The following question came in after the Benediction on Sunday.  In case you weren’t in attendance, I made the point from Psalm 139 (cf. Genesis 1:27) that we were knit together in our mother’s womb as male OR female. 

Text: So in the workplace, when folks tell us they are a different pronoun, etc.  Do we comply with that?  Would that make it seem like we agree?  If so, what should our response be?

Pastor:  My preaching (communicating) model is “Truth with Grace” (John 1:14 & 17) and typically it serves as a great way to bring the temperature down in most discussions.    Let me offer two suggestions:

1. For the coworker with whom you have limited involvement:  Just stay away from third-person pronouns with him or her.    Refer to him/her by name and I think the problem goes away.  Obviously, if they have changed their given name, you have a bigger problem.  I would revert to the second person -“hey you”.  Or if you really want to be pointed, ignore the “new name” and use their birth name.  I was recently in a situation where initials were used, but that only really works if the changed name has the same starting letter.*   

2. For the coworker with whom you have regular interactions, it might be best to do the hard thing and share the truth in private, something like:  “I love (like?) you because you are a fellow image-bearer.   I believe you are equally valuable before God to anybody here. At the same time, I believe God made you male (or female) from the very beginning.  I don’t believe gender is a measure of how you feel, but rather of what you are, physically.  So I will do my best to honor you, without lying or pretending.”  Then use the technique under heading #1.

Obviously if you know this person well, #2 will take longer than what is written here and it doesn’t guarantee peace and acceptance; but in as much as it does depend on you, try to be at peace with all.

Pastor Scott
* Using a given name or “you,”  rather than a third-person pronoun sounds like an easy solution until one starts the “what abouts;”  clearly if we weren’t distinct from the world before, we are now.  2 Corinthians 6:17 (“Come out from among them and be separate”), 1 John 2:15-17 (don’t love the world or its desires), Romans 12:2 (don’t conform to this world), and 1 Peter 2:9 (a chosen people, holy nation).

Good list (the commentary has a decidedly feminine voice), but this list is co-ed and very helpful if we start to think about intentionally inviting our community to our church!  ~Pastor Scott

Equip

February 25, 2016

Hub Contributor

We are always told to invite friends to church or have a friend we want to invite, but our own fears and insecurities often get in the way of God’s plan.

10 Ways To Invite A Friend To Church or Into Faith

Ashley Light

We’ve all been there. You have a friend who you think will benefit from a Bible study or church service, but you are clueless about how to invite them. Thoughts of rejection, judgment, and fear rise as you approach them with the question. Then you end up chickening out and just asking them if they want to get FroYo later instead. As Christians, we love to proclaim our faith to the world and let everyone know how happy we are in Christ, but the thought of physically asking someone to open up and share that faith with us is terrifying. Here are 10 tips on how to invite friends to come to church with you, or even have them open up about their faith.

