Posts with the category “preparing-for-worship”

Dear OBC Family,If you want to play a fun game — is game the right word? — with your children or friends, take time to read Genesis 22:1–19 verse by verse. In each verse, ask yourself a question: What does this passage say about Christ in type or shadow?In the Bible, types are historical persons, places, events, or institutions that point forward to Jesus Christ as the goal of God’s plan of salvat...  Read More

I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse,  and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”Genesis 12:3In Genesis 21, we have three stories in one. Verses 1–7 tell the long-awaited birth story of Isaac, then verses 8–21 recount how Ishmael, the son of an Egyptian slave, is cast out because he laughed at Isaac, while verses 22–34 finish the chapter by desc...  Read More

On Sunday, we take the next step in thinking about ordering our lives around the altar of God’s worship. Three weeks ago, we considered how the altar takes priority over the city in the life of the Christian. Last Sunday, we looked at the way our watches are set by that worship. And this Sunday, we will begin to think about our households.Indeed, when God made the world, he created the universe to...  Read More

What will you do when you cannot preach? Oh, I am not talking about planning for an upcoming Sunday when I, as your pastor, will be absent, or when multiple teaching elders are unavailable. I am talking about when it becomes apparent 10 hours or 10 minutes before Sunday morning that the man called to preach simply cannot do it.In such a situation, we have a few options. We could call on someone to...  Read More