Articles from July 2019

These notes are from the Sunday morning service on July 28, 2019.

Scripture: Jeremiah 29, James 4

What is Resurgence?

Defined: A growth or increase that occurs after a period without growth or increase.

• A fresh encounter with the presence of Christ
• A return to the same love, joy, excitement, and obedience that characterized you the day you got saved.
• An extraordinary work of God

“The word revival is sparingly used in the Bible. Though rarely used, the concept of spiritual resurgence is woven throughout the entire fabric of Scripture.”

Harold Vaughan

Example from Scripture: II Kings 22-23, II Chronicles 34-35

Why is Resurgence Needed?

• Christians become weary in well doing. -Galatians 6:9
• Christians lose their thirst for God. -Psalm 42:1-2
• Christians develop a Sunday Morning Only mentality.
• Christians become complacent in service.
• Christians can lose their burden for the lost.
• Christians drift in devotion to Christ, backsliding from a church pew.

Why does Corner Stone of Naola Specifically Need Resurgence?

We cannot handle a “wave” should God send one!

“Watch and see where God is working and join Him.”

Henry Blackaby, Experiencing God

“Our job as church leaders, like experienced surfers, is to recognize a wave of God’s Spirit and ride it. It is not our responsibility to make waves but to recognize how God is working in the world and join Him in the endeavor.”

-Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Church

Three Observations About Waves

• God is the one that makes the waves.
  • Ocean waves are caused by wind moving across the surface of the water.
  • In Scripture, wind is an emblem of the Holy Spirit.
• Surfers just ride the waves.
  • We respond to what God is doing and join with Him.
• Waves only last for a period of time. (Window of opportunity)
  • Ephesians 5:16 – Redeeming the time, because the days are evil

Some Positive Things to Note About Corner Stone Baptist Church of Naola

• A loving congregation
• A congregation that desires to be taught Biblical truth
• A congregation that cares about reaching beyond the walls of this church building
• A giving congregation
• A congregation that is supportive of pastoral leadership
• A church that has exceptional men serving as deacons
• Our church has people who truly care about humbly serving the Lord
• Just in the last year there are people that we have seen God at work transforming their lives

All that being said, we are also a church that has leveled off or is in decline.

Not enough people have stepped up to replace those who are either no longer with us or are unable to continue serving at the level they once did.

Please visit the Resurgence 2019 section of our website to watch a video of this important message and to learn more about this major event in the life of Corner Stone Baptist Church coming up September 20-22, 2019.

Confronting the Reality of Our Disobedience

Delivered in the Sunday AM Worship Service 7/7/2019
Scripture: John 4:1-39

11 Steps to Stopping Not Sharing the Gospel:

The majority of this outline is from Pastor Mark Dever’s book, “The Gospel and Personal Evangelism”

PRAY – For opportunities to share the Gospel

3 Important Requests:

• Opportunity
• Willingness
• Boldness

Boldness is:

• Boldness is deciding to say something when it would be easier to say nothing.
• Boldness is creating opportunities.
• Boldness is something you determine to rely on God for.

PLAN – to make time to build relationships or to put yourself in positions where you know you will be able to talk to non-Christians

ACCEPT – responsibility for sharing the Gospel

• Matthew 28:18-20
• Mark 16:15
• Luke 24:47-48
• John 20:21
• Acts 1:8

UNDERSTAND – even if evangelism is not your gift, that it is still your duty

Be FAITHFUL – to share the Gospel

Often we can find ourselves:

• Too polite to be faithful to God
• More concerned about people’s response than God’s glory
• More concerned about their feelings rather than God’s

RISK – sharing with others regardless of their response

PREPARE – yourself; learn how to share the Gospel

LOOK – for opportunities that God will provide

Things that interfere with opportunities:

• We are too busy
• We are lazy about it
• We are unwilling to be inconvenienced
• We are selfish
• We are Apathetic
• We don’t consider the reality and finality of death, judgment, and hell.

LOVE – we are called to love others

• We share the Gospel because we love people. Likewise, we don’t share the Gospel because we don’t love people.
• We don’t want to cause awkwardness.
• We want their respect.
• We don’t want to look foolish or weird.
• We protect our pride at the cost of their souls.

FEAR – should not be directed to man but to God

• When we don’t share the Gospel, we are essentially refusing to live in the fear of the Lord.
• We are not regarding Him or His will as the final and ultimate authority of our actions.

CONSIDER – what God has done for us in Christ

• Consider that God has loved us as He has
• Consider the great price He paid for us
• Consider the forgiveness that He provided us
• Consider that God is glorified by our telling others of His incredible love