The Mortar of Fellowship: Building Community Through Process

• Church Identity and Action [00:14:43 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor argues that modern churches often prioritize their own preferences over biblical mandates, citing Acts 2 and Revelation as examples of churches failing to do what the Lord said.
• Biblical Fellowship [00:18:25 ▶️ 📄]
  > Defined not merely as social eating ('eat, greet and eat') but as the deep community described in Acts 2, involving devotion to teaching, prayer, and sharing possessions.
• College Ministry [00:36:09 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor highlights the specific needs of college students, emphasizing that they require a support system and spiritual adjustment rather than just material things.
• Church Building vs. Joining [00:35:28 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor suggests that it is often better to be part of building a church community than to look for a ready-made one, fostering greater appreciation and growth.
• The Church as a Change Agent [00:37:03 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor defines the church's primary purpose as influencing people's lives through example and relationship, rather than just preaching.
• Process vs. Outcome [00:38:57 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor argues that the church often seeks outcomes without undergoing the necessary spiritual process, using analogies of aging food and coaching to illustrate that the process guarantees the outcome.
• Definition of Ecclesia [00:42:10 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor explains the Greek word 'ecclesia' as 'those called out,' emphasizing that salvation and membership are God's work, not human addition.
• Presence and Worship [00:45:03 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor connects worship to the presence of God, arguing that true worship flows naturally from being in God's presence, not just ritualistic performance.
• Fellowship (Koinonia) [00:52:08 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor defines fellowship as the 'glue' or 'mortar' that binds believers together, essential for the structural integrity of the church.
• Miracles and Healing [00:51:04 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor argues that miracles performed by prophets, Christ, and apostles are ongoing and intended for today, criticizing the church for only celebrating successes while ignoring failures.
• Church Identity [00:54:22 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor cites church ritual to define the church as the 'household of God' with Christ as the head, and the 'body/bride of Christ,' emphasizing unity over being merely a worship center.
• Unity and the Holy Spirit [01:02:47 ▶️ 📄]
  > Asserts that the Holy Spirit's power (as seen in Acts 2) descends only when the church is 'one accord' and united, linking love for one's brother directly to the validity of loving God.
• Sin of Omission [01:05:19 ▶️ 📄]
  > Distinguishes between sin of commission (doing bad) and omission (neglecting to do good), arguing that the church is trapped by failing to do the good it ought to do for others.
• Sin of Omission vs. Commission [01:04:50 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor distinguishes between sins of commission (doing bad things) and omission (neglecting to do the good one ought to do), arguing that the church is often trapped by focusing only on the former while ignoring the latter.
• Conditional vs. Unconditional Love [01:07:39 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor critiques the common cultural trope of conditional love (giving stuff/help only as long as it's convenient) and contrasts it with the biblical standard of sacrificial love, exemplified by Jesus.
• Ministry Motivation [01:05:57 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor explains that his ministry travels and efforts are driven by genuine love for the body of Christ and a sense of debt to Jesus, rather than just professional duty.

• Sermon Illustration [00:15:34 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor references the 'seven churches of Asia Minor' from Revelation chapters 2 and 3, noting that only one church was not rebuked by God, illustrating the biblical pattern of churches failing to follow Christ's instructions.
• Sermon Illustration [00:36:48 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor shares a personal anecdote about his own experience in college, noting that he was away from home and had to adjust to college life, using this to empathize with students who experience homesickness.
• Sermon Illustration [00:40:18 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses the analogy of aging steak, wine, and cheese to explain that simply getting older does not equal spiritual maturity; a specific process is required to 'age' properly, just as a coach focuses on the process of developing players rather than just the outcome of winning.
• Sermon Illustration [00:47:19 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses a humorous hypothetical about a floating head with no body to illustrate that Christ (the Head) is inseparable from the Church (the Body), and that the shepherd (Christ) is always with the sheep.
• Sermon Illustration [00:52:21 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses the analogy of mortar between bricks to explain that fellowship (koinonia) is the binding agent that holds the church together; without it, there is no building.
• Sermon Illustration [00:52:29 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses the analogy of mortar between bricks to explain how fellowship holds the church together; he compares the church to a household where children trust parents for needs without worrying about money; he references Peter walking on water to illustrate how focusing on Jesus prevents doubt, while looking at waves causes sinking; he contrasts a tree (which doesn't sin by omission) with a Christian to highlight the necessity of active good deeds.
• Sermon Illustration [01:05:01 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses an analogy of a tree, noting that while a tree doesn't smoke, drink, or do bad things, it is not a Christian, illustrating that mere avoidance of sin (omission of bad acts) is insufficient for spiritual life.
• Sermon Illustration [01:08:48 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor shares a personal anecdote about students who cannot go home for the weekend because they are away for college and risk losing their visas, using this to illustrate the concept of being 'surrogate parents' or a surrogate family for those in ministry contexts.

• Pastoral Charge [00:14:43 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor urgently commands the congregation to personally study the scripture text (Acts 2:42-47) rather than relying on second-hand information or social media.
• Pastoral Charge [00:16:04 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor calls for a leader or member to publicly correct the church's focus, shifting it from self-centered desires to obedience to biblical mandates.
• Pastoral Charge [00:47:01 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor invites a member of the congregation to come forward and pray with him, likely for salvation or reconciliation.
• Pastoral Charge [01:00:06 ▶️ 📄]
  > To actively strive for and maintain spiritual unity within the church community.
• Pastoral Charge [01:03:41 ▶️ 📄]
  > To align their verbal profession of loving God with tangible actions of loving their fellow church members.
• Pastoral Charge [01:08:17 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor commands the congregation to affirm his previous statements with sincere agreement.

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]
[00:00:00] Testimony of the goodness of the Lord.
[00:00:36] Congratulation.
[00:00:37] Try it again.

