There were perhaps 3,000 in attendance for this Saturday afternoon service. Mark Harris, a multi Dove award winner with the group 4Him and also a Grammy nominee, led their 4 song opening worship set in front of a group of 12 other musicians from their incredible stage at their huge and modern purpose built facility.
As is often the case, my nemesis, penal substitutionary atonement, made an early entrance, both in the words of John Spurling who officiated during the mid songs break for communion and in a song written by Cody Carnes, Final Word. That song has a line, "He traded death for life", when in fact He was incarnated for atonement, that we could be in unity with Him, and He in us, since He has shared in our lives in all ways, including suffering and dying the most horrible death.
Pastor Robert Morris appeared briefly on video from an Inaugural Ball in the DC area, as yesterday Donald Trump was sworn in as President. In his place, his son, Campus Pastor Josh Morris took his place, delivering the final sermon in their Created to Be series, which was marketed not only in print but by large "Be" statue type things outside the entrance doors.
I'm not sure who wrote it but the sermon was great and the delivery exceptional. Josh seems at least the equal of his dad at delivering a sermon. One point made was that repent means to change our mind. I wonder if he said what I heard, which is very literally to change our mind from our born with mind of sin and death to the mind of Christ, which we get when we are truly born from above into Him.
The three sermon points were ways to partner with God by Prayer, Giving, and Serving. All accurate points and some great illustrations, one from a favorite of mine, NT Wright.
There were two very interesting side notes. Pastor Josh explained, with a bit of a disclaimer, that the word eternal in the Bible really means ages and ages, something that my friends in the Ultimate Restoration camp have long advocated. And he mentioned that "Jesus says no one is good, but God", which occurred to me is a New Testament verse in support of the 8th day formation of Adam and Eve, which puts them outside of God's 7th day proclamation that all created before that day was very good.
If there was any error in the sermon, it was a reference to the holiest prayer of Israel, the Shema. Twice Pastor Josh said it "was" rather than it is, as it is still the key prayer in even Messianic worship, which itself is held under Pastor Greg Stone at Gateway Church, I have attended many times in the past, that is a first Friday of the month event.
Not being a single parent so unaware, I positively loved and was about brought to tears when Pastor Josh described how the single parent Christmas party gift giving is done. While the parents are out shopping with their church provided gift cards, the children are at the church selecting gifts for their parents. This sort of innovative ministry keeps my heart warm for the modern megachurch.
I wish the serving portion of the sermon had included more about ways we can serve one another that don't necessarily go through the apparatus of the volunteer ministries of Gateway Church. It began to sound too much like a sales job.
Overall though, Gateway Church is as solid a favorite as any church believing in penal substitutionary atonement can be. I don't know who, possibly several or many, in the church is operating with the true power of God, but it is apparent to me by their incredible growth and ability to stick to what's important even as they grow, that God's hand is steady on this church.
No comments:
Post a Comment