WHAT’S THE DEAL AT STONE CREEK CHURCH
Since 1914 Third Avenue Church has been trying to reach people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Today we are now Stone Creek Church and living in the spirit of those who have gone before us we are moving forward, depending on Christ, reaching our world, and seeing lives transformed.  This series helps everyone get to know exactly who we are as a church and how we hope to go about fulfilling our mandate.  If you’ve ever wondered what the deal is at Stone Creek, check out this series! 
 

Nov 28, 2021
WTDASCC Part 15: Kingdom Focus (1 Corinthians 3:4-9)
There's something within the American church that wars against the Kingdom of God. It's the desire of wayward men to place the advancement of God's kingdom second to the advancement of their own kingdoms. Unfortunately we see this in churches all the time don't we. We see it on roadside billboards advertising that their church is better than other churches in the area. We see it on giant banners promoting a man and his ministry over the ministry of God. We see it in sermons promoting health, wealth, and prosperity over the blessings of transformation and suffering. We see it when a man who claims to be a pastor gets on television and preaches self help motivational God is love sermons but forgets to mention sin and repentance. And we see it on every street that has one, two, even three churches within walking distance to one another and yet rather than combining their efforts to share the love of Christ with their community they are in competition with one another. Instead of the pastors praying together and loving on one another, they gossip about one another and run one another down. Their main pursuit has become gaining more marketshare. They want to see their “churches” become great so that their name becomes great and all the while the world sees us acting like spoiled brats running Jesus' name through the mud! It's disgusting!

We haven't been called to build the kingdom of Stone Creek Church, or the kingdom of Shevi Sloane... how dare we. We've been called to build the kingdom of God!

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  • Nov 28, 2021WTDASCC Part 15: Kingdom Focus (1 Corinthians 3:4-9)
    Nov 28, 2021
    WTDASCC Part 15: Kingdom Focus (1 Corinthians 3:4-9)
    There's something within the American church that wars against the Kingdom of God. It's the desire of wayward men to place the advancement of God's kingdom second to the advancement of their own kingdoms. Unfortunately we see this in churches all the time don't we. We see it on roadside billboards advertising that their church is better than other churches in the area. We see it on giant banners promoting a man and his ministry over the ministry of God. We see it in sermons promoting health, wealth, and prosperity over the blessings of transformation and suffering. We see it when a man who claims to be a pastor gets on television and preaches self help motivational God is love sermons but forgets to mention sin and repentance. And we see it on every street that has one, two, even three churches within walking distance to one another and yet rather than combining their efforts to share the love of Christ with their community they are in competition with one another. Instead of the pastors praying together and loving on one another, they gossip about one another and run one another down. Their main pursuit has become gaining more marketshare. They want to see their “churches” become great so that their name becomes great and all the while the world sees us acting like spoiled brats running Jesus' name through the mud! It's disgusting!

    We haven't been called to build the kingdom of Stone Creek Church, or the kingdom of Shevi Sloane... how dare we. We've been called to build the kingdom of God!

  • Nov 21, 2021WTDASCC Part 14: Covenant Partnership (1 Corinthians 12:25-26)
    Nov 21, 2021
    WTDASCC Part 14: Covenant Partnership (1 Corinthians 12:25-26)
    Covenant partnership is not something just reserved for Sunday, It's something expected every day!  When we come together as a body of believers and a faith family we come with a promise to be slow to push away from the table and quick to establish common ground and unity in Christ.  We then partner together to accomplish our Vision Statement for the sake of seeing people saved and transformed by the Gospel. 
  • Nov 14, 2021WTDASCC Part 13: Accountability & Discipline (Galatians 6:1, Matthew 18:15-17)
    Nov 14, 2021
    WTDASCC Part 13: Accountability & Discipline (Galatians 6:1, Matthew 18:15-17)
    It is absolutely necessary that we as members of the local church not only commit to keeping our brothers and sisters accountable but that we allow them the same access to keeping us accountable. Accountability is an act of grace by which we, in love, gently help one another remove the deadly sin within our lives as to be a more righteous and pure bride of Christ.
     
    Church discipline is only necessary in the unlikely event that accountability does not produce repentance and restoration in the heart of a believer. Christian accountability is the first line of defense. Church discipline is a last resort. Accountability is for righteousness. Discipline is for restoration.
     
