Sometimes it is hard for us to see how the spiritual connects to the practical things of life. Jesus, during his life and ministry had the uncanny ability to connect all of God to all of life. As the crowds gathered with tangible needs, Jesus utilized an ancient form of teaching called “parable” to uncover the depth of their spiritual need in the heart of those who were truly hungry for God. The word parable come from the Greek verb “ballo” which means to throw, lay, or place and the prefix “para” meaning alongside. Thus it was Jesus’ aim to “place” the life changing truth of the gospel “alongside” the common things of life in order to show us how the practical and spiritual connect.

Join us for the next several weeks at Aletheia as we seek to “connect all of God to all of life”

July 13: The Gospel & Barriers to Embracing Christ Matthew 13:1-9; 18-23
July 20: The Gospel & Biblical Salvation Matthew 13:44-46
July 27: The Gospel & Forgiving Our Brother Matthew 18:21-35
August 3: The Gospel & Loving Our Neighbor Luke 10:25-37
August 10: The Gospel & The Futility of Things Luke 12:13-21
August 17: The Gospel & True Repentance Luke 18:9-14True Repentance Luke 18:9-14

Ephesians 6:10-23

"And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.” (Luke 22:31)        

When followers of Jesus make a commitment to trust their lives to the promises and power of God, they are still living in hostile territory that presently remains under the influence and power of Satan, sin, and a fallen world. This leaves the Christ-followers at a disadvantage, in which we are cautioned in God's Word to put on the whole spiritual armor of God, because like it or not, we are in spiritual warfare. As Paul has revealed to us in the book of Ephesians, the true nature of this battle is against supernatural evil. The purpose of the armor of God is to equip us with the power of God in order to stand against the evil schemes and deception of the devil, who has blinded the minds of those who believe not.

The power of God is released as we utilize every piece of the armor of God against evil spirits, who are labeled by Paul as principalities, powers, rulers of darkness and spiritual wickedness on high. We are asked to prepare ourselves as soldiers in spiritual warfare, because as we seek to extend the message of Jesus in both word and deed where God has placed us, we will face the opposition of the enemy.

Join us for the next three weeks as we seek to “STAND” for the fame of Jesus.

June 15 “Defining the Battle Lines” Ephesians 6:10-12
June 22 “The Weapons of Our Warfare” Ephesians 6:13-18
June 29 “What’s at Stake?” Ephesians 6:19-23

 

We live in a society that views submissioas a four letter word, while God reveals that it is the essential elemen of all relational dynamics. Submission is not a natural response within the human experience but rather it is stimulated by the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Within this series we will discuss:

Week#1 Misunderstandings, Meaning, and Command: Be Filled with the Holy Spirit Week#2 The Overflow of The Spirit’s Filling: Worship in the Context of Community Week#3 The Overflow of The Spirit’s Filling: Submission in the Contexts of Community
Week#4 The Overflow of The Spirit’s Filling: Submission in the Contexts of Marriage Week#5 The Overflow of The Spirit’s Filling: Submission in the Contexts of Parenting
Week#6 The Overflow of The Spirit’s Filling: Submission in the Context of the Work Place

 

Aletheia Blueprint

Blueprint (1) - A photographic reproduction in white on a blue background, as of an architectural or engineering plan (2). any exact or detailed plan.

The Smell of Sausage

When I was growing up, I remember waking up on Saturday mornings at my grandparents’ house to the smell of sausage, eggs, and freshly brewed coffee. I am sure many of you have similar memories of grandparents giving you the “royal treatment” and wishing that it would be the same when you ventured back home to live out the week with your parents. But, we knew that would not be the case. For me the “royal treatment” included staying up late, butterscotch pudding, and fishing trips. But, when you smelled the sausage on Saturday morning it meant no cartoons...only work--my granddad getting me out of bed at the crack of dawn, filling my stomach with food, and then we would be off to fabricate some monstrosity of building in his minute backyard, though he viewed it as a regular plantation in middle of the suburbs of Virginia Beach.

