Ownership Seminars pt 1

What are Ownership Seminars?
Mystery’s Ownership Seminars are designed to be the first point of connection for those considering making Mystery their church home. This class is an 8-session course where you’ll form friendships, find answers and learn about the biblical truths and values our church is built on. Owning Mystery is the first step to take if you would like to become an “owner” in Mystery.

“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another- and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Heb 10:25 NIV


Sign Ups Have Begun for the Fall Ownership Seminar. You can sign up before or after our Sunday Gathering now through the end of the month.

Change vs. Transformation

An absence of transforming change to your life exposes that our methods of change, let's call them saviors, are cheap substitutes. It is obvious we all are looking for, wanting even desperate for change. It's blatantly apparent this election season. But what can a politician change?
They can change our situations I guess, but cheaper gas wont fix a broken marriage. They can change foreign relations with other nations, but that wont eradicate addiction. They could raise or lower takes, but that doesnt offer love and acceptance, maybe just the just to buy some more false hope.
Where does real change happen then you ask? It happens inside of a person. True transformation must be internal. Changing the things around us is just shuffling the furniture. To be really transformed there needs to be an agent of transformation. What's yours? Where are you looking for "salvation"? In your circumstances? Your behavior? Your Thinking? To a politician or even a priest?
Jesus says in John's gospel "I am the way, the truth and the life..." Basically "I am the change your looking for."
Many people will present themselves as Four year (or eight year) saviors over the next few months, but non of them can accomplish what I need. At best they might change the world world (thats the problem right not me) but they cant, they wont (I wouldn't let them) change me. I know that in the end the are powerless, functional saviors not the real thing. We all know this, that's why we have term limits.
But Jesus knows no limits. He will cross all boundries even death to love us, accept us, forgive us and welcome us- this is what changes a heart and transforms a life. He and only he can change the world, one heart at a time.

Not Just a Place

A Healthy church is not simply a place that looks a certain way. A healthy church is more a people who love, live & enjoy in a certain way that the world can see and which others long to experience and emulate.

Fellowship Involves Sharing

“Fellowship involves sharing what we have with others. One of the most valuable things we can share is ourselves: our time, our talents, and our energies in serving one another in the Body of Christ.” —Jerry Bridges

THIS IS THE WEEK

Mystery is re-launching this week. Ever fall we kick things off all over again and this year its not different. We will have new music, be installing a new elder, meeting new people and starting a new series in First John called "Children of God". Won't you join us, it'll be....well new and fun. Hope to see you this week 5:30 at Mystery.

God Forbid

"God forbid that we should be so interested in the words of the bible as to so miss the Word itself"
- Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones

RE:LAUNCH

This Sunday Mystery Re-Launches as a church for the new year. What does this mean? Well it means that we've made it through another summer. It means that new faces are showing up and old friends are returning. It means we're starting a new preaching series in the very practical book of 1 John, it means there's many new things to do as a church, many more people to reach and a city to be changed one life at a time. We'd like to invite you to join us this coming Sunday at 5:30. Same Location- Corner of Broadway and Ball in Webb City. The band will be rocking, there will be new friends to make, family to reconnect with and Jesus, whom we love, to worship in Spirit and in Truth. Please be in prayer for Mystery, for the weekend and for people who you can invite to hear the gospel and connect with as family.

Marketing pt 2

Mystery is taking a step in the marketing direction this fall advertising in Joplin's entertainment and arts magazine The Current. As a church in Joplin where religion comes before the gospel and church is more a buffet to fill ourselves on rather than commit ourselves to, we've struggled with how much we want to market Mystery. It's our hope that we would reach many people by word of mouth and through relationships built with people in our culture groups.
That said we are stepping into the advertising game. We decided to make ourselves accessible to people who might not normally check out a church. We are running at least 3 ads in The Current through August and into September aimed at poking fun at ourselves as Christians, addressing concerns non-Christians might have with church and trying to break the ice with unChurched people. We know it will ruffle some feathers, but it just might break down some barriers among people who we want to reach for Jesus. He hung out with the "wrong people" we hope we can too.
Here is the first of our three ads:

