Pastor’s Notes (Page 22)

• The letter below was sent to CPC officers last June, then later used as a note to the congregation. I woke up thinking about it and wanted to send it to you again. It applies to all of us as we pursue God. In the opening quote from 1 Tim 3, Paul is conflating the work of the enemy and the decline of a man’s character and reputation. Our sin is the work of the…

• Men’s ministry tomorrow at 8:00am. Join us for good food and fellowship in the Word. Gatherings like Men’s Ministry or small groups may seem like luxuries, or trivialities, but they are not. I’ve watched good men go from leadership in Christ to spiritual ruin in a matter of years, usually because they lost the presence of “many witnesses” (1 Tim 6:12) and the natural…

As the warm summer months approach, our Sunday School will come to a close. We’ll resume in the Autumn. So beginning June 21st, our first worship service will begin at 9:00a. Our second will begin at 11:00a.

• As you know (maybe too well), I’m always intrigued by arguments from non-believers against the dominant secular worldview. I am more at ease as an evangelist when I know that views opposed to Scripture are seriously flawed, even from the perspective of the non-believer. I find such arguments to be useful tools. They enable me to defend the faith from a posture of peace,…

Over the past year the candidates nominated for the offices of elder and deacon have met with the session, pastor Eric, and engaged in some aspects relating to their respective office. On May 31st we will hold a congregational vote for these men. The vote will take place after a shortened Sunday school time. We will meet in the sanctuary at 10:30a. If you are a member of…

• From Luke 13: “Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years…. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” …But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There…

• I’m writing this to equip us. I believe this is a responsibility that falls to all pastors in this particular hour. I encourage you to read through to the end (it will take 5 mins), as the final comments are important. Thanks.

• I think the rancor of the Culture Wars is a betrayal of God in tone and method, but there is a battle to be fought nevertheless. I’m working on a longer piece on homosexuality in the Church (the realm of my own responsibilities), and below is a portion of that. 

• Monday after our celebration of the Resurrection, I listened to the book of Acts while working in the garage (I use the ESV app for phones, which has a “listen” option, then plug the phone into one of those little speakers).  I thought I’d try to get a little distance from the text and let someone else just read to me “what happened next” after the Lord rose from the…

• No week throws death and life into such sharp contrast as this one. The death of Jesus by crucifixion must have stunned the disciples. To them he had “the words of eternal life” and was beyond the power of vindictive kings and governors. Jesus’ death was more than a tragedy in itself, it was the death of a hope they had begun to embrace, a hope they had not known until…