Pastor’s Message (Page 36)
Dear Church Family, Prepare for “scare.” This weekend when you go about your business look out: you’re going to see lots of people in freaky costumes and ugly masks. And it gets worse, because on Monday night others will be pounding on your door, demanding treats lest they play some haunting trick on you. (Hey,…
This Sunday we will join with thousands of Christians around the world to pray for the persecuted church. Over the next several weeks the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church is encouraging all Christians to lift up their brothers and sisters who are suffering for Christ. · Pray that persecuted believers would know…
On a summer day in Enfield, Connecticut, a preacher delivered a sermon by reading calmly from his notes without theatrics, gestures, power point, video, or anything other than the Word of God and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. The message so deeply touched people that they threw themselves on the floor, sobbing with repentance.…
To my very dear Church Family, I’ll give you a sneak preview of the plan for this Sunday when we converge at 10885 N. Stelling. Dave Ruder has taken great care to plan the gathering for the first service. (I’m sure Daniel K. has a rich and thoughtful service for us for the second hour.)…
In the middle of all the turmoil we’re in, our nation needs prayer. This week there has been racial hatred, two African American men killed by police, protests in major cities across the country, and five officers killed in a sniper shooting. It’s enough to make you bar the door, draw the blinds, and hide!…
Dear Valley Church family and friends, Thank you so much for your prayers and support for our LOL Mexico team. Please continue to pray for our team of 43 as we leave on Sunday. We wanted to tell you a little about the family we’ll be building the home for in Ensenada. Rodrigo and Ivonn…
Look up the definition of the word “toxic” and here is what you will find: containing or being poisonous material especially when capable of causing death or serious debilitation; extremely harsh, malicious, or harmful. Open the newspaper today and you’ll have no doubt that we live in a “harsh, malicious, and harmful” world. Mass shootings,…
Last summer several of us from Valley Church ran in a “Spartan” race in southern California. It was 14 miles of mud, hills, dirt, mud, lake, obstacles, and more mud all at a sizzling 100 degrees! Sounds fun, huh? By the time we were done, all we wanted was Tylenol, a shower, and In and…
Dear friends, One of the most interesting places I have traveled to has a unique expression of religious devotion. Each major village is fiercely loyal to its tribe and constructs elaborate temples for worship. There are three kinds of participants in the worship service. The performers dress up in colorful costumes and engage in highly…
This week Christians all over the world are paying special attention to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. If you grew up in a tradition that celebrated Palm Sunday, Holy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday, you are familiar with the rich history of Christians throughout the centuries celebrating some of the darkest…