Marketing

"You can't market your church if your church isn't ready to sacrifice."
- churchmarketingsucks.com

A Community of Joy

Enjoy – The goal of man’s life is to bring glory to God. We glorify him most when we find our satisfaction, delight and joy in him. Mystery longs to be a joyous place. We are recipients of the greatest gift ever given and are entrusted with the greatest message the world has ever heard. God has rescued his people out of darkness and brought them into the light. He has saved his people from all our enemies (Satan, sin and death) and freed us to live a full life in him by His power and provision through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are confident in hope and certain in faith. In all things we rejoice, even in suffering and hardship. A full life is a happy life and happiness flows from knowing God’s sovereignty and salvation. Our joy will be expressed through worship of Jesus, fellowship with one another, service to the community and seeing others come to saving faith in Christ.

Ps 16:11 “You make known the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

John 16:22, 24 “…you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you…until know you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full”

Decline

“My primary assessment would be because American Christians tend to be incredibly self-indulgent so they see the church as a place there for them to meet their needs and to express faith in a way that is meaningful for them...There is almost no genuine compassion or urgency about serving and reaching people who don’t know Christ. I think the bottom line really is our own spiritual narcissism. There are methods and you can talk about style, structure and music, but in the end it really comes down to your heart and what you care about..."

-Erwin McManus

Chattering & Twittering Birds

"Believers love to bring others to the House of God because they wish to do good to them. Did you ever notice how the little birds, when they find a heap of corn, begin to chatter and twitter as if they would call all the other birds to come and feast, also? Grace is generous and is never akin to churlish Nabal. Misers would rather keep all their wealth to themselves, but a man who is rich in faith feels his happiness increased when others have faith, too! As soon as we drink of the Water of Life, a sacred instinct within us bids us cry, “Come.” “Ho, everyone that thirsts, come you to the waters.” He knows not the Grace of God who has no desire that others should know it, also. You will assuredly long for the souls of others if God has saved your soul. Natural humanity, let alone our alliance to the Divine Nature, leads us to bid others come to Christ. "
- From Charles Spurgeon's Sermon A Call to Worship

TheMissionofMystery- Wk 3 ENJOY

This week we are finishing our series on the Mission of Mystery. The Final of our three word mission as a church is "Enjoy". What exactly is the Joy of a Christian. Christians as defined as joyous. Dr. Martin Lyod Jones says we are called to joy and "we are failing in our Christian witness unless we are experiencing and manifesting it."Where does it come from? Why is it there? What does it accomplish? Join us this week as we look at The Joy of a Christian.

God's People and Prayer

"Moreover, the love which God’s people have for prayer shows their desire after heavenly things. Those who frequently meet together for importunate, wrestling prayer, practically show that they desire to see the Lord’s Kingdom come. They are not so taken up with their own business that they cannot afford time to think of God’s business. They are not so occupied with the world’s pleasures that they take no pleasure in the things of God. Believers in a right state of heart value the prosperity of the Church and, seeing that it can only be promoted by God’s own hand, they cry mightily unto the Lord of Hosts to stretch out His hand of mercy and to be favorable to His Church and cause."
- From Charles Spurgeon's Sermon A Call to Worship

Drinking From Toilets

“Might I suggest to you, that if you are thirsty for insight on theology, that you not drink from the toilet even though there is water there.”- Mark Driscoll

Community Group Sign Ups Begin this Week

The church as Family

The church is a family. In Christ we are sons and daughters of God.
The church should be a close family. The church should always be intimate, involved and caring.
The church should be an open family. The church should always be a home that is expecting guests.
The church is the bride of Christ.
We are sons, daughters and co-heirs of the kingdom in Christ.
Love the brotherhood...especially the household of faith.

TheMissionofMystery- Wk 2 LIVE

Our Series on our mission continues this week with The Life of a Christian. Join us in exploring how our Identity as Christ Followers is lived out at Mystery.

