Allow me to take on a controversial contemporary topic today. If you read my posts on a regular basis, please hear me out before you scroll past this post: If you are like me, you hate the idea of having to be confined behind a mask as you go out in public. How do you know what to do in the midst of this pandemic and the spike in cases that we are seeing in our communities. The government is mandating them, but stores have to carry out the mandate. We struggle with this because we say it violates our constitutional rights. We are in a cultural dilemma, we have those who are terrified to get the virus, and those who are wishing they could get the virus and be over with it. How do we respond. I am not going to answer that question, but let me give you some things to consider in regard to putting why we may struggle with wearing a mask, and what I should consider about wearing one.

1. One of our struggles is in the area of submitting to our government. Submission in America is a difficult concept to follow. After over 30 … READ MORE

A church is a group of believers who regularly gather in Christ’s name to officially affirm and oversee one another’s membership in Jesus Christ and His Kingdom through the gospel preaching and gospel ordinances. The gathering of believers is important because this is where we, as believers, “go public” and declare our highest allegiance to the Lord. The local assembly is an outpost or embassy, which gives a public face to our future nation, and it is where we bow before our king in worship. It is also wee our King enacts His Rule through preaching, the ordinances, and discipline. Through Baptism and the Lord’s supper, the church waves the flag and dons the army uniform of our nation (it makes us visible. To be baptized is to identify ourselves with the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as well as to identify our union with Christ’s death and resurrection (Matthew 28:19). To receive the Lord’s Supper is to proclaim his death and our membership in His body (1 Corinthians 11:26-29). We must understand that God wants His people to be known and marked off, He wants a line between the church and the world. Therefore, … READ MORE

In the Old Testament the Lord was working through the nation of Israel to take the message of redemption to the world, and the coming of the Messiah to the world. As Christ came, He presented Himself to the world as the Redeemer and Savior of all who would come to Him for salvation. In doing so, He also established a body for those who turn to Him from their sin. That body is called the church. This is more than a universal body, that all believers are apart of, it is manifested locally as a fellowship of believers who have joined together for discipleship, and reaching out to the community that they are planted. The key to this kingdom living, starts with Jesus. Jesus builds his church on the confession made by Peter in Matthew 16:16, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!” Jesus is building His church upon people who believe the the truth of the gospel. This truth is manifested in a recognition that I am a sinner (validated by the reality that I will one day die – Romans 6:23), and that I am in need of a Savior (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is … READ MORE