CrossPoint Community News 04/21/2023

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

        Today, I’d like to introduce you to a man named Charles Simeon. Rev. Simeon was born in 1759, within an aristocratic family. While attending university, he was obligated to participate in communion. But this posed a problem for him, since he knew that he wasn’t a Christian. He would later say, “Satan himself were as fit to attend as I!” So after fasting, praying and studying God’s word, he began to understand the reality of substitutionary atonement. It was on April 4, 1779 (Easter Sunday) that he awoke with assurance of salvation and could, in good conscience, participate in the Communion service.
        But his parents and acquaintances were not thrilled with his conversion to Christianity. They basically ignored him. In spite of this mild opposition, and perhaps because of it, he continued to grow in Christian maturity. When he had opportunities to preach, he took them. By 1783, he was appointed a minister of Holy Trinity Church in Cambridge (England). When he preached his first sermon, people protested by not attending, by locking the pews, and in the evening service, even locking the doors of the church to keep him out. But he stayed… for 54 years. He endured opposition and harassment for the first 30 years at the church. But he knew God had called him to be faithful, so he stayed and served and pointed people to the Savior.
       He knew that preaching God’s Word could change people’s lives. So, he woke up at 4 am each morning to devote hours to studying and meditating on God’s word. He trained university students in preaching. He later explained that he was neither Arminian, nor Calvinistic, but a Bible Christian. He went on to publish sermon outlines, as helps for other preachers. When completed, he had compiled 2536 of these outlines, covering the whole of Scripture. He also worked to encourage other pastors and church leaders through “parties” for clergy and their wives.
       My own preaching has been shaped by Rev. Simeon. As a reminder, I have at the head of every manuscript, a quote about preaching from Simeon: “Do it so plainly and simply that all may understand and be ready to say, ‘I could have made as good a sermon myself.’” My hope is that you continue to benefit from the life, witness and ministry of Rev. Charles Simeon.

Also, please continue to pray for the nation of Ukraine. Here is a suggested list of prayers if you are at a loss for words in how to pray: https://send.org/story/hh_pray_for_ukraine. Thank you for kneeling on behalf of the people of Ukraine and Russia, and taking a stand (or a knee in prayer) against the forces of darkness in this present age.