT.  I believe this will be an informative and inspiring evening on the economy and your money.  Facing a recession when your finances are great can be tough enough, however facing it when your finances are awful can be devastating.  I want you to have your heart in the right place and to have a workable plan with money.  

 

Many in our congregation have already been helped with the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University and his book Money Makeover, so let me encourage you to take the time and listen in as Dave talks to Americans.  It’s sort of like listening in behind a closed door when one of your siblings got disciplined.  Sometimes that’s a great time to learn!  

The Cityview building and offices are at 4370 Sophia St., Vancouver, BC, V5V 3V7.