1. Take them to coffee: I don’t know why, but life always feels more spiritual when studying the Bible with a cup of coffee in hand. The aesthetic of a coffee shop also provides a relaxing, intimate setting, where deep conversations are formed. While at the coffee shop, start by asking the question, “What does your spiritual background look like?” This will give you some insight as to what their past looks like with Christ, and figure out where to go from there.
2.  Invite them to an on-campus Bible Study or Christian Organization: Sometimes, the word “Church” itself can be daunting for some people. They may have had bad church experiences in the past, or are just not quite comfortable being in a congregation of people who raise their hands while singing worship songs, which is completely normal and understandable. An on-campus Bible study is filled with people who are the same age, and most likely have a similar story. The group usually will start with an icebreaker, and then dive into the Word, with room for discussion. I personally think this setting is less intimidating for a new Christian and will get them acclimated into studying the Bible.
3. Be persistent: Just because they say no the first time does not mean you should feel defeated and give up. They may be busy that night or not ready to immerse themselves. Give them time, and keep inviting them whenever you can. However, if they seem completely uninterested and annoyed, then you may want to take a break for a while and ask them again in a month or so. Try not to be pushy or overbearing, as this might drive them away.
4. Read a book or a couple of blogs: Like this one! Sometimes sitting down and reading a book or blog can not only be informational but can help you feel prepared and relaxed. I personally enjoyed the book Beyond Awkward by Beau Crosetto. He incorporates ways to talk about Jesus in a way that does not make people uncomfortable, including real-life examples of people who have benefitted from his tips. He too was once afraid to invite friends to faith and shares how he got over that fear and stepped out of his comfort zone.
5. Invite them to a social night at church: Every once and a while, a church will have a social night, or an event that is more about forming relationships and having fun, rather than worship and a sermon. This is a good way to integrate them into the church, have them meet a couple of your friends, and feel comfortable meeting new people in a more laid-back setting.
6. Invite your group of friends to come with you: Let’s face it. Everything is a little less scary when you’re doing it with your friends. Going with a group may make them more confident and comfortable, and then everyone gets to learn about Jesus!
7.  Have weekly dates to follow up: Being intentional and following up with someone who is giving their life to Christ for the first time is so important. Whether that’s just a text message to check up, a bible study at the beach, or grabbing brunch and talking about their week. Knowing that they have someone to come to as a resource will put them at ease and make them more eager to continue building their faith.
8. Be vulnerable: Share your story of how you came to Christ. Share the joy that you receive from being a Christian, but also share the tough times you have been through and the obstacles you have gone through since you came to faith. Let them know you are there for them every step of the way, no matter what.
9. Trust in God:  If it’s in His plan for your friend to come to Christ, it will happen. It just may take longer than you think, or in a different way than you were expecting. Trust in His plan, for He is all-knowing and has a plan for every one of His children.
10. Pray. Pray. Pray: All in all, the best thing you can do is pray for them. Intentionally, consistently, and sincerely.

(1) Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.
Psalm 100:4 NLT

(2) Praise the LORD! Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.
Psalm 106:1 NLT

(3) “O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name!”
1 Chronicles 29:13 NLT

(4) Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him. For the LORD is a great God, a great King above all gods.
Psalm 95:2-3 NLT

(5) Then I will praise God’s name with singing, and I will honor him with thanksgiving.
Psalm 69:30 NLT

(6) Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him. For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods.
Psalm 95:1-3 NLT

(7) Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
1 Chronicles 16:34 NIV

Praise God for what He does

(8) I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done.
Psalm 9:1 NLT

(9) But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57 NLT

(10) You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever!
Psalm 30:11-12 NLT

(11) From them will come songs of thanksgiving and the sound of rejoicing. I will add to their numbers, and they will not be decreased; I will bring them honor, and they will not be disdained.
Jeremiah 30:19 NIV

(12) The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.
Psalm 28:7 NLT

(13) Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be feared above all gods. The gods of other nations are mere idols, but the Lord made the heavens!
1 Chronicles 16:23-26 NLT

(14) For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.
2 Corinthians 9:10-11 NLT

(15) All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.
2 Corinthians 4:15 NLT

(16) Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
Psalm 107:8-9 NIV

(17) “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.”
Revelation 11:17 NIV

(18) Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
James 1:17 NIV

Be grateful for the faith-filled changes God makes in you

(19) And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.
Colossians 2:6-7 NLT

(20) Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High.
Psalm 50:14 NLT

(21) Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
Colossians 3:16-17 NLT

(22) And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
Colossians 3:15 NLT

(23) Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV

(24) Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7 NLT

(25) Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”
Hebrews 12:28-29 NIV

(26) I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus.
1 Cor 1:4 NLT

(27) Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks. For we know it is made acceptable by the word of God and prayer.
1 Timothy 4:4-5 NLT

(28) But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.
2 Corinthians 2:14 NLT

(29) But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. For my salvation comes from the LORD alone.
Jonah 2:9 NLT

