Church Family,

This past Sunday we tackled a rather large portion of the narrative of Acts in which we saw Paul’s powerful sermon in Antioch and the response of the locals who heard him. Paul’s sermon laid out the history of Israel, how that whole history points to Jesus as the savior of God’s people, and how the only right response is belief in Jesus. While many heard this sermon and believed, others responded only with jealousy. Many Jewish authorities who envied Paul’s influence spoke out against him, yet their rejection only served to give the Gospel a greater hearing among the Gentiles who received it and rejoiced. Church, let us not be like these authorities, caught up in our pride and in the twisted salvation narratives we have written for ourselves. Rather, let us humbly submit to the word of God and rejoice as it transforms our lives.

Thanksgiving Potluck

We will be having our annual Thanksgiving potluck this upcoming Sunday, November 24th at 4:00 p.m. This meal has been a regular source of encouragement at Light in the Desert for years now as we are able to share a wonderful meal and share the ways we have seen God’s faithful providence at work in our lives. If you are bringing food and need a headcount to figure out how much to make, we are currently expecting about 50 people based on the sign-up sheet.

Women’s Christmas Dinner

We will be hosting a women’s Christmas dinner on Saturday, December 7th. If you are planning on attending please make sure to let Terri know by this upcoming Sunday so she can make sure there is enough food for everybody.

Grace be with you,

Logan Murphy

Pastoral Intern

Church Family,

This past Sunday in our series in Acts we came to the start of Paul’s first missionary journey. The Holy Spirit spoke in the midst of prayer and worship and, seemingly with no hesitation, both Paul and Barnabas set out in obedience to the Spirit. Upon reaching Cyprus, they met a false prophet who opposed them and sought to use his influence to turn people away from the Gospel. Paul wasted no time in calling this false prophet out as an enemy of righteousness. The false prophet was struck with a temporary blindness, much like Paul had been at his conversion, so that he might need others to lead him instead of him continuing to lead others astray. Church, let us pray that we would have Paul’s boldness in refuting false teaching and that as we speak in truth people would be blinded to the crooked ways of unrighteousness and see only the straight path of the Gospel.

Road Rally

This upcoming Sunday, November 17th, is our church-wide Road Rally. If you have been part of one of these in the past you surely know how much fun they are. If you have not done one before, well there’s only one way to find out just what they’re like. Either way, be sure to set aside the time that afternoon to participate in this thrilling event.

Thanksgiving Potluck

We will be having our annual Thanksgiving potluck  on Sunday, November 24th at 4:00 p.m. This meal has been a regular source of encouragement at Light in the Desert for years now as we are able to share a wonderful meal and share the ways we have seen God’s faithful providence at work in our lives. If you plan on attending please sign up on the sheet in the foyer. Also, as you sign up to bring food, we would encourage you to check what other people have signed up to bring as man does not live on pumpkin pie alone.

Grace be with you,

Logan Murphy

Pastoral Intern

Church Family,

This past Sunday in our series through Acts we encountered a tremendous outburst of persecution against the early church. King Herod (of the lineage of other infamous King Herods) had a handful of Christians killed. When he found it increased his popularity with his Jewish subjects he sought to further his public image by arresting Peter. The night before Peter was to be killed, God sent an angel to rescue him and he made his way back to the other believers. This was a (literally) unbelievable display of God’s provision for his people. Still, it came in the context of all the suffering Peter already endured in prison, the ongoing threat of persecution, and the death of other believers. Church, we simply cannot know what we will be asked to endure for the sake of our faith. We may give up financial stability. We may be perpetual social outsiders. We may dive headlong into perilous circumstances for the sake of bringing the light of the Gospel to dark places. Certainly we will be ridiculed by the unbelieving world for choosing to live in ways that are plainly impractical. Still, we have a purpose and a hope that far outshines anything this world has to offer.

Thanksgiving Potluck

We will be having our annual Thanksgiving potluck  on Sunday, November 24th at 4:00 p.m. This meal has been a regular source of encouragement at Light in the Desert for years now as we are able to share a wonderful meal and share the ways we have seen God’s faithful providence at work in our lives. If you plan on attending please sign up on the sheet in the foyer. Also, as you sign up to bring food, we would encourage you to check what other people have signed up to bring as man does not live on pumpkin pie alone.

Sunday Studies

This past Sunday we started a new series in our Sunday Studies class. We are looking to have an extended conversation around famously comfortable topics like government and authority. Our aim is not to prescribe a particular voting pattern but rather to uncover a biblical framework for thinking about these topics in a way that is not limited to the voting booth but speaks more broadly to issues like how to live as faithful Christians under government authority and where to put our greatest hope. These conversations are extremely important to our life together as a church, so please be sure to join us over the next several Sundays at 9 a.m.

