Joel Gilbert

Sermon Passage: 1 Timothy 3:1-7 One’s calling matters (v. 1) One’s qualifications matter (v. 2-3) One’s character matters (v. 4-5) One’s spiritual maturity and approval matters (v. 6-7) Discussion Questions: What does the world look for in a leader? How is that different from what God says in the Bible?…

Mountain Top Experiences Throughout the Bible we find a motif or a theme of mountain experiences. Mountains in the ancient world were seen as places where the things of heaven and things of earth intersected. In Scripture we find mountains as a places where surrender happens, where communion with God…

Religious groups and churches have patterns or rhythms weekly worship monthly communion Liturgies Annual festivals or meals Muslims have the month of Ramadan where they fast during the day, give alms, and feast at night Hindus have Diwali and specific celebrations tied to their deities Jews have several…

Introduction: Is Jesus “woke”? In other words, is He someone who is sensitive to or aware of the injustices experienced by the marginalized? If Jesus were walking on earth today, gathering disciples, would He do so along DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) ethical standards? Would he try to choose people…

A few years ago, there was a series release on streaming services called “Stranger Things.” The series took place in a small town where strange events were happening - supernatural encounters, weird creatures, fissures into things that seemed like a mirror image of our world. It was truly filled with…

When you and I come to faith in Jesus Christ, we do so from a variety of different circumstances. Some are younger (I was 5). Some are older - I know a woman who was in her late 80s when she came to faith. Some have lived simple lives, others have lived rather rambunctiously. Some have come with some…

People make judgments about us all of the time. It’s not so much that they are judgmental, but that they get to meet us or get to know us based on certain associations. I know, by virtue of the fact that I’m a pastor, when I introduce myself to people, they make an immediate judgment. If they had a bad…

Before we dive into the message today, I’d like to give you a brief update on my trip. Nepal slides Teaching team - 3 from TN, 1 from MD, Translators and coordinators from India (Trevor) - 8 days of teaching (Joel/Isaac) - Old Testament and Bible Study Methods students from Nepal, India and Bhutan got…

In recent years, ancestry and genealogy has been a growing trend. One of the largest and most popular ancestry companies was sold 4 years ago for $4.7b. There is something in us that wants to understand more about where we are from and from whom we descend. Unfortunately, for many of us, the detailed…

There have been several times over the last few months that I have been reminded about the importance of even small parts on teams or in performances. back up quarterback who comes in for one play because his speed or gift could help move the ball down the field Ballerina who comes in for a single scene…