Join us Sunday evening for a special presentation of the movie, Last Flight Out. Free Popcorn and Drinks will be provided. The movie will begin at 6:00 p.m.

We Want To See Jesus

Sunday's message will be a continuation of the series, "We Want to see Jesus!"

A rather well-built young man saw an advertisement for a job at the zoo. When he went there, he was horrified to find that the only job they had open was for somebody to play the part of a gorilla. A lot of children were coming in the next few days, and the zoo, having no gorilla, needed someone to impersonate one. Since money was tight, the man decided he would take the job. He arrived before sunrise, got into the gorilla outfit, and slipped into his cage. Finally, day dawned, and the children came. All he had to do was pensively pace the floor, look rather adept at swinging between trees, and eat the peanuts and bananas whenever they were fed to him. After eight or ten hours, he became thoroughly exhausted. The bananas were getting the better of him. As he swung from one tree to another, rather nauseated, he slipped and fell into the lion’s den next door. He shouted, "Help! Help!" The lion leaned over and said, "If you don’t shut up, we’ll both lose our jobs."

What is the moral of the story? Just because it looks like a gorilla and swings like a gorilla doesn’t necessarily mean that it is one. The same applies in the church. It may look like a Christian and sound like a Christian but that does not necessarily mean that it is one. Too often people wear masks which conceal their true identity. Jesus had very little tolerance for this.

Theologian Karl Rahner once said: "The number one cause of atheism is Christians. Those who proclaim God with their mouths and deny Him with their lifestyles. That is what an unbelieving world finds simply unbelievable."

The Five Solas of the Reformation

The Five solas are five Latin phrases that emerged during the Protestant Reformation and summarize the Reformers' basic theological beliefs in contradistinction to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church of the day. The Latin word sola means "alone" or "only" in English. The five solas articulated five fundamental beliefs of the Protestant Reformation, pillars which the Reformers believed to be essentials of the Christian life and practice.

Sola scriptura is the teaching that the Bible is the only inspired and authoritative word of God, is the only source for Christian doctrine, and is accessible to all—that is, it is perspicuous and self-interpreting. The adjective (sola) and the noun (scriptura) are in the ablative case rather than the nominative case to indicate that the Bible does not stand alone apart from God, but rather that it is the instrument of God by which he reveals himself for salvation through faith in Christ.

Sola fide is the teaching that justification (interpreted in Protestant theology as, "being declared right by God", and assumed to mean exactly "salvation"), is received by faith only, without any mixture of or need for good works, though in classical Protestant theology, saving faith is always evidenced by good works. Some Protestants see this doctrine as being summarized with the formula "Faith yields justification and good works" and as contrasted with the Roman Catholic formula "Faith and good works yield justification." The Sola fide doctrine is sometimes called the material cause or principle of the Reformation because it was the central doctrinal issue for Martin Luther and the other reformers. Luther called it the "doctrine by which the church stands or falls" (Latin, articulus stantis et cadentis ecclesiae). This doctrine asserts the total exclusion of any other righteousness to justify the sinner other than the "alien" righteousness (righteousness of another) of Christ alone.

Sola gratia is the teaching that salvation comes by God's grace or "unmerited favor" only — not as something merited by the sinner. This means that salvation is an unearned gift from God for Jesus' sake.

Solus Christus is the teaching that Christ is the only mediator between God and man, and that there is salvation through no other (hence, the phrase is sometimes rendered in the ablative case, solo Christo, meaning that salvation is "by Christ alone"). In this tradition absolution reconciles the penitent with God directly through faith in Christ's forgiveness rather than with the priest and the church as mediating entities between the penitent and God.

Soli Deo gloria is the teaching that all glory is to be due to God alone, since salvation is accomplished solely through His will and action — not only the gift of the all-sufficient atonement of Jesus on the cross but also the gift of faith in that atonement, created in the heart of the believer by the Holy Spirit. The reformers believed that human beings—even saints canonized by the Roman Catholic Church, the popes, and the ecclesiastical hierarchy—are not worthy of the glory that was accorded them. That is that one should not exalt such humans for their good works, but rather praise and give glory to God who is the author and perfecter of these people and their good works.

The Scriptures declare to us:

Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day.Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; He is also to be feared above all gods.For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.Splendor and majesty are before Him, strength and joy are in His place.Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name;Bring an offering, and come before Him; worship the Lord in holy array.Tremble before Him, all the earth;Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved.Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;And let them say among the nations, "The Lord reigns.

1 Chronicles 16:23-31

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor?Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again?For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever.Amen.

Romans 11:33-36

The First Epistle of Peter

Our study continues with 1 Peter 4. Someone said that it is true that most people would like to “serve” God --but in an ADVISORY CAPACITY only!”