A Community of Love

Love – The greatest command is to love; to love God with all we are and to desire him as everything we need (Matt 22:37, Ps 73:25) and to love our neighbors through the sacrifice of ourselves for them ( Matt 22:39, Rom 12:3) All of the law is summed up in Love ( Rom 13:10, Gal 5:14) Jesus said that of all things Christians are to be known for they are to be known for their love (John 13:35). As a community of Christ followers Mystery wants to be known as a people who love. As a church we will seek to express love for God and for others through Community Groups by gathering weekly as family, serving the church, the city and visitors monthly. We will give our time, talents and treasures with glad hearts, in response to God’s saving grace in our lives (1 John 4:10,16), to meet needs and grow in grace.

Intelligent Trust

When you intelligently trust in Jesus as having suffered for you, then you discover the fact that God will never punish you for the same offense for which Jesus died.- Spurgeon

TheMissionofMystery- Wk 1 LOVE

FAMILY MEETING

Re-Lit

Like good books? Like good books about Jesus? Cruise over to Re-Lit. Buy, pre-order or peruse.

Community Group Training Day

C.S. Lewis on Friendship

“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, 'What! You too? I thought I was the only one”- C.S. Lewis

THIS SUNDAY-The Church in Joplin

This week we are joined by people from Life Point Church in Ozark, MO. one of our supporting churches. Pastor Lane Harrison will be speaking to the Church in Joplin. They are bringing their band, some members and much excitement. Join us for a great time with friends and family from another city.

FINANCIAL FORUM - THIS SATURDAY

This Saturday 10am-12pm at the Inge's Home: 1002 Country Side Dr. Everyone is welcome.

Poem on Friendship

A ruddy drop of manly blood
The surging sea outweighs,
The world uncertain comes and goes,
The lover rooted stays.
I fancied he was fled,
And, after many a year,
Glowed unexhausted kindliness
Like daily sunrise there.
My careful heart was free again, —
O friend, my bosom said,
Through thee alone the sky is arched,
Through thee the rose is red,
All things through thee take nobler form,
And look beyond the earth,
And is the mill-round of our fate
A sun-path in thy worth.
Me too thy nobleness has taught
To master my despair;
The fountains of my hidden life
Are through thy friendship fair.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Coming in August - The Mission of Mystery

Wise and Foolish Men

I think what I would say to a young man, is that there are categories he needs to familiarize himself with from Scripture. Two would be categories revealed particularly in Proverbs – the wise and the foolish. And I would want any young man (and this has broader application for all of us, but particularly for a young man) to familiarize himself with those two categories.

Those are the only two categories that exist. There are no other categories from God’s perspective. One either identifies with the wise or the foolish. Proverbs is a wealth of wisdom given by God as a gift from God to that age group in particular — to protect them from walking with fools, from being a fool, and from experiencing the consequences of being a fool.

Taken from an interview with C.J. Mahaney on The Shepherds Scrapbook

This Sunday- Proverbs: Friends

Gladness

We must serve the Lord with gladness (Psalm 100:2). We are not simply given the charge to be faithful, but also be joyful. How are you doing with enjoying God?

BLOCK PARTY TOMORROW

MYSTERY BLOCK PARTY
TOMORROW 5PM
MEMORIAL PARK
Webb City. Bring a Guest.
Free food, games, music, enjoyment.
Spread the Word.

THIS WEEK - Daughters of Eve

We continue through Proverbs this week examining what it is to be a woman who bears the image of God. Taking our example from the Proverbs 31 woman we will look at what it is to move from being daughters of Eve to daughters of God and sisters of Christ. Who has God made women to be? What role to they play in his plan? How can women best reflect the image of God to the world? Join us for an intriguing and no doubt controversial look at Biblical Femininity.

The Best

"For the Christian, the best is always yet to be."- J.I. Packer

Family Swim Day

When I Feel Lean

Good words to me last week....

“The ill favoured and lean-fleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine.”

