Last week, the Presbyterian Church in America’s 51st General Assembly took place in Richmond, Virginia.

Charlie Nave, a ruling elder on Providence’s temporary session, wrote a helpful recap for our congregation to share the highlights and most important takeaways from this year’s General Assembly:

The longer days and flexibility of summertime provide a great opportunity for extra reading.

Summer is also an opportune time to get out of your normal genres and dive into books outside of your comfort zone, like biographies or classics.

With that in mind, I’ve rounded up some faith-based books for summer reading. This selection includes both books I’ve recently read and those I hope to read this summer.

I’ve organized them into four categories: contemporary, biographics, classics, and children.

Beginning next Sunday, May 19th, 2024, the particularization process – the process of becoming a “particular church” in the eyes of our presbytery and denomination – will begin.

The Presbyterian Church in America is known to do things “decently and in order,” so naturally the particularization process is thorough. Below is a breakdown and timeline of what the members of Providence can anticipate as we ordain our first elders and deacons.

There are many reasons that someone might think twice before jumping into a church plant: it involves more risk, it requires more work, there aren’t as many programs, it isn’t established.

But according to the people of Providence, there are 6 important reasons why believers should consider being a part of a new church.

As Christian parents, we are called to train up our children, point them to Christ, and lead them in serving the Lord.

And while we are to do this when we walk by the way, when we lie down, and when we rise (Deuteronomy 6:7), one of the best, most important ways for parents to disciple their children and raise them up in the Lord is to include them in the corporate worship of God’s people.

The Christian’s whole life should be lived in worship to the Lord.

But using “all of life is worship” as a guiding theological principle has raised an interesting question in today’s modern world:

If all of life is worship – eating, drinking, working, talking, driving, sleeping – do you have to go to church? After all, can’t you worship Him from the comfort of your home just as easily as you can in the pew?

All of life is worship and yet at the same time, the church is foundational to our worship as Christians.

There are many components to Reformed Theology. And now, more than ever, there are numerous resources on the topic. The amount of information can be overwhelming. Where do you even begin?

If I were brand new to Reformed Theology, here is where I would start. 

So much rises and falls upon the health of a local church. Your church can build up your faith in Christ or it can tear it down. We’ve all seen both.

The church is also increasingly under attack, both from without and within, and prayer is our greatest defense.

It is crucial for Christians to commit to regular prayer for the church. So in light of that, here are seventeen important things to pray for your local body of believers.

“What’s your target demographic?” It’s one of the most common questions I received in the early stages of church planting. But when people ask about a church planter’s “target demographic,” they usually aren’t asking about the overall demographics of the community they’re planting in.

The greatest impact we can make on the world begins with how we treat each other within our homes. When a home is filled with love and encouragement, everyone flourishes in their roles and responsibilities.

But in the busyness of life, it can be easy to get stuck in the rut of day-to-day routines and habits and neglect putting a conscious effort into loving and building up our closest neighbor – our spouse.

Our family’s identity is often determined by our values and how we spend our time. As Christians, our faith should shape the identity of our family. This should play out in worshiping with the body of Christ every Lord’s Day, but it should also take place in worshiping together as a family in our home.

This past Sunday we gathered for lunch after worship to hear an encouraging report on how the Lord is working in the life of our church and the vision for the future of Providence.

We’re sharing Pastor Jake’s State of Providence Address for those who weren’t able to attend and for those who have been supporting Providence from afar.

This past Sanctity of Human Life Sunday we were grateful to have Barbara Burgess join us from the Blue Ridge Women’s Center to share about what God is doing in and through this vital ministry.

Barbara was kind enough to share her notes with us so that those who weren’t able to attend her presentation could learn more about BRWC and the important work that they are doing in the Roanoke Valley.

At Providence we want to prioritize God’s Word. We want the Scriptures to be the focus of every worship service, and not only does that include the sermon, but that extends to the prayers that we pray, and the songs that we sing.

Worship isn’t about entertaining, mass marketing, or catering to the individual. Worship is about praising the living God who sent his Son to die on the cross. The worship of the living God is a category unto itself.

Committing more time and energy to knowing, serving, and loving the Lord more is always a worthwhile New Year’s goal.

God has already given every Christian the necessary tools for spiritual growth: His Word, prayer, and the sacraments.

So in light of these simple, yet God-ordained means of grace, Pastor Jake is sharing 4 spiritual disciplines that are worth pursuing in 2024.

Our pastor, Rev. Jake Hooker, was interviewed about his church planting experience and how the Lord has blessed Providence over the past two years. Here's a link to the article on the Gospel Reformation Network.

“Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 100:1-5

We have so much to be thankful for in the life of Providence Presbyterian Church.

In the past 8 months since my last update, we’ve received our first members, led men’s and women’s Bible studies, organized several fellowship events, and celebrated one year since launching our first worship service.

“I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.” Psalm 9:1-2

We certainly have much to be thankful for as we reflect on what the Lord has done this past year in the planting of Providence Presbyterian Church!

He brought and gathered people together during the winter, administered the details for beginning worship services in the spring, and sustained us and added to our number in the summer.

Most recently, He formed stronger relationships among us this fall.

A couple weeks ago I had the privilege of traveling to Birmingham, Alabama for the Gospel Reformation Network’s (GRN) National Conference.

The GRN is a conservative/confessional network within our denomination – the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) – whose purpose is to cultivate healthy Reformed churches. They emphasize biblical fidelity, confessional integrity, the ordinary means of grace, intentional evangelism, and personal discipleship, among many other things. Being a part of this network has been a blessing to me, especially in the midst of starting a new church in the Roanoke Valley.