The Treehouse
Clearly you live in Northern Virginia when you can find a treehouse inside a building. This is your chance to take a peek inside… INSIDE Reston Bible Church’s Children’s Ministry Treehouse!
What it is …
The Treehouse is a special service time for children of all ages (toddlers through 5th graders) whose parents stay during an additional Sunday morning service to either attend an ABF (Adult Bible Fellowship) or to volunteer. It’s not always engaging for the little guys to be involved in their QUEST class twice, and so we offer The Treehouse during the 9:30am service as an alternative for the children who participate in QUEST and stay through the additional time.
What it is … NOT.
Although there is a time of teaching and relaxed activities, the Treehouse is not intended to be an alternative to QUEST, but rather an extension of the biblical base gained in the QUEST classrooms. If you spend one block of time on Sunday mornings attending a worship serve and another block volunteering or attending an ABF – and have children – The Treehouse is an awesome opportunity for your kids.
BUT WAIT, there’s more! This fall, the Treehouse’s older attenders (1st-5th graders) will be introduced to a new face that brings the focus more deliberately towards a missions-minded morning.
The Treehouse meets all year at the 9:30am service time, upstairs in Room 238. For further inquiry, find Hannah at the QUEST Desk on Sundays or drop me an email.
Sunday Rewind | 9.16.2012
MUSIC & SCRIPTURE
All Because of Jesus (Romans 8:10) – Burn For You by Steve Fee
Blessed Be Your Name (Job 1:21) – Blessed Be Your Name: The Songs of Matt Redman by Matt Redman
Lord of All (Psalm 97:5-6) – Attention by Kristian Stanfill
God, You Lifted Me Out (Psalm 30:1-2) – For The Honor by Elevation Worship
TEACHING: Runaway Bride – The Mystery of Christ & His Church
It is common today to separate Christ from his church – people want Jesus, but not church involvement. Yet, God has ordained that the church play a major role in His great work of redemption. Jason VanDorsten teaches from Ephesians 5, which presents the church as Jesus’ bride and conveys with great strength and promise the deep, abiding love God has for those who are His in Christ.
CLICK HERE FOR THE AUDIO AND VIDEO
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- What comes to mind when you think of the word “church”? What have your experiences with church been like?
- What are the distinctions between the “little C” church and the “big C” Church? How are they different? How are they linked?
- Read Ephesians 5:21-33. What might this tell you about the nature of man? What does it tell you about Jesus Christ?
- What do these verses tell you about Jesus’ relationship with his people, the church?
- It what ways does the analogy of “church as bride” resonate with you? Where do you have trouble grasping the analogy?
- Does your interaction and involvement with the local church reflect the care, encouragement and protection due a bride? In what ways could you grow in loving the church as the bride of Christ?
- Spend some time praying for RBC and other local churches in our area and around the world.
Sunday Rewind | 9.9.2012
MUSIC
Exalted One (Psalm 121:1-2) – For The Honor by Elevation Worship
Beautiful Jesus (Romans 1:20) – Attention by Kristian Stanfill
With Us (Psalm 46:10-11a) – God Is Able by Hillsong
I Have Decided To Follow Jesus (Matthew 8:18-19) – Original Arrangement
Jesus Paid It All (Colossians 2:13-14) – North Point Live by Kristian Stanfill (North Point)
TEACHING: Son Burn
In Luke 24, the risen Jesus walked with two disciples and “explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” Their response – “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” May we, too, know what it is to have burning hearts for the Son of God from the Word of God.
CLICK HERE FOR THE AUDIO AND VIDEO
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- Read Luke 24:13-35. What might this tell you about the nature of man? What does it tell you about Jesus Christ?
- Can you think of examples of people in the Bible who had “Son burn”?
- In what ways do we tend to apply “Son block” and shy away from the Word of God? How can we keep ourselves from falling into such excuses?
- The Scriptures refer to itself under a variety of analogies (lamp, hammer, water, sword, light, milk, meat, etc.) What others can you think of? What particular analogy do you resonate with in regards to Scripture?
- What is your particular area of “Son burn”? What topics in Scripture do you find yourself particularly passionate about?
- Would you categorize this season of your life as “on fire” for Kingdom of God? Why or why not? Spend some time in prayer for yourself and for those around you, that your hearts would “burn within” for Jesus.
Sunday Rewind | 9.2.2012
MUSIC
God Is Able (Ephesians 3:20-21) – God Is Able by Hillsong
Hosanna (2 Corinthians 4:18) – Saviour King by Hillsong
Unending Love (Romans 8:39) – God Is Able by Hillsong
In Christ Alone (Philippians 3:7-8a) – Original Arrangement
The Solid Rock (Psalm 18:2) – Original Arrangement
TEACHING: Foundation of Hope
In Romans 15, Paul prays that God’s people would “abound in hope.” What does that hope look like, and how can Christians find it in times of joy or times of trial? RBC’s Executive Pastor Ed Nalle teaches on the eternal hope of Christ Jesus.
