Mid-month Mention: Powerful Preaching in Dallas

 (Image from Eastside Community Church sermon menu)

I must admit, I'm jealous of my son Bryce. He has joined a wonderful church. In all the years we have lived near Indianapolis, I've never found a church home I would enthusiastically wish to join. You'd think living near a large metropolis would solve this dilemma. Alas, despite many spells and stretches of attending various churches near and distant from our home, the pickings still feel slim. 

In the beginning, when my husband was not attending church and my youngest was an infant, I took my boys to The Salvation Army. This was the church of my childhood. I will forever be tied to the music of the Army. In Indianapolis, I expected a vibrant congregation with a band I could join. Of course, if they had a band, I would not have been able to join because there was no child care. This was part of the attraction, though. I would always sit at the back because the service often coincided with my son's feeding schedule. Nobody there minded if I donned a blanket and discreetly fed my infant. There was some comfort and familiarity, and I felt less guilty for our inclusion at the Army's Central Bible & Leadership Institute (CBLI) every July. (I attended this family camp with my sons for two solid decades, even in times when we weren't attending The Salvation Army.)

Over time, it became less of a good fit. They aligned with some beliefs I could not espouse. I tried several others closer to home (the Army was a good 20-25 minute drive on Sunday mornings). Oh, the interesting scenarios! In one church, someone accosted us because we took their weekly established seat in the sanctuary. In another, they would not release my pre-teen from the classroom because I didn't know the requirement of picking him up. His pleas fell on deaf ears for a half hour. We never attended that church again. In yet another, the sermons invariably veered political with great vehemence about how one should be voting. I don't go to church to learn how I should vote. Moreover, God deserves more attention on praising Him for releasing us from the troubles of the world than on trying to find a human solution for the troubles in our world. There will never be a human solution! Christ is the only answer!

On Mother's Day, I relished the blessing of attending church with my son Bryce and his fiancée at Eastside Community Church in Dallas. While I prefer smaller churches, with a more intimate and connected feel, I am intensely grateful for the preaching we heard that Sunday. So, for my Mid-month Mention in June, I am highlighting this church and especially the sermons accessible on-line. The sermon we heard on Mother's Day exemplified their commitment to God and His Word! (They express this in their story of how the church came to be.)

One sermon wasn't enough, so I located the sermon library on their website. The sermons I have listened to are all from the Help Us sermon series they were in during our visit. This series focuses on the lines of the doxology they sing at the end of every service. I outlined the sermon we heard in-person in a previous blog post. 

Because of Pastor Adam Griffin's powerful illustrations, his emphasis on the gospel and the gift of grace, together with his reliance on God's Word, I was eager to hear the entire series. Every sermon encouraged and fed my soul. I so needed to hear that God is always with us. I needed the pastor's emphasis on the dynamics of that. He used Joseph's life and trials as an illustration. How encouraging that although my trials mount, and the prison doors seem to hold fast, God is with me, has aligned Himself with me, despite my sin and undeserving standing.

I also desperately needed the reminder to be steadfast. I don't want to have, like Peter's walk on the water, a "brief belief." My soul needs to cling to my Papa God, just as children entirely trust their parents to help them. In another sermon by Adam Griffin, he talked about our need to direct our worship to the proper place, God alone. How easy it is to turn God's good gifts into idols when we put work, wealth, recreation, or relationships above God or in the place of God within our lives.

Perhaps you, too, need a good dose of encouragement and a spotlight on God's Word. Some preach God's Word, but it comes off condemning, always leaving one feeling like they are not all they should be and will never be close enough to the Lord. My soul is weary. I need inspiration. My soul longs to be drawn compassionately in focus on the Lord. This sermon series has met some of my needs and pointed me to the source of all help. If you have extra time, take a listen to Pastor Griffin's fine teaching.