Clarkston

Atlanta and the world

Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! Psalm 96:3

As the word of God spread outward from Jerusalem in the decades following the resurrection of our Lord, cities played a vital role in this expansion. The Apostle Paul's proclaimed the gospel and established churches in the major urban centers of the Mediterranean world, like Antioch, Ephesus, and Corinth. Establish churches in these urban centers, and, to be sure, the gospel would spread. It did.

The Atlanta metro area is a modern-day urban center that, like first-century Ephesus, is influencing the world. Last week our team serving in Clarkston (east Atlanta) saw this first-hand. We helped lead Camp Encounter with Clarkston International Bible Church and SendRelief (NAMB), where over 100 children and their families heard the gospel. These children represent Tanzania, Ethiopia, Sudan, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Nepal, just to name a few nations. These families are being loved and are hearing the gospel here in America. The reverberations of this love are being experienced worldwide as they communicate with their family and friends. Church, the Lord has brought the nations to our doorstep so that his marvelous works may be declared!

I am thankful for the fourteen members who served and the 166 members who sent them. Let’s continue to pray for eternal, gospel fruit.  Let’s be committed to the great opportunity we have to make much of Jesus here in the Atlanta metro area.  All people need to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. May we continue to be a church that is faithful in this mission!

For His Glory,

Pastor Thomas

 

 

 

 

Crestview Team Commissioned to Clarkston, GA

When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. Leviticus 19:33-34

This past Sunday, Crestview commissioned our latest team to go into Clarkston, Georgia (east Atlanta) for a week of ministry. We will once again serve alongside our friends at Clarkston International Bible Church (CIBC) and SendRelief (NAMB). The underlying ministry objective is to see the gospel spread among the refugee population in Clarkson.

A refugee is someone who has fled one’s home country and cannot return because of a well-founded fear of persecution. [1]  After two to four years of United Nations processing, around 1,000 refugees, sometimes more, are legally resettled into Clarkston each year, where they begin a new life in America. This resettlement is one of the ways the Lord is bringing the nations to our doorstep.

Next week our team will serve in CIBC's Camp Encounter and reach the community with gospel intentionality. Below this article is a list of those who will be serving.  Ways you can pray:

  • Pray for the glory of the Lord to be loved in Clarkston

  • Pray for children and their families to experience the love of Christ through us.

  • Pray for our team to have the stamina for the week and to share the gospel boldly.

  • Pray that we will serve our partners well and be a rich blessing to their ministry in Clarkston.

  • Pray that all members of Crestview faithfully pray for this team.

The word sojourner used in the passage heading of this article is another name for refugee. The Lord calls us to love the sojourner as we love ourselves. I’m thankful for a team eager to spend a week doing this. Pray we do so in the fullness of the Spirit and the joy of the Lord.

For His Glory,

Pastor Thomas


[1] Bauman, Seeking Refuge, 79.

Preview of the Coming Weeks

I want to make you aware of exciting things happening over the next several weeks. Please begin planning now to be present and praying that all will glorify the Lord:

 SUNDAY, AUGUST 23

Jesus has promised that the church he builds is invincible. Despite this promise, in some hearts, the pandemic may have dampened enthusiasm for making disciples. At a minimum, COVID has upended familiar schedules, locations, and programs for evangelism and discipleship. This Sunday, I hope to bring a reassuring message from Matthew 16:13-20 reminding us that Jesus is always faithful to build his church. You will have the opportunity to witness the reality of this promise as Amanda Barnes publicly professes her faith through believer’s baptism. After the service, there will be a brief information and training meeting for all who serve on our Hospitality Team.  This team oversees greeting, set-up, and clean-up each time our church gathers. Any members interested in helping should attend.

 SUNDAY, AUGUST 30

Jason Lee will be with us preaching and updating us about our mission partnership serving the refugee community in Clarkston, Georgia. He is an elder with Clarkston International Bible Church and the director of The Acts 17 Initiative.   

 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6

Annually, toward the end of summer, I preach a biographical sermon applying Hebrews 13:7, “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.” Past messages have featured Adoniram Judson, Lottie Moon, George Liele, John Newton, and others (listen to past messages here). This year I have chosen to focus upon the 18th-century missionary to the American Indians, David Brainerd. He was only active in mission work a handful of years before dying at the relatively young age of 29. Though his life was brief, his influence upon word missions was not. If you are finding it hard to make disciples amid hard times, you will discover Brainerd to be an inspiration.  

 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

With the arrival of autumn, and hopefully some cooler weather, we will begin a new expositional sermon series, “Behave as God’s Household.” We will study verse-by-verse through the New Testament book of 1 Timothy. We will see how the gospel leads to practical, visible changes in the lives of those who believe it.

For His Glory,
Pastor Thomas