Our local association newsletter had a section recently that listed six secrets of a turnaround church. Thom Rainer, president of Lifeway Christian Resources, conducted a survey of churches that were in decline and experienced a great turnaround. From that survey these six things were evident in every church that made a turnaround: They became highly…
This is a sad day for America. We have lost one of our spiritual pillars. Billy Graham has gone home to be with the Lord at the age of 99. The impact he had on our nation and the world is so great that we will never realize the extent of it. Countless numbers of…
Sanctification is one doctrine that we tend to shy away from. We love to talk about the doctrine of redemption, justification, propitiation, and glorification. When these doctrines are preached we respond with shouts of ‘amen’ and ‘glory to God.’ However, when it comes to sanctification it is met with silence. The apostle Paul prays that…
Questions abound as to why churches across America are in decline. Many have suggested that the church is not relevant enough to today’s society. As a result we do see young people leaving the traditional church and flocking to the emerging church movement. We have mistakenly attributed this to things such worship styles, attire, and…
Across America there are pockets where the churches are a plenty and the Gospel is clearly preached and understood. However, there are also pockets where the churches are few and the people are starved for truth. Knox county Maine (where I pastor) is one of those pockets where the churches are few and the people are…
“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy,…
“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those…
Romans 12:1-2 says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good…
Philippians 1:21 says, “For to me, to live, is Christ, and to die is gain.” When we surrender, we die to ourselves and live for Jesus. To live is Christ. There is gain in leaving this earth as a Christian. We know that we will forever enjoy the wonder and splendor of heaven and being…
Surrender. We hear this word a lot in Christian circles. What does it mean to surrender? We sing the hymn “I surrender all”, but do we really grasp it’s meaning? Galatians 2:20 sheds some light on the concept of surrender. It reads: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but…
Pastor Chris Noland 