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Ministry
1 John 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
As the children of God, redeemed by His grace alone, it is our joy and privilege to worship and serve the Lord within the following three layers of Christian worship: Exaltation, Edification, and Evangelization:
Exaltation
Our Lord declared in the Gospel of John that “...true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.” Therefore, our greatest concern as a local church is that we would exalt the Lord, through the leading of the Spirit and upon the foundation of His Word alone. He is the great Seeker whom we desire to serve and please, therefore our ministry to others is best established through the priority of our ministry to the Lord (John 4:23).
"For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things; to Him be the glory forever. Amen!" (Romans 11:36)
Edification
Central to the worship of God is this important matter of Christian fellowship and edification. The Scriptures clearly teach that all believers are to "...stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together...but encouraging one another..." (Hebrews 10:24-25). The temptations within this world are many, and it is crucial that we as Christians recognize that godly fellowship is indispensable as a means of mutual support and edification.
“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35
Evangelization
Both locally and abroad, it is our desire as a church to see the message of Christ go out to men and women everywhere. Our existence as a church does not end with the mutual edification of each other, but we are called and commissioned to share the love of Christ with a world that will be condemned forever without the Savior. This third layer of our worship is crucial and therefore we continue to seek out ways to share the Gospel with others (please see our link below to the "Where do You Stand?" DVD ministry).
Matthew 28:18-20
Children & Family Discipleship
An important component of the church's role in worship, edification, and evangelization has to do with the spiritual nurture of children. At Grace Redeemer Fellowship, we believe strongly in this priority of discipling and nurturing children, in the Lord, as revealed in Scripture:
“ ...fathers, do not provoke your children to anger; but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).
The priority of a child’s discipleship is clearly presented in this text, however, it is too often ignored in modern modes of ministry to youth. By the clear teaching of Scripture, children are to be lovingly nutured by their parents, through the leadership of the father, with the encouragement and oversight of the church. This is why our ministry to youth at GRF is grounded in the priority of building up parents so that they can carry out the needed ministry of discipleship to their children.
We count it a joy to have our children integrated within our fellowship and desire to enfold them, from their youngest years, in the truth of God’s precious Word (2 Timothy 3:14-15).
Main Page:
1. Atheism & Religionism versus The Gospel: What good can religion, agnosticism, or even atheism bring to a person? This video presents an important query about all three belief systems.
2. All Men are Created Equal?: Can it really be said that “all men are created equal?” Were men “created” and in what sense does the notion of “race” factor into this question? As well, is “racialism” a valid concept of the human race?
3. The Reality of “Atheism”: Atheism is one of the fastest growing movements in America. What is Atheism, and how is it that atheists can come to such a conviction that there is no God? As well, why are the advocates of atheism becoming more active in advancing their viewpoints?
4. The Marks of True Patriotism: Do you consider yourself to be a good American patriot? What does it mean to be a patriot, and how might one live out such patriotism? As well, does your sense of patriotism change at all based upon who is serving in leadership at the time?
5. Religion, Politics & True Hope: Perhaps you have seen examples where religious faith has been used for the sake of political advantage. Is there anything wrong with using spiritual terms to describe our American politics & patriotism?
6. Do We Live in a Pointless Universe?: As scientists continue to research the vastness of space, we are discovering that the universe is much larger than we have ever imagined. Because of these ongoing findings within cosmology, many have surmised that mankind is utterly insignificant. As well, if it is true that the Universe will continue to expand forever into a cold and lifeless void, can it be said that “We live in a Pointless Universe?”
7. Philosophy vs. True Science: Can it be argued that the Universe “created itself out of nothing” as posited by Mr. Stephen Hawking? Is such a supposition the product of philosophy or empirical science - and does it matter? Will C.E.R.N.’s Large Hadron Particle Accelerator be able to unlock the universe’s deepest secrets?
Page 2 - Reviews:
8. Film Review - “Religulous” - by Bill Maher: Bill Maher’s movie “Religulous” argues that religion is harmful to humanity, and that all forms of theism amount to a single genre of foolishness called “religion.” Is he entirely wrong, or entirely right?; or does he make some valid points within his movie?
9. Book Review - God is not Great?: Christopher Hitchens’ book - “god is not Great” has become very popular throughout the world. He, like Bill Maher, argues that theism is “child abuse” and is a “poisonous branch that should have been snapped off long ago...” p. 275. Is religion a dangerous and poisonous branch within mankind?
10. Hymn Review - My Country ‘Tis of Thee: The hymn “America” supplies some very important lessons about the nature of our nation’s independence, dependence, and liberty. What is that message, and why is it still so important for our own day and age?
