SGCC BLOG

With a firm grip on 45 years, I would not be considered “old” by most, except perhaps by my kids and their peers.  But I’m certainly not young anymore, and my body continually finds ways to remind me of the fact.  Over the last few years, I’ve grown more reflective than when I was younger and I think that it is more than just middle-aged melancholy.  I have realized a few things.  Growing old means experiencing loss; loss of loved ones; loss of health; loss of youthful vanity.  Live long enough and we will all experience these things.  We go through financial hardships.  We grieve at the death of a parent.  We taste the bittersweet joy of children moving into adulthood.  We realize that we are not guaranteed tomorrow, and life may not always be like we have known it or expected it to be.  This is why the Psalms are so much more appreciated by those who have lived for a while.

D.A. Carson states in his book The God Who is There, “Those of you who have been Christians for some time or who have gotten to know some elderly believers have discovered that elderly Christians are usually the ones who love the book of Psalms.  Not a lot of people know the book of Psalms well at twenty-five.  This is because the book of Psalms resonates with people who have had a lot of experiences.  You have to have quite a lot of different experiences under your belt before you resonate easily with a lot of the things that are said in the book of Psalms: lament, loss, shame, death, triumph, the exaltation of informed and godly God-centered praise, and prophecy anticipating what is still to come.”

Psalm 90 begins with the declaration, “Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.  Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”  Then in the middle of the psalm, Moses states a refrain that often comes to my mind (especially on birthdays), “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”  Age and wisdom do not always go together.  Aging without a biblical perspective on the peaks and valleys of life, a young fool simply becomes an old fool, of which there is none like.

As I’ve thought about these things and meditated on Scriptures like Psalm 90, I’ve found three truths of encouragement.  First, God is sovereign.  No matter what life looks like, He is in control, He is all-powerful, and He is good.  The second is the inestimable grace of God.  While deserving nothing but the wrath of God, he has lavished his love and grace upon me in ways too numerous to count.  Third, this life is not all there is.  In this life we experience great joys, and great sorrows.  We live in a world that still reflects some of the beauty, and glory of its creator, but one that has also been spoiled by the cancer of sin, and death through sin.  But a day is coming, when all things will be made new.

–Pastor Dave

Many of you know Justin Garcia.  Many of you love the sweater vest as Justin does. Many of you may enjoy staying up until 4am talking about anything, but preferably theology, like Justin.  Many of may have been part of those conversations.  But here’s a few things you may not know about Justinian the Lesser as he dubbed himself.

1.  He is a very, very good writer.

2.  He loves The Lord Jesus Christ above all else.

3. He has (2) kids, one is in the oven…

4. He is an avid Dallas Cowboys fan, and refuses to admit that Emmit Smith EVER played for the Cardinals.

5.  His favorite meal used to be a king size Snickers and a Cherry Coke.

6.  He has a thing for argyle, not unlike Mike Young’s tendency toward the pattern.

and the main point of this post… He has a blog.

Now it’s not updated super regularly, but it’s worth the wait.  Well thought out and well organized, interesting posts ranging in subject from Illegal Immigration, to Marriage to Economics.  Interesting and thought provoking stuff from the mind of one who loves and serves Christ and has been gifted to write and think.  So if you haven’t checked it out yet, be sure to give a look to Justinan the Lesser, a blog by our very own Justin Garcia.

~Geoff

I found this quote from Dr. Ralph Winter that reinforces the famous “piano tuning”  quote by Tozer.  It is well worth reflecting on…and then acting on.

“I see the world church as the gathering together of a great symphony orchestra where we don’t make every new person coming in play a violin in order to fit in with the rest. We invite the people to come in to play the same score – the Word of God– but to play their own instruments, and in this way there will issue forth a heavenly sound that will grow in the splendor and glory of God as each new instrument is added.” – Ralph Winter

The unity and love that is to be present in Christ’s church is not a result of focusing on one another.  It is not a result of checking our individual personalities or giftedness at the door.  Biblical love and biblical unity are the result of two people focused on the same goal then going after that goal, together, for the glory of God!

