Sunday Sermon Recap – "The Gospel and Homosexuality"

This past weekend we concluded our “His” sermon series as Brad preached on the topic of, “The Gospel + Homosexuality.” We have been preaching through 1 Corinthians and seeing how our identity in Christ shapes the way we view sex, marriage, and romance. Last week, Andy and Nicole taught on singleness and showed us how our identity is not in our marital status, but in our Savior. And this Sunday, Brad helped us see that the truest thing about us is not our sexual orientation, but what Jesus has declared over us at the cross, “…you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Cor. 6:11)

Brad started the sermon with an apology to those who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or questioning on behalf of “Christians.” He then preached out of Romans 1 and showed us two important truths from the clearest text in Scripture on the topic. 1. Salvation through Jesus is for everyone who believes in Him regardless of sexual orientation. 2 Same-sex lust or behavior is sinful because it goes against God’s created will. The good news of the Gospel is that every human being is equally in need of grace and Jesus is willing to give salvation to all who trust in Him.

Brad then exposed the five most common misconceptions of homosexuality and showed how the Gospel applies to each misconception. Those misconceptions were:

1. Homosexuality is the worst sin
2. You must change before coming to church or putting faith in Jesus
3. You cannot be born with same-sex attraction
4. If you become a Christian, God will make you attracted to the opposite sex
5. Same-sex attraction is sinful

He concluded the sermon by showing us how the cross of Jesus levels the playing field and should make Christians the safest people to confess to and struggle with sin because it exposes our own sinfulness, yet comforts us with Christ’s love. If you missed the sermon, be sure to listen here: “The Gospel + Homosexuality.”

This Sunday: "The Gospel and Homosexuality"

This past Sunday we continued in our, “His” sermon series that has been centered on how our identity in Christ shapes the way we view sex, marriage and romance throughout 1 Corinthians 6 + 7. Andy preached a shorter sermon explaining how singleness is a gift from God and can be used in a beautiful way to encounter Jesus more intimately and further His mission in different ways than married people can. Then Nicole joined Andy and shared her heart on the things Jesus has taught her as a single woman. They both did an incredible job pointing us to Jesus rather than principles for "surviving singleness," as is often taught. Married or single, it was a special Sunday that will be remembered. If you missed the sermon, be sure to check it out here: "The Gospel and Singleness."

This Sunday, Brad will be tackling the difficult and controversial issue of “Homosexuality and the Gospel.” The American Church and culture have been at war over this topic for decades and have done an incredibly poor job listening to one another or loving each other. Brad will be preaching from Romans 1 and 1 Corinthians 6 to help us see what God actually says about homosexuality and then he will address the many misconceptions that are believed in the church about men and women who are attracted to the same sex.

This will be a great Sunday to bring a friend who may have questions about Jesus, Christianity, or homosexuality. The good news of the Gospel is that we are all broken, but Jesus loves making us new. We will be showing a video testimony of a man who is a part of Restored Church and has been attracted to the same sex his entire life. It will be a helpful morning for those who are gay and for those who feel uncomfortable about the topic. We hope to see you there!

When: Sunday, Mar. 29th, 8:30 or 11 a.m.

Where: Adams Elementary School (4672 35th St, San Diego, CA 92116)

Sunday Sermon Recap – Lessons from Dubai + Africa

After three Sundays away from Restored gatherings, Andy and some of the other leaders made it back from Dubai and South Africa and had stories to share. Yesterday, Andy preached a sermon where he tied in some of the things he learned while on his trip with the teachings of Jesus and the mission of the Church. In light of the trip, Andy shared four things that he prays Restored Church never loses sight of.

While in Dubai, Andy and the team met a man from Sri Lanka who was a rebel in the Sri Lankan civil war decades ago who was saved by Jesus and transformed into a lover of Jesus and people and now leads a church planting movement in Sri Lanka. Andy shared how he hopes we as a church never lose the desire to see Jesus save and transform people as He did with this man from Sri Lanka. In Africa, Andy was reminded again and again of the mission Jesus has for His church to make disciples and to welcome one another into the family that we have been so graciously welcomed into. As a church, we never want to lose sight of the fact that Jesus has called us to discipleship and loving one another as family.

