CHECKING IN AS WE MOVE TOWARD THE FUTURE

Easter came and went and it definitely felt different but it certainly was not any less meaningful. Every opportunity we have to celebrate the Risen Lord is good with me. I imagine we've all felt the effects of isolation lately, and I am ready to see the church filled once again. In fact, when we are finally able to be together in worship, we are going to worship like never before. Perhaps we will see people drawn to the Lord more than we have in recent years? I do believe that God does not waste any opportunity to draw people unto himself. This may just be a very exciting time in the history of the Christian Church as we allow God to use us to share his love and be his hands and feet.

As I share these thoughts with you, I just finished listening to the Governor’s daily briefing. We now have a better idea regarding what the reopening phase will look like, and we still have many questions regarding what reopening means in the weeks ahead? Most importantly, we still do not know an exact time when we will hold services at the church? For now, group gatherings of 10 or more are still prohibited. I personally feel gatherings of larger groups will be included in Phase 3. I am hopeful that we will be together come June? Allow me to reassure you that we are brainstorming what church will look like and planning to implement every layer of protection that we can for your safety. Currently, the church is being deep cleaned and every room assessed. For the time being we will continue to share the service at 10 and 11 via Facebook and the church website at www.fulldevotion.org. We will also continue our mid-week check-in and bible study on Wednesdays at 7pm via Zoom.  When we do come back together, for those who find themselves at “high-risk,” our 11am service will continue to be livestreamed through our website.

Unfortunately, the restrictions of our current situation have forced us to make some very difficult decisions regarding upcoming ministries. We have canceled our Summer VBS and Mexico Mission Trip. All other activities at the church remain canceled until further notice. For those of you who are inquiring about summer camp, Camp Koinonia is processing their decision and we will let you know very soon. We have and will continue to communicate on every platform we have available: E-mail, U.S. mail, Church App, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and phone calls. We do not wish for anyone to be uninformed. If you have not heard from us please call the church office and let us know?

As I said before, I imagine we've all felt the effects of isolation lately. I know this is not an easy time for so many. Please reach out and make contact with a neighbor, someone from church, a family member or friend. Let them know that you care and are available should they need anything? If you need help from us to meet a need, we are standing by ready and willing to help. Let the church be salt and light to our community. Let the church shine brighter than ever before.

As you and I struggle, remember these words that come straight from scripture and remember the promise Jesus gave to us. “Christ does not promise an easy life but He does promise His presence, even to the very ends of the earth.” (John 16:33 & Matthew 28:20)

Allow me to end on a personal note. Honestly, during the last part of April, I began to feel the weight and stress of our current situation. I was struggling with motivation. I was frustrated and tired.  Most of you can identify with me? Then just at the right time, as God knew I needed some encouragement, you the church organized the Sunday afternoon “appreciation parade.” Church people piled into their cars and one by one you drove by our house honking your horns, holding up your signs and saying thank you. I was completely surprised and overwhelmed by your generous support. I could not hold back the emotion and tears that were bottled up inside. It was one of the most wonderful displays of love and encouragement I have ever felt. I will never forget it as long as I live. Thank you for making the effort and taking the time to brighten my day!  I miss you all tremendously and look forward to a time in the near future when we are together again.

EASTER CELEBRATION ISN’T CANCELLED, IT JUST MIGHT BE DIFFERENT?

For those of you who recall my last blog it was entitled, “When Life Doesn’t Make Sense.” It was based on the premise that we have our ideas of what will happen next in life, but many times life turns out differently. As we are currently embattled in the pandemic of COVID-19, it is surreal to think how much life has changed in one month. I am in no ways claiming to be prophetic for I did not fathom all that has taken and will take place. 

Things are certainly different but let me reassure you that we will get through this together. Nothing lasts forever. Nothing in this world ever has or ever will. Life will return to normal but it will be a new normal. We will have all been changed. Life is about change. God is shaping and molding us in Full Devotion to Christ. As stated in March, we must continue to trust God with every piece of our lives.