[00:05:49] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:05:49] Are you glad to be a witness of the Lord?
[00:05:53] The way Paul said it, our lives should be living epistles or a living Bible that people can read.
[00:06:12] Let me say that again.
[00:06:14] People should be able to read the Bible according to the way I live my life.
[00:06:21] they can tell everything god stands for and god is about by looking at my life anybody listen to me and and leave it to say the church as a body honestly that's what god wants
[00:06:41] because they may never read the the uh i might better stop i will say this quickly please know the bible is not yet in every language there are some translators that they even work with my department
[00:07:05] with Zion to try to help us develop the different languages for other countries and I leave that where it is because it's much more involved than it may seem sometimes there's no written language they have to create
[00:07:19] alphabets for that language it's just an oral language but nothing written now, y'all listen to what I'm saying church and they have to create it so you got a bible you would have thanked god they wanted you can read could not everybody have one
[00:07:37] in their language okay so we can take stuff for granted all right let's stand let me y'all say you know we'll be halfway through by now rip until you got that read your minds too amen oh come let us worship the lord and let us bow down before god our
[00:07:57] creator for we are his people and the sheep of his pasture the hour cometh and now is when the true worshipers of the father shall worship him in spirit and in truth for they are the kind of
[00:08:10] worshipers the father see god is spirit and they that worship him must worship him in the same way let us pray gracious god our father we come now in the precious name of jesus seeking your
[00:08:23] divine presence and a manifestation of your presence we ask not for visitation but we ask for habitation so we recognize and appreciate your omnipresent and you are indeed everywhere at the same time but yet oh God we ask that you would manifest
[00:08:40] yourself in our presence in terms of your Shekinah glory that you may fill our hearts and our minds and that we may render unto you the worship that is due your name this we ask in the marvelous and gracious name
[00:08:52] of jesus the christ we pray amen amen our song is the choir amen you may be seated and we will give you another selection

[00:09:03] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:09:03] it's good singing i want to say they're just trying to show out but they do it every sunday

[00:14:28] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:14:28] so i can't say that amen scripture lesson is the same from acts even though we're going add some other stuff in there today but from Acts the second chapter verses 42 through 47 church I
[00:14:43] beg you I plead with you to study this text because what people are doing nowadays is doing church but not what the Lord said which is exactly what Israel did we got to quit thinking when I say we
[00:15:02] I'm generalizing those people the Bible trying to show us us what we do not just them you know i listen to what i'm honestly that's we go to the living word is what people do it's not a zion thing it's not a seals creek thing
[00:15:21] it's not a north carolina thing it's people and they did the same thing all through the bible and i was going to say earlier but let me say it now because i don't want to forget to say this
[00:15:34] if you don't believe it read Revelation I think the second and third I know the third chapter and what we find is what we call the seven churches of Asia Minor and only one church
[00:15:50] that God did not get on their cases about and this was shortly after Jesus left he gave a serious indictment against the New Testament church because they were not doing what he told them to do
[00:16:04] are y'all listening to my church all right because see what people do is make church about them and not about what the lord said and somebody got to stand up and say this is what the lord
[00:16:16] said his church is to be about are y'all listening to my church and not what we want it to be and not what the lord said there are two different things amen so uh but we'll read on so the scripture
[00:16:30] says this Acts the second chapter verses 42 through 47 listen carefully all their believers in fact if you got reading from the New Living Translation you look at your Bible now when I read when I say these
[00:16:46] scriptures you'll find it in your Bibles amen just don't go to YouTube and Instagram and TikTok and Facebook alright but it's going to say something like the believers form a community anybody Bible say that
[00:16:59] or y'all there okay let me read always read seriously always read along with the pastor or whoever is reading the scriptures all the believers devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship and to the sharing in meals
[00:17:21] parenthesis including the Lord's Supper and to prayer a deep sense of awe came over all of them and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders i'm not talking about this fake stuff that people do on tv
[00:17:39] y'all know a lot of that mess is fake right i mean as serious as i can be and all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had they sold their possession their property
[00:18:00] and possessions and shared the money with those in need they worshiped together at the temple each day met in homes for the lord's supper and shared their meals with great joy and generosity all the while praising god and enjoying the goodwill of all the people and each day the lord
[00:18:25] added to their fellowship those who were being saved and that's what i'm going to talk about today, fellowship, fellowship, amen, because more than eating dinner, although that could be a part of it, but if all we do is eat, greet and eat, then it's not fellowship, all
[00:18:50] right, okay, amen, mama, you going to pray, all right, someone take the mic to her, we're

[00:19:14] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_11]
[00:19:14] bowing our heads, we want to bring your requests before the Lord, those that are sick in their bodies and the healing.
[00:19:25] Pray to the Lord that the Lord will heal.
[00:19:28] Precious Father, in the name of Jesus, we come this morning and we want to just thank you because you've been so good to us. You laid us down last night, oh God, and you rose us up this morning
[00:19:42] closed in our right mind and activities of our limbs.
[00:19:46] Yes, Lord. And we just want to thank you and brought us to the house of the Lord to worship you and to give you all the glory in all the praise because you are worthy of all the praise, God, because you brought us
[00:20:00] a long way and you kept us, Lord.
[00:20:04] You saved us and you washed us in your precious blood.
[00:20:08] We thank you for your blood because there's power in the blood of Jesus.
[00:20:13] There's saving in the blood of Jesus.
[00:20:16] Oh, God, what can wash away my sin?
[00:20:19] Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
[00:20:21] What can make me whole again?
[00:20:23] Nothing but the blood of Jesus Because you shed your blood on Calvary And we remember this morning Oh God how you shed it for us And we are so grateful unto it We thank you for your body
[00:20:36] That was broken for us You was wounded for us You was beaten for us You was nailed to the cross for us Oh God and you laid down your life for us Oh God and you rose this morning
[00:20:50] Oh God for us to have life and to have it more abundantly and we thank you this morning stretch out significant hand this morning we are calling on you this morning lord because we need you as never before you is the
[00:21:07] answer for the world today you're the answer for our condition today you're the answer lord because you're the creator you have to make in the beginning you started it and you're going to finish it stretch your hand out to the sick those that in the hospital those that in the nursing
[00:21:30] homes those that are in their homes god look on brother larry this morning touch his body god you knows all about him oh god he's been faithful through the years you have kept him down years
[00:21:44] we thank you god thank you lord you have your way your will be done god in the name of jesus oh God we thank you we thank you for the body of Christ we thank you for Seals Creek
[00:21:59] help us to continue taking a stand for you oh God standing on the word of God oh God in the name of Jesus we thank you we thank you for the

[00:22:11] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_09]
[00:22:11] pastor we thank you

[00:22:13] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_11]
[00:22:13] for bringing them back safely have you shielded and protected them you covered them with your precious blood Oh, God, you gave him what he needed, God.
[00:22:24] We thank you.
[00:22:25] Continue to open the doors for him that he walked there in.
[00:22:28] Continue to anoint him afresh, oh, God, to speak the word, oh, God, the rhema word, God, in Jesus' name.

[00:22:36] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[00:22:36] Yes, yes.

