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.

Here’s the danger you and I must reflect on today: When sin and its effects are downplayed, ignored, or minimized, the grace and mercy of God is downplayed, ignored, and minimized.

We speak honestly about sin because we believe in the transformative power of the gospel!

This Sunday we had the privilege of having Rev. Doug Hart preach from 1 Timothy 1:1-11.

If someone was to ask you how Christ’s resurrection is impacting your life right now, what would you say? Even for the seasoned Christian it’s a difficult question.

Well, that’s precisely the question that Peter answers for us in our passage. We learn from 1 Peter 1:3-9 that Christians can have great hope (v. 3), security (vv. 4-7), and assurance (vv. 8-9) in life because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

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.

Jesus is the King, but what we see in Zechariah 9:9-10 is that Jesus’ Kingship and Kingdom was not established by the tip of the sword, but rather through the humility of the cross.

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.

You and I are called to obedience. We’re called to faithfulness. But have you ever wondered, “How do I become a more obedient follower of Jesus?”

Do we constantly beat ourselves up and remind ourselves of how we consistently fall short? Do we pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps and try a little harder? No.

Obedience and faithfulness to Christ requires you and me to stop thinking about ourselves and those around us and to devote our attention to following Jesus Christ!

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. 

Your fate is not sealed because of the sins of your past. Just because you have sinned and perhaps sinned grievously does not mean that you’re damaged goods or have nothing to contribute in God’s Kingdom. The Lord can make beauty from ashes.

The primary message of John 21:1-14 has very little to do with actually fishing. Rather, this passage has everything to do with Jesus sustaining and providing for the church.

That was true then, and it’s true for the church today. The church under the strength of her own power will always fail.

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.

We typically associate Thomas with doubt. After all, we generally refer to him as doubting Thomas.

But as we look at John 20:24-31, the primary issue at play isn’t doubt as much as it is control. Thomas thought that he was sovereign, but was quickly reminded that wasn’t true. Thomas expressed a warped view of himself and God. But even in the midst of his warped view, the Lord was merciful.

“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.

In the midst of the concern, fear, and sadness that was certainly in that locked room on Easter evening - Jesus met with his disciples. And of course, Jesus doesn’t just appear and then disappear as quickly as he showed up. He ministered to them in the same way he ministers to us today.

Our risen Savior meets with us to give us His peace, mission, and Spirit.

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.

Despite the denials, everyone knows in their heart of hearts that life is eternal. And the resurrection of Jesus Christ proved that to be true. Jesus defeated sin, death, and the grave, which is the best news of all.

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 Sunday we had the privilege of having Rev. Doug Hart preach from John 19:31-42 on the burial of Jesus.

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.