Over the past several weeks, my email inbox has been flooded with spam invitations to view pornographic images of Paris Hilton, the somewhat attractive, though too young, daughter of the hotel mogul. Ms. Hilton has appeared on a television program called The Simple Life, and the emails advertise that she is engaged in sex acts with an old boyfriend. I always delete these emails as soon as I realize what they are, and I have not viewed the links.
About a week or two ago, I wrote a post entitled, "Am I just Naive" expressing my personal shock to discover that some business associates I have known for years have frequented strip clubs. Steve Bogner followed up a posting in his blog commenting on the threats to chastity in the secular world.
Steve suggested that we Catholics need to find ways to talk positively about sexuality and chastity to avoid sounding like prudes. I think he is right and this will be my feeble attempt, and I confess I may be repeating things said in many other articles, especially Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll.
As one surfs through the world of Catholic blogdom, a re-occurring theme emerges that Catholics place a premium value on the virtue of chastity. The bishops and some Catholic politicians even seek legislative channels for defending traditional family values and promoting chastity. The value of chastity is expressed sometimes in mistaken views of human sexuality, but the value shines forth nonetheless.
We see the value Catholics place on chastity in the defense of mandatory celibacy for ministerial priests, the encouragement for natural family planning in lieu of using contraception, the denouncement of the use of pornography, and Catholic ambivalence to divorce and remarriage, as well as condemnations of abortion. Occasionally, a Catholic blogger will speak to issues such as the sinfulness of masturbation, adultery, or fear of a Pandora's box being opened by a liberal attitude toward gay marriage.
Indeed, in my own defense of some sort of blessing for gay unions, conservative Catholics have pointedly asked me in discussion forums how I would condemn pedophilia and bestiality if I were to permit gay unions.
Regarding my more liberal views toward married priests, gay unions, and contraception, I believe that sexuality expressed in a publicly committed, monogamous, consensual, loving adult relationship are morally superior to acts of sexuality expressed outside of such bonds.
Outsiders consider Catholics who value chastity with suspicion. There exists a negative stereotype of Catholic prudes who hate human sexuality, who are uncomfortable with our bodies, who believe pleasure is sin, and who adhere to the promotion of sexist stereotypes and ideologies. Some secular feminists will argue that traditional marriage is simply a form of prostitution whereby males claim exclusive ownership of a woman and sexual favors are traded in exchange for financial support.
The issue I am writing about today is that I agree with conservative Catholics that there are threats to chastity surrounding us. Indeed, much of the thought I will expound has been stated in other articles.
I join my conservative Catholic siblings in being especially concerned at the proliferation of pornography on the internet and other media. I wonder if it is not becoming harder and harder for the non-Catholic world to understand what we value when we try to promote the virtue of chastity.
I once read a feminist author who claimed that the Church's condemnation of contraception, abortion, divorce, and homosexuality were all rooted in an unconscious fear of women by celibate male clergy. This author claimed that homosexuality is denounced because celibate males fear men who act like women, and that all other sexual morality was intended to subconsciously control women and keep them barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen acting as maidservants to powerful men.
Our young people are less sophisticated in their critique of Church teaching, and simply believe that their pastors are out of touch with reality. My wife states that she was viewing Oprah one afternoon, and the program indicated that there are large numbers of teens and even pre-teens who are engaging in group sexual encounters (orgies).
If one ventures outside of blogdom per se into Catholic discussion forums, one will inevitably run across a young Catholic wondering if the Church really teaches that sex before marriage is a sin. In many cases, these questioners openly admit that they are currently in a relationship where sexual intercourse is already being practiced.
A few months prior to the Oprah episode my wife watched, an episode of Prime Time dealt with the growth of the pornography industry, indicating that married women were beginning to consume pornography. I believe it was Diane Sawyer who was interviewing a porn star in her early twenties. Images were flashed on the screen of violent acts committed on camera with this women and male stars of the porn industry. In the interview, it was clear that this young woman was severely depressed. Yet, for some reason I will never understand, she continues to return to the porn industry as a major source of income.
I read the accounts of Arabs concerned that the victory of American troops in the Middle East means the downfall of Islamic culture, including the Muslim value for chastity. They are also concerned about the proliferation of pornography, prostitution, and divorce encouraged in Western society. They are also concerned about the proliferation of gambling and recreational drug and alcohol use in Western society. In some cases, Arab terrorism is justified by its proponents as a war against the dangers of Western cultrural decadence.
In turn, I read liberal American secularists comparing conservative Christianity to terrorists. There is a deep seated fear among secular liberals that the promotion of chastity can only lead to a repressive style of government resembling the Taliban's rule in Afghanistan. Feminists are especially concerned that conservative Christians will force women to be circumcised and wear clothing resembling Catholic nuns. Other secularists, especially in the gay community, fear that the Church's teaching on condoms promotes the spread of AIDs.
It is almost cliche to speak of a culture war occurring in America. We have come a long way from the days when Dan Quayle ran for President calling Murphy Brown a threat to family values because the main character of this once popular television program chose to have a baby even though she was unmarried. Today, we have Will and Grace and some new show where a young girl in her twenties has two dads.
Why do the Church and those committed to her seem so hung up about sex? Even more liberal believers in Christianity have questions:
Isn't the Gospel about loving your neighbor and being a non-judgmental person? Doesn't excessive guilt lead to neurotic behavior, and sometimes violence to others? Aren't social justice, social peace and the quest for liberation the more important values of the Gospel tradition? Where in the Bible does it say that masturbation is a mortal sin? How does using pornography hurt anyone? Aren't our bodies good and holy? Why should we be ashamed of our nakedness? Isn't it enough to be in love to explore sexuality with a partner? Why must we also be married?
The Church responds in a couple of different ways, and I will try to simplify the answers to all these questions.
First, the church teaches that dualism is a heresy. Dualism is the belief that mind and body, or matter and spirit are two separate realities. Many people, including uninformed Catholics, mistakenly believe that Catholicism teaches dualism, but Catholicism teaches the exact opposite. Dualism among those who profess to be Catholics is often expressed in views of the afterlife. If we believe that we become disembodied spirits, or ghosts after we die, we are believing a doctrine that the Church does not teach!
What the Church teaches is that you are your body. The body is spirit in the flesh. The soul is the life-force of the body, and it cannot exist apart from the body. Your body is good and holy, because it is what you are.
When we say the Apostles Creed, we proclaim that we believe in the resurrection of the body. We will not be disembodied spirits in the next life. Our very bodies will be raised to glory. It is true that our bodies will be different in the next life, in a similar manner that an adult body is different from the body of a child. The glorified body probably will not be physically larger, and it may have powers and abilities that are unknown to the body on earth. Yet, the body that dies will be the body that rises!
This is an important point because it touches on the notion that many people have that as long as they feel love, any sexual activity is justified. There is a false sense many people have that all that is important is the spirit of an act, not the physical concrete act in history itself. To this, the Church is saying, you are your body!.
What you do in concrete, fleshly, historical reality is what you are!
We are products of our past, including our biological make-up and the effects of our environment upon our psyche. Yet, we are producers of our future. As we grow in self-knowledge, we become free to choose whether we will continue to blindly follow impulses shaped without our awareness, or whether we will seek to change the course of our development.
For example, the alcoholic may have a genetic predisposition to drink excessively, and such a person may have been raised in a traumatic environment. However, once she or he becomes aware of this condition, the person is freed to explore other options, such as becoming a member of Alcoholics Anonymous. In some cases, a person may have a genetic predisposition to mental illness, and becoming aware of the condition may open up medical options for treatment.
We live in a culture that devalues the virtue of chastity, and because of this, many of us blindly assume that sexual impulse is uncontrollable. We speak of "falling in love" rather than choosing to love. We assume that celibacy is unnatural and even impossible. We assume that "boys will be boys" and that men are simply sex starved children who cannot help ogling women. We assume that women's liberation involves encouraging women to act as freely toward sexuality as the male stereotype.
The Church is offering a different alternative, and with an alternative comes a choice, and with choice, there is freedom.
The Church is saying that sexuality can be greater than most people conceive. The virtue of chastity is not about treating sex and our bodies as though all matters of the flesh are evil. Christian chastity is not mere prudery and discomfort with the human body. The human body is so good that God assumed a human nature and became incarnate in human flesh!
What the Church wants us to understand about human sexuality is that sex can be great for every one of us. Great sex is not simply finding an attractive partner and seeking a mutual orgasm and then moving on to another partner. Good sex is not a series of meaningless acts of momentary pleasure.
We already know this intuitively. Even the most unchaste people know that really good sex is more mental than physical. Good sex is sexuality that expresses meaning. When the body, that which we are, becomes a means of non-verbal communication of one self to another, we begin to experience great sex!
Great sex is so good that the Church calls it holy! The word "holy" is rooted in the Hebrew notion of separation. Great sex stands apart from all else.
What is holy sex, and what is so great about it?
Holy sex is an act of total and complete self donation to another. It is a bodily non-verbal communication of commitment to another in permanent friendship. Because it is a bodily act, it is the most meaningful form of communication that can exist: it is an expressive of the entire self - because you are your body!
Yet, because the most pleasurable aspect of sexuality is in the mind, the bodily expression of sexuality is most pleasurable when it is expresses meaning. Sex acts are the most pleasurable when they are expressed in a committed and monogamous relationship that expresses the meaning of the commitment itself. Thus, even atheists refer to sexual acts as "making love".
Love is not something we "fall into". It is true that grace builds on nature, and we are products of our past, including our biological inheritance. Love is often awakened in us with the stirring of powerful feelings of infatuation. Yet, these feelings are not love. These feelings are simple chemical reactions.
Love is a freely made choice to commit yourself to another, even to the point where you would lay down your life for another. The feelings of infatuation often spur us to make the commitment of love to another, and by making a decision to love another, we can often nurture infatuation into a long lasting feeling that is rekindled through romance. However, love is the act of decision to commit to another.
Putting this in a Christian context, in the Bible, it states that God is love (1 John 4:8). Thomas Aquinas taught that God is pure act. God is not an object alongside other objects. God is mystery beyond language, and the first name of God in the Bible expresses pure being (I AM WHO AM - Ex 3:14). In the New Testament, God is the pure act of total self giving, emptying himself into human nature in the incarnation, and emptying himself again on the cross. In Christian theology, the mystery of God is expressed in the symbol of the Trinity: one being, nature, or essence who is three persons in eternal relationship. We image the divine by entering into personal relationships.
We empty ourselves to another in the act of love-making as we become naked and vulnerable to another and offer our very body to the other to become one flesh - like God who is a union of persons. This act of total self donation and union is a fecund union, meaning it is naturally and inherently open to the possibility of procreation. Through the sex act, we are made sharers in the power of the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver and life! Sex is sacramental - an outward sign of grace where grace is God's life in the heart of the believer.
Other religions and spiritualities may express these truths differently, but almost all religions and spiritualities ultimately speak of marriage as a mystical union of two people. Though I am framing my discussion of chastity in Christian language and symbols, even a non-Christian should hear some resonate chords in their own tradition.
Because sexual expression is an act of total self donation, we cannot give ourselves away more than once. Once you have given yourself to one, your body is no longer your own possession. Instead, it becomes a shared possession - one flesh with the other.
This union expressed in sexual activity between married people is so deep and so real that we often speak of spouses as complementary to each other - they complete one another. Thus, we typically call a spouse our other half, and romantic symbolism throughout the ages captures this notion of soul mates who are not their fullest selves until finding one another.
The virtue of chastity is not about denial of the pleasure of sexuality or the goodness of the naked human body.
The virtue of chastity is about saying that sexual activity can be so rich in meaning that anything less than the fullest meaning is a cheap imitation. Saint Thomas Aquinas taught that the sinner often seeks God in the act of sinning. The reasoning of the great saint was that God is goodness itself, and when a sinner perceives some sort of good enticing her or him to sin, they are really seeking the source of all goodness.
To further clarify, Aquinas made a distinction between real and apparent goods. For example, iron is good for the body, and a deficiency in iron can lead to ailment such as anemia. At the same time, most of us would realize that it is a mistake to eat a bowl of tacks in order to address a deficiency of iron. A bowl of tacks would be an apparent good, and would likely be very harmful to the body.
To understand chastity, it is helpful to consider the typical argument that takes place when a married person admits to adultery to a spouse. The adulterous spouse will often say, "But it did not mean anything". To this, the jilted spouse is now left wondering whether any of the sexual history within marriage meant anything. Afterall, if the adulterer is capable of meaningless sex with one person, how can the jilted spouse be sure that the sex he or she shared with the adulterer meant anything more?
We are our bodies, and through sexual activity, we communicate our entire selves to others. We are also free beings, and we can make our self communication mean whatever we want it to mean. When the Church promotes chastity, what she is saying is that everyone of us have the capacity to make our sexual communication so rich and full of meaning that it becomes holy! It stands apart as truly great sex!
Conversely, the further a sexual act is from this fullest meaning, the more we are choosing to degrade the meaning of the act for ourselves and those with whom we chose to share the act. The promotion of chastity is not solely about what we are not to do. It is not about what you can and cannot wear, or what you can and cannot view, or who you can and cannot be around.
In response to feminists critiques of the traditional family, the Bible nor Sacred Tradition fully support the notion of clearly defined masculine and feminine roles that make women subordinate prostitutes to male husbands. I covered this in greater depth in Genesis and Paul on Women. Suffice it to say here that the inherent meaning of human sexuality we have explored calls for the full equality of husband and wife in a mutually supportive partnership. Sexist patriarchy is the first sinful result of the Fall, and not God's intent for the family!
Furthermore, despite the weaknesses of the Church's current teachings about women and women's roles in society, the promotion of chastity often works hand-in-hand with other feminist values. For example, the Church rightly teaches young men that they can and should avoid objectifying women (and vice-a-versa). The Church rightly stands with feminist in saying that sexual harrasment has no place in the work-place. The Church rightly teaches that a fundamental principle of moral theology is that people are ends in themselves, and never to be treated as mere means to another end. Pope John Paul II has even condemned lustful objectification of a spouse!
The promotion of chastity is about holding an ideal in front of your mind at all times, and deliberately choosing over and over to cling to this ideal. For those who have not made this choice over and over, it may sound impossible to make the same choice over and over. However, human beings are a funny creature. We are creatures of habit.
Good habits are called virtues, and bad habits are called vices. The choice for chastity becomes easier the more often we make the choice. I say this from experience!
This is why fornication, or sex before marriage, is an unhealthy practice. By engaging in sex without already having made a commitment, we are deliberately choosing to engage in sex that does not really express commitment to the other, and we are forming a bad habit in making such a choice.
Some young people fool themselves into believing they should have a private commitment to one another prior to making their commitment public in the sacrament of marriage. One has to wonder why a person claiming to be committed to me would want to hide that commitment from others.
In the context of the community of faith, the Church is the Body of Christ, and marriage symbolizes Christ's love for the Church to the world. As members of Christ's body, nothing we do is entirely private. The human race is entirely interconnected at some mysterious level, and the act of public worship acknowledges this spiritual connectedness. Almost all religions and spiritualities teach a similar notion. The Bible teaches that even our thoughts will be manifest in the last days.
Jesus teaches us to guard not only our actions, but our very thoughts. Jesus warns against thoughts of violence and hatred as much as lust. Christians are not only concerned with moral and ethical behavior, but becoming a person of moral and ethical character. We seek an inner transformation aided by God's grace and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Contemplating the goodness of sex helps combat distorted notions of sexuality in the individual. Christians also seek cultural support from the community around us in living chaste lives. This accounts for the actions of the bishops and some conservative politicians in seeking to promote family values through legislation.
The more mature we become in chastity, the less concerned we are with trivial matters such as what other people wear. In general, Catholics are aware that we cannot be like the Taliban in promoting chastity. Jesus stopped the stoning of a woman caught in adultery, and invited her back into the community of faith. Christians know we must temper right behavior and justice with compassion and mercy.
At the same time, we live in a community by birth as well as by choice. Catholic schools do much to try to encourage chastity, but Catholics and other Christians would like the rest of society to voluntarily help us encourage one another in promoting meaningful sex, and discouraging images of meaningless sex. Christians are at different levels of spiritual development, and many who are trying to form a habit of chastity for the first time will overeact in fear to some cultural treatment of sexuality. This is unfortunate, but it does not make chastity an unworthy goal in itself. We are stuck in a difficult position.
And Christians who say that there is more to the Gospel than chastity are correct. The primary moral message of the Gospel is forgiveness and love - God's forgiveness and love of us, and the command to do likewise for others! Chastity supports this as a form of respect for others and the world of shared meaning. Yet, there is much more emphasis in the Gospel on non-violence, avoiding judgmentalism, being generous, living simply and working for social peace and justice than on chastity. Likewise, the virtue of temperance (moderation in food and drink) is probably on par with chastity in the Bible. So chastity is not the primary virtue, but it is a virtue nonetheless.
So let us continue exploring chastity....
Adultery is wrong, because, as I have already indicated, once you have given yourself to another, your body does not belong to yourself to give to others.
Pedophilia is wrong because the pedophile is not permanently committed to the child for life, and the child is not capable of understanding commitment or the meaning of what is happenings to him or her.
Masturbation is considered less than perfect because it is not shared with another and is not open to procreation. For similar reasons, pornography is to be avoided. I have written a more extensive article on this called The Solitary Sin.
Obviously, acts such as rape, incest, bestiality and so forth would all be violations of the meaning of human sexuality that I have set forth. Indeed, these acts are dehumanizing in meaning, and often acts of violence rather than lust.
Homosexual acts are wrong for heterosexually oriented people because there is little probability of a permanent committed relationship arising from such a union, and such acts cannot be open to sharing in God's creative power.
Yet, for the homosexually oriented person, I would argue that homosexual acts may be the only way for the homosexually oriented person to experience the sanctified meaning of human sexuality. In this case, I think of the homosexually oriented person as one who is analogous to the handicapped. I see this issue as similar to the Church's slow understanding that infertile heterosexuals can marry because the unitive dimension of sexuality is preserved, and there is no intent to block procreation due to a physical limitation beyond choice. Homosexual acts do not express the fullest meaning of human sexuality when we consider humanity in general, but for the particular individual, they may express the closest approximation possible. I wrote more extensively on this subject in my Theological Reflections on Homosexuality. I also deal with this subject tangentially in Can a Gay Man be a Saint?
Celibacy is not about sex being wrong or bad, nor is celibacy solely a witness to the virtue of chastity. Indeed, celibacy is a unique calling that has nothing really to do with chastity considered in itself. All Christians are called to chastity, and the call to celibacy is a call to remain un-married.
The calling to celibacy is a particular experience of being called to empty the self before God, and stand before God incomplete. If spouses share in a complementary relationship to one another, the celibate is one who is not completed by any other than God. The celibate calling is a deeply subjective calling that originates in a unique experience of God not shared by married Christians.
This point about celibacy is important in the debates about married clergy. Some people argue that celibacy is valuable amongst priest because it gives a priest more time for ministry. This is false reasoning, since the married man is ministering to his wife and family just as surely as a priest may minister to his monastic community or some other specialized ministry. Both the celibate and the married man only have limited time in a day, and all Christians struggle with balancing multiple demands on our time. The celibate calling is not simply about making time.
Celibacy is a heartfelt calling to a unique relationship with God, and there is no guarantee that one called to celibacy is called to priesthood or vice-a-versa. I write more Scripturally and in depth on this issue in Why We Need Married Priests? and The Elephant in the Living Room: More on the Abuse Crisis....
Divorce definitely complicates the discussion of chastity, and clearly violates the sacred meaning of sexuality I have outlined above. People make mistakes and commit sin. Christ is merciful and the Church's main mission is the reconciliation of humanity with God.
While I do not condone divorce and remarriage, I do believe that the Church needs to retrieve mechanisms for reconciling divorced and remarried Catholics to full communion and sacramental practice. When I use the word "retrieve", I am referring to the fact that the Church historically did admit divorced Catholics in a second marriage to someone other than their first spouse to communion in the past, and this practice was encouraged by many early saints!
I explain my more liberal views further in Progressive Family Values and Divorce and Remarriage.
In outlining the meaning of sexuality above, I emphasized two important aspects of holy sex: the unitive dimension (two becoming one in an act of total self donation), and the procreative aspect (sharing in the creative power of God).
These are values that even non-Christians - even atheists - can perceive! Even an atheist can know the value of committed love and the blessing of children! Even an atheist can see that the further sexual activity departs from these principles, the less meaningful the sex, and the less meangful the sex, the less pleasurable and the more prone to dehumanizing behavior!
The Church's teaching on abortion really has little if anything to do with its teaching on sexuality. So let's clear this up here.
Abortion is considered wrong because Catholics believe that the soul is the life force of the human body, and the body is holy. A fetus is a living human organism, and therefore an "ensouled" body, and therefore holy. Abortion is not wrong because sex preceeds it. Abortion is considered wrong because it terminates the life of a human being.
The abortion issue should not be considered as part of the Church's sexual teaching. Rather, it is part of a consistent ethic of life where the Church currently frowns on violent crime, war, the death penalty, and euthanasia as well as abortion.
What about the Church's teaching on contraception, which strikes non-believers as nonsense?
The Church's condemnation of contraception is aimed at reminding us that children are a blessing not to be treated like a disease to be prevented by pills or removed by surgery. As a general principle, I agree with this, and I do not use contraceptives with my spouse.
At the same time, the Church recognizes that there are instances where there may be legitimate reason to space children apart or refrain from procreation. The Church encourages what she calls natural family planning in these instances.
My issue with this teaching is that pills and so forth are not really "unnatural", and there exists legitimate reasons to engage in sexual activity with no intent to conceive, a more logical position would be to hold that the unitive dimension takes precedence over the procreative dimension within a marriage bond, and even justifies sexual activity not intended for procreation in certain circumstances. I deal with this issue further in my article The Morality of Natural Family Planning
The unitive dimension of human sexuality expresses the reason for pursuing a habit of chastity. The procreative meaning of sexuality is also beautiful, but may be secondary. Christians need to hold the positive meaning of human sexuality before our eyes, ears, and hearts if we are to preserve a habit of chastity for ourselves, and draw others to the habit.
Peace and Blessings!
Readers may contact me at email@example.com
posted by Jcecil3 1:48 PM