[00:22:37] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_11]
[00:22:37] Keep him safely.
[00:22:39] Look on First Lady.
[00:22:40] We thank you for her.
[00:22:43] Continue to strengthen her.
[00:22:45] We thank you, oh, God, for giving her another year, God.
[00:22:48] Oh, God, a celebration of her birthday.
[00:22:51] We thank you, Lord.
[00:22:52] We thank you.
[00:22:53] Yes, Lord.
[00:22:54] Your goodness, your mercy, your love for your fruits of the Spirit, God.
[00:23:07] Help us, oh God, to remember you in all these things, God.
[00:23:12] Oh, God, we thank you.
[00:23:13] We thank you for the choir.
[00:23:16] Continue to anoint them afresh.
[00:23:19] Strengthen them, oh God, undergird them more, God.
[00:23:22] Oh, God, sing the Zion songs.
[00:23:25] Oh, the instruments that play Oh, God, the organs Oh, God, the drums, God My Lord, my Lord God, we thank you We just give all the glory We take no credit for nothing Oh, God, all the glory and honor belongs to you
[00:23:42] I thank you, oh, God, how you kept me, Lord I thank you I give glory, my Lord Hallelujah Yeah, you brought me a long way And I praise your name I worship you I take no credit for nothing
[00:23:59] Because all it belongs to you Lord

[00:24:01] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[00:24:01] And I thank you

[00:24:03] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_11]
[00:24:03] I praise you I worship you I lift you up God Hallelujah glory Yes Lord Continue to have your way Oh God Oh God we thank you All your benefits All your suffering All we have done
[00:24:26] We won't fail to give glory and praises to you We ask in your son Jesus name And the church say amen Amen

[00:24:36] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:24:36] Let us stand for the Apostles Creed Dr. Kelly praying like she know the Lord Didn't she right Amen That was a very fervent moving prayer Thank you so much For letting God use you To call on his name this morning
[00:25:17] there's only one true church both apostolic and universal whose holy faith let us now reverently and sincerely declare I believe in God the Father almighty that make up the heaven and earth and in Jesus
[00:25:31] Christ the only son of our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered on the Pontus Pilate was crucified dead and buried the third day he rose from the dead
[00:25:42] he ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty from thence shall come the church the quick and the dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the Holy Cup of the
[00:25:53] church the communion of saints the resurrection of the dead life everlasting amen amen you may be seated and we will lead you with another song

[00:26:04] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_09]
[00:26:04] This most sacred moment to impart the word of life and truth, I acknowledge that I have

[00:34:08] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:34:08] absolutely nothing of my own merit to share with these great people, so I ask, O God, my father that I would dislodge and dismiss any and everything unlike you bring me the complete auction and utterance
[00:34:19] of your spirit so the word that come from my mouth with those ordained by you speak Lord as your servant is listening in the mighty and glorious name of Jesus the Christ we pray amen let's give
[00:34:31] God some praise for the great choir amen our awesome musicians amen our great usher amen our audio tech team and give God some praise for yourself And to Lottie, Dottie, Roddy, and Marty and everybody else
[00:34:48] Amen She was singing that song like she meant that thing Amen God bless you sister

