News (Page 6)

“The Screwtape Letters,” a one-man play based on the C.S. Lewis book of the same title is coming to Stephens Auditorium for one show, April 14 at 7:30pm. Tickets are available online here. Contact the church office information for information on a discount for groups of 10 or more. Here…

Evangelism can be a frightening and challenging activity for Christians. Nevertheless, we’re called to call people to trust in Jesus. On The Gospel Coalition website, Trevin Wax offers six questions about evangelism. He argues that answering “no” to any of the questions…

Dear Church, This coming Sunday we will be in Prov. 30.  I will not be covering Prov. 27-29, except to give you the main points of those chapters.  The reason we will not cover them is that we have covered them in other sermons and it would be too repetitive to work through them.  In many ways to cover Prov. 30 helps us get to the wisdom in Prov. 27-29. So here is your…

The “Murder at the Ugly Christmas Sweater Party” Mystery Dinner is February 7th from 5:00-8:00 pm. Appetizers and dinner are part of the evening event and of course we’ll want to wear our ugly sweaters! Tickets are available this Sunday, January 18th through Sunday, February 1st in the…

Here is the link to the Thomas Chalmers’ sermon I referenced this past Sunday. http://manna.mycpanel.princeton.edu/rubberdoc/c8618ef3f4a7b5424f710c5fb61ef281.pdf Enjoy! Pastor Michael

Do you need a good word for today? Here is an excellent blog. You will definitely enjoy this one. http://feedingonchrist.com/friendships/?utm_source=feedly&utm_reader=feedly&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=friendships

Here is a very good blog by Tom Ascol on confessional Christianity and a healthy church. Enjoy! http://theblog.founders.org/healthy-christianity-is-confessional/

It is so important to remember those who are single in the church. I think it is so easy for me and many others to just talk about families all the times and really what we mean is marriage and kids and forget that those who are single are a family too. May God bless our singles at Grand.  Check the link to the Gospel Coalition article.  It is an excellent blog to help us…

Professor David Murray has a wonderful blog called HeadHeartHand.  He recently put together a short video segment on Christians who experience depression.  I hope you find his work helpful. http://headhearthand.org/blog/2014/02/17/films/

We are embarking on a church-wide Scripture memory effort.  More information will be rolled out as we move toward the launch date of Aug. 31st.  Here are to passages the church is being asked to commit to memory as we work through Proverbs preaching series.  Enjoy! (Proverbs 9:10 ESV) [10] The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One…

I do not take any pleasure in this report.  I hope it can be resolved but sometimes things like this cannot be avoided and sadly the parting of ways occurs.  Paul and Barnabas parted ways and the church grew.  They mended their fences later but I am sure it was a painful experience at the time.…

This is a sad story and I do not mean to rub salt in an open wound for this family but, since we just covered this passage on Sunday morning, I think it is worth mentioning.  Here is the story of a family saddled with the debt of the daughter they lost to cancer and the loan that they co-signed on…

Yesterday I attended the Let God Speak Conference at Grace Church in Des Moines. I sat with about 30 other pastors from around the area (mostly BCI guys) to be encouraged by God’s word.  Dr. Jason Allen, president of Mid-Western Theological Seminary, preached the message.  I thought I would share with you my notes from his sermon.  I hope you enjoy my outline from…

Check it out!  Church planting in Scotland with 20 Schemes.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b55HlxdGXVc

Conrad Mbewe is consider the Spurgeon of Africa.  This is a great little interview with a pastor whom God is using to have a great impact on Africa.   http://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/a-great-inheritance/

If you do not use a spiritual journal, you might want to consider using one.  Journaling is a great way to write down what God is teaching you and pouring out your heart in prayer.  I have been journaling for over twenty years and my journaling is like a spiritual path I can look back on and see where I have been. I am always blessed when I read over some of my journal…

Dr. David Murray has put together a great list on Puritan books on sin.  Enjoy!   http://headhearthand.org/blog/2014/07/23/top-10-puritan-books-on-sin/

Noah Braymen wrote a three part article on the life of Christian statesman John Leland in Canon and Culture.  Here is the link to part 1: http://www.canonandculture.com/the-life-of-john-leland-sinner-saved-by-faith-alone/

Here is the link to part 2: http://www.canonandculture.com/the-life-of-john-leland-preacher-evangelist/

Here is the link to part 3: http://www.canonandculture.com/the-life-of-john-leland-statesman/

Please keep this pastor’s family and the church in your  prayers.   http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2014/05/05/waukee-church-faces-pastor-suicide/8711207/

I am preaching through Proverbs and reading through the book is pretty easy.  Just take a chapter a day and you can finish it easily in a month.  However, what about a devotional on Proverbs.  Click on the link and it will take you to Monergism’s page and you can download the book in Kindle…

In this blog, Dr. Mohler is responding to Matthew Vines books, which says that in the Gospel God does not condemn monogamous homosexual relationships.  Wow!  The Woman Folly is crying out in the streets, on college campuses and in the media that a person can be a practicing homosexual and be…

Dear Church, Some of you may know Pastor Tommy Rucker who served at FBC Dunkerton, Iowa.  Pastor Tommy was a fine man and excellent pastor. He had served as pastor for FBC since 2007 and was loved in the community.  He was very active in Baptist life in Iowa serving on the executive board for our…