HomeFront Resources: Bible Reading Plans
On behalf of HomeFront, a family life community here at RBC, here are several resources to help you get off on the right foot this year with your plans for reading the Bible. There are so many different options to help you read just certain sections, certain themes, or the whole Bible this year. There is no excuse–make the Bible a part of your daily routine!
Online Reading Plans
If you’re wanting to go paperless, a Bible reading app is an excellent way to do it. Here are several options.
- YouVersion: With tens of millions of users, the YouVersion app offers lots of great reading plans from nearly all major publishers. Check out the complete list of reading plans! You can either use these on your computer, or carry it with you on any smartphone.
- Glo Bible: Many laptop/tablet users prefer the interface and tools built into Glo. Note that there is a nominal charge if you want to use all of the features. Several reading plans are offered: you can learn more here.
- Journeys from American Bible Society: These are shorter, topic-driven reading plans that can really help you get into the habit. You can even make your own journey and share it with friends, your Shepherd Group, or others.
- 23 Bible Reading Plans: Excellent roundup in this blog post.
Printed Reading Plans
Print these out or keep them handy on your computer. These offer a guided plan for reading through part (or all) of the Bible this year. It’s a great idea to go through a plan with your kids if they are old enough–never too early to get them into the habit!
For you HomeFront attendees, don’t forget to discuss this week’s HomeFront homework: Discuss how you are going to make the Lord your #1 Priority in 2015. Don’t attend HomeFront? We meet at 9am Sundays in the Youth Building – drop by anytime!
We hope these resources are a blessing to you. Make 2015 the year that you really grow in your daily Bible study!
– Brad Hill on behalf of The HomeFront Team
Sunday Rewind | 1.4.2015
MUSIC & SCRIPTURE
Your Love Never Fails (Romans 8:28) – Your Love Never Fails by Jesus Culture
In Your Presence (Deuteronomy 31:6) – Nothing Is Wasted by Elevation Worship
10,000 Reasons (Psalm 103:1) – Unrelenting Love by Nick Thurmond
Lord of All (Psalm 97:5-6) – Attention by Kristian Stanfill
TEACHING: Fearfully & Wonderfully Made
Psalm 139 is an intensely personal letter for you that captures the deep redemptive theme of the Scriptures.
CLICK HERE FOR THE SERMON AUDIO
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS
- What is one thing in this message that particularly encouraged or challenged you?
- What do you think God thinks of you? Does this line up with what you find in scripture?
- Read and discuss Psalm 139. What major themes stand out to you?
- What do you note about being known in this chapter? Do you find it unnerving that God knows you so completely?
- What is “redemption”? What comes to mind when you think of this word? What does Psalm 139 tell us about redemption?
- What do you think God has purposed for your life? How does the gospel of Jesus Christ inform our identity and our purpose? Do you feel like you are fulfilling this purpose? What steps could you take to greater fulfillment of this purpose?
- What areas of unbelief do you struggle with in your walk with Christ? How does the grace of the gospel address those struggles?
- Using Psalm 139 as your foundation, spend some time thanking God that He knows you. Ask that He would use His Word to reveal His purposes for your life. Pray that He would uncover any areas of shame and unbelief and cover them in the grace of the gospel.
Take 5: The Pastor as Counselor, Part 5
When we find confidence in anything but the gospel, we’ll rely on that thing. This is at the root of most counseling situations. Lead your people back to the foundation of the gospel.
Take 5 is a series of videos for pastors & teachers of God’s Word. Mike Minter, teaching pastor and founder of Reston Bible Church, shares practical wisdom from over 40 years of ministry experience.
For more Take 5 videos, visit vimeo.com/channels/minter or subscribe via RSS here: blog.restonbible.org/category/resources/take-5/feed/
To suggest a topic for Pastor Mike to cover, send an email to questions@restonbible.org.
Take 5: The Pastor as Counselor, Part 4
Here are some basic counseling tips meant to help you guide people to the ultimate solution – the gospel.
Take 5 is a series of videos for pastors & teachers of God’s Word. Mike Minter, teaching pastor and founder of Reston Bible Church, shares practical wisdom from over 40 years of ministry experience.
For more Take 5 videos, visit vimeo.com/channels/minter or subscribe via RSS here: blog.restonbible.org/category/resources/take-5/feed/
To suggest a topic for Pastor Mike to cover, send an email to questions@restonbible.org.
Take 5: The Pastor as Counselor, Part 3
Hope is the road that leads to reconciliation and restoration.
Take 5 is a series of videos for pastors & teachers of God’s Word. Mike Minter, teaching pastor and founder of Reston Bible Church, shares practical wisdom from over 40 years of ministry experience.
For more Take 5 videos, visit vimeo.com/channels/minter or subscribe via RSS here: blog.restonbible.org/category/resources/take-5/feed/
To suggest a topic for Pastor Mike to cover, send an email to questions@restonbible.org.