[00:34:57] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[00:34:57] Amen

[00:34:59] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:34:59] When I say I miss you I really did And I want to pause for a moment By May I was informed That we have at least two students That have been here And we have sister Susan here today
[00:35:18] And I want to recognize her right off amen I don't want to mess up your last name so I'm just going to say but Susan we thank God for you thank God for your presence and we do not
[00:35:28] take it lightly and we really we want to build really and I'm not saying what you all should do but sometimes people look for something ready made it's better to be part of something that you're going to build
[00:35:40] you have a great appreciation for it and you learn more sometimes people look for churches that way already got everything all right but sometimes that's what god sent you that's fine i'm not i can't you know go against
[00:35:54] what the lord is saying that's not my point the point is sometimes it's better to be part of something that you build which really you should always be building towards something anyway amen because none of us have arrived completely and uh but i would love for us to have one of
[00:36:09] the most powerful effective college ministries of anywhere amen they need you know and there things that, and I don't mean materialistic things, but they're things that they need, and sometimes we miss the real ministry that college students
[00:36:24] need. You know, they're in a different category, but they're at a different stage in life, and there's so much more to it than just material things or some things like that, but they need that support system.
[00:36:37] Amen. Many of them are away from home. Amen. You know, even though I wasn't a long way, but still I was away from home, you know, and I had to get adjusted to college life.
[00:36:48] Most people experience homesickness.
[00:36:51] Okay, let me stop.
[00:36:54] But anyway, let's go move on with the thing.
[00:36:56] So I entitled this thing, The Church That Changed the World, because in essence, that's really what the church is about.
[00:37:03] It's a change agent.
[00:37:06] And when I say change the world, that means we change people one at a time.
[00:37:12] And all of us should have influence in people's lives.
[00:37:17] Somebody that we know and that they know us and that we're not that we're trying to cram Christ down their throat.
[00:37:26] But going back to what I said before, see, people watch us and we speak and preach and teach more honestly by our lives than we do by the words that we speak.
[00:37:41] let me say that again somebody is watching us and the life that we live before them is teaching them and telling them something about us and when it's a good thing it is influencing their lives I want you to hear me do it now because I want to get that's what I'm trying
[00:38:07] to get into what the real church of christ is all about christ came to change the world by the life that he lived and the lesson that he taught and he called us to do the exact same thing
[00:38:24] you don't have to worry about praise because he prays and worship really springs out of our commitment to God.
[00:38:34] I don't have to make myself do it.
[00:38:39] It's an automatic thing that flows out like rivers of water.
[00:38:45] Would you hear me good now?
[00:38:47] I'm not saying we shouldn't be intentional.
[00:38:51] And so what we, I always say that we become what we call results oriented.
[00:38:57] We were seeking for outcomes and I'm generalizing again and skip the process.
[00:39:03] You know, and as somebody was saying it the other day maybe it was on YouTube, but one of the lessons that they were trying to teach is stop worrying about outcomes. Worry about the process.
[00:39:17] The process will get guaranteed the outcome.
[00:39:22] But if I just seek the outcomes without going through the process, I fail. So this is what people are missing.
[00:39:34] And not again because he learned from somebody else, but one of the greatest coaches and football coaches in recent time, Nick Saban learned that from a professor at Michigan State that the man taught him about the process. And ever since then, as a coach, he started focusing on the process
[00:39:57] of developing players and teaching them. If you follow the process and stay with the process, you don't have to worry about being a top football player. As long as you're trying to seek to become
[00:40:14] something without understanding there's a process you got to go through.
[00:40:18] Now, I don't make wine. I don't make aged cheese or aged steak, but I do know this.
[00:40:27] You can buy a steak and just let it get old.
[00:40:33] That don't mean it gonna age.
[00:40:36] Don't you hear me good now?
[00:40:38] There's a difference between a fresh cut steak and an aged steak. Anybody know what I'm talking about?
[00:40:44] the age state got to go through a process there's a difference between just making wine and having wine to get old or that the wine go through a process of aging and it's better somebody ought to hear me this morning
[00:41:01] likewise the same thing to whiskey and bourbon and everything else they go through an aging process am I right somebody it's a process that makes it better and that's what God they're trying to tell the church
[00:41:14] go through the process you don't have to worry about the outcome but you can do so by doing what we think is the outcome and don't go through the process and it's null and void
[00:41:25] and I'm sad to say I believe that pretty much what the church is today just want to focus on the outcome don't understand the necessity to get in the way and pray and live right
[00:41:38] and treat people right don't understand that anymore God is saying no go through the process no so let's so let's be real we can't be something to first of all we know what it is you know people don't i have to i'm i know i'm not the only one i'm not saying
[00:41:57] that but i have to be real people don't know what the church is anymore just go to church and just do the church but they don't know what it is and the bible makes it clear about what the
[00:42:10] churchia first of all the word church comes from the greek word exclusive as e k k l e e k k l e s i s s i a huh or i a yeah ecclesia and it means those are called out
[00:42:31] that god has called out so you and i cannot add to the body of christ we just make a mess only God can save and those are the only people that are to the church
[00:42:46] we seek members but God seeks believers and there's a difference in it too huh are you a believer or just a member and God only adds to the church those that he has saved you read it in the text
[00:43:03] earlier and the Lord added to the church those who were being saved and that's why we go through a process to make sure people are saved we believe if people could they would beat the living stew out of us
[00:43:19] if they'd be in church all of their lives they'd be lost in the judgment they'll slap every pastor they could huh because that's part of our job I'm serious church it's part of the class leader
[00:43:32] job is to make sure that everybody that got their names on the road at Sears Creek that also God will take them to heaven you don't have to guess about salvation I hope I make it in
[00:43:49] in fact the bible says if you know Christ you're already seated you don't need to say well see for me I'm already seated with Christ see when you are in Christ wherever Christ is that's where you are also
[00:44:03] and Christ is seated at the right hand of the father that's where you are seated at but I mean sure those who are called out or in many places in the bible use the word fellowship but then we use the word fellowship it's a fellowship i know see you don't
[00:44:22] do you all kind of name what people say the church is it's wrong the church is a fellowship amen other words we put like this the church is you and i all believers no matter where you are
[00:44:37] across the globe that's the church not a building and god the context of scuba god has always come to reside in the midst of his people. That's us in church was put because God's desire to dwell
[00:45:03] not visit but in our presence because we were made for the presence of God. So you got to understand that. I know he created worship. You created for his presence.
[00:45:20] Worship flows from something.
[00:45:24] Worship comes from being in his presence because how can I be in his presence and not worship? Well I can do what I call worship and not be in his presence. Are y'all with me church?
[00:45:36] But I can't be in his presence and not worship. Huh?
[00:45:39] I cannot have an awareness that I'm in the presence of God and not worship for how God is so awesome that this very being, the man that I bow down and says thank you for being holy
[00:45:53] and being upright and being God all by yourself.
[00:45:59] You got to get it, church, got to get it right and start mixing it up.
[00:46:05] you're made for his presence that's why when when Adam before Adam sinned God and Adam God will come down and they will take a walk in the cool of the day because you're made for his presence and Emmanuel what does Emmanuel mean
[00:46:22] somebody tell me you know look it up God what God is what say it again God is what? No, visit us. I thought they said with us, but I think I'm mishearing. God with us. That's what it means. Relationship
[00:47:01] with God. That's why we were called reconciled because sin separated us from God and reconciled being brought back to God. Oh, somebody ought to pray with me now. A shepherd never leave the sheep alone. The shepherd's job is to be with
[00:47:19] the sheep? How many of Christ will you see a head floating? Somebody hear me? Do you see anybody's head, just a head floating around with nobody? Because everybody in here ruined, including myself. If somebody walked in here right now with the head of nobody, all y'all gone, and I'd be
[00:47:48] the first one out the door myself, probably. No, I got to pick, take the flock, so I couldn't do it.
[00:47:55] But I want you to catch the point, church.
[00:48:01] See, when I say that, I think we just kind of, like, take this stuff casually and not really putting a thought into it that God intends.
[00:48:11] And the meaning that God intends, and for me to take it serious, like God intends, that Christ is with us.
[00:48:19] The church is his body.
[00:48:23] He's the head.
[00:48:25] So what Christ, part of our doctrine says, he had joined himself with us never to be separated.
[00:48:33] In other words, God borrows himself from the church.
[00:48:37] I don't believe that people believe this stuff anymore.
[00:48:44] I really don't.
[00:48:45] But again, this is Nassau's Creek, the church in general.
[00:48:49] I think we heard so much baloney and bad stuff.
[00:48:53] It may sound good, but it ain't right.
[00:48:57] And we're reading in the text what God has said who we are.
[00:49:01] And we have to know to call that one God and God can he call us out you know just to separate ourselves from the world for good he talking about the way we live amen somebody
