We have curated 12 passages to memorize this year which are connected to our 2023 rallying cry, "We are humble before and joyful in Jesus!" Let's treasure God's word in our hearts each month.
January
James 4:10 – Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
We are here to make disciples and plant churches by proclaiming and displaying the grace of God to sinners and sufferers. After seeking the Lord we’ve discerned our rallying cry for 2023 is not a new project or hill to charge, but a focus on being:
We are humble before & joyful in Jesus!
The road to how we got here is a long one. When you walk into Grace Church and see us with our five teenage boys, with a happy marriage, and the Aledo life it is hard to see where we came from.
We are thrilled to be a part of Grace Church and serve the children and families of Aledo. Our hope and prayer is to see families discipled and formed into the image of Christ so that the next generation of saints may know, trust, and love our good and gracious God.
Talk of the East Parker County church plant was initially discussed in our Community Group; Shawn and I knew we were called to join. We have been united in prayer and vision for the Aledo church plant, growing in friendships through the process of preparation. We have also grown closer in our marriage as we navigated several difficult situations that have been revealed through our own discipleship journey in facing sin, sanctification and spiritual warfare. Being a part of the Aledo church plant, we hope to show others the love and grace we have experienced (and continue to experience!) in our own sin and sufferings, and to spread the joy of being a part of a Gospel-centered community in East Parker County.
Our rallying cry for 2022 is that WE MAKE DISCIPLES & Plant a Church! Our desire is for all of the saints at Grace Church to grow in their faith and knowledge of God’s Son, and to grow into spiritual maturity that is measured by Christ’s fullness. (Eph. 4:13) Below is a list of recommended resources to help guide and equip you in your discipleship. These resources are great for either personal growth, or to be used while walking alongside others.
Grace Church exists to make disciples and plant churches by proclaiming and displaying the grace of God to sinners and sufferers. One way we will do this is by organizing in smaller gatherings and groups. Humans long for deep friendships. We are made for community as image-bearers of God. We are persons-in-relationship because we were created by a God who has always existed as three persons in one. The Christian God is Trinitarian. God himself is in community. Or more accurately, God is community: one God, three persons. Christians are saved to community and grow in community—the communal life of the church.
As we push back darkness in the southwest region of DFW together (and plant a church in Aledo!) we should expect the enemy to respond. Planting a church in Aledo is a big deal. The enemy does not want multiplication—he does not want a gospel-centered family in Aledo—he wants to steal, kill and destroy.
How can we fight against the never-ending stream of media that saturates our people? Do we want Netflix, the news media, and Facebook to dwell richly in the hearts of God’s people? No! We want Colossians 3:16 to be true of us, "Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts."
Our vision as a church is to make disciples and plant churches by proclaiming and displaying the grace of God to sinners and sufferers. After seeking the Lord we’ve discerned our rallying cry for 2022 is simple. It’s a simple adaptation of our vision. Our rallying cry for 2022 is we make disciples and we plant a church! We’re excited! The time has come to plant a church! We are going after deeper discipleship and another church for God’s fame to fill this region!