Lastly, Andy made a plea to all of us that we would be a church that looks to Jesus as more satisfying than anything else this world has to offer. It is so easy to take our eyes off of Jesus and to look to things that can't fulfill us nor are worthy to be worshipped, but Jesus alone has proved His worthiness and His ability to fulfill us through His perfect life, death, and resurrection. As we look to Him, we will be filled with a joy that is unspeakable and the world will see the God who loves them more than they love themselves.

If you missed the sermon, be sure to listen to it here: Lessons from Dubai + Africa. Join us this Sunday as we dive back into our, "His" sermon series and look at the topic of Singleness.

South Africa Trip Update

We are officially home! The trip was phenomenal, but quite lengthy. Last week I wrote a blog about our week in Dubai and now we have completed another full week in South Africa! We came to South Africa for the same reasons we went to Dubai; preach and minister in local churches, minister at a conference about global church planting, and build relationships with men and women from around the world. Amazingly, Jesus made all of those things happen and our team is heading home incredibly blessed, filled, and tired.

We landed in Durban last Saturday night and  drove out to to Mooi River, where we stayed one night out in “the bush.” Around 1 a.m., we were warmly greeted by a bat that flew over our heads the rest of the night! In the morning, we joined Themba Church for their Sunday gathering. Andy did an excellent job preaching to their community of about 200 people with the help of an interpreter. Themba church is primarily made up of people who only speak Zulu. It was quite a different worship gathering than what we were used to, but it was beautiful seeing people respond to the love of Jesus!

After we left Mooi River we went back down to Durban to spend more time with the men and women of Red Point Church in Durban and Pinetown. They are such a wonderful group of people reflecting the good news of the Gospel. We were served, loved, and cared for so well by their leaders. We spent the majority of our time with Grant and Michelle Clark who lead Red Point Durban and Jesse who is on staff with the Red Point campus in Pinetown. They took us around Durban on Tuesday and Wednesday and showed us their favorite places in the city. Andy spent all day Tuesday at a meeting with leaders from the Genesis Collective as they mapped out the Global Project conference that was on Wednesday through Friday later that week. Brad spent Wednesday connecting with a few pastors from South Africa and discussed how to most effectively plant multiple church communities since we are getting ready to plant Restored South Bay!

On Wednesday night, we were all able to minister in life groups and hang out with the people of Red Point Durban. James, Royce, Scott, Andy, Tom, and Brad led discussion with the life groups around topics of their interest and it was a fruitful evening! The next morning we drove a few hours north up to Drakensburg where The Global Project conference led by Chris Wienand was held with about 200 pastors and leaders in attendance. Andy preached at the conference on how it is possible for our motivation even in church planting to be skewed and how we need to be motivated by the grace of Jesus rather than fear, guilt or the approval of others.

We left Drakensburg Friday morning and drove to a game park that night and enjoyed a sunset safari and then a sunrise adventure the next morning. We saw elephants, giraffes, rhinos, gazelles, buffalos, and tons of other animals. It was super relaxing after such a busy couple of weeks in and out of homes, churches, and cities.

From the game park, Brad headed up to preach at Urban Life Church in Johannesburg while Andy preached at Red Point Durban. Tom and James led musical worship at Durban, while Royce and Scott jumped in for prayer ministry at the end of the gathering.

Jesus did some incredible things on this trip and we will always remember just how beautiful He is and how wonderful the sight of men and women from many nations coming together despite different skin colors, nationalities, financial status, church size, giftings, or anything else. We came together in unity under Jesus’s name and are forever changed by the experience in Dubai and South Africa. Thank you for all of you prayers, support and love for us and our families while we were gone. We are so grateful for all of you and can’t wait to see you soon!

Dubai Trip Update

We have officially landed in Durban, South Africa, completing the first half of our trip in Dubai, U.A.E. It was a long week but we had an incredible time building relationships, ministering in churches, speaking at a conference, growing in passion for the nations, and of course, some sight seeing! 

