ReaganandKaraMarsh

Albany, GA

2011-06-13T17:32:00.001-07:00

Friends,

We are finally settling in here in Albany. There are still kinks to work out and schedule-adjustments to be made, but for the most part we are enjoying the beginning of this new journey. We want to take this time to tell you thank-you if you've been praying for us during this transition. We love you all and hope to see you soon!

Reagan and Kara

My Google Profile

2011-02-16T21:33:00.000-08:00

Friends,

I've set up a Google profile page where you can view my resume, link to my Facebook page, and hear sample sermons.

We continue to seek the Lord's will as to where we will serve next. Please continue to pray for us.

The Google profile page's address is: http://www.google.com/profiles/reaganmarsh

Check it out and let me know what you think! I'd love suggestions.

-- Reagan

2010-10-17T09:09:00.001-07:00

"Lay on, you men of eloquence, spare no colors, you shall never depict him too bravely. Bring forth your harps, you seraphs;
sing aloud, you blood-washed ones; all your praises fall short of the glory which is due to Him." -- C.H. Spurgeon, on the riches and excellencies of Jesus Christ.
Reagan Marsh
_________________________________________________
Rev. Reagan Marsh / John 3:30
reaganmarsh@gmail.com / 502.297.1449 cell

"Remember, sinner, it is not thy hold of Christ that saves thee - it is Christ; it is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee - it is Christ; it is not even faith in Christ, though that is the instrument it is Christ's blood and merits; therefore, look not to thy hope, but to Christ, the source of thy hope; look not to thy faith, but to Christ, the author and finisher of thy faith; and if thou doest that, ten thousand devils cannot throw thee down." -- Charles Spurgeon

For there is one God, and one Mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. —1 Tim 2.5, NASB

Churches and Leaders: Purpose-driven, or Spirit-obeying?

2010-10-13T19:53:00.001-07:00

"It is not uncommon to hear the final words of Acts 2 (2.42-47) presented as purpose statements for the church. We are told that the church should be determined to teach, pray, fellowship, serve, worship, and evangelize. But that is a misreading of the passage. These are not the *purpose* of the church; these are the *product* of the work of the Spirit of God and the Word of God in the church. The apostles did not decide to make these things happen; they faithfully cooperated with God's Spirit by doing what they were called to do -- teach."

-- Gary Bredfeltd, in "Great Leader, Great Teacher: Recovering the Biblical Vision for Leadership," pg. 177.
Reagan Marsh
_________________________________________________
Rev. Reagan Marsh / John 3:30
reaganmarsh@gmail.com / 502.297.1449 cell

"Remember, sinner, it is not thy hold of Christ that saves thee - it is Christ; it is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee - it is Christ; it is not even faith in Christ, though that is the instrument it is Christ's blood and merits; therefore, look not to thy hope, but to Christ, the source of thy hope; look not to thy faith, but to Christ, the author and finisher of thy faith; and if thou doest that, ten thousand devils cannot throw thee down." -- Charles Spurgeon

For there is one God, and one Mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. —1 Tim 2.5, NASB

Rend your heart!

2010-08-18T18:20:00.000-07:00

"Rend your heart, and not your garments." - Joel 2:13

(by C. H. Spurgeon)

GARMENT RENDING and other outward signs of religious emotion,
are easily manifested and are frequently hypocritical; but to feel
true repentance is far more difficult, and consequently far less common. Men will attend to the most multiplied and minute ceremonial regulations; for such things are pleasing to the
flesh; but true religion is too humbling, too heart-searching, too
thorough for the tastes of the carnal men; they prefer something more ostentatious, flimsy, and worldly. Outward observances are temporarily comfortable; eye and ear are pleased; self-conceit is fed, and self-righteousness is puffed up: but they are ultimately delusive, for in the time of death, and at the day of judgment, the soul needs something more substantial than ceremonies and rituals to lean upon. Apart from vital godliness all religion is utterly vain; offered without a sincere heart, every form of worship is a solemn sham and an impudent mockery of the majesty of heaven.

HEART-RENDING is divinely wrought and solemnly felt. It is a secret grief which is personally experienced, not in mere form, but as a deep, soul moving work of the Holy Spirit upon the inmost heart of each believer. It is not a matter to be merely talked of and believed in, but keenly and sensitively felt in every living child of the living God. It is powerfully
humiliating, and completely sin-purging; but then it is sweetly preparative for those gracious consolations which proud unhumbled spirits are unable to receive; and it is distinctly discriminating, for it belongs to the elect of God, and to them alone.

The text commands us to rend our hearts, but they are naturally hard as marble: how, then, can this be done? We must take them to Calvary: a dying Savior's voice rent the rocks once, and it is as powerful now. O blessed Spirit, let us hear the death cries of Jesus, and our hearts shall be rent even as men rend their vestures in the day of lamentation.

Accessed at http://www.gracegems.org/4/rend_your_heart.htm, 8/18/2010
Reagan Marsh
_________________________________________________
Rev. Reagan Marsh / John 3:30
reaganmarsh@gmail.com / 502.297.1449 cell

"Remember, sinner, it is not thy hold of Christ that saves thee - it is Christ; it is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee - it is Christ; it is not even faith in Christ, though that is the instrument it is Christ's blood and merits; therefore, look not to thy hope, but to Christ, the source of thy hope; look not to thy faith, but to Christ, the author and finisher of thy faith; and if thou doest that, ten thousand devils cannot throw thee down." -- Charles Spurgeon

For there is one God, and one Mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. —1 Tim 2.5, NASB

I love my wife!

