Pastor's Blog

We are a go for our "2021 Kids Christmas Choir"! See below for Sunday instructions For those who have been rehearsing our "Isaiah 9:6-7" song, kiddoswill line up along the walls of the auditorium just before the service with Tara Wilkendorf (2nd-6th; left side wall facing stage), and Jaime Layton (K-1st; right side wall facing stage). The congregation will sing an o...

For the first part of this blog series click here How Heaven Is a World of Love The final sermon of Jonathan Edwards in his series on 1 Corinthians 13 (Charity and Its Fruits) focused on heaven.Hisdiscussion of abiding love in heaven is among the clearest and most compelling sermons I've ever read, and it rejoiced and refreshed my soul. Entitled "Heaven is a World of Lo...

In my last Sunday sermon hereI mentioned this message by Jonathan Edwards. For the first part of this series of blogs, click here Jonathan Edwards preached during the revival known as the Great Awakening where the Spirit of God moved mightily in the American colonies in the 1730s-1740s. During that time he preached a series focusing on the fruit of the Spirit of love (cha...

"Back when I was in my prime..." We've all heard it: the former athlete reminiscing about bygone years of glorious competitions and victory. The talk show interview with the 70's rockstar who can't quite hit those notes anymore, but loves to boast of stadiums packed to the last seat. As we age, it's tempting to think that our greatest achievements were "back then" whe...

This past Sunday I introduced the message on 1 Corinthians 13 talking about Jonathan Edwards and his teaching on this passage during the Great Awakening. Here's more on that from a paper I wrote for my D. Min. seminary research project paper (this is part 1, with part 2 to follow). Click here for a more print-friendly version (5 pages in PDF followed by end notes) or cli...

"Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. And walk in love ..." (Ephesians 4:32). Last Sunday's messagewas on "love is kind" from 1 Corinthians 13:4 and I shared how my son's class at Providence Christian School gave me some help talking about what love in kindness looks like. Here's from the 6th grade cla...

Last Sunday we looked at the first phrase in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 "Love is patient ..." Here are a some further reflections to help us continue to meditate and make this our pursuit together, to glorify God, be more Christlike, and grow in the fruit of the Spirit. Phil Ryken explains: 'Children get impatient with their parentsParents get impatient with their childrenAt...

Meeting Family Meeting Recap 9/16/21 (video/audio here) INVOLVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES Life Groups We desire to grow more home groups in the future. For now, we are prayerfully considering how to raise up additional leaders in this ministry. If you would like to open up your home a couple evenings a month to host a group as there is a need and would like mo...

Yesterday we kicked off the series on "The Supreme Excellence of Christ's Way of Love" and I pray this will study will change us in our families and in our church family. I mentioned this book by Philip Graham Ryken that I'd like to recommend to you all further as a "book of the month" and as a great resource to read along in this series to get even more from this chapt...

Love Never Ends ("The Corner Room" Music) A Musical Memorization Aid for 1 Corinthians 13 Several months through first Corinthians 13 - arguably the most famous passage in the Bible on love - promises to be a rich, and transformative time. We are looking forward to all the Lord will teach us and how we will grow together in genuine love as a Body. One way to help prepar...