Nearing the end of Jesus’ ministry on earth, He visits some friends in Bethany where a meal was being prepared in honor of Lazarus. People wanted to see this man whom Jesus raised from the dead and many were present in Bethany. At the meal we are introduced to a woman named Mary whose devotion…
The historical account of the life of Deborah is found in Judges chapters four and five. The book of Judges describes a time in Israel’s history that was very tumultuous to say the least. It was a roller coaster ride of falling away from the Lord and returning to the Lord. This cycle repeated itself…
Recently Time Magazine released a list of the 100 most influential people in 2023. Exactly 50 out of 100 listed were women. I am certainly not a fan of the women’s lib movement and I firmly believe in what the Bible teaches concerning the roles of men and women. However, one good thing that has…
There is much confusion today regarding the roles of men and women. As a Southern Baptist pastor, I hold to a complementarian view. Meaning that men and women are equal in worth, and value and their various God-given roles complement one another. As you study scripture, it is clear that both men and women are…
A woman in her late 20’s enters an elementary school and opens fire killing children. I don’t know about you, but this angers me. How can anyone be so depraved that they would do such a thing? Why would anyone even think to enter a school and kill children? It is a senseless horrible act.…
In ministry to children it is important that we are confident in how to respond to children in various counseling situations. In children’s ministry programs such as Sunday School, Children’s Church, Good News Clubs, and other such programs where an invitation is given; it is imperative that there is a strategy to address the various…
One of the greatest joys is seeing a young child come to faith in Christ. Unfortunately, there are those who do not understand that a child has both the mental capability and the spiritual intuition to make a definitive decision to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Some struggle to realize the necessity of…
The missional strategy of the local church is founded upon two key Bible passages. The first is what we know as the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:19-20. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to…
Listen very carefully: Your life matters. Your life counts. You have a purpose. Never let anyone tell you otherwise. In Jeremiah 1:4-10 we have the historical account of God’s call on the life of the prophet Jeremiah. In verse 5 we see a very powerful statement from the Lord. “Before I formed thee in the…
When God came down to man as a baby, He came with a purpose. As the incarnate of God, Jesus lived out His life on earth fulfilling the mission that He was sent to accomplish. That mission was prophesied by the Old Testament prophets and started with His birth and culminated in the cross and…
Pastor Chris Noland 