An Explanation & Invitation of SDG
Dear Doxa,
After inching verse by verse through the Gospel of Mark for well over a year and a half, we now find ourselves moving to various passages in the Bible. This might be unnerving or might give reason for concern, wondering if we have abandoned expositional preaching for topical. I too find myself feverish when I see a pastor bouncing from text to text each week rather than slowly moving verse by verse through a book of the Bible. I want to reassure you that this is not the case. We are not wandering into the practice of 'cotton candy' and 'cotton picking' preaching.
Expositional Still
Soli Deo Gloria will still be expositional. We might call the sermon campaign a thematic textual expositional, which sounds more sophisticated than it truly is. Simply put, we have a theme to explore expositional through selected texts. In SDG, the Glory of God alone is the theme, and various texts will be exploring this theme in an expositional manner.
Would You Be Willing?
No one offers themselves willy nilly to that type of question without knowing what’s being asked of them. Only fools say 'Yes' without knowing all the details. However, in the case of Doxa Church, I know our church is filled with wisdom. Here’s why I can make such a statement. If I were to ask each person if they thought unity in the church was important and vital for its health, the good of the community, and fruitful for the renown of God’s glory on the earth, the majority would say 'Yes.' We all know that when the church is united under the banner of truth, the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and His mission, God works magnificently and marvelously. That’s what my hope is for Soli Deo Gloria. Our church would unite together intentionally and faithfully for these next 6 weeks. Would you be willing to unite together?
Offering Myself To What?
"If you said, “Yes,” then Soli Deo Gloria. Most certainly, the question is—
How do I unite with the people of Doxa during SDG? What am I offering myself to that might promote unity in the life of the church?
The low-hanging fruit would be to show up for Sunday Worship Gatherings and keep up with the sermons during the course of the campaign. I think this should be the normal practice of any disciple who belongs to a local church. There’s more to be said about this, and perhaps at another time in the future. However, I am asking all of you to offer more than that for the time of the campaign.
During SDG, we want everyone who belongs to Doxa to unite under this singular banner of living for God's Glory alone. For this reason, we will have a daily liturgy. A liturgy might be an unfamiliar word or term. It simply refers to an order of worship. We will intentionally engage in a liturgy—every day, everything, and everywhere—to help you live Soli Deo Gloria."
Every day
Resolved to live for God’s glory alone as I seek to behold and live my life obediently before the face of God.
Everything
Resolved to steward everything God has entrusted to me, time, talent, treasure as best I can for His glory alone.
Everywhere
Resolved to see both creation, relationships, and vocation as a means to leverage for God’s glory alone.
Imagine if each person offered themselves to the Lord Jesus like this every day, with everything, and everywhere. Surely, there would be an aroma arising from Doxa Church that would reach the very nostrils of God, and He would be satisfied with His people offering themselves to His cause, filling the earth with a knowledge of glory.
Soli Deo Gloria,
