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Men’s Ministry
Men’s Ministry
Exciting things are happening at Redeemer! God has led Redeemer to launch two new ministries—a men’s mentoring ministry and a missions ministry.
Iron sharpens iron and one man sharpens another (Pro 27:17)
The purpose of the men’s ministry is to come along side men and encourage them in their walk with the Lord. God has placed men in a leadership role within their families and the Church. Our hope is to counter the current cultural philosophies of secular humanism through biblical teaching, fellowship and leadership in the home, church, and community. We need to reach out to unsaved men, as well, and build relationships with the intention of sharing the Gospel. To accomplish this goal, we are planning the first annual men’s event, Legacy, Sunday July 18, at 6:30pm. We will gather men for a time of worship and teaching. Paul Sok will be our speaker and Coleson Herron will be our worship leader. We are going to provide an opportunity for men to register for the event to get a good head count. This will be a great time of fellowship.
In addition, we are currently working to establish a men’s mentoring ministry to encourage Christian men who desire to have a deeper walk with Christ through the mentoring of other spiritually mature men. More information to come on this aspect of the ministry.
Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Our mission’s ministry has several opportunities coming up to fulfill the Great Commission.
Hope of Appalachia Virginia, led by Mike and Lisa Dodson, is a ministry to the rural areas of southeastern Kentucky. They work with local schools in poor areas to perform evangelism and discipleship activities. We are working to partner with Mike and Lisa to conduct a trip this fall or in the spring of 2022.
Josiah Luttrull, IMB Missionary to Rwanda, and his family are stationed in Kigali, Rwanda, Africa and minister to the student community and rural areas outside Kigali. Their primary mission is to preach the Gospel, teach, and disciple the people of Kigali. We are planning a trip in September to work alongside Josiah to evangelize, teach, and build relationships. Pray that God will open the hearts and minds of those we will be teaching.
IMB missionaries, Nathan and Tessa Baker, are located in Madagascar. We are hoping to partner with them in the future to reach an engaged, but unreached people group in the region of Sihanaka. Missionaries in that region, Olivia and Narindra, are working with the Malagasy Biblical Baptist Church. Unfortunately, we currently are not able to travel to Madagascar due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Please pray for God’s direction as we move forward with the ministries.
In His Service,
Rodney Swann
Jesus, Lord and Savior–Part 3
“He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 16:15-17
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord … The Apostles’ Creed
All true Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. As with Simon Peter, this reality is revealed to each Christian as a work of the Lord in their heart. To this revelation of the true nature of Jesus, we respond in faith. We don’t believe in an empty name. We don’t believe in one who can merely help us live better and more fulfilled lives. We don’t follow a wise teacher named Jesus. We believe that Jesus Christ is the long-awaited Savior (“the Christ”) and “the Son of the living God.” During His ministry on earth Jesus claimed to be the “only begotten” (John 3:16) Son of God, to be one with God the Father (John 10:30), and the only way of salvation from judgement to come (John 14:6). Those who crucified Jesus long ago understood that He made these claims, and they hated Him for it. They rejected Jesus’ teaching, prophetic fulfillment, and miracles. They did not believe.
Today, many would say that they believe in Jesus Christ, but cannot define what is behind that wonderful name. Also, there are those who know what the Bible teaches about the person and work of Jesus Christ, but choose to reject and redefine Jesus. They want a Jesus that affirms them, not the biblical Jesus who preached a gospel of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. If we are to believe in Jesus, we must believe at least three basic things.
First, Jesus is the second person of the Trinity. The Bible teaches that God exists eternally as one God in three persons – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Three divine persons – one God. Jesus is God the Son. He is eternally existing as God. Jesus participated in the creation of the world and will one day judge the world in holiness. In the midst of these things, He was born of virgin. God with us – Emanuel.
Second, Jesus was born to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). Jesus was not born into the world to inspire us. Jesus was not born into the world to be a political leader. Jesus was born to live a sinless life and to be the atoning sacrifice for sin, that His elect people might be saved. Jesus was born to be the Savior of the world! He was born at the proper time to fulfill all prophecy spoken of Him from ages past.
