Five Hopes for Sovereign Grace in 2024
Recently on the podcast I shared five hopes I have for Sovereign Grace Churches in 2024. Here is a summary of the hopes with the linked podcast episode below if you’d like to watch or listen or read the full transcript, with additional explanation and resources for deeper understanding.
The first hope is that we would be a family of churches that have a pronounced zeal for Christ. From Romans 12:11. "Do not be slothful in zeal but fervent in spirit." May our churches be filled with zealous people; that we love nothing more than Jesus Christ.
The second hope is that we would have joy in Christ; that Sovereign Grace churches would be happy churches, full of joy, because we are stunned and amazed in an ongoing way for what Christ has done for us in the gospel through the finished work of Christ. And so may that continue by the grace of God in our churches.
The third hope is growth in Christlikeness. That our churches would work out our salvation with fear and trembling as God works in every one of us, from Philippians 2:12-13, that ongoing Christ-like transformation by the grace of God. And may we be intentional to pursue it. And I'm praying that by the transforming grace of God that happens in each of our churches.
A fourth hope is to continue to have theological clarity and strength. This is very important right now because of the culture that we live in, which is not only moving away from God's word, but also very confused. So, we want to be very clear about what we believe and how we live and to share it with love.
That we would be churches that are marked by the love of Christ. From Corinthians 13, the distinguishing mark of the Christian and of the Christian Church is that of love as biblically defined; that is other-centered, patient and its kind. It keeps no record of wrongs; it does not boast. It believes all things, hopes all things, and loves at all times.
If we live out these five hopes by the grace of God, I think we will be a light in darkness and will continue to have opportunities to tell people about the good news of Jesus Christ.
And lastly, I thank God for the pastors of Sovereign Grace Churches and for their wives, and for the members of Sovereign Grace Churches. We are just ordinary pastors and ordinary church members that are trying to live out the good of the gospel in our lives and I'm so glad I get to do it with our family of churches.