July 2015
Assessment Overview
Dwight Hunt, South West Church Connection for the Conservative Baptist Association of America Church Health Assessment representative gave a report on the church wide assessment recently done for Manzanita Baptist Church, the good, the bad and the recommended prescriptions for improvement. By in large the church in America is either in crisis or in decline. Very few churches are deemed as spiritually healthy and increasing in growth numerically and spiritually. It is the heart cry of the Pastor and leadership of MBC to be a healthy, vibrant, Spirit filled and growing church community of believers. Jesus told His disciples that He would build His church and that the gates of hell would not prevail against it. We do live in an age of apostasy, a falling away from the truth. Please pray with us and for us for continued growth and commitment to the King in His Kingdom in Kingman, Arizona. Listen for LIFE!
My Three Dads
WARNING: This message, given by one of PFOX’s representatives, contains a graphic testimony of a former homosexual and addresses the need for the believing church of Jesus Christ to seek to collectively listen to and extend the love of Jesus Christ in our understanding and outreach to gays, lesbians and the LGBT community. MBC does not condone the notion that gays or lesbians are born this way. Any sin is a moral choice of defiance and rebellion against their Creator and His moral laws. Any sin ultimately is a choice of the will and potentially will incur the wrath and judgment of Almighty God if not confessed and repented of. The blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse the sinner from all sin if the sinner repents and confesses Christ as their only hope of freedom and eternal salvation. The sin of homosexuality is an offense against God just as lying, immorality, adultery, pornography or any sexual sin, gossip, slander, idolatry, covetousness and the like. Dave, the presenter from PFOX (Parents and Friends of X Gays and Gays), shares his heart breaking story of his transformation from slavery to sin to experiencing true freedom in Christ. It is important to note, as a point of balance to this message, the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32. The Father in this story did nothing wrong and yet was falsely accused by his two wayward sons of abuse and wrongdoing. Many parents of gays or lesbians need not carry the blame for the choice of their sons or daughters. While it might be easy to assume and conclude that in every case of homosexuality the cause and effect of a dominant mother and passive father, sexual abuse, a sensitive disposition and other similar stories from testimonies of countless gays in and out of the lifestyle the truth may be as simple as the popularity of adolescent experimentation and the increasing love of self and selfish pursuits of many young people today. Society’s permissiveness comes with a high cost of sexual promiscuity and the fallout of its consequences. Only the freedom found in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ can free anyone bound in slavery to any sin regardless of its name or acceptance within society. The bottom line is that as freed people in Christ our mandate is not to condemn or condone, this mantle of responsibility belongs exclusively to Christ. Our job is to love the sinner as Christ does and to offer as Ambassadors of Christ and as Ministers of Reconciliation the freedom found in His blood atonement. Listen for LIFE!
The Deception of Sin and Our Freedom in Christ
There is a real chance of being deceived by sin's deceitfulness (Hebrews 3:13) We may think we are 'secure' while chasing after idols (Deuteronomy 29:18-21). But true freedom comes by 'forsaking' our idols and pursuing Christ! (1 Thessalonians 1:9). It is for freedom that Christ has set us free! Freed freedom the yoke of slavery that once bound us! (Galatians 5:1)
June 2015
Sexual Immorality – An Assault on the God Ordained Institution of Marriage
Sexual immorality has always been an assault on God's purpose and design for marriage. And the two shall become one flesh (Genesis 2:24). Is it possible to divide "one flesh?" God's design for marriage was for the health of the family and the very society in which we live. The protection and strength of a threefold cord that is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12). The beauty of the relationship between a husband and his wife–and the reflection this is between Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:32).
God’s Mighty Men
Younger Men, Older Men, Husbands and Fathers are increasingly coming under scrutiny and a falling out of favor in our society today. Even as professing believers we shun any authority over us whatsoever, especially male authority and headship. We are moving into a time of increasing apathy, apostasy, anarchy and lawlessness even within the church of Jesus Christ. The notion of male leadership and headship is anything but politically correct. How does the church address the attack on the family and specifically the role of the man, husband and father? We need to provide a thoroughly Biblical teaching on the role of godly men in our society and within our churches. This week’s message, on Father’s Day, Pastor Pete will address “God’s Mighty Men: How to Live With an A-Men Lifestyle” – Selected Scriptures. We will discuss eight powerful factors designed by God to make a man a mighty warrior for Jesus Christ: 1.) Men live best when they die: A-Men Die to Live. 2.) Men stand best when they kneel: A-Men Pray to Stand. 3.) Men speak best when they listen: A-Men Listen to Speak. 4.) Men work best when they rest: A-Men Work at Rest. 5.) Men lead best when they follow: A-Men Follow Their Leader. 6.) Men fight best when they surrender: A-Men Fight to Surrender. 7.) Men win best when they are willing to lose: A-Men Lose to Win. 8.) Men finish best when they start: A-Men Finish What They Start. Listen for LIFE!
“Hear Me When I Call, O God”
Remembering that many of the Psalms of David are songs to be sung in a choir with stringed instruments we can almost catch the tune here of David’s heart as he laments the heart of God and the hearts of unbelievers. Even people of faith often lose heart. We need to be reminded often of God’s presence and His heart as He pursues us we must in turn pursue Him. Often we give up and give in to unbelief and our light, joy, gladness of heart, peace, sleep and even our safety eludes us. Once again we must come to Him seeking to learn of Him and from Him, calling on Him, agreeing with Him, listening to Him in order to serve and trust Him once again. Our God is altogether trustworthy. God will indeed hear us if we call on Him. He is waiting for us… are we waiting for Him? Listen for Life!
Good News in a Bad World-Part Three
Pastor Pete in his third in a three part series on The Normal Christian Life, from Romans 1:8-14 shares the last five of ten points on the Anatomy of a Normal Christian's Life. What we consider to be normal is in truth the dysfunction of sin and possibly even ignorance in not understanding what God's expectations are for us. The Apostle Paul serves as a great example of what our new normal should look like. While most of us use our sinful human nature as an excuse for our flawed perception of normal we forget that we are in fact new creations in Christ. What God expects and inspects is for us to live supernatural Christian lives not from our will power or won't power but in the full sufficiency of Jesus Christ's life and power lived out in and through us to and for His glory. Listen for LIFE!
May 2015
The Four Faithful Friends
In the story of the healing of the paralytic in Mark 2, the four friends displayed five characteristics of compassion. God also gives each of us opportunities to do acts of compassion, which lead to evangelism and opportunities to share our faith
Good News in a Bad News World: The CALLED to the Gospel
Have you ever wondered or considered what is the normal Christian life? We tend to compare our faith to others around us and we either feel the emotions of shame at not being good enough, as compared to the super Christians around us or we feel a sense of superiority that we at least have our act together as being better than most. What is the standard? Who do we go to so we can get an honest self-evaluation of the truth of the matter? This week’s message is taken from Romans 1:8-15 and the standard bearer for the normal Christian life is none other than the Apostle Paul himself. Lest you or I shrink from that lofty standard we must realize the same Holy Spirit that lived in him lives in us as well. What’s my, our excuse for not being faithful? Of course we are sinners saved by grace, but we must measure truth by God’s Word and His Holy Spirit that lives within us. Imagine what might happen if we were to actually take our lives seriously for the KING in His kingdom work? Listen for LIFE!
GOOD NEWS in a Bad News World
GOOD NEWS in a Bad News World. Pastor Pete continues with the sermon he started last week on the Promise of the Gospel. We will examine Romans 1:1-7, The Gospel of Jesus Christ changes hearts, can be trusted, is full of truth and power, is a free gift for all peoples and brings peace. Listen for LIFE!
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