Posts by Michael Felkins
Take an Easter Challenge!
One of the purposes for writing blogs of book recommendations is to strengthen our discipleship and evangelism. I know some of you are looking for good books to read, and I want to help with that, too. The book I want to recommend in this blog is titled The Christian Gospel by Tony Payne. This is a very short book, only 81 pages, but in these 81 pages, Tony Payne unpacks…
Book Recommendation: In the Lord I Take Refuge
The fourth book I would like to recommend for reading in 2024 is In The Lord I Take Refuge: 150 Daily Devotions through the Psalms by Dane C. Ortlund. One of the things I love about the Psalms is the psalmists’ transparency and vulnerability. Sometimes, when you read a Psalm, it almost feels like…
2024 Book Recommendation: You’re Not Crazy: Gospel Sanity for Weary Churches
One of the books I have chosen to read this year is a book on how the gospel is lived out in everyday church life. One of our goals at Grand is to see the gospel not only shape our worship services but shape every ministry in the church and also create a gospel-DNA in the life of the relationships…
Book Recommendation: Newton on the Christian Life
The second book I want to recommend for reading this year is Newton on the Christian Life: To Life is Christ. Isaac Newton may have discovered the Law of Gravity, but John Newton helps us discover God’s Amazing Grace. This book on the life of John Newton is excellent! It is part of the series…
2024 Book Reading List
Many people will develop a list of books they want to read when a new year starts. I usually keep a stack of books that I want to read going all the time so when the new year starts, I just keep going with what I was already reading. However, this year, I decided to develop a list of books that I think I need to read this year for my spiritual growth. For the next several…
Missions Evening Nov. 10th (Please RSVP)
Dear Grand, As you may recall, every Christmas we as a church have participated in Operation Christmas Child’s shoebox program, as a way to bring the good news of Jesus’ incarnation to needy children around the world. This year we are planning a variation on that theme, one that will allow us to participate with a ministry supported by our church. Instead of sending…
The Joshua Project
Dear Grand, I want to make you aware of a mission’s website and mobile app that is designed to help us pray for the nations to come to faith in Jesus. It is called the Joshua Project. There are lots of tools and information on their website about how to pray for people groups around the world that have not yet been reached with the gospel of our Savior. One of the best…
Pray for the church and people of Sutherland Springs, Texas
In the wake of the shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas there will be no lack of explanation of the horror that took place that ordinary Sunday morning. Politicians will try to work things to their advantage, lobbyist will put in extra hours angling to gain favor and even many pastors will wax…
How Smartphones Hijack Our Minds
In a recent article in the Wall Street Journal Nicholas Carr gives some troubling research about the impact of smartphone on our ability to concentrate. He reveals that students who have access to smartphones in class drop one letter grade. The impact of smartphones on us and our culture is yet to be known. Their impact will unfold in the next 10 to 15 years. There are…
Iowa Missions Offering
September 10-17 the Baptist Convention of Iowa churches across our state will collect a special offering specifically designated for ministry in the state. By pooling our offerings together, much can be accomplished for the Kingdom. 100% of the money given to the Iowa Missions Offering will be used in two specific ministry areas: 1) the Iowa Ministry Fund, which…
Service Preview for Sunday, May 7th
Service Preview for April 30
Call To Worship We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song. Our Spoken Call to Worship 1 For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. 2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken. 3 How long will all of you attack a man to batter him, like a leaning wall, a tottering…
Service Preview for Sunday, April 23rd
Call To Worship We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song. Our Spoken Call to Worship The earth is the LORD’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it; for he has founded it on the seas, And established it on the rivers. Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? Those who have…
Service Preview Resurrection Sunday, April 16
Welcome Call To Worship We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song. Our Spoken Call to Worship Alleluia! Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia! Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has given us new life and hope. He has raised Jesus from the dead. God has claimed us as his own. He has brought us out of…
Service Preview for April 9th
Call To Worship We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song. Our Spoken Call to Worship Psalm 57 To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave. 1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till…
Service Preview for April 2
Call To Worship We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song. Our Spoken Call to Worship Job 36:2-12 2 “Bear with me a little, and I will show you, for I have yet something to say on God’s behalf. 3 I will get my knowledge from afar and ascribe righteousness to my Maker. 4 For truly my words are not false; one who is perfect in…
Service Preview for March 26
Call To Worship We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song. Our Spoken Call to Worship L: 1 I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? C: 2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. L: 3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. C: 4 Behold, he who keeps Israel will…
Service Preview for Sunday, March 12
This Sunday we will be covering Colossians 1:9-12. We will see how Paul prayed for the Colossians Christians to have spiritual wisdom from God. The Colossians valued wisdom but many in the church were beginning to value the wrong kind of wisdom, the world’s wisdom and false religious wisdom based on works and not grace. Yet Paul argued very powerfully that the…
Service Preview for March 5th
I hope the service preview helps you and your family prepare for corporate worship service this coming Sunday. One of my favorite writers is Paul Tripp. In his devotional book New Morning Mercies, he reminds his readers of the graces experienced in corporate worship. He says: “Corporate worship is a regular, gracious reminder that [corporate worship] is not about…
The Functional Centrality of the Gospel in the Life of the Local Church
Have you ever thought of how the gospel functions practically in your life? I hope so. If you have attended Grand very long it is usually a question you have heard asked. Our Vision Statement says: We exist to glorify God as a gospel-centered church in Ames, Iowa. If this is our vision, then we…
Service Preview for Sunday, Feb. 26
Service Preview for Feb. 19th
Dear Church, Here is the preview of this coming Sunday’s service. We will be singing a couple of new songs: The Gospel Song and Only Jesus. Click on the links to the songs and listen to them a few times in order to learn them. We normally do not introduce two new songs in one service but these are some of the songs Pastor Eric is able to play. We have a limited…
Service Preview for February 12th
Here are the songs, prayer(s) and Scripture that will be used for our worship service this coming Sunday. Songs: Below are the links to the YouTube versions of the songs we will sing. They may not be the exact version of the song but they will be close. Prayer of Confession: God of love, in the wrong we have done and in the good we have not done, Please forgive us; we…