Undoubtedly, I was looking forward to celebrating our Easter services as I know you all were as well. Currently, we have suspended all services at the church until further notice. I am anticipating, according to our current guidelines, that we will not hold any corporate worship services until late in May? We have been working diligently to get our services online and will continue to do so for the future. If you are able, please join us online on Sunday mornings. You will find the livestream tab on our website at www.fulldevotion.org

Just because we are not physically together does not mean that we cannot celebrate Easter. Yes, it will take some creativity this year but we can and will find ways to make it meaningful. The Celebration of Easter is one thing that is eternal. The resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ established the opportunity for us to celebrate and worship him forever and ever.

Luke chapter 24 says, 

“They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.  In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?  He is not here; he has risen!    

With those simple words “He Has Risen,” eternity was changed forever. For those who believe in God and his plan of Salvation, eternity with God in heaven is possible. According to scripture, Jesus appeared in the flesh to over 500 people giving proof to the claim of resurrection. Historically, the celebration of Easter itself did not begin until the Council of Nicaea established a decree in the year 325. Easter has been celebrated ever since by the followers of Jesus Christ.

Here in the United States, Easter Sunday often boast the highest church attendance with the various events like sunrise services and Passion plays. But in areas of the world where Christianity is not welcome, the time we celebrate the risen life of our Savior plays out differently. In many countries, believers must celebrate in secret—not unlike those who followed Jesus 2,000 years ago. While we in the free world may think of our celebrations as the traditional way to honor our Savior’s sacrifice, today’s persecuted believers might actually be experiencing something closer to the original Easter.

I’d like to think as we celebrate Easter this year, it will give us a new perspective on what others around the world often face, especially those in the persecuted church. They face fears for their very lives, yet demonstrate the same hope as the early disciples and the same hope that we have today. I would ask that you pray for all of us and even more for believers today in countries like Egypt, Pakistan, North Korea and many others who will experience, like us, a different, yet no less meaningful Easter Sunday.

I look forward to the time when the church can be together again. I truly believe this is an opportunity for the church to rise up and show people where our hope comes from.

 As the Psalmist penned,

“I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth.” 

WHEN LIFE DOESN’T MAKE SENSE

As we continue to focus on our goal of Total Commitment there is one thing I am reminded, life doesn’t always go the way we expect. We have hopes, we have dreams, we have our own idea of what will happen next but many times things turn out totally different. There is wisdom in the Proverbs when we read Proverbs 16:9, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.” 

You ask, “What does that mean?” Simply put we can plan anything we want but ultimately the path life takes us will be determined by God’s will. Well one might say, “why should I plan anything at all if God is just going to mess it all up with what he wants?” Well not exactly.

We must do our part to embrace life in all the fullness it has to offer. We have been given a brain and the ability to use knowledge in order to live according to word of the Lord. Scripture is our guide, our instructions on how we should live. Psalm 37:23 says, “A man’s steps are established by the Lord, and He takes pleasure in his way.” As human beings we should be seeking God and His desire and direction for our lives. But even as we do that often life still doesn’t make sense. I know it’s difficult. We pray to God for help and guidance. But sometimes it seems like even though we pray with faith, God doesn’t do what we've asked. We seek Him, but don’t feel His presence. We go through pain, but our cries for relief seem to go unanswered.  I will admit that sometimes, our lives just don't make sense. 

This coming month we will begin a new sermon series that will takes a close look at what we can do "When God Doesn't Make Sense." I hope you will plan to be with us. This is a critical time of the year as we enter the season of Lent and preparation for Easter. Within this season is the opportunity for much prayer and introspection. We have the opportunity to focus on what God desires from us, what changes need to take place in us and perhaps where God is leading next as individuals and as a church. We are here to fulfill the Great commission and we need to take seriously the charge that God has given to us. I believe God will indeed ordain our steps and align our will to His as we follow Him and seek Him with all of our heart.