When You Feel Like You're Not Enough....
Right now you may be feeling every little effect of a mistake you have made. Whether it was last year, last month, or last night. We all can say that it occurs endlessly, even as believers.
The cycle of making wrong decisions, asking God for forgiveness, and trying our best to move forward and follow Christ the way He truly wants us to, almost makes it impossible to think we are so much like Christ.
But what is it like when you feel like you can't even ask Him for forgiveness? What is it like when we feel like we are unworthy of even speaking His name without sounding like a hypocrite?
What is it when our hearts cry out for Him and yet, we are too ashamed to even reach out to God?
Honestly, the only answer I have is one that makes no sense to our human comprehension.
The overwhelming, the unwavering, and the powerful love of God is greater than all of our faults.
Just think about this:
God created you, He had knowledge that you will not be perfect. Yet, He saw a need for this Earth to have your presence in it.
If you remember when Jesus was on the cross, there were two men right along side of him, also awaiting their death on a cross. These two men were criminals, and were thought to be so dangerous, that they need to be put to death.
Read Luke 23: 26-43 for the full passage.
One of the criminals asked Jesus, through his pain and suffering, for Jesus to "remember [him] when [He] comes into [the Lord's] kingdom". With Jesus's reply "truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."
The forgiveness, the love and the retrieval of all His sins was right on the cross that He was dying on just to save you and If God can save one person, who was a criminal, do you not think that His love extends to you?
This does not only mean that He will forgive you every time, but through Him, you have the opportunity to live a victorious life.
You are more precious to Him than your faults. So much that He will welcome you with open arms like the father of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). He just wants you to realize that the power to make that 1st step to change is yours through Him.
You Are Loved & You Are Enough.
I hope this encouraged you to take the time to speak to your creator, and repent of all things, and to not be afraid to move forward.
Stay Blessed, Be Blessed.


