To God’s Beloved At Cloverdale Baptist Church:
Last week we had a TGC-Canada event that was downtown, and it was a joy to be with many other churches who have a passion for God and full devotion to Him in the current chaos we live in.
Our worship teams led in the times of praise and was FANTASTIC. I know we are not to be proud, but as a confession, I was very proud of our churches ability to lead others in the praise of our God! He has blessed us with a great group of people!
When the preaching comes online, we will pass on the links, and it was also a great time to meet with our council and talk about renewal in Canada, and biblical faithfulness in a culture that seems to have gone mad. It is a joy to be a part of this team in Canada, and so desperately needed in our current cultural condition!
Reminder that we are looking for a place to live for our intern(s) that we are seeking to help grow in their abilities and minister to us. If you have a room, or house for a number of months, or the ability to help us, please contact us at info@cloverdalebaptist.ca
In these updates we have been discussing the kind of culture we want as a church, with culture being understood as defining who we are when we are not thinking all that hard about it. Our DNA as it were, that produces everything else and is a part of our passion and heart.
Foundationally we have seen that we need desperately to have a consistent GOSPEL ORIENTATION, as well as WORD SATURATION.
If we think in conformity to the world, then much of what we talk about in terms of what God desires for us will make no sense (Romans 12:1-2).
So as we begin to build up from those foundational elements, it is essential that we do not leave them, but consistently build our lives around them!
If you are not building on the right foundation, it will be very easy to get you off course and collapsing when trials come, and they are already here.
With those foundations in place, we want to be a CULTURE OF DISCIPLEShip…followers of Jesus who are driven and defined by our relationship with Him, and live in conformity to Him. Who live lives of repentance and joy, conforming our lives to His Word.
This means not only being HOLY (set apart and pure) and growing in this with passion, but also living on mission for Him. A disciple makes disciples, and is a part of obeying the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20).
- A disciple is a follower of Jesus, seeking to become like her MASTER, saved and being sanctified by grace through faith.
- A disciple is a servant of Jesus, seeking to serve Him in all of his LIFE!
- A disciple serves with other followers, seeking to love other disciples with courageous preference.
So, what we mean by a culture of discipleship is a place of growth and service. A longing to be defined by our relationship with Jesus and a passion to help others to become more like Him. Paul saw this as the theme of his life (Colossians 1:28-29), and what he struggled to accomplish (Galatians 4:19).
So how can you help us with this in terms of our passion to have a CULTURE OF DISCIPLESHIP?
- Know Jesus
Our discipleship passion is relational. Christianity is about following Jesus, about knowing Him, about living our lives to the praise of His glorious grace!
We need to know Him for our salvation, but also make knowing better the goal of our lives, and the passion that overflows through our lips.
If we know Jesus, there is hope for any and every situation, and if we make the goal of our lives to know Him better as He has revealed Himself, we will live our lives beholding His glory and becoming His imitators.
- Grow With Us
A disciple is always growing to be more like Jesus. More holy and loving if you want to use biblical terms that are often held in tension. To be pure and undefiled from the world, and to be preferring of one another in our humble pursuit of God’s best for others in a self-sacrificial way. Growing is personal with the habits of grace, but also corporate as we serve one another and as we seek to be loyal to how God uses the communal avenues of grace powerfully in our lives.
Growing means allowing the Word of God to be a mirror that is held up to our lives, and making the changes that God desires. It means keeping in step with the Spirit, producing fruit, and glorifying God!
- Set Apart
Being a disciple means living like a disciple. That does include knowing and obeying God’s Word as Matthew 28 so profoundly presses home, and it also means a delight in God that overflows in serving His bride and reaching the world.
Being an authentic disciple means loving the blood bought church of Jesus, and what it’s visible form is in the local church. It means using our gifts to build up the church, and engaging with our sphere of influence in reaching the world.
God has made us His work of art for a purpose, and we are to walk in purpose to the best of our abilities for His glory. We are His, bought with a price, stewards of our time, treasures and talents for His glory!
We long for a culture of discipleship. Where everyone who calls CBC home is growing in conformity to Christ and impact for His Kingdom!
So, what next? Thank you for asking. Keep the foundations strong! Make sure you actually are growing in your faith and passion to know God more and more, and in your life, choose to live out the reality of whose you are. You are IN CHRIST, and being found there, live as imitators of God as dearly loved children in community.
Know whose you are, and be who you are IN CHRIST, and make it your passion to grow in your relationship with God and in an awareness that takes advantage of every opportunity for God, in the world and in the church.
We are to be WHO WE ARE FOR HIM WHO OWNS US!
A fellow servant,
Pastor Rob
I am on holidays this week, so covet your prayers and look forward to seeing you again in a few weeks.
May God use His family, and the preached word to reach and reform us to His Word and help us to grow in our intimacy and impact!
Bulletin
Men’s Breakfast
Sat. May 4th / 8:30 AM / Fellowship Hall Men of all ages, come and enjoy a wonderful breakfast, fellowship, and spiritual food together!
The Cloverdale Baptist Podcast
How Can I Live a Life of Forgiveness? Love keeps no record of wrong. How can we as Christians live out this difficult yet necessary calling? Stream today!
Kids Summer Camps
Summer 2024: Soccer Camp & Day Camp Hey parents! We're so excited to share with you that this summer we're once again organizing two summer camps! Registration opens on May 1st for Soccer Camp and May 8th for Day Camp. Learn more >
Easter Offering
The Easter Offering will be for Mile One Mission for projects to enhance church planting activities and will remain open until April 30th. Please mark your envelope or electronic gift "Easter Offering".
Prayer Service
Sunday, May 5th / 7:00pm / Fellow. Hall Join us the first Sunday of every month to sing, pray, and hear from God’s Word together as we seek to be a praying church!
Summer Missions Trip
August 17th – 25th, 2024 We're sending a team led by Pastor Dwight to share the gospel in St. John’s, NL through a kids soccer camp in August. Support the team now >
