Postmodern Renaissance Culture Revolutionary

Here is the sermon outline for September 28th, 2014 sermon. Family Religion: Identifying the Head Ephesians 3:14-19; 5:21-29 Household Religion If our faith leads us to believe that we are part of God’s family as the church, then our families should reflect our faith Our families should seek to preserve unity among its members through working together toward a single purpose, having attitudes that result in peace , tending to one another with our words The next part of Paul’s “family rules” speaks to households Ephesians 5:21-24 & 33b speak to wives in relation to their husbands Ephesians 5:25-33a speak to husbands in relation to their wives Ephesians 6:1-3 speak to children in relation to their parents Ephesians 6:4 speak to fathers in relation to their children Ephesians 6:5-8 speak to servants/slaves in relation to their master Ephesians 6:9 speak to masters in relation to their servants/slaves Paul is explicitly speaking to the rules of househ...

I was asked to preach at the Bishop's Retreat last week. Here is the text of that sermon. Gideon, Minecraft, and One Bad Summer Judges 6:11-14 We have all been where Gideon was: confronted with God's messenger with the word we were called to do a great thing. We are here today because we have all shared in this experience. There is comfort in knowing that we have this miraculous moment in common. Then why did the idea of standing up here this morning weigh so heavily on me? I had a bad summer. I had a couple of events  in Spring that made me wonder if I was any good at what I do. I was in a funk when Annual Conference rolled around. At Annual Conference, we were confronted with the need to change direction if we wanted to be strong in the near future. I hear the burden of doing something to change direction in order to continue our rich heritage and tradition. But in the emotional place I was, I heard, "you aren't doing enough and what you are doing i...

The Bible has been used to justify or condemn many argued point. And rightly so. When believers are confronted with a situation that the revealed word of God has spoken to, there is a need to speak boldly to that issue. Sometimes, though, we encounter a situation or an issue that isn't clearly justifiable or condemned. Alcohol and drinking alcohol seems to be one such issue. Before I attempt to lay out a Biblical argument regarding alcohol, I want to deal with some myths that I have heard related to the subject. Myth #1. Water wasn't healthy enough to drink so wine was drunk regularly. Wine was a common drink at meals and there was a thriving wine industry in Israel. But you also have to taken into account that wells and cisterns were common for water. There are many accounts of wells in the Bible itself. Isaac's wife was selected when she drew up water to give someone a drink. Jesus even talks to a woman at a well about drinking the water there. Also keep in min...

Yesterday I examined Micah's calling to God's people that we are to show love through Mercy, Justice, and Living Evangelism. It seems that, according to Micah, unless we get out and show other people a tangible, meaningful love through acts of mercy, justice, and living evangelism, our worship will be empty and meaningless. John Wesley, when encountered by people passionate about growing mature in their love of God, formed then into groups to help grow one another. Wesley gave them three rules to live by: avoid doing harm do as much good as you can be intentional about discovering God's love in as many ways as possible (most of the time with others) These societies became the Methodist church. These rules are part of our basic DNA. At this present time, they are a recessive gene in many places. But we can recapture these essential traits. We can show love in these three ways through these three rules.   We love people around us by avoiding to cause them harm but ...

Love in all its ways Loving God requires showing love to all people in tangible and meaningful ways. If we desire a maturing relationship with God that goes beyond heart or mind to a perfected love, then we must have heart to hand and hand to heart love for others. The people of God have been called to show love in three tangible, meaningful ways.  Micah 6:6-8 ( New Living Translation ) What can we bring to the Lord ?      Should we bring him burnt offerings? Should we bow before God Most High      with offerings of yearling calves? 7  Should we offer him thousands of rams      and ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Should we sacrifice our firstborn children      to pay for our sins? 8  No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,      and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy,      and to walk humbly with y...