Dear Friends,

1 Thessalonians 5:11 reads, "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing" Being a part of this great church is such an encouragement to me and I trust it is for you as well. When the body of Christ gathers for corporate worship on Sunday morning, God is in the midst of us! If you weren't able to be with us this past Sunday, I hope you'll tune in and watch online.

I want you to know how much I appreciate your trust in me, allowing me to preach so many Sundays this summer. It is an honor to share the Word of God with the children of God and I hope our time together has allowed you to learn more about God and be more like Him. I want to thank Pastor Chris and the Session for allowing me to serve you in this way.

The sermon this Sunday urged all of us to become better students of the Bible. Our salvation is secure and was accomplished by Christ's work on the cross, and our love for Him should drive us to want to study His word. Many of you spoke to me as you exited, or by email and phone, about needing some practical first steps. If you are not already doing so, I would recommend that you begin with carving some time out of each day to study the Bible. Seems simple enough but making the time can be the hardest part for many. Put it on your calendar and treat it like any other commitment or meeting that you might find there. It can be late at night after everyone is in bed, or early in the morning before the day begins, or during lunch at your desk at work. But make the commitment. Then, in those quiet moments, open your Bible and read. Ask yourself what the main purpose of the passage might be; what you learn from these verses about God; what the passage teaches about our nature and service. An orderly approach is best, I think, so just join in the reading below. Or start with the book of Mark.

If you are already in the habit of reading your Bible, consider as a next step, using one of the study-guides I've suggested below. A good study Bible can help you notice things that you might initially miss. And, while your Bible should always be the primary focus of your study, other tools can help you understand and deepen your insight.

I've also included below a list of upcoming discipleship opportunities. I can't urge you strongly enough to take advantage of these classes and events to deepen your knowledge of the Scripture. Our 3-Hour Tours are short, three-week long studies on Sunday morning. You can choose to come before church (8:30-9:30) or stay after church (11:30-12:30). We also have several weekly Bible studies already meeting with plans for new topics in the Fall. Make a commitment to plug in somewhere beyond Sunday mornings. There should be something in the list below that will fit your schedule.

I hope these suggestions help. And I hope you take seriously the need for each of us to be better students of the Scripture. Please reach out to me if I can help or encourage you along the way.

Blessings!

Brian

Join us any Sunday at 10am for worship