CLICK HERE FOR THE AUDIO AND VIDEO
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- How would you define “hope”? Does that definition fit your life?
- How can our foundation of hope help to create unity among the church?
- Read Psalm 27 and look for the various expressions of hope that David uses. Where else in Scripture is this kind of hope revealed?
- Take a moment to praise God for the blessings of fulfilled hope from this week or for His great gift of salvation.
Sunday Rewind | 8.26.12
MUSIC
O Worship the King (Psalm 145:9-10) – Hymns Ancient & Modern by Chris Tomlin (Passion)
How Great Thou Art (Psalm 145:3) – Hymns Ancient & Modern by Charlie Hall (Passion)
Your Love Never Fails (Romans 8:28) – Your Love Never Fails by Jesus Culture
Come Thou Fount (Psalm 16:11) – Original Arrangement
How Deep the Father’s Love for Us (Galatians 6:14) – Mission:Worship by Stuart Townend
TEACHING: Do Not Be Ashamed
Paul exhorted his protege Timothy to trust in the Lord enough to boldly and confidently proclaim the Gospel. As Christians, we must also not be ashamed to stand firmly on the truth.
CLICK HERE FOR THE AUDIO AND VIDEO
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- How would you define “trust”?
- What kind of fears prevent you from sharing your faith with others or living a Christ-centered life?
- Do you have any “Pauls” in your life to encourage your Christian walk? Do you have any “Timothys”?
- Read and discuss 2 Timothy 4, which represents the last words of Paul recorded in Scripture. How do you think Paul’s “unashamed” ministry affected his legacy to Timothy, and to believers through the ages? What kind of legacy do you hope to leave?
Sunday Rewind | 8.19.12
As a way of bringing weekend worship services into your week, we’re introducing Sunday Rewind. These short blog posts will include the worship selections with scripture references and artist/album information from the past Sunday. In addition, we’ll include links to the teaching audio/video as well some questions from the sermon geared toward small group discussion or personal reflection.
MUSIC
Glorious (Psalm 111:2-3) – Everything Glorious by Chris Tomlin (Passion)
Majesty (Isaiah 53:5-6) – Majesty: The Worship EP by Leeland
With Us (Psalm 46:10-11a) – God Is Able by Hillsong
Unending Love (Romans 8:38-39) – God Is Able by Hillsong
How Great Is Your Faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23) – We Shall Not Be Shaken by Matt Redman
TEACHING: The World System: It’s Where You Live, Part 5
The world system is designed to lure believers into loving the world in such a way that they have no impact on the world. Jesus says we are to be in this world, but not of it. How do we being “in the world” reach those who are “of the world” without compromise? We must be tactfully inviting, intellectually stimulating and lovingly warning.
CLICK HERE FOR THE AUDIO AND VIDEO
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- “The world system is designed to lure believers into loving the world in such a way that they have no impact on the world.” How have you seen and/or experienced this at work?
- Read and discuss John 17. What does this tell you about the nature of man? What does it tell us about God? What does it tell us about the world? What does it tell us about Jesus Christ?
- Why does Jesus pray that we not be taken out of the world?
- What temptations to compromise do we face when reaching out those who are “of the world”?
- In the context of your daily circles of influence, how can you be tactfully inviting, intellectually stimulating, and lovingly warning? Spend some time praying for those whom you could reach in these ways with the Gospel.
VIDEO: Host Team at RBC
“Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God….so that in all things God may be glorified by Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 4:9-11
At Reston Bible Church, we highly value the experience of those who attend Sunday services. We want everyone who attends services with us to experience the care of Christ – to feel welcome, have information that is helpful and easily accessible, and to have a pleasant experience right from the time they drive onto our parking lot.
This is why we have a Host Team.
Our Host Team is the group of volunteers who serve on Sunday mornings as Ushers, Greeters, Coffee, Welcome Desk, and Parking Attendants. We believe God has called us to hospitality and allows us to partner with Him as stewards of His grace to those who attend RBC. Our goal is to express Christ’s value to guests and congregants while helping to meet practical needs.
I can tell you from experience what a blessing it is to serve in this ministry and how fun it is to welcome people, help answer a question, find someone a seat, or even pass out a bulletin.
As we move into the Fall season, we are in need of volunteers to serve in all areas of the Host Team. If you’re looking for a way to serve or get to know some other people, this is a great opportunity. For more information or to volunteer, check out www.restonbible.org/resources/volunteer or shoot me an email at kemperdegroot@restonbible.org.
