A Question of Pain...In Real Life

by Jim Dotson

Haven’t we all asked ourselves the question Patrick drew from the hat last week,  “If God loves us, why doesn’t he protect us from pain and suffering?” 

In November of 2003, I absolutely asked myself that question over and over again.   Perhaps you heard me asking it, because I screamed it a few times as I walked or ran outside determined to wake God up so he would answer me. 

Certainly my pain paled in comparison to the pain that many others face: broken relationships, health issues or the loss of a loved one.  Mine was simply being fired from the job that I had allowed to define me for 15 years – leaving me lost, confused, and afraid.

Apostles’ pastor at the time, Terrell Glenn, asked me a piercing question the afternoon of my termination after he sat and listened patiently as I unpacked the events of the day;  “Is this between you and your employer or between you and God?” Terrell went on to encourage me to keep my eyes and ears and expect God to show up and reveal himself in a new way.  He also encouraged Ann and I not to hide the pain and suffering but to let the church walk with us through it.

In the sermon last week, Patrick offered four options to consider regarding our belief and understanding of why God allows pain.  Based upon my story and experience, I cast my vote for Option # 4: God is good, loving and powerful – yet, God allows suffering for a higher purpose.  Actually, I am banking my life on Option # 4 and encourage you to do the same!

I learned that the pain and suffering was not what God wanted FROM me but what he wanted FOR me, and my family.  He clearly had a higher purpose and he allowed the suffering because he knew it was what I needed to cause me to grow in my knowledge and understanding of HIM.  God loved me too much to allow me on the path I was headed on – not that it was bad, but it simply wasn’t best.  God sometimes allows pain and suffering because it is the path we need to travel to experience his abundance.

One of the many lessons learned during this season was learning to receive.  I enjoy giving, but would rather be independent and self-sufficient, not needing to depend on anyone for anything.  God had to teach me to be a gracious receiver, to allow me to be a better giver.  Ann and I have never felt more loved and cared for than during these six years as our Apostles Family loved and cared for our family in such a beautiful way. 

I believe so strongly about Option # 4, that I wrote a book about it, Taking on Goliath.  No, I didn’t write it after last week’s sermon – but last week’s sermon certainly stoked my passion and excitement for the truth it.  In the Lord’s perfect timing, I will be doing a book signing this Thursday evening, January 15, 2015, at 7:00pm at Quail Ridge Book Store, 3522 Wade Avenue in Raleigh.  Beginning at 7:00pm, I will be sharing for about 30 minutes about the story behind my book.  Ann and I invite you to join us at Quail Ridge on Thursday. 

You may find my book of interest as you will know the cast of characters (the names of the “bad guys” have been changed to protect the guilty :) and enjoy reading about the love demonstrated through the Apostles Family.  Most of all, please pray that the book will be an encouragement to those who are suffering to run to God rather than run from Him!

Jim Dotson

If you want to learn a bit more you can go to: www.jimdotson.net

Church of the Apostles Youth Testimonies

Amanda and Abigail Jordan

Amanda Jordan
My experiences with COTA youth have been nothing short of absolutely amazing. Our family first visited COTA in September 2013, and my older sister and I were immediately introduced to all the leaders, Fellows, and awesome high school girls. We started to go to small groups, and we quickly made more and more friends by going to Fall Camp and the Deal.  This past summer we went to REACH, and it was the best mission trip I’ve ever been on. I feel so blessed to be a part of this youth group, and I continually meet more godly people in the group every day.

Abigail Jordan

The first thing that comes to mind when I hear the words, “Church of the Apostles” is family. A little over a year ago, my family first visited COTA. At that point, I was in the middle of a crazy transition period. While trying to find a new church I was also starting freshman year at a school where I knew absolutely no one. Needless to say, I was extremely nervous. I was walking into a situation that I had no control of and had no idea what the outcome would be. Thankfully, my fears were quickly put at ease when I stepped in the youth room. The leaders immediately began to talk to me and I felt right at home. They introduced me to some of the students and the rest, as they say, is history. Church is now one of my favorite parts of the week. Not only for learning more about God, but also the people. It is a place where I can be myself and not feel pressured to be someone I’m not. The people accept me for who I am and have become my second family. I’m so grateful for their love and kindness and a place I can call my second home.

The Sunday Set-Up for January 11, 2015

“If a good and powerful God exists he would not allow pointless evil, but because there is much unjustifiable, pointless evil in the world, the traditional good and powerful God cannot exist. Some other god, or no god may exist, but not the traditional God.” - J.L. Mackie, philosopher and author of The Miracle of Theism. 

Could Mackie be right? This week we are examining the question of why God would allow evil in the world. 

Could God have a purpose in it? 

