Revelation Part Ten Sermon Follow-Up Video

Revelation Part Nine Sermon Follow-Up Video

Revelation Part Seven: Sermon Follow-Up Video

Sermon Follow-Up Video: Revelation Part 4 - Who is Worthy?

Connecting to the Next Generation Sermon Follow-up Video

Sermon Follow-Up Video: If I Die Before I Wake Sermon Series - Death

Quote by D. A. Carson from Sunday's Sermon

Here is the entire quote by D. A. Carson used on Sunday. This is from his book, For the Love of God: A Daily Companion for Discovering the Riches of God's Word (published in 1998 by Crossway Books).

One of the most striking evidences of sinful human nature lies in the universal propensity for downward drift. In other words, it takes thought, resolve, energy, and effort to bring about reform. In the grace of God, sometimes human beings display such virtues. But where such virtues are absent, the drift is invariably toward compromise, comfort, indiscipline, sliding disobedience, and decay that advances, sometimes at a crawl and sometimes at a gallop, across generations.


People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated.

Sermon Follow-up Video: Christ in Us from the What is Salvation? Series

Sermon Follow-Up Video: Faith

Sermon Follow-up Video: Turn Around

Sunday's Sermon Follow-up Video: Grace

A Pastoral First

This morning at the conclusion of our second service at FCF we had two families come up to join our church. Each of these families went through the process of church membership and are great families to have for our ministry. Now families joining FCF have been somewhat of a regular occurrence with our growing church...but what happened during that time was a first for me.

As a Pastor, one of things I take pride in is remembering names. While I don't know everyone that comes to our church, I try to remember the names of people I have the privilege of meeting personally, especially ones who are committing with us.

As these couples came up front to be welcomed into our church family, I introduced the first couple. The second couple I had the privilege of meeting at their house on Tuesday. A great young family, three cute kids and just recently committed to helping lead our new Faith Kids Worship Service. As I moved to introduce them...my mind went totally blank...I had forgotten their names!

It was wholly embarrassing and impersonal. In that moment, something I take pride in became humbling. The first thought of course was "this can't be happening to me." Secondly I thought "I certainly am not old enough for this to be happening."

What made this situation more interesting, was the response of the family. I had just preached a message on grace (from our What is Salvation Series). While the theme of the message was on God's grace in salvation, this family exemplified that grace in their response to me.

While I am certain it won't be the last time I forget someone's name, I am certain I will never forget their names now. But in greater ways, I am thankful for new families that are willing to demonstrate grace and Christlikeness...even to their very human Pastor.

Missional...Really?

The buzz word in today's Christian community is Missional. In books, blogs, and conference sermons, today's Christian leaders are crazy about being missional. It doesn't take much to realize that the word missional comes from the word mission. The roots of this word are found in the idea of being a missionary. Taking the gospel from the church to the community.

But while many Pastors, church leaders, and conference leaders use this word to describe themselves and their ministries, are we really going people or churches? Are we missional or just creative attractional ministries? It seems there are many who can talk the talk of missiology, but few who actually are building churches that are missional in focus...many with missional attitudes but are clearly attractional in nature. What are some characteristics of missional churches?

Certainly, there are things that are missional about attractional values and there are things that are very attractional about missional attitudes. The question really lies are we actually sending people, incarnationally, in the community or are we trying to build an attractional place for the community?

J. Andrew Kirk describes the importance of this idea in his book, Shaped by God's Heart, passions and Practices of missional Churches,

"The Church is by nature missionary to the extent that, if it ceases to be missionary, it has not just failed in one of its tasks, it has ceased being the Church."


Doug Ehrgott with Horizon International makes this beautiful observation concerning missional churches and lives.

“A missional ministry is one based on obedience more than outcomes."

