WEBVTT 00:00:09.519 --> 00:00:15.359 Here at Spring Valley Baptist Church, we exist to make disciples for the glory of God. 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:22.320 Disciples who worship and grow and serve and go. 00:00:22.640 --> 00:00:30.160 Last week we rolled out this newly articulated mission statement for our church and this pathway of discipleship. 00:00:30.320 --> 00:00:31.359 What does a disciple do? 00:00:31.519 --> 00:00:32.320 What do they look like? 00:00:32.479 --> 00:00:34.640 What are the marks in their lives? 00:00:35.200 --> 00:00:36.159 Laser focusing. 00:00:36.240 --> 00:00:37.280 I brought up the football, right? 00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:43.679 Talked about Vince Lombardi going in front of all of his players saying, this is a football. 00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:45.200 Of course we know that. 00:00:45.439 --> 00:00:46.640 Of course they knew that. 00:00:46.880 --> 00:00:49.679 But we are getting back to the basics. 00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:52.479 We are not assuming anything. 00:00:52.640 --> 00:00:54.719 And so we rolled that out last week. 00:00:55.039 --> 00:01:02.240 And we hear the word disciple or discipleship, and some of us have different ideas when we hear that word, right? 00:01:02.560 --> 00:01:06.799 That sometimes maybe you've been, uh maybe you're new to church and you hear a disciple. 00:01:07.040 --> 00:01:10.879 It's not a part of your like everyday vocabulary, but you have some understanding of what it is. 00:01:11.120 --> 00:01:26.239 Maybe you've been in churches for a little while and you have a very specific vision and outlook on for what discipleship looks like, and maybe it's like one-on-one or a leader with a small group of four or five, and you're going, meeting at the coffee shop every week. 00:01:26.719 --> 00:01:28.879 That's a form that it can take. 00:01:29.280 --> 00:01:35.680 But I read an article years ago that just absolutely shattered my paradigms for discipleship. 00:01:36.000 --> 00:01:42.799 I read it, I started to understand a little bit more, and I started to reflect on my own life, and I started to resonate. 00:01:42.959 --> 00:01:47.120 I was not discipled by one person in particular. 00:01:47.760 --> 00:01:50.959 I was discipled by the church. 00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:53.760 Listen to this article, some excerpts from this article. 00:01:54.000 --> 00:02:04.400 Somewhere along the way, I picked up the idea that discipleship was about finding one mentor who could, with his wit and wisdom, heal my wounds and bring me closer to Jesus. 00:02:04.640 --> 00:02:08.000 I thought there'd be notebooks and coffee and in-depth Bible studies. 00:02:08.080 --> 00:02:12.240 I imagine he'd be older and wiser and profoundly interested in my life. 00:02:12.479 --> 00:02:13.919 And maybe you found that kind of person. 00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:15.439 And if so, great. 00:02:15.759 --> 00:02:18.240 But here is what actually happened. 00:02:18.560 --> 00:02:21.360 I was discipled by the church. 00:02:21.680 --> 00:02:24.800 My regular old normal church. 00:02:25.039 --> 00:02:33.360 I showed up and heard sermons, I attended classes and groups and get togethers, and I was shaped to look more like Jesus. 00:02:33.520 --> 00:02:36.080 I was discipled by the church. 00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:41.840 And I reflected on this and I looked at it in my own life and following Jesus, and I realized this is what had been done for me. 00:02:42.159 --> 00:02:46.719 And of course, I don't always use alliteration, but there are some times where it's helpful. 00:02:46.960 --> 00:02:50.479 And all of these things I found were starting with the letter P. 00:02:50.639 --> 00:02:51.199 Alright? 00:02:51.439 --> 00:02:59.759 And so I was profoundly discipled by various people, Sunday school teachers, youth leaders, different ministers in the church. 00:03:00.080 --> 00:03:08.879 I was discipled in programs within the church, VBS, Vacation Bible School, youth camps, Wednesday night activities. 00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:12.000 I was discipled through different projects. 00:03:12.240 --> 00:03:16.879 So mission trips, serve days, evangelism outreaches. 00:03:17.280 --> 00:03:19.199 I was discipled by pastors. 00:03:19.840 --> 00:03:38.560 This was a fun exercise of going back through and remembering and giving thanks to God for Brother Charles, Pastor Dave, Pastor Fred, Pastor Bill, Tim and David, and the pastors that had shaped me and had labored over the word and fed and shepherded us through the riches here. 00:03:39.120 --> 00:03:46.319 I was discipled by pages, books that I read, resources that were given to me, things that I could grow in knowledge and understanding. 00:03:46.479 --> 00:04:01.680 And I was discipled by my parents, Tom and Sandy, as they sought not to outsource discipleship to the local church, but to be the primary disciplers, partnering with the church to point me to Jesus. 