Join us this Sunday!
Dear SCBC family and friends,
Right out of the gate I want to tell you how grateful I am for you. I know that this is a difficult season and you have shown so much grace and flexibility as our “normal” has been flipped on its head. I have heard some incredible testimonies of how many of you have gone out of your way to continue to connect with one another. You have been on the phone, on the internet, and even out-and-about seeking ways that you can connect and serve each other and our community.
I want to give a few updates and suggestions about how you can stay connected:
- I would encourage you to utilize the technology at your disposal to stay connected with one another. Last Sunday, one of our classes chose to utilize the Zoom platform to hold Sunday School in a virtual meeting space. This is a simple tool that you can use to hold Sunday School classes, small groups, and prayer gatherings. I utilized the tool to host and record a conversation with two area pastors this week that is posted on our YouTube Channel. I would encourage you to check it out.
- If you have not set up an account with our online directory, now is the time to do so. The platform that we use to track attendance, giving, and member information is called Breeze. Through this website, you will be able to see and update your personal contact information, set up online giving and view your giving history, and access our online directory to be able to contact others. Head to this website and click “Create Account.”
- Our Mission House is still serving our community every Wednesday from 9AM-2PM by distributing food to families in need. We are working with limited staff but if you are willing to help serve or donate food for distribution please call the church office and we can get you more information.
- We are also still serving with the FUEL program. FUEL provides food bags to children who might not have access to food outside of school. We are sending what products we are able to collect to a centralized location for packing and distribution at the schools that are serving breakfast and lunch. Many of you are used to making financial donations but these are unique times. Most of the items that we pack are shelf-stable and many grocery stores have rationed the amount any one person can buy. If you are able to purchase these items and bring them to the church, we will get them to the FUEL program for distribution. Again, you can call the office with questions about items to bring.
- Take this time to grow in your relationship with the Lord and with others. Don’t just fill any extra time you have with leisure activities. Dig into God’s word, spend time in prayer, call a friend or a neighbor. Find ways that you can serve those who are around you. Check on your neighbors, what do they need? Is it something you can provide or that you can connect with our church family to provide? They might just need a face-to-face conversation on the front porch. They might need a roll of toilet paper. They might just need a puzzle or a new board game. How can you show the love of Christ?
One last thing, I hope that you will join us this Sunday morning for the livestream of our church service. We had some technical difficulties last Sunday but the service provider has been hard at work correcting those for this week. I am praying that everyone will be able to join us for our live service together. You can join us live at 10:00AM on this website or you can view the service on our YouTube channel as well. We will be providing another discussion guide to go along with the passage of Scripture as well as a “Family Pack” with some activities to engage our kids with God’s message on obedience.
I love you all and am praying for you during this time. God bless and to him be all the glory!
– Pastor Will
Read more
Week 13 – God’s Power
34 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever,
for his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
and his kingdom endures from generation to generation;
35 all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
and he does according to his will among the host of heaven
and among the inhabitants of the earth;
and none can stay his hand
or say to him, “What have you done?”
36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
Daniel 4:34-37 (ESV)
Read through the passage of Scripture above several times and then reflect on it by answering the following three questions:
What?
What is something that stands out to you from this passage of Scripture? What is one truth that you can take from it and hold in your heart and mind this week?
How?
How should you respond to this text this week? What is a measurable step of obedience that you can take this week in response to what you have read?
Who?
Who is someone in your life who could benefit from what you have learned from this passage of Scripture? Who does this passage of Scripture encourage you to pray for or engage with the gospel?
*I am using a “52 Week Bible Memory” plan as our selection guide for each week’s passage. You can download it from this site.
Read more
March 22 – Sermon Discussion Guide
Faith in Anxious Times
Sunday, March 22, 2020
1 Peter 5:6-11 (ESV)
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Dig Deeper
The Bible has much to say about anxiety. Spend some time searching out these other passages of Scripture related to fear and anxiety.