Third, Jesus is Lord. For many ages this is what Christians have proclaimed at baptism. Jesus is our Savior and our Lord. When we believe in Jesus Christ and follow after Him in discipleship, we submit to His Lordship. This means that we submit to His authority in all things. The ways of Jesus are not suggestions and are not meant to be therapeutic. Jesus’ teaching and commands are not open for cultural re-interpretation. Those who believe in Jesus and submit to His Lordship are radically changed to walk in a way that is counter to this world. By a changed heart and a renewed mind, we are not conformed to this world (Romans 12:1-2). There always has been, and always will be, a significant difference between the words, actions, and ways of those who follow Jesus Christ and those who follow after this world.
On a final note, please take very seriously the beautiful and precious name of Jesus. It is the intentional name given by the angel Gabriel (Matthew 1:21). Always speak highly of our Lord Jesus. Sing His precious name in worship. Use His precious name in prayer, but hear the will of the Lord in Exodus 20:7. Never use the precious name of Jesus as a curse word. Never use the Lord’s name in vain.
I believe in Jesus Christ our Lord,
Pastor Vic
Divorce
| “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 I would like to speak to a common and understandable struggle that came from last Sunday’s sermon on divorce. If two people are in a long-term miserable marriage, why should they stay married? The unhappiness of this couple’s relationship affects the family, children, and everyone related to them. The blame for this prison of dysfunction is often laid on Jesus. It’s often said, “If they only had the freedom to divorce, they could be happy.” This reasoning makes two wrong assumptions. First, it assumes the problem is with the relationship and not the individuals. If the two people could separate, they would leave their misery behind. Second, that the will of God in marriage is not universally good. Instead, marriage is only good when you have a match of two good people. Let’s examine both of these wrong assumptions. First, a miserable marriage comes from one, or both, spouses living in a constant pattern of sin. The problem is not with the “relationship,” the problem is with the individuals. If they divorce without justification from their present situation, they would simply take their sin with them into loneliness or their next marriage. This is the basic reason why people that divorce, without biblical justification, have a high rate of divorcing again and again. Their personal sin problems compound, instead of resolve. However, EVERY marriage is made up of two sinners. It’s a false notion that good marriages come from “two happy people” married to each other. I have met countless couples that were miserable together, but from an outside perspective, had no reason for unhappiness. |
| This goes to the second argument: “That the will of God in marriage is not universally good.” The will of God in marriage IS universally good, because it is used by God to help sanctify (make more godly and drive out sin) two sinners in a marriage relationship. Selfishness destroys relationships. The primary way, designed by God, to truly drive out selfishness is marriage and family. The long-term nature of biblical marriage and children, acted upon by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, will radically change you. The answer to a miserable and failed marriage is not divorce. This excludes the justified reasons for divorce spoken about Sunday, but speaks to the reality that most failed marriages result from anger, harsh words, selfish spending, relational withdrawal, an unwillingness to serve a spouse in need, inflexibility, selfish personal career choices, and so on. All of these reasons are sinful. The answer to our sin is the gospel of Jesus Christ. The main point I want to make here is that the answer to our miserable relationships, destroyed by sin and selfishness, is the gospel of Jesus Christ. If you are in a struggling marriage, do not focus on escaping the marriage. Instead, examine yourself and look to Jesus. Jesus came to save sinners. The Holy Spirit has been sent to accomplish the radical transformation of selfish sinners into servant-hearted people that bless those around them. If you know people who are in a terrible marriage, please do not center your conversations with them around nursing their selfishness or encouraging them to run away from their sins. Point them to Jesus and the gospel of forgiveness of sins through repentance and faith. When you see others in a low and beat-down place, don’t encourage them to run further into the darkness; point them to Jesus who can make all things new. Jesus can, and will, give them rest for their souls. Speak the gospel truth, for the truth alone can set you free. May our marriages be strengthened by the Holy Spirit this week, Pastor Vic |
Creation–Part 2
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth …
The Apostles’ Creed
All Christians believe that God created the world. The Bible begins with God
creating the world ex nihilo (out of noting) by the word of His power. The Old Testament
refers to God countless times and in many ways, as the Creator of heaven and earth
(the spiritual and the physical). Jesus affirms this reality, and it is further clarified in the
later New Testament. In the final book of Revelation, Jesus refers to Himself as the
“first and the last” (Revelation 1:17). He began all things and He will end all things. It is
impossible to be a Christian and reject the reality that God is our Creator. To reject this
constant foundation of revelation in the Bible, is to reject an essential belief of
Christianity.