My observation:
Many church leaders are more interested in the statistics of success than they are the impact in the kingdom. Some live in fear of obediently changing...while others are constantly looking for the next model they can adopt to life and ministry. Our call of missional ministry begins with simple obedience to God's call of mission (Matt. 28; Acts 1:8)

Differences and Descriptions of Attractional and Missional Churches:

- Attractional ministries are characterized by a sense that “Professionals” do ministry in a place.
- Missional ministries are characterized by a sense that people do ministry EVERY place

- Attractional ministries are where people come together to worship
- Missional ministries are where worshippers go into the world

- Attractional ministries focus on people coming into the “church” event
- Missional ministries focus on people being the church in the world

- Attractional ministries celebrate people coming in
- Missional ministries celebrate people going out

- Attractional ministries focus on masses seeing Jesus
- Missional ministries focus on masses showing Jesus

- Attractional ministries are about the need of salvation for mankind (man centered)
- Missional ministries are about the reign and glory of God in salvation (God centered)

Truly missional ministries/lives perceive mission as the essence of their existence. It’s not size, growth strategy, or creative ideology. It’s centered on the spread of the gospel to the nations for the glory of God.
So are you living a missional life? Are you leading a missional ministry? Or are you just missional in word…but not in deed.

We are Casey Anthony!

As most people, I was amazed at the outcome of the Casey Anthony trial. It had seemed that the evidence supported a guilty verdict. Who wouldn’t question how a mother could not report her child missing (supposedly for 31 days) or would lie to police not once or twice, but on four occasions. Why would anyone believe her?


The reality is none of us know the truth behind the case…were the jurors persuaded by her defense? Or was it the difficulty facing the prosecution to layout the evidence? Or was it the evidence itself that didn’t add up? Except for Casey Anthony, her daughter Caylee, and the Lord, no one knows what really happened. We can speculate…but we truly don’t know.

In fact yesterday, I was in the checkout line at Walmart when the cashier proceeded to tell me why she thought Casey was guilty. Obviously, any person that has followed the case wants justice. In fact, we yearn for a world of justice (except when it’s concerning ourselves). Solomon’s desire for justice led him to these statements, “I saw something else on earth: In the place of justice, there was wickedness, and in the place of fairness, there was wickedness. I thought to myself, “God will judge both the righteous and the wicked; for there is an appropriate time for every activity, and there is a time of judgment for every deed. “ (Ecclesiastes 3:16-17)

While we will continually see injustices happening in the world, Solomon points out that injustice should lead us to the reality of our own humble state. One day both the righteous and the wicked will be judged. Everyone will stand before the ultimate judge, Christ.

See we have much in common with Casey Anthony…we are guilty of sin before a Holy God. We can try to cover it up, hide it, or deny it, but the evidence is clear…guilt is our verdict (Romans 3:23). However, our Judge offers mercy...not injustice. See injustice means that the guilty go unpunished. But our guilt was punished by our Substitute, Christ on the cross. He took our death penalty…and through faith in Him, stands as our competent lawyer before the Judge. While the evidence leads to clear guilt, the verdict is in, NOT GUILTY!

"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world."                             1 John 1:8-2:2

Easter Pressure

This Sunday, Easter Sunday, many Pastors will be feeling the pressure to deliver a sermon that will reach the masses, and hopefully bring people back. The idea is that many visitors will be present on holidays like Christmas and Easter that otherwise would not be. So if the Pastor hits a home-run, people will come back the next week, and more likely, stay long-term.

Obviously, this isn't quite accurate. In fact, Lifeway Research has found (see article linked at bottom) that most churches only get their occassional attenders (those who attend one or two times per month) on Easter Sunday instead of the visitors that many think are there. So the Easter crowd...is actually filled with unfaithful church attenders. Certainly a great holiday for everyone to show up.

As a Pastor, I believe our job is to be faithful to the Word... regardless of who's there. Using gimics to get people will only necessitate more to keep them. How you get people is how you will have to keep people. If Christ is the focus, and His Word the motivation, then transformation will be the result.

So Pastors...don't put pressure on yourself. Preach the risen Christ and let Christ do His resurection work in the lives of the people who enter your church's doors. Call everyone to deeper commitments.

For a great article on CEO (Christmas/Easter Only) Christians by Thom Rainer click here

Haiti: The End

Haiti Missions Team Friday:

It's hard to believe that the end is near. It has been an amazing week of ministry and service for the gospel. God has indeed blessed in abundance the work through the team. It has been an absolute honor to serve the people of Haiti.

