Category Archives: Church

The End of All Things Is Near (a sermon on 1 Peter 4:7-11)

Posted on March 7, 2022 by salooper57

“The end of all things is near. Therefore, be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.” Peter does not say, “Be alert and of sober mind so that you” can outsmart the bad guys and save yourselves. … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Church, Church Life, Sermons | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Power of Always Trying Again

Posted on February 12, 2022 by salooper57

(Reading time: 3 to 4 minutes) The title of a recent Christianity Today article caught my attention. It read, “I’ve Reached My Breaking Point as a Pastor.” The article cited a new Barna study that “discovered that 38 percent of … Continue reading →

Posted in Church, Church Life, Spiritual life | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

One Woman’s Journey to Faith

Posted on January 31, 2022 by salooper57

I am excited to share Jenny Wickey’s story with you. She told our church family about the journey she has been on from her atheist upbringing to faith in Jesus Christ. It’s a great story that you will want to … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Church, Church Life, Faith, Truthfulness, Worldview and Culture | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Build an Altar: Worshiping Well

Posted on December 5, 2021 by salooper57

We cannot thrive when we do not worship God, but when we do, other things start falling into place. Decisions we once agonized over almost make themselves. Trials become easier to endure with faith. Relationships are set in order. We are nearer, or more continually near, to joy than ever before.

But when we are not worshiping God, decisions paralyze us, trials defeat us, relationships get crazy, and discouragement dogs our every step. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Church, Church Life, Spiritual life, Theology | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Evangelicalism Commandeered: A Cause for Concern

Posted on November 13, 2021 by salooper57

17 percent of American Muslims who attend mosque at least once a week now identify as Evangelicals. Despite the Evangelical label, they would not say the Bible is authoritative on all matters of faith and practice, nor would they insist on a decision for Christ.

he fact that so many American Muslims are now identifying as Evangelical is not the only surprise. The number of Catholics who identify as Evangelical has more than doubled in the past decade. Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Church, Worldview and Culture | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Up, Up, but not Away: The Ascension of Jesus (2)

Posted on October 1, 2021 by salooper57

When Jesus was crucified, his followers despaired. When he was raised, they were astounded. They realized that something phenomenally important had happened, but they didn’t realize where it would lead. They did not understand that they were living in a … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Church, Theology | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

The Church: Deconstructing or Deteriorating?

Posted on July 3, 2021 by salooper57

Today, many Christians, especially those under 40, are asking tough questions about the faith. They are questioning assumptions taught by, or caught from, their parents. This is particularly true of assumptions regarding sexuality and racial justice. The process is known … Continue reading →

Posted in Church, Church Life, Faith, Spiritual life, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

“I Believe in the Forgiveness of Sins”

Posted on April 17, 2021 by salooper57

Many people find the extravagant breadth of Christian forgiveness objectionable. Should even Hitler, if he has expressed “repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ,” be forgiven? What about the sexual predator? The murderer?

I have had to be clear about this in my own mind. The forgiveness of sins is easy enough to believe when you are sitting in a church pew. It is another matter when you are sitting in a jail cell with a man accused of molesting a two-year-old child or a woman who shot her sleeping husband and then decapitated him so she could be with another man. In such situations, could I honestly say that I believe in the forgiveness of sins?

Yes. I have been able to believe in the forgiveness of sins – even in those cells – because I believe in the God of Jesus. I am, however, in doubt about whether the people I came to see believed. They didn’t stop making excuses long enough for me to find out, but people who believe in the forgiveness of sins make confession, not excuses. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Church, relationships | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Committed to Christlikeness

Posted on March 16, 2021 by salooper57

This sermon is from Romans 8:28-30, and treats the Christian’s commitment to becoming Christlike.

Posted in Bible, Church, Church Life, Spiritual life | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

“Woke” Culture and a Righteousness of Our Own

Posted on March 9, 2021 by salooper57

In our day as in Paul’s, people try to establish a righteousness of their own. In fact, we live in what might be the most self-righteous moment in western history. So much of the impetus behind the “woke” movement is … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Church, Faith, Theology | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments