The Examen

Friendship Community Church

The Examen

October 1, 2023 • Pastor Logan Ames

"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you - unless, of course, you fail the test?" ~ 2 Corinthians 13:5

With the above words, the Apostle Paul urged believers to do something that can be very difficult at times. No one wants to have to stare down their mistakes and study their weaknesses. Every single week in the NFL, there are teams that get absolutely crushed by their opponent. The only way for the head coach to figure out what went wrong and why is to go back and watch the recorded game film, even when he'd rather not. Marketing executives have to evaluate why a certain strategy backfired for their company. Pastors and churches have to be honest with themselves about why they aren't raising up more committed followers of Jesus. If any of these people are not willing to intentionally examine themselves, they will continue failing at the tasks they have been given to accomplish. The same is true for Christians. This week at Friendship, we will talk about an old prayer called "The Examen" which provides a formula for intentional self-examination that can become a daily spiritual discipline. How can we yield our own will to God's will if we aren't even aware of our own shortcomings? How can we see where God is in every part of our day, including our sins, if we don't take time to reflect on it? Join us to learn some vital tools for the discipline of faithful and honest self-examination while yielding to the work of the Holy Spirit in your soul.

Victory

December 31, 2023 • Associate Pastor Ben Sorbello

So the presents are unwrapped but do you feel His presence? Take a minute to reflect on this next question before you answer it...ready...Do you feel Victorious? In what or who? Are you in a battle or trial right now, with your health, a relationship, life in general? Does your life have PURPOSE? When you look in the mirror are you content and feel blessed or cursed? Are you proud to be a Christian today? Are you fired up to go to battle for your Commander? Do you believe that we are winning the War? Do you feel prepared to continue the War? This week we will be finishing the teachings of the Holy Spirit on Waging War - The Victory. If you have been part of the training program at Friendship since August we have been learning about the Spiritual War that we are in and how we need to defend ourselves and loved ones from the evil that exists. This week we will find encouragement from our Commander so you do not want to miss this! Commit yourself and your family to following and listening to the Holy Spirit of God and we look forward to fellowshipping and praying with you this week.

Christmas Eve Service 2023

December 24, 2023 • Pastor Logan Ames

"Holy Light"

"The Big Picture"

December 24, 2023 • Pastor Logan Ames

"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst" - 1 Timothy 1:15 Jesus was born to die. He came to be the Savior for us and for the whole world. Believers know this, but we tend to lose sight of it this time of year. We focus on the joy and the miracles and the celebration of His birth like somehow it's separate from His purpose. But God was planning this and foretelling it through the Law and Prophets for well over a thousand years, which means the Messiah's birth and death would always be linked. In order to save us and provide for our forgiveness, He had to shed His blood, something one can only do if they become flesh. This weekend at Friendship, we'll talk about "The Big Picture" of Jesus' birth for not only His own parents, but the whole world. If we want to wage war against the enemy, we must yield our own understanding to His; we must let go of our small picture of our circumstances and surrender to His big picture plan, even when we don't understand it.