After a 16 hour non-stop flight from Los Angeles to Dubai, we were graciously welcomed by our hosts who took us back to their homes and had meals prepared and beds to sleep in. We are so grateful for the families who hosted us and showed such hospitality and generosity. One of the most wonderful things about Dubai is the diversity and amount of nations represented everywhere you go. We had hosts from Indonesia, Holland, India, Scotland and England. Dubai is a thriving city in the middle east that has seen rapid growth over the last decade. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia and Oman, with Iran just 60 miles north of the Persian Gulf.

Three of the main reasons we went to Dubai were to speak at the Forge conference, minister in local churches, and build relationships with men and women internationally to give us a better understanding and bigger heart for the nations Jesus Himself wants to reach through His church. On Tuesday, Brad preached at the Forge conference on the topic, “The Gospel to a Secular Culture.” He was one of four for the section on Gospel advancement to a particular culture. He explained how the secularist isn’t asking the God questions, so we must equip our people to disclose their faith, dismantle their misconceptions of Christianity, and display the beauty and goodness of Jesus through the Gospel. Andy preached the following day on, “The Next Generation of the Church,” where he explained how his dream for the next generation of the church is to embrace their identity in Christ and live authentically in light of the Gospel. We sat under the preaching and teaching of many others from all over the world! The conference had men and women from Zimbabwe, Pakistan, South Africa, the U.K., Nigeria, Greece, Qatar, Sri Lanka, and many others!

On Thursday we put on our tourist hats and went to the world’s largest mall (with over 1,200 stores!), world’s largest building (Burj Kalifa), and saw the only indoor ski slope in the world! That night, we had the privilege of joining the Well of Life Church leaders meeting. Chris Wienand spoke at it and Tom and James led the musical worship for the evening. Royce arrived later that evening in Dubai, so we are now just looking forward to Scott joining us in Durban!

Because Islam is the official religion of Dubai and Muslims have their services on Friday, everyone takes Friday off. That morning we joined our new friends Dan and Starla who lead City Lights Church in Dubai. They had asked Andy and Brad to spend the morning interviewing and asking questions about our lives, faith, church, and passions. Later that afternoon, we joined Well of Life Church for their gathering and worshiped with tons of people from all over the globe. While it is technically illegal for these churches to gather, the men and women are faithfully proclaiming the Gospel and seeing many come to faith in Jesus!

We miss our wives, kids, and church family a ton! We are excited for our time in Durban and ask for ongoing prayer as we continue ministering, building relationships, and traveling. We will see you soon!

Special Sunday with Bert Alcorn - 3.1.15

If you were with us this past Sunday you were certainly blessed by our good friend, Vince Larson who kicked off our, “Set Free” sermon-series. Vince preached out of John 1 and showed us Jesus’s encounter with some of his first disciples. He showed us how the life of all disciples is one where we are increasingly seeing Jesus, following Jesus, and sharing Jesus.

This Sunday, we are grateful to have our friend, Bert Alcorn, with us from Anthem Church in Ventura. Bert is currently a church planting resident at Anthem Church, which is the same church Andy did his church planting residency before planting Restored Church. Bert is in the process of planting a church in Ventura and has a team with him right now making disciples and living on mission there already. Bert received his degree at Eternity Bible College in Simi Valley, CA and blogs regularly at http://bert.is/

Bert will continue our “Set Free” sermon series this Sunday by looking at John 4. In this passage, Jesus heals an official's son. Jesus met this man where he was, and He meets us where we are, too. It will be a great Sunday to hear the good news of Jesus and see a glimpse of how Jesus continues to bless our church with Gospel partnerships with other local churches!

Sunday Sermon Recap – His - "The Gospel and our Sexual Past"

This past Sunday we continued our sermon series, “His,” which is focused on sex, romance, and our identity in Christ. The first week, Andy explained how the Gospel changes our view of sex from either “god” or “gross” to a “gift” from God. This past Sunday Andy preached on how Jesus can heal our past and present sexual brokenness; both the sinful decisions we have made and the sinful things that have been done to us.

While we have been looking at 1 Corinthians to inform our current series, Andy took us to the gospel of John to see how Jesus interacted with two different people who had sinned sexually and been shamed sexually. The first account was in John 4 where Jesus met a woman who had looked to men to fulfill her, yet was continually unsatisfied. Jesus offers her what no man had ever offered her, selfless acceptance leading to salvation and freedom. Only through faith in Jesus could this woman be fulfilled and no longer need to look to men to define who she was. And it is the same for us. Sex in marriage is a gift from God, but it cannot completely satisfy the deep longings in our soul for completion.

