We have our annual five15 Memorial Day Cookout on Saturday! Here are the details:

• WHEN: Saturday, starting at 5:00pm
• WHERE: Sovereign Grace Church
• WHO: students who are rising into 7th-12th grade next year and their parents.

For current five15 students, please be on the lookout for next year’s 7th graders. This is their first five15 event, and I want us to welcome them warmly to five15.

Of course, bring your soccer ball, volleyball, frisbee, skateboard, etc.

Categories: Announcements, Events
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For those of you who have seen Prince Caspian, what did you think?

Categories: Events
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I am always on the lookout for simple, concise, one-sentence definitions of the gospel. I think it is important to be able to explain the gospel in a clear, simple way. Of course, the best are in Scripture:

“…Christ died for our sins…” (1 Corinthians 15:3)

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance, he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3:23-26)

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this faith in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” (Romans 5:1-2)

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

“For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6)

I think my favorite definition outside Scripture is this one:

The Gospel is “the good news of salvation for hell-deserving sinners through the person and work of Jesus Christ.” Milton Vincent, The Gospel Primer.

Closer to home:

“God pardons & accepts me, a believing sinner, because Christ took my place.” Mark Mullery

Here’s a new one for my collection, that I got from pastor-blogger Thabiti Anyabwile:

“Jesus Christ, the Son of God crucified, is the Wisdom of God, by which the love of God can save sinners from the wrath of God, and all the while uphold and demonstrate the righteousness of God.” John Piper, “Conversion to Christ: The Making of a Christian Hedonist,” Matthew 13:44-46.

What about you? Got a favorite I should add to my collection?

Categories: five15 blog
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If you haven’t bought your tickets for Prince Caspian yet, it isn’t too late to do so. (7pm at Fairfax Corner). You can get them in advance online. Or you may be able to buy them at the theater if they don’t sell out.

Parents, you might be interested in reviews by Plugged In Online and Boundless’ Ted Slater. If you are bringing younger siblings, please especially note the cautions about the level of violence in Prince Caspian.

Categories: Events
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I announced Saturday night that we are hosting a two day Drama Camp on July 1-2. This camp is open to all rising 7th through 12th graders, and is intended to provide an opportunity to cultivate your dramatic gifts. How will these gifts be used in the life of our church? Not sure yet, but come to the camp and find out what some of the possibilities may be.

The Drama Camp will be led by Cathy Mays, who has been the mastermind behind the dramatic productions that Covenant Life Church has done. She’ll bring he daughter, Janice, who is an accomplished thespian.

Here is the relevant info:

• WHO: Rising 7th-12th graders (if space becomes an issue, preference will be given to high school students; parents welcome to come watch). 30 students maximum.
• WHEN: July 1-2, 10am-5pm
• WHERE: Basement auditorium
• COST: $30.
• REGISTER: Online: http://www.sovgracefairfax.org/event-registration.
• EATS: Brown bag your lunch.
• QUESTIONS: Ask Mrs. Weaver. Or leave a question in the comments below and Mrs. Weaver or Mrs. Thorson will answer your question.

Categories: Announcements, Events
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Parents (and especially fathers of daughters):

Want to make sure you see Tony Reinke’s post on the Sovereign Grace blog about worldliness. First, an announcement that CJ’s next book is coming soon. Worldliness is a collaboration with Dave Harvey, Bob Kauflin, Jeff Purswell, and Craig Cabaniss. Topics include worldliness, music, media, stuff, modesty, and more. I got to read an advance manuscript and Dads, this is going to be an outstanding discipleship tool, and even though it won’t hit shelves until September, you can pre-order it for 35% off. Go to the Crossway website, click preorder, and use coupon code ‘8SG1′.

Dads of daughters, here is the part for you. CJ recently posted 7 excerpts from the chapter on modesty. As the weather grows warmer, let me encourage you to have your wife use this material with your daughter to review the importance of modesty. Here’s an index of the posts:

• Modesty: God, My Heart, and Clothes (pt. 1)
• Modesty: The Attitude of the Modest Woman (pt. 2)
• Modesty: The Appearance of the Modest Woman (pt. 3)
• Modesty: A Pastor’s Concern (pt. 4)
• Modesty: A Word to Fathers (pt. 5)
• Modesty: The Right Adornment (pt. 6)
• Modesty: The Modest Woman’s Allegiance (pt. 7)

There are also outstanding discussion questions listed, and available as a PDF download:

Modesty Discussion Questions

For Your Mind

1) Read 1 Timothy 2:3–10. What do these verses say about the motivation for modest dress?

2) How do we know that 1 Timothy 2:9 does not prohibit women from making themselves beautiful?

3) How do women who dress modestly serve men?

For Your Heart

4) Who are you trying to imitate or identify with through your appearance—godly women, or women of the world?

5) This chapter notes that your wardrobe is a public statement of your personal and private motivation. What does your clothing communicate about your motivations and priorities?

