Weekly Bible Verses: 1 Corinthians 4:1-5: Who Judges?

1 Corinthians 4: Think of us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries. ²Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. ³But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. I do not even judge myself. ⁴I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. ⁵Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive commendation from God.

Sunday School Discussion Starter

Here's a short film that should act as a lively discussion starter. Here's Hollywood "reel wisdom" from 40 popular films. Is there "real" wisdom in "reel" wisdom?

Be wise as serpents (Matthew 10:16) and have a blessed day! And remember, do or do not, there is no try!

Communicating with the World Getting Easier for Pastors and Churches

With today's electronics and simple programming offerings, it has never been easier to reach others twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, globally. With a few common gadgets and an online connection, you too can begin to experiment with electronic evangelism and give your church an online presence so essential to reaching younger adults for whom it is second nature to seek information online.
With a small camera like the one in the photo (under $200 with the camera, 8 gig memory card, flexible mini-tripod that will grip to just about anything, including an empty front row pew, you can record sermons quickly and easily, along with devotions, inspirational messages, and anything else your imagination comes up with the disseminate the Word to that portion of the world that surfs the web. Once you have recorded the information, transferred it to a modern laptop (older laptops and desktop computers can't handle the programs and don't have the storage space), you can edit your material and upload it to a free service such as YouTube for storage and release. Now pastors, for sermons longer than 15 minutes, you'll need to break them up into at least 2 parts since there is a 15 minute time limit and 2 gig size limit to free video uploads (we can't have everything). From YouTube, you can add your video to your website or blog and your message begins to find an audience. Don't expect big things quickly. It takes time for a piece to be found online among the millions of other voices out there. But remember, we are the sowers who scatter the seed and move on. Let God handle the rest. Just keep sowing. The job is easy with this equipment.

A number of sites offer free website and blog platforms with professional templates ready to use so you don't have to have a great deal of tech savvy to get started. These relatively young forms of communications (compared to the 2000+ year history of the Christian Church) provide all sorts of offerings and options that will attract those seekers and young adults who live by their electronics communications gear and who, under a certain age, haven't used a phone book in seven to ten years! If you decide to go this route, and since you're reading this blog I imagine you are, you'll need a source of royalty free imagery such as the ClickArt package you see here. Blogs and websites today tend to be image driven media and search engines cue into pictures as well as text. People expect to find vibrant images in these formats and programs like this put hundreds of thousands of such images at your fingertips, which is particularly useful if your church does not have a photographer.

While there is no substitute for one on one evangelism and mission work, today's technologies allow churches to harness the modern media to help deliver the good news of God's love to the ends of the earth, adding one more dimension to the effort and support for everyone in the field. This is another way to honor Jesus' great commission from Matthew 28: 16Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” You may not be able to baptize electronically, but you can teach, inspire, encourage, ...

For an example of electronic evangelism, following the ABC USA guidelines to speak with joy and to witness to your faith through personal story, see: http://extoncommunitybaptistchurch.blogspot.com/2011/01/ecbc-voices-1.html

Weekly Bible Verses: Matthew 5:38-48: Love your enemies...

Matthew 5:38“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; 40and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; 41and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. 42Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.


43“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

God Desires More For Us

God loves each and every one of us far more deeply and strongly than we can imagine. God deeply desires to have a personal relationship with every person on earth that every person might know how much she or he is loved by the creator of the universe. In response to God's abiding love for us, God wishes us to let that love flow out from us to others. God wishes for each of us, reflecting the perfect love of our creator, to reach out to each other and help each other along the often difficult road of live. God wishes all of us to have a strong desire for justice in this world, the same justice we can expect in God's Kingdom when it comes. We are offered a beautiful plan for each of our lives as a gift from God (beautiful does not mean easy or challenge free or painless) and a gift of eternal life with God. Of course, we have to desire those things and be willing not only to accept the gifts but to strive for their fruition.

However, all too often, the tepid nature of our daily desires disappoint God. As C.S. Lewis states in The Weight of Glory, "Our Lord finds our desires not too strong but too weak. We are like half-hearted creatures who fool about with sex and drink and ambition when infinite joy is offered us. We are like children who would rather go on making mud-pies in a slum because we cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."

Weekly Bible Verses: 1 Corinthians 13:4-13: Love Is Patient ...

1 Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant 5or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. 7It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. 9For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; 10but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. 11When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. 12For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. 13And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

Wishing you all the blessings of love this week ... and this Valentine's Day. May you enjoy and share the true virtues of love.

Nursery School and Church Join Forces

The Nursery School and church will be joining Girl Scout Troop 4059 (who meets here on Fridays) in collecting new and gently used pillow cases, to be made into dresses and bath towels, to package hygiene kits, to be sent to people in need in Haiti.  Please put these items in the large box in the narthex by February 27.

Weekly Bible Verse: Psalm 112: Happy Are Those ...

Psalm 112: 1Praise the Lord! Happy are those who fear the Lord, who greatly delight in his commandments.


2Their descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.

3Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever.

4They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright; they are gracious, merciful, and righteous.

5It is well with those who deal generously and lend, who conduct their affairs with justice.

6For the righteous will never be moved; they will be remembered forever.

7They are not afraid of evil tidings; their hearts are firm, secure in the Lord.

8Their hearts are steady, they will not be afraid; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.

9They have distributed freely, they have given to the poor; their righteousness endures forever; their horn is exalted in honor.

10The wicked see it and are angry; they gnash their teeth and melt away; the desire of the wicked comes to nothing.

Coming Soon: 8 Week Instructional Class on Christian Doctrine

On February 15, an 8 week instructional course will be begin and be taught at 8:00 pm in the church sanctuary. It will deal with basic Christian doctrine, the meaning of baptism, church membership, Christian responsibilities, and more. For some this will be preparation for baptism and/or church membership. Jr. High and older are invited and no obligations are involved. Others who are interested in a refresher course are also invited.

Please feel free to ask questions that you may have about anything pertaining to the Bible, church, or other wonderments or miracles that you are curious about.

Speak to Pastor Jay or Pastor Dean Hegarty if you are interested.