Date: August 12, 2018
Some churches in America have incredible organization and programming when it comes to social and community causes: food pantries, clothing distribution, even medical clinics. Some have even begun to champion political causes. But is this what characterizes the "right" kind of ministry? Is this really what Jesus requires of His
Date: August 5, 2018
More and more churches today are getting involved in social causes: food banks, clothing drives, digging water wells, medical clinics, and other community outreaches. While these mercy ministries certainly provide physical blessings to our neighbors, is this the true mission of the church? What about the Gospel passages where Jesus
Date: July 29, 2018
*Guest Speaker* On Sunday morning, Richard Keller shared the interesting backstory behind that famous idiom "the proof is in the pudding". It is true that a person's actions are the final proof of what they claim to believe. Open your Bible to 2 Corinthians 3, and follow along as Richard
Date: July 15, 2018
Last week an Indiana court ruled that the "First Church of Cannabis" was not a true religious organization, and could not continue to use marijuana as a "sacrament" in their gatherings. While these fake believers tried to use their fake church as cover for recreational marijuana use, what should real
Date: July 8, 2018
In 2006, our hometown city of Hazleton, Pennsylvania was 'Ground Zero' in the national immigration debate. Then-mayor Lou Barletta, in cooperation with the city council, passed a controversial ordinance that was designed to stop the flow of illegal immigrants into the city. After a lengthy court battle that nearly reached
Date: July 1, 2018
Last month the Supreme Court overturned a longstanding federal law on sports gambling, and now many states will have the "green light" to conduct legalized sports gambling. Experts tell us that gambling in America reaches to more than a trillion dollars, and with the expansion of internet-based gambling, that number
Date: June 24, 2018
In 1 Thessalonians 5:19, the Apostle Paul holds out a challenging command for Christians: "Do not quench the Spirit". Have you ever thought seriously about this biblical command? What does it mean? How are Christians to go about obeying it as we seek to honor Christ? What are some of
Date: June 17, 2018
*Guest Speaker* On Sunday, June 17th, we welcomed Bill Brittain to our pulpit. Bill is the President of the Baptist Children's Home, which cares for nearly 1,000 needy, orphaned, and disadvantaged children in six different countries across the globe. In his message, Bill unpacked the caring heart of Jesus for
Date: June 10, 2018
President Donald Trump set the internet ablaze with his Twitter account on January 3rd, when an official tweet went out that mentioned nuclear warfare. While many people poked fun at the President's provocative bantering, just as many people were worried that strong rhetoric with North Korea might lead to a
Date: June 3, 2018
In former days, when we turned on the news broadcasts and learned about tragic deaths happening, it used to be about natural disasters: a flood, a tornado, or an earthquake. But more and more, we hear news reports of multiple deaths related to gun violence. If we were fortunate to