Impacting Our Culture for Christ

Pastor’s Pen…
It was encouraging to see an uptick in attendance this past Sunday. I'm looking forward to when even more of you feel comfortable attending our ‘safety-oriented’ services. 

We continue to hold our Sunday services with all safety protocols and pre-service sanitizing in place. No Sunday school yet, and the nursery will not be available.  We will continue following the protocols as outlined by GA-18 guidance.  Face masks are required, social distancing and no physical contact. We will again use bulletins printed untouched by human hands, with songs, etc. printed therein, and pre-packaged communion elements. Offering plates at the rear.

If you still feel uncomfortable attending just yet, you can join the live-stream on Facebook (at 10:45 am) which includes communion and the worship hymns, or the message, posted on the website Sunday afternoon.  We are blessed to have the technology available that allow us to still worship, and those in our church family who have the expertise to post the service online.

This week’s message, “Impacting our Culture for Christ” is taken from 1 Peter 3:15

None of us would question the fact that today’s 21st century culture is hostile to the Christian faith.  One of the dominant movements of our day is postmodernism.  It’s central, core belief is that there are no real absolutes . . . Add to that the impact of the coronavirus, the economic and workplace challenges, plus racial violence and unrest, and we are faced with a challenging world in which we live.
Some time ago while in India Kathy and I visited many beautiful sites – Taj Mahal – The Lotus Temple of the Bahai faith … there is a plaque there, welcoming all religions – except  Yet in John 14:6 – Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father but by me.”
those narrow, rigid religions that claim they are the only way to God.
In addition, biblical illiteracy among Christians is spreading (in North America, people are called illiterate when they cannot read.)  Biblical illiteracy involves Christians who will not take the time to read and study their Bibles, or to apply scripture to their lives.  
Plus, there is brokenness today in the lives of individuals and families---depression, burnout, addictions, divorce, pornography … and the list goes on...
In 1 Peter 3 Peter gives four essentials for effectively impacting culture for Christ… The culture in Peter’s day was hostile to the new faith… and in the context Peter talks about pursuing good (3:13 and suffering fearlessly for righteousness sake (v. 14))…
Now, the four essentials. First…
  1. Integrity and commitment to Christ
· Sanctify Christ as Lord – treat Him as holy (example: a bag of potato chips, unopened) In other words, set Him apart as the ultimate ruler of your life.
· In your hearts – this is not an external matter or something we do for show, but an inward reality (based on Isaiah 8:13, “…the Lord of hosts, Him shall you hallow … your fear… a sanctuary …” Effective cultural impact and witness begins with personal integrity that flows out of a strong personal commitment to Christ as Lord of our lives.
Example: Man rejected witness because a deacon cheated him in business.
  1. Readiness to respond “Be Ready Always”
·  Be prepared to seize any opportunity (witnessing on flight from … Houston to Omaha … I was too tired to witness… man seated next to me said “I'm an agnostic. 2 and a half hours later, he had prayed to receive Christ. )
·  Ready to give a defense of our faith (this is what we prepared students for at Southeastern Bible College: to be biblically grounded, as well as spiritually mature and culturally relevant)… Paul was ready in Jerusalem for a mob (Acts 22) and before King Agrippa in Caesarea (Acts 25, 26) “you almost persuade me…” 26:28)
App.  You prepare today to be ready at any time … in any culture … anytime of the year… but especially at this time of multiple crises…BE READY!
  1. Solid content – You can’t be ready unless you have something solid on which to build your readiness (Olympic contestants … devote years to preparation, learning technique)
·   Apologia – not an apology for a wrong, like “I’m sorry” … instead, a response or defense of our Christian faith
·   A reason for the hope (not the “I hope to win the gold medal” kind of hope … but the 2 Cor. 4:14, biblicalkind of hope – an absolute certainty about the future, based on an absolute certainty from the past – Jesus’ resurrection
App. In today’s postmodern culture absolute certainty is rejected – yet Scripture claims truth (John 17:17) and Peter … “we did not follow cunningly devised fables … but were eye witnesses …” 2 Peter 1:16
App. 2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to show…approved….rightly dividing the Word of truth”
  1. Humility and respect.  There may be a temptation to respond in our witness with arrogance, when we have the assurance of the truth. But remember…
·  Humility is power under control … based on the fear of the Lord (beginning of both wisdom and knowledge)
·  The gospel is its own defense – we don’t need to add to its defense—illus. great preacher Charles Spurgeon, said Scripture is like a lion… doesn't need defending, just turn it loose, it defends itself!
·  Proverbs 15:1 a gentle answer turns away wrath …2 Tim. 2:24,25 “a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, and able to teach, patient, and humility correcting those who are in opposition …”

Let’s develop these essentials ….Integrity and commitment to Christ…Readiness to respond at every opportunity…Solid biblical content…plus Humility and respect
When we have these essentials, we are ready to witness, & impact our culture for Christ.
RADIO THIS EVENING One of the great tragedies of our day is the death of millions of unborn babies through abortion. Adoption provides an amazing alternative, placing children who might otherwise become victims of a portion into loving homes. Tonight’s Encouragement Live will feature Janna and Brent Holt sharing their story and encouraging adoption and foster parenting.
Encouragement Live can be heard at 7:05 PM central time on American Family Radio (www.afr.net) and on theworshipchannel.org. 

Don Hawkins, D. Min.                                                                                                                     Interim Pastor

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