2025-08-24: Pastor Mark Quist – GOSPEL LIFE: Crestview Campout Weekend

God knows we fear.  God knows we have fears.  Why does God say to us often, “Do not fear!”?  This command and invitation and assurance from God is usually followed with a reason, “Because I am with you.”  And if God is with us… Well, then, we need not fear.  I know, easier said than done.

God goes on to say, “You are never alone, I am always with you, your protector, provider, shield, and comfort.”  So what or who are you afraid of?

For those in Christ Jesus, God’s word of “Do not fear” is even more powerful as his presence with us is always very near.  Paul says it best, “What can separate us from the love of God that is ours in Christ Jesus?  Nothing.”  And Paul makes a comprehensive list of fears… none of it can separate us from God.  So, put your trust in God, in Jesus his Son, in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, Almighty ‘God with us.’  And always at that.

So what do you fear?  What are you anxious about?  What keeps you up at night?  What steals away your delight?  Let’s talk it over this coming Sunday, after all, in Christ, ‘we have nothing to fear but fear itself…’ and it sounds like Jesus, God with us, has overcome.

We too, are ‘more than conquerors’ in Him,

PS – Can you think of some stories where God’s people were afraid and God was with his people?  The Old and New Testament are filled with stories of God’s presence and power at work in and among his people.  So take heart, Jesus has overcome the world.  Just read Psalm 23… The Lord is our Shepherd and has a staff, a rod, and is present with us, even in the valley of death and in the midst of our enemies… we are in good company and good company is with us…

2025-08-17: Pastor Mark Quist – GOSPEL LIFE: Joy in Repentance; Oxymoron or Perfume to Pour On?

Godly sorrow drives us toward God causing us to fall toward him in repentance.  Worldly sorrow drives us away from God, doesn’t lead us to repentance, and further grows regret.  Paul says it leads to more pain and even death.

Is there something in your life you are sorrowful for?  Experiencing regret?  Is your sorrow leading you toward God or away from God?  Toward repentance or away from it?  Is it Godly sorrow or worldly sorrow?

Paul makes a strong comparison between the two: Godly sorrow leads to salvation, freedom from regret, and joy!  Worldly sorrow leads to deeper regret, growing pain, a movement toward death.  That’s quite a contrast.

God, in Jesus, invites us to embrace Godly sorrow that leads us to repentance.  THis movement is a movement toward God, toward healing, freedom and joy.

2nd Corinthians chapter 7 on tap for Sunday, be there or be square… or… come one, come all,  as toward God in our sorrow we fall.

Sunday, August 17th is communion and fellowship meal Sunday!  Let’s celebrate Jesus and new life in Him,

Pastor Mark

2025-08-10: Pastor Mark Quist – GOSPEL LIFE: Reconciliation: It’s God’s Way or the Sad Way

This week: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 God’s reconciliation through Christ compels us to be reconciled to God and to others.  Are you noticing a theme?  What God has done through Jesus in reconciling us to God compels us to a life of reconciliation with others.  It all hinges on what God has done: “God made him (Jesus) who had no sin to be sin for us.”  

2025-08-03: Pastor Mark Quist – GOSPEL LIFE: Weakness is the Way, “Jars of clay… put God on display!”

In Second Corinthians Chapter 4, human beings are referred to as jars of clay.  “God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’ made his light shine in our hearts… we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”

Well, this jar of clay is so glad this is true, cause I know there’s nothing I can do to merit, to earn, one ounce of my salvation – my sin and limitation can’t change my situation. But God said, “Out of darkness let light shine!”  Love divine, in Christ, saying, “You are mine!”  So it’s OK to be this jar of clay.  ‘Cause in Christ, filled with light, puts God on display.

See you Sunday, Jars of Clay for God’s display, 2 Corinthians 4-5:7,

2025-07-27: Pastor Mark Quist – GOSPEL LIFE: Comfort – Where Can I Get Me Some?

