Aaron

Let Us Pray…

This Sunday we talked about the Lord’s Prayer, the model prayer that Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount. I have a sneaky suspicion. If we as a church prayed this prayer…and meant it…it might just change us. It might just change our hearts. Do you believe for it? “‘Our Father who art in heaven…” You are a good, good Father. You are in heaven, and we are not. You are over us. You are in control. “Hallowed be…

Where to go from here…

Our community has been devastated by Hurricane Helene. Western North Carolina has been decimated far beyond what happened here in Cleveland County. It is hard to even wrap our minds around whole communities being swept away by flood waters. I-40 and other roads are impassable and will take time to rebuild. Water systems and infrastructure have been destroyed. Our governor and others have said this is the worst storm to ever hit North Carolina…ever… One of the most important historical…

Check Yes or No

Matthew 5:21-22 21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment…  Whether it was a to-do list or items we need from the grocery store, we’ve all made a checklist before. As we complete our tasks or find our items, we “check” or…

Salt and Light

Matthew 5:13-16 13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light…

Our Beatitudes

Matthew 5:3-10 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children…

A New Vision for Missions

Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” As a Christian church, we are a part of the great witness for Jesus in this world. We may not be the ones to set foot in different corners of the world, but we resource and pray for those that do. This is the Great…

Serving

For the past two Sundays, we’ve talked about serving. What does it mean to serve? What does it mean for us to follow in the footsteps of the greatest servant, Jesus? This past Sunday, we had the privilege of honoring two members of our church for their great service to Poplar Springs—two with great character, but different gifts, talents, and callings. Hugh Bess faithfully served our congregation and community as our church host for 20 years. I’m guessing here, but…

Our Shield

Two weeks ago, Hurricane Debby made its way onto and up the east coast. Thursday of that week brought a lot of rain and some gusts of wind for our area. We were having a staff meeting that morning and heard Clyde Buckner in the hallway talking on the phone. All we heard was “yeah, there’s water in the sanctuary.” Fortunately, it was a small leak. Even better, a new roof was already on its way thanks to the good…

Renew Your Mind

This past week was hard by most any measure. For most in our church and in our community, there was a great deal of shock, sadness, and questions without answers. And then Sunday came…what a perfect time for our Summer Recap Sunday. If you were not able to attend church or watch online, let me encourage you to go back on our website or Facebook site and watch the service from Sunday. I needed to be in church on Sunday.…

Unpack the Suitcase

In a conversation with friends this past weekend, I realized there are two types of people when they get home from a vacation: I’m not here to tell you one is right, and one is wrong. I think it boils down to the fact that we are all wired a little differently. This plays out in the simplest of tasks…like when we choose to unpack a suitcase. For some, a suitcase on the floor would be a nagging reminder that…