How to be a local missionary for your community

Every Christian is called to be a witness of the person and work of Jesus Christ.  Though not everyone is called to go to some far away land but everyone is called to proclaim the good news exactly where they are because that is exactly where God has placed them at that moment in time.  How faithful we are to God in his calling is what we are accountable for, none the less, we are called and placed for this purpose.  Then how do we be a local missionary for our community?

Hurricane Harvey Help

It is critical that the church acts when there is a need.  Well, there is a need.  Hurricane Harvey hit Texas and Louisiana hard and there is an on going need of donations.  As the Body of Christ, we serve the Lord Jesus Christ in every opportunity and need.  We serve not for selfish reasons or intent but out of Love for God and others.  If God has given you a dry roof over your head, food, clothing, and life; it is your duty as a servant of God to use that which God has given you for others in need.  There are many ways to serve and help.

The Real Opportunity to Glorify God and Love Your Neighbor

Some people think that being a good neighbor is serving the Lord, but then just leave it at that.  Others feel that living a 'gospel' lifestyle is good enough so proclaiming the gospel to your neighbor is not necessary.  Some still, avoid conversations about spiritual things and justify themselves with ideas like "my neighbor sees my gospel lifestyle" or "I do nice things for my neighbor, so they see God through that".  But is that actually serving and Glorifying God and actually loving your neighbor;  Are we actually taking the REAL opportunities that God places us in to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ?

Reformation Day (October 31st)

On October 31st the Church commemorates what was perhaps the greatest move of God’s Spirit since the days of the Apostles.  On October 31, 1517 Martin Luther nailed his ninety-five theses to a church door in Wittenberg, Germany that provoked a debate that culminated finally in what we now call the Protestant Reformation.

Maximal Opportunities to Desire God

This is an extremely deep issue that takes a lot of careful thought.  When correctly understood in light of scripture we can see how Maximal Opportunities bridges the understanding gap in a lot of areas in the Christian faith.  This relates to Molinism or the middle knowledge of God.  It explains how God does the all work in salvation, how people come to desire God, how he is all knowing, how and why a loving God allows evil, how and why God does not show favoritism, and how he is not responsible for sin.

Why God is not the Islamic 'Allah'

The Arabic name for God is 'Allah' which literally means 'the God'.   Although in name alone, this may be true.  The major distinction comes from who Allah is understood to be by his attributes and Characteristics.  In this article we will look at the fundamental differences in how God Justifies and saves mankind.

What Is Reformed Theology?

Reformed Theology is expressing specific areas of the study of God, and magnifying key elements that are, and have been, easily corrupted. It guides people into a more deep and clear understanding of God.  It came about during the period known as the reformation when the church had become widely corrupt and lost; to bring the church back to its foundations and original teachings.  It brings the focus back to the apostolic teachings and dependence on God.

Hyper-Grace theology

The amazing Grace of God is so amazing it changes lives for eternity.  Even the reformers stressed that we are saved by Grace Alone but does this amazing grace negate repentance and confession?  Wouldn't you want to live how-ever you wanted and not worry if it is sinful? The reality is that hyper-grace is nothing more than new age positivism and emotionalism disguised in churchy words that focuses on one subject of truth (Grace) while avoiding another (Obedience).  Thus it does not teach the truth of God in its entirety and just want man wants to hear and avoids what man does not want to hear. 

Once Saved, Always Saved

The phrase "once saved always saved" refers to the understanding of Eternal Security in Salvation.  The question this addresses is: Can we lose our salvation?  This is a very important question because it impacts a lot of areas of theology.  At the same time it is a very easy question to answer when allowing scripture to answer it for us.

The Satisfaction of Christ Jesus

All humanity longs for something.  It needs and desires something more than itself.  It invents and subscribes to things that attempt to satisfy that need and desire.  Religions, cultural norms and laws, hobbies and possessions, careers and status.  All these things CAN attempt to satisfy the human longing for contentment and peace.  Even some "christians" are not satisfied with just their religion, they need greater health, more wealth, and happiness too.  But the absolute power of being in Christ is the absolute contentment and peace that only comes from him.

The Beauty of Accountability

It is human nature to NOT want to be held accountable for our wrongful actions.  From the very beginning; Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the snake.  But what if that resistance to being held accountable was actually our sinful nature and that God actually wants us to hold each other accountable;  and what if through that accountability we get to experience grace, mercy, forgiveness, and need for Christ on a deeper level of understanding.  An understanding that would not come otherwise.  What does scripture teach us about accountability and our duty out of love for each other?

The New You Forever

From our physical birth to our physical death there is nothing on the outside besides a change of habits, thinking processes, and locations that make us spiritually alive.  We enter the world as sinners estranged from God.  We are born spiritually dead (Eph 2:1-3, Col 2:13).  We live a life of habits, environmentally and socially learned behaviors and ways of thinking.  One of the greatest results of coming to faith in Jesus Christ is being made spiritually alive and 'born again'.  But what does that mean? What happens?

