Wow, what a weekend it was!After work Friday my family headed to Morton, IL., for Providence Church's Reformation Day Faire 2009. We arrived around 8:30pm and caught Charlie Zahm just as he was beginning his concert at the church, and what a treat that was for my family after traveling for three hours.
This Faire was birthed from the heart of Pastor James McDonald, (pictured with wife Stacy), and his love for theology. The theme this year was the ministry of John Calvin. Speakers included Douglas Bond, Marcus Serven, and James McDonald.
The Faire covered two days, Friday and Saturday, and many families, like my own, stayed and worshiped with the good folks at Providence Church on Sunday as well. Pastor James' message Sunday was about the prayer life of John Calvin, and his challenge to all in attendance was to pray fervently, expectantly, and passionately, like John Calvin did some 500 years ago, and see what the LORD does through those prayers.
It was refreshing to see such passion, and an earnest desire for holiness exude from Pastor McDonald as he moved around the stage pleading with the those in attendance, and especially the men, to take serious, their walks with the LORD, and their prayer life with the LORD.
Providence Church is a church that takes serious the biblical mandate for men to be strong spiritual leaders in their homes. They call men to lead their families in a way that honors the LORD and reflects Him well. Providence is seeking to raise up Men who will disciple their children to the glory of the LORD, and send them out as fiery arrows in the battle that has been waging since the fall of man and beyond. This, I truly appreciate about Providence, and churches elsewhere, that are moving back to the Bible in their expectations of men.
I went away from Providence with a renewed sense of my Divine calling as a man. It's always refreshing to be reminded and encouraged about the responsibilities that the good LORD has laid upon me toward my children; discipling, educating, protecting, providing for, etc: as well as those responsibilities toward my wife of loving, protecting, providing for, and cherishing her as a divine gift!
"O' LORD, may you bless the work of Providence, and ALL Gospel preaching, Bible believing, Christ exalting assemblies through-out the vast globe that you created. And may these churches continue to call Men to bear their swords as they fight for the heart of their King, King Jesus. Amen!"
