Bridges week two

Last week I gave an overview of our new series entitled "bridges". This series on Sunday morning along side our spiritual gift study Sunday nights and our small groups that meet throughout the week are the beginning of a major transformation. We read in Acts the importance of the 1st century church and the adding daily to the numbers of those saved. What better way than to do it together. Here is the challenge. Each of us bring to the table a predisposed idea of what "church", should look like. This view has been formed from childhood and the many avenues that we experience, read about and hear about. The problem with this is, what did the first century church look like? Meeting daily not every once in a while. Maybe your one of the "dedicated" ones who is there most every week, yet looking at the first century church we all fall short. Imagine the excitement and joy they experienced as they lived life together in Christ. That is why last weeks focus in our small groups was celebration. This weeks will be love and that my friends is what sets us apart from an unbelieving world. So where are you in all of this? Ready to celebrate and love one another the way Christ intended? This is why we will be discussing, "bridging the gap", for the next two weeks. This week will be bridging diversity, we are all so different yet interconnected, how does that work? The week after will be bridging adversity and we'll look at the reasons and the reconciles. Hope you'll join us as we seek to become the mirror of Christ. Till next time, keep it in the word and don't forget to utilize the devotionals. If you would like one sent to you or make comments please let me know. P.M.

bridges, week one

Building relationships in doing Gods evangelism and service or bridGes as we've come to call it is our newest six week series that begins today, (technically Sunday at 11). We will be using Acts 2:41-47 as our steering wheel and will be looking at additional scriptures and precise examples of the weeks sermon. For example todays question is, "Are you living out the gospel daily? No really, are you? A good example of this is the prophet Elijah who is sent to a widow. He asks her for a drink and while she is going to get water for him, he decides that he would like some bread as well. Hey could you bring me some bread cakes, he asks. You can almost see her heart drop as she turns and looks at Elijah and explains that she has very little oil and wheat left, in fact she was just getting a little firewood to cook up the last of what she had for her and her son. Here is the cool thing. Elijah looks at her and tells her it will be alright. Not just tonight but for as long as God wills. God networked these lives together by providing for the needs of both and being honored the whole time by the faith of Elijah. Most of us complain if we miss a meal, let alone if we have no promise of anything yet to come. Elijah,s Until it dried up of course, but still he had faith and lived it out. Decide in your heart today to trust God and live out the gospel every day. Till next time, keep it in the Word P.M. By the way this Sundays bridGe is, bridge to eternity. Everyone of us must face this bridge at some point in our life and decide to take the bridge or trudge through the treacherous pass of no escape.

Spiritual Gifts

Just a reminder that we will begin our 6 week Sunday evening study on Spiritual Gifts. This should be an awesome time to dig into the Word of God and see things as never before. Many of us have been through this kind of study many times but this time will be different. For instance the terminology we use is so confusing. We think of the "miraculous gifts", speaking in tongues, healing, etc as charismatic, but by definition the very word charisma in Greek means gifted. Why is it we call these specific gifts the "miraculous" gifts? Aren't they all pretty miraculous? Or why is it the assesments we take range in how many gifts there are? What is the difference between a talent, gift and skill if any? These are just a few of the questions we'll be answering and with a group that comes from a diversified background and teaching I am sure the discussion will be excellent. For those who aren't able to come we'll try to keep the highlights on this blog. Don't forget to bring your neighbors, coworkers and relatives! Keep it in the Word. P.M.

to the church of......wk 4

We did it! Today we finished out our 4 week series looking at the 7 letters to the churchs in Revelation. Of course they are located in modern day Turkey and Christians there today face serious persecution. Today we looked at Philadelphia and Laodicea. Two complete opposites, Philadelphia being a church that Jesus commends for their deeds and standing firm, Laodicea is the exact opposite and recieves no good comments only bad. All along I have stressed the importance of accurately evaluating our modern church, in particular whatever "local" church we are part of. What is it that Jesus would say to you? I believe that the church today faces the same battles of the 1st century church. Many have become weary of the fight and have looked for "common" ground. I guess if the thought is we can combine forces and conquer, we better be determining what that common ground is. I'm sorry but if you deny Christ as deity we have no common ground. If you worship God and ----, we have no business partnering to do a "non-denominational" "everybodies welcome" type of service. I will not surrender my convictions based on someone elses passivity toward the word of God and I would pray that you would stand firm as well. Even though Jesus had nothing good to say about the church in Laodicea, He spared them and gave them the warning to repent and be zealous for God. Talk about your second chances. I look forward to moving from here to our next series entitled "Bridges". Connecting two points that are otherwish seperated by impassable obstacles. We also hope you'll join us for our Spirtual Gifts seminar beginning Sept. 16th at 6:30pm. A good time of fellowship and study for the sake of building the body and equipping the saints. Till we meet again, seek ye the kingdom. P.M.