I want to invite you into a season of prayer as we head toward Easter. I have already challenged you to begin praying for at least three people God is leading you to invite to church and to share the Gospel with them. Do you remember? God has called us to be a disciple making church. I believe we have shrugged off that responsibility thinking someone else will do it? The problem with thinking like that is it rarely gets done. We must be willing to step up and say, “I will do it!”

I would ask that you prayer for us as a church to discover how we will reach people for Christ. Remember the definition of insanity, “doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.” Someone else once put it this way, “If we do what we have always done, we will get what we have always got.”  It’s important that we ask the Lord what His direction is for His Church. After all He is the one that has been guiding it for 2000 years and things have turned out well.

I would also ask that our couples would enter into a time of praying for their spouse during a 31 day prayer challenge for March. You will be seeing in the newsletter, bulletin and online specific instructions  regarding how to sign up. Please wait to do so until Sunday March 1st. If you start early it’s okay, but I would like us to be doing it all together. For those who are not in a marriage relationship I would ask that you prayer for the marriages in the church to be strengthened. I believe these relationships are often most targeted by Satan himself. If he can destroy the marriage, he will destroy the family, the lives of children, the church and community as well. Much heartache is caused by the destruction that is caused by failing and broken marriages.

Once again, life often doesn’t make sense but just recently I saw a great analogy that compares our lives with a puzzle. A pastor said, “If you can trust a puzzle company to make sure every piece is in the box to complete the puzzle, than why can’t you trust God that every piece of your life is there for a reason.” Yesssssssss!

  Trusting God With You All!

 

PURSUING TOTAL COMMITMENT

PURSUING TOTAL COMMITMENT

So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision - you'll see it yet!” 

Philippians 3:15  (The Message)

I know the goal, I know how to pursue it, but what happens when it seems like the more I pursue the goal God has for me the more blurred my daily vision become? I have no doubt that Satan is alive and well trying to steal, kill and destroy our pursuit of Christ.

As I take a moment to reflect on the past month, I get frustrated. I get caught up in the day to day struggles of what it means to live in the human side of life while pursuing the spiritual side as well. I hope you can see the honesty in my struggle and identify with me? It’s reality!

Reality tells me there will be discomfort, there will be pain, there will be heartache, there will be conflict in life. We cannot deny that these things happen to us. To do so as followers of Christ would actually do more damage to our faith. We must grasp the truth that we are a people who must live by grace through faith every day of our lives. Growing in full devotion to Christ means I must discover how to handle both the positive and negative aspects of daily living. The Good news is found in the silver lining that Christ promises to help us and guide us along this path of life.

Isaiah 43:1-2 says, “But now, this is what the LORD says-- he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.”

“You” means you who are struggling with the realities of this life. We cannot explain away the hardships of life and most often will not find an answer or be satisfied with that answer once we do. The answer is found in Paul’s letter to the Philippians 3:11, “I want to know Christ--yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”  

As much as I dislike the realities of this life it is in fact the process by which transformation takes place as my faith in Christ develops. I must trust God, believing that He is able to help me through the trials and tribulations of life. In those moments we must run to Him instead of running away from Him. I came across these words from Steve Arterburn, a Christian Counselor who says,

“A healthy faith acknowledges the supernatural power of God and does not need miraculous intervention to prove that God is real. The healthy believer does not look for God to magically change the circumstances, but looks to him in the midst of trials.” I would add that we do not necessarily look to God to “Magically change the circumstances, but look to God to change us in the midst of those difficult circumstances. Don’t miss the promise from God, “I will be with you!”  In that promise let us continue forward toward the goal of Total Commitment struggles and all.

Here’s the reminder once again, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 3:14. Let us press on together in total commitment as we embrace the year 2020. Let us pray that God will clear our blurred vision so we can focus on Him as we worship, give, grow, serve and love together. Together let’s focus on the goal of Total Commitment in 2020.

Even in the midst of struggles, it is Jesus who makes the darkness tremble!

