October 22, 2017

We’re in week 34 of The Book of Acts: You Will Be My Witnesses. Here’s how you can prepare for worship:

1. Read through our text, Acts 23:23—26:32.

Paul’s journey continues as a prisoner for the Gospel, taking him all the way to King Agrippa, one of the rulers of the Roman Empire. Through many accusations, questions, and potential death sentences, Paul’s message is unflinching: “To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, He would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles” (v. 26:22–23).

2. Read, pray and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 148:1–6

All Creatures Of Our God And King (William Henry Draper, St. Francis of Assisi)
Yes And Amen (Anthony Brown, Chris McClarney, Nate Moore)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook

Almighty God, You have raised Jesus from the grave
and crowned Him Lord of all.
We confess that we have not bowed before Him
or acknowledged His rule in our lives.
We have gone along with the way of the world
and failed to give Him glory.
Forgive us and raise us from sin,
that we may be Your faithful people,
obeying the commands of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who rules the world and is head of the church, His body.
Amen.

How Majestic (Brian Eichelberger)

It Is Well With My Soul (Horatio G. Spafford, Philip P. Bliss)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17

GREETING, SERMON, & COMMUNION
RESPONSE: Song & Prayer

O Praise The Name (Anástasis) (Benjamin Hastings, Marty Sampson, Dean Ussher)
In Christ Alone (Keith Getty, Stuart Townend)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

October 15, 2017

This week at Park Church we’re in week 33 of The Book of Acts: You Will Be My Witnesses. Here’s how you can prepare for worship:

1. Read through our text, Acts 21:1–23:22.

Paul arrives in Jerusalem prepared to advance the Gospel at whatever cost. A lot of ground is covered in the narrative, but Paul is beat by an angry mob, imprisoned, and nearly whipped by the Romans, all the while preaching the Gospel boldly to many people in the power of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit empowers the people of God to sacrificially engage in the mission of God.

2. Read, pray and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 100

Before The Throne (Charitie Lees Bancroft, arr. The Modern Post)
How Majestic (Brian Eichelberger)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook

Eternal God, we confess that often we have failed
to be an obedient church:
we have not done Your will;
we have broken Your law;
we have rebelled against Your love;
we have not loved our neighbors;
we have not heard the cry of the needy.
Forgive us, we pray.
Free us for joyful obedience.
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) (Matt Crocker, Joel Houston, Salomon Ligthelm)

Man Of Sorrows (Matt Crocker, Brooke Ligertwood)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Galatians 4:4–7

GREETING, SERMON, & COMMUNION
RESPONSE: Song & Prayer

Come Lord Jesus (Dustin Kensrue)
Jesus Is Better (Aaron Ivey, Brett Land)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

October 8, 2017

We’re back to The Book of Acts: You Will Be My Witnesses this week at Park Church. It’s week 32 of the series, and we’ll continue in this series until the beginning of Advent on Sunday, November 26, taking the two weeks beforehand to specifically discuss Acts and the Spirit. As for this week, here’s how you can prepare for worship:

1. Read through our text, Acts 20.

The narrative of Acts 20 contains at least two moments that may shake us up: the reviving of Eutychus and the “goodbye” discourse of Paul. The two make one argument, summarized well in v. 35, “…we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'” What else can we receive anymore, now that we’ve received “the Gospel of the grace of God” (v. 24)? What more could we possibly be equipped to give than our testimony of the same (v. 21, 24)? The Gospel of the grace of God brings life in every sense of the word.

2. Read, pray and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 103:1–5

10,000 Reasons (Jonas Myrin, Matt Redman)
Great Are You Lord (Jason Ingram, Leslie Jordan, David Leonard)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook, based on Psalm 51:10–12

Merciful God,
You pardon all who truly repent and turn to You.
We humbly confess our sins and ask Your mercy.
We have not loved You with a pure heart,
nor have we loved our neighbor as ourselves.
We have not done justice, loved kindness,
or walked humbly with You, our God.

Have mercy on us, O God, in Your loving-kindness.
In Your great compassion,
cleanse us from our sin.
Create in us a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within us.
Do not cast us from Your presence,
or take Your Holy Spirit from us.
Restore to us the joy of Your salvation
and sustain us with Your bountiful Spirit
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

Nothing But The Blood (Robert Lowry, arr. Page CXVI)

Come Behold The Wondrous Mystery (Michael Bleecker, Matt Boswell, Matt Papa)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Psalm 103:8–13

GREETING, SERMON, & COMMUNION
RESPONSE: Song & Prayer

All The Poor And Powerless (Leslie Jordan, David Leonard)
King Of My Heart (John Mark McMillan, Sarah McMillan)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

October 1, 2017

In between our Mission series and returning to The Book of Acts: You Will Be My Witnesses, we’re taking one week to discuss the Gospel and race. Here’s how you can prepare:

1. Read through our text, Revelation 7:9–12.

Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, God is building a Kingdom where His glory is put on display and enjoyed by those whom He has redeemed from every nation, tribe, people, and language. This is a beautifully diverse Kingdom that God is building even now in and through His church, and it calls for a radical transformation in the way we engage with people who are not like us. Heavenly Father, let Your Kingdom come, let Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

2. Read, pray and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Revelation 5:12–14

Revelation Song (Jennie Lee Riddle)
Jesus We Love You (Hannah McClure, Paul McClure, Kalley Heiligenthal)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook

God of all nations, we praise you that in Christ
the barriers that have separated humanity are torn down.
Yet we confess our slowness to open our hearts and minds
to people of other lands, tongues, and races.
Deliver us from the sins of fear and prejudice,
that we may move toward the day
when all are truly one in Jesus Christ.
Amen.

