Hi there! Sorry this is so late but here is week 3 of Church History. also included below are links to a website containing all the letters of the Church Fathers, and The story I read by John Cowart. Enjoy!
Church History Recordings
Early letters of Church Fathers
The Day Polycarp Died
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
....and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
Hebrews 2:15
The other day I went to a church in Portland called Door of Hope. When my wife and family and I walked in the doors, my mom wasn't with us, so I looked out the doors and saw her talking to an elderly gentleman, my sister said, "Mom always tries to make friends here!" Which is something I really adore about my mother. after this we went upstairs and found some seats for all of us. My sister then turns to me and asks, "Josh, didn't you know Bret Mclean? That's his dad that Mom is talking to."
The summer after my Freshman year of High School I went to a youth retreat called Experience the Valley. It was here at ETV that I re devoted my Life to Christ, gave up my then immoral relationship with my girlfriend, and grew passion for my faith. Bret was an integral part in this, he showed me that I can be so passionate about Jesus, that the joy of faith will seep into your every fiber. After ETV I only saw him once at a gym called Naydenovs, where we caught up briefly. A couple months ago I learned that he died attempting to save a fellow camper from drowning at ETV.
My mom came over and sat down and told me that I should talk to him. After the service I approached him. I was strangely nervous. He was a tall man with a thick beard and an even thicker mustache on top, which was all a deep shade of grey. He was standing with his wife.
"Hi, I'm Josh."
"Hello, Josh I'm Scott."
"I don't know if my mom told you, but I knew Bret."
I told him that I wanted to encourage him and I started talking about how Bret affected my life, I told him how Bret taught a lesson about how everything is spiritual and God can be found in everything. I told about how on the last night I followed Bret around as he was cleaning things and he asked me so many questions I hadn't been asked before about my faith and family, and how he just listened. Scott listened as tears started to fall. He told me how encouraging that is to hear, that his son affected so many lives. I told Scott and his wife, "When I first heard that Bret had died, I instantly was so comforted because I knew exactly where he was and that I knew I would see him, what a wonderful comfort we have in Christ that we will be with our loved ones again in the New Earth."
Scott and his wife then told me how they were doing and asked us to pray for Bret's brothers, Scott encouraged me to stay in the word and to lead my wife well. They then told my wife and I that they would love to have us over for dinner sometime.
While I was leaving, I thought to myself, why, o Lord? I never thought I would meet Bret's parents let alone be invited for dinner. I thought about this all night and the Lord slowly revealed that it was to humble me. To remind me of his family and to encourage me in my walk. Ever since this happened I have been so happy to be a part of God's family, to share each other sorrows and to encourage each others walks. Scott and Christie were were some of the kindest most honest people I have ever met. It was so beautiful to see how the Lord's work in Scott's life changed his sons life, and his son helped change mine. I quoted the verse from Hebrews 2 at the beginning here because I wanted to remind us, brothers and sisters, that our Lord Christ Jesus has set us free from the fear of death, and as sad as it can be to experience the death of a loved one, we must not grieve as the world does, without hope. We grieve in the light that for us in Christ, death has been defeated.
May Justice and Peace follow you always,
Joshua
Hebrews 2:15
The other day I went to a church in Portland called Door of Hope. When my wife and family and I walked in the doors, my mom wasn't with us, so I looked out the doors and saw her talking to an elderly gentleman, my sister said, "Mom always tries to make friends here!" Which is something I really adore about my mother. after this we went upstairs and found some seats for all of us. My sister then turns to me and asks, "Josh, didn't you know Bret Mclean? That's his dad that Mom is talking to."
The summer after my Freshman year of High School I went to a youth retreat called Experience the Valley. It was here at ETV that I re devoted my Life to Christ, gave up my then immoral relationship with my girlfriend, and grew passion for my faith. Bret was an integral part in this, he showed me that I can be so passionate about Jesus, that the joy of faith will seep into your every fiber. After ETV I only saw him once at a gym called Naydenovs, where we caught up briefly. A couple months ago I learned that he died attempting to save a fellow camper from drowning at ETV.
My mom came over and sat down and told me that I should talk to him. After the service I approached him. I was strangely nervous. He was a tall man with a thick beard and an even thicker mustache on top, which was all a deep shade of grey. He was standing with his wife.
"Hi, I'm Josh."
"Hello, Josh I'm Scott."
"I don't know if my mom told you, but I knew Bret."
I told him that I wanted to encourage him and I started talking about how Bret affected my life, I told him how Bret taught a lesson about how everything is spiritual and God can be found in everything. I told about how on the last night I followed Bret around as he was cleaning things and he asked me so many questions I hadn't been asked before about my faith and family, and how he just listened. Scott listened as tears started to fall. He told me how encouraging that is to hear, that his son affected so many lives. I told Scott and his wife, "When I first heard that Bret had died, I instantly was so comforted because I knew exactly where he was and that I knew I would see him, what a wonderful comfort we have in Christ that we will be with our loved ones again in the New Earth."
Scott and his wife then told me how they were doing and asked us to pray for Bret's brothers, Scott encouraged me to stay in the word and to lead my wife well. They then told my wife and I that they would love to have us over for dinner sometime.
While I was leaving, I thought to myself, why, o Lord? I never thought I would meet Bret's parents let alone be invited for dinner. I thought about this all night and the Lord slowly revealed that it was to humble me. To remind me of his family and to encourage me in my walk. Ever since this happened I have been so happy to be a part of God's family, to share each other sorrows and to encourage each others walks. Scott and Christie were were some of the kindest most honest people I have ever met. It was so beautiful to see how the Lord's work in Scott's life changed his sons life, and his son helped change mine. I quoted the verse from Hebrews 2 at the beginning here because I wanted to remind us, brothers and sisters, that our Lord Christ Jesus has set us free from the fear of death, and as sad as it can be to experience the death of a loved one, we must not grieve as the world does, without hope. We grieve in the light that for us in Christ, death has been defeated.
May Justice and Peace follow you always,
Joshua
Sunday, December 2, 2012
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