Portfolious

Hey kids,

Be sure to join us this Sunday (May 24) at our NEW PROPERTY (1201 Park Street).  Kids Church will be outside this week, and then we will help with the groundbreaking for the new church building!

Mpact Girls Ministries and Royal Rangers Boys Ministries joined together for an end-of-year cookout Wednesday evening, May 6, at the church. The evening started with an outdoor meal, at which around 160 people were fed. Most of the Mpact and Royal Rangers students were on hand, along with several of their family members.

Burgers and hot dogs were grilled by Lt. Commanders Mike Erhart, Leon Sharp and Don Smith, with Adventure Ranger Ryan Davisson also helping. The side dishes were provided by the ladies of the church. Following the meal, an awards council was held in the church auditorium, in which all the group leaders presented the students with achievement awards for their work during the past year. At the end of the council, special recognition was given to all the adult leaders, and a special offering was taken to go towards something special for this group of men and women.

Following the council, the groups were dismissed to go the church parking lot, where it was announced that the Royal Rangers had won the offering contest for the year. As a result, the boys got two minutes to shoot the girls with water guns.

God’s heartbeat is that we be His hand extended to the lost, in making His salvation known to those who don’t have a clue.  Too many Christians hoard His blessings; they go by the old adage, “Two’s company, three’s a crowd.”  I prefer the title of the old 80’s sitcom, “Three’s Company”.

In 2 Kings 7:3-16, we read of 5 lepers who found good news and shared it.  Leprosy is a “type” of sin, and lepers are a “type” of sinners.

I.  The Plight of the Lepers — verse 3,4

These lepers had no hope; they were doomed to die, and felt they had nothing to lose.  People without Christ have nothing to lose.

II.  The Plan of the Lord — verses 5-7

God saw those 5 lepers and worked a great (and hilarious) miracle on their behalf.  Friend, God sees the lost, and He was worked a mighty plan to save!

III.  The Pleasure of the Redeemed — verse 8

The hunger and thirst of the lepers was satisfied, and the treasures that they took were more than they could imagine. Those who find Christ will find that their longings are satisfied, and will find unlimited treasures!

IV.  The Pity of the Rejoicers — verses 9-11

The lepers knew they shouldn’t be selfish, and made the decision to share.  No one is too high or too low to share with — it’s just important that we share!  Notice the news was shouted everywhere.  There’s no time to play games — people are starving and need the good news that we have to share.

V.  The Perplexity of the Ignorant — verses 12,13

Not everyone has a clue when it comes to the gospel.  Skeptics feel that the good news is too good to be true.  Slaves don’t even understand what freedom is, because they have been in bondage so long.

The story ends on a high note.  This morning, are you a leper?  If so, come and be cleansed.  Are you a rejoicer? If so, share the good news!

On Friday and Saturday, April 24 and 25, the Discovery Rangers and Adventure Rangers enjoyed a camp out at a private grounds near Logan. 16 boys attended the camp-out, with 6 men going as leaders. The boys were: Conner Boxler, Ian Chestnut, Dalyon Chiplaski, Kirk Coomes, Mark Coomes, Trey Ellis, Michael Fawcett, Conner Hill, Brock Means, Kylor Millar, Colton Morgan, Cordell Ratfliff, Tristen Ratliff, Julian Snyder, Justice Snyder and Eric Townsden. The leaders were Pastor Dave Pugh, Commander Steven Seems, Lt. Commander Mike Erhart, Lt. Commander Leon Sharp, as well as Kevin Morgan and Eric Babcock.

The boys were responsible for setting up their own tents, which proved quite a challenge in the Kansas wind! Following camp set-up, each boy was responsible for a particular duty on the roster, including gathering firewood, digging a latrine, setting up a campfire, etc.

The primary focus of the camp-out was to train boys in cooking over a campfire. Several of the boys had opportunity to help with this, as three meals were cooked and served during the camp out.

Not all the time was spent training. Commander Seems and Lt. Commander Sharp led the boys in some active games, including Capture the Flag. A campfire service was held that night with Pastor Dave speaking on “No Compromise”, and challenging the boys and leaders to let go of areas in their life that keep them from being sold out to God.

Temperatures on Friday soared to close to 90 degrees, but as evening fell, a cold front blew in, and temperatures drastically dropped. By bed time, it was pretty chilly out, but the boys stayed warm in their sleeping bags and tents. On Saturday, it was difficult to leave the fire, as temperatures refused to budge out of the forties, with a strong wind blowing. Despite the unexpected cold weather, a good time was had by all.

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Have you ever wondered why people do the things they do, why they make the choices they make, live the lifestyle they live?  Research has shown that much of it has to do with genetics; our DNA makes us who we are.  I believe there is truth to that, as the Bible points out that we are all sinners by nature; we all have a bent towards sin.  However, I also believe that too many people would like to use their DNA as an excuse to sin.  Our sinful nature cannot be used as a justification for sin, because when we accept Christ as our Savior, He gives us a new nature!

But today, I want to do more than examine the genetics of individuals — I want to consider the nature of the church.  A church that is vibrant and electric with God’s presence has the DNA of God in it.  Not coincidentally, this kind of church is actively reaching the lost, because that is the heart of God.  We are doing what we can to change the DNA of a lost world.

I.  The Old Testament

We begin at the beginning — When Adam and Eve fell, thereby infecting all mankind with the curse of sin, God promised in Genesis 3:15 a Redeemer — the first of many such promises.  Later, in chapter 12, God promised Abraham that he would make of him a great nation, through whom all nations on earth would be blessed.  Why?  The Redeemer would come from that nation (Israel).  All through the Old Testament we see God reaching out to fallen man.  Many are tempted to skip over the prophecies of the Old Testament — DON”T!  Isaiah is known as the Old Testament Gospel for its many references to a coming Redeemer.  Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, in the middle of all the gloom and doom promises a new covenant between God and man, and says that God will replace our heart of stone with a heart of flesh.  Joel prophesied that in the last days, God would pour out His Spirit on all flesh.

II.  The New Testament

Then came Jesus!  When He began His public ministry, John the Baptist declared Him to be “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.”  In other words, Jesus came to change the DNA of mankind.  When He died on the Cross, Paul tells us in Galatians that we redeemed mankind from the curse described way back in Genesis.  Then, before he ascended, Jesus gave His disciples the Great Commission, in which He told them (us) to preach the good news to all creation.”  It was His plan that we be involved in changing the DNA of mankind.  Following His Ascension, the Holy Spirit was poured out on the early Church, empowering them to carry out this commission, and putting a DNA, a genetic nature, into His Church.

III.  The Church Today

In John 20:21, Jesus declared, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”  The Book of Acts ends abruptly, as if the last chapters were lost.  They weren’t lost; they had yet to be written!  The Holy Spirit is still being poured out on the Church today, because our mission is still the heart beat of God’s!  Unfortunately, the church of today has become ingrown.  Anyone with an ingrown toenail knows the pain and suffering and unusual sensitivity of the affected toe.  An ingrown church is the same way.  They become sensitive to every little offense, and peripheral issues are more important than reaching lost souls.  Ingrown churches have lost the very life of God, and are dead to the core.

God has called, empowered and equipped the church to be an army — that is our God-given nature!  An army that is advancing, conquered and focused.  So I challenge you first to arm yourselves, according to Ephesians 6.  Then, fall in!  Stop doing your own thing, and get on board with what God is calling the church to be!  Then, keep your eyes on the Commander-in-Chief, Jesus!