Today was a day to tour the city of Port-au-Prince and spend some time of relaxation. Though I must be honest, this day may have only increased the effect on our lives.

We were able to go to the heart of Port-au-Prince and see the major devastion caused by the earthquake. There are tent cities (or refugee camps) all over the place. Mind you 1.5 million people lost their home during the quake. With no where to go people have been given tents by foreign governments (most from the US) to live in any space they can find. Even the collapsed Presidential Palace (seen on the left), can barely be noticed by the thousands of tents just outside it's gates.

But the moment that grips us to tears, even now if I think about it long enough, was going to the poorest area of the city. When Pastor Luc said that we were going to the poorest area I thought, "Could it get any worse?" Wow...were we shocked to see the area. There are literally 100,000 people in this area that live in tents or tin houses. Trash was everywhere...the stench was unbearable...and people were depressed beyond despair. We were choked up just driving through. We stopped along the side of the road and was able to visit a church that Pastor Luc started in this area. The church is known less for the worship, than it is for the location near the major source of food for these poor people. Just to the side of the church building, people were making mud cookies. Yes...you heard that right...mud cookies. Mud, salt, and butter. We watched these people making thousands of cookies out of mud (you can see some of the work on the right). And this was seen as a luxury.

We honestly felt bad for even going there. We felt we embarrased these people. I mean I always heard the joke, "God made dirt and dirt don't hurt!" Except for these people... it is what they eat for breakfast, or lunch, or dinner. The reality is the only thing that are norms in this are malnutrition and death.

In spite of the difficulty of work, and the burden of the task, the team has had an absolutely fantastic time together laughing and talking about life and Christ. As we were sitting at dinner tonight (at the compound), we were having this exact discussion. We came to serve the people of Haiti...but in the process, we became a band of brothers. I know that may sound cliche, but seriously, this has been an amazing opportunity to build into the lives of each other. Each part of the team added greatly to God's plan on this trip. And to each of them I say, "Thank you!"

Honestly, we are ready to come home...but definitely changed because of it. We will never look at rice and beans...or cookies the same again. Our faith has been challenged and built. We have been broken at times and encouraged greatly at times. We came to Haiti to be the hands and feet of Christ...we leave Haiti having seen Christ.

Moving Piles in Haiti!

Haiti Missions Team Update for Thursday:

Another scorching day in Haiti. High 90's with a blistering sun. Another day of work on Pastor Luc St. Felix's church. With the roof being done, we were sequested behind the church to make concrete for the walls of the church. If you have ever made concrete in a foreign country (or your old enough to remember a pre-machinery country) you know how difficult it can be. They take a pile of rocks and sift it, not once, but twice. The first time to get the small peices...the second to get the refined sand. This meant we had to move piles of rocks...not once, not twice, but three times until it was mixed with concrete, which of course was mixed by hand. We then carried the buckets into the church so it could be "slapped" on the walls. Amazing, difficult process.

We were able to get everything set up at the church for them to finish the concrete in the building. It is a beautiful building, especially by Haiti's standards. It will eventually be able to hold up to 800 people. If you have never met Pastor Luc...that man will fill that building. He has a great passion to reach the lost of Haiti. It is such privilege to be a part of not only what the Lord is doing in Hagerstown...but the influence that we can have around the world. Here in Haiti...that impact is profound. We look forward to future trips and deeper relationships.

The highlight of the day was the service tonight. I always am profoundly amazed when the Lord puts the worship service together in a very pointed way. Our preaching actually began before we left for the service at the church. One of the guests at the compound is from Holland. He and a team are here working to help the Haitian people rebuild their country. As we were sitting at dinner with our Bibles we began to have a conversation about the reality of God, specifically the existence of Christ. What an opportunity to share the gospel with someone from Europe. Unfortunately, the conversation confirms the feeling of sadness I have felt about Europe. Europe truly has become a post-Christian region...where even the idea of Christ's existence comes into question. And to think that he attends a church in Holland. A church where Christ isn't seen as real. Can you imagine? A well educated man, but lacking greatly in understanding. We weren't only able to share Christ, but also to give him some proofs in regards to the truth of Christ. I praise the Lord for a great apologetics ministry (TruthBomb Apologetics) at FCF. Much of what has been learned was able to be used. Please pray for Johann...that he would be willing to research truth and not just give into a humanistic philosophy with no basis of reality.

