This week will explore the heart of lament through Psalm 13, and the confidence we can have in approaching God openly with our hearts. Lament is different than self-pity or depression. It is inviting people into our own brokenness. A lament grieves that the world is unbalanced. It grieves the gap between reality and God’s promise. It believes in a God who is there, who can act in time and space. It doesn’t drift into cynicism or unbelief, but engages God passionately with what’s wrong.

Eddie Cole, District Superintendent of the EDA, kicked off our first week of this series by introducing the Psalms through Psalm 1. We are called to pray expectantly for wisdom throughout Scripture. We will see that the ultimate expression of God’s wisdom has come to us through the cross of Jesus Christ, which is the only hope for our lives and our redemption.

Understanding God's design for work and how to invest in our work for His glory can still leave us open to exhaustion and overwork. Finding sustainable patterns and rhythms of rest is an essential part of life. We will take time to explore the biblical concept of sabbath rest and see how it applies to us today.

The regular weekly grind can make the most rewarding jobs feel like they are empty and pointless at times. Last week we saw that we can join God's work in forming, filling, and cultivating this world. This week we will bring that down to a very practical level and see how our work connects to God's work in His world, whatever the career field.

There is a terrible misconception that work is only a result of the curse. This makes people feel as if any work other than full-time vocational ministry is fruitless and a lesser option. The Biblical reality is that God designed us for work from the very beginning, modeling it for us Himself. Understanding God’s design for work is fundamental in understanding our purpose in cultivation and service and gives an inherent dignity to every calling. Genesis 1-2 are hugely helpful for us, and will be our focal point this Sunday.

This has been a timely series for us as a church, and I have had a lot of fun preaching through the Beginnings of the early church, seeing the foundation of what we are and what we should pursue as a church. This Sunday we will focus in on Acts 6:7, which shows us what we should pursue in order to be a part of the advance of God's Word.

This is a huge narrative section that shows us the ministry, life, and death of Stephen. Death is a shadow that hangs over every one of us. In a world that seems every-increasingly bent toward self-realization and expression, it is a shocking text to see someone self-sacrificially committed to the transcendent kingdom and cause of another. This text shows us how Jesus reorients our lives, and how Christians see and experience death.

As the early church grew quickly, some complaints rose up within the church family. The Apostles, filled with the Spirit, led with wisdom, though, and didn't allow things to fester. An all-church meeting was called to roll out some new structures to accommodate the needs of the growing church. This passage is essential for us. It shows us that the church is one body with many members, and that the opportunity for and burden of ministry falls on all of us together. It also shows us some of the foundations for the structures of the church that we carry through to today.

This passage shows the Apostles brought back in front of the Sanhedrin to be questioned, for a second time. The council was in a rage and ready to kill the Apostles, just like they had killed Jesus. Peter stood boldly, though, and an older Pharisee named Gamaliel spoke up with some prophetic words of caution. This passage will show us why Christians can rejoice even in the midst of real opposition and suffering.

This Sunday we will pause our series in Acts, picking that up next Sunday. Pastor Chris Bennett, who leads Renewal Church in Memphis, and is speaking at our Men's Conference, will preach from Lamentations.