Mark Your Calendar for Our Next Meeting on October 2

We had a wonderful, God-blessed council meeting in St. Ignace last Saturday. Most of the meeting was filled with each one sharing testimony of God's saving grace and God's leading to our present ministries for Christ.

In planning out future meetings (and trying to align our schedules), we departed with a tentative date of Saturday, October 2, as our next Reformation Society meeting for all. We will be following the "Reformation Bible Study" format with three speakers dealing with the same text and a time of Q&A and discussion, where everyone attending will be encouraged to study the text ahead of time.

More details will come, but at this point we are planning to meet on October 2, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, at Indian River Baptist Church in Indian River.

Blessings!

Jeff Ryan
Calvary Bible Church
Rogers City, MI

Praise God for Bringing Together Our New Council

After weeks of correspondance and prayers and contemplation, God had led in the formation of a team of five men to lead our new branch of the Reformation Societies in northern Michigan. I will serve as the pastor chair for the time being (as required by the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, our parent organization), but I view this as a team of five equals working together to seek God's will for our society.

Our council is made up of:

Bruce Buchanan (Chain-O-Lakes Presbyterian Church, Central Lake)
Mike Lane (Glen Memorial Baptist Church, St. Ignace)
Jeff Peterson (Indian River Baptist Church, Indian River)
Jeff Ryan (Calvary Bible Church, Rogers City)
Mike Stark (Curtis Baptist Church, Curtis)

We will be meeting soon and will be planning the future meetings of our society. Your prayers are appreciated.

Jeff Ryan

Society Update

For anyone wondering the status of our group and information on future meetings, currently we are seeking the Lord's direction in the formation of a council of leadership.

As a new branch of the old NE Michigan Reformation Society, we are having to form a new group of leaders who will work together to oversee the direction and planning of our society and its meetings. While I am presently serving as the pastor chair, this is designed to be led by a team of leaders, not one individual.

So please pray for God's will in this matter. Once we have a team in place (and there are several men presently considering this--three of whom have already agreed to serve), we will meet to begin forming our vision and planning future meetings.

Be looking for a possible meeting this summer focusing on prayer for our local churches and for two meetings this fall focusing on Bible study, using the "Reformed Bible Study" format as at our last meeting.

For God's Glory in Northern Michigan,
Jeff Ryan

Calvary Bible Church
Rogers City, MI

Next Meeting in Indian River

Saturday, March 27, 10:00 a.m. to Noon
Indian River Baptist Church, Indian River, MI
Bible Study: Mark 10:17-27
Speakers: Mike Stark (Curtis Baptist Church), Jeff Peterson (Indian River Baptist Church), Jeff Ryan (Calvary Bible Church of Rogers City)
Moderator: Josh Gelatt (Indian River Baptist Church)

Please mark your calendar and pass on this invitation to other individuals and pastors you know who might be interested. We are meeting in Indian River as a central location with the desire that God will use us to encourage pastors and churches all over the northern part of Michigan along I-75—and into the eastern U.P. The main purpose of our meeting will be fellowship and mutual encouragement around the Word of God, but we will also be discussing what is entailed in forming our northern group as its own Reformation Society. ALL ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE IN THIS MEETING.

Worthy Is the Lamb That Was Slain

In Revelation 5, the One who sits on the throne holds a scroll in His right hand, a very important scroll, sealed with seven seals. This scroll contains His sovereign decrees for the destiny of the world, His plan for judgment and redemption. Who is worthy to open this scroll and to break its seals (and thus put it into effect)? The question goes out to all the universe, and NO ONE is found who is worthy and qualified.

John weeps greatly because no one is found. What would happen to God’s plan and all His promises? Would sin and death and Satan win? Is there any purpose to the suffering that Christians are going through? Is there any ordained end to human history? John had very good reason to weep!

Then John is told to stop weeping? Why? Because the triumphant, ascended Christ now enters onto the scene. He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, the rightful one to rule over God's people forever--and He has overcome the enemies of God and His people!

When John turns to see this victorious Lion, He sees Him instead as a Lamb standing as if slain (or slaughtered). But He is no helpless victim. He is all-powerful (7 horns) and all-knowing (7 eyes), sending out His Spirit into all the earth just as He had promised His disciples. Through His sacrifice, He has conquered and rules from heaven above.

And as the worthy One, He takes the scroll from the right hand of the Father--to break its seals and put into effect God's decress for judgment and redemption. And when He takes the scroll, the entire universe breaks out in praise...PRAISE OF THE LAMB.

This praise begins with the new song of the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders, "Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth."

This Christmas...let us worship the Lamb that was slain!

Jeff Ryan
Calvary Bible Church
Rogers City, Michigan