 

A NEW VISION FOR A NEW DECADE

Welcome to 2020 a year that heralds a new decade with promise and opportunities for Christ’s Church and for FBC Canton—Full     Devotion.  Because of the coming of the Christ child, we can celebrate the gifts of eternal hope, unconditional love, divine peace and the joy of new life. We can continue to await in anticipation of the future coming of Jesus to fulfill the reign of God.

Our Theme for this year will be “2020 Vision: Total Commitment.” When most people hear the term 20/20 Vision they tend to think of “Perfect Vision.” Allow me to burst your bubble because 20/20 vision does not mean having perfect vision. It simply defines whether your vision is as sharp as it should be in comparison to other normal people’s vision in the world. It means can I see from a distance of 20 feet what I am supposed to see and keep it in focus?

As fully devoted followers of Christ, I believe we should have a clear understanding of what God calls us to and expects of us in comparison to people of the world. He has given us His word as an instruction manual on how to live. The role of scripture is to clearly bring into focus what our responsibility is in the Kingdom of God. The apostle Paul writes to the church in Philippi saying,

So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision - you'll see it yet!”  Philippians 3:15  (The Message)

What is that Goal? Total Commitment to Christ. In the preceding verses of chapter 3 Paul clearly defines his thoughts, “ I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.”  Philippians 3:10-11

Let me ask, “is that you, is that your desire?” Anything less than the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Paul indicates as garbage. Often I find myself living in the garbage of this world thinking I have found something of more important value. Perhaps you have found yourself there too? The things of this world cause us to lose our focus. Often we have something else in mind other than total commitment to Christ. Often we do not want to suffer at all for the cause of Christ.

We say that we are committed to the Lord Jesus Christ. How committed? Total commitment means that Jesus Christ is Lord in every area of our lives. He must be Lord on Saturday night as well as Sunday morning. He must be Lord of our bodies as well as our brains. He must be Lord of what we save as well as what we sacrifice. He must be Lord of our careers as well as our creed. Are we totally committed to Jesus Christ? Is He Lord of all?

As Paul recognizes that personal struggle he says, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 3:14. Let us press on together in total commitment as we embrace the year 2020. Let us pray that God will clear our vision so we can focus on Him as we worship, give, grow, serve and love together. Together let’s focus on Total Commitment in 2020.

Eye clearly on the prize!

The Power of a Grateful Heart.

On Saturday Morning, October 21st, 37 volunteers from FBC had just completed three hours of serving the incredible ministry of the Refuge of Hope in downtown Canton. This day of service was but one part of our church’s Generosity Project. Along with our donations of cereal and pop-tart boxes (goal of 500) and our monetary offering (goal of $3000), we are living out the fulfillment of Matthew 25:40, “The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'“  Many church volunteers provided much needed resources to a ministry which serves the homeless and those in need of food. I am so pleased with the tremendous support from our church.

As I climbed in my vehicle for the ride home, I began to think of all the things I take for granted. I have a comfortable home where I can enjoy friends and family. It is available to me 24/7 and it has many rooms that provide me a variety of resources. I have a kitchen complete with a refrigerator, stove, microwave and all the necessities to cook a meal.  There is always a supply of food to feed my physical needs. I have a place to relax and take my mind off the worries of the day. I have a bedroom that provides a nightly rest and a bathroom with a hot shower that wakes me up in the morning so I am ready for another day. I have a laundry room, workshop, garage and much more. God has truly provided for all the needs that I have and even some of my wants.

Then it hit me, a majority of people in our world do not have the blessings I have been given. I was reminded that I truly need to have a grateful heart. And all of us who are blessed beyond what we deserve have a responsibility to give thanks and tell of God’s faithfulness. The Psalmist says in chapter 9:1,"I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.”  The songwriter say’s “Give thanks with a grateful heart.” We have so much to be grateful for in our daily living. But how often do we truly pause to give thanks?  Often our lives are filled with busyness and the pressures, challenges and difficulties cause us to forget to be thankful.  I get that sometimes we just do not feel like being thankful. Sometimes we ourselves are struggling and weary from the life we are living. In those times, it truly  does become a sacrifice of praise.