We live in a non-Christian society that openly advocates that the origin of the
world was an accident. Secular professors and philosophers alike will argue adamantly
that the world has come to pass through random time and chance, and that there is no
God. These same secular scientists will spend their careers attempting to explain how
such shocking symmetry, ecological balance, artistic beauty, and mathematical
precision could possibly result from chaos and chance. These same secular
philosophers will spend their careers attempting to explain how there can possibly be
meaning and ethical imperatives in a world that resulted from non-directed material
chance. However, both of these secular professions have in common one starting
presupposition. No matter what evidence they encounter, or what their inner
conscience tells them, they reject the notion of a Creator God. They refuse to believe in
Creation. They will not submit themselves to the authority of a Creator.
The Bible tells us that the world, and all that is in it, was created by God with
beauty, balance, purpose, incredible diversity, and goodness. It should not surprise us,
that even after many thousands of years of decay, the world still bears these marks.
When we get out into nature we see these marks. When we visit natural parks we don’t
see chaos and random things in flux between one state and another. What we see is
shocking, living, artistic beauty that is complex beyond all imagination and scientific
exploration. What we see is a part of the mind of God made, or created, into reality.
In the first few chapters of Genesis we read about important distinctions that
cannot be overlooked. These distinctions define our understanding of the world and
are part of the foundation of our worldview as Christians. First, there is a distinction
between God and humanity. God is the creator and we are the creation. We are NOT
God, but we are beings created by God with purpose and goodness. Second, we see
the distinction between man and woman. God did not create one sex, but two distinct
sexes with a purposeful relationship between each other. Third, is the clear distinction
between humanity (man and woman) and the rest of the animal kingdom. Humanity is a
distinct creation of God, created in God’s image.
The secular evolutionist denies God as Creator and also denies all of the
essential distinctions. With the evolutionist, men and women are put in the place of
God, deciding their own truth and purpose. With the evolutionist, the distinction
between male and female fades away as a thing of lower evolution. More evolved
beings will be able to fully create their own reality according to their own desires. The
evolutionist insists that we have come up from the animal kingdom and have no
standing that is fundamentally different. What you believe concerning these distinctions
will radically reshape your life; educationally, politically, morally, sexually, and every
other aspect of the life you live.
What does it mean that humanity was created in the image of God? This means
that God created men and women, distinct from the animal world and with shared
character with God. We are distinct from God, infinitely lower in the order of our being,
but we also share attributes with God. God has given every human being a soul and a
moral sense, by this we are aware of the existence of God and have the opportunity for
relationship with God. By the gospel of Jesus Christ, we might be forgiven our sins,
and come into a personal relationship with God by faith. We have a moral sense that
the way things are in this sinful world are not the way they should be. Animals do not
possess these wonderful attributes.
The great question is, “How?” How could God create the world? The basic
answer is that creation was the first and greatest miracle of God. Hebrews 11:3 is very
clear, “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so
that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” Being a Christian means
that you believe that God exists and that He acts in the world. God acting into the
world is “super” natural (from outside the natural order). We believe in creation by faith.
You cannot be a Christian apart from faith. There is plenty of evidence, but no amount
of evidence allows a person to by-pass faith. If this is a stumbling block for you, I urge
you to read the many books and articles published defending the idea that that there is
no final conflict between science and Christian faith. There is no conflict whatsoever
between the daily science of researchers and Christianity. The conflict begins to enter
in when scientists attempt to explain origins with the hard presupposition that there is
not, and cannot, be a God.
