There are many facets to our life as a church! Our hope is that these posts will enable you to plan, pray, and ultimately rejoice in what the Lord is doing at Sovereign Grace Church. Here are a few updates for you to do just that! 

---

SGU Autumn 2023 Unit

The first class in the Sovereign Grace University Unit, The Doctrine of Man/Sin, started September 3rd!

SGU is a discipleship class that focuses on theology and this fall we will be going over THE DOCTRINE 0F MAN & SIN.

If you haven’t signed up yet, there is still time! To register or to find out more information, visit our SGU PAGE HERE.

“Judges: Christ in the Chaos” Preaching Series

October 29th, we begin a 22-week series in the Book of Judges. Judges is ugly, violent, and depressing. Yet, in all the chaos, we see God powerfully at work as He faithfully and patiently sustains His people and points us forward to our Savior. Don’t forget to grab your free Judges Journal, coming to the Information Center soon.

5TH SUNDAY STRETCH WORSHIP & PRAYER NIGHT

A WORSHIP & PRAYER night will be held at the church on October 29th (the fifth Sunday) at 7PM. This event is a time for us to “stretch” ourselves - to come together as a church community to praise and worship God and pray together about specific topics. For more details about this event, please reach out to Tom Wilkins.

FALL CHURCH PICNIC

After church on Sunday, November, 5th we will be having a churchwide picnic after the Morning Service! Food, fun, and fellowship…and a great opportunity to invite guests!

2023 Pastor’s Conference

Pray for your pastors and their wives as they attend the SG Pastor’s Conference in Orlando, FL, Nov. 14-16. It is a wonderful time of refreshment, teaching, and fellowship with like-minded men and women from around the globe who are uniquely on gospel mission together. 

PRE-SERVICE PRAYER

At 9:30 AM each and every Sunday morning, you will find a number of people gathered in our auditorium for prayer, including those who are serving every Sunday. We pray for our service. We pray for all those who will be attending that morning. We pray that the Gospel will advance in the hearts of all who come. And YOU are invited to come and join us too!

RELAY 2024 CONFERENCE

Your pastors are excited to invite you to RELAY 2024 - A Sovereign Grace Young Adults Conference on January 4-6, 2024, at the Sovereign Grace Church in Glen Mills, PA (Covenant Fellowship Church). 

This conference is geared towards young adults ages 18-25 years old, but those who are 16-17 years old as well as those in their late 20’s or 30’s are welcome. (Both singles and married couples are invited!)

CLICK HERE for more conference details!

The issue of gender is all around us: in schools, at work, in politics, on the internet, in your neighborhood, in your family, and in the media. The world thinks gender is fluid; the Bible says it is the fixed handiwork of God. Our goal as Christians is not to win arguments but to lovingly lead people to Jesus. For this reason, being equipped and ready to engage in humble, patient, informed, and biblical conversations is critical. The books below will help you do just that. May God use you to help others see the same identity, hope, and joy you have that IS Jesus!

---

the gender revolution

Patricia Weerakoon

“Contemporary discussions of sexual and gender issues faces a plethora of challenges….Here is the clarity of thought and writing one expects of experts. Agree or disagree with their arguments, but you will come away better informed, and better able to engage in the discussion with more light than heat” —D.A. Carson

gender ideology

Sharon James

“Get this book and read it and get lots of copies for friends and family to read as well. This little book reminds us that God created us male and female, and that that is very good” —Mark Dever

The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self

Carl R. Trueman

“This is a characteristically brilliant book by Carl Trueman, helping the church understand why people believe that sexual difference is a matter of psychological choice” —Rosaria Butterfield

eikon

A semi-annual journal for biblical anthropology that engages issues like sexuality, gender, marriage, singleness, family, and others from a biblical, historical, and theological perspective. You can access these journals online for free OR you can subscribe to eikon to get the copies mailed to you for only $25 annually!

There are many facets to our life as a church! Our hope is that these posts will enable you to plan, pray, and ultimately rejoice in what the Lord is doing at Sovereign Grace Church. Here are a few updates for you to do just that! 

SG Youth Kickoff

Please be praying for the youth, their parents. and the youth leaders as we start the SG Youth year with a Kickoff BBQ on Sunday, August 27th!

For more information on SG Youth, contact Jon Lambros.

sgu fall 2023 Unit

Our next Sovereign Grace University (SGU) class will be in October!

SGU is a discipleship class that focuses on theology and this fall we will be going over THE DOCTRINE 0F MAN & SIN.

EARLY BIRD registration will open on September 1st! Visit the SGU webpage for dates, times, and registration information.