Psalm 37:3-7
Psalm 55:22
Proverbs 12:25; 14:30; 17:22
Matthew 6:25
Philippians 4:6-7
Psalm 55:22
Proverbs 12:25; 14:30; 17:22
Matthew 6:25
Philippians 4:6-7
Digesting the Text
- Where do you see and feel anxiety in the midst of this current crisis? Go deeper than the current crisis, what worries do you carry in your day-to-day life?
- Peter commands us to humble ourselves by casting our anxieties upon the Lord (vv. 6-7). From these verses, why is God worthy of our humility and our trust?
- What does casting your anxieties upon the Lord look like for you? How can you begin or continue to trust the Lord with your circumstances this week?
- Peter warns us about our enemy (v. 8). What is the devil’s intention for believers? How do you remain vigilant against the devil in your life? How should you begin to be vigilant moving forward?
- Where are you seeing the influence of the devil in your heart and our society due to this crisis? How can you resist his influence in your life and in our society?
- Peter calls believers to stand in faith with the knowledge that we are not alone? What responsibility do you feel for the faith of other believers? What strength do you draw from the fact that we are not experiencing these times of crisis alone? Who in your life needs the encouragement that these verses bring?
- Peter encourages us by reminding us that the God of grace himself is the powerful God who will “restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish” us. How does the knowledge that God is not distant but intimately involved in our suffering encourage you in this time of crisis?
- Peter ends these verses in worship. Spend time in prayer praising God for his power and thanking him for his presence and the grace he has given you in Jesus Christ.
Read more
Doing Church Different
Dear SCBC family and friends,
After much prayer and discussion with other pastors, church leaders, community leaders, and health professionals we have made the difficult decision to suspend all of our regularly scheduled activities, including all Sunday morning activities, at Spring Creek until further notice.
We are not making this decision out of fear, but with a faith-filled excitement for what God will do in and through us as he forces us to “do church different.” We have posted a brief word of encouragement on our Facebook page that goes into greater detail. Please take a few minutes to watch that video as I share how God has been convicting and leading me in our next steps.
Keep an eye on our website, on our social media, and on your email over the next few days as we will be communicating our way forward together.
God bless and to him be all the glory!
-Pastor Will
Read more
Week 12 – God’s Freedom
1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory,
for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!
2 Why should the nations say,
for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!
2 Why should the nations say,
Where is their God?”
3 Our God is in the heavens;
he does all that he pleases.
4 Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
5 They have mouths, but do not speak;
eyes, but do not see.
6 They have ears, but do not hear;
noses, but do not smell.
7 They have hands, but do not feel;
feet, but do not walk;
and they do not make a sound in their throat.
8 Those who make them become like them;
so do all who trust in them.
9 O Israel, trust in the LORD!
He is their help and their shield.
10 O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD!
He is their help and their shield.
11 You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD!
He is their help and their shield.
Psalm 115:1-11 (ESV)
Read through the passage of Scripture above several times and then reflect on it by answering the following three questions:
What?
What is something that stands out to you from this passage of Scripture? What is one truth that you can take from it and hold in your heart and mind this week?
How?
How should you respond to this text this week? What is a measurable step of obedience that you can take this week in response to what you have read?
Who?
Who is someone in your life who could benefit from what you have learned from this passage of Scripture? Who does this passage of Scripture encourage you to pray for or engage with the gospel?
*I am using a “52 Week Bible Memory” plan as our selection guide for each week’s passage. You can download it from this site.
Read more
Week 11 – God’s Wrath
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
Romans 1:18-23 (ESV)
Read through the passage of Scripture above several times and then reflect on it by answering the following three questions:
What?
What is something that stands out to you from this passage of Scripture? What is one truth that you can take from it and hold in your heart and mind this week?
How?
How should you respond to this text this week? What is a measurable step of obedience that you can take this week in response to what you have read?
Who?
Who is someone in your life who could benefit from what you have learned from this passage of Scripture? Who does this passage of Scripture encourage you to pray for or engage with the gospel?
*I am using a “52 Week Bible Memory” plan as our selection guide for each week’s passage. You can download it from this site.
Read more