November is a month where are thoughts turn toward thankfulness. Let me encourage you pause and take time to give thanks with a grateful heart. We have a choice each and every day to give thanks to God. With hearts and minds focused on Him. With gratitude, we are strengthened by His grace, peace and love.  With a grateful heart, we have the power to face whatever may come our way.  I found the following encouraging thoughts on the power of a grateful heart and would like to share them with you.

The Light of Christmas

From my earliest childhood memories, I can remember my fascination with Christmas lights. With anticipation that was hard to keep bottled up, I would look forward to stringing the Christmas lights on the tree. We didn’t do many outdoor lights in our home growing up, but I couldn’t wait to see the downtown streets all decorated for the holidays and outdoor lights go up on some of the finest houses in town. In the earliest days of my memories, I remember those large multi-colored bulbs that illuminated the landscape. I recall riding in the car as we drove around town looking at decorated houses, whether it was the illuminated homes on “Flagpole Hill” or the Disney characters on Brookpark Rd. My own children can probably tell you the many times I drove them around my hometown of Marion, Ohio to see the Christmas lights. Even though I have seen them many times before, I still look forward to the opportunity of seeing them again.

As we enter the season of Advent I want to invite you to join us as we journey together through the book of Isaiah to experience the “Light of Christmas” all over again. In a world that often seems to be a very dark place in which we live, we can say, “Let There Be Light.” The light of Christmas I am referring to is not found on a strand of Christmas lights. It was found in a lowly manger by the shepherds as they were guided by the Star of Bethlehem. The prophet Isaiah points us toward this light as we read in chapter nine,

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;

on those living in the land of deep darkness, a light has dawned.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulders.

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.”

The light Isaiah speaks of is Jesus Christ. Jesus himself said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12. Although the world has become a dark place to live, we have Jesus to guide us through the streets of our lives. Even though we have seen Him before, we need to see Him again. As we celebrate this season of Advent, let us eagerly await with child like wonder the coming of the Christ Child, the light of Christmas. In a world where people are walking in darkness, let us proclaim once again for all to hear, “Let There Be Light!”

Wishing You All A Wondrous Christmas!

Pastor Kevin, Michi & Family

Missions Month and Generosity Project 2017

I have really come to enjoy and embrace the month of October as our church has established and made it a tradition to celebrate missions and the opportunities we’ve had throughout the year to impact our world. I love the festive atmosphere with our flags of many nations hanging in the sanctuary and getting updates from some of our mission organizations and missionaries is always a double blessing.  

This month our church will invite quite a number of missionaries to come and share the call God has placed upon their life for missions whether it be here in Canton or around the world.  They will share with us an update on their preparation and implementation of mission work. Some will be sharing about first time experiences while others have been engaged in ministry for many years.

For two thousand years men and women, not unlike you and me, have generously shared their time, talent and treasure in order to assist in bringing the Good News of the Gospel of Christ to others. They have heard the words in Mark 16:15, “where Jesus said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”  They have received the power of the Holy Spirit described in Acts 1:8 where we read, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Like the first missionary, the apostle Paul, they have boldly, fearlessly, and openly shared the love of Christ and the message of Christ with others.

Let us be reminded that at the heart of our calling as Christians, Missions is not just about a project or trip or destination. It is about discovering how God can use you right where your planted to share the gospel story. Ask yourself, who do you know that will spend an eternity separated from God if they do not receive His gift of Salvation? If you don’t know anyone, pray that God would bring someone into your path.

We just shared in bible study the other night about the apostle Paul’s witness as he found himself in Ephesus. He began with a group of twelve and expanded outward and in less then three years the whole province of Asia had heard about the message of Christ and the Ephesian church had begun. Not all believed but that is to be expected. As a reminder, the mission is to make sure that all have had an opportunity to hear.

