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The church is to remain strong! – Colossians 3:11-17 By Pastor Lee Hemen February 23, 2020 One of things that many senior adults do not do is to get enough exercise in order to maintain their muscle tone and bone density in order to remain healthy. While the number of senior adults living longer has grown, those who live active and strong lives have not. Keeping oneself strong later in life is extremely important and the same is true for a church. Paul wrote the church at Colossae between 60-62 AD while he was imprisoned in Rome the first time and one purpose was to correct the heresy that had sprung up in Colossae. This false teaching seemed to be the beginning of what later developed into Gnosticism. It contained specific characteristics. (1) It was Jewish stressing the need to observe Old Testament laws and ceremonies. (2) It was philosophical, laying emphasis on some special or deeper knowledge (gnōsis). (3) It involved the worship of angels. (4) It was exclusivistic whereby only

How we are to shepherd his flock! – 1 Peter 5:1-11 By Pastor Lee Hemen February 16, 2020 As look for a pastor to lead us it is vital that we find a man who can mentor and mature us as a church until Jesus returns. We live in a world where the church is dismissed, the gospel is seen as a truism, and Jesus as either a myth or at best a “good guy” who taught good stuff. Shepherding the church is tough task in today’s world and we need to look for a man who is up to the task. The title “elder” is used interchangeably for pastor in the New Testament and here in Peter’s letter we find him addressing the early church and its leadership. The church in Peter’s day faced troubling times due to Jewish leadership seeking to destroy the gospel and the Roman authorities who wanted to squash any dissent. The church stood out because its leadership and members were different because of their faith. Shepherding the flock properly was important let’s discover why… READ: 1 Peter 5:1-11 Michael Ray wrote

How God grows his church! – Ephesians 4:11-16 By Pastor Lee Hemen February 9, 2020 Family is important. It is important because it is the foundation for a stable society. This is why families that are secure, stable, and functional are a necessity. And it explains why our society is so fractured, insecure, and dysfunctional. Healthy relationships and a healthy view of self is where and how we as individuals have healthy lives, learn to function, and mature. It is how we grow. I have shared before that the church is a sacred thing that we as Baptists often take for granted. The reason we do is because like most evangelicals we think that church is about us and that is should meet our needs and make us feel better when in fact that is not what a church is supposed to be at all. Church is not a social club, fraternity, or a secret society. It is where we as believers are to develop a healthy spirituality, learn to function, and mature. Let’s learn how God grows his church… READ: Ephesians

How to choose a man God uses! – 1 Timothy 3:1-7 By Pastor Lee Hemen February 2, 2020 What kind of pastor should a church chose? How is he supposed to act, what should his faith be like, and how should his faith be expressed? Some churches have to accept whoever is decided on by their denomination’s governing authority, some allow a select group to decide for them, while congregational churches like ours has the congregation prayerfully consider one candidate at a time to see if God is choosing one them. Paul wrote timothy his friend and disciple how he should as a young church leader help churches to decide who should be their pastor. Paul gives us good advice on how to chose a man God uses… READ: 1 Timothy 3:1-7 Jesus told his followers: “I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27 NIV)” Therefore… I. We are to choose a man who lives differently than the world! (Vv. 1-3) Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his