-Genesis 41:4

Pharaoh’s dream has too often been my waking experience. My days of sloth have ruinously destroyed all that I had achieved in times of zealous industry; my seasons of coldness have frozen all the genial glow of my periods of fervency and enthusiasm; and my fits of worldliness have thrown me back from my advances in the divine life. I had need to beware of lean prayers, lean praises, lean duties, and lean experiences, for these will eat up the fat of my comfort and peace. If I neglect prayer for never so short a time, I lose all the spirituality to which I had attained; if I draw no fresh supplies from heaven, the old corn in my granary is soon consumed by the famine which rages in my soul. When the caterpillars of indifference, the cankerworms of worldliness, and the palmerworms of self-indulgence, lay my heart completely desolate, and make my soul to languish, all my former fruitfulness and growth in grace avails me nothing whatever. How anxious should I be to have no lean-fleshed days, no ill-favoured hours! If every day I journeyed towards the goal of my desires I should soon reach it, but backsliding leaves me still far off from the prize of my high calling, and robs me of the advances which I had so laboriously made. The only way in which all my days can be as the “fat kine,” is to feed them in the right meadow, to spend them with the Lord, in His service, in His company, in His fear, and in His way. Why should not every year be richer than the past, in love, and usefulness, and joy?—I am nearer the celestial hills, I have had more experience of my Lord, and should be more like Him. O Lord, keep far from me the curse of leanness of soul; let me not have to cry, “My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me!” but may I be well-fed and nourished in thy house, that I may praise thy name.

From Charles Spurgeon's Morning Devotion fro July 3rd Mornings and Evenings Daily Devotional

2008 Block Party Next Saturday the 12th

Our annual block party is next saturday july 8th. come eat, celebrate and bring a friend. everythings on us!

THIS WEEK - SONS OF ADAM

Our Series in Proverbs Continues this week as we examine biblical manhood. God has given much weight and responsibility to men. What are men called to be and how are we to handle the role? Join us as we look at this important issue.
Next Week: Daughters of Eve

I Decided...

“For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” 1 Cor. 2:2

SUNDAY- CONFIDENCE

Most Serious

What is the most serious threat to the gospel?

For this question I think J.C. Ryle provides us with enduring discernment:

“You may spoil the gospel by substitution. You have only to withdraw from the eyes of the sinner the grand object which the Bible proposes to faith--Jesus Christ--and to substitute another object in His place… and the mischief is done.

“You may spoil the gospel by addition. You have only to add to Christ, the grand object of faith, some other objects as equally worthy of honor, and the mischief is done.

“You may spoil the gospel by disproportion. You have only to attach an exaggerated importance to the secondary things of Christianity, and a diminished importance to the first things, and the mischief is done.

“Lastly, but not least, you may completely spoil the gospel by confused and contradictory directions… Confused and disorderly statements about Christianity are almost as bad as no statement at all. Religion of this sort is not evangelical.”

(taken from a post C.J. Mahaney made on the Together for the Gospel site)

PRAYER NIGHT

SUMMER SUMMER SUMMER

Mars Hill Adopts Mystery!

God has been simply amazing to our little church called Mystery. Church planting can be difficult and discouraging at times to say the least. But this is a post about God's glory and goodness to our church in Southwest Missouri.
Mystery exists because of a vision Christ gave for the planting of a gospel centered, missionally minded church in Joplin, MO to reach young adults, the churchless, the religionless and the burned out and discouraged. All credit goes to Jesus for bringing us together, for providing for our needs and moving us toward him. We are indeed blessed and loved by him.
Along the way several churches from different walks have come alongside us to partner with us in planting. God, to his glory, has given us GREAT supporting churches. Life Point church in Ozark, MO, North Point Church in Lewisville, TX, Fusion in Muskogee, OK, and The Journey in St. Louis, MO have all been exceedingly good to us. Mystery would not exist without their financial support, encouragement and experienced leadership. Church planting is not easy or cheap and the resources and friendships these churches have provided is invaluable.
This week we received word of an exciting new supporter: Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA!
I was blown away when I got the email. Mystery, in Joplin, MO....now partnering with Mars Hill to see the gospel go forth into JoMo. Man God is just beyond good. Mark Driscoll, pastor of MH has said "grace always move to the front of the line" and let me just say this is the grace of God and the goodness of Jesus who indeed cares for our city even more than we can imagine.
Specifically we are being adopted by the Shoreline Campus pastored by Steve Tompkins. They don't want to be hands off either-they are looking to grow with us spiritually and relationally and are looking forward to working with us this coming year. Please be in thankful prayer to Jesus for this new partnership and also in prayer for Pastor Steve and Mars Hill Shoreline.

