Happy Reformation Day!

Everyone knows that October 31st is Halloween (more on that below). But did you know that it's also Reformation Day? In 1517, on the eve of All Hallow's Day, Martin Luther started the Protestant Reformation, nailing his 95 Theses on the church door of Wittenberg. After centuries of darkness, the light of the gospel was recovered. Post tenebras lux--"after darkness, light!"

The Reformation was known for it's five Solas, or gospel slogans:

Sola Scriptura. Scripture alone, not church traditions, is the final authority for Christian faith and practice.
Sola Fide. We are justified by faith alone, not our good works or religious deeds.
Sola Gratia. We are saved by grace alone. Human beings are entirely unable to save themselves, but only by God's mercy.
Solus Christus. Christ alone saves--no other mediator between God and man exists.
Soli Deo Gloria. To God alone is the praise and the glory of our salvation--not saints, Mary, or popes.

Praise God that we are saved by Christ alone, through faith alone, by grace alone, to the praise of God alone!

Bible resources for children

I'm often asked for recommendations for Bible resources for children. The good news is that parents have a huge impact on the faith of their children. Praying and reading the Bible with your kids will greatly shape their faith, so that even if they  drift away from the church in their adulthood, their childhood memories often act like a homing beacon back to Christ.

Here are some great resources to read to your children:

The Jesus Storybook Bible. Each story is like a mini-sermon, focusing on faith in Christ. The book goes beyond a simple retelling to show the gospel behind the story. The tagline of the book is, "every story whispers His name."

Children's Bible in 365 Stories. This is a straightforward and faithful retelling of the basic Bible stories in simple language. This is an excellent "first Bible" for children to start reading on their own (ages 9-11). Great illustrations too.

Read Aloud Bible Stories. This book retells Bible stories in very simple language, appropriate for 3-4 year olds. The illustrations are basic but charming. This is a great way for kids to start to get familiar with the Bible.

Often, the greatest benefit of reading the Bible to your children is the benefit to the parents. You'll be amazed how often you are moved to tears by the majesty and beauty of Christ shining through these simple children's books.

Resources for reading the Bible

We live in a unique age when there are so many resources for reading the Bible. Many people find the Bible difficult or uninteresting. But we must make the effort. The Christian faith cannot be sustained apart from the Word of God. Here are some great resources to help you study the Bible:

"Look at the Book" These are YouTube videos by John Piper. They are short, 10-minute studies, where Piper will teach on a single verse. The screenshot is of the lesson on 1 Peter 1:1. Try his series on 1 Peter -- listen to one video a day. You will not regret the investment in time.

Bible Project. These are engaging, short teaching videos on the Bible on YouTube. They have eye-catching graphics and insightful teaching by Tim Mackie.

YouVersion. This phone app is a wonderful Bible resource. They have multiple reading plans (an easy on ramp is the 3-year Bible plan which takes just 5 minutes a day). They have amazing audio narration (the NIV "dramatized" version is pretty well done!). They also have a lot of video resources (most of which are good -- haha). The Bible has never been so accessible.

Epistle of Joy

Paul mentions "joy" sixteen times in the four short chapters of Philippians, more than any other book in the Bible in terms of frequency. Joy is a central theme in Philippians. What makes this all the more remarkable is the setting in which Paul wrote his letter -- he was chained to Roman guards in prison awaiting trial for his life.

Modern life is full of troubles and uncertainties. Despite the great prosperity of our age, people are more anxious and depressed than in any previous generation. The Bible tells us that there is a joy that transcends our circumstances, that can never be taken away from us, and that will continually overflow in our lives--if we possess it. Where do we find this joy? Starting this Sunday, and over the next several weeks and months, we will do a deep dive into Christianity’s teaching on joy. I can’t think of a more relevant topic for our joy-starved culture. I hope you can join us!

One-year anniversary service

Last Sunday was our one-year anniversary service. Praise God! It was a wonderful time of thanksgiving and celebration. The youth kids had another epic game jam. We had several visitors. And we even had an impromptu wedding -- congrats Will and Stephanie!

Imago at one-years-old!

One year ago today, by God’s amazing grace, Imago Dei Church was planted. We had a single vision — that the gospel of Christ should be at the center of everything we do. And in this past year, we’ve experienced abundant mercies and gifts from God:

   • we’ve gained new friends and families

   • we’ve had 3 baptism with several more in the process

   • 3 precious babies were born into the church

   • we started a youth ministry!

   • most importantly, Christ is preached and people are growing in faith

We look forward to what God has in store for us as we enter the second year of gospel ministry.

Don't pursue happiness

There's an old quip that much of modern psychology is just discovering with science what the Bible has taught us all along. One of the interesting paradoxes in psychology is that the pursuit of happiness makes you unhappy. This is called the "happiness paradox." Everyone wants to be happy. But happiness is a byproduct of meaning and purpose. Pursuing happiness itself apart from a greater goal actually makes you miserable because you're constantly wondering, "why aren't I happy?"

Instead, Jesus taught, "whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it" (Luke 17:33). Don't focus on your own happiness - what Jesus calls "preserving your life." Instead, lose your life. Give yourself to God and his Kingdom. And in the end, you will find life that is truly life.

Don't pursue happiness. Instead, pursue usefulness to God. And you will discover the deep happiness that comes from God.

ImagoYouth “Game Jam”

This past Sunday was the youth ministry's first "game jam" after worship service. The kids played Happy Salmon, One Night Werewolf, and Sushi Go during lunch. Much hilarity and high jinks was had. Thank you to Grace and Abe for leading the game time. We plan to have youth game jams on a regular basis.

New Sermon Series: Ruth

The most pressing question that any worldview or religion must answer is: what is the meaning of human suffering? The answer in the Bible is that suffering is ultimately for our joy in God. The Old Testament, in particular, gives us story after story of biblical figures who are brought low, weighed down by grief and affliction, and then how God redeems their sufferings and produces a harvest of joy and righteousness in their lives (Psalm 126:5).

The Book of Ruth is the story of two afflicted widows and how God redeems their sorrows. It's a remarkable book full of dramatic twists and turns, and ultimately, it's about the goodness and mercy of God. Over the next four weeks, Pastor Michael will do a short summer series on one of the most beautiful, hopeful books in the Bible.

Image: "Ruth in Boaz's Field" by Julius von Carolsfeld (1828)

Eternity in our hearts

"God has set eternity in the human heart" -- Ecclesiastes 3:11

Paradiso, Canto 34 by Gustave Dore (1868)

"Eternity" in Hebrew means "endlessness" or "beyond time." It means we sense a reality that exists outside of time and we long for it. Nature has no experience of eternity. All of our experiences are in-time, bound by the limits of this world. And yet, we long for something beyond the limits of this world. Love without parting. A final triumph over evil. The reconciliation of all things. The healing of all wounds.

If this world is all there is--then why do we long for things that do not and cannot exist? Ecclesiastes tells us we cannot escape our knowledge of God. It is imprinted in our hearts. And if we follow our deepest intuitions, they will lead to God. We can only be satisfied by Him.