Jesus Loves Diversity
11-15-2022
J. Fields
My most recent class for Seminary is a Ministry and Cultural Diversity Class, I wasn’t
sure what to expect at first but after being in the class for several weeks now, my eyes have been
opened to some of the cultural differences ad challenges that take place within the ministry.
When you think about culture the immediate thought turns to cultures from other areas of the
world but culture can be those who have a different skin color than you, someone raised in a
different economic position, or even someone from a different religion. No matter what our
background is we are all loved and created by God. We live in a world that seems big but in
reality, it’s small. There are people from all walks of life that are just begging for freedom,
longing for the chance to freely worship God, and those that are praying for another Great
Awakening. There are certain places within the world where people will walk for miles to go to
church, there are organizations such as the LA Dream Center that feed the homeless because they
want to help God’s children. I encourage you to take off your glasses and open your heart to the
cultural differences that surround us, we are a piece of God’s ultimate plan. Remember this; your
cultural upbringing may be different from mine but my way isn’t necessarily any better than
yours, it takes every piece to create the perfect puzzle. There’s an old song that explains that we
are all loved, no matter our differences, the way we act, and the way we look we are part of
God’s ultimate plan.
“Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
Red, brown, yellow, black and white
They are precious in His sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world.”
Blessings,
Pastor Jason
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I Will Build My Church (Part 2)
11-1-2022
C. Hayden
Last month we spoke of how often the world, and even some who call themselves Christians, make
statements denigrating or downplaying the importance of “Church.” One problem with having an attitude that
causes a person to exclude oneself from the life of the Church is that they think of the Church as a building or a
service they are obligated to go to. The Church is us and to downplay its importance in our lives is to say that we
have no need of being a part of Christ’s Body or Christ’s Bride of which God has called us in to. In 1 Corinthians
12:27, Scripture tells us that “Now YOU are the Body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it.”
The second problem, when we ignore the Church, is that it is by fellowshipping with other believers in a worship setting that we are able to learn about our Lord Jesus, who He is, and how we can learn to live a life worthy of being a Christian. God gives us several tools by which we learn more about Him, and how to be like Him. We learn through:
The Word of God (2 Timothy 2:15),
Prayer to the Lord in the Spirit (Jude 1:20), and
Fellowship with Christ’s Body, the Church (Psalm 55:14, Acts 2:42, 1 John 1:7, Heb 13:16, 1 John 1:3, Gal 2:9, Phil 1:5-7, 1 Cor 14:26, Eph 5:19, Col 3:16, Acts 1:14, Heb 10:24-25, Rom 1:12, 1 Thess 5:11, Eph 4:2-3, etc. (There are a lot more).
statements denigrating or downplaying the importance of “Church.” One problem with having an attitude that
causes a person to exclude oneself from the life of the Church is that they think of the Church as a building or a
service they are obligated to go to. The Church is us and to downplay its importance in our lives is to say that we
have no need of being a part of Christ’s Body or Christ’s Bride of which God has called us in to. In 1 Corinthians
12:27, Scripture tells us that “Now YOU are the Body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it.”
The second problem, when we ignore the Church, is that it is by fellowshipping with other believers in a worship setting that we are able to learn about our Lord Jesus, who He is, and how we can learn to live a life worthy of being a Christian. God gives us several tools by which we learn more about Him, and how to be like Him. We learn through:
The Word of God (2 Timothy 2:15),
Prayer to the Lord in the Spirit (Jude 1:20), and
Fellowship with Christ’s Body, the Church (Psalm 55:14, Acts 2:42, 1 John 1:7, Heb 13:16, 1 John 1:3, Gal 2:9, Phil 1:5-7, 1 Cor 14:26, Eph 5:19, Col 3:16, Acts 1:14, Heb 10:24-25, Rom 1:12, 1 Thess 5:11, Eph 4:2-3, etc. (There are a lot more).
You might say, “I don’t like the people in the Church.” I believe God would say, “well what a
great group of people to be with to learn what My agape love means.” You might say, “I had a bad experience in
Church.” Maybe God might say, “You have a had bad experiences with many people at many places you keep going
to.” Doesn’t keep us from going back to Walmart after buying what turned out to be junk or McDonalds after
receiving a cold tray of fries, or going back to the bar after waking up to a huge hangover. You might say, “But
Church is boring!” Really?! I believe God might say, “If you would stop looking for others to entertain you and
instead entered into My presence during worship, fellowshipping with Me in the midst of the congregation, you
may discover the exhilaration that only comes to people who desire an audience with their God.” God’s
congregation is not there for our entertainment only. We are here to entertain God with our worship (Maybe
Church isn’t boring…but we are?!)
You might say, “I can worship anywhere, I don’t have to be with Church people.” God did say, “Do not
forsake the assembling of yourselves which is the manner of some; but exhort one another and so much more as
you see the day approaching (Hebrews 10:25). Maybe you can worship anywhere, but you can’t help others in
their faith if you forsake the Body of Christ! Next month, “I Will Build My Church, Part 3.”
great group of people to be with to learn what My agape love means.” You might say, “I had a bad experience in
Church.” Maybe God might say, “You have a had bad experiences with many people at many places you keep going
to.” Doesn’t keep us from going back to Walmart after buying what turned out to be junk or McDonalds after
receiving a cold tray of fries, or going back to the bar after waking up to a huge hangover. You might say, “But
Church is boring!” Really?! I believe God might say, “If you would stop looking for others to entertain you and
instead entered into My presence during worship, fellowshipping with Me in the midst of the congregation, you
may discover the exhilaration that only comes to people who desire an audience with their God.” God’s
congregation is not there for our entertainment only. We are here to entertain God with our worship (Maybe
Church isn’t boring…but we are?!)
You might say, “I can worship anywhere, I don’t have to be with Church people.” God did say, “Do not
forsake the assembling of yourselves which is the manner of some; but exhort one another and so much more as
you see the day approaching (Hebrews 10:25). Maybe you can worship anywhere, but you can’t help others in
their faith if you forsake the Body of Christ! Next month, “I Will Build My Church, Part 3.”
Be blessed even more,
Pastor Chris
Pastor Chris
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The World Is Not a Stage
10-15-2022
J. Fields
The World Is Not a Stage – Matthew 6:1-4
6 “Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don’t make a performance
out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won’t be applauding.
2-4 “When you do something for someone else, don’t call attention to yourself. You’ve seen them
in action, I’m sure—‘playactors’ I call them—treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a
stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get
applause, true, but that’s all they get. When you help someone out, don’t think about how it
looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in
love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.
I came across this Scripture and it made me stop and ponder many of the things we are
witnessing in the world today. People act as if they are something certain in one moment and
then act completely differently in secret. Oh, how about Hollywood, in front of the camera they
seem like life is great, but is it really? I’m not even going to talk about the political arena, I don’t
have enough time to write down all of that. This kind of stuff can’t be taking place inside the
church, can it? Believe me, you and I have both seen it on national tv. Let me explain where
I’m going with this…
It feels good to be liked, it’s exciting to hear people hoot and holler, cheering you on for
something powerful that may have come out of your mouth, and it’s a great feeling when
someone tells you how good you did with a speech or a good deed that you did but Matthew 6 is
trying to tell us to do it with a humble heart, give the glory to God above, be His hands and feet
not because it brings you glory but because it’s the right thing to do. Everything we do in life
should be to glorify God and never man!
Blessings,
Pastor Jason
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