Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Apologetics

What is aplogetics? Christian apologetics is the field of study concerned with the systematic defense of Christianity. We engage in apologetics when we defend our faith, even if we are just tying to explain to someone else why we believe what we do.

There are two different kinds of apologetics – positive apologetics and negative apologetics. Both can be
valuable ways of defending our faith.

We use positive apologetics when we explain the advantages of our faith, when we tell what God has done for us. It is essential when we share our faith in a positive way to have a common starting ground. This is what Paul did when he was in Athens in Acts 17. He saw the various idols and statues representing the various gods, then he saw one inscribed “to the unknown god.” He started here and began to tell the Athenians of the one true God, the one they honor as the unknown god. He made Him known to them.

We use negative apologetics in two ways. We may respond to an attack against our faith. Someone may say something to the effect of “how can you believe that?” or they may reject God, or they may attack God or some element of your faith. You may explain to them why you believe it. That is an example of using negative apologetics.

Another way to use negative apologetics is when you attack a position that they might believe. For example, if they believe that morality is a personal issue, and that there should be no absolute moral authority, rather leaving it up to each individual, than you can point out where that line of thinking may lead someone. If my idea of morality is up to me, than what is to say that I am going to treat others respectfully, or that I am going to keep the common good in mind. It becomes a free for all, with everybody doing what they want, at the expense of everybody else. There has to be some minimum limit defining what is right or wrong.

As you share your faith, you will have the opportunity to defend your faith. When you do, you are practicing apologetics.

Sunday, January 28, 2018

The Power of Routine - Fasting


Here is the sermon from Waverly First Baptist Church.  This is the third in our series on routines, or spiritual disciplines.  This week we talked about fasting.  Is fasting something you should consider?  Can it be important to our spiritual walk?   Hope you enjoy - love to hear your comments!

To read (or listen to message) click here:

    The Power of Routine - Fasting

Hope you enjoy - love to hear your comments!

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

All things new...



And he who was seated at the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”  Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Revelation 21:5

We stand here at the beginning of a new year, looking forward, probably a little exhausted.  At least I know I am.  This past year at First Baptist in Waverly has been a year of change.  Changes beyond the normal.  And change is tiring.  It takes the best from us as we scramble to figure out the new normal.  And all of the changes seem to come in the last half of the year.

We saw our parsonage taken down and replaced with a parking lot.  Before that, our pastor moved out of the parsonage.  It may seem like you’ve always had a pastor next door to the church, and now he’s not there.  And then, the house isn’t even there.  And it’s strange, different.

Then we had the change in services.  Last year we had gone to two services, with a traditional service still being held at eleven, but with a new contemporary service earlier.  That took half the people away from the eleven o’clock service.  That was strange, different.

Then in July we combined the two services again, only as a contemporary service.  This one was very strange, very different.

Some love the changes that have taken place.  Some hate the changes.  Some are staying away because of them.  Change is hard.  I know it is.  I’m feeling it too.  It was a lot of change in a short time. 

But I do believe that God is working here.  He is making all things new.  He is making us new. And He often uses change to do that.  He makes us uncomfortable.  He makes things strange and different.  And we come out of it different.  Different priorities. Different mindsets.  Different desires.

I don’t think that change is either good or bad in itself.  We have good or bad reasons for making the change, or fighting the change, but the change itself is neutral.  All change is good if it makes us grow, no matter how uncomfortable it makes us.  And all change is bad if we don’t understand the reasons for it.  So in that sense, all change is both good and bad.  And remember, all change holds in it an opportunity for growth. 

Change happens.  Even change in a church.  And that change can grow us, mature us, and strengthen our faith.  So let’s take some time to catch our breath, to regroup in the body of Christ, and to unite with one another in the fellowship that gives us peace and belonging.


And we’ll patiently wait on the Lord together, as He transforms us from the inside out.  

Sunday, January 21, 2018

The Power of Routine - Prayer



Here is the sermon from Waverly First Baptist Church.  This is the second in our series on routines, or spiritual disciplines.  This week we talked about prayer and how important prayer is in our daily routine, and some tips on how to pray effectively.  Hope you enjoy - love to hear your comments!

To read (or listen to message) click here:

    The Power of Routine - Prayer

Hope you enjoy - love to hear your comments!

Sunday, January 14, 2018

Sermon from FBC - The Power of Routine: Bible Reading



“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, 
correcting and training in righteousness.”
2 Timothy 3:16

This week we started a new series titled The Power of Routine.  In this series we'll be looking at some of those spiritual routines, or spiritual disciplines, that can help us in our spiritual journey.  Last week we looked at some spiritual goals.  Many use these routines or disciplines to help reach their spiritual goals.  We start with looking Bible Reading, while concentrating on why and how we might begin reading the bible as a part of our daily routine. 

To read the message now, click here...

    http://fbcwaverly.weebly.com/sermons/the-power-of-routine-bible-reading

Thanks for reading, hope you have a great week - and remember to leave a comment.  I would love to hear from you!


Sunday, January 7, 2018

Sermon from FBC - I Can See Clearly Now



--> “So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.”
2 Corinthians 5:9


At the beginning of the year, we all seem to instinctively have this desire to review our life, to look back and see how things went, and look forward thinking about how we might reach our goals.  As Christians, there are certain spiritual goals we should all be pursuing.  At the start of this new year, we'll be reviewing those goals, so as you consider your resolutions, you can include some spiritual goals as well...

To read the message now, click here...


Thanks for reading - or listening, there is an audio link as well!  I'd love to hear what you think.

What is the Church?

The Apostle Paul would whole-heartedly answer that question as the Body of Christ.   And I think that all of us would agree with him But ...