Author: Bill Kirkwood

Israel, The Gospel And How They Impact The Church

Posted on by Bill Kirkwood

I’ve been reading a lot lately about what the word “gospel” really means. To many today it can be summed up like this:
“I am a sinner, Jesus came and died to save me from my sin, I accept His gift of forgiveness, live my life for Him and go to my reward in heaven when I die.”

When we explain “the gospel” to someone, we tell them how they are sinners (like that’s good news!), how Jesus died for them, they must accept Him as Savior and they’ll go to heaven.

As I read about what “gospel” meant to Jesus and the apostles, it seems they had something much broader in mind. To them the gospel begins at creation and continues until the new heavens and new earth. I would summarize it this way:
“God created a perfect world. It was wrecked by ‘the Fall’ when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sin entered the world. God wanted to redeem the world through His chosen people, Israel. Through their witness He would call all nations back to Himself. They blew it. He sent them into exile as punishment, but God was faithful to His covenant with Israel by preserving a remnant. God was also faithful to His covenant with David, the epitome of earthly kings. From David’s line came a Messiah, Jesus. He was perfectly able to restore all nations to God. He gave himself as a sacrifice for all to satisfy God’s just wrath toward sin. Everyone who responds to Him in faith will be saved. These faithful form ‘The Church,’ His body on earth. God now wants The Church to be His vehicle for drawing all people to Himself. Eventually Jesus will return to earth and ultimately establish a new heaven and earth where He will rule forever.”

The gospel, then, is the whole story of God’s love revealed in the bible and Israel finding their fulfillment in Messiah or Christ. That’s a pretty big story. How do we explain that to someone for the first time? It won’t fit in a tract. Well, that’s where The Church comes in. Intrigued? Check back next week & I’ll explain what I think the role of The Church is in all this. I’d love to hear your thoughts as well.

Peace,
Bill

Worship-In-The-Round

Posted on by Bill Kirkwood

In September my church, Riverwood Community Chapel, re-arranged the seats in our Worship Center. We used to have them all facing front, slightly rounded so we could sort-of see each other, but mainly facing the stage. Now we have them “in-the-round” with a small platform in the center of the room for the speaker and singers, the band still onstage, and the chairs in a circle all around the platform and a cross hanging above the center platform. As I’ve done some research, it seems this has become a trend in churches undergoing either remodeling or new construction. The reasons for it include

  • Greater sense of community as people face each other during the worship gathering;
  • Improved worship since we hear ourselves singing toward one another;
  • Many churches place the communion table at the center as a symbol of Christ’s presence in the community of believers.

 

I’ve always wanted to try this. Experiencing it for a wedding this summer helped us envision what it would be like and we decided to try it for this sermon series. Now after 2 months we’re evaluating whether to keep it this way or not. Frankly, I really like it. I lead worship from the center of the room. Since I’m all wireless (guitar, vocal and in-ear-monitor) I get to walk around the platform, interacting with the entire room. I also get to face the onstage band and choir from the middle, instead of mostly having my back to them. People not only stare at the screen with the lyrics. Now they also get to enjoy interacting with the community of worshippers of which they are a part. The other singers are in the center with me so we get to move around and interact. It’s taken some getting used to, but now I hope it’s here to stay.

 

Drawbacks? Sure. Many don’t like being watched from across the room as they worship. The center platform is much closer to the front row of seats so the leaders are a bit more “in-your-face.” It’s also easier to watch people falling asleep during the sermon!

Have you experienced anything like this? Are you from Riverwood?  I’d like to get your feedback…positive or less-than-positive. This will help me as we decide whether or not to keep this set-up. Leave me a reply.

 

Peace,

Bill

Easter vs. Christmas

Posted on by Bill Kirkwood

Easter Sunday. Resurrection Sunday. The pinnacle of the Christian year. As much as we love Christmas with its preceding Advent season, it is Easter, preceded by Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, that defines God’s redeeming act toward His creation.

There’s something “raw” about Holy Week. Christmas has decorations, parties, too much food, too much money spent on presents, travel, dysfunctional family time, etc, and, oh yeah…Jesus’ birthday thrown in there at the end. Afterward we pack it all away for eleven months, occasionally thinking about God becoming man. However this “incarnation” truly sets the stage for Easter. I know…Easter has the Easter bunny & jelly beans. Somehow, to me, the Easter bunny runs a distant second place from Santa Claus. Easter, along with the preceding Thursday and Friday, is all about Jesus. His love for his disciples…the 12…the 120…the millions to come. His sacrifice which put that love into action, erasing our sins and crucifying the law of sin and death. The limitless power of God shown in raising Jesus from the dead, bringing us new life and power. His promise to return bringing eternal hope.

It’s the story of the cross and resurrection that carries me through the whole year. It is the reason I’m alive. The reason I can know my Creator…can have a relationship with him. Every day I experience its effects as I confess my sins, repent and experience the forgiveness that flows through Christ. Every day I experience the power of the resurrection by saying “no” to sin and death and “yes” to God. Every day I can experience the victory of Christ in the strength of His indwelling Holy Spirit. Every day I look forward to spending forever with Him in an eternal home. Truly, “death has no sting.”

This is God’s story. Through the thread of creation to incarnation to re-creation He invites us to participate in it. As much as I enjoy the gifts God has given to me, ultimately it is the worship I give to him that matters. Not so much the gift I’ve received as the gift I can give to Him.

That’s my prayer for you this Easter. Hear His story of Creation-Incarnation-Re-creation. Accept His invitation to enter into it. Then worship with your whole heart this God Who loves without limits.

A blessed Resurrection Day,

Bill Kirkwood