00:04:02.080 --> 00:04:19.600 I have been discipled by the church, this beautiful tapestry of men and women leveraging relationships and resources who loved and served the Lord and sought to help me follow Jesus, to look like Jesus and to tell others about Jesus. 00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:33.279 So here, as a part of this new mission series and emphasis on making disciples, we're not going to be rolling out like a new discipleship program where it's like everybody's going to get in small cell groups of four or five people. 00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:41.920 And we're not going to exclusively focus on the things that you do as an individual, as important as those are, and we'll kind of touch on those in some next week. 00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:55.759 But what we're going to be doing is emphasizing what we do together as the church, creating an environment where we together as the church make disciples for the glory of God. 00:04:56.480 --> 00:05:00.560 We exist to make disciples for the glory of God. 00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:06.319 Disciples who worship, grow, serve, and go. 00:05:07.120 --> 00:05:09.759 Now are these the only four things that you will do? 00:05:10.240 --> 00:05:10.560 No. 00:05:11.839 --> 00:05:16.079 But these are absolutely mission critical. 00:05:16.560 --> 00:05:23.360 And today we're going to see how we as disciples at Spring Valley Baptist Church worship and grow. 00:05:24.079 --> 00:05:28.000 And just so you're prepared and you're not nervous when filling out your outline this morning, okay? 00:05:28.079 --> 00:05:35.120 We're going to spend about 25 minutes on the worship and all of the blanks there, and about 10 minutes on growing in groups at the end, okay? 00:05:35.360 --> 00:05:43.680 Now that is not because growing or groups are less important, but no, usually churches don't split over life groups, they split over worship, right? 00:05:44.079 --> 00:05:49.680 So we're going to spend just a little bit more time on worship this morning, okay? 00:05:49.920 --> 00:05:55.120 And so as we come to God's word, we're going to be in various places all throughout the Bible. 00:05:55.199 --> 00:06:02.000 So what you can do is you can try to flip there in your copy of God's Word, or you have all of the scripture references there in your listening outline. 00:06:02.079 --> 00:06:03.199 It'll be there on the screen. 00:06:03.279 --> 00:06:08.800 You can go later today, later this week, and you can read and go deeper in the study of each of these passages. 00:06:09.040 --> 00:06:15.279 So as we come to God's Word, as we seek His will for our lives, let's go to Him in prayer. 00:06:17.199 --> 00:06:22.720 So, gracious Heavenly Father, as we come to your Word this morning, I pray that you would give us eyes to see. 00:06:23.199 --> 00:06:25.120 God, that you would give us ears to hear. 00:06:25.519 --> 00:06:26.959 God, I pray that you would speak. 00:06:27.439 --> 00:06:29.040 For we your servants are listening. 00:06:29.680 --> 00:06:31.040 It's through Christ we pray. 00:06:31.600 --> 00:06:32.160 Amen. 00:06:33.600 --> 00:06:44.399 And so we see disciples worship the Lord to give honor and praise and glory to God. 00:06:44.800 --> 00:06:51.759 We've already sung it this morning that He is worthy of every praise that we could ever bring. 00:06:52.240 --> 00:06:58.319 Oh, worship the King, all glorious above, and gratefully sing his wonderful love. 00:06:59.279 --> 00:07:05.920 Y'all, there is such great care and attention given to the songs that we are putting before you each and every week. 00:07:06.160 --> 00:07:15.199 You need to take great care to what you're listening to and what it is that you're singing and is working its way into your mind and down into your heart. 00:07:15.519 --> 00:07:21.600 We are meant to worship God for who he is and what he has done. 00:07:21.680 --> 00:07:22.959 Well, who is he? 00:07:23.360 --> 00:07:25.920 He is the Lord of all creation. 00:07:26.240 --> 00:07:29.759 One God, three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:35.040 He is the maker of everything, everything that we could ever see, everything that we can't see. 00:07:35.439 --> 00:07:37.120 He is the ruler. 00:07:37.279 --> 00:07:38.879 And what has he done? 00:07:39.519 --> 00:07:44.480 He has made the world and he has redeemed sinners. 00:07:44.800 --> 00:07:54.639 Because even though he made the creation and we as humanity created in his image to reflect him, we did not reflect him but sought to replace him. 00:07:55.040 --> 00:07:58.319 We were supposed to serve him, but we sought to supplant him. 00:07:58.800 --> 00:08:01.040 We wanted the glory, we wanted the name. 00:08:01.199 --> 00:08:06.399 We wanted to push him to the side because we thought life could be lived on our own terms. 00:08:07.199 --> 00:08:08.800 And we were in sin. 00:08:09.360 --> 00:08:16.959 And now we are born into sin, and sin is running rampant through this world, and it has taken root in every human heart. 00:08:17.519 --> 00:08:28.959 But God did not just write us off, God did not just in one fell swoop get rid of us all, but no, he sought to redeem us, buy us back, make a way for forgiveness and life and flourishing again. 