"Jesus...thank you. Thank you for your grace, your love and your provision. You are too good to us an undeserving lot of greatly graced people. We love you and lift up our prayers for our supporting churches and your love and provision for them as well. Amen."

N.T. Wright on Colbert Report

THIS SUNDAY- WHAT ARE YOU BUILDING?

Recovery

"One of the most urgent tasks facing evangelical Christendom today" is "the recovery of the gospel."- J.I. Packer

BLOCK PARTY PREPARATION

THIS SUNDAY- PROVERBS: Our Ways

Gospel Beginning and Ending

"The gospel begins and ends with what God is, not what we want or think we need."
-Tom Houston

Church as Fruit

"The church is the fruit of the gospel." -Hywel R. Jones

Not God Loves Us

"The gospel is not 'God loves us,' but 'God loves us at the cost of his Son.'" -Derek Thomas

THIS SUNDAY- PROVERBS: Our Words

True Gospel Preaching

"Let this be to you the mark of true gospel preaching - where Christ is everything, and the creature is nothing; where it is salvation all of grace, through the work of the Holy Spirit applying to the soul the precious blood of Jesus." -Charles H. Spurgeon

MYSTERY ZOO DAY!

Humility

Before his downfall a man's heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.- Proverbs 18:12

"The Spring of this humility is true self-knowledge"- Charles Bridges

LEADERS MEETING MONDAY JNE 2nd

Leaders Meeting June 2nd at 7pm at the Inge's House

Pardon and Protection

"Our God's mercy is a holy mercy. He knows how to pradom sin, not to protect it."
- Charles Bridges

MORNINGS FOR MOMS

FUN FOR THE FAMILY

Stat

75-80% of people attend church for the first time because they were personally invited.

MANLY MOVIE NIGHT- MONDAY!

Weath 6- Filthy Rich

2 Cor 8:9 “For you know that grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.”

Women of Mystery

Women of Mystery

Join the ladies this Monday Night at Butterfly Koffee Klatch, located in University Plaza on 7th and Duquesne @ 7pm for konversation and koffee through the book of Philippians.

Wealth 4- Spiritual Simulous

Here is a link to a great post from John Piper concerning the Check Uncle Sam is sending out

Economic Stimulus Payment & Christ

Wealth 5- Generosity

“There is no more evidence of the power of the gospel than radical generosity”- Tim Keller

Wealth 3- A Test

What is wealth for? All we have is all we have been given. So in everything, including our possessions, we are to bring Honor to Jesus Christ our Lord.

How can we honor God with our wealth?

We Should Enjoy Money and Possessions as Blessings

We Should Regard Wealth as an Opportunity

We Realize Money and Possessions are Simply Tools
Tool to build Jesus’ church
Tool to meet needs
Tool for mission
Tool to exemplify Jesus and bring God glory in our culture

We Understand Wealth to be a Test

A Test: Long on to your checking account online or take a look at your last bank statement. Where is your money going? Who is getting God's money and who are we honoring? Outside our normal living expenses like rent, bills and food who receives God's blessing through you?
When God provides for you generously and you find your self with extra and use use it for your joy, does Jesus get the credit? Who is worshiped in it's use?

Proverbs 3:9 “Honor the Lord with your wealth”
Matt 6: 19:24

Wealth 2- An Experiment

Where does wealth come from? It comes through wisdom. Then where does wisdom come from? It begins with the fear of the Lord. So then wealth has its inception in the goodness of God.
How does this change our view of Money and possessions? If everything is on loan from God, given by him to manage not own, how should this effect the way we use our resources and wealth?

Experiment: Take a dollar from your wallet and write on it "Jesus' ". Now put it back in your wallet. Next time you go to spend this dollar (and all the dollars in your wallet) ask yourself if you are managing HIS gifts well. How long can that dollar go? Who will it go to when it finally leaves your hands?