The worship service was phenomenal. We were able to sing Amazing Grace together (I know you might laugh at that if you know any of us :-) We are actually thinking about starting our own band...The Missionstrippers). Rick Everett, Richard Heller, and Mike McNamee all shared their testimonies. It was amazing how the Lord worked each testimony to build on each other and allow the church to hear a clear presentation of the gospel. I was then able to preach from Hebrews 4...reminding them about Jesus our High Priest. The entire service the people were very intent on what was being said and many comments were made about the challenge that they heard.

Following the service, on our way back to the compound, Pastor Luc said that the people listened intently to what we shared...that there was hunger for the teaching that was given. Let me be straight...this was a huge encouragement to me. It would be easy to get bunches of people to make a decision and tell you the stats. Many Pastors and church leaders do this. But tonight, the people were taught the Word of God (through both testimony and message) in an accurate way...and they loved it. They were challenged...yet not manipulated...and God moved piles of lives. I can't tell you the altar was packed...that would be too easy. But people's idea of Christ was transformed. Transformation mission...that's the call of the church.

Raising the Roof in Haiti

Haiti Mission Team Wednesday Update: 

Well it's official! Pastor Luc St. Felix's church building has a roof! It was such a blessing to see the finishing piece go on the roof. The work ethic of the Haitian people is amazing...especially when it comes to their church. Clearly, they didn't need us to build anything. But the greatest blessing was working with them. Learning how to use minimal tools to do great work. Rick Everett was instrumental in getting the roof on. He actually spent hours with the roofers today. In fact, without Rick, the roof would have probably been lacking structural ability.

The rest of us mixed concrete and moved piles of stone around. All of us tried to put the concrete on the cinderblock walls...only Richard Heller had the ability to sling the cement on the wall with the Haitians (the rest of us got more on us than on the wall...I guess you could say we never got hired for the job :-).

Most of us have had a little taste of the stomach sickness. Nothing that hasn't been overcome. Today was more difficult than expected due to the intense heat and force of the sun. Even with sunscreen...we fulfilled our Tristate area reputation of becoming "red necks" :-). It's amazing to think that it's snowing at home.

We did have a minor accident. Chad Vaughn stepped on a nail while carrying concrete. All the way through his shoe. Thankfully, after a short surgery, he is doing ok (this is a joke...he didn't have surgery, but is doing fine) :-).

After returning to our guest house this evening, we decided to journey to the local market place. It was an eye opening experience to see their lives from their perspective. The poverty is huge. Walking through the marketplace confirmed this with great imagery. The food looked horrible and rotten...the people depressed. The only smile we could find was when Brian Hoffman bartered for a pair of sandals (Brian is a master at bartering). It was a huge reminder, not that these people have great need, nor we have abundance, but that the darkness of a life without Christ leaves emptiness. A huge diachotomy for sure. Seeing children and churches with smiles as big as the sea praising Christ with all of their hearts, not for what they don't have, but for what they have spiritually...to people depressed in their work with nothing to praise in life. That's Haiti! Great want...Great need!

"If a commission by an earthly king is considered an honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice!" David Livingstone

From Haiti...with Love!

Our FCF team has been in Haiti for the last three days. It has been an amazing opportunity to see the Lord at work...not only in the lives of the Haitian people but our lives as well. Here is a quick update of what we have done thus far:

Sunday: We arrived in Port-au-Prince after a tiring morning of travel (we met at 3:15 am...thank you Lyle Dixon for being insane enough to take us to the airport). We were able to make it to Haiti in time to join Pastor Luc St. Felix's church in Port-au-Prince. As a supporting church, it is amazing to see the work that this man has done...not only rebuilding his church after the earthquake a year ago January, but planting 44 churches throughout Haiti. This man has a huge heart for his country.

