Free to Serve

Sermon Study Guide: 2 Timothy 2:1-13

As Christians we are a called not merely to be concerned about our own generation, but the one to follow. Writing from death row, Paul urged Timothy to entrust the gospel into the hands of faithfu man. Here is a pattern not just for church leaders (raise up elders!) but for all of us (give the gospel away, especially to those who will share it with others).

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Greater Atlanta Baptist Network **NEW**

One of the most frequent comments I get from visitors to Mount Vernon is how grateful they are that I pray for other churches during the pastoral prayer. I'm glad they noticed! We want to be a church that doesn't just care about ourselves and our work, but the members and work of other churches in our area. A heart for the gospel is going to include a heart for other, gospel-centered churches.

One of the ways Mount Vernon shows a concern for other churches is by being a part of the Greater Atlanta Baptist Network (GABN). This is an association of about 40 other Atlanta area churches. As pastors we meet monthly for prayer and encouragement. As churches we meet annually to see what the Lord is doing in Atlanta and to discuss how we can best partner to see the gospel planted in our area.

GABN has a new website, a blog, and a weekly newsletter. You can find it all here. 

Sermon Study Guide -- 2 Timothy 1:3-7

Have you ever been forced to follow someone great? It can be very intimidating. Imagine what it must have been like for Timothy, called by God to continue much of Paul's ministry while the Apostle languished in a Roman prison. That's the situation we find in 2 Timothy. Paul had a profound word of encouragement for a life-long friend. 

But 2 Timothy 1:3-7 is about more than Paul and Timothy rolling up their sleeves to build the church. It's about God who loves his church so much that he chooses to lavish it with amazing gifts. This passage is about God's deep, abiding, and passionate love for his church. 

Dig in.

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Looking Ahead

In this month's Perspective I share how the MVBC Elders are thinking when it comes to the direction of the church. Goal-setting can be hard, especially in a church where we know that spiritual success is not always numerical. But faithfulness demands we have a sense of where we want to go. 

At MVBC we are planning in terms of a culture shift. What kind of culture do we want to see in our church? How does the culture of MVBC need to mature? In this article, I identify five areas we can grow in: First, a culture of evangelism. Second, a culture of discipleship. Third, a culture of family care. Fourth, a culture of generosity. Fifth, a culture of serving other churches. 

Please pray for Mount Vernon. Ask the Lord to give us wisdom and energy to pursue these areas in the months and years ahead.

Sermon Study Guide - 2 Timothy 1:1-2

Last Sunday we began a nine-part series through 2 Timothy. If studying Samuel in 12 weeks was a little bit like jumping from mountain peak to mountain peak, where every passage screams, "Jesus is the king we need?" studying 2 Timothy in 9 weeks is like being in the brush at the base of the mountain where every verse cries out, "Follow this king to the very end."

So here we go. This Fall we are in 2 Timothy. May God's Word grow you in amazing ways!

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