From The Pastor's Desk
Part 1:
Fundamentalism
Recently, as I was speaking to a pastor friend of mine about church attendance, he alluded that my problem was being a Fundamental Baptist and that folks in this area didn't understand what that means. While location is also a huge problem, which I cannot seem to do anything about, I can explain fundamentalism.
There are fundamentals in everything. The dictionary describes fundamentals as "a central or primary rule on which something is based". Learning fundamentals in sports will make you a better player.
Fundamentalist preachers have taken a bad rap over the years. Sometimes they are wrongly compared to cults who do an injustice to the meaning of the word.
I am a fundamentalist because I hold to key doctrines of the faith such as found in the Bible and are implied in the Apostles and Nicene creeds.
They are as follows:
The Deity of Christ
The Trinity
The death, burial and resurrection
The virgin birth
The authority of the scriptures
Future Judgment
The Church
The blood atonement
Salvation by grace
As a Baptist, I would add the eternal security of the blood bought believer and the complete finished work of Christ on the cross. Personally, I hold to a pre- tribulation rapture.
I preach the fundamentals every single week. If that offends you, then I guess you can stay offended. I was saved on August 23, 1978, at 11:30 at night. From there, I was invited to a fundamental Baptist church. I questioned whether I was in the right church. So I took Bible studies from various churches and denominations. Now Baptists have their problems too, but I couldn't justify changing churches.
I graduated from Baptist Bible College in 1989, and looking back, I feel I was given a well-rounded education.
I would like to invite you to visit Grace Baptist Church at 31078 Highway MM in Warsaw. Worship is at 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Call (660) 281-4775.
Unity Of The Lakes
This Sunday on August 18 at 11:00 AM, Reverend Jeniffer Hutchins will speak on “The Being of Life”!
In a culture focused on doing, it can be challenging to simply be. Join Rev. Jen Hutchins for a message inspired by the French joie de vivre philosophy. Together we will explore the art of living in the present moment as a spiritual practice. Remember to pause, to savor life, and to find joy in being your authentic self.
“Sometimes the most important thing to do, is simply to be.” -Eric Butterworth
Rev. Jeniffer Hutchins is the founder of Unity Arts Ministry. She is a professional artist and ordained Unity Minister. Her mission is to inspire self-reflection and personal transformation through spiritual principles and the healing power of art. Rev. Jeniffer has provided inspirational Sunday messages, creative workshops, classes & retreats at spiritual centers and art communities across the country and in Italy and France. More can be found online about Reverend Jen at: Paintings & Retreats: www.JenifferHutchins.com
Unity Art Ministry: www.UnityArtsMinistry.org
Please join us for an inspirational talk at Unity of the Lakes at 34948 Hwy 65 South (about 8 miles south of Warsaw). Food and fellowship will follow the. 11:00 AM service. Please join us!
Lincoln First Baptist Church
We had a great day in the Lord’s house today. We had a great three day revival last week. The three pastors brought great messages. Our attendance was great each night. Bless those who came to hear the word of the Lord.
In worship today we had some visitors and some members who hadn’t been in awhile. Glad to see each of them. Pastor Jesse and Tina’s oldest daughter joined our church today. Janice Swearngin celebrated a birthday and the Nash’s celebrated an anniversary. We wish them well.
James and John the sons of Thunder was the subject of the sermon. Mark 10 tells of James and John coming to Jesus with a request to do what they asked. They wanted to sit on the right and left side of Jesus in glory. Jesus asked if they could drink the cup that He was drinking or be baptized with the baptism He would face. Jesus told them they would drink that cup and have that same baptism He would have.
All the disciples were told whosoever becomes great must become a servant and whoever wants to be first must become a slave. Jesus didn’t come to be served but to serve and give his life for us. Peter was in prison after the death of James. While in jail and an angel woke him. The angel told him to get up and follow him. Peter thought it was a vision but found out it was real. Peter realized he was recused by the Lord.
All preachers preach differently. Our personalities are different. Preachers can’t give us salvation only Jesus can. We have to work out our own salvation. The Lord is always in control of our lives. The father of James and John told them to go and follow Jesus.
I hope those who read this column enjoy reading it. God bless and see you next week.
Hopewell Baptist Church
Today’s text is from Matthew 24:15-35. We as Christians are to stand firm because Jesus is still on His throne. A lot of the language is intended to make us uncomfortable. How does this change how we live? What is Jesus trying to get the disciples to understand? How does the work of Jesus change how we live our lives? Jesus tells of the destruction of the Temple. Daniel predicts the same thing, and in the exile period, the Temple is destroyed. Prophesies in the Bible, happen and continue to happen – wars and rumors of war, false prophets, etc. The building will come down and it will be horrible, and many other things around them too. Jesus tells them, this will happen in most of their lifetimes. Aren’t there other bad things that happen? Jesus says you’ve never seen anything this bad and Jesus is talking prophetically.
Every generation throughout our lives can probably think of an event. These things happen repeatedly in our personal lives too. Jesus says, there are coming horrible things we can’t even imagine, and with them come people who will take advantage. False prophets and Messiahs who say they can fix and save us. Bad situations with people trying to take advantage and Jesus warns to watch out. When the Son of Man comes, He comes with a trumpet call. Jesus is coming back! He guarantees and promises and that is worth believing! You will know it’s Jesus because people will know. The entire world will know. Jesus says, don’t get led away in a false hope. Our hope is in Jesus alone! Jesus brings us hope! Jesus is the Only Hope! We need Jesus! If we only see the hard things, we can’t see Jesus. Things are hard, but Jesus is still good! When the worst is happening, don’t look down, look up, He’s still coming! On Christ the Solid Rock We Stand, All Other Ground is Sinking Sand! Jesus is moving! Please don’t forget it! Our trust falls in Jesus!
Join us Sunday mornings for Sunday School at 10 a.m. with Worship at 11 a.m., regular Bible Study Wednesdays and Sundays at 6 p.m. with our Children’s Program Sundays at 5:30 p.m. Watch our service live at 11 a.m. Sunday mornings on Hopewell Baptist Church Facebook page.
Abundant Life Church
The New Horizons will be in concert at Abundant Life Church on Sunday, August 25 at 10:00 am. This is a free concert and the pubic is cordially invited.
The New Horizons are a family singing group from Lebanon, Missouri. The Group consists of two brothers, Max and Danny Rhoades and one sister, Becky (Rhoades) Buttrey. The group started over 57 years ago as a male quartet, but in 1973 the brothers found themselves in need of a singer — and waiting in the wings was their younger sister Becky. She was the missing piece, that voice, which was needed to mold the group into what it is today.
The New Horizons feel they have been put together to fulfill a call God has placed on their family years ago. Consistency seems to run in the family for their parents, the late Dean and Julia Mae Rhoades, pastored the same church, the Lebanon Church of the Nazarene, for over 50 years before retiring. To God be the glory!
The trio, The New Horizons have been faithful to their roots in gospel music. The lessons learned around the piano with their mother and sitting around the old phonograph listening to their favorites like The Blackwood Brothers, The Statesman, The Oak Ridge Boys, The Speer Family and the Happy Goodman’s Family, have been the back bone of their singing style over the years. You could characterize their sound as a traditional southern style with down home family harmonies. Their songs have a simple message that cuts through the complicated problems we face as a society today, and emphasize that God is bigger than our problems!
A well-loved part of The New Horizons’ ministry is Danny’s saxophone playing. Many in the music business have referred to him as “Mr. Gospel Saxophone,” and rightly so. Danny plays the older melodies of hymns and songs of the church that have stood the test of time. You will enjoy this special part of their ministry.