(30) In that wonderful day you will sing: “Thank the LORD! Praise his name! Tell the nations what he has done. Let them know how mighty he is!
Isaiah 12:4 NLT

(31) Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.
Colossians 4:2 NLT

(32) In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?
Psalm 56:4 NIV

(33) Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.
Hebrews 13:15 NIV

(34) I will sing of the Lord’s unfailing love forever! Young and old will hear of your faithfulness. Your unfailing love will last forever. Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.
Psalm 89:1-2 NLT

(35) Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Philippians 4:8 NIV

Just a Thought – Happy Thanksgiving!

Pastor Scott

Sunday (11/16),  when preaching on James 3, I mentioned the Greek word prautés (v. 17), which is translated “gentleness” in NASB, which I think of as “meekness.”  I then received a question on our text line about Galatians 5:22-23, in which meekness and gentleness are used separately, at least in the  KJV.* 

As I understand it, prautés is strength under control (see below).  Think of a gentle elephant.  He could rip me in half, but he controls his strength and behaves “gently” toward me.  The other is chréstotés, often translated as “kindness” (but gentleness in KJV – also below) it is best thought of as “useful action.”   So the short answer is that the fruits don’t overlap in Greek, but with almost 600 years of various English translations they certainly seem to!  Another example of that is “patience and endurance.”  The old word for ”patience” was “longsuffering” and the old word for “endurance” was “patience.”

prautés: Gentleness; meekness

Original Word: πραΰτης
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: prautés
Pronunciation: prah-oo’-tace
Phonetic Spelling: (prah-oo’-tace)
KJV: meekness
NASB: gentleness, consideration, humility, meekness
Word Origin: [from G4239 (πραΰς – Meek)]

1. mildness
2. (by implication) humility

chréstotés: Kindness, goodness, gentleness

Original Word: χρηστότης
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: chréstotés
Pronunciation: khray-stot’-ace
Phonetic Spelling: (khray-stot’-ace)
KJV: gentleness, good(-ness), kindness
NASB: kindness, good
Word Origin: [from G5543 (χρηστός – good)]

1. usefulness, i.e. morally, excellence (in character or demeanor)

This is just a good example of Godly traits that are also fruits of the Spirit.  We should be working to cultivate all of these qualities in our daily lives.  It’s one thing to have a meek (gentle) response when someone “comes at us” it’s another thing to act kindly (gently) by serving others where there is a need!

Hope that’s helpful,

Pastor Scott

*Most of our Bible Language Tools are tied to King James

The words of Jesus, recorded in Matthew 6:19-21, provide us with a timeless and radical financial philosophy. It is an invitation to examine our priorities, not just our budgets, and to determine the true value of our investments. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth,” the scripture instructs, “where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

This passage is a clear-eyed statement on the inherent risk of material wealth. The concepts of moth, rust, and thieves are universal symbols of loss and entropy. Moths speak of decay—the finest fabric eventually unravels. Rust speaks of corrosion—the strongest metal eventually fails. Thieves speak of sudden, uncontrollable external loss. In our modern age, these symbols translate to depreciation, obsolescence, market crashes, and the inevitable passage of time that renders our physical possessions irrelevant. To anchor our deepest sense of security and identity in things that are fundamentally temporary is, ultimately, to set ourselves up for disappointment. It is an investment guaranteed to fail.

The counter-directive, however, offers an exciting alternative: “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” This is not a call to literal poverty, but a powerful call to reallocate our most precious resources—our time, energy, attention, and compassion—toward things that cannot be destroyed.

What are heavenly treasures? They are not possessions but contributions. They are the character we build through integrity, the love we give through service, the wisdom we gain through patience, and the faith we demonstrate through action. These are the “assets” that grow stronger under pressure, cannot be stolen, and transcend our lifetime. The kindness you show to a stranger, the forgiveness you grant to an offender, the effort you put into developing a skill that serves others—these are the investments that accrue eternal returns.