00:08:29.120 --> 00:08:32.320 And he opened up that pathway through his son Jesus. 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:46.559 The second person of the Trinity, truly God, truly man, coming to this world, perfect, never sinning, but wrongfully accused and sentenced and executed. 00:08:47.200 --> 00:08:57.279 And there at the cross, all of our sin was placed on him, and he received the punishment for our sin. 00:08:58.159 --> 00:09:06.480 So that, as God's word says, we might receive his righteousness, his goodness, his perfection. 00:09:07.600 --> 00:09:10.720 That we could be forgiven. 00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:13.600 That he now has done this. 00:09:13.679 --> 00:09:15.919 And we're like, well, how do how do we get into that? 00:09:16.000 --> 00:09:17.200 How do we take advantage of that? 00:09:17.279 --> 00:09:18.559 How do we leverage that? 00:09:18.720 --> 00:09:20.320 It's by repenting. 00:09:20.480 --> 00:09:21.840 That's the biblical word. 00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:32.240 Turning away, disowning that sin, leaving it behind, and believing, embracing, hands open, ready to receive his forgiveness. 00:09:32.480 --> 00:09:40.720 There's nothing I could achieve, there's nothing I could do, there's nothing that I could excel in to make me lovely or desirable, but I don't have to. 00:09:41.600 --> 00:09:44.639 I have been washed in his forgiveness. 00:09:44.799 --> 00:09:46.960 I have been made new and clean. 00:09:47.200 --> 00:09:48.960 He is the maker and the redeemer. 00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:50.080 He is the savior. 00:09:50.240 --> 00:09:53.600 And because of that, we worship. 00:09:54.080 --> 00:09:57.200 Without that, without the gospel, that means good news. 00:09:57.279 --> 00:09:59.360 That's pretty good news for us here today. 00:09:59.600 --> 00:10:02.320 Without the good news, worship would be boring. 00:10:03.200 --> 00:10:05.519 Worship would be kind of like, uh, what? 00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:06.559 Why are we doing this? 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:09.759 There's a lot better ways that I could be spending my time. 00:10:10.879 --> 00:10:14.639 But no, we worship him for who he is and what he has done. 00:10:14.720 --> 00:10:17.919 He is the most glorious and he has achieved the greatest thing for us. 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:26.080 And so now we, in response, live lives of worship, and we get to come together every single week to remind each other of that. 00:10:26.639 --> 00:10:28.000 Because we forget. 00:10:28.799 --> 00:10:30.559 We are forgetful people. 00:10:31.440 --> 00:10:32.720 I heard it many years ago. 00:10:32.799 --> 00:10:36.080 A lot of times we need to be reminded more than we need to be instructed. 00:10:36.879 --> 00:10:40.799 You need to remember something old rather than just always craving something new. 00:10:41.440 --> 00:10:45.200 To returning to why it is that we were created. 00:10:45.360 --> 00:10:54.000 We learned last week, we were created to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. 00:10:54.879 --> 00:10:56.559 We are called to worship Him. 00:10:56.799 --> 00:11:04.879 And so when we gather together as a church, our corporate worship, when I say corporate, I don't mean like, you know, suits and ties and briefcases in a big building downtown. 00:11:04.960 --> 00:11:06.720 I'm not talking about that kind of corporate. 00:11:06.960 --> 00:11:10.320 Corporate, us as a body together. 00:11:10.879 --> 00:11:14.080 What does our corporate worship look like? 00:11:14.240 --> 00:11:18.639 Well, we worship through a few ways this morning. 00:11:18.960 --> 00:11:20.639 You can go ahead and fill it in first. 00:11:20.879 --> 00:11:22.799 We worship through song. 00:11:24.559 --> 00:11:27.039 We are a singing people. 00:11:28.240 --> 00:11:37.600 Maria beautifully read for us Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3, and I don't know if you saw them right there next together, how similar they are. 00:11:37.759 --> 00:11:40.480 And so we're just going to look at Colossians 3 this morning. 00:11:40.720 --> 00:12:07.519 But listen to what the Apostle Paul, in writing to the church at the city of Colossae, what he wrote to them and what he said, let the word of Christ dwell in y'all richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:20.159 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. 00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:27.919 And so, what does worship through song look like here at Spring Valley Baptist Church? 00:12:28.399 --> 00:12:34.000 Well, based on this passage, and we want the word to shape our practices, right? 00:12:34.240 --> 00:12:37.200 We want to be anchored and standing on the road. 00:12:37.519 --> 00:12:40.320 We don't want to just throw stuff up against the wall and see what sticks. 00:12:40.480 --> 00:12:42.960 We don't want to just be like, well, well, yeah, I think that sounds good. 