Anthony Schindler

But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent... Acts 6:1 This morning Matt preached a message titled "Gospel Living."  He shared from Acts 6 where, as Matt said, "A Gospel issue develops."  The background in Acts 6 is that there are two groups of widows and one group feels like they are being overlooked.  Well, this is an affront to the Gospel and the Apostles immediately put together a plan to make sure no one is overlooked.  (It is worth noting what they don't do:  they don't take sides.) Now, I don't sense any type of rumblings of discontent, but, as Matt rightly pointed out, a Gospel issue has developed.  (Really, when is there not a "Gospel issue" in our life?  That's kind of the point.  The Kingdom of God creates constant tension in our life.  It constantly forces us to rethink things.)  We are faced with selling our building which presents a nice variety of Gospel issues.  When will it s...

For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, namely, if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. For the overseer must be above reproach as God's steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict. Titus 1:5-8 So you shall present the Levites before the tent of meeting. You shall also assemble the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, and present the Levites before the Lord; and the sons of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites. Aaron then shall present the Levites before the Lord as a wave offering fr...

1 Peter 2:9-12 With so many leaving it’s easy to get distracted.  It’s easy to feel like we are doing something wrong.  Certainly, self-inspection is never a bad thing; we can always grow.  However, the truth is a church can be faithful to her mission and still decrease numerically.  We must remember that numerical increase is not God’s standard for success; rather making disciples is. Also, we must remember that God has called us.  Sometimes, this is the only thing we have to hold on to; but it is no small thing.  Almost everyone who is a part of TRF, God has called since we’ve arrived.  I didn’t work for you; God called you out and brought you here.  And just last weekend God reminded me how He moved heaven and earth to get us to La Crosse.  Others believe God has called me, that God has called you, and that God is calling us to be his church. This leads me to conclude one thing:  God has others He wants to call out.  O...