High School Students (9 - 12) Sundays 9:00 am class. Youth Group for High School students is referred to as Intersect and they meet on Sundays, 6:00 - 7:30pm.
Jr High Students (7-8) Sundays 9:00 am class. Youth Group for Jr High is referred to as Nexus and they meet on Wednesdays, 7:00 - 8:30 pm.
In high school many students begin to ask important life questions like: What should I do? Who should I be? What do I believe? We believe that God has a plan for the life of every student. Through biblical teaching and small group discussions, we hope that together we can help students discover the plan that God has for their life.
A weekly program for 9th through 12th grade students that...
Jr. high is tough. It makes it even tougher when students seek to find their identity outside of who God says they are. At Nexus it is our desire that every jr. high student knows who they are as God defines them. We seek to accomplish this goal through biblical teaching and small group environments.
Nexus is a weekly program for 7th and 8th grade students that…
We will play graduation celebration video of our Park Chapel 2018 graduates on Sunday, May 27, 2018. Picture submission deadline is May 1st.
Never2Young (N2Y) is an annual event for 6th - 8th grade students to be challenged to make an impact for Christ in their schools, worship, and have a ton of fun!
Cost: $50 (includes all meals and lodging)
Date: Friday, May 4 - Sunday, May 6
Time of departure from Park Chapel: Friday, check-in is at 3:30 pm.
Time of return to Park Chapel: Sunday, May 6 at 12:00 pm.
Click HERE to register. Additional details will be given in the confirmation email.
Edge week of camp is for incoming 7th - 9th graders. Park Chapel's Student Minister, Charlie Ketchen is one of the dean's for this week of camp. Park Chapel provides a 25% discount by using discount code: 26970.
Click HERE for the camp's website.
Student Ministry will be taking a mission trip: Holy Sweat Mexico March 17 - 23.
Please pray for those going out to Bless the World:
Kyle Arrowood, Grayson Bishop, Tracy Clift, Hannah Cochard, Joshua Cochard, Noah Cochard, Rebekah Cochard, Aubree Cole, Ian Cole, Rachelle Cole, Michael Cooper, Alan Cox, Colleen Cox, Cooper Cox, Emma Cox, Daron Davidson, Noah Evanoff, Alex Gillespie, Cameron Hackleman, Kara Hackleman, Kiefer Honeycutt, Charlie Ketchen, Anna Kurtz, Quentin McBride, Caleb Mullins, Isabella Parker, Sam Paul, Sean Paul, Reece Powell, Talessa Powell, Gavin Rose, Haiden Rose, Clayton Smith, Linda Thompson, Drew Underwood, Kelsey Wade, Bobby Wade III, and Joshua Weber.


