Archive for March 2012
Removing the Shroud of Unbelief

Some people think that Joseph of Arimathaea saved it and that the sheet has survived to this day. The Shroud of Turin seems to go in and out of favor with the modern day scientist.
What do you believe? And does the Shroud help your faith or does it have no impact at all? What makes our faith grow and on what is our faith anchored?
Read MoreDid Jesus Really Descend into Hell? — John 20:24-31

Confessing that Jesus descended into Hell tells us what really happened in the darkness. It is the real story told from God’s perspective. Mel Gibson’s movie “The Passion of the Christ” tells the story from Man’s perspective, but Jesus descended further. Jesus descended into Hell.
We all learned this in grade school. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. It’s like saying, “step back from the trees and see the forest.”
The Apostle’s Creed provides the visible pieces to the puzzle. Jesus was crucified, died and was buried.
Not step back and get the big picture from God’s perspective — Jesus Descended into Hell.
This sermon also explains John Calvin’s position
Read MorePeople are Migrating to Larger Congregations from Smaller Churches

by Thom S. Rainer
One of the most significant trends in American churches the past 25 years has been the migration of people from smaller churches to larger churches. We will be providing more information in the future about this movement. The implications are significant and should not be ignored.
In my own denomination of some 46,000 churches and 16 million members, the concentration of people to larger churches is a clear and present reality. Look at some of these statistics that give evidence to this phenomenon.
Less than one-half of one percent of these churches report an average worship attendance of 2,000 or more, but 12.6% of the total attendance of the denomination is now concentrated in these relatively few churches.
Only 1.5% of all these churches have an attendance of 1,000 or more, but 22.2% of the total denominational attendance is in these congregations.
Only 4.4% of the churches have an attendance of 500 or more, but 35.3% of the attendance of 46,000 churches is concentrated in just those few churches.
We expect to see continued migration of people from smaller to larger churches, and that the concentration of these members in larger churches will be even more pronounced with each progressive year.
The first obvious question is “Why?”
Read MoreBanks foreclosing on churches in record numbers

Banks are foreclosing on America’s churches in record numbers as lenders increasingly lose patience with religious facilities that have defaulted on their mortgages, according to new data.
The surge in church foreclosures represents a new wave of distressed property seizures triggered by the 2008 financial crash, analysts say, with many banks no longer willing to grant struggling religious organizations forbearance.
Since 2010, 270 churches have been sold after defaulting on their loans, with 90 percent of those sales coming after a lender-triggered foreclosure, according to the real estate information company CoStar Group.
In 2011, 138 churches were sold by banks, an annual record, with no sign that these religious foreclosures are abating, according to CoStar. That compares to just 24 sales in 2008 and only a handful in the decade before.
The church foreclosures have hit all denominations across America, black and white, but with small to medium size houses of worship the worst. Most of these institutions have ended up being purchased by other churches.
Read MoreFaith-Based Movies Make More Money Than Liberal Movies
by Billy Hallowell Hollywood films are often filled with sex, profanity and plenty of elements that serve as negative influences on the young people who may view them. That being said, a constant argument for these inclusions is that they are needed to sell tickets and to spark DVD sales. After all, “the people” want this…
Read MoreA Lament for the PC USA Church

Why did the ARP Synod call the PCUSA Church to repent? Because they have formally opened the door for practicing homosexuals to be ordained.
This is the last call for repentance as the ARP has now officially removed all connections between our denominations and severed our fraternal communications with the PCUSA. All of our military Chaplains are officially removed from the PCUSA endorsing board and have been transferred into the RPCNA.
We no longer recognize the PCUSA as a collection of believers being led by Christ. The PCUSA Church is being led by another spirit which is not the Holy Spirit. We no longer believe that Jesus is the head of that denomination.
We are calling on the faithful Christians left in that denomination to leave it. This sermon explains these issues.
Read MoreShould Christians Watch Sunday Football? Asked Differently — Is Tim Tebow Breaking the Sabbath?

This sermon has created a lot of conversation. The premise: that believers are not obligated to observe the Sabbath. The Sabbath was the sign of the Mosaic covenant. The Mosaic covenant is no longer binding. We are bound by the new law of love.
My opinion is that the Sabbath Commandment was the only commandment with Mosaic Law overtones. It wasn’t deleted by Jesus, but re-explained to not include Mosaic worship expectations.
The New Testament Church must still observe a seven day rest. We should sanctify a day unto the Lord. How? By worshiping publicly with God’s people. That’s how New Testament saints rest in God’s provisions and enjoy His fellowship.
The other issues of play, sports, occasional work, etc are up to the individual believer.
How do you keep the Sabbath?
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