Lastly, why did God create the world? God created the world that He might be
glorified by His creation. The opportunity for us as human beings to have a relationship
with God, opens the door for us to join the angels in worshipping and glorifying God!
“God ultimately created the cosmos for redemptive purposes. The agent of creation
becomes the agent of redemption.” The worst part of denying God as Creator is
hardening your heart and refusing to worship God as He deserves. When you honor
yourself and put yourself in the place of God, your false narrative for life will come
crashing down.
As Christians we believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and
earth. If you struggle with these things, I urge you to search them out. The truth of God
as Creator can withstand your greatest scrutiny.
May Christ be praised,
Pastor Vic
For more on the Apostles’ Creed see: “The Apostles’ Creed; Discovering Authentic
Christianity in an Age of Counterfeits” by Albert Mohle
Apostles’ Creed–Part 1
Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord; who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell. The third day he arose from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, whence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen
The Apostles’ Creed is the most ancient and widely accepted summary statement of the Christian faith. It’s almost 2000 years old and records for us the basic teachings of the Bible. As Jude 3 states, “The faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” We walk in ancient paths and believe eternal things. Yet our belief in Jesus does not grow old because His living reality does not change. He is the beginning and the end of all things (Revelation 1:8), and His years will have no end (Hebrews 1:10-12).
We believe what the Apostles believed. We don’t believe in our personal emotional experiences, we believe in actual historical realities that were witnessed first-hand by the apostles. They spread out after the ascension of Jesus and became witnesses to all the world, that Christ was indeed crucified, dead, and buried – but on the third day raised from the dead. Albert Mohler is right in saying, “All Christians believe more than is contained in the Apostles’ Creed, but none can believe less.”
This creed is a basic confession of what the Bible teaches about the person of God and His saving work. It’s the basics of what every true Christian believes. In these beliefs all Christians must stand firm and stand together. I am going to work through each line of this Creed over the coming months in our newsletter helping you have a better grasp of basic Christian doctrine.
“I believe in God …” Do you believe in God? It’s the first question we must all ask ourselves. The actual answer to this question will completely redirect your life. It’s a question that can be pushed to the back of your mind, but never pushed out. It’s a question you will have to face, in this life or the next. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 11:6, “Whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists …” The starting point of Christianity is the belief in a real, actual, self-existing, non-created God. This God is self-revealing, meaning He makes Himself known to us according to His will and His purposes. If God did not choose to reveal Himself, He would not be known by us. The Bible is revelation from God. If you want to know who God is and know His will for your life today, read the Bible. In the Bible we learn who we are in light of who God is. We begin to understand ourselves in relationship to the Almighty power of God.
“The Father Almighty …” Jesus taught the apostles to address God as Father (Matthew 6:9). This is an amazingly personal way to address God. It demonstrates His personal love for us and that our relationship with God is not through a religious system, but according to the nearness of what father/child relationship should be. Through the love, goodness, patience, and gentleness of the self-sacrificing Christian God, we learn what fatherhood should be. Our human relationships are modeled after God’s love for us, not the other way around. However, the love of God as a Father includes absolute, almighty, authority. This absolute authority would be terrifying, as it is in false religions, if it were not paired with God’s goodness. But Fatherly love paired with absolute authority produces security and direction for our lives.
Do you believe these things? I urge you to consider who God is and how He has revealed Himself in the Bible. If you would like to read more about these things, get a copy of “The Apostles’ Creed: Discovering Authentic Christianity in an Age of Counterfeits” by Albert Mohler.
May God the Father Almighty strengthen our faith today,
Pastor Vic
Fishers of Men
Fishers of Men
“While walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And He said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’” Matthew 4:18-19
In this passage (Matthew 4:18-22) Jesus calls out three of His nearest disciples: Peter, James, and John. He calls them away from their life work of fishing, and instead calls them to be “fishers of men.” Jesus calls them to take up a new work and direct their energies toward a different end. He calls for them to leave behind business as usual. I’m not a great fisherman by any stretch, but I’ve done enough to understand why Jesus compares the seeking of lost souls to fishing.