Proverbs 22:2 “The rich and poor meet together; the Lord is the maker of the them all.”
1 Sam 2:7 “The Lord makes poor and makes rich…”

Wealth 1- Heart and Hands

This past week we talked about the role of wealth in our lives from our series in Proverbs. The next few days will have some thoughts and quotes about money and possessions in the Christians life. Enjoy, ponder, repent and rejoice.

"Riches and poverty are more in the heart than in the hand. He is wealthy who is contented. He is poor who wants more." - Bishop Hall

"The universe will not fill a worldly person, while a little will suffice for a heavenly heart. Parents, do you seek the lasting happiness of your children? Then lead them to expect little from the world and everything from God." Charles Bridges

Loving God

"Our love to God can only be a response to His love for us. If I do not believe God loves me, I cannot love Him. To Love God, I must believe that he is for me, and that he accepts me as a son or daughter, not a slave....We cannot love God if we think we are under his judgement and condemnation...It is the blood of Christ that cleanses our consciences so that we may no longer feel the guilty. When our sense of guilt is taken away because our consciences are cleansed by the blood of Christ, we are freed to love him with all our hearts and souls and minds" - Jerry Bridges

I Ain't Skeared

“Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” Acts 18:9-10 “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” Romans 10:14-15,17

Are you loving your city with the gospel? How? Are you sharing it with your words or are you settling for the “I preach with my life” excuse? I must say I have bought into this myself. The thought of verbally sharing the gospel with a stranger is terrifying. What if they reject it? What if they reject me? But shouldn’t the greater question be what if they don’t? What if, as Jesus told Paul, he does have many people in your neighborhood, work place, your own family that are just waiting to hear the good news of God’s love and grace. What if the reason our friends were not Christians was not because they did not believe the gospel, but because I didn’t. Is the God who rescued you from death, not powerful enough to save others? Are you trusting more in him or yourself? Who’s waiting on you to love them with truth, with words? I have found in my own life that evangelism is far more about my faith than those to whom I’m sent.

Jesus Trip

"...There is certainly more to Christianity than the Jesus trip." - J.I. Packer

A WEEK OF FEASTING

Next week is another busy and fun time for Mystery. Wednesday the 14th we are having Grillin -N- Chillin, a gathering of all our home groups on one night as one big happy family. Its at Memorial Park just north of the church building.
Friday Night the 16th is our first all church member gathering and cookout at the Inges house.

MONDAY NIGHT CELEBRATION-JOIN US

Join us as Mystery celebrates the re-birth of people in our family.This Monday May 5th 6-8pm
at Nate & Erin Karnes House in Oronogo. Their will be food, fun and a wonderful time as a church and with our friends. Invite someone you know.
Contact Erin Karnes about helping with food..

Abuses

“Do you suppose that abuses are eliminated by destroying the object which is abused? Men can go wrong with wine and women. Shall we then prohibit and abolish women?”– Martin Luther

TRAINING DAY SATURDAY MAY 3RD

Just a reminder this is only a week and a half away. this is required for all leaders and open for anyone wishing to attend. please let us know if you will be coming so we can arrange food and seating. This meeting will be held at the Inge's Home.

APRIL MEN OF MYSTERY

NEXT MEN OF MYSTERY NEXT MONDAY APRIL 28th 7-9pm at Pizza by Stout. Bring a Brother - Become a Brother.

Wisdom is...pt1

"Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom."
Charles Spurgeon

News For the Week of April 22nd

Hello Mystery Family

Few items of interest, things to mark on your calendar and to be in prayer for:

1. Leader Training Day
Pastor Sudhakar will be with us the weekend of May 3-4th. Saturday May 3rd we are having a leadership training day at the Inges house. If you are over an area of ministry (that makes most of us as this is a church plant) please plan to attend this event. It will be from 10am -2pm on Saturday the 3rd and cover evangelism training and home/cell group training. He will be sharing how they do things in India and how that might be useful to us here in Joplin. Please come show your support and learn how to be missional. This is required for leaders but it is open to anyone wanting to come and learn.