[00:49:15] we form a godly community that operates off the word of God that become God showcased in the world that the world start taking notice how God's people live help one another and support one another
[00:49:34] and bear one another's burden and seek one another through, that they start saying, I want to be a part of that community myself.
[00:49:43] What must I do to be saved?
[00:49:45] That's what God is trying to say.
[00:49:50] And when God, I'm not going to get into that today, but what God is, that's God's power.
[00:49:54] You read, the apostles did a miraculous sign.
[00:49:58] Huh?
[00:49:59] But done by the apostles.
[00:50:02] See, we always say God got to do it.
[00:50:06] Y'all talk back to me, church.
[00:50:07] who did God use to do this miraculous sign y'all say amen, I could move to my next point who did he use the apostles, that's what God intended today he'll use us, can dwell among
[00:50:33] and we heal and deliver them I believe that with all my heart by God we are gifted from God the power is not there anymore and we get sprinklings of blessings every now and then for God to remind us
[00:50:47] i'm still a healer and a deliverer but i believe god meant for that to be the norm and and not to have no harm i really do the apostles i mean the prophet before christ did miracles i said am i
[00:51:04] right about it the prophet before uh christ came did miracles christ himself did miracles and the apostles after him did miracles am i right somebody i and that's ongoing so god intend the same thing
[00:51:19] to happen today and not only preachers should have the power there are lay people also who've been given a gift of healing but I've got to perfect that gift so when you lay your hands on the sick
[00:51:34] the sick will recover wouldn't it be nice to have a church like that nowadays y'all or do you believe it's not possible I'm not saying anything scripture doesn't teach and we pray and preach about
[00:51:52] and sing about and shout about what God can do you know what good is it to tell me I'm hungry God can feed me but I'm still hungry huh or somebody come to you and say I could feed you
[00:52:08] I can feed you but they don't do it do you care to hear it huh so we got to know what the church is, the church is a fellowship and the word fellowship Greek word is kononia
[00:52:21] and let me tell you what it really means it's a process, this in church but which we become, we're bound together.
[00:52:29] I call it the glue between us or the mortar between bricks that hold bricks together. You have no building if you don't have mortar between these bricks. Am I right? Y'all talk back there. Am I right, somebody?
[00:52:42] You've got to have something to hold it together. And it's the fellowship. So that's why fellowship is called a fellowship.
[00:52:49] That's the love of God and the power of God that holds us Together, as we can weather the storms of life.
[00:52:56] Together, I may not be able to do it by myself, but the fact that you're standing with me and holding on to me, I can stand in the midst of storms of life because somebody is helping me out.
[00:53:12] I'm talking about the true church or the church that changed the world.
[00:53:18] This is what we've got to get back to.
[00:53:20] I thank God he always put in my spirit.
[00:53:22] There's something I can remember.
[00:53:24] If the scripture says this, then why is it not happening?
[00:53:27] huh again I know we see sprinkling I got that I know God has done some miraculous work in my life even healing I know that and I believe he has in yours too but let's be real
[00:53:43] is it a norm for us nowadays huh see we only talk about in church the one that happened we don't talk about the one that didn't happen I'll leave that where it is you know
[00:53:56] God saved somebody from dying they were on the sick bed we prayed for them and he spared their lives.
[00:54:03] We don't talk about the one that went on the glory.
[00:54:06] Amen, somebody.
[00:54:07] Let me go ahead and wrap this up.
[00:54:09] Now, something I want to read to come directly out of our ritual.
[00:54:15] When one is brought in for membership in the church.
[00:54:18] And it's something I didn't make it up.
[00:54:20] Here's what it says.
[00:54:22] Dear brothers and sisters, scripture teaches us that the church is the household of God.
[00:54:26] See, there it is right now.
[00:54:28] The body of which Christ is the head.
[00:54:30] See, let's stop right there.
[00:54:32] Let's start right there. I got to see it that way. I don't know what people are saying out there.
[00:54:36] I got to see it that way. The church is the household of God. He's the head of the household.
[00:54:42] Now, as small children, do you ever see them or find them worried about anything?
[00:54:49] Come on, y'all. They'll ask you to get anything for them because they think that money is no problem because you're the parent and you can do it.
[00:54:57] Am I right? You never they don't think money. They don't even reason money.
[00:55:03] huh they just think you can do it am i right somebody used to be in the old days if you say i didn't have any money i said well write a check y'all missed it no you have check you have money
[00:55:16] what they thought i want somebody to hear me do it this morning now children don't worry they don't know how to worry the worry is a learned behavior let me tell you where it comes from worry come
[00:55:30] when we factor in what we can do. You can't worry otherwise. Worrying cannot happen what God can do. Worry comes when I look at myself and what I need and I think it's impossible. That's why I worry.
[00:55:52] Eyes on the prize. There's no worry coming in my life. Remember Peter when he saw Jesus walking on water. That be you Jesus. Be it me to come unto you. Come on Peter. As long
[00:56:07] that Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he was walking on water. But guess what happened? When he looked around and saw the waves and all of that stuff, then he put his eyes there and started doubting and he started
[00:56:20] to sink. And that's what happened to us. It's a learning thing.
[00:56:28] The children.
[00:56:30] Look at what Jesus did. He let you become like a little child.
[00:56:33] Or when you first say child, like faith.
[00:56:37] You can park with them a car tomorrow. They're going to run in front of y'all looking for it. In fact, they won't be able to sleep at night, worrying about that car or thinking about that car that
[00:56:47] you're going to give them. Why? Because you said it.
[00:56:49] Anybody listen to me, church?
[00:56:51] And this is all I'm trying to say.
[00:56:53] He said, the church is the household.
[00:56:54] He starts off telling us this. When you come part of the church, let's get it in your mind.
[00:56:59] First of all, the church is the household of God and Christ is the head.
[00:57:04] He's the head of household.
[00:57:06] That's what the church is.
[00:57:07] See, all this stuff, people are telling us what it is.
[00:57:09] A worship center.
[00:57:10] they tell that what we supposed to do right I'm saying they flows out of knowing this other stuff I got if I don't get the process that I'm going to miss it and then my worship you know
[00:57:21] there's somebody singing a song about what if God and I happy with my worship or my praise or whatever huh what if God and I happy with it we don't want to talk about that one see
[00:57:33] but I'm just saying I got to understand what the church is we cannot be what unless the church unless we know what the church is it's the household of god and then the other part it says it is the body of christ did we not just
[00:57:48] finish saying that come on somebody huh or you're the bride of christ the church is the bride of so many ways but god is saying the same thing that we are united together we are not separated
[00:58:06] from god just separate us from the love of god let me put it shall cause do it joseph's land nor principality neither thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God and Christ Jesus
[00:58:31] our Lord and understand that that's what the church is of fellowship the body of Christ and that means that we are to love one another support one another and when God isn't here we love to say
[00:58:56] because we feel good God is in the house what about when some healing and deliverance take place amen somebody I'm going to tell you what this thing is for you're not just having a good time in church
[00:59:09] God want to show himself mightily in the church let me go ahead and close it out and then it goes on to say write this now and it is the design of the church what the church is all about
[00:59:20] to bring in the one all who are in Christ unity there's one body there's one Lord there's one body there's one faith there's one hope huh amen somebody that's when God the father of us all
[00:59:35] the church is all about unity make amen make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace God that's Ephesians 4 God is about unity that's when we show ourselves as the
[00:59:49] people of God amen somebody so these are things what I'm saying church we can try to do the outcome ignore unity and then therefore the outcome of what we can go through the motion but the power is not there that's what i'm trying to teach this morning the power of god
[01:00:06] is meant to reside in the church why because the presence of god is with us that's what it's all about so god is present everything god has it comes with god it is just a couple more little
[01:00:23] things and then we move we throw so it is the design of the gospel to bring to uh to bring together in one all the way in Christ here's the point the fellowship of the church
[01:00:36] is the communion which is members in joy with one another the ends of this, all of that's in the second chapter of Acts, you just read it the ends of this fellowship, now white and other
[01:00:48] let's see white at the end, this is what it leads to see, remember what I've been saying so our job was to focus on the fellowship of the church, see we can focus on other stuff and you
[01:00:59] miss it, you see now and not going to tell us what is the results of the fellowship in McCormick Church.
[01:01:08] Please hear me this morning.
[01:01:12] The ends of this fellowship are the maintenance of sound doctrine and the ordinances of Christian worship.
[01:01:24] Ah, I thought you didn't believe in worship, Rip.
[01:01:29] You must be really thinking I'm crazy.
[01:01:33] Here it is right here. It leads to something. See, is the process that leads to worship that the Father wants.
[01:01:41] If I ignore the process, I can't give worship that the Father wants.
[01:01:45] Because for one, I may not like you and may not understand you. And I may call myself a praising God at the same time I don't want to be near you.
[01:02:00] You better hear what I'm teaching this morning. Because I know there are church folks, I know I don't mean here, but I know there are church folks that can't stand one another in church they call themselves excuse my life raising those busted hands up
[01:02:15] well get those nasty hands down you don't like one another this is serious stuff go work it out somebody said i believe in it but not the way we've been doing it because they're not getting