We were able to introduce ourselves to the church and I had the privilege of preaching a message of salvation. The people were very receptive and responded well to the message. Obviously, the Lord knows hearts...but there were quite a few who accepted Christ. Praise the Lord!!

Monday: We traveled 3 hours to two remote villages in the mountains of Haiti (near the Dominican Republic border). We were able to share many supplies and goods to these churches, schools, and feeding centers, thanks to the many who gathered items for these children. They thoroughly enjoyed the soccer balls and clearly had skills we could not match. It was amazing to see churches in very remote places absolutely filled with people because these churches are sharing the gospel in their own communities.

It was a great joy to share, not just one meal, but two meals with the Pastors of each of these churches. But the thing that stood out most was the joyful singing of these dear children. Something of which I have never heard before. They sing as if Christ was right there. I know this may sound cliche...but I have had the privilege of being in many different countries...and have never seen worship from children like this.

Tuesday: We traveled 1 1/2 hours to another village...this time in the desert area. While poverty is the norm, this village was extremely impoverished. We were able to give out many more supplies (toothbrushes, toys, and vitamins). Once again the singing was spectacular. It's amazing to think that these children who have absolutely nothings...even meals are a commoditity...sing as if they had everything.

One of the doors that was opened to us was to help people with medical needs. Having Brad Ingram on the trip brings a medical expertise to our mission. Brad was able to check many different people with medical issues. The highlight of which was a man who had two fingers amputated by a motor scooter chain. Understand, there is not a medical facility anywhere close to this village...and if there was it would be virtually impossible to get there by foot. Myself and Chad Vaughn had the privilege of assisting on the procedure of cleaning and giving medicine to this man (I've always wanted to scrub in on a surgery :-).

On Tuesday evening we once again joined Pastor St. Felix's church to serve their people. All seven of us, sang How Great is Our God (not quite my style...rap...but a great song nonetheless :-). Brad, Chad, and Brian Hoffman shared their testimony and I preached a message of encouragement to the church. The guys did a great job ministering to these people...the testimonies powerful...and the songs moving.

So far a great trip...more to come. It has been both humbling and powerful to see God at work. To see smiles over a dum dum lollipop or a dollar store doll...it truly gives a new meaning for contentment. I can see in us the wrestling of these realities. How we view the world...or even more...how we view our world.

The Bible as Novel?

Once a month there is a gathering of Evangelical Pastors in the Tri-State area (calling ourselves the Evangelical Christian Leaders Network). This is a great time of food, fellowship, and encouragement from other men in the trenches of ministry for the same area. Usually we have a few different guest presenters sharing their ministry or concept. Sometimes a counselor sharing needed skills for counseling, other times it's a Christian School sharing their vision for connection with local churches.

Today was a presentation by representatives from Zondervan Publishing about their new resource called The Story. Their advertisment says,  "The Story is an exciting all new church-wide experience that unites and equips participants, as they engage the Bible, reading like a novel as a seamless, compelling story." With the book you can get a plethora of information to use in small groups, Sunday School, children's ministry, and youth ministry. There are even sermons that you can use along with the book.

Let's make sure we understand this...this is a book that reads like a novel but is to help people engage the Bible. While this is definitely an interesting concept, what struck me most was the reason for this book...Bible illiteracy...that people actually aren't reading the Bible. Some find it too difficult, others boring. So this book is supposed to help those people be engaged in the Bible.

But things got difficult for me when local Pastors using The Story curriculum and book started describing their experience. For some it was an "awesome experience watching their church fall in love with The Story." Or "people that would never open their Bibles are now reading The Story." In fact, every Pastor pointed out that they loved the sermons that were based out of The Story curriculum.

I left there totally confused...We actually help Bible illiteracy by giving them a novel? Instead of teaching people how to study the Bible or what actually is in the Bible, we use a novel based "Bible" to make it easier for them to understand. It's like giving a teenager a picture book to read for English class. The way to help Bible illiteracy is to actually teach the Bible. Tell His Story...not preach a novel called The Story.

