This Sunday, Ryan preached from Hebrews 4:14-16, where the Holy Spirit applies the work of Christ to our weakness: “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

If we are not suffering in a serious way right now, as Ryan said, we should be preparing to suffer. That’s why we have a section on our site of book recommendations dedicated to this topic, and that’s why there are literally dozens of sermons on the subject of suffering in our audio catalogue.

The occasion of this sermon also provides a good opportunity to highlight the ministry of Nancy Guthrie, who speaks regularly on the subject of suffering. Nancy is the featured speaker at our annual Women’s Conference, November 12-13. This year’s theme, Holding On to Hope, is taken from her important book by that title.

Nancy has written several helpful books on the subject of suffering. In, Holding On to Hope, Nancy retells her story of losing a son and a daughter to a metabolic disorder through the lens of the book of Job. Two other books are worth noting as well. Be Still My Soul is a collection of writings from faithful theologians and pastors on the subject of suffering – its causes and how we can know God better in our suffering. In Hearing Jesus Speak into Your Sorrow, Nancy explores ten things Jesus said to hurting people for own comfort in suffering. We recommend visiting her site for a list of her other books and additional resources.

Also, starting this week, September 7 and 8, DSC’s Women’s Ministry will host a weekly study through the book of Hebrews using Nancy Guthrie’s book, Hoping for Something Better. The study meets on Tuesday evenings or Wednesday mornings.

For more information about our ministries to women, please contact Julie Wesselman at julie@desertspringschurch.org.

Christ is a Risen Savior, he is a Reigning Savior, and he is a Sympathetic Savior. This good news for believers in a fallen world.

At the heart of The Gospel Coalition (TGC) are three foundational documents, one of which is a statement of shared doctrinal belief. In getting acquainted with TGC, we recommend reading the Confessional Statement which provides a basis for unified gospel partnership among the leaders and churches in network through TGC.

The following section entitled, “Creation of Humanity,” provides a good example of how this statement means to unify us around both historic commitments and timely concerns:

We believe that God created human beings, male and female, in his own image. Adam and Eve belonged to the created order that God himself declared to be very good, serving as God’s agents to care for, manage, and govern creation, living in holy and devoted fellowship with their Maker. Men and women, equally made in the image of God, enjoy equal access to God by faith in Christ Jesus and are both called to move beyond passive self-indulgence to significant private and public engagement in family, church, and civic life. Adam and Eve were made to complement each other in a one-flesh union that establishes the only normative pattern of sexual relations for men and women, such that marriage ultimately serves as a type of the union between Christ and his church. In God’s wise purposes, men and women are not simply interchangeable, but rather they complement each other in mutually enriching ways. God ordains that they assume distinctive roles which reflect the loving relationship between Christ and the church, the husband exercising headship in a way that displays the caring, sacrificial love of Christ, and the wife submitting to her husband in a way that models the love of the church for her Lord. In the ministry of the church, both men and women are encouraged to serve Christ and to be developed to their full potential in the manifold ministries of the people of God. The distinctive leadership role within the church given to qualified men is grounded in creation, fall, and redemption and must not be sidelined by appeals to cultural developments.

When you have a moment, read the entire document.

This post is second in a series of posts introducing DSC to The Gospel Coalition (Read Part 1).

This Sunday, Ryan preached from Acts 11-14 where we observe “a frenzy of missional activity.” These early Christians were busy sending, going, proclaiming, saving, forming, discipling, and communicating and rejoicing.

Here are ten reasons from Ryan’s sermon for Desert Springs Church to be busy planting churches.

1. Church planting is biblical – still
2. Church planting is a uniquely effective means of reaching the lost
3. Church planting is needed, even in America
4. Church planting is needed in our town
5. Church planting will help DSC be more missional in other ways
6. Church planting is, in some ways, an attempt at DSC “growing without growing”
7. Church planting fosters a broad-minded kingdom mentality
8. Church planting puts to use a growing number of equipped and potential leaders at DSC
9. God is doing something special with church planting in the US these days
10. As a former church plant, DSC should be pro-planting

Many of us are familiar with the work of The Gospel Coalition (TGC), a network of likeminded churches and church leaders promoting gospel-centered ministry formed by D.A. Carson and Tim Keller in 2007. Three founding documents explain well the heart of the coalition’s work: A preamble, a confessional statement and a theological vision for ministry. In the preamble, entitled, “The Gospel for All of Life,” we find this helpful summary the coalition’s aim:

We are a fellowship of evangelical churches deeply committed to renewing our faith in the gospel of Christ and to reforming our ministry practices to conform fully to the Scriptures.

…Our desire is to serve the church we love by inviting all of our brothers and sisters to join us in an effort to renew the contemporary church in the ancient gospel of Christ so that we truly speak and live for him in a way that clearly communicates to our age.

At Desert Springs Church, this is our desire as well.

The month of August brings to Desert Springs Church three new connections with TGC. First, we are listed on TGC’s “Church Directory,” a directory of churches that embrace the coalition’s foundational documents. We are pleased to announce, as well, that our pastor-teacher, Ryan Kelly, has been appointed as a Gospel Coalition council member. In addition, we are in the early stages of beginning an Albuquerque Regional Chapter.

With news of these connections, this is a good time to get aquatinted with TGC. We recommend reading Collin Hanson’s recent article on why he’s excited about TGC, and watching the above video.  Also, we will publish a series of posts over the next several weeks introducing you to TGC’s confession, theological vision for ministry and the resources they provide to support the church in the living out and spread of the gospel.

Ernesto and Maggie Vega serve in Juarez Mexico where Ernesto is pastor of Las Palmas Church.  Despite the fact that Juarez is now technically the most dangerous city in the world, they have remained faithful to encourage the believers and welcome those looking for eternal security and forgiveness in Christ. Yesterday, we received a troubling report:

Ernesto called this morning with troublesome news. While his youth group was painting scripture (picture attached) on the outside wall of the church, a man approached the youth group and informed them that he was going to fill Ernesto with lead.

Over the past few years many threats have been made against people in Juarez and in Ernesto’s neighborhood, and the vast majority of threats are carried out. One threat, made in October, was to a man in Ernesto’s neighborhood, he was told that he would be killed on new year’s eve. Two months later he was executed on new year’s eve. Last Sunday alone 51 people were murdered in Juarez bringing the death count to over 1800 for 2010. The horrific slaughter of human life started in drug wars and has now spread to the common people.

Ernesto and Maggie are at peace knowing they are in the will of our Lord.

Please join us in prayer for Ernesto, Maggie, Juarez, the congregation and for the man who is threatening them.

Many here at DSC have met Ernesto and Maggie and love them and their church. Please pray for this situation, that God will protect and grow His church as well as save the lost in and through these dark times.