    So... who are you accountable to and who are you accountable for?
  • Nov 7, 2021WTDASCC Part 12: Orthodox Beliefs (Romans 15:13)
    Nov 7, 2021
    WTDASCC Part 12: Orthodox Beliefs (Romans 15:13)
    Romans 15:13 says, "may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.  We must have a set of beliefs.  Why?  For joy.  Knowing what we believe no matter what happens in our lives; knowing we are living for a greater purpose gives us a joy.  For peace.  Adhering to a specific set of beliefs assures us that no matter how hard or long the war is, we will be victorious.  For hope.  Embracing orthodox beliefs gives us an assurance of God's blessing in this life and eternal life in the next. The point is simple.  Until we know what we believe and why we believe it we will fail to live it. 
  • Oct 31, 2021WTDASCC Part 11: Intentional Discipleship (1 Corinthians 9:26-27 & Proverbs 27:17)
    Oct 31, 2021
    WTDASCC Part 11: Intentional Discipleship (1 Corinthians 9:26-27 & Proverbs 27:17)
    Transformation in the lives of believers doesn't just magically happen.  You can't just enter into a church or be born to a family of Christians and expect to supernaturally be more like Christ.  And though that sentiment seems silly at first glance, if we were to think about it, we would understand that this is how the church has functioned in relationship to discipleship for a large amount of the past two centuries.  No, discipleship must be intentional.  It must be strategic, planned, and expected by the leaders of the church.  Each believer must be encouraged and expected to have a daily personal discipleship plan and a corporate growth plan of disciple making where they are pouring into the lives of others and others are pouring into their lives as well.  If discipleship isn't intentional then transformation will be unlikely! 
  • Oct 24, 2021WTDASCC Part 10: Servant Leadership (Acts 20:28)
    Oct 24, 2021
    WTDASCC Part 10: Servant Leadership (Acts 20:28)

    At Stone Creek, our prayer is that you would be able to trust and depend upon the leadership of our church.  As leaders we are not unaware of how many in our position seem to fall on an almost daily basis.  Therefore, we covenant with you to do the best we possibly can, through the power of the Holy Spirit and the Grace of God, to rise above the attacks of the enemy, the temptations of this world, and the pride of our position.  

    Paul makes it clear to leaders of the church, that we must take extra care of our own spiritual health so that we can care for your spiritual health. This isn't our church, we are stewards of it. It is God's church, bought by his own blood. Therefore we must be extra careful.  We are called to be servant leaders who shepherd, serve, and equip the people God has placed in our care, and we will give an account to Him of how well we do in that regard.  

