Rooted Church

The church that tolerates false teaching and corrupt morality will receive judgement, but Christ promises that those who hold fast to the Gospel will receive the ultimate reward.

Churches and individual believers are continually encouraged and even tempted to compromise with the world theologically and ethically. Yet, true believers of Christ will remain faithful to the end and will receive the reward of eternal life from the Lord.

Though followers of Jesus will face the opposition and even death in this world for the sake of the gospel, the promise of Christ is a promise of deliverance.

The Church in Ephesus looked healthy on the outside. They had sound doctrine and worked steadfastly for the good of their community. Yet they were no longer motivated by a love for their Savior. Jesus lovingly invites them to return to the place where they first knew that God was head over heels in love with them.

It is the will of the Lord that His children experience suffering. For the believer, this is not the exception...but the rule. However, for those who are His, suffering is a gift. In the midst of trial we are able to better distinguish the temporary from the eternal. The Glorified Christ rightly puts all else in perspective. This was true for John on Patmos, and it's true for us today.

The Revelation is from Jesus and about Jesus. It is a revelation of the majesty and glory of the warrior Lamb, King Jesus.

Jesus sends His followers out two by two to the places He was going to go. Like them, we can boldly make disciples because we know that though we have little, it is more than enough for the One whom we are pointing too.

As Christians, we are drawn to service. Yet, service apart from Christ leads us to think more of ourself than we ought. Gospel service flows from communion with Christ. We must sit with Mary before we are ready to work like Martha.

When we examine the letter of Paul, we see that he was passionate about a special mission God had given him. That being to unite churches for a common mission that God had given him. Today, we share that value as we desire to testify of the grace of God through partnering with others in the mission God has given us.

The Gospel is the good news that the christian has been given grace freely, not by our own merit. Thus, all we have is a gift to be stewarded as those called to reflect that good news with our time, talent and treasure.