Please understand, i'm not saying there is anything wrong with creativity and helpful Bible aids. And honestly, I believe Zondervan probably has pure motives behind this book (it was originally tested by Max Lucado and Randy Frazee). In fact I actually love the flow of the topics of the book...it truly is a journey through the story of the Bible. This sounds great as a small group or Sunday School, but using this as a main source of the teaching ministry of the church...I believe lacks greatly. What do you do when you finish the 31 week study? Where do you turn then? Back to the Bible no one understands? Maybe the better option is too actually teach people the Bible. In fact, maybe that's why there's Bible illiteracy...because they aren't learning from the Bible in the first place. Instead we should teach them how to fall in love with the actual Book. Yes, appreciate the novel, but love the Book.

Hebrews Bible Study: Heb. 12 - Friday

Friday – Fire!

Focus passage: Hebrews 12:29

Read: 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9; 1 Corinthians 3; Malachi 3

My family and I came home the other day to find out that we had no heat…we had run out of oil. Twenty degrees outside, maybe fifty inside, and we had to wait twenty four hours to get the oil delivered. Thankfully, we had a working fireplace in our living room and a great deal of wood to burn in our garage. We decided to make it a family campout in the living room. So we started a fire, raised the temperature and bunked out in the living room.

Honestly, I slept horribly. I was so focused on keeping the family warm. I was amazed at how quickly the wood burned in the fire…every 45 minutes another piece had to be added. This of course doesn’t make for a restful night. At one point, I sat there by the fire and watched in amazement that the fire was burning through the wood so rapidly but wasn’t burning the fireplace insert…at that moment it hit me…it all comes down to the substance of the material.

It was a great reminder of the picture painted of Christ in Hebrews 12. God is a consuming fire. A fire that will consume the substance unrelated to Him. What will be burned away and what will remain for His glory?


1. What amazes you most about fire? How does this description paint a clearer picture of the Lord?
2. How does the fact that God is a consuming fire affect your worship?

3. It’s interesting to note the connection between consuming fire and judgment. How does this fit the context of Hebrews 12? Why end this section referencing judgment?

Hebrews Bible Study: Heb. 12 - Thursday

Thursday – Shaken Not Stirred!

Focus Passage: Hebrews 12:27-28

Read: Isaiah 24; Revelation 6:12-17; Revelation 16:17-19

Probably the most well known earthquake of the last decade was last year’s earthquake in the country of Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. On January 12, 2010 a 7.0 catastrophic magnitude earthquake shook the country and the world. But it didn’t stop there, by the 24th, 52 aftershocks measured 4.5 or greater were recorded. An astounding 3 million people were affected…320,000 died.

One day it won’t just be a country, region, or Hemisphere, Scripture makes clear that the earth will be shaken…but Hebrews reveals that your life will also be shaken. In fact one day everything that can be shaken will be shaken (notice the text includes heaven itself). Why? So that only Christ and His kingdom will remain. So what in our lives will be shaken? What will remain?

1. The writer of Hebrews states that the things that will be shaken will be the things “that are made.” Why that description? What are some of things include in that description?


2. How should the fact that the Kingdom of Christ will not be shaken lead us to acceptable worship, with reverence and awe?

3. How do we offer to God worship, reverence and awe? In what ways could you improve your life of worship?

Hebrews Bible Study: Heb. 12 - Wednesday

Wednesday – The Heavenly Voice

Focus Passage: Hebrews 12:25-26

Read: Haggai 2:6-9; John 12:44-50

My high school shop teacher commanded and demanded respect. No student questioned or challenged his authority, at least not for long. One of the first things a freshman shop student would hear about was that he had a paddle that hung on the shop wall. It was made from 2” x 4” piece of wood with several one inch round holes drilled through it. As far as I know, he used it only once. He smashed it on a metal welding table, breaking it in two. Someone was acting up and he demanded to have their attention. No one refused to listen to Mr. Willie!