Also, let me encourage you to participate in our Generosity Project 2017. You will read about it on our missions page and each week you will be reminded of how you can get involved. Yes, each of us should be able to give some monetary contribution or gift above and beyond our normal giving, but let me encourage you to give of your time and energy. Take a step of faith and join us on Saturday, October 21st at the Refuge of Hope Homeless ministry in downtown Canton. We will need lots of hands and lots of feet to share the love of Christ with those who are in need. The only requirement is that a person needs to be in 7th grade or older. The three hours you spend will not only bless the Refuge of Hope Mission and its recipients but it will also bless you tremendously.

Allow me to remind you about one of the most significant passages of scriptures when it comes to our duty to help those in need, Matthew 25. If you are not convicted after reading it, I really pray that God would speak to your spirit.

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

⁴⁶ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

There are people all around our world today who need the Lord. Will you step up to be the one who generously shares with them the love of Jesus Christ and his message of hope to all who believe?

Pastor Kevin

A Place to Belong

A Place To  Belong

 In the 1980’s sitcom “Cheers” the theme song opens with those familiar lyrics that invite us to sing,

“Making your way in the world today
Takes everything you got
Taking a break from all your worries
It sure would help a lot
Wouldn't you like to get away?

Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name
And they're always glad you came
You want to be where you can see
The troubles are all the same
You want to be where everybody knows your name”

At the heart of the attraction of an environment in a place like “Cheers” is the opportunity to feel like you belong.  Every one of us, no matter where we are in life, needs to have a sense of belonging. Something inside of each of us longs to be valued. People desire to feel they are worthy and they are loved. Allow me to ask you a question, “Do you believe you are worthy of love and belonging?” God says you are!

Researcher/Storyteller Brené Brown shares a widely accepted truth: “Connection is why we’re here. what gives purpose and meaning to our lives. Robin Williams said, “I used to think the worst thing in life is to end up all alone. It’s not. The worst thing is to end up with people who make you feel all alone.” We are wired for connection and created to crave belonging.

It’s exciting to feel like you belong, That feeling of arrival—like sitting down to a homemade meal with your closest friends. A Church is a place to belong, a place to grow, a place to enjoy and a place to be loved.

The word “Church” means different things to different  people, for some, it awakens warm feelings of potluck dinners and singing. For others, it might rigger a more sour feeling, a subtle tensing of the shoulders.  People’s reactions to the church are as varied as their individual histories.

But what is God’s intention for the Church? When God initiated the Church, He had in a mind a heartfelt connection of diverse people. He said the “greatest love we could show was to lay down our lives for our friends” John 15:13. There is no greater belonging than the one God intended in the Church. The Church is a community of people committed to doing life together and knowing God. The Church is a place where many people should know your name. Through thick and thin, these are the friends who you do life with struggles and all. Most importantly these are people who genuinely care about you and when others abandon you, they will stay by your side. God desires for each of us to find a place of belonging in His family.

As we build momentum for “ReStart Sunday” 9.17.17, I invite you to pray about people in your life who could benefit from a place to belong. Engage in a conversation with them and invite them to Church. Better yet, invite them into a relationship with Jesus Christ.  There are many opportunities for people to connect through our men’s and women's ministries, bible study, children’s and youth ministries. It just takes an invitation.  Let’s be a community of believers that not only welcomes others but values who they are!

Remember: The Church is not a building. It’s a community of people brought together to experience God’s love and purpose.

Lets us focus on making an invitation to those who need God’s love and sense of belonging,

Pastor Kevin

Come on Church, BE PREPARED!

As an Eagle Scout I learned early on the importance of  the Boy Scout Motto "Be Prepared!" The Scout motto means that you are always ready to do what is necessary to help others. It also means you are ready, willing, and able to do what is necessary in any situation that comes along. 