Is there any satisfying explanation? 

Does the presence of evil have any implications for our faith and how we live in this world? 

Join us this Sunday as we wrestle with the question of evil.

With you in Christ,

Patrick

Reading: Luke 13:1-9

Bulletin: January 11, 2015

The Sunday Set-Up for December 21, 2014

If you could live life in reverse…if you could undo past things you have said, done or left undone, what would you undo? This is the question we will consider this Sunday as we delve into one of the most famous songs in the Bible, the Magnificat, sung by Mary as she joined her cousin in celebrating God’s favor in choosing her to be the other of Jesus the Savior. The Magnificat has been called “the most revolutionary” of passages in the Bible. The words celebrate a great reversal engineered by God. 

Join us this Sunday as we consider the implications for our faith in the practical day to day living of our lives as we wait for the return of Jesus.

Reading: Luke 1:39-56

Bulletin: Sunday, December 21. 2014

Fall Retreat: Apostles Student Ministry

A few weeks ago our Middle School and High School students spent the weekend at Camp Oak Hill for their annual Fall Retreat. Here are a few photos and a video of the highlights of the weekend. Click on the link below to view the video. 

Fall Retreat Video

The Sunday Set-Up for December 7, 2014

Jesus is coming again! 

The season of Advent is all about being prepared for his return. We are not told to cower or to hold on with white knuckles until he does. Rather, we are given pictures of God’s people living in eager expectation and full trust, even when everything around them seems to counter such trust.

The image the prophet Isaiah gives us in the 40th chapter of his book is that of a strong shepherd (God) holding his lambs (his people) in his arms. The lambs’ job is simply to trust. Yet he gave this picture to a people who were about to have their world shattered. 

Would you please join me this Sunday as we consider how to live a life of trust in a world that offers us every reason not to? We are waiting for the return of our Lord, but how we wait is important. Come Lord Jesus!

- Patrick Dominguez

Readings: Isaiah 40:1-11 and Mark 1:1-8

Bulletin: December 7, 2014

The Fellows Fall Retreat: Operation Dominate Frisbee Tournament

Operation Dominate Frisbee Tournament

AKA Fall Fellows Retreat

Mission: Fellowship and Edification (and play some serious Frisbee)

Location: the beautiful Camp Oakhill

Time of Occurrence: 7 November- 9 November: 2014

Theme: Justice-- Micah 6:8

Status: Completed

Results: SUCCESS

Earlier in November, the Raleigh Fellows had the opportunity to hit the road with the Crutchfield family and head to Camp Oakhill in Oxford, North Carolina for the annual Fall Fellows Retreat. The weekend was amazing. For starters, we got to meet the other Fellows groups! As you can picture, it was wonderfully awkward at first then incredibly fun and interesting. It was nice to get out of our Raleigh bubble, meet all these incredible people, and remember how big and widespread God’s kingdom is. The other Fellows programs are all over the place and more are popping up each year, what a cool testimony in itself. As we were taken out of Raleigh, we were able to hear and see what God is doing all over the States. Then to top it off, we were taken out of the States and mentally transported to India when we spoke about the abolition movements there. Talk about broadening your horizons. The focus of the weekend was Micah 6:1-8 and specifically about God’s call “to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8b).” I personally have heard sermons and conferences on justice many a time, yet I gained fresh perspectives on justice and great insight from the weekend. We had the privilege of hearing from John Richmond, a passionate follower of Christ, previous director of IJM’s slavery work in India (aka a man risking his life to free slaves), and now federal prosecutor serving as the Special Litigation Counsel with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit. He was a truly great speaker and story-teller, and what he had to share about Micah 6:8, his personal experiences working with slavery in India, and now in the States was 100% a blessing and 100% convicting.

As you can see, we learned tons and talked about some difficult topics. We also had a ton of fun and got to be silly and ridiculous (a Raleigh Fellow specialty as the other groups learned quickly). We made a camp fire, played corn hole, took crazy golf cart rides, took walks around the camp, jump-roped, etc. Saturday afternoon was the infamous Frisbee tournament that our lovely and talented director, Ashley Crutchfield, looks forward to every year. There is this wonderful, playful (yet actually semi-real) rivalry between the Raleigh Fellows and the Trinity Fellows in Charlottesville, VA. Lets just say that they often beat the Raleigh Fellows in this highly competitive tournament. Let’s also just say that the Raleigh Fellow’s class of 2015 does not mess around and we brought our A-game. We beat Trinity 15-2 and it was a highlight of the weekend no doubt.  We also just had a really great time working together as a team, encouraging each other and sharing together in victory and loss. The weekend was short, but super sweet for sure.

Over and out.
Kelsey Riggs.