Well, This Is Embarrassing...

We figured we'd give you a chance to both help us out and to have some fun at our expense!

Check out this link for further info:

Embarrassing Moments!

The deadline for entry is April 1 which means whatever you do must be done before that deadline only giving you a few days to take advantage of this offer. Come up with your great ideas of how to embarrass us and put them into action! Have fun with this! :o)

Love,

Ed & Whit

Group Group This Sunday: Meeting changes and info...

Well, it's been a long time coming but... Group Group is finally here. That is to say, all of our small groups will be meeting together as a large group THIS SUNDAY.

Here's the specs:

Where: at VBCC in the Youth Lounge

When: 5:00 PM

What: Large Group Dinner and Worship Gathering

Who: You!

Mark needs some guys to help lug some tables upstairs to set things up for dinner at 4:30. Contact him if you can get there early to help.

Sarah is coordinating food and can use some volunteers to help supply food... the more the better. Contact her if you can help with bringing food for me... I mean, us to eat.

Looking forward to worshipping together with all of you.... and pass this info along to others just to make sure we've got the bases covered and as always encourage others to fellowship as well...

PS: Keep an ear out for a possible upcoming camping trip/retreat and musical trip to Winter Jam. Ryan's gonna help facilitate these events...

Super Bowl Party, Sign Up!

It's time for a reunion, and we thought Super Bowl Sunday would be a great time!

Details...

Who? Silina Small Group, Colonial Small Group, and anyone you want to bring with you!

When? Sunday, February 6th at 5pm
(Kick-off is at 6:30pm, but we'll start partying early!)

Where? The Montgomery's home off of Little Neck Road
912 Lois Circle. Virginia Beach, VA 23452
H 757.340.3132 or C 843.597.3271

Please comment on this post with what type of food you'll be bringing to share! Respond by next Sunday, the 30th, so we'll know what else to buy to make sure we have a full table of dinner and munchies for everyone. Donna has two ovens and a grill that will be available to anyone.

Packers or Steelers? Predictions? :)

See you then!

Ephesians 4 Part 1

On Sunday we looked at the first 16 verses of Ephesians 4 and had some good discussion around the unity of the body of Christ and building one another up towards Christlikeness. The format we followed in studying it was pretty loose and informal, so I don't have a helpful lesson plan or outline to post. However, I did want to jot down a few of the things that stood out to me during the preparation and discussion. Please add your comments if there are other things that you want to highlight.

• We are called to humility, gentleness and patience with one another to maintain unity and peace in body of Christ, but it is so easy to allow our pride to cause dissension between us, in a larger context (between denominations or believers of different styles) and within our own group.
• It is God's design that we are equipped by individuals in the church (apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers) that we might build up the individuals in the church towards Christlikeness. God chooses to mature us through our interaction with each other, despite the fact that we are all screw ups.
• "We are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ" If we are building one another up without pushing one another closer to Christ, then we are not accomplishing the work of the Church.

Mark Beers

Ephesians 3 Reflection Questions

Hey gang. Both our groups are going through Ephesians. This past Sunday, my group looked at Ephesians 3. I'm including the questions we started addressing in smaller groups for a continued look into the scriptures and our lives. Next week, my group will look at Ephesians 4. So, dive into the rest of the questions you weren't able to get to this Sunday and then go ahead and begin looking at Ephesians 4 as well this week. Have fun & live a life of love... loving God & loving others...

for His glory,

ed

Superheroes are popular for a number of reasons but a big part of it is that they are larger than life and the battles they face are larger than life. We are also drawn to their powers that aren’t normal “human” powers.

1. How is the dunamis power of Christ like a superpower? How does it make us in the church like superheroes?

2. The downside of the superhero image is that it is often an individualistic mindset. When you read Eph 3: 14-21 what picture does Paul paint? Is it highlighting individuals or a body/family/church? Who receives the ultimate glory?

3. Do verses like Eph 3: 10-11 make our existence, life purpose and journey, and our struggles seem “larger than life” and how so?

4. Paul prayed for the Ephesians in 3: 14-19. Look at his use of “I” and “you.” How often do you pray for others? When you do pray for others, what do you ask for in prayer? How might this and the other prayers we see Paul pray in Ephesians (& the other epistles) encourage us to pray for others?

5. Paul also prays in Eph 3: 20-21. How is this different than vs. 14-19? How is it connected to vs. 14-19? How should this permeate all of our prayers?

6. In Eph 3: 21, what are the 2 places God is said to reveal His glory?

7. Give one or two ways that God’s glory is shown in Jesus Christ.

8. Give one or two ways that God’s glory is shown in the church.

9. Why do you think God mentions these two ways to reveal His glory and not creation for the scriptures clearly state that creation also reveals the glory of God?

10. Looking at the reason that Paul was in prison and the systems & worldviews the Jews were being asked to drop in the face of Christ, are there any “systems” or “worldviews” or “practices” in your life that when faced with the gospel Christ is asking you to drop and to receive Him, His grace, and freedom in a fuller, deeper way?

11. We might think that if Jesus was with us wherever we went that our whole life would be so much better? Why? How would He impact those around you? These verses teach us that the Lord wants to live out His life through our lives. Think one specific place you would like to see more of Jesus’ power lived out in your life for the sake of others. Pray this through.

12. We are to live for God’s praise. Write down the major things you are doing in your life through the day. Are you doing these things for God’s glory? How can you more clearly do these things for His glory.

Philemon - Introduction

I'm going to try to post a synopsis of each week's Bible discussion, and I'm going back to the middle of Aug here to start from the beginning of our Philemon study.  If you'll remember, the first week (Aug 15) we basically just had the kids act out the basic story line of Philemon:

-  Paul plants church in Colossae

-  Philemon, a wealthy man, comes to faith and becomes a part of the Colossian church

-  Paul leaves to plant more churches, eventually is imprisoned in Rome.

-  Onesimus is one of Philemon's slaves.

-  Onesimus runs away (after apparently stealing from Philemon, his master) and seeks asylum in Rome.

-  Onesimus meets Paul and comes to faith in Jesus. 

-  Paul sends Onesimus back to Philemon, along with a letter, declaring Philemon free to do whatever he will with Onesimus but imploring him to send the slave back to Rome to be Paul's aid.

Also, I love this quote from John Darby on the book of Philemon:

It is a fine picture of the way in which the tenderness and the strength of the love of God, working in the heart, occupies itself with every detail wherein that love might be wounded, or that might be an occasion for its growth and manifestation. In this point of view the epistle is as important as beautiful; for this development of tender and delicate consideration in the midst of the apostle¹s gigantic labours, and of the immense truths that formed the basis of relationship between all creatures and God in Christ, gives a very peculiar character to Christianity and shews its divine nature; since He who reveals the most profound truths, and puts them in their right place in the circle of divine thought, does so as speaking of a known thing, as communicating His own thoughts; and can (being the Spirit of the God of love) fill the heart with considerations which love only can suggest, with a dignity which manifests their source, and with a delicacy of application which shews that, whatever be the grandeur of His thoughts, He is at liberty to consider everything.