A Church that Is Content

The church at Philippi had wanted to help Paul with his ministry for a long time, and as Paul was writing this letter, he had received help from them again after some time had passed. In thanking them, he explains how he has learned that his contentment does not come from his circumstances. True contentment is only found as we depend on God, trusting that He knows what we need.

Looking at the Lord's Supper

As we take an in-depth look at the Lord’s Supper, we find that it requires several different looks from us, both in preparation and response. Not only do we remember Christ’s sacrifice for our sins, we must ensure we are right with Him, we can look forward to His return, and we are inspired to share the good news of His sacrificial love with the world around us.

A Church with a Right Perspective

What we think about and who we emulate are important decisions, and choices we should make intentionally. Paul gives the church at Philippi a list of the types of things with which they should fill their minds, then tells them to live out their faith the way they have seen him live. These are wise words for our church as well.

A Church that Walks in the Peace of God

Paul encouraged the church at Philippi to rejoice in the Lord at all times, to reflect Him in their lives, and to trust Him for their needs. Paul describes the peace that they will experience as a peace that defies understanding. Today, we too can walk in this peace, as we joyfully yield to and trust Jesus.

On Mission Celebration: Paul Barnard

Fourteen years ago, Paul Barnard planted a church in Magee, Mississippi, with the goal of reaching the lost. By taking opportunities most “church people” would not take, Overflow Church has grown to 800 people, using no marketing, advertising, or gimmicks. He is now the director of the 242 Network, which screens, trains, and walks beside church planters to help them reach the lost, rather than simply attracting dissatisfied churchgoers from existing churches. He challenged us to do the same in our community, winning souls not by inviting them to church, but by forming relationships that allow us to share our faith.

On Mission Celebration: Claren Dease

Claren Dease, along with her husband Lyle, served in Uruguay for over twenty years. Over that time, God used them to plant churches, sharing His love with the people there, and many of their church plants are now continuing the work themselves. They recently came back to the United States, but are excited about the new ways that the “next generation” is continuing to spread the gospel around the world.

On Mission Celebration: Mary Callahan

Mary Callahan, together with her husband Roy, are the directors of Hands UP Outreach in Rankin County, Mississippi. Their ministry is primarily focused on the prisons in that area, and they provide many resources, including Bible studies, GED tutoring, literacy, and ESL programs. Mary encouraged us to open our eyes to the opportunities around us.

More information about Roy and Mary’s ministry can be found at https://missionaries.namb.net/full/roy-callahan.

Messiah in the Passover

Today, we were honored to have Michelle Beadle, a Messianic Jew based in New Orleans, walk us through the Passover meal (seder). Most of us know about communion, the first Lord’s Supper, and that Jesus was crucified and rose again during the Passover festival; however, the number of ways that this meal points to Him is much larger than many people realize.

You can learn more about CJF Ministries at http://cjfm.org, and Michelle at http://cjfm.org/michelleb.

(NOTE: This recording has some periods of silence (and searching) removed, and skips the offering we gave after her description of CJF Ministries.)

An Eyewitness Account of the Risen Lord

This morning, we entertained a guest from the first century, who witnessed Jesus’ earthly ministry from the inside. His testimony not only confirms Jesus’ claims as to who He is, but that His charge to His disciples then extends to us as well.

A Church that Pleads for Unity

Two ladies in the church at Philippi had a falling out; Paul encouraged the church to take an active role in restoring their relationship, so that they could once again work together for the gospel. We, too, should not let disagreements get in the way of our service, and we should be willing to help others restore their relationships when they need assistance.