Then in John 8, we witnessed Jesus show incredible wisdom and grace with the woman who had been caught in adultery. While Jesus does not downplay her sinful choice, He offers her grace, which is the only source of true change. Most of us continue to feel bondage when it comes to sex and lust, but Jesus offers us grace that has the power to change us in our struggle. He is the one who doesn’t condemn us in our sin because He lovingly took on our condemned in our place on the cross. It is only by believing this beautiful truth that we can begin to live out His command, “Go and sin no more.” Jesus is our only hope when it comes to our sexuality. He alone can heal and restore us, so we look to Him alone to define and direct our lives.

Join us this Sunday at 8:30 or 11 a.m. as we continue our series with a sermon on “Sex and the Pursuit of Purity.” If you missed this past Sunday, be sure to listen to the sermon here: "The Gospel and our Sexual Past."

"His: A Sermon Series on Sex, Romance, and Identity"

As announced Sunday, we are excited about our upcoming sermon series, “His.” We have been preaching through 1st Corinthians for the last few months and this Sunday, January 25th, we begin a new section of Paul’s letter addressing sex, marriage, divorce, singleness, and how our identity in Christ impacts all of it. While the letter to the Corinthians was written about 2,000 years ago, it is fascinating how God’s word addresses and answers the very same questions we are all asking. Does God really care about who I sleep with? Is it better to get married or to stay single? Is divorce ever an option? How can I improve my marriage?

Over the course of five weeks, we will be digging into these important issues and seeing how Jesus’s grace, love, and wisdom helps us live the richest lives regardless of where we have been or where we are in the present. The fact that we are “His” changes how we view and interact in all of our relationships. Because we no longer have to find our identity in our relationships or status, we are freed up to enjoy and serve Jesus whether we are single, married, or divorced.

This is an incredible opportunity to invite friends who are interested in Jesus and Christianity. Everyone likes to talk and hear about sex, marriage, romance, and singleness, so we cannot encourage you enough to use this series as a way to invite people to our Sunday gatherings to meet Jesus and His bride, the church.

When: Sundays, beginning Jan. 25th, 8:30 or 11 a.m.

Where: Adams Elementary School (4672 35th St, San Diego, CA 92116)

 

Leaders the Conference - Jan. 16 + 17

As mentioned yesterday, "Leaders the Conference: Grace + Gospel Filled Relationships" is going to be an excellent opportunity for all who are looking to grow in their understanding of how the Gospel directly impacts their relationships. This year, the conference will be led by Ken Sande, who founded and has led Peacemaker Ministries for 30 years. Peacemaker Ministries vision is to “transform relationships with the power of the gospel." With various speakers from local churches, this conference will be well worth your time and money!

If you would like more details or to register today, please visit: leaderstheconf.com

Date: January 16th (evening) + 17th (all day)

Cost: $40 (Spouses get in free!)

Location: The Resolved Church building (5444 Napa Street, San Diego, CA 92110)

 

Special Sunday with Alan Frow - 12.28.14

Join us this Sunday (12.28.14) as we have the privilege of hearing from our good friend and lead pastor of Southlands Church, Alan Frow. Alan leads Southlands Church in Brea, CA and has been an influential voice to our elders even before Restored Church was planted. He was handed the leadership of Southlands Church about 4 years ago from Chris Wienand. Since then, Southlands has planted another community in Fullerton and has seen numerous men and women living out their identity as missionaries both in Orange County and around the world. 

Alan is a gifted preacher of the Gospel and desires to see churches pursuing both the Scriptures and the Spirit. He is an excellent writer and blogs regularly at: Roots&Wings. We are excited for him to preach on God's heart for discipleship as we enter the new year!

Join us this Sunday as we gather as a church family to see what Jesus is calling you into for 2015! Invite your friends and family as we gather together and worship our gracious King.

When: Sunday, Dec. 28th, 8:30 or 11 a.m.

Where: Adams Elementary School (4672 35th St, San Diego, CA 92116)