Attributes of the Church

When I attended missions school, I had the privilege of studying out the attributes of the church. Just tonight I was looking through this study again, and thought it would be a joy to share those notes here! I was so refreshed as I read through, and I hope you will be as well. May we love His Word and hold it high, trying our every thought, belief, and attitude to it.

Prescriptive attributes of the church

Above reproach (Titus 1:6,7)
Hospitable (Titus 1:8)
A lover of good (Titus 1:8)
Upright  (Titus 1:8, 2:12)
Holy (Titus 1:8)
Disciplined (Titus 1:8)
Holding firm to the Word (titus 1:9)
Sound in doctrine (Titus 2:1)
Sober minded (Titus 2:2)
Dignified (Titus 2:2)
Self-controled (Titus 2:2, 1:8)
Sound in faith (Titus 2:2)
Sound in love (Titus 2:2)
Sound in steadfastness (Titus 2:2)
Renouncing ungodliness (Titus 2:12)
Renouncing worldly passions (Titus 2:12)
Living godly lives in the present age (Titus 2:12)
Waiting for Jesus (Titus 2:13)
Obedient (Titus 3:1)
Ready for every good work (Titus 3:1)
Speaking evil of no one (Titus 3:2)
Avoids quarreling (Titus 3:2)
Gentle (Titus 3:2)
Showing perfect courtesy toward all people (Titus 3:2)
Compassionate of heart (Colossians 3:12)
Kind (Colossians 3:12)
Humble (Colossians 3:12)
Meek (Colossians 3:12)
Patient (Colossians 3:12)
Bearing with one another (Colossians 3:13)
Forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven us (Colossians 3:13)
Loving, above all (Colossians 3:14)
Ruled in heart by the peace of Christ (Colossians 3:15)
Thankful (Colossians 3:15)
The Word dwelling within richly (Colossians 3:16)
Teaching and admonishing one another (Colossians 3:16)
Does everything in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:17)

Descriptive attributes of the church

Baptized with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5,8, 2:38)
Heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:7)
Loving (Galatians 5:22)
Joyful (Galatians 5:22)
Peaceful (Galatians 5:22)
Patient (Galatians 5:22)
Kind (Galatians 5:22)
Good (Galatians 5:22)
Faithful (Galatians 5:22)
Gentle (Galatians 5:23)
Self-controled (Galatians 5:23)
Have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24)
Complete (2 Timothy 3:17)
Thoroughly equipped unto every good work (Galatians 5:23)
Known by the Lord (2 Timothy 2:19)
Sound of mind (2 Timothy 1:7)
Called to holiness (1 Thessalonians 4:7)

The Truth About Our Father

“But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice. Sing unto God, sing praises to His name: extol Him that rideth upon the heavens by His name JAH, and rejoice before Him. A Father to the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in His holy habitation. God setteth the solitary in families: He bringeth out those which are bound with chains.”
Psalm 68:3-6b

A Father.

What comes to your mind when you hear that term?

Some of us smile immediately, thinking of the growing up years, sitting in dad’s lap, reading a book. While others of us would feel better if such a name did not apply to our God, as flashbacks and pain swell up within.  No matter what you have thought of fatherhood in the past, I fully guarantee that you have not plumbed the depths of this awe striking part of the nature of our God.

David had an insight on who our Heavenly Father is:
“Therefore David blessed the Lord in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: ‘Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all’” (1 Chronicles 29:10-11).

Look at all the things this passage tells us our Father has sway over: the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, the majesty, all things in heaven and on earth, and the Kingdom. We know that we are never neglected, forgotten, left, over-corrected, abused, or hammered over the head by our Father.

Not only did He skillfully create us for Himself, purposefully guiding and protecting our lives from the womb, but He also pursued us when spat in His face and lived in rebellion to Him. We were that prodigal child that brought the tears, the aches, and the pain to a Father who had always been just and loving--never once doing us wrong. Having broken every single law of our Father’s and falling altogether short of His glory, yet He pursued us. In our entirely ugly, miry-clay covered lives, He had a plan of redemption. A plan to restore us unto Himself.

He drew us out of many waters, and brought us near at the greatest possible price--the price of His very own Son. Dying what is thought to be the most brutal death possible, Jesus stayed at that barbaric cross until the work was entirely finished.

Let us not forget that our Father has never forsaken us, and today He bids us come and die. He is worthy--He has seen us unto the second birth, a birth in Christ--and He desires all to be His children.

“The Lord Jehovah does not delay His promises as people consider delay, but He is patient for your sakes, and because He is not willing that any person would perish, but that every person would come to conversion” (2 Peter 3:9 ABPE).

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This devotional was written for Ellerslie Discipleship Training's Always Be Ready Night. It was also featured in the devotional book "Great Is Thy Faithfulness."

The First Week of Ellerslie

It's kind of crazy that I've been here at Ellerslie for five days already! A lot has happened! On June 3rd I arrived at the Denver Airport, and was greeted by two of the sweet staff members: Kimberly and Sarah. I was so excited; it all felt so surreal! I had prayed and dreamed of this place for years, and at long last, it was happening! That morning, I rode the shuttle from the airport to Windsor; our drive included many beautiful mountain views! Not something I see in Michigan every day!! When we got to the campus, I was taken into my dorm room where I met my roommates: Sarah, Janetta, and later Heather. I am so thankful for each of these sweet ladies I have the privilege of living with! Sarah is a Practicum D2 student (which, in case you don't know, is one of the other, higher up, programs they have at Ellerslie). She's radiant, so thoughtful, and made me feel beyond welcome when I came in. Janetta is from Kansas, and loves Jesus so much. She has been such an inspiration to me; during almost every free time she can be found in His Word! And Heather is pretty wonderful too!! She has a sweet, quiet personality, and deeply, deeply cares for each person around her; she has encouraged me so much!

Jesus has really been drawing me closer to Himself through this time here. I can't completely describe it.... But one little song has a fragment into it:

"My heart responds with Holy, Holy!"

The first evening we had a picnic on the lawn by the dorms:

On Tuesday, they told us about the schedule of how we would be reading through the New Testament 2 times in these three months, and the other exciting assignments to be done!

It's seriously beautiful around here....

Just to confuse you, we'll jump backwards. On Sunday we had our campus tour:

My tour group :)

Then we had our ID photos taken:

Here are a few common sights for the Ellerslie student:

Banquet night was so wonderful! We got to meet all our teachers and hear more about the vision behind Ellerslie:

Coffee House 29 is a GREAT place to go, if you're ever in Windsor. I've already been there twice!

[I know right about now you're thinking how you should come to Ellerslie too! You should click here and totally go yourself....]