tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4620879696568227922024-03-13T14:43:04.619-05:00Where Life and Truth Come TogetherLen Hendrixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03083818585094033413noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462087969656822792.post-10989183802253980212019-01-25T09:19:00.000-06:002019-01-25T09:19:12.307-06:00Covenant PCA in Tullahoma, Tennessee<div align="CENTER" lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>Covenant
Presbyterian PCA – Who are we?</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" lang="en" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Covenant
Presbyterian Church, PCA, is a congregation of the Presbyterian
Church in America. As a PCA church we are connected to all the
congregations in the PCA fellowship. We pool resources, meet
regularly to deliberate ministry issues, and we share the conviction
and commitment of all our sister congregations. Together we are:
<b>Faithful to the Scriptures, True to the Reformed Faith, and
Obedient to the Great Commission of Jesus Christ.</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" lang="en" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Our
Statement of Faith, shared by all PCA churches is the Westminster
Confession of Faith and Catechisms (WCF). These are the system of
doctrine set forth in the Bible. The Westminster Standards, as they
are sometimes called, state the teachings of the Bible in a
systematic manner. For more than four centuries, many churches have
used WCF as their doctrinal standard. The Confession is not
infallible nor authoritative nor inspired by God. Holy Scriptures
alone are described in those terms.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> For
our local Christian ministry in Tullahoma and the surrounding region,
we adopted 10 </span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span lang="en"><b>core
values </b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-weight: normal;">to
guide us as we seek to minister to the people in our reach. They are
agreeable with the Bible and our statement of faith and were
prayerfully adopted by us and for us.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Our
vision is to glorify God by establishing a healthy congregation in
Tullahoma in order to reach the diverse population moving to and
residing in Tullahoma and the surrounding communities.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Our
aim is to live as a community glorying in the cross of Christ in our
worship, fellowship, mercy, and outreach.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> We
are absolutely committed to the Bible as God’s infallible and
inerrant Word, the only source of knowledge concerning what we are to
believe and how we are to live.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> We
believe that prayer is fundamental, rather than supplemental.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> We
are confessional, connectional, Reformed, and evangelical.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Our
public worship is centered in God, gospel-proclaiming, creative,
affectionate, and balanced in attention to form and freedom.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> We
strive to strengthen families and promote a community where the
Gospel produces life-changing relationships within our church family.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> We
believe that there is one race of people - the human race - and that
all people are created in the image of God and that there is sanctity
in all human life.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> We
are convinced that there is no one that God by His Spirit and through
the gospel cannot change.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> We
are committed to the spread of the gospel through evangelism and the
multiplication of churches locally and abroad.</span></span></span></span></div>
Len Hendrixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03083818585094033413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462087969656822792.post-54301275793973912012018-11-19T14:44:00.001-06:002018-11-19T14:44:35.727-06:00Is it wrong for Christians to Celebrate Christmas?
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<strong><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Is
it wrong for Christians to Celebrate Christmas?</b></span></span></span></strong></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<strong><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> I
have talked with a good number of my fellow Christians about what has
happened to Christmas. Many of them have become ambivalent, cynical,
and even disgusted about what the holiday has become. It is not just
the commercialism. It is not just that folks who normally have no
interest in Jesus are suddenly all excited about Jesus' birth.</span></span></span></span></strong></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<strong><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> Increasingly,
it is the pluralism of our post-modern culture and the redefining of
Christmas that has soured many Christians. Merry Christmas has given
way to “Happy Holidays”, “Season’s Greetings”, “family
trees”, etc., ad al. For some this has given rise to the question,
Should Christians even Celebrate Christmas at all? Pastor and author
John MacArthur has weighed in on the question. Here is what he has
to say. </span></span></span></span></strong>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<strong><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Should
Christians Celebrate Christmas?</span></span></span></strong></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">By
John MacArthur</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Scripture
doesn't specifically command believers to celebrate Christmas—there
are no prescribed "Holy Days" the church must observe. In
fact, Christmas was not observed as a holiday until well after the
biblical era. It wasn't until the mid-fifth century that Christmas
received any official recognition.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;"> We
believe celebrating Christmas is not a question of right or wrong
since Romans 14:5-6 provides us with the liberty to decide whether or
not to observe special days: “</span><span style="color: black;"><i>One
person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day
alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes
the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the
day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the
Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord
he does not eat, and gives God thanks.” </i></span><span style="color: black;">(Rom.
14: 5-6). </span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> According
to these verses, a Christian can rightfully set aside any
day—including Christmas—as a day for the Lord. We believe
Christmas affords believers with a great opportunity to exalt Jesus
Christ.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;"> First,
the Christmas season reminds us of the great truths of the
Incarnation. Remembering important truths about Christ and the gospel
is a prevalent New Testament theme (1 Corinthians 11:25; 2 Peter
1:12-15; 2 Thessalonians 2:5). Truth needs repetition because we so
easily forget it. So we should celebrate Christmas to </span><span style="color: black;"><i>remember</i></span><span style="color: black;">
the birth of Christ and to marvel over the mystery of the
Incarnation.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;"> Christmas
can also be a time for reverent </span><span style="color: black;"><i>worship</i></span><span style="color: black;">.