Here we go!  A thematic cruise through 2nd Corinthians!  We begin with COMFORT.  Right from chapter 1 Paul speaks about Comfort, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion, and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”   Wow – this is profound right out of the gate.

Everyone has troubles.  But where can we get some comfort?  Paul says our comfort is found in ‘the God of all comfort, who is the father of compassion and all comfort.  But there is more, not only am I comforted, but then I in turn can comfort others.

It also says something about my troubles themselves – they are not without purpose.  It’s a powerful purpose to be able to be a presence with someone in their trouble… how much more present one can be when one has received the comfort of God in their trouble.

This is something to ponder when we are suffering, in trial, or having troubles,

See you Sunday as we explore Paul’s teaching on comfort from 2 Corinthians,

2025-07-20: Guest Speaker Larry Kelderman – GOSPEL LIFE: The New Birth and the Ministry of the Believer: Part 2

Last week we learned about the “New Birth”. 2 Corinthians 5:17. Since we have been saved from sin and saved to a new life! We see that we are saved for the ministry of reconciliation, verse 18. This Sunday we will see what that is and how it works in our life! As ambassadors of King Jesus!

Bless You,

2025-07-13: Guest Speaker Larry Kelderman – GOSPEL LIFE: The New Birth and the Ministry of the Believer: Part 1

Bless You,

2025-07-06: Pastor Mark Quist – What’s Next?  Deeper Discipleship… 2 Corinthians, the GOSPEL, and Discipleship

Why is Paul writing this letter, known to us as 2 Corinthians?  First of all to express his delight in the report from Titus that most of the believers in Corinth responded favorably to his severe correction.  He also encourages them to take up a collection for support of the believers in Jerusalem who are under severe persecution and to prepare for his next visit to them.

Throughout the 13 chapters of this letter, Paul writes some of his most remembered and noteworthy phrases, such as, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.  Therefore I will gladly boast all the more in my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (12:9) “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come.  The old has gone, the new is here.”  (5:17) “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” “(5:21) “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit is, there is freedom.” (3:17) “Whoever sows sparingly will reap sparingly.  Whoever sows generously will reap generously.” (9:6) “God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (9:8) “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (10:17)  GOOD Stuff!

Paul is a passionate pastor and spiritual shepherd as he ‘is sensitive to the needs of those under his care, pleads as a jealous father for his children’s affection and unity, and addresses the fears for them in confronting the persistent sins among them.’ (NIV Study Bible Notes on 2nd Corinthians).

New TQ: 2nd Corinthians 12:9-10, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.  Therefore, I boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest in me.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

See you Sunday,

2025-06-29: Pastor Mark Quist – Let’s Go Back, To Go Forward: Head Coverings?  What to do with passages of questioning.

The text for Sunday is 1 Corinthians 11:1-15.  This text is challenging for us today for several reasons.  We read it and go, “Huh?”  What does that mean?  Women must keep their head covered in worship?  How do we understand this?  1st, ‘A text without a context is a pretext for trouble.’  2nd, we can relax and be humble, there must be some good ways to understand this text that make sense.  Sometimes we like to read the Bible literally, others times we don’t (depending on our opinion or comfort level, or personal interpretation.)  Today, we are challenged by understanding the context then and making the connection to our context today.  So, we will rely on tried and true ‘rules’ for interpretation of Scripture: grammer, genre, historical context, theology, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  So no worries.

And here is another good rule, “Scripture interprets Scripture.”  Looking forward to seeing you Sunday, God’s Word and God’s Spirit is life!

Pastor Mark

2025-06-22: Pastor Mark Quist – So what now? Generosity, care for the body, be on your guard, stand firm in the faith, be courageous and strong, do everything in love…

Looking forward to Sunday with a post worship congregational meeting to make a plan, share the plan, fund the plan, and engage the plan, putting the plan to work, as we are led by and follow the Holy Spirit’s lead into another ministry year.  See you soon,

Pastor Mark