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:43.919 Let's do that. 00:12:44.240 --> 00:12:44.559 No. 00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:49.840 We want to tie as much as we can what we do to the Word of God. 00:12:49.919 --> 00:12:53.039 And so looking at this passage, what does worship look like? 00:12:53.120 --> 00:12:54.799 What does worship through song look like? 00:12:54.960 --> 00:12:57.679 It's, did you notice in here, one another? 00:12:58.639 --> 00:13:02.559 There is some one anothering going on in our singing together. 00:13:03.120 --> 00:13:07.840 We need to hear and see one another. 00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:11.039 So that's why we keep the lights on. 00:13:13.360 --> 00:13:15.519 So that we can see one another. 00:13:15.840 --> 00:13:18.320 Now, some of you might think it's very loud in here, right? 00:13:18.480 --> 00:13:21.519 But it's we could always, you know, bring the fader down just a little bit. 00:13:21.600 --> 00:13:24.960 But we are not just blaring and washing music over you. 00:13:25.039 --> 00:13:25.279 Why? 00:13:25.440 --> 00:13:34.159 Because one of the most beautiful things that I can hear in my entire life is all of us together singing and lifting up the name of Jesus. 00:13:34.720 --> 00:13:37.679 And so I don't want you just to come and hear the professionals. 00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:40.320 We need to come and hear one another. 00:13:40.639 --> 00:13:42.960 We can testify to one another. 00:13:45.039 --> 00:13:49.679 For us, we want to be filled with the Spirit and the Word of Christ dwelling in us richly. 00:13:49.840 --> 00:13:50.399 You see this? 00:13:50.559 --> 00:13:55.840 Paul said, let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. 00:13:56.080 --> 00:13:56.559 How? 00:13:56.799 --> 00:13:59.440 Teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom. 00:13:59.600 --> 00:14:10.879 And another way that it can be, another way that the Word of Christ can dwell, remain, abide richly in us, is through singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual psalms. 00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:23.679 And to have hearts, hearts that are engaged, making melody and filled with gratitude for it to be a fountain of thankfulness to God. 00:14:24.159 --> 00:14:30.080 And there is a great variety of how the word of Christ can dwell in us richly. 00:14:30.480 --> 00:14:37.279 And so Paul says in Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3, through psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. 00:14:37.679 --> 00:14:40.879 Psalms that are straight from God's word. 00:14:49.519 --> 00:15:06.320 Singing the Psalms and hymns, time-tested, rich language, and then spiritual songs, newer, fresh, simple statements of truth. 00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:08.639 We need all of them. 00:15:08.720 --> 00:15:12.320 And so that's why, y'all, we're not far away from going back to multiple services in here. 00:15:12.559 --> 00:15:13.519 It's kind of hard to find a seat. 00:15:13.679 --> 00:15:14.879 Don't know if you saw it, notice that. 00:15:15.039 --> 00:15:15.600 Praise to God. 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:17.200 That's a wonderful problem to have. 00:15:17.440 --> 00:15:24.480 But one of the things that we are not going to do is to break off into different worship services based on style preference. 00:15:25.039 --> 00:15:28.720 Not going to have a contemporary service or a traditional service. 00:15:28.879 --> 00:15:32.080 We're not just going to split off into the older people and the younger people. 00:15:32.480 --> 00:15:41.360 But we need the word of Christ dwelling in us richly through a variety of ways, through psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. 00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:42.639 We need this. 00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:45.759 We need the time-tested richness of the hymns. 00:15:45.919 --> 00:15:51.279 We need the freshness of the new songs, expressing hearts of gratitude and thankfulness to God. 00:15:51.440 --> 00:15:52.960 We need the songs that are teaching us. 00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:55.840 We need the songs that are giving us prayers to God. 00:15:56.000 --> 00:15:58.320 We are being shaped by it all. 00:16:00.159 --> 00:16:04.240 We need psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. 00:16:04.879 --> 00:16:19.120 You know, we recently went through a process to bring Brother Jason here, Jason Burley, new Minister of Music and Worship, and he is stepping into a rich legacy here by Rick McCollum, our Minister of Congregational Care, who was our Minister of Music and Worship for 30 plus years. 00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:21.120 So I've had the privilege to work with Rick. 00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:25.519 I have the privilege now to work with Jason, and we were in that search process alongside a great team. 00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:32.799 Maria, who read scripture for us, was on that committee, a host of other folks that are sitting up here working in the tech booth, all scattered across campus. 