Here are things it says and things it does NOT.
I set out a few years ago to read the entire Bible. That’s right, everything from “In the beginning” to “Amen.” I have finally finished that quest, every single word. And before I try to explain just what it was that I read, I will invoke this passage from Psalms 119 verse 31:
“Lord, don’t let me make a mess of things.”
Since I am not a Biblical scholar, or any other type of scholar for that matter, I am really going out on a theological and philosophical limb here. But bear with me and let’s see if I can make sense of what I read.
There are numerous translations of the Bible. I read the Living Bible, a paraphrase. Being a paraphrase rather than a literal translation, it was easier to read than one such as the King James Version. The Living Bible uses more modern phrasing but provides footnotes throughout to provide additional clarification and in some cases the original wording.
It took a little over two years to read all of the Bible. This isn’t something you decide to do over a rainy weekend. This isn’t binge watching the Soprano’s. I began by reading two chapters a day, one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament. The New Testament is much shorter so when I finished it I simply started it again while I toiled on through Numbers, Deuteronomy, both Samuels, both Kings, both Chronicles. Ok, maybe I shouldn’t use the word toiled. But I do have to be honest. It was tough getting through certain parts of the Old Testament.
I admit skimming through the genealogical sections which outlined who begat who and who they begat after that. And my eyes tended to glaze over when reading the instructions for how many cubits this wall and that wall were to be for Solomon’s temple and various other structures that the Lord commanded to be built.
After finishing the New Testament a second time I decided to concentrate on the Old Testament and by then I was into the prophets who, in line with their titles, prophesied a lot. A good bit of that prophesy was of destruction brought down by a vengeful God. I can see where the old time fire and brimstone preachers got their sermons. But I also realized that each one of these books of prophesy contained the message that God would rather…


The practice of health care providers at all levels brings you into contact with people from a variety of faiths. This calls for basic knowledge and understanding of different faith expressions. No matter what someone’s worldview is, death and dying is a difficult experience whether emotions are expressed or not. For the purpose of this assignment, the focus will be on the Christian worldview.
Read the “Case Study: End-of-Life Decisions” document or one provided by your instructor. Based on the reading of the case, the Christian worldview, and the worldview questions presented in the required topic Resources, you will complete an ethical analysis of situation of the individual(s) and their decisions from the perspective of the Christian worldview
Have a similar assignment? "Place an order for your assignment and have exceptional work written by our team of experts, guaranteeing you A results."


Welcome to your new Drupal website!
Please follow these steps to set up and start using your website:
- Configure your website Once logged in, visit the administration section, where you can customize and configure all aspects of your website.
- Enable additional functionality Next, visit the module list and enable features which suit your specific needs. You can find additional modules in the Drupal modules download section.
- Customize your website design To change the "look and feel" of your website, visit the themes section. You may choose from one of the included themes or download additional themes from the Drupal themes download section.
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Ingathering for Good Samaritan!
FPC has had a phenominal working relationship with the Good Samaritan. Throughout the summer First Presbyterian will be collecting personal hygien items (soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, disposable razors, and shampoo), disposable diapers (sizes 3 - 5 are the most requested), and toilet paper throughout July, August and into September.
For more information feel free to call the church or email us!
FPC would like to extend a heartfelt welcome to you!
Take a moment and read our: Visitor’s Guide to FPC!
Click REMIND for instructions for text reminders!
Abiding in Christ we love and serve others
Welcome to the First Presbyterian Church of Searcy Website! First and foremost, we are an inclusive church who welcomes. Secondly, we are a congregation coming from many faith traditions with great diversity
among our members and friends who share a common goal of a deeper understanding of our God.
We welcome all, regardless of their past, present, or future. Regardless of where they are in their faith
journey. We unconditionally accept you as you are the way our God and Christ accepted us the way we are.
Come out to First Presbyterian Church of Searcy and worship with us in downtown Searcy, Arkansas.


The biggest question I had last year was:
How do I show You that I love You?
Well, God is our loving Heavenly Father. He continues to give us revelation to cater to our everyday needs as His children. What if my mom and dad only wrote me one letter at the beginning of my mission, and that was it? Personally, I really like getting letters from them…and especially getting letters from my Heavenly Father. That’s exactly what continuing revelation is. He still wants us to know that He is very much alive, and it’s very convenient when I have tons of questions for my Father. He definitely showed me the answer to this question…in more than once place.
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” -Matthew 28:19, The Bible
I can do that! What exactly do I do?
“…We have entered into their houses and taught them, and we have taught them in their streets; yea, and we have taught them upon their hills…and we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some.” -Alma 26:29-30, The Book of Mormon
How do You want me to do that?
“And ye shall go forth in the power of my Spirit, preaching my gospel two by two, in my name, lifting up your voices as with the sound of a trump, declaring my word like unto angels of God.” -Doctrine and Covenants 42:6, Pearl of Great Price
I’ve had four wonderful companions in the mission field so far, and I get a new one on Tuesday. (I will really miss Sister Johnson.) We wake up at the same time, study at the same time, eat at the same time, and go to bed at the same time. But most importantly, we teach the gospel at the same time, in the same place. We teach together with the love Heavenly Father has given us. I have grown to love each girl I’ve served with because of her own individual reasons to serve a mission, and especially her desire to love our Father. We strive to have His Spirit with us at all times, so people will recognize us as direct representatives of Jesus Christ, Himself.
Even though we go two by two, we have grown to love all of the missionaries we serve with as our own family. Once a Sister…always my sister.


The Long wait is over...
Colette and I, are proud to let you know, Colette's latest book, Today's Prophet, is in finally in ebook version and on Kindle right NOW!
For those of you, who have joined the KindleUnlimited, it is free for download. For the rest, we will have a promotion for five days starting on the 3 August 2018.
Get your Kindle copy or keep your eyes peeled for more information, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FCXJ4VZ
Please do us a favor... leave us a review and help us get the book out there to bless the body of Christ and prophets needing this book.
In His love,
Craig and Colette Toach


