What's Happin at Mystery - Fall 2009 Kick-Off Calendar

Hello Everyone.

Hope your enjoying the awesome mild July temperatures. Wanted to let everyone know what' going at at a church called Mystery in the next few weeks. Be sure to check out the website (mysterychurch.com) as well as our blog, facebook and twitter feed for more information.

-Tonight Wed the 29th Last Mid Week Mystery community gathering and Jonah bible study 6:30 at our downtown location
-This Sunday August 2nd New series "Disciple" - What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus?
-Sunday August 16th - Re-Launch weekend. School begins and so does a new semester of Mystery - Invite your friends & neighbors
-Sunday August 23rd we enter out fall series on through the book of James
-The week of August 24th Community Groups begin. We'll have information and sign-ups in the coming weeks
-Exploring Mystery Sunday September 6th - This is immediately after service an is a time to hear our hearts, ask questions of our pastors as well as eat snacks and meet members of Mystery. It lasts about 45 minutes and is a great entry point for new guests.
-Ownership Seminar - This is Mystery's Membership and Gospel 101 class that will take place Sunday evenings in October. Its for people examining Christianity and/or looking to make Mystery their church. Everyone's welcome.

Stayed tuned. It's an exciting and busy time of year and Jesus is definitely at work in the people and hearts of Mystery to see the city transformed for his glory and our good. Mark your calendars and make plans to be part of the excitement!


Love Live Enjoy - This is Mystery

NEW SERIES IN AUGUST - DISCIPLE

August is a time where we transition from summer into the fall. This means getting back int he groove, back on schedule and back to school. For Mystery is means getting back on mission. We'll spend three weeks in August looking at our Discipleship Pathway. What does it mean to be a disciple and make disciples. Come and See, Follow Abide and Multiply as we regather and head into a new season of gospel growth at Mystery.

Beaten

“Thou art beaten that thou mayest be better” - John Bunyan

Suffering and Decisions

“When God brings suffering into your life as a Christian, be it small or drastic, he is forcing you to decide on issues you have been avoiding.” - Joni Eareckson Tada

Jonah and the Gospel pt 3

The Gospel is for the lost and for the saved. Not only did Nineveh need the gospel but Jonah needed the gospel. Christians must live with constant reminding of both our sinfulness and God’s grace, continually repenting of sin, living our way over his will, and , always acknowledging his mercy and grace to save a sinner like me.

Jonah and the Gospel pt 2

“Boasting is the response of pride to success. Self-pity is the response of pride to failure.” – Piper

Jonah felt arrogant because of his heritage, status and success which caused him to loose sight of grace and become unwilling to share it. His racial and religious stressfulness caused him to feel superior to others.

When Jonah failed to run from God’s presence he overtaken by self-pity and despair. He could not meet his own expectations of perfection.

This is why we all need the gospel. It is the only message that that crushes our pride and repairs our confidence, making us both Holy and Humble.

Jonah and the Gospel pt 1

Jonah needed the gospel to bring him down to size. He then needed the gospel to build him up in grace.

We all like Jonah need the weight of the gospel to bring us down to size. Then through the grace of gospel God builds us up in hope & joy.

Jonah Study Guide

During the month of July Mystery is walking through the book of Jonah. It a very small yet very rich book. We will be preaching through the book on Sundays in July as well as gathering in Community on Wednesday nights at 6:30pm to unpack the book. Bellow, as well as on our primary web site, you will find a link to download Mystery's Jonah Study Guide. It's designed to be used as both an individual study and as a group study. We recommend you answer the personal questions prior to meeting on Wednesday nights and save the Community section for everyone to work through together during the week. Hope you enjoy looking at Jonah through the lens of the gospel and its affects in the lives of a church on mission.

Reluctant Community

This July we are preaching through the book of Jonah on Sunday mornings. We will also be gathering in community as family to study the book in the context of community and mission on Wednesday nights beginning July 8th. We will be meeting at the Mystery Building at 514 S. Main in Downtown Joplin from 6:30-8pm. There will be plenty of snacks along with small group study, conversation and exploration of what it means to have God pursue us, save us, send us and love us. Join Mystery as we go deeper under the waters of God's grace this July.

Summer Commitments

Summer’s here and we hope you are enjoying time with family & friends. Please don’t forget your family at Mystery. The kids ministry could especially use your help during these months while are people gone.If you’ve commited to help please fulfill your commitments. If you are able
to serve our children & parents please let our children’s ministry know.

No Generic Grace

It was God the Father who permitted and purposed his Sons death on the cross. How does this change our perception of grace, of God's salvation, of his eternal & purposed love? What does this say about me a Christian? How does this effect my worship, my attitude & my actions? How does this answer the question so often asked, "Why would a loving God allow pain and suffering?"
God knows suffering. He knows it has an end and a purpose that we might not see, but he does. God is intimately familiar with grief and loss. He is also intensely determined to love us and lavish us with his grace. Do you know the great love with which he has loved you? The infinite price he paid to purchase our dead lives? Not with perishable things like money and things, but with with the precious blood of his Son.
What a purposed and particular love is the Cross of Christ. What a great love, far deeper reaching and than an all inclusive "love" or generic grace.
"It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me." Gal 2:20

A life lived fully for God's glory is fueled by the fire of God's electing love.