Pastor’s Page | September 4th, 2025
Sermon Prep (Read Ephesians 4:1-16)
Praise God and Hallelujah, Football season has arrived. As many of you know, I am a huge fan of anything sports related (well, actually only those sports which are actual contact sports and not just performance or skills…ice skating is a skill, but if you can check the ice skater into the glass…that is a sport!). One aspect of sports that I have always loved was the idea of being on a team. Some of the best memories I have and closest relationships I have experienced came from being on a team. To have a group of individuals who, though we may be different in many ways, can come together as one body, for one purpose, under the leadership of one coach, to win a prize that is greater than ourselves is something I wish every person could experience. Some have tried out for teams and for some reason or another fell short and was told they would not be allowed to be included with the other players and this caused great pain and harm (yes…I am looking at you Central Hardin High School Baseball Coach! How Dare You! Sorry, still have some hard feelings.) Others were told that they were not worthy enough to be a part of the team (such as that they lacked the necessary skills, or they didn’t live in the right district, or their dad didn’t play golf with the coach). Do you remember the joy of being part of a team, or the heartache of not being accepted onto the team?
Have you ever considered the church to be a type of team? Our coach is Jesus, our playbook is the bible, we all have the goal of winning, and we all have different parts or positions to play, and as we work together we each get better and become a more complete player (such as becoming more and more like our coach!). During the month of September, we are going to be camped out in Ephesians 4:1-16 and we are going to be focusing on how we can become the church that God wants us to be. We will be looking at how we make the team (how we are saved and become part of the church), what it means to be a good teammate (how we treat each other and come together as one), how we can find our role on the team (spiritual gifts), and how we mature as a team player (sanctification).
This week we will be looking at what it means to become part of the team, that is the church. What is the church and how do we become part of it? Do we simply come forward and say a few words in front of the congregation? If we truly want to be a part of the church, does God say that there is a limited amount of roster spots and He cuts us? Do we have to earn our way on to the team? And do we choose to be on the team or does God pick us to be on the team? These are some of the issues we will be looking at this Sunday. As you study Epehesians 4:1-16 (which we will be focusing on the whole month of September), go ahead and read the first 3 chapters of Ephesians. This will set up what Paul is saying in Chapter 4.
Here are some other verses to help you in preparing for Sunday’s message:
2 Pet. 3:9, 1 Tim. 2:4, Jn. 12:32, Jn. 16:8, Ezek. 18:23; Jer. 48:31; Isa. 28:21, Lk. 7:30, Mt. 23:37, Josh. 24:15; Isa. 50:2; Jer. 1:6; 2:13-14; 7:13; 13:10; 26:2-3; Ex. 3:11; 4:1-13; Hos. 11:1-9; Ps. 78:10; 81:11-13; Jer. 32:33, Matthew 11:27, Acts 13:48, 2 Timothy 2:25, 1 Peter 1:2, 1 John 2:2, 1 Peter 2:9, 2 Timothy 1:9, and 1 Corinthians 1:26-29.
Updates, Thoughts and More
This upcoming Wednesday we will begin our new Table Talk series looking at “World Religions, New American Religious Groups, and Cults”. This first lesson will delve into the idea of what exactly is “religion” and how did religion come about? Why are there so many religions out there and where did they come from? Also, we will look what it is within us that desires to have the need for something greater than ourselves. Come and start this journey with us on Wednesday night at 5 pm in E101.
We will have a new member luncheon this Sunday, September 7 th after the 2 nd service. This will be for those members who have recently joined and those who are considering joining. The format for the luncheon will be different from the previous ones we have done. Instead of having each class and ministry making a presentation, we are just going to have the information included in the folders. The reasoning for this is that we want to keep the lunch to about an hour. If you have recently joined or are considering the possibility of joining the church, make plans to come and be a part of the lunch.
Have you had a chance to meet Daria, our new Assistant Musical Director? If not, take the time to reach out to her and to get to know her. She is a talented musician but more importantly, she has such a sweet spirit about her. We are truly blessed to have her.
Last week my family and I went to Breckenridge, CO for a quick vacation. We had a blast! We got to do lots of hiking, lots of eating, and lots of sightseeing. The mountains were beautiful, the air was crisp and cool, and we got lots of opportunities to do absolutely nothing (which is my idea of a vacation!). I want to say thank you to Ray and Ellen Horn and Robert Muckleroy for making this happen for us. Colorado was always on our bucket list of places to see.
