AEC Blog

Getting ready for Sunday

ammanfordpastor — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 08:50:26 +0000

On Sunday we will be looking at a BIG chunk of the Bible: Exodus 7:14 to 12. The 10 plagues. The service will include the Sunday School kids and so the sermon will be very interactive, fun and relevant.

To get ready for Sunday:

Read all of Exodus 7-12 and ask why God is doing what He’s doing?
How does Pharaoh respond and why?
What is the greatest sign of God’s power in the universe and how do people respond to that?

See you Sunday!

Also, in the evening we’ll be continuing our ‘Cries from the Cross‘ series by joining in with darganfod. So, we’ll be on the 3rd cry, with Wyn Jones preaching in Welsh, with simultaneous translation.

Brand New way to buy books!

Sammy Davies — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 08:21:13 +0000

As you probably already know, as a church we very much support the work of Siop Gair Y Bywyd, a Christian bookstall in Shoppers World. A great number of AECers have helped staff the bookstall each and every Friday for a number of years, probably decades! If you’re the sort who prefers to feel a book, to smell it’s pages before you take the plunge, then we’d recommend buying your Christian books from there.

But, if like many people, you prefer the speed, convenience and price of shopping on-line, then we’d recommend buying your Christian books from our on-line bookstall! It’s part of 10ofthose.com who buy in bulk only the very best Christian books and pass the savings onto you. The benefit of using the Ammanford Evangelical Church on-line bookstall is that a percentage of the money you spend on the books comes back to the church. Why not indeed!

Behold Our God

Sammy Davies — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:16:11 +0000

I realise that this song was only posted last week, but I was so encouraged by its content and the way that the band led it this past Sunday that I thought it worthwhile to post it again for those who wish to listen to it again.

The song is ‘Behold Our God’ and it’s a song full of adoration and praise for our great and glorious Saviour. From His immense power in creation, to His unparalleled authority and wisdom, right through to His humbly coming to die on a Cross in our place. This song will move you consider Christ more highly.

or…if you’d prefer a more auchestral arrangement, how about this one…

I’ve a feeling this one might come into common usage.

Prayer – Why do we bother?

Sammy Davies — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 07:57:19 +0000

Why do Christians pray? Who do you pray? Why should the Church be praying together?

There might me many answers to these questions, but there are a few answers which are common to all of them:

1) Because it demonstrates our total dependence on God.

After all, if we can do it on our own, why involve God? By taking the time pray, by filling our prayers with pleas for His assistance, we demonstrate that we can’t do it on our own. We demonstrate that we can only do it with Him.

2) Because we are totally dependant on God.

Forget about simply demonstrating dependence, the reality is that we are totally dependant. we pray because the reality is we can’t do it on our own.

3) Because we get to.

Prayer shouldn’t be a chore for the Christian, it should be a privilege. We pray then because we, through Jesus, have access. We have a relationship. What a terrible shame to waste that opportunity.

There are more reasons of course, but that’s enough for a Monday morning. Why not start coming to one of the churches regular prayer meetings? Every Friday morning at 8:30 in the church office. Every 2nd and 4th Saturday morning, 9am in Cafe Celia’s. Every week at Rooted groups around the area. Every day, praying through the prayer points in the weekly notes.

And…get it in the diary, our next day of prayer and fasting starts at 8pm on March 16th until 8pm March 17th. Or on Easter Sunday Morning, join us up Betws mountain to pray for our Amman Valley.

Saturday Song

Sammy Davies — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 08:29:47 +0000

Last week, as we began our series, Cries from the Cross, we listened to this song. The great thing about this video is that it takes a song that’s so familiar to many of us, and gives us the Scriptures which help us to understand it in new, fresh ways. Watch, listen, Enjoy.

If you really enjoy it then consider coming to the next Cries from the Cross on Sunday evening, 6pm, in the church building.

Getting ready for Sunday

ammanfordpastor — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 07:55:40 +0000

This week we have a guest preacher: Matt Bownds from Living Word Church in Carmarthen.

Matt is a good friend and the church in Carmarthen is very much like our own. It is joy to have Matt with us again as many can still remember his sermon from Revelation last year.