00:16:33.039 --> 00:16:41.679 And as we were a part of that search process to bring our next minister of music and worship here, we were at the front side of that process and I was talking with a committee. 00:16:41.840 --> 00:16:47.200 And they asked me, Pastor Blake, what is it that we should be looking for? 00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:51.039 Where are we going to be going with musical worship? 00:16:51.279 --> 00:17:07.519 And so I put pen to paper or fingers to keys and I started just writing out what had been swirling around up here, what had been swirling around in here for multiple years, and sought to like distill down where we're going with musical worship here at Spring Valley Baptist Church. 00:17:07.759 --> 00:17:13.039 And I put it on paper, I shared it with the committee, and then at the appropriate time I shared that list with Jason. 00:17:13.119 --> 00:17:15.359 He reminded me about that this past week. 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:18.000 And this is what I wrote. 00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:22.799 We will not fit the traditional or contemporary mold. 00:17:23.279 --> 00:17:26.880 If somebody wants high church traditional, there's a church for that. 00:17:27.119 --> 00:17:32.000 If they want ultra modern contemporary, there's a church for that, but it's not us. 00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:40.640 What we will prioritize is the word of Christ dwelling in us richly through psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. 00:17:40.880 --> 00:17:48.720 We will sing ancient, time-tested songs that convey deep truth, aiming to make the familiar fresh. 00:17:48.960 --> 00:17:55.759 And we will sing new, fresh songs that convey connection, aiming to make the fresh familiar. 00:17:56.079 --> 00:17:59.039 We're going to pursue excellence and authenticity. 00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:04.880 We will have a choir that helps us to prioritize growing the congregational voice. 00:18:05.119 --> 00:18:09.039 And whoever it is, they need to love the doxology as much as I do. 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:13.440 And we found him. 00:18:16.480 --> 00:18:21.359 And this morning, this morning, our service is a good example of this. 00:18:21.759 --> 00:18:24.559 Go look at your look at your bulletin. 00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:26.960 Look at the order of service today. 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:30.640 We sang Psalm 8. 00:18:31.519 --> 00:18:36.799 We opened up with two glorious, time-tested hymns of the faith. 00:18:37.119 --> 00:18:43.279 And we've sung newer spiritual songs, and you're going to be singing a brand new song here at the very end. 00:18:43.519 --> 00:18:44.559 Spoiler alert. 00:18:46.079 --> 00:18:48.720 Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. 00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:51.839 An emphasis on congregational singing. 00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:55.920 And our particular flavor here at Spring Valley Baptist Church. 00:18:56.160 --> 00:18:59.839 Ministry of music with praise team, band, and choir. 00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:06.079 And y'all, I'm so thankful to say there's not going to be worship wars here at Spring Valley Baptist Church. 00:19:06.319 --> 00:19:08.160 There's going to be a worship feast. 00:19:08.319 --> 00:19:10.240 That's why it comes after the war. 00:19:11.039 --> 00:19:16.559 So for us, we will worship through song. 00:19:17.839 --> 00:19:23.519 And worship, it's so much more than music, so much more than singing, but it's definitely not less than. 00:19:23.680 --> 00:19:28.880 And so we worship through song, but next you're going to see we worship through prayer. 00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:30.400 Worship through prayer. 00:19:30.559 --> 00:19:32.000 Goodness gracious, I've got to speed up. 00:19:32.079 --> 00:19:33.279 I can talk about this all day. 00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:36.880 All right, 1 Timothy chapter 2, verse 1 through 4. 00:19:37.039 --> 00:19:40.000 There, Paul, writing to his protege Timothy, says this. 00:19:40.559 --> 00:19:57.279 First of all, then I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 00:19:57.599 --> 00:19:58.480 This is good. 00:19:58.640 --> 00:20:05.759 And it's pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 00:20:06.319 --> 00:20:11.839 And so Paul, he's writing it to Timothy, and he's saying, When y'all are gathered together, you're a praying people. 00:20:12.160 --> 00:20:12.880 You've got to be praying. 00:20:12.960 --> 00:20:18.480 And so here at Spring Valley Baptist Church, prayer is not just a transition within the service. 00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:22.880 Prayer is not just a time that we conveniently move everybody off the platform. 00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:29.279 But prayer is us seeking to speak to the Lord of all creation. 