Who is Jesus/God?
God is a Spirit---> There is just
One God----> Jesus is that one true God (Spirit) manifested or revealed in the
flesh! Jesus is
NOT a GOD Jr. or a second person in a trinity of persons.
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are three manifestations of our One True GOD.
Jesus is the "Visible" image of our "Invisible" GOD. He is our Everlasting Father manifested in the flesh! Jesus is 100%
GOD and 100% human. Jesus is the Mighty GOD of the O.T.,
revealed to mankind in the N.T.! The Holy Spirit is simply His
Spirit that indwells the believer. Here are some Scriptures that show that
Jesus and GOD are the same:
the Father (Eph 4:6)
the Holy Ghost (Rom 8:9-11) Creator
the Redeemer and Savior
the I AM and The I AM
First and Last
the Father (Isa 9:6, John
the Holy Ghost
the Redeemer and Savior
the I AM and the I AM HE
First and Last
The following Scriptures are used as references,
showing there to be One GOD, and that Jesus was fully that One True GOD, at
the same time was fully humanity. Also, that the Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost are 3 manifestations of our One GOD.
is But One God
Isa 45:2-6, 21-23
I Cor 8:4-6
I Timothy 2:5
John 1:1, 14
John 8:24, 58-59
II Cor 5:19
I Timothy 3:16
John 8:40, 10:33
I Timothy 2:5
is the Holy Spirit
Jesus is the Father
The Way We Worship
to the Top
WE PRAY TOGETHER ALOUD
because in the Bible we read, "They lifted up their voice to God with one
accord." -Acts 4:24
WE LIFT OUR HANDS IN PRAISE
because in the Bible we read, "Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless
the Lord."-Psalm 134:2
WE SING WITH ALL OUR HEARTS
because in the Bible we read, "Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the
earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise."-Psalm 98:4
WE PLAY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
because in the Bible we read, "And all the house of Israel played before the
LORD on all manner of instruments."-II Samuel 6:5
WE CLAP AND SHOUT UNTO GOD
because in the Bible we read, "O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto
God with the voice of triumph."-Psalm 47:1
WE DANCE BEFORE THE LORD
because in the bible we read, "Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise
him with stringed instruments and organs."-Psalm 150:4
WE TESTIFY PUBLICLY
because in the bible we read, "I will declare thy name unto my brethren; in
the midst of the congregation will I praise thee."-Psalm 22:22
WE ANOINT WITH OIL FOR DIVINE
HEALING because in the Bible we read, "Is any sick among you? let him call for the
elder of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the
name of the Lord."-James 5:14
WE ALLOW THE OPERATION OF THE
SPIRITUAL GIFTS because
in the Bible we read, "When ye come together, every one of you hath a
psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an
interpretation."-I Corinthians 14:26
Back to the Top
We repent by turning away from sin and
surrendering our lives to God. Repentance begins with God's
calling—His opening our minds to correctly understand His Word. Then
we must pray for His help and begin studying the Scriptures to find
out what we need to change. We do this by comparing our beliefs,
behavior, customs, traditions and thoughts to the Holy Bible. God's
Word is the only trustworthy standard by which we can measure our
attitudes and behavior.
This thorough self-examination process is
essential if our repentance is to be genuine, and it will require
not only an outward change, but a change of heart and mind as well.
It is an "about face" or an "180 Degree" change in the direction we
were living, to now living according to the Word of GOD. Now let's see what the Bible says about real
repentance and its importance to our relationship with God.
Did Jesus stress the importance of repentance?
"I have not come to call the righteous,
but sinners, to repentance" (Luke 5:32).
"Now after John was put in prison,
Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at
hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel'" (Mark 1:14-15;
compare Matthew 4:17).
Jesus taught that our most important
priority should be to enter the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33). From
the beginning of His public ministry He stressed that repentance is
an integral part of reaching that goal.
Did God's prophets of old preach repentance?
"And the LORD has sent to you all His
servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, but you have
not listened nor inclined your ear to hear. They said, 'Repent now
everyone of his evil way and his evil doings ...'" (Jeremiah
Must this same message
continue to be preached to the whole world?
"Then [Jesus] said to them, '... All
things must be fulfilled which were written ... concerning Me ...
Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to
suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance
and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations,
beginning at Jerusalem" (Luke 24:44-47).
The Scriptures show God is consistent. From
the beginning He has sent His servants with the same message:
"Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity
will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions
which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new
spirit" (Ezekiel 18:30-31).
Must everyone repent?
"I tell you ... unless you repent you
will all ... perish" (Luke 13:3; compare Acts 17:30; 2 Peter
Eternal life in the Kingdom of God is
available only to those who repent of their sins! There are no
exceptions, because "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of
God" (Romans 3:23).
Water Baptism in Jesus' Name
Back to the Top
The Importance of Water Baptism
Christian water baptism is an ordinance
instituted by Jesus Christ. If it is not important in the plan of
God, why did Jesus command it in Matthew 28:19? And why did Peter
follow up by saying, "Be baptized every one of you," and by
commanding the Gentiles to be baptized (Acts 2:38; 10:48)? We must
remember two points about the importance of water baptism. First,
whatever Christ definitely established and ordained cannot be
unimportant, whether we understand its significance or not.
Second, Christ and the apostles showed the importance of this
ordinance by observing it. Jesus walked many miles to be baptized,
though He was without sin, saying, "For thus it becometh us to
fulfill all righteousness" (See Matthew 3:13-16.)
It is true that water itself does not contain any
saving virtue, but God has chosen to include it in His plan of salvation. Peter
explained, "Baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of
the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) by the resurrection
of Jesus Christ" (I Peter 3:21). According to Luke 7:30, "the Pharisees and
lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized."
The Mode of Baptism
According to the
Scriptures, the proper mode of baptism is immersion. "And Jesus,
when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water" (Matthew
3:16). "And they went down both into the water, both Philip and the
eunuch; and he baptized him" (Acts 8:38). "Therefore we are buried
with him by baptism into death" (Romans 6:4). A corpse is not buried
by placing it on top of the ground and sprinkling a little soil on
it, but by covering it completely.
According to the World Book Encyclopedia, "At first all
baptism was by complete immersion" (vol. 1, p.651). And the Catholic
Encyclopedia states, "In the early centuries, all were baptized by immersion in
streams, pools, and baptisteries" (vol. 2, p.263). Immersion was not convenient
after the Catholic church instituted infant baptism; thus the mode was changed
to sprinkling. (See Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th ed., vol. 3, pp.365-66.)
Repentance identifies us with the death of Christ, and
baptism identifies us with His burial. Coming forth from the watery grave of
baptism and receiving new life in the Holy Spirit identifies us with His
The Formula for Baptism
Jesus commanded His
disciples to "teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (Matthew 28:19). He
did not command them to use these words as a formula, but He
commanded them to baptize in "the name." The word name is
used here in the singular, and it is the focal point of the
baptismal command. The titles Father, Son, and Holy Ghost describe
God's relationships to humanity and are not the supreme, saving name
described here, which is Jesus. "Neither is there salvation in any
other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men,
whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
Jesus is the name in which the roles of Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost are revealed. The angel of the Lord instructed Joseph, "She shall
bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his
people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). Jesus said, "I am come in my Father's
name," and, "The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost,...the Father will send in
my name" (John 5:43; 14:26). Thus by baptizing in the name of Jesus, we honor
the Godhead. "For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily"
Luke 24:45-47 records that just before His ascension,
Jesus opened the disciples' understanding. It was necessary that their
understanding be opened, and many today need this same operation in order to
understand the Scriptures. Then Jesus said to them, "Thus it is written, and
thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day." The
disciples had their understanding opened so that they could grasp the vast
importance of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Verse 47 describes
the commission that Jesus then gave: "And that repentance and remission of sins
should be preached in his name among all nations [Jews and Gentiles], beginning
Peter was one of that number to whom Jesus had spoken
and whose understanding had been opened. After having listened to these
instructions, a few days later he was inspired by the Holy Ghost to preach on
the Day of Pentecost. The hearts of the hearers were pierced and, feeling
condemned, they cried out to Peter and the other apostles, "Men and brethren,
what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37). Peter did not hesitate but boldly answered,
"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38).
"Then they that gladly received his word were baptized, and the same day there
were added unto them about three thousand souls" (Acts 2:41).
Some say that Peter told them to be baptized in Jesus'
name because they were Jews and this baptism was to make them acknowledge Jesus
Christ. But let us go with Peter to the house of Cornelius several years later.
Cornelius and his household were Gentiles, yet there again Peter "commanded them
to be baptized in the name of the Lord" (Acts 10:48). (Most translations
actually say, "In the name of Jesus Christ.") If Peter was wrong on the Day of
Pentecost, he surely had ample time to be corrected before he went to the house
Was Peter wrong on the Day of Pentecost? When the
hearers were prickled in their hearts, they spoke to Peter and to the rest of
the apostles (Acts 2:37). This included Matthew, who wrote Matthew 28:19.
Moreover, when Peter preached, he stood up with the eleven Acts 2:14). Matthew
was there, yet we find no words of correction from him. He surely would have
spoken up if Peter had disobeyed the Lord. But all the apostles understood and
carried out the Lord's commission. As Jesus said in prayer, "I have manifested
thy name unto the men [the apostles] which thou gavest me out of the world...and
they have kept thy word" (John 17:6).
The Samaritans, who were not Jews, were also baptized
in the name of Jesus. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached
Christ unto them...."But when they believed Philip preaching the things
concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized,
both men and women.... They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts
8:5, 12, 16).
Let us see how Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles,
baptized. He went to Ephesus many years after the Day of Pentecost and found
some disciples of John the Baptist there. "He said unto them, Have ye received
the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as
heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then
were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John
verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that
they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ
Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus"
(Acts 19:2-5). Although these disciples had already been baptized, the name of
Jesus was so important as to cause them to be rebaptized in His name.
We do not believe that Paul changed the formula or mode
of baptism when he baptized Lydia and her household (Acts 16:14-15) or the
Philippian jailer. The latter came trembling and fell down before Paul and
Silas, saying, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And he took them the
same hour of the night [shortly after midnight], and washed their stripes; and
was baptized, he and all his, straightway" (Acts 16:30-33). How can we doubt
that Paul baptized these people using the same mode and formula that he used
elsewhere, that is, immersion in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ?
Paul was not with the apostles when Jesus gave his
finial instructions to them in Matthew 28:19 and Luke 24:47, yet Paul baptized
in the name of the Lord Jesus. How did he know what to do? He said that his
gospel was not a tradition of men but a revelation from God. "I certify you,
brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I
neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of
Jesus Christ" (Galatians 1:11-12). Paul was chosen to bear Jesus' name to the
Gentiles, and he wrote many divinely inspired epistles to the church. To this
apostle, God revealed the mystery of the church, "which in other ages was not
made known unto the sons of men, as it now revealed unto his holy apostles and
prophets by the Spirit" (Ephesians 3:5). Paul claimed to have divine authority:
"If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge
that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord" (I
Corinthians 14:37). And Paul wrote, Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in
the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him"
(Colossians 3:17). Water baptism is done in both word and deed. We cannot afford
to overlook this command to the church.
The church is "built upon the foundation of the
apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone"
(Ephesians 2:20). The apostles not only preached baptism in Jesus' name, but
they practiced it. Nowhere can we find that they baptized using the words "in
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Instead, we find
them baptizing in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. In baptizing in Jesus'
name, they fulfilled the command of the Lord in Matthew 28:19.
Paul said, "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto
you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed" (Galatians
1:8). Let this be a solemn warning to us.
Some say that they will accept the words of Jesus in
Matthew 28:19 but not those of Peter in Acts 2:38. Jesus taught Peter what to
preach (Acts 1:3). Peter preached the words of Jesus. Peter preached
exactly what Jesus wanted him to. Peter spoke on the Day of Pentecost
under the anointing of the Holy Ghost. Peter was one of the apostles, and to him
had been given the keys of the kingdom, so we have no right to discredit his
In Mark 7:8 Jesus said, "Laying aside the commandment
of God, ye hold the tradition of men." History tells us that it was not until
many years after the apostles that the mode and formula of baptism in the name
of Jesus Christ were changed. (See Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible, vol. 1,
p.241.) Which means more to you, the command of the Lord or the tradition of
to the Top
The gift of the Holy Spirit has become the topic of much
discussion in our day. Men and women of all persuasions and from all
walks of life have become interested enough to search for greater
understanding of this phenomenal spiritual experience. Capturing
headlines, dominating the content of many religious periodicals, and
generally creating excitement, this supernatural experience of
salvation deserves a sincere appraisal.
The Holy Spirit is God. "God is a Spirit"
(John 4:24). "There is . . . one Spirit" (Ephesians 4:4). To become
a subject in the kingdom of God, Jesus said a person must be "born
again," or "born of water and of the Spirit" (John 3:3-5). The birth
of the Spirit and the baptism of the Spirit are synonymous terms.
The Apostle Peter understood this truth as he spoke. to the
multitude in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost: "Repent, and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost"
(Acts 2:38). This experience was received by the Jews on Pentecost
(Acts 2:1-4), the Samaritans (Acts 8:15-17), and the Gentiles (Acts
10:44-48), plainly indicating that it was meant for all people,
regardless of race, creed, color, or station in life. The new birth,
consisting of water and Spirit, was never set forth as being
optional or unessential. "Ye must be born again" are the words of
Jesus in John 3:7. Until a person is born of the Spirit, he cannot
be called a "son" of God.
But why concentrate only on the
absoluteness of the command? It is a blessed privilege to experience
a release of spirit, finding freedom of soul and expression in the
baptism of the Holy Spirit. There is no other experience similar to
it. "Incomparable" is the only adequate description of this filling.
The transition is to an entirely new realm and way of life. A
complete transformation takes place. The soul has an empty place "in
the shape of God" that nothing else will fit or satisfy. The baptism
of the Spirit completely satisfies every longing of the soul. In
this experience is fulfillment.
There are two major evidences of the
baptism of the Holy Spirit. The initial, outward evidence is
speaking with tongues, which means speaking miraculously in
languages the speaker does not know as the Spirit of God gives them
Speaking with other tongues has been
connected with Spirit baptism since the beginning of the church age.
On the birthday of the New Testament church, the Day of Pentecost
after Christ's ascension, approximately 120 disciples of Christ were
inundated by the Spirit of God and "began to speak with other
tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:1-4). The
household of an Italian centurion received the same spiritual
experience, which the Jewish Christian onlookers readily identified,
"for they heard them speak with tongues" (Acts 10:44-48). In Acts
19:1-6, a group of John the Baptist's disciples heard about the Holy
Ghost from the Apostle Paul; they too were filled with the Spirit,
"and they spake with tongues." The common denominator of speaking
in tongues was present in these three cases where people received
the Holy Ghost. When people received the Holy Ghost in the
scriptures, they would instantly speak in tongues as the initial
evidence of this spiritual experience.
We cannot adequately express with our own
words the ecstasy experienced in the baptism of the Spirit. Only
through unaccustomed words of heavenly coherence can we utter what
our souls would express.
There are perhaps several other reasons why
God chose speaking in tongues as the initial evidence of this
spiritual baptism. It is an objective, external evidence that
recipients and onlookers can both identify with certainty (Acts
10:46). It is a uniform evidence-all the disciples on Pentecost, all
the household of Cornelius, and all the believers in Ephesus spoke
in tongues. "So is everyone that is born of the Spirit" are the
words of Jesus in His description of this spiritual new birth (John
3:8). Speaking in tongues also indicates the complete control of the
Spirit over our human wills. The tongue is the most unruly member of
the body (James 3:8), and its being tamed by God is evidence of His
Further evidence of the Spirit's abiding
presence in our lives is the fruit of the Spirit, which Paul
mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23: "But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." The fruit of
the Spirit by themselves are not the evidence though of the initial
Spirit baptism, but should be manifested in the life of one who has
been Spirit baptized.
Many confuse the initial evidence of
speaking in tongues upon receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost,
with "divers kinds of tongues" taught in 1 Cor. 12:10. Divers kinds
of tongues is one of the nine gifts of the Spirit that is to be used
in the Church, and it requires an interpretation to edify the
Speaking is tongues is the initial evidence
of receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost for the first time in
your life, and then can be experienced often after that through the
gifts of the Spirit. Paul wrote "I thank my God, I speak with
tongues more than ye all:" (1 Cor. 14:18)
Was the baptism of the Holy Spirit for the
apostles or early disciples only? Is it today available to only a
select few who are "super-spiritual"? The obvious answer to these
questions is NO!
The Apostle Peter made it very plain in his
message on the Day of Pentecost that the gift of the Holy Ghost is
for everyone: "For the promise is unto you, and to your children,
and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall
call" (Acts 2:39). (See Luke 11:13.) Our faith, obedience, and
submission to the Lord Jesus and His gospel qualify us for this most
joyous of all experiences. (See Acts 5:32; 11:15-17.) As Isaiah 12:3
states, "With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of
Seek Him today, for "he is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek him" (Hebrews 11:6). "Ho, every one that
thirsteth, come ye to the waters" (Isaiah 55:1). This means you!
The subject of water baptism has long been called a great issue
in the past, and continues to be so in the present. In our study of it, let us
first consider its importance, the mode, and the correct Biblical formula.


