Parables of Growing Seeds
April 16, 2011 | Posted by Doug
"Tuesday Phone-In Bible Study"
Reading: Mark 4
Tuesday Bible Study: 8:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Join us as we read powerful parables of hope.
Call 712-432-6100 and enter the passcode: 131015#
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Here’s the outline for the session:
I. The Parable of the Sower Mark 4:1-20
II. The Lamp Under a Bushel Basket Mark 4:21-25
II. The Parable of the Growing Seed Mark 4:26-29
IV. The Parable of the Mustard Seed Mark 4:30-32
.Tuesday Bible Study 8-9 pm
Challenging Authority and Forming Community
April 11, 2011 | Posted by Doug
"Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother." -Mark 3:31-35
Reading: Mark chapters 2 & 3
Join us as we explore how Jesus challenged authority and began to build community in the nation of God.
Call 712-432-6100 and enter the passcode: 131015#
Here’s the outline for the session:
Mark 2 & 3: Challenging Authority and Forming Community
I. Jesus Heals Paralyzed Man
authorities angry - crossing boundary
crowds excited
II. Jesus Calls Levi - a tax collector
authorities angry - crossing boundary
III. Sabbath
authorities angry - crossing boundary
IV. Man with withered hand
authorities angry - crossing boundary
want to kill Jesus
V. Jesus builds community among people
multitude at lakeside 3:7-12
appoints disciples 3:13-19
true kindred of Jesus 3:31-35
Beginning of the Good News
April 5, 2011 | Posted by Doug
Reading: Mark 1
Welcome to Tuesday Bible Study By Phone
8:00 to 9:00 p.m. EST
Call 1-712-432-6100 and enter pass code: 131015 followed by # key
The Bible - 66 Books
Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) 39 Books
New Testament 27 Books
4 Gospels - Mark (70) Matthew & Luke (80s), John (90s)
Acts - story of disciples after Jesus’ death & resurrection
Letters - by Paul, James, Peter, John and others
Revelation to John
Mark 1
I. John the Baptist (Mark 1:1-8)
- challenging the empire
- in the tradition of the prophets
II. Jesus Baptized and Tempted (Mark 1:9-13)
- the Beloved
- tempted by Satan
III. Jesus Begins his Public Ministry (Mark 1:14-20)
- announces God’s nation
- calls disciples
IV. Healings (Mark 1:21-34)
- man with unclean spirit (with authority)
- crowds gather for healing
V. Prayer and Changing Course (Mark 1:35-39)
- praying, listening for God’s wisdom
- leaving Capernaum to teach in other villages
VI. Healing a Leper (Mark 1:40-45)
- crossing a boundary
Beloved
March 6, 2011 | Posted by Doug
"You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."
| Reading: Luke 3:22
When God speaks from heaven, it about love. Jesus has not started his ministry, and yet God is already pleased! This is love that does not have to be earned, the love of a parent for a child.
The Spirit
January 20, 2011 | Posted by Doug
"The Spirit gives each of us gifts to use for the common good"
Reading: I Corinthians 12:4-7
No need to compete to see who is the best when all of our gifts come from the same Spirit to be used to build up the common good. What are your spiritual gifts? Do you use them for the common good? Do you feel the Spirit of God moving in you and through you?
A Common Journey
December 26, 2010 | Posted by Doug
"they were overwhelmed with joy" -Matthew 2:10
Reading: Matthew 2:1-12
The wise men took a rather bold jounrey into foreign territory to follow their dreams. Following our dreams almost always leads us into foreign territory. This is not for the faint of heart. But if you really want to find the fulfillment of living your God-given purpose, then step out. How can we encourage one another in following our dreams? What is your dream for 2011?
Breaking Free of Conformity
November 3, 2010 | Posted by Doug
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." -Romans 12:2
Reading: Romans 12:1-7
Why are we so easily conformed to things that are so wrong? A small percentage of people control vast wealth, while thousands of children starve to death every day. Why do we accept that? Those who control all that wealth are so few. They depend on the labor of so many. If we were determined to right the wrong, we could do it? Why are we conformed to evil? When will we be transformed?
Three Memorable Events in 2008
October 15, 2010 | Posted by Doug
"A funeral home, the Holy Spirit bee, and a pre-Christmas blizzard"
New Day Church has been quite a ride so far with plenty of twists and turns along the way. We held our first worship service on October 19, 2008. It was the first of five monthly preview services we held leading up to our official launch in March, 2009. These preview services were a way to get the word out, to let people know what we were about.
We wanted to do everything we could to make a positive impression on people. One decision, of course, was where to hold the service. I tried Bronx Science High School, but they were having a big test that day, I tried other schools, churches, restaurants, none of them were available and the time was drawing near. I kept walking past this funeral home, it was right near a subway stop, right on the Grand Concourse, but I said, no way. I could just hear it: “Hey we’re starting this great new church Sunday, why don’t you come out.” And people saying, “Ok, where are you meeting.” “Um, that funeral home up on Grand Concourse.” And people saying, “That’s pretty creepy. What kind of church is this?”
So finally one day I stopped in, just to inquire. And they were so welcoming. They would be happy to have us worship there, they would not charge us anything. So we had our first worship service at the Fox Funeral Home. It turned out to be a great place - just right for burying the traditions of the past and starting a New Day.
Holy Spirit Bee
The next month we met at Bronx Science High School. Channel 12 News and the NY Times came out to the service to do stories about us. Things were going along fine. I was in the middle of my sermon. And I saw this bee, a yellow jacket, about 30 feet away flying right at me. It was surreal, like everything went into slow motion. I kept preaching and I was just watching this bee, making a bee line for my neck. I tried to duck out of the way but it stung me right on the neck. I’ve been stung a few times, and it always really hurts for a couple of hours, but this time it didn’t hurt. It just kind of injected me with energy. Jorge said the sermon got a lot better after that, more energized. So we joked that it was a holy spirit bee.
Our December service was held just four days before Christmas. We planned an elaborate celebration with power point and some very interesting Christmas carols. A couple days before the service it started snowing, and snowing. I went out on Saturday and it was well over a foot. But they were ploughing and had made a path down to the entrance to the school. So I sent out an email to encourage people to come out. Late Saturday night it started snowing some more. On Sunday morning it was still snowing. My daughter Nora and I were hanging up the big New Day banner outside the entrance to the school. My fingers were numb, the wind was howling, the snow was blowing. I wondered if anyone else was coming out in this blizzard. But more than 20 people showed up including several first time visitors.
All three of our 2008 worship services were highly memorable and provided a great foundation to launch New Day Church!
Doers of the Word
October 13, 2010 | Posted by Doug
"Those who are "not hearers who forget but doers who act - they will be blessed in their doing."" -James 1:25
Reading: James 1:22-25
James challenges the “saved by grace alone” by declaring that faith without works is dead.” What are the things you do that revive and deepen your faith? Protesting injustice energizes my faith as does going to visit someone in the hospital. What about you?
The Body
May 5, 2010 | Posted by Doug
"To each is given the manifestation of the spirit for the common good." -I Corinthians 12:7
Reading: I Corinthians 12
Each of us have gifts, talents and passions. We find fulfillment in using these gifts for the common good. Some may want to use their gifts only to make themselves feel better, but soon find out that this plan leads to anxiety, jealousy and unhappiness. What great joy to know that we have used our God-given gifts for the common good!