Guest Preacher

We are excited to have Eric Turbedsky preach on Sunday, September 10th! Eric is the senior pastor at the Sovereign Grace Church in Orange County, CA and he is the Sovereign Grace Churches West Regional Leader.

“The Final Word” preaching series

Everybody has something to say about gender, marriage, and roles in today's culture, but God has already spoken. Beginning September 17th, we will take a look at HIS thoughts on the matter through this six-week preaching series.

Ministry Team Leaders night

We are so grateful for all of the Ministry Team Leaders in our church! Please be praying for the leaders as they gather on September 24th for fellowship and leadership training.

“Judges:Christ in the chaos” preaching series

In October we will begin a study in the book of Judges. Stay tuned for more details.

relay conference

Your pastors are excited to invite you to RELAY 2024 - A Sovereign Grace Young Adults Conference on January 4-6, 2024, at the Sovereign Grace Church in Glen Mills, PA (Covenant Fellowship Church). 

This conference is geared towards young adults ages 18-25 years old, but those who are 16-17 years old as well as those in their late 20’s or 30’s are welcome. (Both singles and married couples are invited!)

CLICK HERE for more conference details!

Community Groups

At Sovereign Grace Church we cherish our life together outside our Sunday gathering. Community Groups are a primary means by which we disciple and fellowship with one another.

If you are not part of a group, we encourage you to get involved. Visit the Community Group webpage to find a group in your area.

Verse 3 from "God Is Faithful (Psalm 114)"

We have known Your mercy and Your love as in the past
If days be few or many You will guide us to the last
You have said it, we believe it, every promise holding fast
For we know that You are good

Truths like these remind us of the faithfulness of God toward His people. From Old Testament saints to the New Testament church, including us today: GOD IS FAITHFUL TO HIS PROMISES!

Join us in a noisy celebration this Sunday as we sing together of the faithfulness of God!

Title: God Is Faithful (Psalm 114)
Album: Unchanging God - Songs from the Book of Psalms, Vol. 2
Link to listen HERE.

Chorus:
O sing, hallelujah! 
Our hope springs eternal!
O sing, hallelujah!
Now and ever we confess
Christ our hope in life and death

We are excited to sing a new song from Getty Music this Sunday.
Whatever we encounter this week, may this truth spur us to sing as we proclaim that Christ is our hope in life and death!

Title: Christ Our Hope In Life and Death

Words and Music: Keith Getty, Matt Boswell, Jordan Kauflin, and Matt Papa

Link to listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OibIi1rz7mw

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
For His steadfast love endures forever!
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, 
Whom He has redeemed from trouble.
Psalm 107:1-2

We are excited to sing a new song from Sovereign Grace Music this Sunday. May your heart be filled with awe and gratitude at the steadfast love of God as you listen to this song this week!

Title: We Give Thanks (Psalm 107)

Album: Unchanging God - Songs from the Book of Psalms

Link to listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKN2yQ157v4

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:3-4

 Heaven is coming one day!

There is a day coming that, in the end, will be simply indescribable, but God’s word does begin to describe it. God himself will be with us! An earlier verse calls this “a new heaven and a new earth.” What a day! On that day, there will be no more death, no more mourning, no more crying, and no more pain! What a day! And on that day, God will crush all suffering and sorrow and death! I recently lamented, “I do not want us to see one more gravesite!” Well, there is a day coming that we will not have to! On that day God’s new heaven and earth will be brought in on the wave of his glorious and permanent presence. Heaven will be brought to us by Him. Imagine what that day will be like when all sin and sorrow are truly removed and we are finally in the promised presence of God – in the twinkling of an eye!

 In our grief, hope remains!

We learned a few weeks ago that a dear brother in Christ and a member of our church, Marc Leap, had passed away in his home. Grief and sorrow once again are suddenly on the scene. We are reminded that we are not yet in the new heaven that is to come. Death still plagues us. Mourning, crying and pain remain but they are not all that remains. Hope remains! “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.”(1 Thessalonians 4:13-14) Jesus’ resurrection and His promise of our resurrection is the foundation of all of our hope in the face of our present sorrow. The Gospel transforms how we grieve. The Gospel infuses our grief with hope. The Gospel promise of the certain heaven to come bursts in on the darkness of sorrow with the blinding light of this hope – Jesus died and rose again! (Vs. 16)

It's still true, I do not want to visit another graveside but, when my soul remembers that God will be faithful to end all grief and usher in the new heaven where I finally will see the risen Jesus, I will know that hope be waiting for me at every single one.