“With the legalization of marijuana in Washington State I wrote a free ebook on the issue theologically and pastorally. I did not address the medical issues because that was beyond my scope of expertise. However, my doctor and friend Dr. John Catanzaro of Health and Wellness Institute was kind enough to research the medical aspects of marijuana usage and write them up. We genuinely hope this helps Christians make wise decisions and provide wise counsel especially parents and ministry leaders.”
Pastor Mars Hill Church
A Short Teaser
Some Christians are less skeptical of the current scientific evidence and say that Christians can use marijuana medicinally but not recreationally.
“There are biblical rationales for such a position,” Bosch writes. “The Presbyterian Church’s [USA] position on pot-smoking, which they adopted during a June 2006 General Assembly, notes that Matthew 25:35 calls for people to give aid to those who are suffering. Many Christians in favor of medicinal marijuana use this line of argument, saying that if it helps ease the pain of people dying from cancer, it’s a good thing.”
In fact, a variety of Christian denominations and groups have supported the medical use of marijuana: “The Presbyterian Church (USA), the United Methodist Church, the United Church of Christ, the Progressive National Baptist Convention, and the Episcopal Church have all either issued resolutions or signed statements supporting the use of marijuana under the supervision of a doctor. The Episcopal Church’s 1982 resolution even delves into politics by saying that it urges the adoption by Congress and all states of statutes providing that the use of marijuana be permitted when deemed medically appropriate by duly licensed medical practitioners.”
While allowing for marijuana used medicinally, many in this camp are skeptical of its benefit for recreational usage. Bosch says, “Churches that support prescription cannabis don’t always endorse bong hits just for the fun of it. The United Methodist Church considers marijuana a gateway drug. At the Episcopal Church’s 1982 General Convention, a resolution was passed proclaim[ing] there are harmful effects which can be permanently disabling with the use of marijuana. The Presbyterian Church is less strict; it stated in 1971 and again in 2006 that marijuana is not properly classified and conclusive evidence is lacking that it produces physiological effects or automatically leads to the use of more serious, addictive drugs.’”
Should Christians use marijuana? I would advocate that the soundest Christian response to the moral question is Option C: that recreational is immoral, but medicinal use may be permissible. In other words, my answer is “no” for recreational usage, but again I am open to the possibility of medical benefits
in some cases, under a doctor’s supervision.
While allowing for marijuana used medicinally, many in this camp are skeptical of its benefit for recreational usage.
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Why Your Church Doesn’t Sing… and What You Can Do to Fix it (Part 2)
September 30, 2014, filed under Blog
Last week we kicked off a new series about what has become one of the BIG issues facing worship leaders and churches today: the decline of congregational singing.
And whether or not you believe your church is experiencing this right now, the recent trends point to the fact that more and more congregations are singing “less read more...
Why Your Church Doesn’t Sing… and What You Can Do To Fix It (Part 1)
September 23, 2014, filed under Podcasting
You’ve prayed. You’re prepared. The band is fine-tuned. The sound is dialed in. You’re ready to lead your congregation to lift up their voices and sing praise to God.
There’s just one problem. They won’t sing!
Every worship leader has been there, and according to recent trends, most of us find ourselves read more...