[01:02:47] up the results we got to go through the process of becoming one read the bible when there's one shows up holy ghost showed up because they were in one place in one accord and guess what the
[01:03:07] holy spirit came down and that's what god is saying to the church if you want my power you better come on one accord you better gather and be on oneness and love one another and i'll show
[01:03:19] up in your midst that's what god wants that's what god wants in my entire ministry that's what i'll tried to foster the life of the church. It's that church, this is what it's about. Don't miss it. Why
[01:03:33] come to church and miss what God is asking for? That makes no sense at all to me. At least if I'm going to come, I don't want to know what he wants. Am I right
[01:03:41] somebody? And see, that's the challenge. Get right there. We all can say we love God, but the Bible says, if I say I love God, the whom I've never seen, but I don't love my brother
[01:03:53] who I have said I'm a liar and the truth is not even in me.
[01:03:57] Help me, huh?
[01:03:58] That's why the only way I can really show God's love is if I love you.
[01:04:04] I show that I love you.
[01:04:13] It's everybody can say I love God.
[01:04:16] Don't you know the overwhelming majority of folks in the world say they love God.
[01:04:21] Even slave owners say they love God.
[01:04:27] That means nothing.
[01:04:30] How do I teach you?
[01:04:32] And I don't mean, the Bible don't mean mistreating you necessarily.
[01:04:36] That's wrong too.
[01:04:37] but also it would mean that do I do what's in your best interest the good I ought to do I'm through do I do the good I ought to do not just the bad I shouldn't do
[01:04:50] see my brother used to always say a lot of people know this is how they know they're good I don't do, I don't smoke, I don't drink I don't do this and I don't do that
[01:05:01] okay my brother used to say a tree doesn't do that either but a tree is not a Christian so that doesn't mean anything by I don't do see there's two sins omission and commission commission is stuff I do
[01:05:19] that I shouldn't do but in omission when I neglect to do the good I ought to do and I don't do it that's sin too and I believe what's trapped the church more than anything is the good
[01:05:31] we ought to do that we don't do huh but we got a long list of stuff I don't do I don't do this I don't do that okay praise God we shouldn't do that but what about the good all to do
[01:05:43] am I genuinely concerned about you and your situation that I'm willing to do whatever I can to help your situation wait a minute we're going to cut it off there this is why I do what I do
[01:05:57] it's what God put in my heart that's why I travel I mean it's part of the job but I'm saying that I love to go do what I do it's not just doing business it's out of love
[01:06:14] if I'm concerned for the body of Christ.
[01:06:17] Amen, somebody.
[01:06:19] I mean, you know, we all got a duty bound.
[01:06:21] There's some duty bound to pray for you.
[01:06:24] But I can pray, but not love you.
[01:06:27] I mean, I can say the word is prayer, but not real prayer that God want to hear.
[01:06:31] Well, okay, I'll cut it off.
[01:06:32] I can tell y'all saying that's enough real.
[01:06:36] I'll be reading your mind.
[01:06:38] But I'm serious about this stuff.
[01:06:39] I said, Lord knows I'm so serious about it.
[01:06:42] I want to see the church, be the church that Jesus died for. His church, he spilled his blood.
[01:06:52] He came from glory down to earth and went through all that stuff he went through for us. Why wouldn't I give my whole life back to him who saved it in the first place?
[01:07:08] God would have no life if it wasn't for Christ.
[01:07:12] You wouldn't have one either.
[01:07:14] So I owe all to Jesus.
[01:07:18] Everything I have, I owe it unto him, huh?
[01:07:24] And, you know, I'm just going to say it.
[01:07:29] So, yeah, I'm a giver, but I'm not perfect at giving.
[01:07:35] I can't do that unless I do what Jesus did.
[01:07:38] Come on, somebody, huh?
[01:07:39] See, it's easy to give up stuff, but would I give my life for you, huh?
[01:07:46] Oh, y'all want to talk now, huh?
[01:07:50] See, that's the ultimate measure of love you lay down in your life, huh?
[01:07:57] See, that's a condition most of us put on love.
[01:08:00] I'll give you my stuff.
[01:08:01] I'll help you with this.
[01:08:02] I'll help you with that.
[01:08:03] And then sometimes not even that too long will you get on my nerves.
[01:08:10] So we have conditional love.
[01:08:13] Amen.
[01:08:14] I know I'm right, huh?
[01:08:15] I'm really through.
[01:08:16] I'm trying to be through.
[01:08:17] Say amen like you really mean it.
[01:08:19] Yeah.
[01:08:20] Now, next time you do that, then I'll stop.
[01:08:23] I've been trying to tell you since I've been here so the extra minute, that'd be on you, not on me, because I'd be done.
[01:08:30] But you look at me, I'm looking right back at you until I know you got it.
[01:08:34] Amen?
[01:08:35] Well, let's give the invitation.
[01:08:37] But this is what Christ, this is all I'm trying to say, church.
[01:08:40] This is what he wants.
[01:08:41] Amen?
[01:08:43] When y'all hear me, not because they're so far away from home.
[01:08:48] And my point is that being here without a chance of going back home, if they do, they may run the risk of not getting the visa we approved to come back.
[01:09:03] They stay until graduation.
[01:09:09] Do y'all hear what I said?
[01:09:11] Some of them went to college.
[01:09:12] We couldn't say we went home the next weekend.
[01:09:18] Yeah, that's right.
[01:09:20] Thank y'all.
[01:09:20] Somebody stand.
[01:09:23] Y'all hear me, church?
[01:09:24] But I'm just saying that this is why we do ministry.
[01:09:28] We can't replace what they have at their home, their natural parents.
[01:09:34] But Lord knows, I hate to use the word surrogate, but I'll use it for now to get the point.
[01:09:38] We could be surrogate parents.
[01:09:40] We could be their church family.
[01:09:43] Y'all hear me, church?
[01:09:44] Really? You know, I'm going to tell you something.
[01:09:50] I don't want to say it a lot, but I'm going to tell you something that just happened that I feel the need to go somewhere because of some children that I pastored.
[01:10:05] Invitation is extended to receive Jesus as your Lord and your Savior.
[01:10:13] And that's the first thing, church.
[01:10:14] We've got to make sure that we'll say that we have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
[01:10:17] It's very easy. I promise you it's not difficult.
[01:10:20] and also unite with this church fellowship what do we dedicate to life you know come on my brother but that's what Christ wants but for everybody your first thing always is have I accepted Jesus as my I don't mean being baptized
[01:10:36] in the church now that won't get you in and if you believe in Jesus I'm not trusting my goodness to go to heaven I'm trusting in the blood of Jesus to get me in I believe in the sacrifice that Christ gave for the whole world
[01:10:52] that I'm saved amen and I accept his way of life that's what I believe but I know I'm not good enough so we can't say well I believe I'm going to hell because I'm a good person
[01:11:03] I know I'm already in because of Jesus you see everybody understand because I promise you a lot of people say I'm a good person it has nothing to do with how good you are Everybody is saved only because of Jesus.
[01:12:30] brothers and sisters we have thank god we have brother uh mitchell say the whole name i don't have to i can't alexander brooks the third the third amen get it all in there amen that has come to unite with our church fellowship
[01:13:16] so i give you all the standing standing ovation amen we stand for everything else in the world but yeah but uh you can tell i think from being here he loves the word of god
[01:13:38] and the truth of god that really that's special to god god want people to love the truth in fact he is the truth really that's what god loves but you ain't got to get back to what god
[01:13:55] let me tell you i don't care who preach it or teach it me fact check it i'm serious y'all at the mercy of what just what we say the berean was more noble than the other because they searched
[01:14:25] the scriptures to see what the apostle was saying was true and that's his heart i can tell huh i didn't know you've been baptized years ago that's okay one is one is good amen and so
[01:14:42] we receive him in and can we get some I think she's in the back probably doing something so we're coming yeah get some contact information but let me again thank you so much we welcome you
[01:14:54] in we appreciate you brother and God knows I have the utmost respect and appreciation because you carry yourself in a godly way amen he came to be near his you say son and grandchildren right
[01:15:08] son and grandkids amen But he was born in D.C., lived in Phoenix, right?
[01:15:15] And now he's here, and we praise God.
[01:15:18] All right, what do you got?
[01:15:19] We praise God for you.
[01:15:23] Can you get some contact information?
[01:15:26] Right, yeah.
[01:15:26] Now, after church, we're going to start doing it.
[01:15:30] We're going to start back to giving what we call the right hand of fellowship and receive people in, all right?
[01:15:36] Y'all hear what I said?
[01:15:38] All right, so we're going to do that right after church.
[01:15:40] and we're going to come up and we're going to shake hands with him and welcome him to Seals Creek. Amen? Alright, alright. Thank you so much.
[01:15:49] Let's come and receive this.
[01:15:53] Those who are worshiping with us virtually, my bad if I'm not calling you on your earlier, but to God be the glory for you. And those who will see us later, I promise I kid a lot, but I'm not about
[01:16:08] anybody's money period if i if i made money in the secular world as an engineer and the church never like paid what i've made in the world so it's not about money but it is it does take money
[01:16:29] to operate the church and i say that because i hear on tv so much a few pastors mess up and they label all of us like that and i'll be saying i want to write some of my letters so you need to
[01:16:38] fact check yourself you find out the overwhelming majority make very little money i think most of black pastors make below the poverty line from the church honest to god they don't make no money and we even did a survey in our own church and uh i think most pastors that answer the survey
[01:16:59] make less than twenty thousand dollars a year and people have it like we know we get all the money you know now there are some there are some uh uh wolves out there that just seek to get what
[01:17:14] they can get out of people that's true you know but that's not the overwhelming majority and i know what i'm talking about and i'll close it come come stewards or trust me whoever received the offer um the little foundation even give grants to help what they call economically
[01:17:34] challenge faith pastors and leaders did y'all hear what I said because they know based on their evidence that that's not the case you know so I may say that receiving one million dollars offering only
[01:17:49] I mean of course it'd be nice but I don't mean that literally you know amen I say amen

