This Sunday, John Powell will be preaching as a part of our Morning Gathering.
John will be the main teacher for our students during their Discple Now activities this weekend. He'll be teaching on creating "Your Future Self," guiding them to see how decisions and disciplines they develop as young people will greatly influence their future; with a focus on their practical application of good theology.
John serves as pastor of First Baptist Church in Hamlin, TX. He is married to Katherine and they have three children: Gunner, Bennett, and Ada Kate. But, leading our students and preaching this Sunday in our Morning Gathering is a homecoming of sorts. He grew up in the area, and is the nephew of our members Ed and Rhonda Powell.
After graduating from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, MO, he earned his Master of Divinity degree at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. While in Louisville, John served as director of admissions at SBTS, and served alongside Jason Allen, current President of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, as discipleship pastor at Carlisle Avenue Baptist Church.
In addition to pastoring in Texas, John serves on the Leadership Council of the SBC's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.
Our student leadership team is excited to welcome John to Summit Woods, and look forward to having our students exposed to another voice who will unashamedly proclaim the gospel with boldness and clarity; helping them to see its practical implications for their lives.
If you'd like to learn more about John and his ministry in Texas, check out this SBTS alumni spotlight (article and video): A shepherd in cowboy country: Southern Seminary alumnus offers perspective on rural ministry.
Intentionally Act
- Pray for those who will be leading the service this Sunday: Dawson Bryant, music; Brandon Ferguson, Elders' prayer; Rob Stouffer, Scripture reading; John Powell, teaching. Pray that they will edify the church body.
- In order to prepare your heart for Sunday morning, read through the book of Ephesians and meditate on the lyrics of the songs we will sing, and listen to them through the weekend to prepare yourself to sing with the church.
- Look through the Growth Group questions, included below, as a way to prepare your heart for the application time with your group.
Growth Group Questions
- What are your biggest takeaways from today’s message? What were you most convicted you should give attention to this week in your walk with Christ?
- How would this sermon bring the largest impact to:
- Your personal life?
- Your family life?
- Our church life?
- How would this sermon help you in conversation with a non-Christian about the value of the family? How could your own family life impact that of non-Christian families in your neighborhood? How could you involve yourself more with non-Christian families so they could see the effects of the new creation?
- Have you ever seen the connection and parallels between the creation account of Genesis 1-3 and the idea of being a new creation in Christ (particularly in Ephesians)? Rehearse some of what you heard in the sermon. What about these parallels between creation and the new creation stand out to you as most significant and why?
- Why are marriage and family the key areas that incite the wrath of Satan and attack our ability to bear God’s image clearly?
- If passive parenting is a sin that Satan can capitalize on to attack our ability to bear the image of God clearly, how have you seen passive parenting in your life (in how you were parented - or in how you parent)?
- What came to your mind during the sermon that you should adjust in your life so that you are more proactive in bearing the image of Christ?
- In thinking through your marriage (if married), what would be the best thing you could do this week to pursue a Christlike goal. Why is this so important to your own spiritual health and joy? Your children’s? Your church’s?
- Married or not, what about your own approach to Christlikeness would be considered passive and you need to become more aggressing, by God’s grace, to pursue?
Songs for Sunday
- This Is Our God (Video)
- Our Song from Age to Age (Video)
- Jesus Draw Me Ever Nearer (Video)
- Jesus Paid It All (Video)
- He Will Hold Me Fast (Video)