God commands a much greater amount of honor and authority. He warns us not to turn away from Him, His gospel, His gift, His son Jesus. How well do we listen and act upon that voice from heaven? We will not escape if we refuse.


1. What might cause a believer to refuse to listen to God?

2. Why do we find it easier to submit to and listen to a person of authority here on earth?

3. How are you doing in the area of hearing and obeying the voice of God?

A Pastor's Desire

I was sitting in my office today thinking and praying about what the Lord has been doing at FCF...and considering the exciting things that lie ahead. It's been amazing to see many people responding to the call to walk with deeper faith. It seems there is not a week that goes by without hearing someone say, "Dave, it's so good to not have to be living a religious life anymore...but to be freely serving Christ." Or statments like, "I am really enjoying how God is teaching and growing me right now." Of course, as a Pastor, these statements thrill my heart.

Honestly, FCF is a unique church. While we're contempory with creative elements...we aren't interested in entertainment. We're passionate about the truth of God's Word...and missional in our desire to have an impact in our community. We are not afraid to call people to a deeper walk of faith...yet not legalistic in our approach. We're not identified as young and hip...yet we're not old and dying (in fact our older people are as passionate and excited as our younger). Our church is filled with serious truth-seekers and people who have followed Christ for 50 years. Unique...yet beautiful.

As the Lead Pastor at FCF my heart is overwhelmed with gratitude toward Christ and great wonder as to why He would even use us at all. He is not only the reason we exist as a church, but also the reason we do what we do as a church. Why do we find it important to preach through books of the Bible? Why do we encourage people to be a part of a discovery group? Why do we get involved in community outreach projects and missions trips around the world? Why do we not get overwhelmed with activities that may be well meaning but are pointless to the cause of Christ? Because our desire for FCF is much deeper...

This morning, I couldn't help but to think about the Apostle Paul. Paul was a man who had seen Christ (Acts 9); taken to  heaven (2 Corinthians 12); and personally responsible for the spread of the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth. No doubt, Paul had one of the deepest relationships with Christ of anyone. Yet Paul wasn't satisfied. In Philippians 3, Paul said that His desire was to "know Him." Did you catch that? In fact he said that everything else was merely dung. Here was a man who knew Christ most deeply...who walked with an unrivaled faith in Christ...yet His desire was to detach from the normalcy of life and attach himself to Christ.

With that statement we find the reason FCF exists. Whether new to the faith or a long-time Christ-follower my prayer is that you would have a holy dissatisfaction with your knowledge and faith in Christ and that you, like Paul, woud just want to know Him more.

Hebrews Bible Study: Hebrews 12:18-29 - Monday

Monday – High Standards

Focus passage: Hebrews 12:18-21

Read: Exodus 19; Romans 4:13-15; Romans 7:4-6

I once worked for a supervisor who a reputation for being hard, harsh, and abrasive. This man set high standards and expected subordinates to meet those standards. His reputation and firm methods created a lot of fear in those who worked for him. Many couldn’t or wouldn’t submit to his kind of authority and left the company. But those who persevered eventually understood why he did what he did.

When God gave the law to Moses it created fear in the Israelites because they knew God required perfect obedience. The consequences for disobedience were frequently severe. Many of the people struggled and didn’t see why God gave them a law they couldn’t fully obey. They didn’t understand that He was pointing the way toward intimate relationship with Him.


1. As Christians, we have not come to a Mount Sinai full of darkness and gloom, yet some are still afraid of God. Why?


2. What gets in the way of our fully accepting the fact that Jesus came to fulfill the law so that we don’t have to?

Hebrews Bible Study: Hebrews 12 - Thursday

Thursday – But I Don’t Want to Practice


Focus Passage: Hebrews 12:9-11

Read: Job 5:17; Job 23:8-12; Proverbs 12:1; Psalm 119: 65-68


I’ve heard it over and over, “But, dad, I don’t want to practice. I just like to play the game!” My son likes sports, but practice…not so much. Why? It’s probably because it can be difficult, with lots of repetition of drills to hone skills and correct and improve technique. In this way each individual, and therefore the whole team, gets better. Games are then more fun and they have a better chance of winning. It takes a coaches firm and continued discipline to make good team.