Grace be with you,

Logan Murphy

Pastoral Intern

Church Family,

This past Sunday in our series in Acts, we read of Peters return to Jerusalem where he was accosted by the Jewish believers. These believers criticized him for joining in fellowship with Gentiles who were unclean according to the law of the Old Testament. But Peter told these believers of his vision in which he was commanded to partake of unclean foods by the voice of God declaring, “what God has made clean, do not call common.” What’s more, the Holy Spirit descended upon the Gentile believers just as He had descended upon the Jewish believers. These Gentiles had been changed by the work of Jesus; Jesus had made them clean. It did not matter that the Jewish believers had not expected the salvation of Gentiles. All that mattered was that God had called them to salvation. Let us not be as the Jewish believers initially were, denying the possibility of salvation to those we deem unworthy. Rather, let us gladly share the Gospel with all and respond as the Jewish believers eventually responded, rejoicing as the kingdom of God grows beyond our expectations.

Elder Vote

This upcoming Sunday we will be voting on whether or not to affirm Brian Murphy as a new elder of Light in the Desert Church. If you have not taken the opportunity to get to know him and settle any questions you have about him being an elder, be sure to reach out to him in these next few days. Also, members, be especially sure to show up this Sunday to take part in this important decision for our church. This is an important opportunity to practice biblical church membership by taking part in ensuring the health of Light in the Desert Church.

Wednesday Nights

We are resuming our regular Wednesday night activities after our brief fall break. As I am writing this our women’s study, men’s study, and disciple makers classes start in just over an hour, so hopefully this post finds you in time. If not, it is at least a valuable reminder to be ready for next week. Let this also be an encouragement to start attending these activities even if you have not done so before. Everyone is welcome to jump in at any point; these classes are sure to be fruitful even if you can only make it to as little as one of them.

Grace be with you,

Logan Murphy,

Pastoral Intern

Church Family,

This past Sunday in Acts we once again encountered the theme of signs and wonders as we worked through the stories of two miracles. The first was the healing of a paralyzed man named Aeneas. The second was the resurrection of a woman named Tabitha who had died of an illness. The details of these miracles make it clear that their primary purpose was to point to the authority and supremacy of Christ over all creation. Aeneas was specifically told “Jesus Christ heals you” and the resurrection of Tabitha mirrored details from when Jesus resurrected a young girl as recorded in Matthew 9, such as sending the crowd out from the house and taking the deceased by the hand. While we may not find ourselves performing many miracles, we can certainly live out each day such that our very lives point to the supremacy and authority of Christ in much the same way. If we give due credit to Jesus for the spiritual fruit we bear and continually seek to imitate Him it will be a strong witness to the world around us and give tremendous glory to God.

Elder Candidacy

Just as a reminder, we will be voting on Brian Murphy as an elder candidate on Sunday, October 20th. We continue to encourage you to seek him out and get to know him well in the meanwhile, especially if you have any concerns about his candidacy. We also encourage you to pray and seek guidance from the Holy Spirit on this matter. This vote is important to our church so it is important that our members are able to approach this vote with a high degree of confidence.

Fall Break

Being that most schools are on fall break next week and we will likely have a number of families out of town, we will not be having our usual Wednesday night activities on October 9th. If you are around, consider using that evening to share a meal with someone else from church.

Grace be with you,

Logan Murphy

Pastoral Intern

Church Family,

This past Sunday, as we continued our journey through the book of Acts, our attention was once again directed towards Saul. Given the fervor with which he began preaching the Gospel, it did not take long after Saul’s conversion for him to become the target of persecution and even an attempt on his life. He was forced to flee both Damascus and Jerusalem, eventually going to Tarsus. Despite this kind of dogged persecution, the Church experienced three things: peace, comfort, and growth. What could possibly be more counter-intuitive? Christians were chased from city to city, yet they found peace. They were the target of disputes and threats, yet they found comfort. They were being actively killed off, yet their numbers grew. Church, are we confident enough in the Gospel that we would faithfully endure what Saul endured? Are we confident enough in the Gospel to trust that in spite of any persecution we face we will experience peace, comfort, and growth through the work of the Holy Spirit? Let us be both convicted and encouraged as we dwell on this passage this week.

Prospective Members Class

We will be hosting a prospective members class on Saturday, September 28 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Attending this class is not a firm commitment to anything; it is simply an opportunity to learn about Light in the Desert Church and what it means to be a member. If you are interested in attending please email Bryan (Bryan@lightinthedesert.church) or sign up on the sheet in the foyer.

