Out of the Salt Shaker
The Missing Ingredient, Part 2
February 23, 2020 • Pastor Dave Engbrecht
God wants to use each of us to be world changers. We’ve been changed and empowered by the Holy Spirit for impact. The path to be the salt of the earth and to have impact is through being filled with the Holy Spirit and powered by prayer. Our best efforts, apart from absolutely dependency on Him, are worthless. The early church, as described in the book of Acts, gives us a clear path forward. There need not be a missing ingredient.
The Missing Ingredient
February 16, 2020 • Pastor Dave Engbrecht
It tastes terrible. Something’s wrong. Have you ever sunk your teeth into a favorite food, only to discover that it didn't taste very good? The problem was a missing ingredient. Even though only one thing was missing, that forgotten ingredient changed the entire flavor. Just as that happens in cooking, it happens with us being salt in the world. This missing ingredient is absolutely essential to fulfilling God’s purpose for your life.
Good News!
February 9, 2020 • Pastor Dave Engbrecht
There’s something fulfilling about completing a mission. There’s a deep satisfaction. We’ve done what we’re supposed to do. What’s unfulfilling is to discover at the end of life that we haven't completed the mission. Perhaps we’ve climbed the ladder only to discover that is was leaning against the wrong wall. We’ve been given the honor of sharing the gospel. It’s a mission that is ours to complete. Let’s learn to effectively share it.
Unashamed of the Gospel, Part II
February 2, 2020 • Pastor Tim Veenstra
When you hear the word “evangelism," what images or thoughts come to mind? How do those images or thoughts feel on a scale from gentle to abrasive? We’ve all been called to evangelize, which biblically means to share the Good News. Unfortunately, in our current culture the word “evangelism” has a different connotation. What if the Church redeemed the word evangelism? What if the Church lived unashamed of the Gospel?
Unashamed of the Gospel
January 26, 2020 • Pastor Tim Veenstra
We must get the salt out of the salt shaker! But what is the salt? In Matthew 5, during the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus uses salt and light as metaphors for spreading the Good News that Jesus is redeeming and reconciling all creation back unto Himself. The Gospel is the salt. We must take the good news of redemption that we have internalized and spread it to all nations and peoples. But the question becomes, "Are you ashamed of the Gospel?"
What's Shaking Out?
January 19, 2020 • Pastor Dave Engbrecht
We know God is alive and at work. There’s no question about His power! Yet somehow, at times, it seems He’s distant. It seems like He’s not working. Has He withdrawn? Has He given up on us? Does He even care? One of the primary ways God has chosen to work is through people, just like us. As we experience His power and presence, His love flows through us. That’s how the salt gets out of the salt shaker.
Discover Your Purpose
January 12, 2020 • Pastor Dave Engbrecht
Words have meaning. The context of a given word can greatly alter its meaning. When Jesus says, “You are...” we need to critically examine the next word. If we truly are the salt of the earth, we need to discover what that means. How are we to impact the world? What purpose do we have? Understanding His words in the historical setting in which they were used gives us clear direction on fulfilling our place in our communities.