Rock Of Ages (Augustus Montague Toplady)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Isaiah 25:5–7

We Will Feast In The House Of Zion (Sandra McCracken, Joshua Moore)

GREETING, SERMON, COMMUNION
RESPONSE: Song & Prayer

No Condemnation (Anthony Evans, Danielle Munizzi, Martha Munizzi)
The Lord’s Prayer (James Lepine)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

September 24, 2017

This is week five of Mission at Park Church. We’re working through our new mission statement and its meaning, focusing this week on the last of our three disciple rhythms: Gospel-Centered Mission. Here’s what’s coming up and how you can prepare:

1. Read through our text, 1 Peter 2:9–12.

We have been born of the Spirit, citizens of a heavenly country, presently residing in the kingdom of this earth. God has called, equipped, and sent us to our neighbors and to the nations with this glorious good news, the message of reconciliation. As diciples, this permeates every facet of our lives as we seek to reflect Christ in the world and proclaim Christ to the world.

2. Read, pray and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 145:1–4

How Great Thou Art (Stuart K Hine.)
Jesus We Love You (Hannah McClure, Paul McClure, Kalley Heiligenthal)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook

Awesome and compassionate God,
You have loved us with unfailing, self-giving mercy,
but we have not loved You.
You constantly call us, but we do not listen.
You ask us to love, but we walk away from neighbors in need,
wrapped in our own concerns.
We condone evil, prejudice, warfare, and greed.
God of grace, as You come to us in mercy,
we repent in spirit and in truth,
admit our sin, and gratefully receive Your forgiveness
through Jesus Christ, our Redeemer.
Amen.

How Deep The Father’s Love For Us (Stuart Townend)

Man Of Sorrows (Matt Crocker, Brooke Ligertwood)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: 1 Peter 2:9–10

GREETING, SERMON, COMMUNION
RESPONSE: Song & Prayer

Your Great Name (Krissy Nordhoff, Michael Neale)
Build My Life (Barrett, Kable, Martin, Redman, Younker)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

Kelley Nikondeha

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Our guest is Kelley Nikondeha. She’s the author of Adopted: The Sacrament of Belonging in a Fractured World.

Listen

Listen to the show Subscribe in iTunes

Show Notes

1:30 – Who Kelley Nikondeha is 5:00 – What compelled her to write her book 7:30 – How to think about theology and adoption 11:10 – How to help adopted kids understand that they belong in their family 14:00 – What grasshopper pie is 16:30 – How to have the “you are adopted” conversation with your kids 19:30 – How to work through potential bitterness with the birth mom 30:00 – Challenges associated with raising children of a different ethnicity 35:30 – How to think about the financial costs associated with adoption 39:30 – Favorite TV Shows 40:20 – Favorite Recent Meal 41:30 – Nerdiest Thing She’s Into 44:30 – Where She’d Put A Billboard, And What It Would Say

Links

in James Lepine • Park Church Podcast

September 17, 2017

It’s our fourth week of Mission at Park Church. We’re working through our new mission statement and its meaning, focusing this week on the second of our three disciple rhythms: Gospel-Centered Community. Here’s how you can prepare:

1. Read through our text, Ephesians 2:11–22; 4:1–11.

A disciple is someone who has been called into God’s diverse family to use their spiritual gifts, strengths, and resources to help the family of God grow. Christian community—when it is truly Christian—breeds humility, the ability to be known and loved, relational safety, ongoing support, joint celebration, joint sorrow, and joint participation in the glory of God’s eternal family.

2. Read, pray and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Hebrews 4:14–16

Before The Throne (Charitie Lees Bancroft arr. Modern Post)
How Majestic (Brian Eichelberger)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook

Almighty God, we confess how hard it is to be your people.
You have called us to be the church,
to continue the mission of Jesus Christ to our lonely and confused world.
Yet we acknowledge we are more apathetic than active,
isolated than involved, callous than compassionate,
obstinate than obedient, legalistic than loving.
Gracious Lord, have mercy upon us and forgive our sins.
Remove the obstacles preventing us
from being your representatives to a broken world.
Awaken our hearts to the promised gift of your indwelling Spirit.
This we pray in Jesus’ powerful name.
Amen.

Yet Even Now (Joel Limpic)

In Christ Alone (Keith Getty, Stuart Townend)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: 1 Peter 2:9–10

GREETING, SERMON, COMMUNION
RESPONSE: Song & Prayer

No Longer Slaves (Joel Case, Jonathan David Hesler, Brian Johnson)
Grace Alone (Dustin Kensrue)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday