This is our pastor’s latest “From the Pulpit” article for the Stone County Gazette. Do you know one of the saddest events in the Bible? It was when many followers of Jesus rejected Him because He wasn’t the Savior they wanted. It’s in John 6. Jesus had just fed a crowd of 5,000, and […]
John 6:1-15: Seeing Jesus with Your Ears
March 10, 2013 by
Faith believes what it cannot see, for if faith could see what it believes, it wouldn’t be faith. That would be walking by sight, which doesn’t need faith. And so faith grasps the invisible mysteries of God, for it “sees” (if we want to use that word), not through our eyes, but through our ears. […]
From Adam to Jesus, Lesson 5: Moses
December 2, 2012 by
When we left Abraham in the last lesson, God told him that he would become a great nation, receive a “great name,” and become a blessing to the whole world. The only problem was that it would take some time. God had said so back in Genesis 15. God warned Abraham that his descendants would […]
Get Up and Eat: 1 Kings 19:1-8
August 12, 2012 by
“Get up and eat”: that was the buzzing alarm clock that awakened the Prophet Elijah as he slept under a broom tree. He had just come back from the magnificent victory at Mt. Carmel, where fire blazed down from heaven, and 450 prophets of Baal were put to the sword. What a heroic day for […]
Maundy Thursday: Exodus 24:3-11
April 5, 2012 by
Did they even realize or have a clue what they had agreed to do? “We will do everything the LORD has said.” We don’t even have to think about all the Lord had commanded to realize the futility of that response. All we have to do is remember the two chief commandments: Love the Lord […]
The Didache, Lesson 13: The Agape Meal
March 25, 2012 by
The Didache, after going over what brought one into the New Covenant and the spiritual disciplines for one in the New Covenant, now delves into epicenter of the New Covenant itself–the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26:28). However, what we find different is the context of the Lord’s Supper: It takes place within what is called an […]
Luke 14:1-14, “Friend, Move Up Higher”
October 16, 2011 by
It’s a dangerous decision to make when planning a wedding reception, to decide who sits where. Some folks will value where you place them to sit, near the bride and groom, near the place of honor. Others will feel insulted, having to sit too far way from where they think they belong. But if you […]
The Lord’s Supper: Christ’s Life-Giving Gift, “Often” Received
September 21, 2011 by
This is our pastor’s newsletter article for October, 2011. The picture is also of our pastor praying the Proper Preface, which is part of the liturgy for the Sacrament of the Supper. Recently during Sunday School, someone asked this question: “Why don’t we have communion every Sunday since that’s been the Church’s practice from the […]
What are we to do as a congregation?
August 23, 2011 by
What are We to Do? By Pr. Rich Futrell Every Christian congregation has a worship service (if not, it’s not a “church”). Usually, there’s also some Bible study. Congregations also have, as part of their congregational lives, funerals, weddings, confirmations, and so on. But beyond that, what should we do as a congregation? Apart from […]
Jesus Feeds Us: Mark 8:1-9
August 7, 2011 by
When we think about Jesus feeding the multitude, in this case, a crowd of 4,000, we normally pay little attention to the setting. We stand amazed by what Jesus did. He multiplied a minute amount of bread and fish to feed an enormous crowd. But that’s just the obvious part. If you look at the […]