2010-08-17T20:19:00.000-07:00

I've not posted in a while, but just so that I have an update... I just wanted to say that I love my wife!!!

Christmas!

2009-12-15T19:15:00.000-08:00

Wish we could see all you Texans out there! We'll be in Austin for Christmas! We miss you all-- our friends and loved-ones. Have a Merry Christmas! If you don't get an update/letter from us it's probably b/c you've moved and we don't have your address! Keep in touch with us! :)

Mommy and Me, Daddy and Me

2009-08-17T13:09:00.000-07:00

Sunny Florida! Home Sweet Home...

2009-08-17T12:59:00.000-07:00

Well, in June we moved back to Pensacola to live with Kara's parents after our first pastoring experience went as God had planned, although, not exactly the way we would have! Our time in NC came to an end at the end of May and we decided to do the easiest and most enjoyable thing and that was to come back to Florida.

Robert Graham is thriving and loving being with his Grammy and Papa. They are absolutely loving having him here also!

Reagan starts his new job today and will be teaching Middle school again. Poor kids! Haha! Kara is enjoying being a stay-at-home Mommy, although she will get some help when Robert Graham tries out MDO for the month of September! We can't believe he will be ONE on August 29th! Where has this year gone?

We love you all and just wanted to keep you updated. Keep us in your prayers.

2009-04-13T21:21:00.001-07:00

We had a snow day today!

2008-11-21T09:48:00.000-08:00

Robert Graham woke us up this morning, like most mornings, with his characteristic grunts and cooing. He's happy in the mornings, and likes to lay in his crib and grin at whoever is looking at him at the moment. This morning, it was Dad (me) who got the sequential smiles! I usually peek out the blinds to see the booming neighborhood of Tyner, and this morning we had a surprise -- snow! It was coming down pretty steadily -- big snowflakes, ones that were large enough that when we took Robert Graham outside in his snowsuit one actually covered his eyelid... If we'd been out there longer, I think I might have tried to throw a snowball at Kara.

So that was our morning, followed by hot coffee and French toast for breakfast. Then Kara and I read some of Grudem's Systematic Theology while I was beginning my study for the day (I'm preaching through 1 Timothy right now, and will be in 2:3-5 for our AM & PM services on Sunday). So I'm brushing up on the atonement and Christology right now. This has been a good day, and it's Robert Graham's 3-month-old "birthday" today, to boot!

Our love to you all!

2008-11-15T12:21:00.000-08:00

Try to do better

2008-11-15T12:17:00.000-08:00

Kara is going to try her hardest at keeping this more up-to-date, but I'm not going to promise anything!!! You can visit our newest blog though @ lilbobblog.blogspot.com

Piper!

2008-07-23T18:55:00.000-07:00

Kara's First Blog on this site...

2008-05-11T15:33:00.000-07:00

So, here I go...

My main fear right now, and watch out guys if you read this... getting emotional because, guess what? I'm woman! So, my main fear is that I will never see my friends again when we move really far away from Louisville, from home, from constants that are in my life. I really love my church and my friends that I've made here at Southern...

Anyway, the year is finally coming to a close and I hope and pray to give my resignation soon! Argh... I need to save my job if I'll be coming back to it, but if not, I would love to quit and stay home with our babyones. (Piper is our dog, he's my babyone as well...)

The first post...

2008-05-11T15:26:00.000-07:00

Okay, so we're new to the blogging thing. But hey, we figured we'd get around to it one day. We're looking forward to welcoming Robert, probably sometime in September. And to my graduation, which is a little more certain as to the date (this Friday). Whatever comes next is in God's hands.

I'm a Christian by God's sovereign grace, a minister by God's sovereign calling, a seminarian by the somewhat-more-tangible, quasi-sovereign mercy of my professors, a former secondary ed. English & Bible teacher (funny how the tables turn!), a former salesman (cell phones, furniture, and even shoes), a former bricklayer, a former athlete (though I wasn't very good), and a sometimes guitarist. I'm the husband of my one and only wife Kara, who has put up with me in wedded bliss for a little over 7 1/2 years.

Kara teaches 9th grade English to kids who don't really want to be in class. They'd much rather be mucking out the stalls or chasing cattle or shooting skunks that wander into the coon trap in the barn. But she's adapted admirably; she has a marvelous country accent that she turn on and off quicker than you shake a stick. Yeah, for a Florida gal, she's got the hick thing down.

Kara has been bugging me to blog for some time now. I'll try my hand here and see how I like it. I enjoy writing and computers (so long as the computer works, which is often questionable around our house), so it does make some sense to marry the two. We'll use this blog to document what's going on in our house and to reflect on the fun, the crazy, the mundane, and -- as God teaches us each day -- the things He shows us in the Scriptures.

If you're stopping by, thanks. Our prayer is that you see the greatness of God and His glory shining in the face of Jesus.

Reagan