The final verse serves as the absolute hinge of the passage: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

This is the psychological and spiritual truth at the core of the teaching. Our heart—our emotional center, our focus, our peace, and our anxiety—is not an independent entity. It is a satellite that orbits whatever we deem most valuable. If we spend 90% of our daily thought worrying about accumulating, protecting, and maintaining earthly things, our hearts will be tethered to fear, scarcity, and the volatility of the material world. We will feel rich one day and poor the next.

But if we deliberately choose to make heavenly virtues and lasting relationships our primary investment, our hearts will find a home in a place of profound and unshakable security. When our treasure is permanent, our peace becomes permanent. This choice liberates us from the treadmill of consumerism and connects us to a purpose that is truly immortal.

Let us be wise investors. Let us re-examine how we spend the limited currency of our lives. The greatest risk is not in having too little, but in treasuring the wrong things. Today, choose to invest in the eternal, and watch your heart settle into a place of enduring freedom.

Pastor Scott

P.S. This piece came up when I was trying to Google the verses (Matt 6:19-21); it’s without attribution but rings true! Hope it’s thought provoking!

For centuries, the name Molech has echoed through Scripture and history as a symbol of terror and corrupted worship. The Bible presents Molech not as myth, but as a very real deity venerated by the Canaanites and later imitated by some Israelites who fell into apostasy. His worship represents one of the darkest chapters in Israel’s spiritual history—a chilling example of what happens when God’s people abandon His truth for the practices of surrounding nations.

In the Old Testament, God explicitly forbade Israel from participating in Molech worship. “Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD” (Leviticus 18:21). Yet despite these commands, several kings of Judah defied God and reintroduced these abominations. King Ahaz “burned his son as an offering” (2 Kings 16:3), and later, King Manasseh “sacrificed his own son in the fire” (2 Kings 21:6). These horrific acts took place in the Valley of Ben Hinnom—known as Topheth—just outside Jerusalem’s walls.

The prophet Jeremiah condemned this valley as a place of judgment:

“They built high places for Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molech, though I never commanded—nor did it enter my mind—that they should do such a detestable thing” (Jeremiah 32:35). Because of this, the valley became a symbol of divine wrath and eternal punishment. In later Jewish and Christian thought, Gehenna (derived from Geh Hinnom) became synonymous with hell itself.

Outside the Bible, ancient sources provide eerie confirmation of such practices. Greek historians like Diodorus Siculus (1st century BC) and Plutarch described Phoenician and Carthaginian rituals in which children were offered to a god they equated with Cronus—a deity closely identified with the Canaanite Molech. According to their accounts, a bronze statue—human-shaped but crowned with a bull’s head—was heated from below until its metal glowed red, and the victims were placed into its blazing arms while drums beat to muffle their screams.

Archaeological excavations at Carthage, Rabat, and other Phoenician colonies have uncovered Tophet cemeteries containing urns filled with the cremated remains of infants and animals. While scholars debate whether all such offerings were true sacrifices or vows made during times of distress, the evidence unmistakably points to widespread ritual burning of children—a horrifying practice that mirrors the biblical description of Molech worship in the Canaanite world.

In Israel, the prophets condemned these acts as both moral and spiritual rebellion. They represented a complete inversion of God’s commands—offering life, the most sacred gift, to a false god of death. King Josiah, in his reforms, finally desecrated Topheth to put an end to these practices (2 Kings 23:10), symbolically reclaiming the land from darkness.

Molech’s image—part history, part warning—embodies the tragic pattern of idolatry: humanity’s attempt to appease false gods through destruction. The fires of Molech may have burned out long ago, but his legacy endures as a lesson written in both Scripture and stone. He stands as a symbol of what happens when devotion divorces itself from truth—when man worships power, fear, or self in the place of the living God.