Hello WordPress family i want to take this time to appreciate you for following my blog, for liking and commenting on my posts. I’m showing my appreciation today by providing you a free copy of my digital book on prayer.
And if you are not a follower yet, follow my blog and you will receive a copy to.
This freebie is only available for a week, so get your copy as soon as you can.
Prayer is very key on our everyday walk in life. The bible reminds us to pray without ceasing. To get your copy CLICK the link or image below and you will receive this amazing book. Also leave comments after you receive it, read it and share how it’s blessed you. Thanks
Antoinette’s purpose is to inspire and motivate you to pursue your dreams, live a life of purpose and walk into your destiny and win in every area of your life doing it God’s way.


Portal “The Week” recommends tourists who want to spend their Easter holidays away from home three destinations story that still preserves the traditions specific Easter holidays. Whether you choose Leonidio, Seville and Florence, each of the three cities will offer unique cultural experiences.
Three hours from Athens, Leonidio is one of the most beautiful places where you can see the rich and varied traditions of Easter in Greece. Evening before Easter Sunday, the locals gather in the town square to lift thousands of colorful lanterns to heaven to sing “Christos Anesti” – “Christ is risen”. In the weeks before the event, children receive money after church services every Friday to buy as many lanterns.
The main focus throughout Spain is on “Semana Santa” – “Holy Week“, which this year runs from April 9 to 15. Thousands of people gather daily processions marching through the streets, singing lyrics about the sufferings of Christ and the Virgin Mary and carrying olive branches in their hands. “The arrival of the Angel” is a tradition of the region. Character dressed in angel role is to take off the black veil covering the face of the Virgin Mary. While these parades vary from region to region, Seville is known as marking region in the best way this holiday.
It is an important destination when it comes to Passover. The highlight is Easter Sunday, when organizing “Scoppio del Carro” or “explosion of the cart”. A 500 year old cart filled with fireworks and carried through the streets by soldiers, musicians and men dressed in costumes of the XVth century. When it reaches its final destination, Il Duomo of Florence, Archbishop of Florence ignite fireworks in the form of a dove (symbolizing the Holy Spirit), starting an impressive fireworks show.
History of the Holidays: Easter | History
A quick look at the holiest day on the Christian calender, Easter. HISTORY®, now reaching more than 98 million homes, is the leading destination for ...


Welcome To Eastside Class
August 27th, 2017
If you have never taken the Welcome to Eastside Class, now is your chance! It will introduce you to Eastside & explain what we are all about & give you a chance to get to know us better & ask any questions you may have. Even though you may have been attending Eastside for awhile, this class could still be very beneficial
Sign up today!
Propel Women Activate Event
December 2nd, 2017
At this one-day conference you will:
Connect with women just like you
Learn from Christine Caine and other world-renowned Bible teachers
Experience powerful praise and worship
Hear from Christian working women who are leading and learning--and influencing--in their workplaces
Be inspired and encouraged in how to fulfill what God has called you to do--right where you are Imagine a day that inspires and affirms all the leadership potential God placed inside of you. God wants you to be propelled forward into all He’s called you to do. Don’t miss this one-day experience. Make your reservations now!
Use the link below to purchase your own tickets for this event. Once you purchase the ticket from premier productions, make sure you register for the event through the church which lets us know that your coming.
(Any questions please contact the church office or see Jamie Johnson for further clarification.)


Gov Ugwuanyi of Enugu State have gone to celebrate new year with the down trodden and the less privileged of the society in the first day of 2022. On new year dear, he went to so many homes and less privileged people to celebrate new year with them. This is what he has been doing every year since he became governor.
He started the visit at the Babies Home of the Nigerian Red Cross office at Ogbete Enugu in an unscheduled visit. There he celebrated the motherless babies at the home. He gave them gifts and came down to their level to play with them. From there, he went to Special Baby Care Unit of Mother of Christ Hospital at Children’s Ward. He related well with the children and care givers there and made fund available for their proper upkeep and medication.
Gov Ugwuanyi did not stop there, he proceeded to Cheshire Home at Uwani, Enugu. Cheshire Home is home for the physically challenged people. It is a place where many people will like to avoid especially on a special day like new year. This is where you see what you may not wish to see in life. That is where Gov Ugwuanyi choose to celebrate his new year. There are some deformities and challenges in life that is better imagined than seen. There, Ugwuanyi saw it all and celebrated with them. He gave each of them handsome gift before leaving.
Ugwuanyi also went to the Home for the Elderly at Ufuma Street Achara layout Enugu. The home is managed by Little Sisters Of The Poor, Our Lady Of Perpetual Help Enugu. There Gov. Ugwuanyi met with the Roman Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, His Lordship Most Rev. Calistus Onaga who celebrated Holy Communion service with the elderly. He joined them in the Eucharist service and was there till the end of the service. He gave the residents of the home handsome new year gift and they were all happy for his visit.
Just think of it. Gov Ugwuanyi was not in his house receiving visitors, he was not in his village for new year celebration, he was not in the cathedral praising God, he chose to visit the down trodden and celebrate with them. What manner of man is Gov Ugwuanyi?. The happiness of all the people in Enugu State is his concern. Our prayer is that as he remembered the down trodden, so shall God remember him all the days of his life. We say with a loud voice that Enugu State is in the hand of God.
Bibian Anekwe news added; “If you are a leader, the true measure of your success is not getting people to work.It is getting people to work hard together. That takes commitment.”
Leonard Ugwu writes from Enugu.


