November 8, 2022
by Mike Purcell
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Category:
Church
When Saul of Tarsus persecuted the church in the 1st century, he encountered an unexpected adversary. As he traveled to Damascus to persecute those belonging to the Way, he was confronted by the risen Lord Jesus....
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October 11, 2022
by Mike Purcell
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Category:
Bible
| Tags: Hebrews, Hold Fast
As a child, I didn’t mind a little turbulence when flying. I thought it was fun. But as an adult, not so much. When I’m on a flight that starts getting bumpy, I immediately tighten my seatbelt and grip the armrests. Don’t we tend to do this when things get shaky? Have you ever been in an earthquake, the passenger in a car going too fast, or on a boat rocking back and...
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April 28, 2022
by Mike Purcell
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Category:
Gospel Life
| Tags: Proverbs
Prussian military commander Helmuth von Moltke, who lived from 1800 to 1891, wrote, “No plan of operations reaches with any certainty beyond the first encounter with the enemy's main force.” Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson said something similar when he quipped, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” Both men pointed out that no matter ho...
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February 1, 2022
by Mike Purcell
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Category:
Gospel Life
I remember the sense of freedom I experienced when I finally got my driver’s license at the age of 17. On my first day of driving on my own, I went to Alki Beach with my friends as we enjoyed the sun, sand, and waves. It was glorious!...
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January 11, 2022
by Mike Purcell
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Category:
Gospel Life
I remember the days when my wife and I sincerely believed we were patient people. We believed this all the way until we had children. The Lord then graciously disabused us of a high view of our patience. Our impatience was exposed! Our failures often serve to remind us of our need for the gospel as well as our need for the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives......
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January 11, 2021
by Mike Purcell
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Category:
Theology
Pastor Mike Bullmore tells the tale of a man who traveled to the Louvre in Paris to see famous pieces of art firsthand. As he stood in front of the Mona Lisa, which is always under guard, he played the part of an art critic. He took his time looking at the piece from several different angles before declaring, “I don’t like it”, to which the guard replied, “sir, the...
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December 30, 2020
by Mike Purcell
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Category:
Mission
When Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians he did not complain or grumble about the fact that he was imprisoned due to his faithful proclamation of the gospel. Instead, he expressed gratitude for the fact that the gospel was advancing because of his imprisonment. He wrote, ...
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October 12, 2020
by Mike Purcell
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Category:
Culture and Christ
We are all being shaped by various influences in our lives. A couple of important questions we must ask therefore is: how am I being formed? Who or what is influencing my thoughts, attitudes, desires, words and actions?...
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July 1, 2020
by Mike Purcell
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Category:
Community News
Fearless, Hopeful and Helpful - Part 1
In the summer of 1854, a cholera epidemic hit London, where a 19-year-old Charles Spurgeon had recently begun his pastoral ministry. He would go on to have a prolific preaching ministry becoming known as the ‘prince of preachers.’ In a sermon given on February 18th, 1855, Spurgeon said,...
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July 1, 2020
by Mike Purcell
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Category:
Community News
Fearelss, Hopeful and Helpful - Part 2
While we see clearly that we are not to fear death, we also see in Scripture that we have gospel-centered reasons to participate in the efforts to preserve lives. The reasons we see in Scripture for working to preserve lives are all rooted in love for others. Jesus said that the second greatest commandment is to love our neighbors...
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July 1, 2020
by Mike Purcell
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Category:
Community News
Fearless, Hopeful and Helpful - Part 3
We see in Scripture that we should not fear death and we see that we have Christ honoring reasons to help preserve lives. As we make efforts to preserve lives, we are called to look for opportunities to labor for the gospel. With this in mind let’s consider how we can apply these truths to our lives in the midst of the current pa...
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June 25, 2020
by Mike Purcell
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Category:
Community News
Dear church family,
As many of you know, Governor Inslee issued a statewide mandate requiring facial coverings in public, which is set to take effect on Friday, June 27th. The statewide mandate requires people over the age of 5 to wear face coverings generally while they are in any indoor or outdoor public space. Masks will not be required outdoors when people can stay ...
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