Campion Church

Have you ever felt ordinary? Today, we’re in part three of a five-part series called, “What God Can Do Through Ordinary You.” It’s an ex- citing look at how God used one seemingly ordinary guy, Moses, to become the deliverer and leader for God’s people. This series also reveals how God longs to use you, as well. In this third installment, we’ll examine, “Why God Allows Delays.”

Have you ever felt ordinary? Today, we’re in part two of a five-part se- ries called, “What God Can Do Through Ordinary You.” It’s an exciting look at how God used one seemingly ordinary guy, Moses, to become the deliverer and leader for God’s people. This series also reveals how God longs to use you, as well. In this second installment, we’ll examine, “The Subtle Strategy of the Enemy to Stop You.”

Have you ever felt ordinary? Today, we’re starting a five-part series called, “What God Can Do Through Ordinary You.” It’s an exciting look at how God used one seemingly ordinary guy, Moses, to become the deliv- erer and leader for God’s people. This series also reveals how God longs to use you, as well. 

Dealing with disappointment by Pastor Rodlie Ortiz.

Today is the first Sabbath back for all the students, teachers and staff at Campion Academy and H.M.S. Richards Elementary School. It’s also my first official Sabbath as lead pastor. So please allow me to share this on behalf of the whole Campion Church team: We are so glad you’re here. This is your spiritual home. We’re cheering you on and we long to do everything possible to walk with you in your faith journey. 

Christian life and Christian worship is more than an hour or two in a building once a week—it encompasses the entire life; it is lifestyle; it is Christian witness in the home, on the street, in the business or educa- tional setting and online. It is how we live out the Christian life in a rela- tionship with Jesus Christ. It stands to reason, then, that abuse should not be part of that life.

That is why the General Conference in 2001 set aside a date in August as the “Abuse Prevention Emphasis Sabbath.” In 2010, in coordination with Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) the name was changed to “enditnow.”

Today, we are looking at how people can be abused through their emo- tions, how they feel about what is said and done, and how it hurts the image of Christ in that person and in the perpetrator. Welcome to wor- ship here at Campion this morning.

Have you ever felt like you, your family or your church were a ship in the middle of a storm that was about to be swallowed up by the waves and violent winds? I can relate, too. Paul can relate as well. As he was near- ing the end of his ministry, he could see all the churches he had built assailed by storms of division, false prophets, weak doctrines, licentious- ness, legalism, selfishness, power struggles and temptations of every kind. It must have been an awful burden for him. Now, on his way to Rome, his life and all the others on that ship hung by a thread as, physi- cally, the ship seemed to be completely lost and their hopes of surviving were shuttered. But with the gospel and the Spirit unshackled in his heart, what does the elderly, physically frail apostle do? He takes hold of the revelation given to him that he will not be lost and that all of the people on the ship would be saved. He encourages those who wanted to kill him and those who also wanted to leave the ship, giving them direc- tions that, quite literally, saved their lives. So with us, in the moments of hardest trial, when the burden is heaviest and all seems lost, when it seems as if the ship is about to fall, may we hold on by faith to God and intercede on behalf of all those who are with us. May we not disengage from the work the Spirit is doing in our hearts, in our families and on this campus. May we not try to abandon ship, for the Lord is our Captain and He will surely see us through the storm. Welcome to Campion.

Almost—sometimes it’s said in relief. Sometimes it’s said to excuse. Other times in grief. Whenever and however it’s said, it all points back to what might be: “What I could have, should have, glad I didn’t do.” To- day, as we study Acts 26, we’ll grapy with the most compelling “almost” statement in Scripture. The words of Herod Agrippa beg us to give a response.

Welcome to Campion Church. May the Holy Spirit guide us today as we come together in worship and study. May we leave this day determined to not just “almost” act on what He calls us to do.

POD: Point of Decision. We make myriads of decisions every day. Some are mundane: “What to have for breakfast?” Some more serious: “Is this job/car/house for me?” Some decisions are life-changing: “Is this the person I trust and love enough to marry?” Some decisions are eternal: “God is speaking to me... What is my response?”

Points of decision test our values. The more serious the POD, the more serious our values are called on to shape a response. The many, mini decisions we make set the course of the more important choices. The decisions we make today make decisions for us tomorrow.

This was true for the Roman Tribune, Claudius Lysias, when he encoun- tered Paul. As Claudius Lysias continued to interact with Paul, the deci- sions came with higher and higher stakes. Each POD was like one of the 2,400 bronze scales on his armor. Individually, they seem to be inconse- quential, but like each scale, every decision led to a deeper call for a personal, life-changing choice.

You decided to worship with us today. We are honored and pleased that you are here. It may be that you will find yourself at a Point of Decision; to worship with us again; to rededicate your life to God; to decide to follow Him for the first time.

We welcome you in His name and pray that He will guide you in every decision you make.

Welcome to Campion Church. We are so glad you have come to worship with us. Our mission statement is to Know, Grow and Go. As we study Acts 20:7-12 together today, we hope and pray that this story of the church in Troas will speak to us in fulfilling this mission. Join us in know- ing Jesus more, growing into the caring community that He intends for us to be, and also going into all the world to share our love of Jesus with each other and all we come in contact with.