Commissioning Service

For anyone who wasn't able to attend, we had a wonderful commissioning service yesterday morning at Cornerstone. Pastor Steve preached a message from I Samuel 17 challenging Abby and me as we head towards the mission field early in 2010. The five main points of the sermon were represented by the five stones David took into battle against Goliath:

- Stone #1: Divine Purpose (I Sam.17:46) - "...that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,"
- Stone #2: Divine Presence (I Sam.17:47) - "...For the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hand."
- Stone #3: Divine Position (I Sam.17:45) - "...I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts..."
- Stone #4: Divine Power (I Sam.17:37a) - "...The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear..."
- Stone #5: Divine Promise (I Sam.17:37b) - "...he will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."

A few notable quotations from the sermon:

"A fanatic is one who won't change his mind and won't change the subject."

"The true test of your character is what it takes to stop you."

"If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. So stand anyway." - John R. Rice

"You must go through the lion and the bear to get to the giant."

At the end of the service, we gathered together with the church leadership, the mission committee, and the rest of the church body to pray. We closed the service by singing together, "Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus". It was a very challenging, yet encouraging way to leave our home church for the work God is calling us into.

Thank you, Pastor Steve, for your impact on our lives!