Pastor Roger's Blog

July 3, 2009

Hi Friends,
 
Freedom!  As a veteran I join fellow Americans in celebrating our freedom as a nation.  The weekend will be filled with family and friends gathering for barbecues and firework displays.  This Sunday, July 6th, we will also celebrate our freedom in Jesus as we gather for worship.  We begin a new series called "Approved" as we study 2 Timothy.  This week we are considering the call of God's Word to live life so that we are not ashamed.  And after second service we will be enjoying an all church picnic with games and fun for the entire family.  Enjoy the weekend,
 
A friend,
Roger

June 26, 2009

Hi Friends,
 
This Sunday, June 28th, we complete our series on "Heroes" as we look at Job.  What a messed up story!  One day Job has everything life can offer and in one afternoon it is all taken away.  But as unbelievable as that seems, I am even more amazed at how Job responds.  I think I am more stunned at Job's response to all of the tragedy in his life than I am at the tragedies themselves.  As we study Job's story, we will also look at how the devil attacked him through these tragedies.  And then we have to ask God to show us how this may apply to real life, real time for each of us.  There continues to be bad stuff happening to good people all around us.  How are we responding?  And how are we holding up against the attacks of the enemy?  And what does all of this have to do with worship? 
 
See you Sunday.
 
A friend,
Roger

June 19, 2009

Hi Friends,
 
Happy Father's Day to the dads among us.  And as we celebrate our fathers, we also offer a heartfelt prayer for those who have recently lost their fathers, those who have absent fathers, and those who long to be a father. 
 
Every father has an opportunity to be a man of blessing.  This Sunday, June 21st, we continue our series on "Heroes" as we look at Isaac.  I find it interesting that Isaac was a man with so many flaws, yet a man who passed on blessing to his family.  I want us to carefully consider how that happened for him - and how it can happen for us today. 
 
As a part of our service we will celebrate Chelsie's story, share Father's Day poems from kids without dads, ponder a quote from Kurt Cobain (yeah - the grunge rocker), ask why the bear jumped off the bridge and consider a new support group that I am thinking about starting as a founding member.
 
On the journey to be a father of blessing ...   
 
A friend,
Roger

June 12, 2009

Hi Friends,
 
This Sunday, June 14th, we continue our series on Heroes as we consider Ruth's life of service.  What should we do when life doesn't turn out as we had hoped?  Rather than take care of family, some take it out on family.  Others, remarkably, begin loving and serving their community and neighbors even in the midst of their own loss and suffering.  This week we will look at the story of Ruth and ask God to show us biblical lessons that can make a difference in our lives when life doesn't turn out the way we expected.
 
A friend,

Roger

June 4, 2009

Hi Friends,
 
This Sunday Jeff Auw - our Youth Pastor - will be speaking.  God has been renewing a passionate vision for ministry to our students in Jeff's heart.  I want you to have an opportunity to hear the heartbeat of this passionate vision.  Just last weekend Jeff was ordained by our Bishop - a proud moment for Jeff and Amaya and their families.  We are blessed to have Jeff and Amaya as a part of our team. 
 
By the way and just for the fun of it - ask Pastor Jeff's wife Amaya what her favorite football team is? 
 
A friend,
Roger  
 

May 29, 2009

Hi Friends,

 

                This Sunday, May 31^st, we continue our series on Heroes as we look at Rahab as an example of obedient faith.  Rahab’s story is in Joshua 2.  Rahab had the faith to be obedient in the face of fear, personal risk and unanswered prayer.  May the Lord give us the strength of obedient faith.

 

                I know it is not football season yet but this Sunday we are also going to test how well our Deer Flat football fans know #12.  A real hero!

 

                Have a great weekend.

 

A friend,

Roger

May 22, 2009

Hi Friends,

                Are you one of the 40 million people that watched the finale of American Idol this week?  Did you smile or groan as the underdog clean-cut married college student and former missionary from Conway, AR Kris Allen upset the heavily favored spiky-haired glam rocker Adam Lambert to become the eighth American Idol?  Lambert has been described as “a performer who looked like he was born to strut across the stage in front of a cheering throng”.  Lambert clearly had a more commanding vocal range and stage presence and often seemed to be the favorite of the judges.  But in a clear contrast, Allen, the winner, was described as “an acoustic maestro at home with just a chair and a guitar”.  And America has a new hero.  Or do we?  Where do real heroes come from?  In classic literature, a hero came to refer to a person that in the face of danger or adversity displayed courage and self sacrifice.  In times of adversity we seem to need to find new heroes.  But sometimes real heroes are birthed out of disaster and hardship. 

                This Sunday, May 24^th, we begin a new series called “Heroes” as we look at Nehemiah and his persistent faith.  Nehemiah’s story has relevance to the stuff going on all around us today.  In what part of your life are you in need of more persistent faith?  God wants to give us a persistent faith to overcome whatever circumstances, fears or opposition we may experience.

A friend,

Roger

The Love Dare - Sex and Marriage

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May 15, 2009

Hi Friends,

                This Sunday, May 17^th, we conclude our Love Dare series with a message on “Sex and Marriage” as we look into Ephesians 5:25-33.  Within these verses we will find God’s secrets to living out the marriage of our dreams.  Actually, these are not secrets at all.  I invite you to join us on this treasure hunt for the biblical lessons that will help us fireproof not only our marriages but all of our most important relationships.  What would it be like to have the marriage of our dreams?  What would it be like to be loved by someone the way Jesus loves the Church?  Join us as we look into God’s Word for our answers.

                And this Sunday we begin our first Biker Ride and Lunch.  We will meet in the Deer Flat parking lot at 1:00pm.  We have a 45 minute ride planned with a restaurant picked out for lunch.  Before we leave the Deer Flat parking lot we will have a Blessing of the Bikes prayer time.

                Have a great weekend.  See you Sunday.

A friend,

Roger

The Love Dare - Words of Affirmation

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