Thursday, June 26, 2008

The Lord's Supper at Trinity

This Sunday (6/29) I plan to help us delve into some practical issues related to the Lord's Supper based on I Corinthians 11. One of the things we'll be discussing is the frequency with which we celebrate holy communion as a church family. Over the past months we as elders have wrestled with the combined testimony of Scripture, biblical theology and church history and have concluded that Jesus' original design for the Lord's Supper was to see it as one of the primary elements of Christian worship. In other words, whenever we gather to hear the Bible preached, to sing and to pray as a church it also makes sense to gather around the table to remember Christ's death and second coming. Consequently, beginning in September we're considering beginning the practice of every week communion.

We'd like to know what you think. Please click on the word "comments" below to post a reply and join the conversation.

Grace and peace,

Andy

Here are some web resources on this issue I've found helpful:
*(click on the title to read the article)

Why Weekly Communion? - by Dr. Tom Browning

Weekly Communion - by Douglas Wilson

Common Practice - On Weekly Communion - by Jim Rogers

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Blog Introduction and Appropriate Commenting

Greetings Trinity Church and welcome to the Trinity Church Blog. For those of you who may be unfamiliar with the term blog, let me introduce you. A blog is an interactive web log (blog is short for 'web log'). The authors of a blog are able to publish information to the internet for the audience to read and post comments pertaining to each blog post.

Andy and I will periodically post articles, links and other church related materials to this blog. We would like you to comment or ask questions in the comment section if you so desire. If you choose to comment please provide your name in the appropriate section. All anonymous comments will be deleted.

Please keep the following things in mind as you consider what you will write in the comments section. This has been copied from a long-time, respected Christian blogger.

  • Am I expressing love for my fellow believers? (John 13:35, "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.")
  • Are my words gracious and "seasoned with salt"? (Colossians 4:6, "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.")
  • Are my words edifying, appropriate, and grace-giving (Eph. 4:29)?
  • Do my words convey a heart attitude of humility before God, contrition over my sin, and reverential awe at God's Word? (Isa. 66:2, "This is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.")
  • Am I "speaking the truth in love"? (Eph. 4:15)
  • Am I "eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace"? (Eph. 4:3)
  • Am I pursuing "what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding"? (Rom. 14:19)
  • Am I "slow to speak" and "slow to anger"? (James 1:19)
  • Am I "quick to hear"? (James 1:19)
  • Is the fruit of the Spirit--“love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control"--evident in my heart and through my words? (Gal. 5:22-23)
  • Am I increasing in faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love? (2 Pet. 1:5-6)
  • Am I writing with eternal reality in view, remembering that my words will serve on judgment day as evidence about my heart? (Matt. 12:37, "By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.")
We look forward to providing helpful information with a way to promote charitable interaction between brothers and sisters who love each other with the love of Christ.