Today, Molech’s name is remembered not as one of honor, but as a haunting reminder of how far people can fall when they reject the Creator. His story calls believers to remain steadfast in the worship of the one true God, whose commands protect life and whose fire purifies rather than destroys.

NOTE FROM PASTOR SCOTT – I had a blog about “social issues” ready to go for today. In it I referenced this particular demon; and this morning this article posted to my feed. Thought it was too good not to share!

We are saved (Justified and Sanctified) by Grace through Faith; but as we’ve been discussing a lot on Sunday mornings, we still live, day-to-day, in the world, whose god is Satan, while wearing our flesh that reminds us of who we were.  So we need to consciously remind our flesh Whose we are!  Take a minute and review (sing through) this passage and song you may remember from your childhood – it is equally, if not more, needed for us as  adults! 

“There are six things which the Lord hates,
Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood,
A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that run rapidly to evil,
A false witness who utters lies,
And one who spreads strife among brothers.” (Proverbs 6:16-19)

O be careful little eyes what you see
O be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above
Is looking down in love
So, be careful little eyes what you see (cf. Psalm 101:3-4)

O be careful little ears what you hear
O be careful little ears what you hear
For the Father up above
Is looking down in love
So, be careful little ears what you hear (cf. Isaiah 33:15)

O be careful little tongue what you say
O be careful little tongue what you say
For the Father up above
Is looking down in love
So, be careful little tongue what you say (cf. Ephesians 4:29; 5:4; 12)

O be careful little hands what you do
O be careful little hands what you do
For the Father up above
Is looking down in love
So, be careful little hands what you do

O be careful little feet where you go
O be careful little feet where you go
For the Father up above
Is looking down in love
So, be careful little feet where you go (cf. Proverbs 4:27)

O be careful little heart whom you trust
O be careful little heart whom you trust
For the Father up above
Is looking down in love
So, be careful little heart whom you trust (cf. Proverbs 4:23)

O be careful little mind what you think
O be careful little mind what you think
For the Father up above
Is looking down in love
So, be careful little mind what you think
So, be careful little mind what you think (cf. Philippians 4:8) 

We are in the middle of a relatively small capital campaign to replace three roof-top HVAC units.  We are committed to waiting for all of the funds to come in and to trusting God that they will come in soon.  The process has made me remember other campaigns and other discussions, sometimes on church boards and sometimes in congregational meetings about whether or not God wants us to step out in faith or whether or not He wants us to wait in faith.  I remember one protracted argument in a church plant in CO where we just about formed up into two “camps.”  One camp said, definitively, that faith was “waiting on the Lord” (Isaiah 40:31), while the other camp said that trusting the Lord meant following Him, even into debt if He so led (Esther 4:16).  It got a little uncomfortable, and we ended up moving here, before God solved it by allowing that plant to merge with a financially solvent church (i.e. a church with a paid for building).  But even if you take the financial piece out of the question, the question still remains, when do we step out in faith as in Joshua 3? 

It shall come about when the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off, and the waters which are flowing down from above will stand in one heap.”  (Joshua 3:13, emphasis added)

And when do we wait in faith as in Exodus 14?

But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever.  (Exodus 14:13 Emphasis added)

I’m not sure I can give a single answer that suits all situations, but one answer that a study of Scripture suggests is that if I’m prompted to do something for another person, such as an act of compassion, an act of love, or a rendering of assistance, I would submit no waiting is necessary (1 John 3:13-22).   Whereas, if I want to do something that benefits myself alone, it might be entirely appropriate to wait (Matthew 6:33).  Ironically, sometimes only slowing down and waiting on God will allow us to have time to discern the difference between the two!

Blessings!

Pastor Scott

P.S.  I will state again, it’s the conviction of the WOGF board that at this time in our church’s life we are very debt adverse.  I merely had this thought on the way in to work this morning because our current capital campaign reminded me of one from long ago.  🙂