[01:17:56] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]
[01:17:56] all right understand

[01:19:12] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[01:19:12] all things come with the old lord

[01:19:13] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[01:19:13] amen good morning church

[01:20:12] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[01:20:12] um if you've been watching your email of course there's quite a few things in there of importance if you are part of the lay council or want to be part of the lay council please make sure that you
[01:20:25] get your membership dues which is five dollars and if you're not a part but you want to be a part please just check in with um someone that is on the lay council so that we make sure you are
[01:20:36] accounted for first checkup meeting will be this saturday september 19th at gola metropolitan on the Winston-Salem district. Of course, if y'all know Bishop, it will start at 829 promptly.
[01:20:51] Next Sunday, we will have our welcome back kind of picnic, sit down fellowship with pastors.
[01:20:59] So, Brother Jeff will say more, but we will be outside next Sunday so you can be prepared.
[01:21:09] Women's Home and Overseas Mission is collecting their dues as well.
[01:21:14] It did change just a little bit from last year.
[01:21:17] However, it's about the same.
[01:21:20] Buds, which is birth to 12, is $12, and this is for the year.
[01:21:25] Youth, 13 to 21, is $15.
[01:21:28] Yams, which is $22 to $40, $25.
[01:21:32] And adults, which is $41 and up, $60.
[01:21:35] Of course, again, this is for WHOMS to help cover all of their dues and the things that they have as well.
[01:21:45] Leadership Institute, which is September the 22nd through the 25th at the Corey Convention Center in Greensboro.
[01:21:53] Please continue to watch your email for any information regarding that.
[01:21:59] The second quarter will end on September 26th.
[01:22:04] um so that's this month two weeks from now again the second quarter will end as always y'all do a great job of making sure y'all reports are done so just continue to do that for me um
[01:22:23] salisbury district will have their ced department will have their harvest tea on october the 17th again we have 16 tickets that we have to distribute so if y'all would please see myself to purchase a ticket so that we can support the South Bay District and
[01:22:44] then our internal homecoming will be October the 18th our members are asked to give $100 towards homecoming so of course put it in your envelope send it in your cash app and just label it homecoming so they will be distribute
[01:23:01] the correct way this is from outside the church from the college chapel it says you're invited to fellowship and worship with us for our homecoming service sunday september 20th um with at 11 o'clock a.m pastor ricky johnson of antioch baptist church in granite quarry
[01:23:37] we'll breathe bringing our homecoming will be our homecoming speaker so of course we always want to be supportive of our fellow churches in the area but of course we want to support our own as well
[01:23:53] lastly and most important if y'all remember from last sunday we talked about the fish fry that would be october the 16th we have flyers um that will be distributed out today we have flyers and we also have the tickets are ready so please after service please come and see us in the back

