Covenant Life Church

January 23 2009 at 5:00 pm

Some Big Changes for New Attitude

We’re just five days away from announcing some big changes for the conference formerly know as New Attitude. Yes, after 10 years, we’re changing the conference’s name to something that captures more of its central purpose (sorry, can’t give away the surprise yet!).

We’ll also be publishing the theme of this year’s conference, the lineup of speakers and all the registration and hotel information.

I’m excited that this May we’re back in Baltimore. I hope this will make it easier for many of you to participate.

Please be praying for Grant Layman, who in addition to all his church duties heroically tackled the job of directing the conference. It really couldn’t happen without this man and his leadership.

And please pray for Bob Kauflin, Paul Medler, Ryan James, Matt Wahl, Brian Whalen, Bethany Gill and the rest of the Sovereign Grace staff who are working so hard to prepare for and promote the event.

If you haven’t been by the website for the New Attitude conference, please stop by and read some of the stories of how God has used the conference in peoples lives over the years. It’s wonderful to see how God has used this event to advance the gospel.

January 23 2009 at 12:20 pm

Yesterday’s March for Life

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Yesterday a group of more than 50 Covenant Life members led by Grant Layman and Mark Mitchell met at the church and took the Metro down to the National Mall to participate in this year’s March for Life.

Grant told me he was very encouraged—especially by “the large number of youth and singles from our church that clearly had a real burden for this issue—that it was their own initiative and excitement driving their participation. It’s exciting to see the next generation gripped by the seriousness of this issue and want to make a statement by participating in the March for Life.”

Mark agreed, saying, “Throughout the March, I was particularly blessed to hear our young people break out into spontaneous singing of songs to the Lord. It was very clear that they were there participating not just because of enthusiasm for an issue, but as an expression of honor and an act of worship to the Lord.”

Check out the slideshow of photos above (taken by Peter Bang).

January 22 2009 at 4:18 pm

Update: Iglesia Gracia Soberana de Gaithersburg

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A busy book table after church is always encouraging!

My friend and pastor of Iglesia Gracia Soberana de Gaithersburg, Joselo Mercado, e-mailed recently with this good report about the church. (Gracia Soberana is the Spanish-speaking church that meets in the Events Center here at Covenant Life at 4 p.m. on Sundays):

Just wanted to take a couple of minutes to share the grace that we have been encountering. It is still amazing to think that we are less than five months old. By the way the church is interacting and the grace we are experiencing, it feels like we have been together for a longer time. Several quick testimonies of God’s kindness:

Over 100 people have been attending in recent weeks, and we have a group of 10 or so coming regularly who were un-churched before coming here.

A single who was discouraged about church due to trials in his former church ?is experiencing grace and growth in his life since coming to IGSG.

A mother and her 18-year-old son who live in a nearby community have been coming for the past five ?weeks. A ?member of Covenant Life who lives in the same house they do communicated with them using signs (due to the language barrier). This is part of the amazing blessing that it is for us to partner with Covenant Life.

So, thank you for your partnership! The Events Center is serving us so well. Your generosity and care for us has much to do with the grace we are enjoying. By the way, if people want to reach out to Spanish-speaking friends, they can stop by Covenant Life’s Welcome Center on Sundays and pick up invitations to IGSG.

—Joselo

January 21 2009 at 1:26 pm

Gifts from Our Friends in East Africa

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Here’s a shot of the pastoral team this morning trying on our new Ugandan shirts, gifts from Pastor Moses and the Kiburara Gospel Center in western Uganda. A 22-member team representing our Singles Ministry just returned last Thursday from two weeks of gospel ministry there. Thanks, Moses!

If you didn’t get to keep up with updates on the trip, you might enjoy reading Isaac Hydoski’s recounting of some of the highlights.

January 20 2009 at 5:55 pm

Praying for the India Medical Team

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Tomorrow, a medical team composed of 15 members from four Sovereign Grace churches will depart for northern India. The team’s mission is to conduct five medical clinics over a 10-day period. They’re being hosted by local Indian churches with the hope that the gospel work of the churches will be advanced in the community through the free clinics.

Two weeks ago in church we prayed for the five Covenant Life members who will be participating. They recently gave us the following ways to pray for their trip:

• For safe travel (three airplanes each way, plus hours of driving)
• That the medicines they carry will make it past customs to the people who need them
• That many unbelievers would be saved
• That many people would be miraculously healed
• That the work of the Indian pastors would be advanced through the free clinics
• That the team would be united, encouraging to each other, and not grow weary

Over the next 10 days, let’s be faithful to lift up these team members and all of those they’ll be serving.

January 19 2009 at 4:00 am

Ephesians, Part 13: Application

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Yesterday I preached from Ephesians 4:17-34, considering these three points from the passage: the ugly realities of the “old self,” the radical change of “learning Christ,” and the ongoing renewal of our minds.

You can listen online or download the message here.

Pastor Don DeVries’ application questions:

1. Ephesians 4:17-19 reminds of what we were like as unbelievers. Take a moment to reflect on what your life was like before becoming a Christian. What effect does this reflection have on your soul?

2. Josh described “hardness of heart” as a willful, obstinate rejection of God’s truth. Because of remaining sin, even as believers, our hearts can become hardened. Are there any areas in your life where your heart has become hardened? If so, what does it look like to repent of that?

3. Josh reminded us that salvation is not about a list of rules, but about our union and relationship with the person of Jesus Christ. How should this union and our new life in Christ motivate us to pursue holiness?

4. Paul, in Ephesians 4:23, locates the place where growth in godliness begins—the renewal of our mind. Our beliefs, thoughts and desires have to be renewed by the truth of God’s word. As you look to the coming year, how can you be purposeful to spend more time reading and meditating on God’s word?

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