First, fishing requires patience and dedication. Catching good fish isn’t easy. It takes time. Often, it involves waking up early or staying up late into the night. It’s not about what time is convenient for the fisherman, but what time the fish are active. Sometimes your line gets stuck in the tree. Sometimes it gets stuck on the bottom. Many times you’ll do everything you know how to do, stay out for hours and hours, and come home with nothing.
Second, fishing requires skill and lures. There’s a fishing store I go past every summer on the way to the beach. It’s a huge place with every lure imaginable. There are salt water lures, fresh water lures, trolling lures, and deep water lures. They’re all employed in different ways for different fish in different places, but the fisherman must have the knowledge and skill to select and use the right lure. Some fly fishermen will make their own lures out of available material appropriate to the situation.
Third, is the thrill of the catch! After all the preparation and patience, there are few things as thrilling as pulling in a big fish. Getting a fish on the hook only begins the fight to get it in the boat! Pulling in a big fish that you know will result in a delicious meal is ultimately why people spend all the time and effort to go fishing.
It’s not an accident or coincidence that Jesus compared fishing to the labor of seeking after the souls of lost people. Seeking after the lost requires dedication and patience. It will require early mornings and late nights. Patience to care and listen to people’s struggles, dedication to continue intentionally engaging people with the gospel, and late nights counseling and answering tough questions. But all this is done from a motivation, not of duty, but of love for the lost.
Seeking lost souls is also a process that requires skill. Sincerity is vital, but not enough by itself. We need knowledge and skill to answer real and deeply meaningful questions about God. We need wisdom to discern right from wrong. We need clarity of speech to explain difficult spiritual realities with plain simplicity.
Lastly, there is unmatched joy of being a part of seeing someone come to believe in Jesus as their Savior! There is absolutely nothing more thrilling than seeing the work of God upon someone’s heart to bring life out of death! There’s joy in seeing despair changed to hope, addiction broken, and the desires of the flesh transformed. This does not usually happen with just a few conversations. It can take years of engaging someone with Gospel conversations before the Lord opens their heart and by mercy causes them to be born again (1 Peter 1:3).
Have you obeyed the call of Jesus to be a fisher of men? Do you seek after the souls of lost people like a skilled and persevering fisherman? When was the last time you directly spoke with someone about the state of their soul? Have you ever experienced the immense joy of leading another person to salvation? Let’s take seriously the call of Jesus and make disciples of all nations. Let’s be fishers of men!
May Jesus burden us for lost souls,
Pastor Vic
Present Darkness
“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” Ephesians 6:12
Ephesians chapter six speaks of a standing against a “present darkness” and an “evil day.” Since the founding of this country, Christians have enjoyed a degree of religious freedom unprecedented in world history. I am alarmed that this long precedent is soon to change. It seems that the storm clouds have moved from the horizon to directly overhead. The country has progressively slid into a state of deep moral rebellion. We now live in a majority non-Christian country. The discussion has fundamentally changed. Talk is no longer about rebellious people doing sinful things, but sinful people holding the seats of power and attempting to force Christian people to give up their fundamental beliefs. I have long felt that the decisive strike against the church would come from the lesbian gay bi-sexual transgender queer (LGBTQ) community. This is fair to project because of biblical precedent. Homosexuality first comes on the scene in the Bible (Genesis 19) in a radically militant way. This community continues in its militancy today.
The LGBTQ community is not satisfied with being allowed to live as they choose in a free society. Their various passionate advocacy groups now see an open door of sympathy and opportunity in the Biden administration and the Democrat congressional majorities. They are pressing their case as far as they can. You should be aware of what is happening:
- The Equality Act: This act would add people identifying as LGBTQ to the Civil Rights Act as an additional protected class. This means that any person or organization that “discriminates” against an LGBTQ person would be open to criminal prosecution. This would mean that Christian churches, schools, camps, and hospitals would be forced to hire, accommodate, and not speak against homosexual or transgender issues in any way. This act has already passed the house with NO religious exemptions of any sort.