To enable that to happen, you educate yourself and learn about the situations in which you may find yourself. For instance, when packing your gear for a particular camp outing, you want to make sure you know your surrounding environment and you think ahead by preparing a list of items that you will need and ensuring that you pack them. Being prepared helps you to avoid those possible pitfalls that might happen. It doesn't ensure that you will never encounter something you are totally unprepared for, but it sure does lessen the chances. 

Lately, my heart grows concerned for what seems a lack of preparation by Christians to "Be Prepared." What I mean is this, are we as followers of Christ ready to do what is necessary to help others. Are we prepared to love one another as Christ commanded or even to love our enemies as we read in Luke 6:35, "But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back." Are we prepared to love like that? Am I prepared to love like that?

While I am on the subject of "being prepared," It frustrates me when I am around other Christians and someone is asked to share their favorite scripture verse and they respond along the lines, "well now you put me on the spot" or "does John 3:16 count."

Let me address the latter first. Yes, John 3:16 counts. You bet your sweet bippy it does! It's what the good news of Jesus Christ is all about. God Loves You. God died for your sins. Believe in Him and you will be saved. But let me add that if you have been a Christian for say longer than say 6 months, you ought to have a 2nd verse tucked away in that memory bank of yours. After all Psalm 119:11 says to "hide the word in your heart so that you might not sin against God." Come on Christians we can do better than that!

Now, to address the first response I mentioned, that of "being put on the spot." You shouldn't be "put on the spot" if you have prepared yourself. And why should you be prepared you ask? Because God's word specifically tells us in 1 Peter 3:15, "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." 

Here's a revelation for so many of us. We do not need the most glorified testimony in the world's eyes to give a reason for the hope we have. We simply talk about our experience with Christ and the scriptures he has taught us. Yes, I was never on drugs, I never had a miraculous healing, I never encountered Christ on the road to Damascus (Ohio, East of Alliance that is, not Syria.) But you know what, I have experienced him in my life and I have memorized many verses so when given the opportunity I can share one of those verses with someone else. And do you know what the scripture says about that? In Isaiah 55:11 it says "the word of God does not return void. He will accomplish what he desires to achieve the purpose for which He sent it." 

That means when asked to share your favorite verse, Yes John 3:16 is a great verse, but what else has God given you to accomplish his purpose. Challenge yourself to memorize a new verse every so often. At least a couple a year, please.

By the way, when I was in scouting my Scoutmaster would always try to surprise us at the least expected moment as he shouted, "are you prepared?" Us Boy Scouts would respond shouting at the top of our lungs, "we are prepared!" I hope the next time you are given the opportunity to share your favorite verse or your reason for hope, you will have prepared yourself? 

Come on Church, BE PREPARED!

#31for31 A 31 Day Journey through the Proverbs

Have you ever wondered where one can find the answers to many of life’s questions?  Are you pursuing the knowledge and wisdom that God provides in order to manage the difficult problems you face? Or perhaps you find yourself in a state of stagnant growth and not advancing in understanding the complexities of life? Do you realize as a person’s wisdom increases the opportunities to be generous with good sound Biblical advice increase as well? Where does one even begin to acquire this precious knowledge? I imagine we all have questions like these and certainly many more.

I wish to invite you and the whole church on a journey we will take together during the month of May. A journey that will lead us through the Book of Proverbs. Our amazing God inspired a man named Solomon, who was the wisest and richest king to ever have lived, to compose witty sayings full of practical advice for you and I to navigate the many facets of our lives. It covers just about everything we can think of and nothing is off-limits in this fantastic book of the Bible. The content is practical, as relevant today as it was back then, straight forward and deeply spiritual. There just happens to be 31 chapters and 31 days during the month of May. Allow me to encourage you to read one chapter of Proverbs each day corresponding to the day of the month.

I recall the scripture verses from Colossians 1:9-10 where the apostle Paul encourages the growth of the church in Colossae. It reads, “We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.” Proverbs provides us with the wisdom to live a life worth of the Lord and to please him in every way. I believe it will benefit the church greatly.