Granddad’s Blueprint

My granddad was an amazingly systematic man when it came to building the latest structure he dreamt up during the week, while I was struggling through penmanship in sixth grade language arts. Shortly after eating a hearty breakfast, my granddad would break out the blueprints, carefully sketched on graph paper, complete with precise measurements, needed materials, and carefully detailed instructions for one not so excited grandson that would rather be watching Gummy Bears. Stop laughing! That show was intense! The coolest thing about working with my granddad was seeing the things that he designed in his mind, move from blueprints to reality after a hard day of work.

God’s Blueprint

In the same way God, with creative design is making sure that His plans are moving from the blueprint in His infinite mind to the stage of history as He works in and through the lives of His people. Followers of Jesus were rescued by His grace from the futility of sins and have been gathered in the context of biblical community to become architects of God’s kingdom. The beauty of His design is that He utilizes broken people, from diverse backgrounds to build His kingdom, not merely in some far off place, but in the city, universities, and professions that He has placed us.

God’s Design For Aletheia

For the next four weeks we will be outlining God’s blueprint or design for Aletheia. As a biblical community we have been placed in a strategic location, among a strategic demographic, during a strategic time and have been entrusted with God’s “ancient blueprint” (the good news of Jesus) for the purpose of seeing the campus of VCU, the city of Richmond, and where God has placed us, transformed with message of the cross. Strategic plans are as numerous and diverse as there are biblical communities, but when strategic plans collide with the ancient message of the cross, you have God’s blueprint for making an impact where God has placed you.

Aletheia Blueprint Series

Week 1: Mobilize a Generation / Joshua S
Week 2: Build a Community / John R
Week 3: Serve the City / Joshua S & John R
Week 4: Impact the World / Joshua S

" Body Language?”
What Are We Communicating About Jesus?

In there recent book Unchristian, David Kinnaman, president of Barna Research along with Gabe Lyons uncover the distorted perception the church has in eyes of unbelievers. After three years of extensive research and interviews, Dave and Gabe compiled a comprehensive look at what this current generation (16-29 year olds) thinks of the Christian faith. The results were astounding.

The top six perceptions of the church:

1. Anti-Homosexual – this is toward the person not the deed – 96%
2. Judgmental – 87%
3. Hypocritical – 81%
4. Sheltered
5. Politically Motivated
6. Insecure

An important thing to note here is that these perceptions were consistent from both inside and outside the church. 40% of the audience interviewed was from outside the church, meaning that a big part of where these perceptions are coming is from within the church itself via both conversations and teaching.

It Is All About Body Language

Here at Aletheia, for the next four weeks we will be interacting with Ephesians chapter four in a new teaching series entitled “Body Language.” The question we will be challenged with is, “What are we the church communicating about Jesus through the medium of our lives?” Just as open arms, a welcoming embrace, or a sarcastic eye roll are unmistakable forms of communication, our lives are the language of Christ’s body. We are daily communicating with our attitude and actions, a language that is louder than words, to a lost world that is intently listening.

Directions, Purpose, and Pray for the Series

The next four weeks will unfold something like this:

Week 1 : Bow Your Knees in Unity (Ephesians 4:1-6)

 

Purpose - Discover how unity in the context of biblical community is an essential outworking of our relationship with Jesus and reveals our understanding of God.

Week 2 : Extend Your Hands with Grace (Ephesians 4:7-16)

 

Purpose – Understand that Jesus extended grace to His followers in order that by grace we would equip, serve and grow together in love.

Week 3 : Raise Your Arms in Renewal (Ephesians 4:17-24)

 

Purpose – Realize that our manner of life should be consistent with our new character and through the renewing power of Jesus transformation is possible.  

Week 4 : Lift Head in Accountability (Ephesians 4:25- 32)

 

Purpose – Acknowledge that we are accountable to the community for our individual actions that are contrary to Jesus’ example.

My prayer is that through this series, Aletheia would truly be a biblical community that is consistently and authentically communicating with our lips and our lives the message of Jesus on the campus of VCU in the city of Richmond, where God has placed us.

fortheFameofHisname,
p. Josh S

Interview with David Kinnaman
"Unchristian"

 

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