Elder Candidacy

One of our convictions as a church is that the biblical model for the church involves being led by a plurality of elders, multiple godly men who can provide diverse perspectives and insights necessary for the overseeing of the church. In pursuit of that ideal we have had a few men in the process of prospective eldership. Our current elders formally announced one of those men, Brian Murphy, as an elder candidate to be voted on by the church members on October 20th. While our bylaws only require a two week notice before a vote, we are taking a much longer lead into this vote so we have time to do two things. First, of course, be praying about this vote. It would be a tremendous mistake to not make sure that such a decision is informed by lots of prayer. Second, pursue Brian in the time leading up to this decision. If you have concerns about his qualifications to be an elder, questions about his beliefs, or even just don’t feel like you know him well enough to make a decision then this is your time to talk to him and figure these kinds of things out. Catch him after service on a Sunday, find a time to call him, or even meet up with him for coffee or a meal. It’s not a bother; this is part of what he has volunteered himself for in pursuing eldership.

Grace be with you,

Logan Murphy

Pastoral Intern

Church Family,

As we continued our series in Acts this past Sunday the story opened on a figure we have already encountered in this book, Saul. Saul had given his approval for the execution of Stephen, and now he was seeking authority from the synagogues to persecute Christians far and wide. While setting out to enact further persecution, Saul encounters Jesus himself in the form of a blinding light and a voice calling out to Saul and asking Saul to follow his command. Saul is humbled by this encounter and he remains in blindness and fasts for three days, yet in his humbling he is utterly transformed for all he can see in that moment is the truth of who Jesus is. Upon regaining his sight Saul was baptized and immediately moved from persecuting followers of Jesus to proclaiming Jesus as the Son of God. Church, let us ask ourselves if we are so caught up in our perception of the world and of ourselves that we are blind to Jesus and his calling upon our lives. And if we are, let us ask God that he would blind us to our own selves and open our eyes to him.

Church Game Night

We will be having a church-wide game night this upcoming Friday, September 20th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Bring your own dinner and your favorite game or two and come enjoy a couple wonderful hours of fellowship.

Prospective Members Class

We will be hosting a prospective members class on Saturday, September 28 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Attending this class is not a firm commitment to anything; it is simply an opportunity to learn about Light in the Desert Church and what it means to be a member. If you are interested in attending please email Bryan (Bryan@lightinthedesert.church) or sign up on the sheet in the foyer.

Elder Candidacy

One of our convictions as a church is that the biblical model for the church involves being led by a plurality of elders, multiple godly men who can provide diverse perspectives and insights necessary for the overseeing of the church. In pursuit of that ideal we have had a few men in the process of prospective eldership. Our current elders formally announced one of those men, Brian Murphy, as an elder candidate to be voted on by the church members on October 20th. While our bylaws only require a two week notice before a vote, we are taking a much longer lead into this vote so we have time to do two things. First, of course, be praying about this vote. It would be a tremendous mistake to not make sure that such a decision is informed by lots of prayer. Second, pursue Brian in the time leading up to this decision. If you have concerns about his qualifications to be an elder, questions about his beliefs, or even just don’t feel like you know him well enough to make a decision then this is your time to talk to him and figure these kinds of things out. Catch him after service on a Sunday, find a time to call him, or even meet up with him for coffee or a meal. It’s not a bother; this is part of what he has volunteered himself for in pursuing eldership.

Grace be with you,

Logan Murphy

Pastoral Intern

Church Family,

This past Sunday, in our series in Acts, we continued to follow the path of Philip as he went out spreading the Gospel. Philip was called by the Spirit to speak to an Ethiopian eunuch who was reading aloud from the book of Isaiah and struggling to understand what he was reading. On one hand, the Old Testament was in a way impenetrable to him as his status as a eunuch limited his ability to participate in Old Testament temple worship. On the other hand, something about the figure of the suffering servant in Isaiah intrigued him. In a sense the eunuch himself was a suffering servant, mutilated and bound in service to his queen. Philip taught the eunuch that this suffering servant was in fact Jesus, who had made a way even for this eunuch to enter the presence of God. The eunuch received this teaching eagerly and immediately sought to be baptized. By all accounts this man was disqualified from being part of the people of God, yet the Spirit specifically called Philip to him and the Gospel made him whole in a way that was impossible in any earthly sense. The question is, do we act like we believe the Spirit and the Gospel have this kind of power today? Or do we disqualify people from Christianity because for some reason or another we think they are too far gone? Let us be convicted by this passage to minister to anyone to whom the Spirit leads us, and let us be encouraged by this passage that the Gospel is powerful enough to bring anyone into the people of God.

