Category: Blog Posts

Can we counsel one another?
13 Jun
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Can we counsel one another?

You might say “Well of course we can”.  Or “sure, if the issue isn’t too severe”. Or “maybe, if God’s given me the ability”.  Or “no, only professionals should delve into that field”. I have been amazed at the contemporary church’s lack of assurance in the power of the scriptures to change lives, not the soul’s eternal destiny but the power to “renew the inner self day by day.”   The church today has invited the lost into the doors of our local houses of worship to address their need for a Savior but then turns them out the same doors to a world which scoffs at the God of creation for advice and counsel for struggles pertaining to daily living.   What makes us think that the God who saves eternally can’t equip us to live victoriously in a fallen world?  Is He and His word sufficient or not?  2 Tim 3:16,17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. The Bible also teaches that we as Spirit indwelt believers can discern the word of God and encourage and instruct each other in it.  It isn’t left up to ‘professionals’ or seminary trained Pastors only.  As Jay Adams has written, we are ‘Competent to Counsel’. The Apostle Paul wrote “I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.” With this said, I am excited about a new series that we will be starting in the next several weeks.  ‘How People Change’, a book written by Paul David Tripp and Tim Lane, will lead us to understand that we can change.  That we are fallen creatures living in a fallen world but that God has redeemed His people  to live as a people of hope in the midst of a thorn infested environment.  We will be announcing the start very soon for 12 weeks on Wednesday nights at the church.  Come and join us and see that you and those you encourage (counsel)  can ‘bear fresh fruit through real heart change’.

Meeting with Village Missions
08 Jun
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Meeting with Village Missions

Yesterday’s morning message from Isaiah once again gave us a glimpse of the glory and infinite value of God.  Our morning discussion time for the adults was very beneficial for everyone with the issue of forgiveness being the day’s topic.  God’s word is so rich. Next week we will have Keith Hillard from Village Missions with us.  He will be conducting the morning Sunday School and addressing a few changes in our relationship with the mission board.  God is working at CHCC in exciting ways and you will want to be here to meet Keith and be a part of the next step that we will be taking.  The church board made a recommendation at their last meeting to consider a several year building plan.  Please come and share in the vision of the leadership here at CHCC. It’s great being at CHCC!

Seriousness about God
03 Jun
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Seriousness about God

Here at CHCC we are in the midst of a series of messages on worship from the book of Isaiah.  If one thing has gripped me in the preparation and preaching of this series it has been the seriousness of drawing near to God.  We see the warning from God Himself in drawing near with empty worship and the response of Isaiah being completely ‘undone’ when he drew near to the Holy in proper worship.  It has occurred to me in recent years, maybe recent decades, that our churches are not taking God seriously.  We have watered down our theology, lost our true sense of purpose in the local church and allowed entertainment to replace worship in the house of God.  John Piper has a wonderful ministry at Desiring God and a special feature in ‘Ask Pastor John’.  I have included a short video from that feature which I would encourage you to check out.  Piper has once again hit it on the head in his assessment of our desire today to be entertained at every turn which has found it’s way into our churches.  We need to get back to a proper theology of God and realize that God takes very serious His worship and His kingdom.  It’s not all a party. Breaking the addiction of entertainment

Good to be in the house of the Lord
01 Jun
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Good to be in the house of the Lord

What a great spirit in church yesterday.  Not the Holy Spirit, even though He was present, I am talking about the sense of fellowship and unity felt at CHCC.  We gathered around the Word of God, praised Him in song, prayer and giving, and were encouraged by friends.  It was good to be in the house of the Lord.  Our message was taken from Isaiah’s vision and the calling of the seraphim, Holy, Holy Holy.  Great discussion followed in the adult Sunday School class.  We are looking forward to next week when we see what proper response is to our drawing near to God and the resulting obedience. Check out “Our Announcement” page for upcoming events. Soli Deo Gloria

Thrice Holy!
28 May
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Thrice Holy!

In our sermon series on worship, we have reached the crescendo of the angel’s cry in Isaiah 6,” Holy, Holy, Holy!”   No greater proclamation of the nature of God is found in scripture.  As we look at this passage this week, we will see man’s response when he comes face to face with the glory of God in His presence.  In one sense it is nearly involuntary and in the other it is truly volitional in that our worship demands our obedience. Please be in prayer for me and the power of the Word this week as we attempt to untangle this apparent tension. On a personal note.  I want to thank each of you who prayed for our family during the recent passing of my grandmother, Sara Felmlee.  What a time of great comfort to reminisce of Gram’s life with us and her great hope in our Lord.  She will be missed by her family but we each look forward to our reunion with her at that time when our Lord returns and we, who call Jesus Saviour and Lord, will spend eternity with Gram and those who have gone on before. I would direct you to our web page titled ‘Our Hope’ for details of finding true hope in this life and in the one to come.