How Christians NEED to Respond to the Anti-Christian World

With terrorism becoming more apparent in Western nations and the threat of violence and death is becoming more abundant world wide, Christians NEED to respond the way The Lord God Christ Jesus calls all his elect to respond.  As the 'western' civilizations become more secular; the social, civil, and physical persecution of The Gospel message will grow.  How Christians respond to this is just as important as the identity of being Christian itself.  This article is a comprehensive support and aid to those who are not sure how or what they can do or really understand what they, as Christian, are even called to do.

What Did Polycarp of Smyrna Teach?

Polycarp is one of the earliest Church leaders.  Born around or just right after Paul The Apostles martyrdom and himself martyred around 150 AD.  According to Irenaeus and Jerome, he was literally a disciple of John The Apostle and ordained by John himself to lead the church in Smyrna.  Polycarp was also close to Papias, who was also a disciple of John.  His only surviving writing is a Letter to the Philippians.  Irenaeus also records how he heard Polycarp teach in person and speak about things John The Apostle told him about Jesus first hand.


Why is he important?

The Amazing Grace of God

Gracious; the greatest characteristic of God.  Without his Grace, we would be nothing.

What is Grace?

Simply put, unmerited favor.  It is God showing kindness and being benevolent to anything undeserving of his kindness and benevolence.  It can not be stressed enough that it is undeserved.  We do not deserve or earn his favor.  We do not deserve blessings; they are given without merit.

Why "Good Friday" is so Good

The Friday before Resurrection Sunday (Easter), Christians remember the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the cross.  It is not explicitly said in scripture to remember this day annually as "Good Friday" but instead Christians are explicitly commanded to remember through The Lords Supper (1 Cor 11:24-26).  Either way the timing of the celebration and remembrance of the event is free to the individual believer (Romans 14:5). 

What Are is Good Friday Celebrating?

Sinlessness and its Dilemmas

• "Go and sin no more" John 8:3-11
• "stop sinning or something worse may happen to you" John 5:1-15
• "be holy as I am holy" 1 Peter 1:16
• "if you love me; keep my commandments" John 14:15
• "until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become perfect" Eph 4:13

Just from these verses we can jump to the conclusion that we can stop sinning, keep God's commands, and be holy with the assumption in this life.  On the surface, this is true.  God does expect us to become holy and sinless and keep his commands in this life.  Coming from the creator and holy God, that is a legit explanation.

But when we look at ALL scripture, we come to some road blocks with the assumption of sinlessness in this life.

Statement of Faith: Salvation

           Salvation is a gift of God’s grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross (Ephesians 2:8-9). Christ’s death fully accomplished justification through faith and redemption from sin. Christ died in our place (Romans 5:8-9) and bore our sins in His own body (1 Peter 2:24).

           The Principle 'Grace Alone' emphasizes grace as the reason for our salvation. In other words, salvation comes from what God has done rather than what we do (Ephesians 2:8-9).  Salvation is received by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Good works and obedience are results of salvation, not requirements for salvation.

Statement of Faith: Humanity

           Humanity came into existence by direct creation of God and that humanity is uniquely made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27). God created the universe and all that is in it by his creative effort.  God brought the universe into existence by the exertion of his will.   Adam and Eve were real people, created by God just as Genesis says.   We believe that all humanity, because of Adam's fall, has inherited a sinful nature, that all human beings choose to sin (Romans 3:23), and sin is eternally offensive to God (Romans 6:23). Humanity is utterly unable to remedy this fallen state (Ephesians 2:1-5,12).  Man is fallen, corrupt, and wicked.

Statement of Faith: God

           There is one God who is the one Creator of all (Deuteronomy 6:4;Colossians 1:16), who has revealed Himself in three distinct 'Persons'—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14), in one being, essence, and glory (John 10:30). He has always been The Triune God and was never anything else (Psalm 90:2). God is eternal (Psalm 90:2), infinite (1 Timothy 1:17), and sovereign (Psalm 93:1). God is omniscient (Psalm 139:1-6), omnipresent (Psalm 139:7-13), omnipotent (Revelation 19:6), and unchanging (Malachi 3:6). God is holy (Isaiah 6:3), just (Deuteronomy 32:4), and righteous (Exodus 9:27). God is love (1 John 4:8), gracious (Ephesians 2:8), merciful (1 Peter 1:3), and good (Romans 8:28). He is to be worshiped (Gen. 24:26; Ex. 4:31; 2 Chron. 29:28; 1 Cor. 14:25; Rev. 7:11). He is to be served (Matt. 4:10; 1 Cor. 6:19; Phil. 3:7; 1 Thess. 1:9; Heb. 9:14). He is to be proclaimed (Matt. 28:19f.; John 14:15f.; Acts 1:8).