[01:24:15] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[01:24:15] on the conference room thank you i just want to uh reiterate that uh as far as the fellowship picnic on sunday next sunday or the coming this coming sunday please sir please ma'am come We, you know, we started off calling it a welcoming, now we relate to it as a fellowship.
[01:24:44] It should be addressed down there.
[01:24:45] We're going to have church and such, like we usually do, and then we're going to go outside to the picnic area.
[01:24:51] There may be some games, depending on how, you know, taboos, a little game like this.
[01:24:58] Something we can talk fellowship around, talk a little bit.
[01:25:01] It's fun. For those who never played taboo, I challenge you to play.
[01:25:05] It's a good little game, so there's things we can do.
[01:25:08] But come dress down.
[01:25:09] If you see somebody that's not here, make sure you let them know we're having a Sears Creek picnic, Sears Creek picnic.
[01:25:19] Now, one thing I want to add, I did not put a quote-unquote dollar amount because it wasn't about the dollar at that time, and it's still not.
[01:25:30] It's about the fellowship.
[01:25:31] but for those that want to donate some people already said they're going to donate some stuff see me at the church because it's hot dogs hamburgers, salad ice cream dessert so let me know if you want to bring
[01:25:52] a dessert, want to bring something, let me know if you say I don't bake, I don't cook I don't do that sort of thing if you want to make a monetary donation you can do that
[01:26:00] But, again, that's not what it's about.
[01:26:03] So if you say, I can't bake.
[01:26:04] I know most of the newfound young men and young women don't bake.
[01:26:08] So they say, here, here's $20 off.
[01:26:09] If you want to do that, that's fine.
[01:26:11] We'll make sure we have plenty.
[01:26:14] Because, again, remember, it's family, friends, anybody that's part of Sears Creek or want to be part of Sears Creek, let them come and get a chance to fellowship with one another, get to know each other, fellowship with one another,
[01:26:26] because they want to be a part of this great church.
[01:26:29] That's all I have.
[01:26:29] Thank you.
[01:26:30] I look forward to seeing everybody next Sunday.
[01:26:32] And I will be up here Thursday cleaning up.
[01:26:34] For those that want to help clean up, Thursday is men's day.
[01:26:37] We come and cut grass and everything.
[01:26:39] I'll be up there trying to do something Thursday morning about 9 o'clock.
[01:26:42] For those men or women that want to help take part, you can do that.
[01:26:47] Thank you.

[01:26:51] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[01:26:51] Good morning, church.
[01:26:53] Good morning.
[01:26:54] Today is a special day today.
[01:26:58] But today is Grandparents' Day.
[01:27:00] So happy Grandparents' Day to everyone.
[01:27:02] Trenton's going to read a little snippet about grandparents.

[01:27:11] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[01:27:11] Grandparents.
[01:27:12] When God created grandparents, the world was truly blessed with all the special joys that make a family happy.
[01:27:18] For grandparents know how to do the little things that warm our heart.
[01:27:21] They touch our lives with love and care right from the very start.
[01:27:24] They show that they believe in us and all we're dreaming of.
[01:27:27] When God created grandparents, he blessed our lives with love.

[01:27:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[01:27:30] so this morning we are going to uh i'm just everybody don't anybody know who i am and kathy can you come and help me i made some little trinkets nothing much just some little trinkets
[01:27:57] pastor this is for you and first lady happy grandparents day sure thank you so much okay it's a little trick and on when you open it up all of these will have uh scriptures on the
[01:28:12] candy so when you open up that scripture like pastor say when he preaches just uh do that fact

[01:28:19] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]
[01:28:19] check just read it read it because everything is there oh jesus grandparents grandparents

[01:28:29] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[01:28:29] grandparents so we want to hand them out real quick we want to hand them out we quit we don't want to take up too much time and i don't know who and all their all their children are here
[01:28:46] for mom and daddy would you come up and get theirs this is for mom and daddy and Kathy can you make sure Tommy has Lee and Larry's please and if anyone is not here could you please get theirs
[01:29:11] Monita please get your mom's please and I appreciate that thank you pastor for letting me take this time to recognize all our wonderful grandparents here at Seals Creek Amesine Church so everyone have a blessed day
[01:29:25] and thank you so much

[01:29:26] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[01:29:26] thank you for your thoughtfulness and for remembering grandparents today and giving giving all of us something we appreciate the gift and spirit of God that placed in you to remember that something we don't think of and
[01:29:50] really we shouldn't have to think of we have good people in place to make sure that we recognize certain days and we truly thank you again, Sister Pinkston, for making sure that...
[01:30:00] Jeff, was there something else?
[01:30:04] Okay, so I got...
[01:30:04] Bear with me just a couple more minutes, okay?
[01:30:07] One is who acted up while I was gone?
[01:30:10] Let me see your hand.
[01:30:12] All right, okay, nobody, I guess.
[01:30:13] All right, okay, all right.
[01:30:16] But please, I want to thank you all.
[01:30:17] I got some other things I'll wait later to say now to another Sunday.
[01:30:21] I don't want to hold you no longer.
[01:30:22] But I do want to thank you for your trip to Tennessee.
[01:30:25] is very rare I think I can only remember one time in 30 something years of pastoral ministry that we were going three consecutive Sundays but one you know was Tennessee their 150th church anniversary and to be invited back
[01:30:41] to do that is a tremendous honor and I don't know exactly how many went with us but I was truly thankful and blessed and appreciative for your travels to Tennessee with us it meant a lot to us
[01:30:54] and the other one was a trip to Nigeria we were blessed, they dedicated a building that would seat 3,000, beautiful building and so we were so happy and it was just a tremendous honor, tremendous trip
[01:31:08] and we thank God for that and then the other one, last week we was at the beach and I was getting out there getting my tan and that pretty much is it the benediction, I will say something else to you
[01:31:23] we do have classes on Monday night and we're going to be going through the book of discipline I call it the inner workings of the local church please feel free to jump in I would love for you to
[01:31:33] join us in fact but we intend to take somewhat of a slow walk through the whole book because I contend that every local church would thrive if we really followed it and I really mean that
[01:31:45] because it's just stuff that's extracted out of scripture and say hey this is what the church is about that's all it is okay anything else all hearts and mine is clear that does not mean blank okay that is right now unto him who's able to keep you
[01:32:01] from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy to the only wise god our savior be glory and majesty dominion and power now and forever let the church of god say if you cut the feed just give me one minute to say something