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Connections is one of the elective choices we offer for adults in our Sunday School ministry. We meet every Sunday morning at 9:30, in the auxiliary house just north of the church parking lot. Presently, we are involved in the “Nooma” video series, featuring Pastor Rob Bell. These are cutting-edge, “hot-button issue” discussions which our group is really enjoying.

Connections is a “myth buster”, shattering the old notion that Sunday School is boring. Instead, we believe it should address the issues that today’s adults are facing head-on. We encourage you to check us out this Sunday morning!

Group facilitator:  Pastor Dave Pugh

Tonight during our Royal Rangers meeting we went over our bible study & devotion, but we also discussed a couple different types of knots.  In the Royal Rangers ministry we try to take the boys camping at least once a year.  When the groups go on this camp out it’s nice if the boys are able to perform certain tasks for the camp out.  As many of us know…usually a “true” camping trip will require the use of rope.  The ropes may be used for multiple things: to setup the tent, hang up clothes, tie up something, etc.  When using the ropes there are many different knots that can be used, depending on what you are wanting to do.  So tonight we discussed the Figure 8 Knot and the Square Knot.  Both of the knots are pretty easy to tie, but can be very effective when needing to tie something.  Each of the 10 boys we had in class tonight were able to tie both knots. 

The evening with the boys went very well, and I really believe that God is going to wonderful things with this group of boys.

Message for Sunday morning, September 21 — Pastor David L. Pugh

“God is Pro-Choice”

Deuteronomy 30:11-20

It’s been debated throught the centuries, but God did create us with a free will.  He did not create us as programmed robots blindly doing His bidding. In this passage, He gives us a choice, and then “hints” at what is the best choice.

Our choices are: prosperity vs. destruction; love God vs. turn away from God; walk in His ways vs. disobedience; keep His commands, decrees and laws vs. drawn away to bow down and worship other gods; increase vs. not living long; blessings vs. curses.

You may believe that the choices are stacked.  Yes, they are, and thank God they are!  He has given us very clear choices, and we must investigate them to find out the best way to take.  This morning, let’s look at the choice we have between DEATH and LIFE.

I.  DEATH

    A.  It is the way of rebellion.

Rebellion is not peculiar to a particular population group, i.e., teenagers.  It is a societal problem.  We are rebellious by nature.  All rebellion stems from rebellion to God, beginning with Lucifer, who rebelled against God before the Creation, and was kicked out of heaven as a result. Since that time, as Satan, he has done everything he can to get mankind to rebel against God.  There is a reason why the Scriptures declare that “rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft”. It opens the door in your life for the work of the devil.

    B.  It is the easy way.  If sin wasn’t fun, it wouldn’t be so popular!  There’s a reason why “everyone is doing it!”  Jesus described this way as “the broad road”.  It’s the easy way through life.  The problem is, it’s also…

    C.  The way of destruction.  Proverbs says, “there is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”  Romans 6:23 — “The wages of sin is death”.

II.  LIFE

    A.  This is the way of obedience, which is simply devotion to God.  It’s not about “lists” of right and wrongs, it’s simply holding Jesus’ hand and walking with Him throughout life.

    B.  It is the difficult way — Jesus called it “the narrow road” — but not impossible!

    C.  It is the way of prosperity.

Hmmm….Death or life?  To choose life is to choose the Lord.  John 10:10 — “the thief comes to steal, kill & destroy, but I have come that they might have LIFE, AND HAVE IT TO THE FULL.” (emphasis mine)  Jesus declared that He IS  the Way, the Truth and the Life, that no one can get to the Father except through Him.

This is a test post to make sure that the new Discovery Rangers web page is working correctly.  With the new web page we will now be able to provide up-to-date information on our Discovery Rangers group.  This may include weekly devotions, Bible stories, merit announcements, and our quarterly lessons.  We will be posting activities and fund raisers that the boys will be participating in.  To go along with the activity announcements we will be posting photos from the events.

If anyone has any questions about the web page or is interested in the Royal Rangers program at First Assembly of God, please contact us.

Good afternoon, church family!

