Guest Speakers
Ye Shall Be Witnesses
October 30, 2022 • Pastor Kevin Pestke • Acts 1:8
This passage of Scripture from Acts 1:8 is our Lord’s guarantee of power and the thrust for evangelism. The purpose of the Holy Spirit, directly or indirectly, is to testify of Jesus (John 15:26). When the Holy Spirit is active in our lives, the fruit of His work is a good witness for Jesus Christ. God knew very well that man, left to himself, could only produce flesh. The prophet Joel prophesied about the age when God’s Spirit would be poured out upon all flesh (Joel 2:28-32). Jesus Himself declared that He had to go away so that the Comforter could come (John 16:7). Now, we are all aware of the inability of our flesh to produce fruit or spiritual gifts. However, we often become so concerned about what God is doing in us that we neglect to see why God is working through us. His work is so that His Son Jesus would be glorified. We have been predestined to be conformed to His image. Just as Jesus is the express image of the Father, we are to be the express image of Jesus. Whether we like it or not, we are witnesses for the Lord at all times. And in order to be effective, fruitful witnesses, it’s imperative that we be controlled by the Spirit of God. In fact, the Greek word for witness is “martus”, or the English equivalent, “martyr”. After the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you become a “martyr” for Christ, dying to sin and self. The result? Power … dynamite! May we yield to God’s Spirit more and more, and in so doing become dynamic witnesses for Jesus!
It's Going to Be Okay
March 11, 2018 • Guest Pastor David Crespo
Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV) Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. “CHIPPIE THE PARAKEET” NEVER saw it coming. One second he was peacefully perched in his cage. The next he was sucked in, washed up, and blown over. The problems began when Chippie’s owner decided to clean Chippie’s cage with a vacuum cleaner. She removed the attachment from the end of the hose and stuck it in the cage. The phone rang, and she turned to pick it up. She’d barely said ‘hello’ when ‘sssopp!’ Chippie got sucked in. The bird owner gasped, put down the phone, turned off the vacuum, and opened the bag. There was Chippie– still alive, but stunned. Since the bird was covered with dust and soot, she grabbed him and raced to the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and held Chippie under the running water. Then, realizing that Chippie was soaked and shivering, she did what any compassionate bird owner would do . . she reached for the hair dryer and blasted the pet with hot air. Poor Chippie never knew what hit him. A few days after the trauma, the reporter who’d initially written about the event contacted Chippie’s owner to see how the bird was recovering. ‘Well,’ she replied, ‘Chippie doesn’t sing much anymore. He just sits and stares.’ It’s hard not to see why. Sucked in, washed up, and blown over . . . that’s enough to steal the song from the stoutest heart.
Jesus is Still Our Hope
May 6, 2018 • Guest Pastor Kirk Dudek
What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life? Is there any hope for mankind? The Bible says that there is. 1 Timothy 1:1 tells us that Jesus Christ is our hope. In fact, Ephesians 2:12 plainly states that if anyone is living without Christ, he is living without God and has no hope. I’ve often imagined someone drowning, able to see land, and yet with no one to rescue them. That’s what the world is like without Jesus: drowning in hopelessness. Maybe today you feel like there is no hope for you, no reason to live. Perhaps you’ve been an abused or ignored child. Maybe you’ve been a victim of rape or some form of brutality. Some of you may be living under the crushing blows of rejection because your spouse has been unfaithful. There is Someone who loves you and cares about you dearly, and His name is Jesus Christ. He promises to give you hope (Jeremiah 29:11). In fact, “the hope of the gospel” is that when you believe the gospel of Jesus Christ and receive Him into your heart, He will prepare a place for you in heaven and give you a brand new start here on earth. The Scriptures declare that a Christian can be “rejoicing in hope” (Romans 12:12). Indeed, the purpose of the Bible is to give you patience, comfort, and hope (Romans 15:4). Without Jesus, mankind merely exists. God created us for a deeper purpose than mere hopeless, uncertain existence. You have been created to fellowship with God. He gives purpose to both life and (Romans 14:8). This “good hope” I’m talking about comes to you from Jesus and the Father through grace to “comfort your heart and establish you in every good word and work.” (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)
Caregivers
October 21, 2018 • Elder Dana Colbert
When you hear the words, "caretaker" or "caregiver" what sorts of things do you first think of? Perhaps you get a mental image of someone in a hospital or a nursing home. Maybe you think of a loving mother, husband, wife or some other person taking care of their family. Some of you may even picture a building custodian, the one who "takes care" of a whole facility. Peter wrote his first epistle to believers and Jews dispersed throughout the world. Our text was written to leaders in the body of Christ living in this day. These encouraging words still pertain to church leaders in the body of Christ right now. What's more, most of the biblical truths in our text also apply to all believers in Jesus. Reading through these 11 verses, we find: We are to be godly examples to one another. We are to be subject one to another. We must be humble, being "clothed with humility." We must hold and keep a proper focus upon God. We should be putting all our anxiety upon God. And in that knowledge, we are encouraged and strengthened to be clear-minded and alert, steadfastly resisting the devil. "The God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus..." is the Ultimate Caregiver, "http://...taking care after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." (verse 10) Whether we call it "care taking" or "care giving", the power to pour out God’s care unto others comes from Him! “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” (Romans 13:8) The exhortation today is this: Consider all of the grace God has shown us and the favor He has granted us in so many ways! With that wonderful perspective, glorify God out in the world! He cares for and takes care of us. We also should be ready, filled, caring, and able to help take care of those around us.
