When our lives are squeezed, what comes out?  In a fallen world, we’ll be stretched and pressed from all sides.  We’re sufferers, all of us; none of us can escape the effects of moral and natural evil.  But we’re also sinners; as broken people, we’ll be tempted to respond to that suffering with angry hearts and violent deeds.  But God’s word calls us to live as saints, or “holy ones”, responding to suffering, despite our sin, with joy.  In other words, we’re to look alien, as if we’re from another world.

This fall at Karis, we’ll begin a detailed look at the book of 1 Peter.  There the apostle uses that word, “alien,” to describe how He intends Christians, particularly as they suffer, to look.  If we’re obedient to our Lord, if we’re submitting to His Spirit, we’ll maintain faith, we’ll extend love, and we’ll even experience joy, in the midst of much trial and affliction.  And then, we’ll indeed look like aliens.  We’ll appear as foreigners and strangers with our own, distinctive way of thinking, feeling, and acting that will result in additional suffering through persecution, yet will simultaneously result in attraction, as people are drawn to a different manner of life.  When squeezed, loving service will come out.  When pressed, songs of joy will burst forth.  We’ll look like our Lord Jesus, our Creator, who lovingly invaded His creation, trusting His Father and serving us, even to the point of death on a cross.  Join us this fall for “Alien” at Karis Community Church.

Porterbrook is a distance education program developed in the UK and endorsed by Tim Keller, Alan Hirsch, Vaughn Roberts, the Acts 29 Network, and others.  It’s not just for vocational ministers.  It’s for all Christians.  It “seeks to be integrated with your whole Christian life in whatever context you’re serving.  It’s not theology for theology’s sake: the course is written by practitioners for practitioners.”  The standard two-year program, a slower-paced four-year plan, as well as a la carte, individual courses will all be offered, all at minimal cost.

Begins Sept. 14th.  Contact Rob Gaskin (rob@karischurch.org) for more information. Also, see the attached packet of information.  It has been revised, with lower fees.  To register, visit here.

Porterbrook Packet

Karis Community Church is excited to announce two new, part-time staff people.  Bobby Schembre will now serve as Music Coordinator.  He has spent the past three years serving under and alongside Luke Daugherty, learning how to plan the Karis liturgy, lead our body in corporate worship, and develop musicians and leaders.  Bobby is a gifted musician and loving man.  Our music will continue to be a distinguishing aspect of Karis life.

Derek Zimmermann will also serve as Assistant to the Lead Pastor.  He will work alongside Kevin Larson, serving him in any way possible, but particularly helping to manage communication and administrative tasks.  Derek is a great servant and gifted brother.  He will be of great service during this time of transition for Karis.

Aarik Danielsen will be installed tomorrow as the third Karis elder.  We’re very, very excited about this.  Please join us in both worship Gatherings (10 a.m. and 6 p.m.) for this celebration of God’s grace in Aarik and his sweet wife, Brooke.

Join us for part two of special guest Ray Ortlund’s presentation on “Illicit Worship” tonight, Friday the 19th, in Middlebush Auditorium (9th and University) on the University of Missouri Campus.  Part one, this past Wednesday, was amazing.  Don’t miss out tonight.

Ray Ortlund is joining us today at Boone Tavern in Downtown Columbia.  He’ll be talking about trials in ministry at noon.  Don’t miss it!  It’s free.  Just buy a lunch.

My friend Jeremy Writebol, a pastor at Santa Rosa Bible Church, in Santa Rosa, CA, had these words of encouragement, based on his previous exposure to the teaching of Ray Ortlund, who will joining us at Karis this week:

Every once in a while I run across a guy that I should have known about a long time ago.  In 2009 it was Ray Ortlund.  Where did I find him?  As I was studying Isaiah.  He wrote the ESV Study Bible Notes on the book of Isaiah and I was compelled instantly by his writing.  So much so that I bought the commentary he wrote on Isaiah to read through as I studied it.  It was fantastic.  Every chapter pointed me to Christ and called me to know and love Jesus more deeply.

Then I got to hear Ray speak.  First, at a church-planters gathering about Acts 29, and then later as he preached Christ at a local conference I attended.  What was wonderful in his writing was now explosive in his preaching.  He took the Scriptures plainly.  He pointed me straight to Christ.  With joy, wit and passion he called me to stop loving myself and live to love Christ, His church, and others with an unbridled sense of joy and acceptance from The One who gave Himself for me.

If you do anything this week of importance it would be to go and humbly listen to Ray Ortlund.  It could be the death of your own religiosity.  It could be the beginning of living out God’s grace.  It will be the best thing you have done in 2010!  And that’s not because it’s Ray Ortlund speaking, it’s only because he will point you to a Savior full of grace and truth.

Pastor/Scholar Ray Ortlund of Immanuel Church in Nashville, Tennessee will be visiting Karis this week for two special events.  Ray is one of the editors of the ESV Study Bible, and has written a number of books, including God’s Unfaithful Wife, which happens to be the subject of this week’s talks (below).

First, on the nights of February 17 and 19, Wednesday and Friday, Ray will be teaching at 7 p.m. in Middlebush Auditorium on the Mizzou Campus on “Illicit Worship: Escaping Spiritual Adultery.”  The event is free.

Second, this Thursday, February 18th at 12 noon, Ray will be teaching at Boone Tavern in downtown Columbia (811 E. Walnut) on “Through the Flames: Trusting God in the Trials of Ministry.”  The event is free.  However, participants are strongly encouraged to purchase lunch at the restaurant.

Both events are open to the public.  However, “Through the Flames” is geared toward pastors and ministry leaders and guests should keep that in mind, as seating at that event will be limited.

Both events are sponsored by Karis Community Church.  For events posters and further information, contact Kevin Larson at 760-51-Karis or kevin@karischurch.org.

At Karis, we believe the Gospel is the message and power of God for salvation of everyone who believes in Christ Jesus. This Gospel not only reconciles us to God and his church, it also shapes us as ministers of reconciliation. Having been saved by such amazing grace and for such noble purposes, we passionately follow Christ’s call to make disciples both within our own cultural context and across significant geographical, cultural, and linguistic barriers. In our new c-group series, Missio Dei, we will seek to understand how we fit into the glorious mission of God to redeem his people from every tongue, tribe, and nation on earth. Together, we pray that God will reveal to us his relentless mission throughout the storyline of the Bible, and how we can rightly respond through worship, prayer, and suffering for the sake of his Name. Will you join us?