Matt will be preaching from 1 Peter 1:13 to 2:3.

We will also be learning a great new song called ‘Behold our God‘:

See you Sunday!

“Father Forgive.”

Sammy Davies — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 08:16:29 +0000

Last Sunday we kicked off our evening series, Cries from the Cross.

The aim of the series is to take a fresh look at the cross in the run up to easter and to learn anew some of the things that the cross achieved and is achieving. The format of the evenings is reminiscent of a traditional evening service, with preaching and singing. I can’t think of anyone in our church who wouldn’t benefit coming.

Our first cry was ‘Father, forgive them.’ In studying for the sermon I was struck by how much Jesus’ death on the Cross turns our conventional thinking on its head. I was amazed that through the intention and prayers of Jesus His death utterly confounds what we’d expect to happen…

Here’s what we normally assumes happens. If we’re responsible for someone’s death we say we have ‘their blood on our hands.’ It’s a reference to the guilt, the condemnation that comes from being complicit in the taking of a life. This is how Pilate saw it. Earlier in the story, having realised that the baying group would stand for nothing less than the crucifixion of Christ, he literally washes his hands of what’s going on. He’s saying this man is going to die and I don’t want the guilt that comes with that.

But! But…

When Jesus died, praying for forgiveness for those who murdered Him and had made it necessary for Him to die (i.e. all of us), His blood ends up achieving something else. Rather than condemning, it frees. Rather than bringing guilt, it brings forgiveness, redemption, salvation.

To have the blood of Christ ‘on our hands’ isn’t to be guilty, it’s to be forgiven. He totally turns our thinking on its head. That’s what we learnt last Sunday. The Cross is the place of forgiveness and it’s a place we as Christians should never tire of going to.

You can listen again to the sermon here. And, if you didn’t come last week, why not come this week and see what Jesus really did achieve on the Cross.

Why we sing hymns

ammanfordpastor — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 07:28:19 +0000

One of the things I have tried to do in Ammanford Evangelical Church over the past 5 years is re introduce a lot of old hymns. I’m not alone in this, Sammy has the same passion. I haven’t got rid of all modern songs, introduced the organ, or banned the drums. What I have done is encouraged us to explore modern hymn writers such as Stuart Townsend and Keith Getty, only use modern songs if they have good content (like much of Matt Redman), and encourage songs like ‘Before the throne’ and ‘What can wash away’.

I don’t want to be a church that is marked by a musical style or date. I would hate to only be able to sing trendy new songs or dusty old hymns. I disagree with the notion that the date of composition gives authority to a hymn. The most important thing is the content. Are they faithful to the Bible? Are they pastorally helpful? Are they understandable? Is there a tune that will serve the lyrics?

Here is a video of a discussion about why new churches are singing so many old hymns:

Some great resources for worship songs are:

Sovereign Grace Music

AEC on Radio Wales ‘Celebrating’

Sammy Davies — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 09:00:17 +0000

It was our privilege last month to host the weekly Radio Wales Sunday Morning show, ‘Celebration’. While the team was with us we recorded two services for later broadcast. The first, which was aired last Sunday, was on the theme of love. It’s fitting then that we’re posting a link to it today, Valentines day.

If you didn’t get up early to hear the show you can listen again on iplayer or below.

Celebration – From Ammanford Evangelical Church

We had a great evening recording these shows. How encouraging it was to hear our church building in such fine voice. How encouraging also to know that the Gospel message was heard by so many through the show this week. Pray that God would us it for His glory.

Free Jerry Bridges book on Kindle

ammanfordpastor — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:15:20 +0000

Here is a great book free for your Kindle by my favourite author Jerry Bridegs.

In The Transforming Power of the Gospel, Bridges guides you through a thorough examination of:

what the biblical meaning of grace is and how it applies to your life
how Jesus’ work in His life and death applies to the believer in justification and adoption
why basic spiritual disciplines are necessary for spiritual growth
what role the Holy Spirit plays in both definitive and progressive sanctification

You can download it for free at Amazon here today (this offer may not last for long).