Preachers with laryngitis
25 May
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Preachers with laryngitis

It’s one of those perplexing eternal questions which will be answered only in glory.  Why does God allow a preacher to get laryngitis?  Such was my case this past weekend.  I don’t know sign language and most people of CHCC can’t read sign language so therefore it would have been an exercise in futility for me to even step into the pulpit to preach on Sunday.  What was I to do? Enter my friend, Rich Jaquish.  On the spur of the moment and as a testament and example  to being able to “give a reason of the hope that lies within” Rich agreed to preach for me with less than 24 hours notice.  He did a great job preaching from 1 Peter, only one of my most favored passages.  I have received very good feedback from those present and I would encourage everyone reading this blog to check out his message on our ‘Sermon’ page.  It fit right in to our recent series on true worship. My personal thanks to Rich and to Pastor Rocky Hammond, who had to give up one of his teachers at First Baptist Church of New Bethlehem for the morning.  It’s great being a part of the unified body of Christ and able to rely on each other to further the Gospel call in the Jefferson and Clarion County area.

Why do we preach the Word of God?
19 May
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Why do we preach the Word of God?

Pastor John Macarthur has nailed my passion in a recent short article that he has written, Why preach the Word? Click on the link and read this.  Most of what preachers are passing off as preaching today is nothing more than a motivational/self help talk with a smattering of scripture, usually taken out of context.  Our churches are facing a serious dearth of sound preaching and it is manifesting itself in congregations that find themselves as nothing more than civic minded social clubs that sing songs of worship to a God they barely know and obey even less.  I am so thankful for the people of CHCC who have allowed me to proclaim God’s word in it’s entirety and their desire to grow in the ‘grace and knowledge of our Lord’.  I’m no scholar, for I struggle each week to understand even the smallest passage of the Word of God, but I am convinced that as long as the Lord allows me to preach, by His grace, I will never cease to proclaim the entire truth of the Word of God as He reveals it to me.  It is the Word of God that changes our lives.  “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe” – The Bible

Isaiah’s Vision!
17 May
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Isaiah’s Vision!

This Sunday’s morning message was taken from Isaiah chapter 6.  The vision that the prophet had of the very temple and throne of God is an amazing study.  I am gaining a deeper understanding and appreciation of our preiminent God in all of His attributes.  The comments from our people have been very encouraging as to the impact that this series has had on their view of God and making much of Him.  I would encourage everyone to listen to our sermons or better yet to visit us this coming week for the next sermon in this series. It’s a privilege to preach at CHCC and the liberty that this people have given me to expound God’s word is very much appreciated.  Feel free to visit us, we would love to see you. Soli Deo Gloria!

Website Stats!
15 May
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Website Stats!

Our new website will be a month old this weekend.  Here is a fascinating statistic.  We reached 1000 views on our site in less than 30 days.  This is an amazing stat considering the size of our church and it’s rural location.  It appears that God has chosen to use this site, as through this internet ministry several opportunities haven been given to members of the church to speak of the hope that we have in Christ. To our members, check out the sermon and information pages daily and keep referring people to our address.  To our visitors, please return often and know that you are welcome at our services any time.  We also would love to offer biblical help in any way we can, be it encouragement, counseling, prayer or just a listening ear.  God loves you and so do we.

Basics 2009 Conference – Day 2
12 May
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Basics 2009 Conference – Day 2

I can’t tell you how impressed I have been with our speakers at the Basics 2009 Pastor’s conference this year.  Today we were challenged once again by Pastor John Piper to remain committed to the supremacy of Christ and His accomplishments on our behalf.  Pastor Piper used John 3 as his text today to show the regeneration (new birth) work of Christ and how we diminish Christ when we don’t teach the necessity of this new birth. I  find myself so inadequate as a preacher and expositor of the word after attending these conferences but also even more steadfast in the need to stand strong on the supremacy of the scriptures and THEIR power unto conversion. It certainly isn’t my persuasive speech.   Sola Scriptura!