If you have questions about money and you are looking for the financial secret from God for his people, you will find it. Are you having struggles with parenting and providing the right kind of instruction for your children, Proverbs has sound advice. Are there questions about how you can fulfill the role as a husband/father, wife/mother, child, Proverbs addresses it. It truly is amazing how much we can gain from reading and applying the principles of this one book. But often we miss out because we are simply not reading it. Let’s become all that God has intended for us to be as we embark on this journey.  Just think about the changes that will be brought about in our lives, our families, our vocations, our church and it’s ministry if we grab a hold of and apply this Godly wisdom. I’m looking forward to this month, this journey, as God teaches us. I hope you will take of the challenge to join us?

Growing in Full Devotion in Knowledge and Wisdom,

Pastor Kevin

MY GOD DOES NOT WAVER!

This past Sunday our church celebrated the installation of me as their new Senior Pastor. It was a tremendous day filled with so many encouraging words, cards, gifts and let's not forget the food, WOW! Most of my family was with me to participate in the day and I simply could not have asked for more. As many have  already heard me say, "It was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!"

I enjoyed a day off on Monday and returned Tuesday morning bright and early to begin a new day of ministry. At 8:22 my plans for the day changed in an instant. I received a call from a church member informing me that her daughter and children had been in a car accident and someone was "critical."

The eight year old boy in the accident was no stranger to me. He had lived in our home in 2005 for a little less than 4 months. My wife had convinced me that God was calling us to care for him and love him as our own providing a necessary home for him at a time when his mom needed us. Little Mark was just precious and although it took more than a few weeks for him to adjust to our lives we soon began to see him smile and enjoy living with us. My own kids enjoyed him tremendously and so did Michi and I. One of my favorite memories is Mark filling his cheeks with air and then I would pop them as he blew the air into my face. He would giggle and laugh each time we did it. It was our little game. We enjoyed some special times together including Easter that year.

As I rushed to the hospital Tuesday morning, I said to myself, "I can't handle this if it's Mark who is critical." Somehow I just knew Mark was in serious trouble and as I entered the Emergency room doors my suspicions were confirmed as I was told he did not make it. My body literally stopped moving as my lungs deflated and my heart broke for the family. I collected my thoughts and readied myself to minister to the family. After all, I was their pastor and they needed me and I knew God would be with me to guide me.

Tomorrow, Saturday, April 28, 2012 at 11:00 we will celebrate Mark's life in a memorial service at our church. Our congregation has been very encouraging to the family and to me. There have been many people praying and I know they will continue to pray. There has been genuine concern for me and how difficult this will be on me. Some have said, "How will he ever get through this?" How do you go from the top of the mountain on Sunday to the depths of the valley on Saturday?

Well, please allow me to take a moment to share with you that My God Does Not Waver! Psalm 57:7 says, "My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music."  Like the Psalmist, I confide in God and my heart although broken remains firmly trusting in Him. You see my faith is not swayed by the events that have occured. Whether in the joys or in the the sorrows of life I will not doubt the goodness, mercy and grace of my God."  My heart is prepared, and I am ready to praise him always.

Is it more difficult today then Sunday? Yes. Is it more challenging? Yes. Will it be easy tomorrow? Absolutely not! But God is my refuge and He does not change. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. I know that sounds cliche but to me it is the absolute truth. My heart is steadfast on the salvation of Jesus Christ, grounded in His love regardless of what happens in this life. It always wil be, it has to be because that is my hope! There is promise that I will one day see Mark again in heaven because God loves his children. For those who have placed their hope in Him and trusted in His Salvation for the forgiveness of their sins their will be a happy reunion. 

From Matthew Henry's commentary and I quote, "Let us seek to have our hearts fixed to praise his boundless mercy and unfailing faithfulness; and to glorify him with body, soul, and spirit, which are his. Let us earnestly pray that the blessings of the gospel may be sent through every land."

MY GOD DOES NOT WAVER!