The shepherds glorified and praised God for the birth of Jesus the
Messiah. They rejoiced when the angels proclaimed that in Bethlehem
was born a Savior, Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11). The babe laid in the
manger that day is our Savior, the "Lord of lords and King of
kings" (Matthew 1:21; Revelation 17:14).</span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;"> Finally,
people tend to be more open to the gospel during the Christmas
holidays. We should take advantage of that openness to </span><span style="color: black;"><i>witness</i></span><span style="color: black;">
to them of the saving grace of God through Jesus Christ. Christmas is
chiefly about the promised Messiah who came to save His people from
their sins (Matthew 1:21). The holiday provides us with a wonderful
opportunity to share this truth.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;"> Although
our society has muddied the message of Christmas through consumerism,
myths and empty traditions, we should not let these distract us from
appreciating the real meaning of Christmas. Let us take advantage of
this opportunity to </span><span style="color: black;"><i>remember</i></span><span style="color: black;">
Him, </span><span style="color: black;"><i>worship</i></span><span style="color: black;">
Him and faithfully </span><span style="color: black;"><i>witness</i></span><span style="color: black;">
of Him.</span></span></span></span></div>
<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</style>Len Hendrixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03083818585094033413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462087969656822792.post-67164315354380967862018-11-19T14:40:00.004-06:002018-11-19T14:40:56.312-06:00We Celebrate Advent
<br />
<div align="CENTER" lang="en" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>We
Celebrate Advent</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en"><i>"How
proper it is that Christmas should follow Advent. For him who looks
toward the future, the manger is situated on Golgotha, and the cross
has already been raised in Bethlehem."</i></span><span lang="en">
</span><span lang="en">--Dag Hammarskjold</span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en">Covenant
Church celebrates Advent. We decorate the building, sing the songs,
gather for special food and treats, and work hard to celebrate the
great redemptive act of God – the Incarnation and birth of Jesus.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en">We
treat Advent as a season of preparation. For centuries Christians
have devoted the month prior to Christmas day as a season to prepare
their hearts and homes for the great fe</span><span lang="en">stival,
the </span><span lang="en">celebration of Christ’s incarnation.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">We
busy ourselves with a good bit of bustling about between Thanksgiving
and Christmas – we shop, compile guest lists, mail cards, decorate
our homes, prepare our favorite foods, and host or attend parties.
All that is a part of the celebration. Yet all those things can
become traps and ends in themselves if we are not careful.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en">Is
that the kind of preparation to which Advent calls? Traditionally,
that is, for most of Christian history, Advent has been a time of
quiet introspection, personal examination, and repentance – a
season of fasting, prayer, confession, and reconciliation. All the
great Advent stories, hymns, customs, and rituals point to those
practices as the best means of preparation.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en">Celebrating
Advent is a tradition at Covenant Church. We see that as a good
thing. We try to make the things we do to the glory of Christ.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en">Edith
Schaeffer spent her entire adult life cultivating community and
hospitality at L'Abri Fellowship in Huemoz, Switzerland. She
emphasized the importance of building traditions as an integral part
of family and community: </span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;">“<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>There
is something about saying, ‘We always do this,’ which helps keep
the years together. Time is such an elusive thing that if we keep on
meaning to do something interesting, but never do it, year would
follow year with no special thoughtfulness being expressed in making
gifts, surprises, charming table settings, and familiar, favorite
food. Tradition is a good gift intended to guard the best gifts.”</i>
Edith Schaeffer.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Inspired
by “The Whip of Advent” in <span style="color: #000044;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">Grantian
Florilegium, November 29, 2008)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
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<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
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</div>
<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</style>Len Hendrixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03083818585094033413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462087969656822792.post-87819602345042989692018-11-19T14:39:00.001-06:002019-01-26T23:03:24.565-06:00Covenant PCA – Who are we?<br />
<div align="CENTER" lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Covenant
Presbyterian PCA – Who are we?</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" lang="en" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Covenant
Presbyterian Church, PCA, is a congregation of the Presbyterian
Church in America. As a PCA church we are connected to all the
congregations in the PCA fellowship. We pool resources, meet
regularly to deliberate ministry issues, and we share the conviction
and commitment of all our sister congregations. Together we are:
<b>Faithful to the Scriptures, True to the Reformed Faith, and
Obedient to the Great Commission of Jesus Christ.</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" lang="en" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Our
Statement of Faith, shared by all PCA churches is the Westminster
Confession of Faith and Catechisms (WCF). These are the system of
doctrine set forth in the Bible. The Westminster Standards, as they
are sometimes called, state the teachings of the Bible in a
systematic manner. For more than four centuries, many churches have
used WCF as their doctrinal standard. The Confession is not
infallible nor authoritative nor inspired by God. Holy Scriptures
alone are described in those terms.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> For
our local Christian ministry in Tullahoma and the surrounding region,
we adopted 10 </span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en"><b>core
values </b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-weight: normal;">to
guide us as we seek to minister to the people in our reach. They are
agreeable with the Bible and our statement of faith and were
prayerfully adopted by us and for us.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Our
vision is to glorify God by establishing a healthy congregation in
Tullahoma in order to reach the diverse population moving to and
residing in Tullahoma and the surrounding communities.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Our
aim is to live as a community glorying in the cross of Christ in our
worship, fellowship, mercy, and outreach.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> We
are absolutely committed to the Bible as God’s infallible and
inerrant Word, the only source of knowledge concerning what we are to
believe and how we are to live.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> We
believe that prayer is fundamental, rather than supplemental.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> We
are confessional, connectional, Reformed, and evangelical.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Our
public worship is centered in God, gospel-proclaiming, creative,
affectionate, and balanced in attention to form and freedom.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> We
strive to strengthen families and promote a community where the
Gospel produces life-changing relationships within our church family.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> We
believe that there is one race of people - the human race - and that
all people are created in the image of God and that there is sanctity
in all human life.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> We
are convinced that there is no one that God by His Spirit and through
the gospel cannot change.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> We
are committed to the spread of the gospel through evangelism and the
multiplication of churches locally and abroad.</span></span></span></span></div>
<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</style>Len Hendrixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03083818585094033413noreply@blogger.com0