Christmas Brings Faith

This week in the church we looked at the third message in our series titled Christmas Brings...

This week's message was titled Christmas Brings Faith, and we looked at faith as a gift from God, made possible through the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus.  We looked at Joseph and his faith, and learned a few lessons from Joseph that we can apply to our own lives as we live our life of faith.

To read the message, or to hear an audio recording, click here.

Christmas Brings Joy

On Sunday, Dec 7, we looked at the second message in our series titled Christmas Brings.

This week we saw that Christmas Brings Joy.  Joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit, one of the gifts that God brings to the believer, one of the characteristics of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  This gift is only possible because of the incarnation at Christmas.

To read the message, or to hear an audio recording, click here.

Hope is...

"Hope is confidence in the knowledge of God's goodness. This can't be found without knowing the character of God. So how do we learn that? Prayer, searching and studying the Word, spending time at His feet. Once we know God's character, we are certain of His faithfulness and are able to trust Him - this flows out as confidence in God and therefore hope in Christ is first nature." - Jonathon Tortoise

Hospital or museum?

"The church is supposed to be a hospital for the hurting, not a museum for the saved." 

- Evangelist and author Wendell Winkler 

I quoted the above quote in a sermon message, and received the following comment on a connection card after the service:

"How can we stop being a museum? Seek the lost. It's simply obedience. So why don't we? Certainly not because we can't, but rather because we hide behind our pride, refusing to recognize our identity as sinners, and this cripples our understanding of grace. If we could admit that we are sinners, we would experience the fullness and transformative power of God's grace and we wouldn't be able to shut up about it."

I couldn't have said it better - makes me almost proud to be a pastor!

I Want the Church to Grow, But (pt 4)

This past week we looked at the 4th message in our series, I Want My Church to Grow, BUT.  This series looks at some of the things we do, or don't do, that keep our church from growing.


We all make excuses that young people don't go to church anymore.  The truth is, many of them do - they just don't go here.  Why?  What are we doing that makes them feel uncomfortable?  What should we be doing to make our visitors feel welcome?

This we looked at inviting the unlovable people.  And we can do that, remembering that before Jesus, we weren't too loveable either...

To read the message, or hear an audio recording of it, click here.

Live Like You Are Dying

Our sermon message for this past week was from Philippians 1:19-30, and was titled, Live Like You're Dying.  

The message is about perspective:  How do you see the things around you?  We all have filters, based on our experiences, that allow things through according to the experiences and expectation we have. 

Paul has an eternal perspective.  He sees things in light of the gospel of Jesus.  As believers, we all should have that eternal perspective.  What is it?  How does it look to us today?  These are some of the questions that are answered in this weeks message...

Live Like You're Dying - click on title to read or hear the audio

To live is Christ, but to die is gain...

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me.  Yet what shall I choose?  I do not know!  I am torn between the two:  I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body."

Philippians 1:21-24

A nine-year-old boy named Austin, had his tonsils removed. Before the surgery, the anesthesiologist came into start NIV. He was wearing a cool surgical Covered in colorful frocks. Austin love that “frog hat.” When the doctor started to leave, Austin called out, “hey, wait.”

The doctor turned. “Yeah, buddy, what do you need?”

“You go to church?”

“No,” the doctor admitted. “I know I probably should, but I don’t.”

Austin then asked, “Well are you saved?”

Chuckling nervously, the doctor said: “nope. But after talking to you, maybe it’s something I should consider.”

Please with his response, Austin answered, “well you should, as Jesus is great!”

“I’m sure he is, little guy,” the doctor said, and quickly made his exit.

When Austin surgery was finished, the anesthesiologist came into the waiting room to talk to his mother. He told her the surgery went well, then said, I don’t usually come down and talk to the parents after surgery, but I just have to tell you what your son did.”

Oh boy, she thought. What did that little rascal do now? The doctor explained that he just put the mask on Austin when her son signaled that he needed to say something. When the doctor remove the mask, Austin blurted, “wait a minute, we have to pray!” The doctor told him to go ahead, and Austin prayed: “dear Lord, please let all the doctors and nurses have a good day. And Jesus, please let the doctor with the frog hat get saved and start going to church. Amen.”

The doctor admitted that this had touched him. “I was so sure that he would pray that his surgery went well,” he explained. “He didn’t even mention his surgery. He prayed for me! I had to come down and let you know what a great little guy you have.”

A few minutes later, a nurse came to take her to postop. She had a big smile on her face as they walked to the elevator. “There’s something you should know,” the nurse said. “Some of the other nurses and I had been witnessing to and praying for that Dr. for a long time. After your son surgery, he tracked a few of us down to tell us about Austin’s prayer. He said, “well girls, you got me. If that little boy could pray for me when he was about to have surgery, then I think maybe I need his Jesus, two.”

If a nine-year-old boy can live that way... For me to live is Christ and to die is gain... Then why can’t we...