TRAIL GUIDE: The Purpose of Strengths
The “Trail Guide” devotional is used by our adult leaders of grade school groups in Quest as a way to prepare their hearts and minds for the topics we will be covering with the children on the weekend. We have made them available here to help our parents of grade-schoolers engage with their children around the topics we are discussing and also for anyone else that might be blessed by following along.
EXTREME MAKEOVER, Section 4, Lesson 3: The Purpose of Strengths
Remembering back to our first lesson on strength we said that, “First, He is the fountainhead of our strength. Second, He stands ready to renew our strength if we will seek Him, trust Him, and wait on Him. Third, God gives us strength not for our own selfish interests or nonsense but to glorify Him and do the good works of the Kingdom that He has prepared in advance for us to walk in.”
Let’s talk this week about that last point. The Bible teaches that as followers of Christ we have been given the right to be called “children” of God. It goes on to teach us to imitate God, “as dearly loved children.” In what ways can we imitate God? The Living God is in His essence a savior and defender. Psalm 68 says He is a “Father to the fatherless and defender of widows.”
Psalm 34 tells us that He is “close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Psalm 82 extends these duties to us. “Stand up for those who are weak and for those whose fathers have died. See to it that those who are poor and those who are beaten down are treated fairly. Save the weak and those who are in need.”
Do not make the mistake of thinking that this only applies to physical oppression either. Jesus says of himself (and by extension his followers), “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free.”
The Spirit of the Lord is upon all of His children now and in His strength we are to be imitators of our Heavenly Father. The fact that Jesus immediately moved from loving God to loving our neighbor isn’t coincidence. This makeover isn’t to be kept to ourselves. God saved us, but left us in the world for a reason. We are being made over for a purpose! Let’s get to it!
“The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.” -Psalm 28:7a
MEDITATING ON THE WORD:
Heb 13:16 | Phil 2:4 | Lk 6:38 | 1 Jn 3:17
Gal 6:2 | Rom 15:1 | Eph. 2:10
Take 5: The Pastor as Counselor, Part 2
Practical assignments outside of a counseling session helps move hurting people to a path of hope.
Take 5 is a series of videos for pastors & teachers of God’s Word. Mike Minter, teaching pastor and founder of Reston Bible Church, shares practical wisdom from over 40 years of ministry experience.
For more Take 5 videos, visit vimeo.com/channels/minter or subscribe via RSS here: blog.restonbible.org/category/resources/take-5/feed/
To suggest a topic for Pastor Mike to cover, send an email to questions@restonbible.org.
Take 5: The Pastor as Counselor, Part 1
It’s often the things that aren’t said that are the real issues you need to go after in counseling situations. Good questions help unearth hidden issues.
Take 5 is a series of videos for pastors & teachers of God’s Word. Mike Minter, teaching pastor and founder of Reston Bible Church, shares practical wisdom from over 40 years of ministry experience.
For more Take 5 videos, visit vimeo.com/channels/minter or subscribe via RSS here: blog.restonbible.org/category/resources/take-5/feed/
To suggest a topic for Pastor Mike to cover, send an email to questions@restonbible.org.
Take 5: Pulpit Demeanor, Part 3
Your people need to know that you have their best interests in mind, even when you say hard things.
Take 5 is a series of videos for pastors & teachers of God’s Word. Mike Minter, teaching pastor and founder of Reston Bible Church, shares practical wisdom from over 40 years of ministry experience.
For more Take 5 videos, visit vimeo.com/channels/minter or subscribe via RSS here: blog.restonbible.org/category/resources/take-5/feed/
To suggest a topic for Pastor Mike to cover, send an email to questions@restonbible.org.
Annual Report 2014
Our 2014 annual report is now available here online or in print at the RBC welcome desk.
Our Annual Report is designed to provide you with a big-picture overview of what God has been doing in and through Reston Bible Church over the course of 2014.
Scripture tells us in Ephesians 3:20 that Jesus is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine, and we continue to see the truth of this in the life of our church. As we pursue our mission, vision and passion of knowing Christ and making Him known, God has been faithful to provide growth and momentum in many areas of church life here at RBC.
As with each year, this report is not a compilation of our accomplishments, but those of our great and glorious God.
In Psalm 77, the author, Asaph, is struggling with discouragement and feels disconnected from the Lord. A turning point comes in the middle of the Psalm, where he says, “I will remember the deeds of the LORD… I will ponder all Your work and meditate on your mighty deeds.” The result is worship as he then acknowledges the holiness and greatness of “the God who works wonders.”
It is a joy to look back and remember the great things God has done, and the Annual Report allows us an opportunity to do that in the context of our church.
May this year-in-review booklet be an encouragement to deeper worship and more profound trust as we look back and are reminded of the many wonders God has done among us for the glory of His name.