by Sam Ford
|
Category:
Gospel Life
Does anyone make meaningful annual resolutions anymore? There are important resolutions to make, physically, socially, economically, etc. Most resolutions feel like emotional reactions to all the mistakes we made the previous years. In an effort to correct our bulging waistlines, our broken relationships, or our beleaguered balance sheets, we determine to "do better," or...
Keep Reading
by Sam Ford
|
Category:
Gospel Life
For some, 2020 has made it more difficult to be thankful. Everything that once brought us life feels disrupted. Difficult circumstances we cannot control have robbed us of what we could otherwise enjoy. The worst thing we can do is grumble out loud (and online) or dispute silently within ourselves. I have learned the hard way how this kind of approach makes things worse. W...
Keep Reading
by Sam Ford
|
Category:
Community News
The elders are continuing to navigate this difficult time in our community, striving to determine what is right, safe, and wise. Relative to this pandemic, we have discovered that very little is black and white. As we journey through every changing shade of gray, our elders wanted to take a moment to clarify our position in order to avoid any confusion and alleviate any co...
Keep Reading
by Sam Ford
|
Category:
Gospel Life
***Below are a few pastoral comments shared in our most recent member meeting***
Without question, many of us feel separated and disconnected. This long trial has tested our patience, our discernment and our love. As I have said more than once, even if we have not been exposed TO the virus, many have been exposed BY this pandemic. I wanted to take a few minutes to sp...
Keep Reading
by Sam Ford
|
Category:
Gospel Life
It feels like we are living in the middle of the book of Judges.
If you feel desparing, or downright scared, about our current cultural climate, you would do well skim through the book of Judges. The book of Judges is one of the most disturbing narratives in Scripture, recording of some of most disturbing people who ever lived, who do some of the most disturbing thing...
Keep Reading
by Sam Ford
|
Category:
Community News
Paul loved the churches he planted and served. Because Paul was often imprisoned or otherwise hindered from being with his people, he often writes about his desire--how he longs to be with them face to face.
I remember when the emergency orders first came down in March. The gathering of the church was halted and, for the first time in 15 years, I didn't gather with ...
Keep Reading
by Sam Ford
|
Category:
Community News
Yesterday in our Sunday service, we spent our time in Mark 9.14-29. In this passage, Jesus responds to the pleas of a faithful Father and heals his demon-possessed son. His disciples had attempted to help the boy while Jesus was on the mountain. They had been authorized and empowered to "cast out demons" by Jesus (Mark 3.15; 6.6.7) but could not help this particular boy...
Keep Reading
by Sam Ford
|
Category:
Community News
We are 10 days into Phase 2. Some churches have not decided to meet yet. Some of the churches who have begun to gather are following very few recommendations, many are following most, and several are following none of them in accord with their respective consciences. Our elders are taking a measured approach, evaluating each week and seeking to discern what is right, wis...
Keep Reading
by Sam Ford
|
Category:
Culture and Christ
There are always two ditches on the sides of every road. These ditches usually represent extremes we want to avoid but, on occasion, find ourselves stuck in. There are all kinds of roads with their different ditches: religion and irreligion, self-indulgence and self-righteousness, or even "blow-anger" and "no-anger", etc. Our hope is to navigate the tension of the middle...
Keep Reading
by Sam Ford
|
Category:
Culture and Christ
It goes without saying that our world is broken and full of injustice. As leaders in our homes and pastors in this church, we work hard discern what injustices to address, when to address them, and even how. Rather than hastily post our reactions on social media, as our world is prone to do, we feel it is important to be slow and deliberate in our responses so as to be he...
Keep Reading
by Sam Ford
|
Category:
Gospel Life
Making decisions can be hard, especially when things are not black and white. Decisions in the gray often generate deeps feelings of ambivalence where two options appear equally positive and negative.
Our current pandemic has created a very gray environment. Not only has number of decisions we have to make been exponentially increased, the process of decision-making ...
Keep Reading
by Sam Ford
|
Category:
Gospel Life
In recent weeks, I have had more than one conversation about how this COVID-19 pandemic is negatively impacting the church. Every new restrictions brings two new conspiracies and three new opinions. Sides are being chosen, teams are being made, post are being "liked" and people are being "unfriended."...
Keep Reading
by Sam Ford
|
Category:
Community News
Brothers and sisters in Christ, I pray that this letter finds you trusting in the goodness of God’s purposes and hoping in the certainty of God’s promises.
It has been over a month since our last update concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. Since that time, various social restrictions have expanded, and stay-at-home orders have been extended multiple times. In our fir...
Keep Reading
by Sam Ford
|
Category:
Gospel Life
Even if we have not been exposed TO Covid-19, we have all be exposed BY it. As time goes on, who we truly are and what we truly believe is being revealed. All suffering and trials do this. Paul Tripp in his book, Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands rightly notes:
"We don't radically change in a moment of trial. No, trials expose what we've always been. Trials bare th...
Keep Reading
by Sam Ford
|
Category:
Gospel Life
"The only hope you have is to accept the fact that you are already dead. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you will be able to function as a soldier is supposed to function. All war depends upon it."...
Keep Reading
by Sam Ford
|
Category:
Gospel Life
Everyone has an opinion about how to confront the COVID-19 pandemic. Conspiracy theories abound regarding the motives of decision-makers but, apart from those who believe the earth is flat, I am convinced that the "powers that be" are doing their best to do what they believe is best. Every decision-maker has a definition of best, and everyone impacted by their decisions ...
Keep Reading
by Sam Ford
|
Category:
Culture and Christ
The trauma of COVID-19 has become part of our story.
The chapter is not yet completed, so time will tell what the "theme" of this chapter is and what role it plays in our overall story. It is a strange chapter so far, full of both extended passages of tremendous evil as well as beautiful narratives of goodness. One theme that seems to be coming through has something ...
Keep Reading
by Sam Ford
|
Category:
Gospel Life
In a world where we are told what is "essential", Jesus reminds us of the one truly essential thing....
Keep Reading
by Sam Ford
|
Category:
Gospel Life
The Resurrection of Jesus is the most important event in the history of the world. Even though the tomb is still empty, Christians often live as if Jesus is still dead and buried. Some Christians find themselves stuck on a perpetual Friday, enslaved to their guilt and shame. Other find their way to Saturday, hoping what Jesus said is true, but living as if they don't reall...
Keep Reading
by Sam Ford
|
Category:
Mission
Why do we exist? The pursuit of an answer to this universal WHY question reveals our deep need for meaning in life. We wrongly, but naturally, attempt to find our ultimate purpose in what we do as individuals and as the church. In truth, what we do is a product of who we are. We are saved by Jesus and sent by Jesus....
Keep Reading
by Sam Ford
|
Category:
Theology
The best way to teach your family to pray, is to model it. Jesus taught his disciples to pray for themselves. His lesson is recorded in Matthew 6.9-13. I challenge you to commit to praying for 21 days the following, after Jesus instruction:...
Keep Reading
by Sam Ford
|
Category:
Theology
The Scripture tells us that if draw near to God, he promises draws near to us. And he does, especially in these extended quiet times. But even when that happens, many discover that even with God there remains, at times a emptiness...a distance...a loneliness. It seems we may need something more than God.
I realize that to suggest that we need something more than God m...
Keep Reading
by Sam Ford
|
Category:
Community News
Thank you for your faithfulness during this unique moment in our region’s history. Many will be tempted to ask: “What is the church doing to help the community?". As a reminder, the church is not a building or a program, it is a people that gathers AND scatters. In other words, the church is YOU! As the people of God, we have a confidence that Jesus is King over Sa...
Keep Reading