6) Think of a woman who is admired for her godly character and good works. What aspects of her godliness do you particularly want to emulate?

For Your Life

7) What about your wardrobe may need to change so that your appearance can better reflect the transforming power of the gospel?

8. What steps can you take on your next shopping trip to ensure that your clothing purchases reflect humility, modesty, and self-control? (Some ideas: Pray for God’s help and provision in finding modest clothing; check each article of clothing you try on for modesty as well as fit; ask your father, husband, or a trusted friend to evaluate items you’re not sure about.)

9) Mothers, what steps can you take to train your daughters to value godliness over fashion, to nurture humility and self-control, and to wear clothing that reflects these virtues? Fathers, what steps can you take to care for and lead your daughters in humility, self-control, and modesty?

Categories: Discussion Questions, Thursday Thoughts For Parents
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Categories: five15 blog
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“Do Hard Things” is more than just good advice.

Alex and Brett Harris (twin younger brothers of Covenant Life Church Senior Pastor Josh Harris), have turned this simple slogan into a book, a blog, a conference, and a way of life for a generation of young people.

Branding themselves and their hard-thing-doing cohorts “The Rebelution”, the Harris brothers are fomenting “a teenage rebellion against low expectations.” That’s from the cover of their book. Here is what they mean by that:

Do Hard Things “is a challenging book for teens by teens who believe our generation is ready for a change. Ready for something that doesn’t promise a whole new life if you’ll just buy the right pair of jeans or use the right kind of deodorant. We believe our generation is ready to rethink what teens are capable of doing and becoming.” (p. 4)

What these guys are calling for is Biblical, commendable, and completely counter-cultural. We need to join them. I’ve read Do Hard Things, and though I’m definitely not a teenager, I was provoked and inspired to do hard things for the glory of Christ and the good of others. They’ve received highly favorable reviews by everyone from World Magazine to Dr. Al Mohler. I want to tell you about two opportunities we have to learn to Do Hard Things.

DO HARD THINGS — BOOK CLUB

New this summer: rather than simply issue a Summer Reading Challenge as I’ve done for the past several years, I want to invite the students (and parents) of five15 to a weekly book club. The idea here is not just to read the book, but to discuss it and put it into practice.

Details:

• What: Do Hard Things Book Club
• Who: students and parents of five15
• Where: Room 204
• When: Sunday mornings, 8:30am. BYOC/D/B&CC*.
• Reading Schedule:
  

  

DO HARD THINGS — CONFERENCE

The Harris boys are taking their show on the road and they are coming to Covenant Life in Gaithersburg. This is one of our summer events.

• What: Do Hard Things Conference
• Who: five15 Students and parents
• Where: Covenant Life Church, Gaithersburg, MD
• When: Saturday, July 26, 9am-5pm
• How much: Register early to save money! Before May 31, $25 for teens, $15 for adults; then $30/$20 until July 19th, then $35/$25 until July 26th.
• How to get registered: register here.

Categories: Announcements, Events, Summer Reading '08
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Register today! 

Categories: Retreat08
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I’m sure you’ve heard Muzak before. But I doubt you’ve ever listened to it.

Muzak is the company that churns out that cheesy department store and elevator music. Generally speaking, Muzak means songs from the 80s and 90s, played on a lame synthesizer, with no words. It immediately becomes part of the bland background of a shopping experience, the aural version of gray floor tiles and fluorescent lights. If you notice Muzak at all, it is because some melody is vaguely familiar. After briefly locating the melody your attention quickly returns to the topic at hand. Muzak is not captivating, it is not moving, it is not life-changing.

Has the gospel turned into Muzak for you?

This thought occurred to me as we sung “O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing” on Sunday:

Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
that bids our sorrows cease;
’tis music in the sinner’s ears,
’tis life and health and peace.

He breaks the power of cancelled sin,
he sets the prisoner free:
his blood can make the foulest clean;
his blood availed for me.

But what if the gospel isn’t music to you? What if the name of Jesus—who He is and what He’s done—has turned into Muzak? You know this has happened if, like Muzak, you hear it, but don’t really listen to it. That’s a problem.

John Piper explains how to transform Muzak into the music of true worship:

“There are always two parts to true worship. There is seeing God and there is savoring God. You can’t separate these. You must see him to savor him. And if you don’t savor him when you see him, you insult him. In true worship, there is always understanding with the mind and there is always feeling in the heart. Understanding must always be the foundation of feeling, or all we have is baseless emotionalism. But understanding of God that doesn’t give rise to feeling for God becomes mere intellectualism and deadness. This is why the Bible continually calls us to think and consider and meditate, on the one hand, and to rejoice and fear and mourn and delight and hope and be glad, on the other hand. Both are essential for worship.” John Piper, The Supremacy of God in Preaching, 10.

Categories: five15 blog
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