January 1, 2024

Dear Rockford Reformed Church family and friends,

Happy New Year! Did you see the ball drop? I assume it did ☺. As we make this turn into the New Year, here are some thoughts and resources to encourage and equip us for pursuing our vision and following Jesus. Our focus yesterday on some of the Proverbs and Jonathan Edwards’ resolutions revealed that of all the resolutions that we could focus on, our greatest concern should be on hearts that yield faithfulness, holy living, integrity, love, or becoming like Jesus. And I suggested 2 ½ biblical disciplines or habits that lead to real progress. The intent of these disciplines is not to make us more precious to God, but to make God more precious to us. Our love and obedience flow out of our delight in God.

The 2 ½ disciplines I suggested yesterday were persistent gospel application, people, and prayer. Bible reading is vital for life, but I refer to persistent gospel application because our reading, study, listening, and absorbing of God’s Word must include seeing Jesus because it is our daily seeing and dependence on Jesus that radically changes us. I said yesterday that people will see Jesus in you only as much as you are seeing Jesus in his Word.

Below is a list of seven links to articles/resources that will serve well for your equipping in this way. The first two links provide a wide range of ways to take up a discipline of reading God’s Word (see the links within the articles as well). It takes less than 10 minutes per day to read the whole Bible in a year! The third link provides various ways to listen to the ESV Bible through podcasts. The fourth link leads to the Crossway Publisher’s free ESV App which provides an amazing assortment of strong resources and ways to absorb the Bible into your heart and mind. I have used the Dwell Bible App (at the fifth link) for a couple of years now after purchasing a lifetime membership and commend that to you for consideration among the others. The Gospel Coalition provides a wide range of free commentaries at the sixth link below. And then, finally, note the article that provides tips for developing healthy Bible reading habits.

1. Bible Reading Plans for 2024
2. Reading the Bible in a Year
3. ESV Podcasts
4. ESV Bible App
5. Dwell App
6. TGC Bible Studies
7. 5 Tips for Creating Healthy Bible-Reading Habits

I enjoy redeeming the time by listening to books and Scripture as I go on a walk or other activities. But, as I suggested yesterday, God’s design for our progress in faith and maturity also involves his people. We need each other! And so, I encourage you to actively participate in a Life Group and/or participate in the Focal Point offerings that will include a continuation of study in the book of James (led by Mike Fisk) and a new study of “When I Am Afraid” by Nick Verburg. “When I Am Afraid” works to equip us with understanding how the gospel applies to our anxieties, worries, and fears. James Karsten and I will co-teach a series on “Knowing God” by J.I. Packer, a wonderfully profound and classic study that equips us for plunging some of the depths of God and his relationship with us—again, making God more precious to us.

The final of the 2 ½ disciplines that I suggested for us yesterday was prayer. The “half” is because I only had time to mention it briefly and intend to expand significantly on this in the weeks and months ahead for us. Next Sunday, we will focus on the book of Jude (especially 3, 20-25) where Jude urged his readers to “…keep yourselves in the love of God…” by “…praying in the Holy Spirit…” Our vision 2028 includes our becoming a praying church and we will be learning how vital this is as the engine for the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in and through us.

I am excited to be leading our consistory and staff through the book, “A Praying Church: Becoming a People of Hope in a Discouraging World” by Paul Miller over the next few months. You are encouraged to dig into this book as well. Or, for your Life Group or your own personal equipping for prayer, I commend to you this outstanding book: “A Praying Life: Connecting With God in a Distracting World” (there is also a separate study guide).

The renovation was necessary, and it will be beautiful and exciting to gather, worship, and welcome each other and all those who are searching in the months and years ahead. But the real joy and excitement that we seek in this renewed space is God’s Spirit working to transform our hearts and lives. And that will involve the glorious work and discipline of prayer.

My passion is your heart delighting in and following Jesus. I am eager for this New Year to pursue this together. There will always be challenges and resistance for the journey, but our sovereign King redeems all of it for the grand purpose of his glory and our joy. They are wrapped up together.

Focal Point starts up again on January 14, and as we get closer to that date, look for the email where you can sign up for the classes so that we can plan for how many books to order. I will be hosting a Discovery Class on this Sunday and the following Sunday at 5-7 pm. Join us if you would like to explore or prepare for what it means to become a part of our church family. Let us know if you plan to participate so that we can plan for the food and childcare.

Thank you for your encouragement and prayers for Ruth and me in this past year. And thank you to so many of you who are generously and sacrificially serving and giving in ways that reflect our Savior’s generous sacrifice for us. He who began a good work in us will be faithful to complete it and I am confident that he is just getting started with us.'

Have a happy and blessed New Year!

Pastor Tim