It is time for our football picks! Let’s start off with college (which is actually a boring week with many of the top teams playing cupcakes). In the SEC, Kentucky will do decent against Ole Miss but our offense is so pitiful that we won’t be able to score at all. The defense will eventually get exhausted and Ole Miss will pull away in the 4 th quarter. Oklahoma will pull off an upset over Michigan, and I actually think that Mississippi State will win over Arizona State.
Now for the NFL Picks: First, I think that Dallas will play inspired football for this game and actually make it competitive against the Eagles but the Eagles will pull it out in the last few minutes with Barkley breaking free for a long run. On Friday, I think the Chargers will upset the Chiefs causing all the Taylor Swift fans to break out in sad songs. Other games to watch: Cincinnati will finally begin to win games in September and will steam roll the Browns, Detroit will squeak one out against the Packers. But the game to watch will be the Baltimore Ravens against the Buffalo Bills. I actually think this will be the AFC Championship game. I am rooting for the Bills, but the Ravens know how to win early in the season. I think the Ravens win by 2 touchdowns.
What’s Going On This Week
Sunday (09/07)
Sunday Service - 9am & 10:30am
Monday (09/08)
Stitching Angels - 1:30pm
Tuesday (09/09)
Men’s Meeting - 7:30am
Bassett Bible Study - 10:00am
Wednesday (09/10)
Prayer Warriors - 9am
Sip and Share - 10am
Stitching Angels - 1:30pm
Table Talk - 5pm
Youth and Kids - 6pm
Bell Choir - 6pm
Choir - 7pm
Open Gym - 7pm
Thursday (09/11)
Davelyn Bible Study - 9:00am
Learning our Faith
Catechism of the Global Methodist Church (Ecumenical Affirmations)
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.
Do you believe in the Church?
Yes. I believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church. (John 10:16; 1 Cor. 12:12-13; Eph. 4:4-6; 5:25-27; 1 Pet. 2:9-10; Rev. 5:9-10.)
Who constitutes the Church?
The Christian Church is the community of all true believers under the Lordship of Christ. (Matt. 28:19-20; 1 Cor. 1:2-3; Eph. 2:11-22; Rev. 7:9-10)
What is the Church?
It is the redemptive fellowship in which the Word of God is preached by those divinely called, and the sacraments are duly administered according to Christ's own appointment. (Jer. 1:5; Acts 2:41-47; 1 Cor. 11:23-27)
Why does the Church exist?
Under the discipline of the Holy Spirit the Church exists for the maintenance of worship, the edification of believers, and the redemption of the world. (1 Cor. 12:27-28; 14:12; Gal. 6:1-2, 6-10; Eph. 4:11-16; Heb. 3:12-14; 10:23-25)
Is it right and good to worship our creator and redeemer?
It is our duty and privilege to bow in adoration, humility, and dedication in the presence of God. (Ps. 92:1-2; 95:1-7; 103:1-5; 107:1; Phil. 2:9-11; Rev. 4:11; 5:9-14)
Why is worship essential to the life of the Church?
The assembling of the people of God for worship is necessary to Christian fellowship and spiritual growth. (Acts 2:41-47, 4:31; Rom. 1:11-12; Heb. 10:23-25)
Joke of the Week
One night a lady came home from her weekly prayer meeting, only to find that she was being robbed! She panicked and the only thing she could think to do was to quote the scripture verse she had learned at her prayer meeting. She shouted out, “Acts 2:38! ‘Repent & be baptized & your sins will be forgiven.’”
The robber dropped his gun, got on the floor, and put his hands behind his head. The lady called the police who quickly arrived on the scene. While handcuffing the criminal, a policeman said to the robber, “You gave up pretty easily to such a small, elderly lady. How come you gave up so quickly?” The robber said, “I had to! She said she had an axe and two 38’s!”
Memory Verse of the Week
“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”
~Ephesians 4:1 (NIV84)
Quote of the Week
“When a person becomes a Christian, he doesn’t just join a local church because it’s a good habit for growing in spiritual maturity. He joins a local church because it’s the expression of what Christ has made him—a member of the body of Christ.”
~Mark Denver