2. Cinco de Baptismo!!
Monday May 5th is our second Baptism celebration as a church!! This is what it is all about guys. Come join us Monday Night Conco de Mayo to celebrate as a family the good work of Jesus Christ amongst us. There will be food, games and lots of water. We need to support hose being baptized and we need to see what God is doing. The church is bearing fruit and this is a wonderful opportunity to taste and see that the Lord is good!! Please be in prayer for the baptism candidates as this is an exciting but tough time as the powers of this world and the sin in our souls does come against those submitting to Jesus in baptism. Pray and pray hard for the church and for these people.

3. COVENANT COOKOUT
We are having our first ever Covenant Cookout Friday May 16th from 6-8pm. We will be praying together, eating good food and drinking good drink. It will be a night of vision, prayer and worship as we prepare for a new season as a church and for the season of summer ahead of us. If you are in covenant with Mystery, just shy of making it a requirement, we are asking that you make EVERY EFFORT to be at this event.

4. Prayer Nights.
Dont forget we gather every Tues night at 9pm downtown at the International House of Prayer (the old dioko coffee house) to pray for the church and the city. Join us it is one of the most authentic things we do.

5. Last but not least ...
Please remember that we are a new church still and that anyone and everyone makes a difference. Covenanting with Mystery is committing to be in a home group, committing to attending our sunday worship gatherings, faithfully being in prayer for the church, the city and the people you know and work with, and living intentionally as missionaries in the places we work, play and live.
It is very easy to forget that each person actively involved makes a huge difference. People are visiting Mystery and need to see people their loving their church, people are watching us live our lives and need to see people loving their church and applying the gospel to every area of their lives. Continue to Risk talking about Jesus, Commit to Faithful attendance, Continue to Trust the gospel and live for the glory or God. Great things are happening. Persevere in Prayer, Study Scripture, Enjoy God and Live as Missionaries and not consumers. Your church needs you, your friends need you, the city needs you- and we all need Jesus.

ENJOY

Women of Mystery

The women of Mystery are getting together for a new study in a new location.
Join the ladies Monday Night (Tonight) at Butterfly Koffee Klatch, located in University Plaza on 7th and Duquesne @ 7pm.
Women of Mystery will be studying the book of Philippians. Come, bring a friend and enjoy.

All or Nothing

“If Jesus rose from the dead, you have to accept all he said; if he didn’t rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what he said? The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like his teaching but whether or not he rose from the dead.”
- Dr. Tim Keller

Fear in the Face of the Awesome

"There are two kinds of fear: The Bible talks a lot about fear of God--fear in the face of something awesome. That kind of fear is the type of fear that makes someone want to change. But a fear of other people makes you want to stay the same, to protect what you have. It's a stagnant fear; and it's paralyzing." --Win Bulter of Arcade Fire

NEW SERIES STARTS SUNDAY

A church called Mystery is beginning a brand new study this week in the book of Proverbs. We will be exploring what it means to gain wisdom and live with in an understanding and awe of God rather than enamored with ourselves. Proverbs is full of poetry, meaning, insight and imagery.
What skills does wisdom offer for those of us who want to stop living foolishly and start living life? Come find out how to gain Principles and Practices for True Living. Its a great week to invite a friend as we begin a new study that will take us into the summer months.

If no one else does

“Resolution One: I will live for God. Resolution Two: If no one else does, I still will.”
- Jonathan Edwards

One Man

One man accomplished the unimaginable- a perfect life- he has made a way to share in his perfection
One man came face to face with our worst fears and defeated them- extending freedom to you and I
One man stood before God and was accepted and loved and offers that love and acceptance to you

Anniversary

This week at Mystery we celebrate 1 Year of Sunday Services at First Presbyterian. Come and join us for the fun. We are unveiling a whole new look and feel for Sunday Nights and there will even be cake! Invite a friend and come reconnect and celebrate all Jesus has done over the last year in and through the lives of Mystery.

"The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost." - Jesus

Is the mission of the church any less than this? Is the purpose of your own life anything other than the command of Christ. Who are you seeking? Who do you bear on your shoulders? What have you left behind to go and find those who greatly need the message we poses? That our hearts would be moved by Jesus' immeasurable love for us and that we would move to share that love with those who do not know that the Son of Man is seeking them as He sought you out and saved you.

Grace does not choose a man and leave him as he is. - Charles Spurgeon