  • Oct 17, 2021WTDASCC Part 9: Gracious Giving (1 Corinthians 16:1-2)
    Oct 17, 2021
    WTDASCC Part 9: Gracious Giving (1 Corinthians 16:1-2)
    We don't give to God via the local church because the local church needs it, although that may be the case.  We give because we have been called through the scriptures to surrender our money to ministries where God is moving for the sake of the Gospel, Discipleship, and Evangelism.  If God wants the local church to have funds for the sake of ministry God will see to it that it is done, but more than that, God wants believers to be the conduit through which His financial blessings move to the places he wants it being used!  Therefore we plan personally to give regularly for the purposes of God. 
  • Oct 10, 2021WTDASCC Part 8: Strategic Missions (Revelation 5:1-10)
    Oct 10, 2021
    WTDASCC Part 8: Strategic Missions (Revelation 5:1-10)
    Every Christian is called to the ministry of taking the Gospel to the ends of the Earth. Even if you feel call to stay in the states, you must figure out how to be actively involved in the sending of people you trust to take the greatest message of all time to those who have never heard it! How are you doing this?
  • Oct 3, 2021WTDASCC Part 7: Relational Outreach (Matthew 5:16)
    Oct 3, 2021
    WTDASCC Part 7: Relational Outreach (Matthew 5:16)
    We must reach our world (our neighbors, our community, and our targeted foreign mission fields) with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  For centuries the American Church has tried to take short cuts to reach people.  Either through quick exchanges or through simple church invites, many of us have abdicated our responsibilities of fishing for men and outsourced it to others.  If we are to be obedient to our Lord's commission we must actually reach people the way Jesus and the Bible models it; relational outreach.  The process is simple, yet lengthy and hard.  First, we must look for opportunities to care for people's needs.  Secondly, we must meet those needs sacrificially.  Thirdly, we must take advantage of the care we've given to them and use that to form a relationship with them.  In time, if formed correctly, that relationship will lead to an opportunity to share the Gospel in a manner that is natural and well received!   If you want to reach people with the Gospel, you must give a care and you must be there! 
  • Sep 26, 2021WTDASCC Part 6: Familial Fellowship (Hebrews 14:24-25)
    Sep 26, 2021
    WTDASCC Part 6: Familial Fellowship (Hebrews 14:24-25)
    Church was never meant to be something you came to on Sunday mornings for an hour or two.  Church is meant to be a family of people who love one another as though they were their blood brothers and sisters.  True fellowship means family.  When we learn how to become the faith family that God has designed for us to be, we will truly change the world the way God has called us to.  
  • Sep 19, 2021WTDASCC Part 5: Consistent Prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
    Sep 19, 2021
    WTDASCC Part 5: Consistent Prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
    We depend on Christ through consistent prayer.  Consistent prayer means prayer is our first response not our last resort.  Consistent prayer means prayer is a continuous conversation with God.  And, Consistent prayer means prayer is about God's will, not ours!  When we realize that prayer is about a relationship with God and not about what God can do for us we will be able to talk with him all day long, in every situation.  
  • Sep 12, 2021WTDASCC Part 4: Christ Focused Ordinances (1Corinthians 11:17-34, Romans 6:1-5)
    Sep 12, 2021
    WTDASCC Part 4: Christ Focused Ordinances (1Corinthians 11:17-34, Romans 6:1-5)
    The ordinances of the church are opportunities to focus on Christ!  In communion we remember the work of Christ for us.  In Baptism we profess the work of Christ in us! 
  • Sep 5, 2021WTDASCC Part 3: Authentic Worship (Romans 12:1-2)
    Sep 5, 2021
    WTDASCC Part 3: Authentic Worship (Romans 12:1-2)
    When God speaks it demands a response and the way we respond to God as believers is what we call worship.   In the Old Testament followers of God would worship God predominantly through the act of sacrifice.  Their whole system of worship revolved around the killing of animals and the spilling of their blood for the remission of sins.  Thank God, Christ came to be the final sacrifice doing away with that system, but today we are still called to sacrificial worship.  Romans 12:1-2 tells us that we are to be "living sacrifices."  That means that who we are as authentic disciples of Christ is who we are in our worship.  We are authentic worshipers when we live everyday as living sacrifices for Christ.  For us at Stone Creek Church we say that authentic worship is a lifestyle of joyful obedience, not reluctant observance.  Be real, be the church, worship Jesus.  Be set apart, seek God's will, and live sacrificially in response to Christ's sacrifice. 
  • Aug 29, 2021WTDASCC Part 2: Biblical Teaching and Preaching (2 Timothy 4:2-4)
    Aug 29, 2021
    WTDASCC Part 2: Biblical Teaching and Preaching (2 Timothy 4:2-4)
    Depending on Christ we will reach our world with the Gospel to see lives completely transformed.  One of the ways we depend upon Christ is through our first core value; a reliance on the Word of God.  It is the responsibility of every believer to have a reliance upon the Word as the absolute standard of truth.  They must read it, meditate on it, memorize it, and share it.  The church's responsibility is to encourage the individual believer to engage with the Bible but we cannot make anyone actually do it.  What we can do is teach and preach the entirety of the Bible.  Biblical teaching and preaching is what the deal is at Stone Creek Church.  Whether it's popular or not, whether it is in season or not, we must preach the Word of God unfiltered.  
  • Aug 22, 2021WTDASCC Part 1: Gospel Centered Vision (Mt 28:18-20, Acts 2:42-47)
    Aug 22, 2021
    WTDASCC Part 1: Gospel Centered Vision (Mt 28:18-20, Acts 2:42-47)

    We may have changed our location, we may have changed our name, but the same spiritual blood we had at our birth in 1914 still flows in our veins. Therefore it is our responsibility to reclaim the vision, to a lesser extent, for the sake of the legacy of Third Avenue Church, and to a greater extent, for the sake of God's Glory! When we look back at what our church was able to accomplish for the kingdom 80 years ago we may be tempted to think, there's no way God can use us like that again... but this morning I'm here to tell you, if we reclaim God's vision for the Church, the best days are not behind us but yet to come. Let me say that again, if we reclaim God's vision for this church... the best days for Stone Creek Church are not behind us but in front of us.