00:20:30.400 --> 00:20:40.640 I've heard it said before that prayer is the splicing of our limp wire to the lightning rod so that we can connect with God. 00:20:42.079 --> 00:20:45.440 For us, prayer is not just a transition, but calling out to God. 00:20:45.519 --> 00:20:49.440 And we pray for all people, those gathered here together, those not with us. 00:20:49.599 --> 00:20:54.799 We pray for leaders and situations, and we pray towards the beginning of our service. 00:20:55.039 --> 00:20:57.440 We pray asking for God's help and blessing. 00:20:57.599 --> 00:21:01.359 We pray towards the beginning of the sermon, asking for God's help and blessing. 00:21:01.440 --> 00:21:05.359 We pray at the end of the sermon, asking for God's help and blessing. 00:21:05.680 --> 00:21:11.839 We have a time of response where we can pour out our hearts to God, where we can ask Him for His help and His blessing. 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:13.039 And y'all don't know this. 00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:22.960 I mean, some of you do, but we have a prayer room right downstairs, room A112, where people are praying all through our gathered worship today. 00:21:23.119 --> 00:21:25.920 Without even knowing it, you're being covered in prayer. 00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:29.119 That we are a praying people. 00:21:29.279 --> 00:21:31.920 We worship God through song, we worship Him through prayer. 00:21:32.079 --> 00:21:34.319 Next, we worship Him through giving. 00:21:35.519 --> 00:21:37.359 2 Corinthians 9. 00:21:38.160 --> 00:21:42.160 The reference there is 6 through 15, but we're just going to look at verses 10 through 12. 00:21:42.400 --> 00:21:55.519 There, Paul writing to the church at Corinth says this He who supplies the sower, seed to the sower, and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 00:21:55.920 --> 00:21:59.759 You will be enriched in every way to be generous. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:05.039 In every way, which through us will produce thanksgivings to God. 00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:14.640 For this ministry of this service is not only supporting the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 00:22:15.279 --> 00:22:17.279 God is the giver. 00:22:17.920 --> 00:22:22.400 And we are called to be generous with what he is given. 00:22:22.640 --> 00:22:29.119 And when we do this, God's word says it will produce thanksgivings and praise to God. 00:22:29.759 --> 00:22:32.319 Worship to the Lord. 00:22:32.559 --> 00:22:33.279 Overflowing. 00:22:33.359 --> 00:22:36.480 And so what does that look like here at Spring Valley Baptist Church? 00:22:36.720 --> 00:22:45.839 So a few years ago, in my first year here, we made the move back to bringing the passing of the plates or the popcorn buckets, right? 00:22:46.880 --> 00:22:48.640 Fried chicken buckets, whatever you want to call them. 00:22:48.720 --> 00:22:51.440 They've been called many affectionate things through the years, okay? 00:22:52.400 --> 00:22:55.519 We brought this back in, and why? 00:22:56.160 --> 00:23:04.240 Well, I felt it important to have it as a part of our gathered worship and not just as a receptacle on the way out. 00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:06.640 And no knock against other places that do that. 00:23:06.799 --> 00:23:10.000 No knock against our church when we did that for a season. 00:23:10.319 --> 00:23:13.759 But giving in worship can shape us in a positive way. 00:23:13.920 --> 00:23:17.200 Now, full disclosure, my wife and I, we give to our church online. 00:23:17.519 --> 00:23:17.839 Okay? 00:23:18.319 --> 00:23:32.240 So that is a mechanism that we utilize, but what we do, even though we give online, whenever I'm sitting right there where Sharon is, and I take the bucket and I pass it down, I use that as a prompt for prayer and saying, God, all that I have is yours. 00:23:32.400 --> 00:23:34.640 And it is a joy to be able to give back a portion. 00:23:34.720 --> 00:23:41.200 I did it online a couple of days ago, but I'm using it and praying and thanking God for it here, gathered in our worship. 00:23:41.440 --> 00:23:47.599 And so for us, we recall what God has entrusted to us, and we are joyful to give back to Him. 00:23:47.839 --> 00:23:49.519 And so, church, you can give online. 00:23:49.759 --> 00:23:54.240 You can give in the bucket, you can drop it off at the church office, you can mail it in snail mail. 00:23:54.319 --> 00:24:05.279 It doesn't have to be in this room as a part of this service for it to count, but we emphasize this time us worshipfully giving back to God a portion of what he has graciously given to us. 00:24:05.359 --> 00:24:06.799 And that's everything. 00:24:07.039 --> 00:24:09.920 Everything that we have is because of his grace. 00:24:10.160 --> 00:24:16.960 And so knowing that, don't be lulled into thinking that your giving is anything other than worshiping God. 00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:19.759 It's not a tip for a good sermon. 00:24:20.480 --> 00:24:24.960 It's not a bill for religious goods and services or because we sang music that you liked. 00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:30.319 It's not dues for a country club or other some sort of fraternal organization. 