I’ve been in Washington D.C. with SGCS 8th graders since last Thursday Morning!  It’s been a blast, but I’m looking forward to getting back tomorrow night late.  It’s been a whirlwind tour of D.C., Gettysburg, Monticello, Jamestown, Williamsburg and hopefully Yorktown.  This was my first time and it’s been so interesting to find out how this country was started and the men behind it.  It reminded me of the familiar passage in 2 Timothy 3 where it says, “[16] All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, [17] that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV) Most of these men including Thomas Jefferson, seemed to to have some understanding of God, but not a saving faith in Christ, or a commitment to the scriptures, leading them to get close, but never quite make it to become “fully equipped” to deal with the weighty issues if their day.  It strikes me that our current governing bodies are perhaps even less acquainted with the Truth of scripture, which is exactly what they need to be competent in their task.  It reminds me to pray for our leaders more specifically and to remind myself that God is the One in control and He will accomplish his will, with our country and the world.  Praise God for the hope we have in Him! And pray for our leaders.

Btw, you can check out some of the pics on the SGCS Bulldog Blog here.

~Geoff

I’ve been preparing for a class on “dating” for some Jr High students and so the issue of Christian Dating has been on my mind lately.  What is it? Is it even a viable subject? Is there enough about “it” in the Bible to even warrant a conversation?  (of course there is silly, I told myself)  It’s such an interesting academic subject, but for most, if not all of us, it’s not only academic.  This is an area, like parenting, that we don’t talk about much in the church, and also like parenting, it needs more discussion.  In fact, as with many things in life, the ideas that are currently en vogue for the dating scene nowadays have been heavily influenced/perpetrated by today’s generation of parents (no, not necessarily you…but maybe you…!).

But we digress, we all hear constantly it seems that we “Christians” are failing in marriage as much if not more than secular America, and it is I think a logical assumption that “Christian dating” is also experienceing a similar downward spiral, so what can we about it?  Well, to quote the Animaniacs, “the same thing we do every night Pinky,” but in our case, we got to the Word of God.

I found an article written by Scott Croft, who is an elder at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington D.C., of which Mark Dever of 9Marks ministries notoriety.  Well, I knew that Capitol Hill was a solid church and gave his article, which is only an introduction to the topic, a read.  It was very interesting and I hope you’ll take the time to give it a quick read, it will at the very least prompt the “the grey cells” as Poirot was wont to say, into activity.

Click here to link to the article

~ Geoff

I am so grateful for the men God has called to serve as elders at San Gabriel Union Church.  I am just as grateful for the many men he has not called to serve as elders.  Let me explain.

I am asked regularly about the process involved in becoming an elder at SGUC.  Time and again the questions asked reveal a fundamental misunderstanding of what it means to serve as an elder.   What is that misunderstanding?   That justification equals qualification or maybe even more precisely, that godliness is equal to qualification.

It is clear in the New Testament that God’s design for the New Testament church  is for a very specifically qualified group of men to function as elders in the local body.  The Bible draws lines between godly believers and qualified elders.  Certainly, justification and evidence of ongoing sanctification are minimum expectations for those who would serve as elders, but the qualifications for eldership move beyond these fundamental areas.  The list of qualifications is quite long and specific, and probes into the most personal corners of one’s life (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1).  The list also includes qualifications that are not about character, but about giftedness.  This is important.

God has gifted each man and woman in the body uniquely (Romans 12:3– 8; 1 Corinthians 12 – 14) and when God calls a man to serve as an elder, he not only equips him with the qualities to serve but with the gifts necessary to function in his office.  Not all believers are called to serve as elders because God has not gifted all believers with the gifts to serve as elders.

Why is this so important? It reminds us from the start that those who are called, qualified and gifted are only called, qualified and gifted because of the grace of God.  God is the one who deserves all of the glory – elders are simply one more gracious gift from God to His church.  We unintentionally undermine the process God has established and the various manifestations of God’s grace if we confuse the categories of godliness and qualifications.

So, I am grateful for the godly men who serve as elders but I am just as grateful for the many godly men and women whom God has not equipped to be elders, but who serve Him and His church in so many diverse ways, all to the praise of His glory.

- Pastor Steve