Wow! What a great God I serve! He never fails to prove Himself over and over again. We had a wonderful day Sunday, and a great week so far. And the weekend, though busy, is shaping up to wonderful, as well.

I know the women are having their “Alongside Tea” tomorrow morning at 10:00, and, ladies, if you have not yet made your plans to be here, I hope that it works out for you! Then, the worship team is getting together at 3:00 at Pastor Donna’s house for fellowship and instruction, and the men are meeting at Mike Jennings’ home at 4:30 for an “HonorBound Cookout”. I’m certainly going to be there, because when they invited me, they said my 2 favorite words: “free” and “barbecue”!

Of course, Sunday is the Lord’s Day, and we have a great day planned. First, at 10:30, I will be sharing preaching responsibilities with Pastors Todd and Donna Toomer, in a tag-team message, entitled “In Him”. We have been working together on this message, including the visual aspects, and I believe it will be a powerful message that you will not soon forget.

At 6:00pm, we will be back in the Book of Acts, with the message, “Bright Light! Bright Light!” (Those from my generation who have any recollection of the ’80’s will be familiar with that phrase!)

It’s so much fun to serve Jesus! I can’t wait to see you this weekend!

Ephesians 5:1,2

There are many kinds of potatoes, and there are many kinds of “taters” in the church, as well. My question: What kind of “tater” are you?

I. Spectator
A. Jesus dealt with spectators — they were the crowds who just wanted a show.
B. Spectators are never actually involved in the game.
C. They always have an excuse for not being involved — “I was hurt in the past,” “I don’t have time,” “I don’t have enough money,” etc.
D. Some spectators think they know how to play the game better than the players, the coaches and the refs.

II. Commentator
A. Jesus dealt with these as well — they were the Scribes and Sadducees
B. Commentators are the self-proclaimed “authority”
C. They always have to have the last word — and it’s usually a negative one
D. Commentators — you don’t have a clue!

III. Agitator
A. Jesus dealt with agitators — the Pharisees
B. Agitators are always stirring up trouble, but in the wrong place. We should all stir up trouble in the kingdom of darkness, but some have their kingdoms confused!
C. They keep the work of God from being accomplished because they’re agitating the kingdom instead of Satan.

IV. Hesitater
A. “Ya snooze — ya loose!”
B. Ecclesiastes 11:4 — “if you wait for perfect conditions, you’ll never get anything done.”

V. Imitator
A. Described in our text — imitators of Jesus
B. Christ’s life — one of love and sacrifice
C. That’s why our purpose involves evangelism, discipleship, fellowship, worship & ministry
D. That’s why we support missions!

So, what kind of “tater” are you? Surrender yourself to be an imitator!

I am so thrilled to be able to let you know, in case you hadn’t heard, that we have a veritable smorgasbord of offerings for adults in our Christian education ministry, commonly known as “Sunday School”. We offer three different classes geared towards a variety of needs and interests that today’s adult is craving.

1) CONNECTIONS group meets in the little house north of the church parking lot. I am the facilitator of that group, and beginning tomorrow, we will be using the “Nooma” series that is sweeping the nation in small group studies. We used one in this series, “Rain”, earlier this year, to much “critical acclaim”, so I look forward to further exploring issues that face adults through this series.

2) CORNERSTONE group meets in the church auditorium with Dan Heinze as its facilitator. They are just getting warmed up in the exciting John Bevier series, “Driven by Eternity.” I have had some participants in this group tell me that it’s the best study they’ve participated in ever! Even if you are now thinking of joining this group, you would still benefit greatly!

3) SPIRITUAL DISCOVERY group meets downstairs at the church, near the kitchen. Don and Mary Smith co-facilitate this group, and will tomorrow begin leading a thrilling study in the Book of James. Mary tells me this study was specifically chosen by the Holy Spirit Himself for this group, and (maybe because James is one of my favorite books in the Bible), promises to be extremely beneficial to every believer desiring to live out their walk with Christ on a daily basis.

A couple of people have mentioned to me that we have made it difficult to decide which group to be in. That is intentional. All three studies would benefit any adult who would just take the time to come and be a part. I promise you, it will only help you in your journey with the Savior! We hope to see you tomorrow morning at 9:30 in one of these groups!