Monday Re:Verse Blog Post – 9/2/19

Re:Verse passage – Colossians 1:9-14 (day one)

Join us as Senior Pastor Chris Johnson, Associate Pastor Aaron Hufty and Associate Pastor Bryan Richardson walk us through Colossians 1:9-14 in our New Fall Sermon Series: “Fullness of Christ” a study of Colossians.

Monday Re:Verse Blog Post – 8/26/19

Re:Verse passage – Colossians 1:1-8 (day one)

Join us as Senior Pastor Chris Johnson, Associate Pastor Aaron Hufty and Associate Pastor Bryan Richardson walk us through Colossians 1:18  in our New Fall Sermon Series: “Fullness of Christ” a study of Colossians.

Not an Option

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 28:18-20 (day four)

“The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed.”
― J. Hudson Taylor

This is my favorite quote by my favorite missionary. Reading Hudson Taylor’s Biography changed the course of my life and motivated me to listen to the call of God which beckoned me to China. No one is qualified to be a missionary. I certainly was not. It was the boldness of other hero-believers such as Taylor that gave me the courage to “Go into all the world.” Obedience comes before understanding. I listened to my Savior, but I did not know how I would fulfill the Great Commission. All I knew how to do was “Go.” How do I teach them everything you commanded, or baptize them, or make disciples when I do not know their language or culture? Jesus only demands that we are willing to submit to His supreme authority and trust that He will never leave us to do the work alone. Believer, young and old, don’t be afraid of where God the Father calls you or what Jesus the Son commands you to do; JUST GO and TRUST His Holy Spirit to lead and guide you. Whatever you do, please do not ignore this command and say it is for someone else. If you do you are disobeying direct orders. There is no other reason we are left on this earth. Jesus is coming back soon! Let us be counted among the good and faithful! Ready. Set. Go!

Byron Pitts
Director of Community Missions & Evangelism

Monday Re:Verse Blog Post – 8/19/19

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 28:18-20 (day one)

Join us as Senior Pastor Chris Johnson, Associate Pastor Aaron Hufty and Associate Pastor Bryan Richardson walk us through Matthew 28:18-20 (The Great Commission) in our Summer Sermon Series: “Meant for More. A Study of Commandments.”

What You Focus on Expands

Re:Verse passage –Matthew 22:35-39 (day four)

Underneath my computer in my office I keep a sticky note with a quote from Tim Elmore that says, “What you focus on expands.” There is a reason that the scripture reiterates the word “all” in this command. Our innermost desires and thoughts should be rooted in the Lord. In the moments that we pause at work or school and begin to daydream, what are we dreaming about? What we focus on expands. As our heart and mind begin to dream and think, the things that we dream and think about expand. Our knowledge of those things increases. Our plans become more comprehensive. Taking a pause to dream is not a bad thing. It is when these thoughts and dreams consume our everyday lives that it becomes a hinderance to our faith. Jimmy Needham wrote a song that states, “Anything I want with all my heart is an idol. Anything I can’t stop thinking about is an idol.” What you focus on expands. Is what you are focusing on keeping you from focusing on God with all your heart?

Rick Henderson
Associate Pastor, Youth

Monday Re:Verse Blog Post – 8/12/19

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 22:35-39 (day one)

Join us as Senior Pastor Chris Johnson, Associate Pastor Aaron Hufty and Associate Pastor Bryan Richardson walk us through Matthew 22:35-39 (The Greatest Commandment) in our Summer Sermon Series: “Meant for More. A Study of Commandments.”

Enough

Re:Verse passage –Exodus 20:17 (day four)

“You shall not covet…anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

When is “enough”, enough? It is so easy for us to fall into the trap of seeing the things that are around us that we do not have and want them. We are constantly bombarded with lies that what we have is not enough. There is a better car to drive. There is a newer gadget. There is a more beautiful house down the street. There is a great school for your kids, just not in your area. None of these things in and of themselves is a sin to have.

The rub comes from our desires in wanting more. Do we trust that God gives us all that we need? In Deuteronomy 28, God promises that if we follow Him and trust Him, He will give to us abundantly. In Matthew 6, Jesus reminds us that God knows what we need and gives to us appropriately. It can be difficult to not want more at times. But God’s word reminds us that we have to trust that He gives us more than enough.

Jimmy Gunn
Associate Pastor, Preschool & Elementary

Monday Re:Verse Blog Post – 8/5/19

Re:Verse passage – Exodus 20:17 (day one)

“You shall not covet…anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

Join us as Senior Pastor Chris Johnson, Associate Pastor Aaron Hufty and Associate Pastor Bryan Richardson walk us through Exodus 20:17 (the 10th Commandment) in our Summer Sermon Series: “Meant for More. A Study of Commandments.”

The Value of Truth

Re:Verse passage – Exodus 20:16 (day four) 

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

There have been numerous studies to determine the amount of times people lie on a daily basis. Yet, most those studies are dependent on the subjects being truthful about how many times they do not tell the truth. Regardless, the facts found in these studies point to one commonality: our culture does not value truth. When children receive a gift they did not like, we have taught them to pretend that they liked it. We give half-truths or expand the truth to make our stories more interesting. We have even devalued truth the point of making truth relative.

Our text this week shows us a different value in truth. As Dr. Aaron Hufty spoke in the vlog, we not only need to look at the negative implications of the command, but also the implications of what the command is freeing us to do. This command is freeing us to both tell and know the truth. Jesus explains this further in John 14, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” To devalue truth is to devalue God whose very being and character are truth. What needs to change in our lives to better reflect our value of truth?

Rick Henderson
Associate Pastor, Youth

Monday Re:Verse Blog Post – 7/29/19

Re:Verse passage –Exodus 20:16 (day one)

Join us as Senior Pastor Chris Johnson, Associate Pastor Aaron Hufty and Associate Pastor Bryan Richardson walk us through Exodus 20:16 (the 9th Commandment) in our Summer Sermon Series: “Meant for More. A Study of Commandments.”