Brief Course on Serving
Spring 2013

Purpose of Course

The general purpose of this course is to strengthen and build up the church body. The more we collectively know about God's desire for the church, the stronger our church will become. We want to search out and understand what God has to say about biblical serving to all of us. In this sense, this course is for everyone.

A specific purpose of this course is to begin equipping potential deacons: men who, under the direction and oversight of the elders, seek to attend to the ministry needs of our local church; this valuable service enables the elders to devote themselves "to prayer and to the teaching of the word" (Acts 6:4). To that end, this course is a requirement for those who would be willing, and called, to serve in the role of deacon, whether in the near or further future.

Specifics of the Course

- Schedule: Three Tuesday evenings, from 7-9pm; May 21, June 4, and June 18

- Text: The New Testament Deacon: the Church's Ministers of Mercy, by Alexandar Strauch (other articles deemed helpful will be provided as well)

- Registration: CLICK HERE

Online giving is now available! Grace is funded by the generous financial giving of those who call it their local church home and other supporters who have partnered with us. Your gifts help further the work of the advance of gospel in the Lorton - Northern Virginia area and beyond. Safe, secure, and easy online giving is one of many ways that you can worship through your giving.

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This past Sunday, we had the great joy of witnessing two baptisms! Baptism is God's grace on display.

Romans 6:3-5: "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his."

In these verses, the Apostle Paul is saying that God the Father considers the believer's unity with Christ to be from the time of His death and resurrection and credits the believer with their benefits. Simply put, God considers what happened to Jesus to have happened to you, if you've placed your faith in Christ alone.

When you believed, you were united with Christ by faith, and you now share in the accrual of His work. In His love, He assumes the debt of all your sin against God and pays what is due. But He also allows you to share in His wealth – acceptance by God and eternal life. The value and accomplishments of what Jesus did two thousand years ago became yours now and forever when the Spirit of God wed you to Christ.

Water baptism symbolizes this unity. It is an external expression of faith of what happened to you internally by the Holy Spirit - that you have been placed into Christ, united to Him spiritually. Receiving baptism with water expresses your belief that you have received the baptism by the Spirit into Christ. Baptism is the sign of the eternal union with Jesus Christ that was established at the moment God saved you.

Have you been baptised? If you're interested in being baptised, please contact the church office at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  or call 703-339-7292

Round up your family, grab your favorite dish and bring them to the ROUND UP, on Sunday May 19th, for our annual "All Church" Picnic at the church grounds at 11:30 am (note, there will only be one service this morning at 9:00am).

Join us so join us for food, fellowship and fun! To help with the picnic or for more information, please contact the church office at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  (subject line: church picnic) or give us a call at 703-339-7292.

Philippians 1:12-18a —  The Advance of the Gospel is Unstoppable

Paul, one of the most prominent Apostle's, is imprisoned and could be put to death. Will this new budding Christian faith come to an end? Will the gospel's advance be thwarted? It's these types of questions that the Philippians could have at hearing the news of prominent Apostle's imprisonment; and, because of this, Paul writes to these dear young saints to alleviate any possible anxiety and to assure them that the gospel's advance cannot be thwarted. Paul knows that the gospel's advance is not dependent upon circumstances or man, but on the providential will of God¹. The providence of God is one of the underlying doctrines that Paul is trying to teach in connection to the gospel's unstoppable advance. The main point of these verses can be simply stated: the advance of the gospel is unstoppable!

The Passage

CIRCUMSTANCES CANNOT THWART THE GOSPEL'S ADVANCE

It's with the start of verse 12 that we begin to read more about Paul's current circumstance, "I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel...." Can you imagine what it would have been, at that time, to have heard news that one of the early key figures in Christianity had been imprisoned (most likely in Rome) but not only that, he would most likely face being executed? As you can imagine, this could, and in some instances would, be very alarming to a young believer. Paul anticipates this type of reaction and wants to encourage these dear young saint's that circumstances cannot impede God's plan of advancing His gospel. Amazing! Quite the contrary to man's expectation, Paul says that God used his horrible circumstance to really advance the gospel! This is the point of verses 12-14.

Paul provides two results of how God used his circumstance to advance the gospel in these verses. This first result is found in verse 13, "so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ." Paul says that God used his imprisonment to advance the gospel outside the Christian community, throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest. This detail is significant, as the imperial guard would have numbered close to nine thousand when it was up to full strength. Paul doesn't necessarily mean that each one of the people would have come to saving faith but it does mean that the full imperial guard heard the Gospel of Christ. The second result of how God used Paul's circumstances to advance the Gospel is found in verse 14: "And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear." God also used Paul's imprisonment to advance the Gospel inside the Christian community. It was used to embolden fearful Christians ("brothers") "to speak the word without fear".

The advance of the gospel is unstoppable! Circumstances cannot thwart its advance. Because of God's providence, He will use all circumstances to advance the gospel. What encouraging news!

MAN CANNOT THWART THE GOSPEL'S ADVANCE

The advance of the gospel is unstoppable. Neither circumstances nor man can thwart God's providential will in advancing His gospel. This brings us to the second half of our passage, Phil.1:15-18a, and the point that Paul wants to get across here is that man cannot thwart the gospel's advance.

There are two types of Gospel-preachers that Paul is describing in these verses and one response regarding both of them. The first are described as preachers who preach from a motive of "selfish ambition" that produces "envy and rivalry." Note well that they are not described as false teachers, preaching another Gospel. The speculation from most Bible Scholars is that their "selfish ambition" or "pretense" (v.18) came from a desire to shame or "afflict" Paul because of his terrible situation of incarceration, and to thereby boast in themselves as being superior to him, because they were not in prison. The second group of Gospel-preachers that are mentioned preach the Gospel from a heart of love, that flows out in "good will." Paul's response to both groups – "Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice!" Paul's concern is not for his own reputation but in the gospel's advance. He's not swayed a bit to think that man can thwart God's providential will in this. If man has good or bad motivations for preaching the gospel, if the gospel is being preached, Paul is rejoicing because God's plan is moving forward!

The advance of the gospel is unstoppable! Man cannot thwart the gospel's advance. Because of God's providence, He will use people, regardless of their motivation, to advance His glorious gospel. What great news!

Paul knew that at word of his imprisonment and potential death that these young Christians in Philippi could and would be fearful that the gospel's advance would be hindered. So Paul writes to encourage them that in fact his imprisonment has not hindered the gospel's advance, just the opposite; because of God providentially willing it so, neither circumstances nor man can thwart the gospel's advance.