VIRTUAL RETREAT OF 6th GRADE
In addition to the body that needs physical nourishment, the soul needs spiritual food. In order to give the spiritual need, SD Marsudirini Bogor organizes a virtual retreat for 6th grade students. This activity was held on Friday, March 19, 2021.
The theme of the retreat is “To be Bright in The Middle of the Family in The Pandemic”. The goal is to make students as bright in the middle of the family. This means, students become the carrier of happiness for his family.
Father Ephipanius Maria, CSE became the preceptor of this virtual retreat. Through his guidance, the students are directed to become the carrier of the joy. Finally, every family will be full of joy.
Father Ephi started by inviting students realize that they are a person who belongs to God. God loves them through parents and teachers. So, every student should be happy because God loves them.
However, sadly the students became distant from the Lord because of sin. The students tend to be lazy, naughty, and disrespect. Father Ephi invites the students to repent so that the relationship with God has returned harmoniously.
Finally, the students are invited to build new spirits and new lives. Life is based on love. Life is filled with goodness. To support the spirit, Father taught the students to meditate. Meditation is one of the very kind and focal types of prayers.
This virtual retreat is really a very important moment. In the moment many people experience distress c of the pandemic, the students are invited to build a spiritual spirit. They are expected to be bright and blessing for families and others.
Indonesian Teacher at Marsudirini Bogor


Im so blessed and lucky to have 2 really great friends! There names are Amber and Tracey! They have shown me True friendship! They have guided me and supported me and counselled me through the good times and the bad! They always given me a shoulder to cry on, and there love! They have taught me so much in the 4 years ive known them. Amber taught me Bible studies, and Tracey taught me that im more precious then rubies and dimonds!! And ive never fogotten that im worth something! And that i am speacil!


Just as enemies fought Joshua in the Promised Land, and Nehemiah faced opposition as he rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, our enemy will fight us as we approach the spiritual terrain God has promised us. Most Christians retreat at the first sign of conflict because they fail to recognize the true nature of the battle. But you can prevail in freedom and joy.
Sharing his deeply personal story of demonic bondage, torment and ultimate deliverance, pastor and bestselling author Kris Vallotton turns the idea of spiritual warfare as we know it on its head. He reveals the diabolical lies and strategies of the enemy–attacks and traps so subtle and deceptive that we may find our souls and hearts imprisoned without even knowing it.
No more! Now you can win the invisible battle against sin and the enemy. Victory is within your grasp. Will you take hold?
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My father was a Baptist preacher, and he used to quote Scripture to us often to teach us life lessons. All nine of us had one memorized from his mouth, and that was Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a … Read the rest
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We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something...– Frederick Keonig (via quote-book)
God, i’m struggling. i thought i was okay. i thought that..it wasn’t that important to me anymore. but, it’s tearing me apart. every moment of silence i have, i think about it. and i begin to fight the tears that are dying to pour out. this constant burden is killing me. i know that i need You now more than ever. but, it’s just too hard for me to pray to You about it....
i have Bible verses and posts saying things like “I Love God” “He is so good”; all that stuff. and on the other hand i’m saying things like “i want you to suffer” i know that i shouldn’t be like this. i know what i should do. i should pray that God will comfort me and forgive me for dishonoring him. (*him=i am not referring to God.) i should be...
you are the only exception
‘forgive and forget’ that doesnt rly work with you. apparently you think that i have the mind of a 5 year old. how could you lie to me assuming that i won’t find out. you don’t know me at all. you don’t know what goes on in my life. where have you been for the past 3+ years. i know that God wants me to turn to Him about this. i know that He wants me to forgive....
Who are you? You are a beloved child of God. What God has planned for you, you...– Jaeson Ma (via possessingmydestiny)
i'm yours forever babe (:
I want to change lives. I want to make people feel...
smilebelievably: My parents watch tv together, cuddled up in my tiny twin sized bed before they go to sleep. I think they’re using tv as an excuse to be together and go on a ‘date’. So hard to find those now adays. I’m so grateful for my loving parents. They give me hope. i wish every family was like that
I just wanted to tell you that... … God is so in...
i am so happy these days. thank You God. You give me so much hope
Thank You so much.. thank You
Reblog if your mom is beautiful.
smilebelievably: My mom is flippin’ awesome. She repeats statements and ask the same thing twice and forgets to give me lunch money every week..but I know she does so much. If I had to do everything she’s doing..I’d forget things too.
A few days ago, a good friend of mine told me a story. She is a PK(Pastor’s Kid) and grew up knowing God. And this is what she told me: She had been writing to a 13 year old girl. She had cancer. She grew up in a Christian home but did not truly believe in Him. My friend began to tell her about God and led her towards salvation. One night, the girl called my friend. She said that she...
People are often unreasonable and self-centered....
Just me and Him
You should never give yourself a chance to fall apart because, when you do, it...– Eat. Pray. Love. (via ilymohimaomg)
i want to let go
i dont want to continue living like this. im tired of all the secrecy and uncertainty. i want to let go. i want to move on with my life. but its so hard. i want closure but im so afraid of it.


Released on November 8
This year’s Christmas stamps, issued on November 8, feature illustrated scenes inspired by the Nativity, and specifically illustrating verses from the gospels of Matthew and Luke.
The stamps were designed by Together Design, from paintings by Peter Malone, and printed in gravure by De La Rue.
The sheet stamps are self-adhesive, but, as in every Christmas issue since 2004, the same designs also come in gummed format in the accompanying miniature sheet.
It’s hard to argue with this theme!
QUALITY OF DESIGN
The drawings at first appear simplistic, but details emerge with closer study
They’re bright and cheerful, which is important, but hardly memorable
2nd class & 2nd class Large Joseph visited by the Angel
Matthew 1:21: ‘And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins’.
On the large-format stamp, the design is expanded to show more of the angel’s body and wings.
1st class & 1st class Large Madonna & Child
Matthew 1:23: ‘Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us’.
On the large-format stamp, the design is expanded to reveal the stable, ass and ox, and a dove of peace on the manger.
68p Baby Jesus in the Manger
Luke 2:7: ‘And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn’.
£1.10 Shepherds visited by the Angel
Luke 2:10: ‘And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people’.
£1.65 Wise Men & Star
Matthew 2:10: ‘When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy’.
The miniature sheet’s stamps have the same designs as the sheet stamps, but the border has a quote from the King James Bible of 1611, to note its 400th anniversary.
Luke 2:10: ‘And the angel said unto them, Fear not for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great Joy, which shall be to all people’.
The presentation pack was written by ecclesiastical scholar Alistair McGrath and tells the story of the King James Bible and its influence.
In addition to the usual stamp cards and first day cover, there is a special coin cover.
12 x 1st class and 12 x 2nd class retail stamp books will be available, as well as a Smilers generic sheet with eight 1st class, eight 2nd class, two 68p and two £1.10 stamps, quoting the Bible verses referred to on the stamps.
Set of 7 stamps £5.58
Miniature sheet £5.58
Presentation pack £6.10
Stamp cards £3.60
First day envelope £0.30
First day cover (stamps) £7.17
First day cover (sheet) £7.17
Coin cover £15.95
Booklet 12 x 1st class £5.52
Booklet 12 x 2nd class £4.32
Smilers generic sheet £10.45
Want the latest issue of Stamp Magazine? Use our magazine locator link to find your nearest stockist!


Family & Youth Ministry
In the planning stages.
We look forward to our next VBS in the works for this summer!
October 31, 2017 at 5:00 - 7:30 pm
Every year Hosanna hosts "Trunk-or-Treat" on Halloween night, a safe & fun enviorment for the whole family with treats, games and food. Let us know if you're willing to volunteer your time or donate candy for this event!
Christmas Eve Family Worship Service
We had a great time this year! We can't wait to praise the name of Jesus' birth again next year!
Easter “Egg”stravaganza Hunt
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Hosanna's 11th Annual Easter"Egg"stravaganza Hunt
WHEN: Easter Saturday 2018
TIME: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
WHERE: Skyline Park
(Crismon at Coralbell, just north of Skyline High School)


Aloha! Welcome to Pathfinders!
Rudy Botardo, Conference Director
Pathfinders are a worldwide organization of young people sponsored by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, though young people of any religious persuasion or none at all, are welcome and encouraged to join the organization.Pathfindering provides opportunities for adult staff to mentor and discipline young people in the Christian faith. It is an effective means of evangelism that practically every church can enter engage in. (Click to link to the NAD Pathfinder Ministry website)
Adventurer Ministry Description
The Adventurer Program is available to children that are not quite old enough to be Pathfinders, but who want to be involved in fun activities and progressive class work.It is open to all children in first through fourth grades and serves as a great feeder for Pathfinders. Due to ages of Adventurer participants, emphasis is placed on parents being involved, along with staff. (Click to link to the NAD Adventurer Ministry website)


- This event has passed.
SCHOOL OF PRAYER MINISTRY
April 6 @ 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
This school will be run by Bev Loft. It will introduce believer to the basics of doing prayer ministry with one another.
We are all called to lay hands on one another and release the power and the glory of the kingdom of heaven upon one another. Bev will take students on a journey into the power of prayer ministry, sharing tips and keys to minister powerful freedom and transformation to one another. This will be an excellent training event for people who want to know how to minister powerfully into one another’s lives.