00:24:30.880 --> 00:24:39.279 If anybody tries to leverage or really angle for something to happen, and if they're going to withhold their tithing, take your money with you. 00:24:40.000 --> 00:24:40.559 Take it. 00:24:40.640 --> 00:24:41.839 We don't need it. 00:24:42.799 --> 00:24:48.000 We will seek to honor the Lord and what he has called us to do. 00:24:48.640 --> 00:24:54.559 And so if your giving is a bargaining chip or something else like that, that is not the heart posture. 00:24:54.640 --> 00:24:58.160 God loves a cheerful giver, not a calculated one. 00:24:58.960 --> 00:25:05.519 And so for us, our giving is nothing else, other than worship to the living God. 00:25:06.240 --> 00:25:13.039 So we worship through psalm, we worship through prayer, we worship through giving, and we worship through the word. 00:25:13.279 --> 00:25:15.279 I could talk a long time about this, right? 00:25:16.240 --> 00:25:17.519 But I won't. 00:25:17.759 --> 00:25:21.920 We have two verses here, 1 Timothy 4.13 and 1 Timothy 5.17. 00:25:22.240 --> 00:25:24.319 We worship through the Word. 00:25:24.799 --> 00:25:30.559 This is what Paul writing to Timothy, the young minister in training who was over the church at Ephesus. 00:25:30.880 --> 00:25:36.079 This is what Paul was telling him should be a part of the gathered worship there in Ephesus. 00:25:36.240 --> 00:25:44.559 He said this in 4.13, until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture. 00:25:47.119 --> 00:25:50.720 And then to the exhortation and teaching. 00:25:51.200 --> 00:26:05.839 And then in 1 Timothy 5.17, a couple of chapters later, he says there, let the elders, the pastors who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. 00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:10.000 Here at Spring Valley Baptist Church, we worship through the Word. 00:26:10.079 --> 00:26:15.039 We're shaped by the Word, and we together sit under the Word. 00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:23.200 I'll never forget, I was in seminary, and I had a professor who, I mean, he was like a bulldog of a man. 00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:26.559 Retired military, PhD in history. 00:26:26.720 --> 00:26:28.160 He got saved later in life. 00:26:28.240 --> 00:26:32.000 He didn't grow up in the church, but Jesus gripped his heart and he was never the same. 00:26:32.240 --> 00:26:36.000 And so he was able to leverage his educational background and he came in there. 00:26:36.079 --> 00:26:37.359 And I remember him one day. 00:26:37.519 --> 00:26:39.680 He was in his 70s, right? 00:26:39.920 --> 00:26:44.240 But he one day got, and I no, I'm not going to do it here. 00:26:44.480 --> 00:26:54.960 But he got on the desks and he said, Students, you're going to have to decide what kind of preacher are you going to be? 00:26:55.359 --> 00:27:01.359 Are you going to be someone who stands over the word and says, You will say this? 00:27:02.960 --> 00:27:21.039 Or are you going to be someone, and then he laid down on top of the desks, holding the Bible above him, and said, Or are you going to be a minister who sits under the word and says, Your word, in your ways, I will serve you. 00:27:21.359 --> 00:27:24.880 Are you going to look down on God's Word and say, you will serve me and my agenda? 00:27:25.039 --> 00:27:28.880 Or are you going to sit under the Word and say, tell me your ways and your agenda? 00:27:29.359 --> 00:27:31.119 What do you want to be done? 00:27:31.359 --> 00:27:39.440 And so for us here, what we're going to do is we're going to prioritize the Word of God, His self-revelation to humanity, the hope for the world. 00:27:39.599 --> 00:27:46.799 And so we devote ourselves here to the public reading of Scripture, the text for the day, or a complimentary passage. 00:27:47.039 --> 00:27:50.480 And then, yeah, we have a little bit of a liturgical move at the end. 00:27:50.640 --> 00:27:55.039 Some of us are very familiar and comfortable with that, others, that's kind of strange, but we're warming up to it. 00:27:55.279 --> 00:27:57.680 Where we say, this is the word of the Lord. 00:27:57.759 --> 00:27:58.640 Why do we do that? 00:27:58.880 --> 00:28:00.319 Because this is not man's word. 00:28:00.880 --> 00:28:04.799 You need to be reminded again and again, this is the word of the Lord. 00:28:05.440 --> 00:28:09.839 This is not something else like, or just the greatest among other human works. 00:28:10.000 --> 00:28:13.039 Categorically, nothing else like it. 00:28:13.680 --> 00:28:16.079 Alone, at the top. 00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:19.119 This is the word of the Lord. 00:28:19.440 --> 00:28:20.559 And we receive it. 00:28:20.640 --> 00:28:26.559 And when we receive it, our collective response is thanks be to God. 00:28:27.359 --> 00:28:30.319 That is the right response for us to be able to have. 00:28:32.880 --> 00:28:36.640 We are glad to receive this with a generous heart. 00:28:36.960 --> 00:28:39.279 And then we preach the word. 00:28:40.000 --> 00:28:42.400 Directly, I'm proclaiming the gospel. 00:28:42.640 --> 00:28:45.440 Indirectly, I'm teaching you how to read your Bible. 