Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
This coming Lord’s Day we will begin our journey through the Ten Commandments. I will be preaching on the first Commandment in the Decalogue, expressed in Exodus 20:3–“You shall have no other god’s before Me.” This Commandment has been called the “foundation of all true religion,” and it provides the moral and logical basis for the remaining nine. The eternal relevance of this sacred Command becomes apparent as we view the landscape of our own world which, in so many respects, is very much like that of the ancient near east. The world of Moses and the Israelites was awash in the veneration of countless deities. The Egyptian pantheon alone had over 1500 gods and goddesses! And while we consider ourselves more sophisticated and less inclined to follow the winds of superstition and primitive magic, we are no less vulnerable to the catalog of competing idol-deities that are available today. In the Decalogue, however, we will discover why and how the Covenant people in every age are commanded to guard the exclusivity of their love, devotion, and service of the one and only true and living God.
Mission Report This Sunday
During our Lord’s Day Service of Worship, it will be our great joy to hear a report from the mission field! Steve and Rita Williams, our MTW missionaries to New Zealand, will be with us. Steve will be giving a report on their work and sharing specific ways we can stand with them in our prayers. Below you will find out more about Steve and Rita and how the Lord is using them in such a significant way. Let me also say that while we support them financially as a Church body, their needs at the moment are great. As you know, PCA missionaries must raise their own support from local Churches and individuals who feel called to invest in their ministries. Lately, however, their funding has fallen short of what they require. Would you pray for them specifically about this need? And would you consider how you might be used of the Lord to bless and provide for them financially? The Lord has placed them in such a strategic location in the world where they are directly involved in planting faithful, Gospel-preaching Presbyterian Churches and training local pastors in the work of ministry. I am so excited about our partnership with them, now and in the future!
Thank you for your faithful prayers, and I can’t wait to see you on Sunday morning!
In His love,
Mike
Introducing Dr. Steve and Rita Williams
Steve and Rita Williams previously served as Mission to the World missionaries in Germany and Austria where they established the retreat/counseling ministry of Barnabas Zentrum. During that time, Steve also served as the MTW European area missionary care coordinator. In 2006 the Williams redeployed to New Zealand where they now serve with the Grace Presbyterian Church of New Zealand on a church planting lead team in Auckland, the largest Polynesian city in the world. Steve trains national leaders in pastoral care at Grace Theological College as well as internationally throughout the Pacific region. Both Steve and Rita have been active in the support and care of Christian leaders and their families. They also have a special heart for ministering to young adults. All of these various ministries operate under the MTW/GPCNZ partnership project called the New Zealand Grace Care Community.
Born in Jackson, Miss., Steve grew up here in Huntsville and is a graduate of Grissom High School (class of ’74). He obtained a Ph.D. from Florida State University with concentrations in both family social science and family therapy. He also holds a M.A. from Wheaton Graduate School with concentrations in theology and interpersonal relations. He formerly served as adjunct professor at Reformed Theological Seminary (Jackson, Miss.) and as Director of Family Science at Montreat College (Montreat, NC). Rita, a native of Asheville, NC, holds a B.S. in psychology from Liberty University (Lynchburg, VA) and served with Ben Lippen Ministries in administrative and counseling support.