 -Study the Resurrection and find Heaven’s Hope, Jesus-

At Sovereign Grace Church, what we believe shapes what we do and how we do it. This is true both individually and corporately. If you visit our website (it’s new and significantly improved, so check it out here), you will find our Statement of Faith and our Seven Shared Values. Together they represent the beliefs we cherish and are shaped by.

For this reason, we are excited about the latest Sovereign Grace Journal. Fourteen articles dedicated to explaining and celebrating the key convictions that characterize, define, and unify us as a local church and a family of churches, Sovereign Grace Churches. 

If you are wondering why this edition of the journal should be important to you, in the words of Sovereign Grace Churches Executive Director Mark Prater:

“Because they function daily in the life of your church.”

Only by the grace of God can we live out our shared values personally and corporately. But we are sure this unique resource can be a means of grace and will bless you as the Lord uses it to fill your mind and heart with precious truth, gratitude for your church and our family of churches, and above all, passion for your Savior who makes it all possible. Enjoy!

Purchase the Journal on Amazon here. Download the FREE PDF here.

I love Sundays! Singing with the saints. Serving with my brothers and sisters. Praying together. Having my mind and heart shaped by the truths of God and the Gospel. As I heard a wise pastor once say, “The church is the dearest place on earth, and Sunday is the dearest day of the week”

I especially enjoy baptism Sundays. We get to do everything above, THEN go out back, eat pizza, hear testimonies of grace and watch on as individuals identify with Christ by getting dunked in water. I love baptism Sundays!

If you are considering getting baptized or want to understand it better, I encourage you to consider four essential elements of water baptism and its importance to the believer.

1. Baptism is a sacrament of the church. Along with the Lord’s Supper, water baptism is a church sacrament. Our Statement of Faith defines a sacrament as a “precious means of grace that signifies the benefits of the gospel, confirms its promises to the believer, and visibly distinguishes the church from the world.” 

2. Baptism is for believers. We do not believe in infant baptism because there is no evidence for it in the New Testament. On the contrary, the New Testament pattern is that baptism follows salvation (Acts 2:38,41; 8:12; 10:44-48; 16:14-15, 30-33). If you have repented of your sin and placed your faith in Jesus, water baptism is for you!

3. Baptism is symbolic, not salvific. Salvation does not come through baptism; it comes through faith (Ephesians 2:8, Romans 5:1). Baptism is an outward sign of an inward work of grace. Through faith, a person is brought into a union with Christ, and water baptism symbolizes that union as a public identification with the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus (Romans 6::3-4, Colossians 2:11-13, 1 Peter 3:20-21). When baptized, believers publicly declare their life belongs to Christ, and they desire to live for his glory. 

4. Baptism is obedience. In the Great Commission, Jesus commanded believers to be baptized (Matthew 28:19). This means baptism brings about a degree of joy and spiritual benefit, just as any act of Christian obedience does (John 15:10-11). Wayne Grudem explains it this way: There is the blessing of God’s favor that comes with all obedience, as well as the joy that comes through public profession of one’s faith, and the reassurance of having a clear physical picture of dying and rising with Christ and of washing away sins.

Are you a Christian? If so, have you been baptized? If the answer is no, contact your pastor today to discuss the spiritual importance and blessings of getting dunked to the glory of Christ!

This Sunday, we have the privilege of introducing new members to our church. We hope you will be able to join us on this special day! If you have ever wondered why membership is such a priority at Sovereign Grace Church, keep reading…

If you have been around Sovereign Grace Church for any length of time at all, you have probably heard the following statement: While you can’t find the phrase “church membership” in the Bible, church membership is thoroughly biblical. Or, in the words of Mark Dever*, “It is everywhere implied.”

It’s true. Whether it is theological, historical, or practical, personal identity with and commitment to a local church is clearly God’s design and desire for all He saves by His grace.  But don’t take my word for it. Grab your Bible this week and let the Scriptures below do the talking. You might be surprised at what you find!

A biblical argument for local church membership:  

1. Obvious pattern of the NT (Most Epistles were written to specific local churches)

2. Intimate metaphors for the church (Human body—1 Corinthians 12:27; Flock—Acts 20:28; Household—1 Timothy 3:15)

3. Clear practice of the early church (Acts 2:42-47; 4:32-37; 5:12-14)

4. Call to submit to leaders (Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 5:5)

5. Command of church discipline (Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 5:1-12)

6. Charge for pastors to care for and govern the flock (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:1-5; 1 Timothy 5:17)

7. Sobering reality of a pastor’s accountability to God (Hebrews 13:17)

* Mark Dever has served as the senior pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church since 1994 and as president of 9Marks (a ministry to churches and church leaders) since its founding in 1998. Mark has authored a number of books, including 9 Marks of a Healthy Church.