- Christian Colleges: An anti-religious exemption advocacy group filed a massive lawsuit last week against Christian Colleges and Universities nationwide. The suit is now being considered by the Biden controlled Department of Education. The purpose of the suit is to force the Department of Education to remove ALL federal funding from Colleges and Universities that do not fully approve of and promote LGBTQ lifestyles. These schools, as Christian schools, all have codes of conduct forbidding what the Bible forbids – homosexual and transgender sexual acts. If the lawsuit is successful all federal student aid and grants would be shut off. Certain business publications project that this could instantly close the doors of almost half the Christian Universities in the country that have become dependent on such funding.
- The US Military: The US military has fully reversed course on all things related to LGBTQ. In a powerful show of support to the transgender military community, transgender people were recently applauded and encouraged to become “more visible.” They have entered into a specially protected and promoted class. It is now being publicized as a recruiting tool that the military will pay for sex-reassignment surgery and subsequent hormone therapy to those who enlist.
- College Sports: Nationally the advancement of Oral Roberts University and Baylor University in the NCAA men’s college basketball national tournament has been passionately condemned by sports writers of major news outlets. They have been condemned because both Christian schools have codes of conduct that forbid homosexuality and transgender lifestyles on biblical grounds. The sports writers have begun publically campaigning to have all schools that hold anti-LGBTQ stances to be removed from NCAA sporting events.
These things are happening now, and if the Equality Act is passed, and opposition to homosexuality and transgender issues becomes criminal, other effects similar to these will immediately follow. Almost certainly, colleges and universities that lose all federal funding and their sports programs for “discrimination” will also lose their accreditation. Then finally, it’s hard to believe that churches will continue to receive favorable tax status if it is considered a criminal place of “discrimination” for practicing biblical Christianity. If financial penalties are first used to starve out colleges and universities, they will be used against churches next.
Don’t be deceived, these measures of financial coercion and constant public shaming are being brought to bear in an attempt to force Christian people to abandon a biblical Christian sexual ethic. As Albert Mohler states, a great “sorting” is about to happen. The sorting will be between those who will hold to a biblical sexual ethic that is willing to name sexual sin, and those who fully place sexuality in the free expression category.
As a church I want to focus on a few issues. First, the very first freedom enshrined in the Bill of Rights is the free practice of religion. Practice means that we get to act on our religion. We get to live out what we believe in the public square. You do not have freedom of religion if you are only allowed to act a certain way within the four walls of your church. This right was not created by the authors of the Bill of Rights, but recognized as a right from God. Human government does not have the authority to dictate moral mandates to God.
Second, know what the Bible teaches about sexual ethics. Learn clearly what the Bible says about how we should conduct ourselves sexually. This is not a small or secondary matter in the Bible. The idea that gender is assigned by God, and reserving sex for marriage between one man and one woman is basic to walking in obedience to God’s will.
Third, we must stand together as a church. We will greatly need each other in prayer, encouragement, wise counsel, and financial help in the coming days. These issues are not far off. They are in our face and in our midst. We cannot whisper in the corners about these things when they affect our families, our children, and our neighbors. We must help each other where help is needed and pray where prayer is needed. We must also be prepared to make sacrifices for obeying God. I am convinced that sooner than later someone in our church will lose their job because of an unwillingness to accept and participate in the LGBTQ militant agenda. We must stand together at that time and help.
Fourth, we must not fear. The true Christian church, those who believe in Jesus and follow His commands, will never fail. Persecution has come in various waves and forms throughout church history. Each time the church spreads and grows stronger, even through the fire of trial and hardship. Jesus is the Good Shepherd; He will always provide for those that are not ashamed of His name.
Fifth, we must never stop preaching the gospel to a lost and dying world. We must love the lost and speak to them the commands of Christ with sincere hope that they will come to repentance and faith. We must truly welcome LGBTQ people into our congregation. We welcome them to hear the preaching of God’s word, not to approve of their sin. And when the Lord brings them to salvation, we must help them unwind the complicated consequences of such deception.
May Jesus strengthen us, make us wise, and fill us with the Holy Spirit to effectively live for Jesus in our time and seek the lost for Christ.
Stand firm in Jesus our Lord,
Pastor Vic