There is a story about little Johnny who had trouble pronouncing the letter “R” so his teacher gave him this sentence to practice at home.“Robert gave Richard a rap in the rib for roasting the rabbit so rare.”A few days later the teacher asked him how he was doing with his sentence and to say it for her.He quickly rattled off the sentence. “Bob gave Dick a poke in the side for not cooking the bunny enough!”

Johnny did all he could to avoid using the letter “R”. Many of us at times do the same thing to avoid the Commitment to serve the Lord, especially if it is not easy for us to do--if we feel inadequate for the task or afraid.

At the beginning of Chapter 4, Peter talked to a group of Christians about living for God. He told them that Jesus did not live his earthly life just for his human selfish desires, but rather for the will of God (v. 2) and he says, “You have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do--living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry” (v. 3).

He is speaking to people who previously didn’t have even a VAGUE IDEA of what it meant to SERVE God. They had previously lived very self-centered, destructive lives. Now, he is telling them the importance of living a different lifestyle--one that would count for something in the light of eternity; one that would be productive and point other people to Christ.

VBS Celebration!

VBS turned out to be a huge success. We averaged 105 every night. The commencement service on Friday evening was extremely entertaining. A special thanks goes out to our director, Linda Griffith (Professor Wilma), Jerry Boatwright (Professor Gizmo) and all the staff. We are already anticipating next year's event.

Day 2 of Power Lab VBS!

1st Night of VBS '09

The VBS '09 Power Lab opened with a huge bang tonight with 104 in attendance. There was an air of excitement as the Lord blesssed us in our activities and classes. We are looking forward to a great time tommorrow evening with Professor Wilma (Vilma) and Professor Gizmo.

Happy Birthday, Pamela!

Today is the birthday of the sweetest person in the world. Happiest Birthday wishes to Pamela Martin. May God give her many more years of happiness and love.

Vacation Bible School

Vacation Bible School will be Monday, July 13th through Friday, July 17th from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. each night. We invite you to come out and join in the fun at this year's annual VBS celebration. Our director is Linda Griffith. If you would like more information about the VBS please contact us at: (205) 553 - 9413.

A Tribute to Dorothy Busby

Pastor Ron & Pamela were honored to be asked to particpate in the recent funeral for Dorothy Busby in W. Helena, AK. From the tributes and testimony we heard, we believe that she was a great woman of distinction. Our love and prayers are extended to the family during this time of grief. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of the celebration of life of this inspiring Christian woman.

As Many As Touched Him

Sunday's message is entitled, As many as touched Him, were made whole! The Scripture text is found in Mark 6. There’s a story by a man who works with the down and out in Chicago. A prostitute came to him in wretched straits, homeless, her health failing, unable to buy food for her 2 year old daughter. Her eyes awash with tears, she confessed that she had been renting out her daughter – 2 years old! – to men.. to support her drug habit. The man could barely bear hearing the sordid details of her story. He sat in silence not knowing what to say. At last he asked if she had ever thought of going to a church for help. “I will never forget the look of pure astonishment that crossed her face,” he said. “Church!” she cried. “Why would I ever go there? They’d just make me feel worse then I already do.”

Somehow we have created a sanctimonious community of respectability in the church. The down-and –out who flocked to Jesus when he lived on earth, no longer feel welcome. How did Jesus, the only perfect person in history, manage to attract the notoriously imperfect? It was because those who touched Him, were made whole.

Christ’s passion for the hurting is needed TODAY not later!

The Touch of the Master’s Hand’

Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer

Thought it scarcely worth his while

To waste much time on the old violin,

But he held it up with a smile,

"What am I bidden, good folks," he cried

"Who’ll start the bidding for me?"

"A dollar, a dollar"; then,

"Two! Only two?

Two dollars, and who’ll make it three?

Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;

Going for three --"

But no, From the room, far back,

a gray haired man

Came forward and picked up the bow;

Then, wiping the dust from the old violin

And tightening the loose strings,

He played a melody pure and sweet

As sweet as a caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer,

With a voice that was quiet and low, Said:

What am I bidden for the old violin?" And he held it up with the bow.

"A thousand dollars, and who’ll make it two?

Two thousand! And who’ll make it three?

Three thousand, once; three thousand, twice,

And going, and gone," said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried,

"We do not quite understand

What changed its worth?"

Swift came the reply:

"The touch of a Master’s hand,"

And many a man with life out of tune

And battered and scarred with sin,

Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,

Much like the old violin

A "mess of pottage,"

a glass of wine

A game - and he travels on.

He’s "going" once, and "going" twice

He’s "going" and almost "gone,"

But the Master comes,

and the foolish crowd

Never can quite understand

The worth of a soul

and the change that’s wrought

By the “touch of the Master’s hand.”

Happy 4th of July

SPC Peter Meade raises the Flying WV in Tikrit, Iraq.

We offer a special prayer to all of our men and women serving in the armed forces. It is because of their sacrifice that we still celebrate our Independence. God Bless America!