Elder Candidacy

One of our convictions as a church is that the biblical model for the church involves being led by a plurality of elders, multiple godly men who can provide diverse perspectives and insights necessary for the overseeing of the church. In pursuit of that ideal we have had a few men in the process of prospective eldership. This past Sunday, our current elders formally announced one of those men, Brian Murphy, as an elder candidate to be voted on by the church members on October 20th. While our bylaws only require a two week notice before a vote, we are taking a much longer lead into this vote so we have time to do two things. First, of course, be praying about this vote. It would be a tremendous mistake to not make sure that such a decision is informed by lots of prayer. Second, pursue Brian in the time leading up to this decision. If you have concerns about his qualifications to be an elder, questions about his beliefs, or even just don’t feel like you know him well enough to make a decision then this is your time to talk to him and figure these kinds of things out. Catch him after service on a Sunday, find a time to call him, or even meet up with him for coffee or a meal. It’s not a bother; this is part of what he has volunteered himself for in pursuing eldership.

Grace be with you,

Logan Murphy

Pastoral Intern

Church Family,

This past Sunday as we looked at Acts 8 we saw the early church scattered by rising persecution. However this scattering by no means hindered the spread of the Gospel. Instead, the momentum of the Gospel only grew as faithful preachers of the Word, like Philip, were sent out from Jerusalem. It certainly would have been easy for the Gospel message to twist and distort as it spread out, but the purity of the Gospel was essential for the early church. When a man who heard Philip’s preaching offered money in exchange for receiving the Holy Spirit, not only did Philip not accept the money, he was careful to correct this man’s misunderstanding. While he certainly aimed to be winsome in his preaching, Philip was not willing to let the Gospel be compromised, even with just one man, because the Gospel is simply that important. Let us consider if we are also this serious about the purity of the Gospel as we preach it to others, and even as we preach it to ourselves, or if we are willing to deform the Gospel in an effort to broaden its appeal.

Wednesdays Are Back

Our regular Wednesday activities return next week on September 11th. This includes the third semester of our four semester rotation of Disciple Makers (though this is just as good a time to join in as any if you have not participated in Disciple Makers before), a women’s study in the book of judges, and a men’s study in 1 and 2 Thessalonians. The women’s study will also be available on Wednesday mornings. Childcare will be available for the evening activities, but not for the morning women’s study.

Church Game Night

We will be having a church-wide game night on Friday, September 20th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Bring your own dinner and your favorite game or two and come enjoy a couple wonderful hours of fellowship.

Grace be with you,

Logan Murphy

Pastoral Intern

Church Family,

This past Sunday we tackled a considerable chuck of Acts spanning 6:8-8:3. In this passage Stephen, one of the newly appointed servants of the church, faced false accusations that he was a threat to the Law of Moses and to the Temple. But Stephen sure does know his scripture and lays out an incredible historical summary of the Old Testament to make two irrefutable points. First, God’s presence is not and has never been bound to the physical location of the earthly temple. Rather, his presence is all consuming and so He is with His people in all places at all times. Second, the Jesus about whom Stephen has been preaching is not a threat to the Law of Moses but its fulfillment. At the center of the Law is a promise of a righteous one to come and make atonement for the people of God, that righteous one being Jesus whom Stephen’s accusers rejected and killed. The accusers cannot refute Stephen’s words, but they also refuse to accept them so they plugged their ears and killed him so they would no longer have to contend with what he was saying. Let us pray this week that we would not be like Stephen’s accusers. Let us pray that God would pull our fingers from our ears so we might hear his words that confront our stubborn hearts and selfish agendas, for it is such words that bring us the joy of drawing near to God.

Youth Retreat

Our youth will be going on a camping retreat this upcoming Labor Day weekend. Our hope is that this retreat would help build a stronger sense of community within our youth group, and more importantly that it would ground our youth in a desire to seek God and honor him as they start a new school year. In particular, we will be considering why it is important to study the Bible and answering questions like “how can such an old book be relevant today?” or “how can something written by so many people over such a long time have a cohesive main idea?” We ask that you would be praying for this trip, not only for safe travels, but especially that it would be a fruitful time that leads our youth to a greater sense of amazement at God and His Word.

A Bible-Believing Church

While we are still in our slower summer days, it seems worthwhile to use some of the space in the news blog to consider some of the convictions of Light in the Desert Church. Coinciding with the focus of the youth retreat, we wanted to take a second to highlight what it means that we are a Bible-believing church. While we believe that the Bible was written by human hands and contains clear markers of its human authors, like stylistic decisions and grammatical particularities, we also believe that every word of the Bible was directly inspired by God. This means that the Bible contains no falsehoods and so should be the measuring stick for everything we believe and do. This also means that the Bible is necessary for us as the means by which God has chosen to reveal himself to us, and especially to reveal the Gospel, the work of Christ for our sake, which is the central focus of the Bible. If you would like to read more about what we believe about the Bible or other convictions of Light in the Desert Church you can do so here.

Grace be with you,

Logan Murphy

Pastoral Intern