Pastor’s Page | August 7th, 2025
Sermon Prep (Read James 4:11-13)
The most destructive muscle in your body is not your bicep or your quadricep, it is your tongue. Your tongue can do more damage to another person than any other part of your body. Chuck Swindoll called it the “2-ounce slab of trouble”. A fist to the nose will hurt for a moment, but hurtful words will stick with you for the rest of your life. I guarantee you that right now, if I asked you to think of something hateful or hurtful someone said to you, there are at least 3 things you could remember almost verbatim. Those hateful things stick with us. And it is not just insults. It is truth delivered as a weapon, it is gossip delivered behind our back, and it is talk that questions our motives, our intentions, and even our passion for Christ. This is awful when it happens in the world, but it is extremely terrible when those within the body of Christ do it to each other.
In our passage, James tells us not to slander and not to judge. We are going to be looking deeper into what these two terms mean. As always, James will force us to take a hard look at our own hearts and inspect our own fruit that comes from our lips. As you start to get ready for Sunday, read over these verses and then deliberately keep a tally of any words that either you speak or hear that are meant to bring someone down rather than lift up. If you follow certain websites, jump to the comments section and see how many of the comments tear down instead of build up (yes…even on Christian websites!). Also, think about the term judge. What does it mean to judge someone and is there a difference between judging and judgmentalism? Also, look at the reasons James gives for us not to judge.
Here are some other verses for you to study as you prepare for Sunday:
Psalm 101:5, Matthew 12:36, 1 Peter 3:16, Proverbs 10:18, 2 Timothy 3:1-5, Exodus 20:16, Titus 3:2, 1 Peter 2:1, Proverbs 16:28, Ephesians 4:31-32, Luke 6:45, Proverbs 20:19, Psalm 109:3, Proverbs 11:9, Mark 7:20-23, Ephesians 4:32.
Updates, Thoughts and More
We are starting something new this Sunday. After every service, I will make my way to the library to meet with anyone who has questions about becoming a member of our church or about being baptized into Christ. If you have had thoughts about wanting to join the church or have questions about other issues related to taking the next step in your spiritual journey, come by and talk with me.
We will be having a church wide prayer service on September 3rd at 5 pm. We will be praying together for specific needs within our church, our community, and our nation. We will also take time to individually pray over people who are in need of prayer. Please start preparing your hearts for this time of prayer.
This Sunday will be our Blessing of the Backpacks. This is a time when we invite all of our kids and all those involved in our education system to come forward and we will say a prayer of blessing over them. We encourage kids to bring their backpacks to be blessed for a great upcoming school year. I encourage you to invite your kids, grandkids, and neighborhood kids to come and join us for this time of blessing.
It is the time of year for us to start thinking about the leadership for 2026. The Church Nominating Committee is about to begin selecting nominees for the 2026 Church Leadership. They will be nominating at-large members of the Church Council, Trustees, and members of the following committees: Finance, Staff Pastor Relations (SPR), Missions, Education, and Nominations. We have a form located in the Narthex for you to write in the names of members you would like to suggest to the Nominating Committee. Please make sure to stop by and pick up a form and you can return it to the church office, or to the Welcome Desk.
Summer is coming to a close here soon (YAY!!!!) and Fall is a season for us to jump back into our commitment to grow in our faith and to be more faithful in our walk with Christ. Here soon we will have a list of all available small groups and bible studies, along with opportunities for you to serve in the church and the community. Begin praying and considering how you will be more involved this coming season.
Just a few more weeks and I will start giving my football predictions. I can already tell you that Kentucky is going to stink it up big time! I may not be wearing blue and white all season long…but not to fear! Basketball season will soon be here!
What’s Going On This Week
Sunday (07/27)
Sunday Service - 9am & 10:30am
Monday (07/28)
Stitching Angels - 1:30pm
Tuesday (07/29)
Men’s Meeting - 7:30am
Wednesday (07/23)
Prayer Warriors - 9am
Sip and Share - 10am
Youth and Kids - 6pm
Learning our Faith
Catechism of the Global Methodist Church (Ecumenical Affirmations)
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through Him all things were made.
Do you believe in Jesus Christ?
Yes. I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God. (Mark 9:7; Matt. 3:17; John 3:16; Acts 2:36; Rom. 10:9; 1 Cor. 8:6; Phil. 2:11; Jude 1:4)
Is the Son God?
Yes. The Son is eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. (Luke 10:22; John 1:1, 14, 18; 8:12; 10:30; Phil. 2:6; Col. 1:15, 19; 2:9; Heb. 1:1-5.)
What is the Son’s role in creation?
Through Him all things were made. (John 1:3; 1 Cor. 8:6; Col. 1:16-17; Heb. 1:2.)
For us and for our salvation He came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human.
Why did the Son of God become human?
For us and for our salvation. (John 3:17; 14:6; Acts 4:12; 16:30-31; Rom. 3:21-26; 10:9; Titus 3:6-7; Heb. 7:25.)
How did the Son of God become human?
He came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human. (Matt. 1:18; Luke 1:30-35; John 1:1-2, 14; Rom. 1:3-4; Gal. 4:4; Phil. 2:6-8; 1 John 1:1-3, 4:2.)
Who is Jesus Christ?
The Son of God and our Lord Jesus Christ are one person in whom the divine and human natures are perfectly and inseparably united. (Isa. 9:6; Matt. 1:20-23; John 1:14, 14:9-11; Rom. 1:3-4; Col. 1:15-20; 1 Tim. 3:16; Heb 1:1-3)
Joke of the Week
Three pastors met and agreed to sincerely tell each other their problems which must be kept a secret between the three of them. The first pastor said, “my problem is money. I steal even from the church offering. Please pray for me.
The second pastor said, “Mine is women. Whenever l sees any woman, my desire will be to go to bed with her, in fact l have slept with most of the female church members.
Turning to the third pastor to hear his problem he started crying (it took his friends some effort to calm him). When they asked him to continue, he was still crying, he said “My problem is gossiping, when we leave this place, everybody will hear all what the two of you have just told me. Please pray for me”!
Memory Verse of the Week
“There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?
~James 4:12 (NIV84)
Quote of the Week
“Gossip is our dark moral fervor eagerly seeking gratification. Gossip makes us feel important and needed as we declare our judgments. It makes us feel included to know the inside scoop. It makes us feel powerful to cut someone else down to size, especially someone we are jealous of. It makes us feel righteous, even responsible, to pronounce someone else guilty. Gossip can feel good in multiple ways. But it is of the flesh, not of the Spirit.
~Ray Ortlund
