Waypoint (May 2024)
Rocky Creek, we have another edition of Waypoint to remind us that even if we’re not there yet, we are getting there. It’s been an exciting few months to start 2024.
🗒️ Articles
The Culture Won’t Accept What the Church Doesn’t Know
Christians desire the culture to accept truths from a book that few of us read. Disciples of Jesus must decide to make biblical doctrines our priority before we ever expect anyone else to do the same.
Tell Your Kids Your Story
One of the greatest tools parents have to teach their children is the lessons learned along the way. Don’t miss opportunities to share your stories of success and failures to help them navigate their paths.
Don’t Drop the Missional Baton
Once the disciples saw that Jesus’ tomb was empty, they altered everything to share that news with others. They successfully got that news to us, but will we take the baton and pass it to others?
God Does Love You That Much
When Jesus prayed to our Heavenly Father, it was not the first time Scripture referred to God in such fathering terms. In God’s character, we discover the type of compassionate care we desperately need.
Don’t Waste Your College Experience
Many students waste their college experience on unhelpful pursuits. If you want to get the most out of this time, you must start by focusing on the essentials.
Family Ministry Considerations
We organize our next-generation ministries under one umbrella because we do not want to silo individual efforts away from others. While some of our approaches vary due to the ages, the overall strategy is the same and unified.
Jesus Didn’t Build the Church on Our Opinions
You can be sincere in your beliefs about God and still be sincerely wrong. If your thoughts about God don’t match His revelation about Himself, then you are misguided.
Sermon Series Considerations
A pastor must think through many factors when committing to a sermon series. Consider these six items before you select your next series or annual plan.
Jesus Didn’t Flinch
Jesus’ sacrifice would be amazing if He had gone through it while unprepared, but the amazing thing is that He knew about it and didn’t run from it. Jesus didn’t flinch when it came to securing our redemption.
Ecclesiastes
Solomon had everything this world had to offer and was still miserably discontent. We must learn God’s perspective if we are to free ourselves from the meaningless pursuits that are rampant in our society.
You Lack One Thing
Each of us has that one thing that really has us. It is difficult to follow Jesus closely if you delight in something more than Him.
Slow to Anger
Not many of us would describe ourselves as slow to anger because people and situations can unnerve us quickly. We should stand in grateful awe of the God who could lose His cool with us and doesn’t.
Ecclesiastes (Series Overview)
Solomon had everything this world had to offer and was still miserably discontent. We must learn God’s perspective if we are to free ourselves from the meaningless pursuits that are rampant in our society.
Your First Few Years of Marriage Don’t Have to Stink
If you are considering marriage, God did not leave you on your own to discover how to succeed. He has given you everything required to have a healthy relationship from the very beginning.
Just Go Ahead and Confess It Already
We often think that confession is a weakness, but it is actually a strength. God knows what you have been struggling with recently, so it’s best to share it with Him.
5 Dangers for Every Worship Ministry
Those who lead in worship have a pivotal role in the health of all those gathered. Your team could fall prey to one of these common traps if you aren’t careful.
This Father Won’t Overlook You
Many people know the pain of never feeling like they were enough by the standards of a father or another authority figure. When we come to our Heavenly Father, He provides the exact opposite of what many of us have experienced.
Jesus Knows Me This I Know
I grew up singing the line, “Jesus loves me, this I know,” but what makes His love so incredible is His complete knowledge of me. He knows us, and He invites us to know Him.
The Unrivaled God Deserves Unbridled Worship
When God shows up undeniably, it is fitting to worship Him accordingly. Our perspective changes significantly once we comprehend who He is and what He does.
4 Questions for Developing Sermon Series
When preparing a sermon series, a pastor can feel overwhelmed due to the range of needs and various options. Consider these four questions as you plan your next series.
Why We Need a Shepherd
When you consider the lack of formidable qualities of sheep, you might feel offended that Scripture regularly compares us to such creatures. But with such a helpless designation, we realize how reliable our Shepherd is.
The Fatherhood of God Isn’t a Bad Thing
With so many poor examples of fathers, it should be no surprise that considering God as Father presents quite a challenge. We must push through our baggage and see our Heavenly Father as described in Scripture.
God Doesn’t Need You
We often think God is desperately recruiting volunteers to get His work done, but that isn’t the case. The fact that God doesn’t need us makes His invitation all the more glorious.
Would You Sing This Name in Worship?
People call the LORD by many different names or describe Him by many different attributes. While some are common titles, every so often you read something in Scripture that grabs your attention.
Righteousness Comes Through Faith
Jesus was a perfect sacrifice in that He required no reconciliation on His behalf because He never sinned. His perfectly righteous status enabled Him to take our place and provide us with the necessary righteousness.
Appraising Grace
If the story of Jesus has become so common to you, it might be time to consider it with a fresh perspective. Appraising the depth of God’s grace is the most essential consideration we can make.
What People Need More Than a Lesson
Our churches need to focus on developing solid lessons for trained teachers to facilitate in small groups, but we need something more. We need people to walk alongside us to apply biblical truths in our lives.
I AM
The more we understand the identity of Jesus, the more we will comprehend the activity that should permeate our lives. The person and ministry of Jesus Christ meet our greatest needs.
Premarital Caution
If you are considering marriage, I want to caution you in the right type of way. You can have a healthy marriage, but you both have to hold to one central focus to succeed.
I AM (Series Overview)
Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus claims to be God in the flesh by using powerful metaphors that speak to His critical attributes. Discover how Jesus came to transform your life.
Righteousness Requires a Standard
We can’t just make up standards without God’s help because we could never agree. If we are going to comprehend right and wrong, we must understand that righteous requires a standard.
The Thief That Comes to Steal, Kill, and Destroy (It’s Not Who You Think It Is)
Many Christians speak about Satan as the thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. While he is successful at all of those actions, Jesus was speaking about a different thief in that context, and it is one that you need to be mindful of today.
What If Groups Were Focused on Discipleship & Mission?
We want our people to grow in the gospel and go with the gospel. That’s why our groups are designed to facilitate both discipleship and missions.
Godly Legacies Aren’t Left By Accident
If you want your children to grow up loving Jesus, are they seeing that authentic example in your home? Godly legacies aren’t left by accident; you must become intentional if your children have a chance to follow Jesus well.
Everyone Discipling Someone
Jesus did not reserve the Great Commission for those with special degress or extensive experiences. He plans to use ordinary people to fulfill the task of discipleship.
How to Get Your Eyes Off Your Circumstances
It’s not easy to endure challenges when they continue to increase. The only way to get your eyes off your circumstances is to refocus them on something greater.
Cookie Cutter Discipleship Doesn’t Work
You are not in the same spiritual situation as anyone else in the world. While you have common characteristics with others, your unique scenario requires an individualized focus to make personal progress.
Waypoint (February 2024)
Waypoint helps us remember what God has done among our church family, and what we are looking forward to in the months to come. Check out the February 2024 edition of Waypoint here.
Why Is “LORD” All Caps in the Old Testament?
If you’ve ever read sections of the Old Testament, you might have realized that “LORD” is sometimes written with all capital letters. The translators are trying to indicate something essential to us within that distinguishing formatting.