Parkside Mission

The treasure principle: “You can’t take it with you, but you can send it on ahead.” Treasure principle keys 1 “God owns everything. I’m His money manager.”  What difference does it make to live like we are stewards not owners/? 2 “My heart always goes where I put God’s money.” What do you think happens when you reallocate your money from temporal things?  3 “Heaven, not earth, is my home.” How does our citizenship in the eternal kingdom help us around roadblocks to giving?          Heb 11:13-16 4 “I should live not for the dot [life on earth] but for the line [eternity in heaven].”          How does an eternal perspective motivate us to give? 5 “Giving is the only antidote to materialism.” Have you seen giving improve the life of someone who struggled with materialism? 6 “God prospers me not to raise my standard of living, but to raise my standard o...

Are you interested in an opportunity for fly fishing and fellowship? Then consider helping us change lives in the heart of Atlanta by supporting Parkside Community Ministry through our second fishing retreat. What you can expect: Expert instruction and guided fly fishing for trout Fishing  on a private access section of the Toccoa River and Hothouse Creek (a trophy managed private stream). Fish cookout Monday evening Ways you can participate: Chose a plan that works for you • A - Day of Fishing - Monday 9 am - 6 pm Lunch and Dinner included • B - Fishing retreat - Monday 9 am -Tuesday 12 pm Lunch, Dinner, Lodging and Breakfast included.  Lodging will be at Firefly Lodge in Mineral Bluff, GA. • C- Can’t attend? Sponsor another. Give a gift to fuel our ministry.  “…so where the river flows everything will live.” Ezekiel 47:9 More info: Map of Toccoa River, Firefly Lodge, and Hothouse Creek

First, I'd like to tell you a story about a man who considered the Gospel of grace scandalous. Amir was a highly educated young professional in Sarajevo, Bosnia. Amir invited our family over for a traditional Bosnian meal. After supper, over Turkish coffee, he told me his personal story of returning to Islam. I then shared my story of discovering the grace of God through Christ in college and explained passages from the NT book of Romans that make the case that the only way for us to be right with God is by faith in God's grace. Amir's reply was one of frustration, "So, you think you do nothing to earn God's mercy?" Most people I talk to in Atlanta do not quite share Amir's contempt, but they do share something in common with his confusion and suspicion towards grace. We have a hard time holding together free grace with the truth that grace changes us. We are tempted to compromise; either in a relativistic or in a moralistic way. Which brings me to...

During our Athens days, (Athens, GA that is!) Trent met a fascinating singer songwriter named Bill Mallonee. Bill wrote songs from a Christian point of view that spoke at times with a haunting voice:       "I heard a sneer outside the garden,         salutation, so well-heeled.        Final Stop! No points beyond Struggleville!        Welcome all you suckers to Struggleville." If we read the Apostle Paul's great letter to the Romans carefully, we will hear the same haunting voice. In Romans chapter 7, God speaks to the fact that Christians do in fact continue to struggle with their faults and failures even after they begin to trust the gospel of Jesus Christ. If we know ourselves, we know we struggle too. And like Paul, we want to know how the grace of God ought to help  us in our struggles. In Romans 8:1-15, The Apostle Paul shows us how Christ and the Gospel offer the help of God's Holy Spirit rig...

This summer Trent has been preaching a short series of sermons from Romans chapters 5-8. The first is a message from Romans 5:1-11 called Surprise by Joy Here are the notes in a varied outline form: Surprised by joy: Romans 5:1-11 The surprising power the Gospel brings us to rejoice Intro Story about the power of surprise to bring us joy. Whenever we experience a relationship that is free from expectations they are full of surprise and they have the power to bring us joy… Fallen Condition Focus - Why we need to look at Rom 5?  We all struggle to find joy in our lives. Especially when we stress out to find whether we get the promotion…as we wonder why we are still suffering physically or financially. You might be miserable. You may just be bored, but we all struggle to find joy What I hope you take away from this? If you not yet believer? Usually some lack of joy has prompted your spiritual quest. You have tried to find satisfaction in work, jobs, travel, things…b...

What have you read this summer that is worth rereading? How about a something worth reading over and over? Most of us find few things that we go back to like that; acceptance letters, love letters, perhaps lyrics to our favorite songs. Christians ought to read and reread the entire Bible like nothing else, but honestly we struggle. Thankfully there are passages like Romans chapters 5-8 that can wake us up to what we have been missing. This summer Trent is preaching a short series of sermons from Romans chapters 5-8. I will publish my study notes and links to sermons. Feel free to use them for your study or teaching ministry. Grace, Trent

Summer wraps up in two weeks! Here are our favorite snap shots of the summer: Emily and Trent at Ecco, a popular Midtown dining destination. Chris White with a beautiful Brook trout caught on the Parkside Fly Fishing Retreat. Our Daughter Langley and Trent on evening bike ride on the Atlanta Beltline trail. Two young men who have been great to work with, Jeremy and Collin,  at Atlanta's Central Park for a St. Paul's Pres. kick ball social.