Running to Win in the Race of Faith
October 28, 2018 • Elder Frank Carbone
The life of faith can be challenging at times. Resistance to our evangelism, pressures from the world, persecutions, temptations, and trials can make us weary, and doubts can even threaten to undermine our confidence in God. This was the case for the Hebrew converts in the early years of the Church. Political pressures from the Roman government were escalating. Religious pressures to return to Judaism were growing. Social pressures from the predominantly Jewish society were mounting. And the recent Hebrew converts were growing weary. In Hebrews 12:1-4, the author exhorts the beleaguered Hebrew believers to continue on in their life of faith in Christ. He does so using the metaphor of a race. In Chapter 11, he recounts the great exploits, victories, trials and faithful perseverance of the saints of old, as if to say, “If they could do it, so can you!” They ran their courses believing the promises of God, looking forward to the fulfillment of the words of the prophets. We look back by faith on the fulfillment of those promises in Jesus Christ. Like a great coach, the author urges them, and us, to run the race of faith to win! How? First, lighten up, unloading every weight and sin that would hinder swift forward progress. Then run strong with patient endurance no matter how difficult the way becomes. But what happens when you feel like you can’t go on? What happens when the road before you seems too long and hard? This is when you must look up from the arduous path, and look to Jesus. Seeing Him, and how He ran His race, is what gives us the power to continue on in ours. He didn’t let His present circumstances deter Him from striving for the joy of His hoped-for reward. Not even the shame of the cross could stop Him from finishing His course. In fact, by faith and the power of the Holy Spirit within Him, Jesus was able to esteem the cross a momentary light affliction compared to the far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory awaiting Him in heaven. When we consider Him, focusing our minds on His suffering and triumph, believing He did it all motivated by His great love for us, God gives us the strength we need to press on to victory in our race of faith as well.
You Are the Temple of God
August 11, 2019 • Pastor Joseph Hiwale
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” Rev. Dr. Bishop Joseph L.G. Hiwale directs the operations of the India Connection ministries in Pune, India. A medical doctor and Pastor Emeritus of Koinonia Fellowship Church of Pune, India, Pastor Joseph is a mentor to pastors and churches across India. He currently serves as the Principal of the Koinonia College of Theology. With his wife Vishranti, he oversees the Koinonia Medical Clinic and the Girls Home of Pune.
Why Christians Are Pro-Life
September 15, 2019 • Reverend Jim Harden
Most pro-life people are Christians. But why are so many Christians pro-life? And why are many of the reasons people give seemingly unconvincing to their pro-choice friends and family? Today’s teaching will do two things. First, we will explore some of the reasons why many Christian people are pro-life and why they are often unconvincing to pro-choice family and friends. Second, we will explore the Biblical foundation for being pro-life. To illustrate this critical principle we will explore two stories. The first story will peek into Jesus’ interaction with His disciples in Mark 10:13-16 uncovering not only the nature of children but also the responsibility of the Christ-follower to the vulnerable of society. The second story will look at Jesus’ conversation with a lawyer who, seeking to justify his own poor behavior, asks who the Royal Command ‘to love your neighbor’ actually requires him to love. There we will look at the meaning of loving one’s neighbor and its Biblical opposite, favoritism.