Around this time in the month of January, churches across America has a special emphasis on the Sanctity of Life. On January 13, 1984 President Ronald Reagan made a proclamation that proclaimed Sunday January 22, 1984 as Sanctity of Life Sunday. From the time of President Reagan’s proclamation Sanctity of Life Sunday has been…
After receiving a good whooping by Haggai he now calls us to courage. We have been called to come out of our spiritual complacency and to once again build and strengthen the house of the Lord. Now, attention must be given to how we do that. “As in the first sermon, there is stress on…
The book of Haggai was written around 520 B.C. It was a letter addressed to all the people, though particularly addressed to Zerubbabel the governor and to Joshua the high priest. The purpose of the book is to encourage the people in completing the building of the Temple. The completion of the Temple had been…
Here is the 2016 State of the Church Address to be presented during the morning worship service on Sunday, January 1st at First Baptist Church of Decherd. Today marks the beginning of my 9th month of ministry here at First Baptist Decherd. It is a remarkable thing to see how God directs our steps and…
We live in a very fearful world. Our minds are often filled with worries and fears. We fear the instability of our nation’s security. We fear the very real possibility of economic collapse. We fear what kind of world our children are inheriting. We are concerned for their future. Such fears are nothing new in…
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” The purpose of man is doxological. The reason for our existence is to bring glory to God. Everything that God does for us is ultimately that He may be glorified. This is also the…
The most consequential election of our time has come to an end. God has heard our cry. With the election of our new President and a more conservative house and senate, the opportunity has been given for America to return to its roots as a God-fearing nation. The possibility of ending the holocaust known as…
I have been reading an amazing book from our church library by Henry and Richard Blackaby called, Hearing the voice of God. There are many ways that God speaks to us. He speaks to us through the scriptures, the Holy Spirit, prayer, circumstances, people, and the church. Many times, however, we fail to…
As a Pastor I often find myself focusing on the big picture. One of my greatest passions is to cast a vision and develop plans and strategies to fulfill that vision. However, seeing the big picture means nothing without careful attention to detail. In life, there are many problems and trials that can be avoided…
Originally posted on Pastor Chris Noland:
There are many thoughts and ideas concerning what makes a healthy church. It is important that the church seeks sustained health rather than extreme growth spurts. Let me explain. Considering numbers is important. The main reason to consider numbers is that every number represents a soul. Therefore, it is…
Pastor Chris Noland 