Like a coach or a father, God disciplines us for our good, our betterment. That good that he desires in us is holiness, to be more like Christ. Like practice, the Lord’s discipline may not be fun, it may be painful, but it will produce good fruit for those trained by it. Since we know this is true, should we not willingly submit to it?


1. In unpleasant times, can you see God moving you along on the journey towards holiness?


2. How can you develop a positive outlook toward God’s training and correction and willingly submit?

Hebrews Bible Study: Hebrews 12 - Wednesday

Wednesday – A Parent’s Discipline
Focus Passage: Hebrews 12:7-8

Read: Proverbs 13:1; John 15:1-4; Revelation 3:19-20

As a father, I’m called to guide, train, correct, and rebuke my son. These are some of my greatest responsibilities and are summed up in discipline. Proverbs 13:24 says that, “…he who loves him (his son) is careful to discipline him.” That includes allowing my son to go through hard times or maybe even putting difficulty in his life on purpose. It can be in these situations that the opportunity for training, correcting, and growth are best found.

Today’s focus passage tells us that when we find hardship in life, it may be God’s discipline – he’s treating us as his son. It’s good to remember what discipline is and that God disciplines those he loves, his children!



1. Think about a time in your life that you’ve been through difficulty or hardship. Did you recognize the possibility that God might be training or correcting something in your life?

2. How can your experiences of being disciplined by your parents or you disciplining your children, help you and encourage you as God trains, instructs, and corrects you in the same way?

Hebrews Bible Study: Hebrews 12 - Tuesday

Tuesday – It’s Not Fair!!


Focus passage: Hebrews 12:5-6

Read: Psalm 66:8-12; Proverbs 3:11-12; 2 Corinthians 4:13-18

If the truth were known, most of us would admit that we don’t like to be disciplined. When we know it’s coming, we murmur under our breath, though it’s probably for our good. Even kids complain that “it’s not fair.” It’s easy to view discipline as a negative. But today’s focus passage from Hebrews reminds us not to make light of the Lord’s discipline (or chastisement) and to be encouraged that God disciplines those He loves.

It would be good to review the meaning of “discipline” or “chastisement.” In our verses today, the Greek word translated as discipline/chastisement means:

– to be instructed or taught; to train or to correct.

With this definition of discipline in mind, light may shed on how we can be encouraged by the discipline of our God.


1. What is your reaction to discipline? Do you try to escape it or do you embrace it?

2. Why do you think God brings up the subject of discipline right after the “faith” chapter – Heb. 11?


3. Looking ahead, how might you respond to the Lord’s discipline differently?

Hebrews Bible Study: Hebrews 12 - Monday

Monday – How Far?

Focus passage: Hebrews 12:3-4

Read: 2 Thessalonians 3:13; Proverbs 3:11; Isaiah 40;
1 Peter 2:18-25

It’s amazing how far people will go when they find themselves in dire situations. Can you imagine the following situation?

Aron Ralston, an American mountain climber and public speaker. He gained fame in May 2003 when, while canyoneering in Utah, a boulder became dislodged, crushing his right forearm and pinning it against the canyon wall. Having not told anyone about his plans to hike, he assumed that death was certain. While surviving on a small amount of water, five days later, as the final attempt to free himself, he amputated his lower right arm with a utility tool. Six hours later he was rescued by helicopter and immediately became a celebrity. The incident is documented in Ralston's 2004 autobiography Between a Rock and a Hard Place, and is the subject of the 2010 film 127 Hours.

What would you have done in a similar situation? Imagine the thought process required to cut off your own arm. The writer of Hebrews is challenging the reader to consider what would be required to live a holy life. How far would you go to get rid of sin? That’s the question asked in Hebrews 12…would you be willing to lose it all to get rid of sin? Christ did!

1. It says to consider Christ who endured greatly. How does His example of endurance encourage your endurance?

2. How does Christ’s sacrifice help us not grow weary or fainthearted?

3. What are you willing to do to get rid of sin in your life? What stops you from doing this?