We are voluntarily affiliated with the Gospel Coalition (www.thegospelcoalition.org). It’s the story upon which all other stories rest. In fact, this story makes sense of all other stories. It’s the greatest story ever told, overflowing with the greatest news ever imagined. It’s a story in which life, joy, peace and hope are at stake, now and forever. It explains our deepest longings and our highe
st hopes. It’s a story that tells us who we are and who we will be. It’s a story that explains why the world is the way it is and why we long for something more, something better. It’s a story filled with dark evil and immense good, wicked sin and amazing grace, the heights of pride and the depths of humility, wretched hate and wondrous love. It is a story of redemption, a story of redeeming grace. This story has one central character, Jesus the Christ, one central event, the Cross, one central people, the Church, and unified by one central message, the Gospel.
“Christ died for our sins” (1 Corinthians 15:3) to bring us into a right relationship with God, forgive our sins, reverse the effects of the Fall, empower us to serve others, and once-and-for-all create a people for God out of all tribes, nations and tongues for His glory. The gospel is the good news that changes everything. God calls these redeemed people “the Church,” ordinary people who by faith in Jesus Christ have been forgiven of their sins, made right before God, adopted as His children, and filled with the Holy Spirit. They are sent: to grow and mature in their faith with other Christians, and to go on mission to family & friends, neighbors & nations eager to share with them the good news of what Jesus has done. Tragically, many do not know this God, this story or this gospel. In fact, many have heard about Him but avoid Him, ignore Him, distort Him, domesticate Him, misunderstand Him, add to or subtract from Him, or simply hate Him. Even with many local churches in a single community, many have never heard clearly the good news of the gospel or have never experienced its amazing transforming power. So, we want go to them. What you are reading about is the beginning of a new gospel- centered church work in the Smithsburg area. Redeeming Grace Church is forming and planning to launch in early 2015. We are a non-denominational evangelical Christian church grounded in the message that Jesus Christ makes all things new. We believe as a local church we are called to make and mature disciples motivated by the transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We invite you to read on and join us as we follow Jesus together. The story
continues in
Smithsburg…
