Shelton and Rebecca Taguma – Ministry in Zimbabwe

This past Sunday was a full day with the Taguma’s. We were privileged to hear of the ministry in Zimbabwe, the people, and the culture of the country. Thank you, Shelton and Rebecca, for sharing your heart with us. 

 

2012-02-19 Tagumas Ministry Talk_web

 

 

Worship and Culture

Shelton and Rebecca Taguma have been in the US for the past few months, bringing their newest addition into the world and visiting churches in the area, telling of their missionary work in Zimbabwe. This past Sunday, Shelton brought a message to us about worship and cultural differences, which was in God’s timing as we have been learning what worship really means.

The Taguma Family

Audion File:  2012-02-19 Worship & Culture

 

The Heart of Worship

“God is eager to be known and experienced by all…..The primary place where that relationship is nurtured and developed is in the act of worship – both private and corporate.”  –

Vineyard Values booklet

There is something powerful about music that brings us to a place of intimacy with God – a place where we stop singing about God and start singing to Him.

It is a heart issue that transcends distractions, hardships, feelings, or pain. It is coming into the presence of the Lord Almighty and throwing everything we are before His throne.

“Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care.”  

Psalm 95:6-7

Audio File:  The Heart of Worship 02-12-2012_web

Worship: Trusting God

Worshiping God is a physical act of submission, placing our entire body, soul, spirit and strength into His hands. It means having absolute assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, and truth of God.

“I will praise you, Lord. Although You were angry with me, Your anger has turned away and You have comforted me. Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD Himself, is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation. With joy You will draw water from the wells of salvation.”

Isaiah 12:1-3

 

 

“The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him.”

Nahum 1:7

 

“Do not let your hears be troubled. You believe in God’ believe also in me (Jesus)”

John 14:1

Audio File: 02-05-2012 Worship

Act 5 Scene 3 – Our Place in the Story

We are the actors and actresses of the 5th Act. We are to live our lives within direct continuity of the previous Acts. God has not changed the Story, but is working among His people as He has always done.

Jesus told us that we are no longer servants, but friends. And as friends, He has “made known” to us everything He has learned from the Father (John 15:15).

Accordingly, we are to walk out our lives knowing that the promises of Leviticus 26:11-12 and Ezekial 37:27 will be manifested once and for all:

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”  Revelation 21:3

Audio File: Act 5 Scene 3

Sermon notes can be found on Pastor Josh’s blog.

Act 5 Scene 2 Church History

"...ask for the ancient paths..."

“Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” -Jeremiah 6:16

We are not alone on this journey. There have been many followers of Jesus who have walked this path before us.

Accordingly, the challenges facing the Church today are not new. Studying history and reading the testimonies of old can help us navigate rough waters before us.

Think of history as a larger version of Hebrews 11 which outlines the challenges the “ancients” overcame by faith in the Lord Almighty.

“The one who does not remember history is bound to live through it again.” -George Santayana

2012-01-22 Act 5 Scene 2 Church History_web

Full sermon text can be found on Pastor Josh’s personal website, “Requisite Danger.”

Looking Forward To 2012

Pastor Josh

Two of the slogans that God gave us last year were: “Doing what Jesus did” and “Mercy triumphs over judgment” – in 2012, we will be diving even deeper into these concepts to learn how we can apply them in all areas of our lives.

A large part of the year will be spent studying the life of Jesus and how it impacts us as we live out the 5th Act of the grand story of God.  Jesus said that we’d do even greater things than he did (John 14:12), so we’re going to study the actions of Jesus in order to use his life as an example for our own lives – especially His example of how He allowed Mercy to triumph throughout His life and ministry.

We can’t do what Jesus did until we know who Jesus was.

Tentative schedule for 2012 – sermon series and special events:

• Through end of January: Finish up our overview of the Bible with the New Testament, church history, our part in the story and Revelation.
• Feb. 5-26: Short sermon series about why we worship and what corporate worship is all about – will hopefully include a special guest or two.
  • Feb 19: Shelton and Rebecca Taguma will be speaking in the morning about worship with an evening meeting highlighting their work in Zimbabwe.
• March 4: The Bible – why do we believe it & how do we know it’s accurate?
• March 11: Intro to the Jesus series (birth & early life)
• March 18: PRV 6th birthday party & potluck after church
• March 18-April 1: Jesus fasted before beginning His ministry – we will be studying in-depth about prayer & fasting and then put it into practice for a week or two before Easter as we begin our 7th year as a church.
• April 8: Easter Celebration
• April 15: Get back into the life of Jesus and keep going until we’re done (probably most of the rest of the year.)

Act 5 Scene 1 An End-Time Community

Jesus’ life, ministry, death, resurrection and ascension combined with Pentecost to usher in the Age To Come into this Present Evil Age.

Followers of Jesus are called to live in the tension of the ages – to live according to the new age while still in the old age.

Paul talks about this tension in Romans 7:22-25:

Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.  What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?  Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Listen to the whole sermon here:  Act 5 Scene 1 An End Time Community_web

Act 4 Scene 2 A New Age Begins

The Jewish people had different ideas about how the Kingdom of God would come. The Essenes (an ascetic Jewish group that flourished in Palestine and Syria from the 2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD. Its members, consisting only of men, shared property, practiced celibacy, and observed the Sabbath.) thought the Kingdom of God was a spiritual kingdom ruled by a spiritual God. As such, they withdrew from society into the deserts.

The Sadducees were the religious leaders and aristocrats who were content with the status quo and didn’t want anything to change. The Pharisees, on the other hand, saw the Kingdom of God as being a physical kingdom ruled by God through the Jewish people. In an effort to hasten the Day of Lord, they placed strict rules on the common people.

Jesus disapproved of all these ways; instead, He offered forgiveness outside of the current system to all the wrong people. It would not be those who kept the Law correctly who would enter into the Kingdom of God, but those who would repent and follow Him.

Those were the words that could get a man killed……..

Audio File:Act 4 Scene 2 A New Age Begins

Obey God – Myra Church

Myra Church, head of our ladies’ ministry at PRV, came to Pastor Josh requesting some time to address the church with a word that God encouraged her to bring to us.  Her message was simple: It’s the beginning of a new year and God has given us another chance to obey His commands. She starts with Exodus 2:23 with the cries of the children of Israel and leads us to the Ten Commandments. She then walks us through the practical application of the commandments and helps us to understand some of the things that God is trying to teach us.

Take a listen and enjoy the message Myra gave to our church family.

Audio File: 2012-01-01 Obey God – Mrya Church