00:28:45.680 --> 00:28:47.200 That's all I'm doing. 00:28:47.519 --> 00:28:53.680 In different ways, I'm explaining, illustrating, or applying the Bible. 00:28:54.079 --> 00:28:58.240 And that's what you should be seeking to do in your time with God and His Word. 00:28:58.799 --> 00:29:03.680 To explain it, understand it, to illustrate it, and apply it. 00:29:03.839 --> 00:29:06.480 What does it look like here in my life? 00:29:06.640 --> 00:29:09.200 And so what does it look like here at Spring Valley? 00:29:09.519 --> 00:29:12.640 The regular diet will be preaching through books of the Bible. 00:29:12.799 --> 00:29:13.680 So spoiler, right? 00:29:13.839 --> 00:29:15.519 In two weeks, we're starting the book of Exodus. 00:29:15.680 --> 00:29:16.640 We're going to be marching through. 00:29:16.880 --> 00:29:20.240 And then we have some occasional topical series that are sprinkled in. 00:29:20.480 --> 00:29:21.359 Good change-ups. 00:29:21.440 --> 00:29:22.480 That's what we're in right now. 00:29:22.640 --> 00:29:24.000 So if you're new, keep coming back. 00:29:24.079 --> 00:29:26.079 We're going to march through God's word together. 00:29:26.319 --> 00:29:36.640 And so we'll preach through books of the Bible, and we, you could expect from me each week to hear the good news, the gospel message of what Jesus Christ has done. 00:29:36.880 --> 00:29:41.039 Because I don't believe that the gospel is just a New Testament thing. 00:29:41.279 --> 00:29:44.799 I believe the gospel is from Genesis to the maps in the very back. 00:29:46.240 --> 00:29:53.200 That we have God's saving work recorded for us, and Jesus is the only hope of this world. 00:29:53.440 --> 00:29:55.519 And so it's going to be the same message every single week. 00:29:55.599 --> 00:29:56.880 Coming at it from different ways. 00:29:57.039 --> 00:30:01.279 It'll sound a little bit different, some different textures, but I'm a one-trick pony. 00:30:01.759 --> 00:30:05.599 And it's the gospel straight, week after week. 00:30:06.720 --> 00:30:07.839 That's right, Bernie. 00:30:08.480 --> 00:30:09.440 For us. 00:30:10.079 --> 00:30:16.799 We worship through song and through prayer, through giving, through the word, and through fellowship. 00:30:17.039 --> 00:30:17.920 Through fellowship. 00:30:18.000 --> 00:30:19.519 Look at Hebrews 10. 00:30:20.559 --> 00:30:26.000 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works. 00:30:26.240 --> 00:30:30.319 Not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some. 00:30:31.119 --> 00:30:36.160 But encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day drawing near. 00:30:37.440 --> 00:30:40.079 Don't let us neglect meeting together. 00:30:40.559 --> 00:30:42.559 It's good to be together. 00:30:43.039 --> 00:30:44.880 I love to fellowship. 00:30:45.359 --> 00:30:47.599 I love to be with the family. 00:30:48.160 --> 00:30:50.799 And so, what does that look like here at Spring Valley Baptist Church? 00:30:50.880 --> 00:30:55.440 You know, if I could just encourage you when you're coming, get here a little early. 00:30:56.480 --> 00:30:57.519 It's a sweet time. 00:30:57.599 --> 00:30:58.720 I love walking around. 00:30:58.880 --> 00:31:03.279 I wish I could make touch points with every single person who comes and worships with us before. 00:31:03.359 --> 00:31:09.119 I don't have that time or that many hands to be able to shake, but like, it's good to be together. 00:31:09.759 --> 00:31:12.000 Get here a little early, stay here a little late. 00:31:12.079 --> 00:31:13.359 Enjoy being together. 00:31:13.599 --> 00:31:19.920 And when you come, don't just look to be a recipient of encouragement. 00:31:21.039 --> 00:31:29.759 But come, and maybe a good thing to do would be when you close the car door in the parking lot, use that as a prompt for prayer saying, God, use me to encourage someone today. 00:31:31.119 --> 00:31:36.559 Eyes up, eyes focused, seeking who can I encourage today? 00:31:37.519 --> 00:31:41.680 Who can I affirm in their walk with the Lord today? 00:31:42.880 --> 00:31:46.559 Who can I build up today? 00:31:47.119 --> 00:31:48.960 We worship through fellowship. 00:31:49.680 --> 00:31:55.519 And so for us, we think disciples worship the living God. 00:31:56.720 --> 00:32:00.079 And next, disciples grow. 00:32:00.640 --> 00:32:02.960 And disciples grow in groups. 00:32:03.039 --> 00:32:04.319 You can write that in. 00:32:06.640 --> 00:32:13.759 So the only specific picture of what we have, what life looked like in groups, smaller groups, is Acts chapter 2. 00:32:14.079 --> 00:32:21.039 And there in Acts chapter 2, we see in verses 42 through 47 what the disciples were doing there in the early church. 00:32:21.200 --> 00:32:21.839 Listen to them. 00:32:23.599 --> 00:32:33.839 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship and to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 00:32:34.240 --> 00:32:40.319 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 00:32:40.480 --> 00:32:49.440 And all who believed were together and had all things in common, and they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all as any had need. 00:32:50.160 --> 00:33:07.440