Sunday Rewind | 8.12.12
As a way of bringing weekend worship services into your week, we’re introducing Sunday Rewind. These short blog posts will include the worship selections with scripture references and artist/album information from the past Sunday. In addition, we’ll include links to the teaching audio/video as well some questions from the sermon geared toward small group discussion or personal reflection.
MUSIC
Exalted One (Psalm 121:1-2) – For The Honor by Elevation Worship
Alive In Us (Ephesians 2:4-5) – God Is Able by Hillsong
Our God Is Love (1 John 4:9-10) – A Beautiful Exchange by Hillsong
Unending Love (Romans 8:38-39) – God Is Able by Hillsong
Give Me Faith (Psalm 73:25-26) – For The Honor by Elevation Worship
Take My Life (2 Corinthians 5:14-15) – Hymns Ancient & Modern by Chris Tomlin (Passion)
TEACHING
From man’s perspective, religion is designed to answer the great questions of life – but can it, really? In part four of our World System series, Pastor Mike explores the relationship between religion, reason and revelation in the world system – where they intersect, and where they part ways.
CLICK HERE FOR THE AUDIO AND VIDEO
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- How would you define “religion”? By that definition, is Christianity a religion? What distinguishes the Christian faith from other religions and philosophies?
- Read Genesis 4:1-1-16. What does this tell you about the nature of man? What does it tell us about God?
- Where are there indications of religion in these verses?
- Is spirituality “reasonable”? Why or why not?
- Is religion “reasonable”? Why or why not?
- Is Christianity “reasonable”? Why or why not? Where do faith and reason intersect? Where do they part ways?
- What are the distinctions between divine inspiration and revelation?
Iglesia Hispana Baptisms
On July 15, 2012, eleven members of RBC’s Hispanic Church (Iglesia Hispana) were baptized at Shenandoah National Park as a public demonstration of their faith in Jesus Christ. Pastor Salvador Medina held an open-air worship service with preaching and music. The church rejoiced with and prayed for the baptism candidates before baptizing them in the Shenandoah River. ¡Gloria a Dios!
“Arrepiéntase y bautícese cada uno de ustedes en el nombre de Jesucristo para perdón de sus pecados —les contestó Pedro— y recibirán el don del Espíritu Santo. En efecto, la promesa es para ustedes, para sus hijos y para todos los extranjeros,es decir, para todos aquellos a quienes el Señor nuestro Dios quiera llamar.” – Hechos :38-39
To learn more about RBC’s Iglesia Hispana, visit www.restonbible.org/iglesia.
Unending Love
Right now, I’m in the process of transcribing the entire book of Psalms. It’s amazing how things jump out of God’s Word when you’re writing them – actually writing them – and reading over His words in your own handwriting. As a worship leader and songwriter, I find so much treasure – pound for pound – in the Psalms. They are so rich in reverence, so full of revelation, and still, somehow, so human. Every feeling of sorrow, loneliness, every triumph and delight I’ve ever felt is echoed tenfold in the Psalms. It’s such an encouragement to know that David, a man after God’s own heart, was desperate for God’s love and seeking His favor just as much as we are.
Several weeks ago, I was in Psalm 3 where David is complaining to God about his enemies and thus confiding in God and seeking His deliverance (“O Lord, how many are my foes?…”). Ultimately, he sees the hand of God at work and gives glory to Him for the victory he finds over his fears (“He answers me from His holy hill…”). Victory that comes only from a loving God that “sustains” (verse 6). His care and comfort are constant. We worship and serve a God that loves with an unending, never failing love. It’s no coincidence that we sing about that steadfast love together each and every week. Without a doubt, His love is UNENDING. May we find all we truly need in that simple truth.
We’re introducing a new song called Unending Love. God has used this song to encourage me so much in recent months. My hope is that He works in our hearts together as a church to respond to the powerful revelation that is HIS LOVE. I pray that God will prepare our hearts to worship and that His Spirit will empower us to offer all we are at His feet.
Here are a couple verses to meditate on this week in preparation for our time together:
Matthew 6:19-21
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Romans 8:38-39
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Have a great week and we’ll see you on Sunday!
-EP
UNENDING LOVE by Hillsong
There’s no silver or gold and no treasure untold
That could draw me away from Your heart
Neither love of myself or of anyone else will do
Jesus, nothing compares to this grace that rescues me
Savior, now and forever, Your face is all I seek
Now, all I am I lay at Your feet
I’m humbled by the wonder of Your majesty
One thing I know, I find all I need
In Your unending love, in Your unending love
Letting go of my pride I lay down my desires
Just to worship in Spirit and truth
More than all of my dreams, more than fame I will seek You, Lord