Title: Irrelevant

Scripture: Hosea 6:11-7:15

Preached: 11/15/2009

For me, one of the weightiest verses in the Bible is Hebrews 13:17.  The author of the book of Hebrews describes godly leaders as those who “keep watch over your soul” and those “who must give account [to God].”  Anyone involved in leadership in the church should be haunted by these verses.  In our culture, we’re used to having our leaders fail us.  News of various scandals continually populate the headlines.  We, who view ourselves as part of a democracy, usually demand that our leaders represent us well.  But we’re never surprised when they let us down.  Is there such a thing as a truly faithful leader?

As we continue our series on the book of Hosea, we’re going to look at faithful and unfaithful leaders.  Hosea 7 is going to point us to an idea that may seem shocking and counter-intuitive.  Faithful leaders are irrelevant.  I hope that statement sounds a little funny.  Irrelevant??  In order to see why faithful and irrelevant leaders are essential to God’s plan for the church, well, you’ll just have to come on Sunday…

Title: Empty Religion

Scripture: Hosea 6:1-10

Preached: 11/8/2009

If you’ve ever followed business trends, you’ve noticed that the concepts of “employee loyalty” and “company loyalty” have drastically changed over the last 30 years.  Not too long ago, it was common to run into people who had worked for the same company for over 40 years.  For their entire career, those employees had been loyal to their company.  They did what was required of them.  They towed the company line.  Thus, the phrase “company man” originated.  A “company man” is someone who says what he’s supposed to say, even when it goes against his beliefs and even his fellow employees.  He says what he knows he’s supposed to say because, in the end, he believes it will serve his own interests best.

Some people think that, when it comes to religion, God is looking for “company men.”  They think He’s looking for people to do what He says regardless of what they think or feel.  In Hosea 6:1-6 we see something very different.  This Sunday, as we continue our series in Hosea, we’re going to see that God wants to shake up religion’s “company line” and radically engage people in a new religious paradigm.

Title: Knowing God

Scripture: Hosea 4-5

Preached: 11/1/2009

I know my dog.  I know his name is Wrigley.  He like treats.  He hates to go out in the rain.  He has bad breath. I know my acquaintances.  I know their general appearance, and how they carry themselves.  I might even know their names. I know my friends.  I know what they like and dislike.  I know how to make them happy and mad. I know my kids.  I’ve known them in every phase of their lives.  I can predict how they are going to react in any given situation. I know my wife.  I know her best of all.  I know the things she loves, and the things she doesn’t like so much.  

Every relationship I have in life could be defined by how well I know that person.  So, it begs the question: How well do I know God?  For some of us, that’s a scary question.  For some, God seems etherial…aloof…distant.  This Sunday, as we continue our series in Hosea, we are going to look at ways to really know God - in a deep and meaningful way.

Title: Crazy Love

Scripture: Hosea 3:1-5

Preached: 10/25/2009

Years ago, I used to tell my Sunday School kids that the answer to every Sunday School question was “Jesus.”  And, if the answer wasn’t “Jesus,” it was “God loves me.”  How many times have you heard that phrase?  Sometimes we hear the phrase “God loves you” so much that it’s easy to take God’s love for granted.  Right now, stop!  Take a few seconds and let this fact pour over you: the Almighty God of the Universe loves YOU!  He doesn’t have to, but He does.  And what’s more, He chose to love you even when it cost Him the greatest price imaginable.  He loved you with the life of His son.  Now that is love.

Sunday, as we continue our series in Hosea, we are going to see that God is radically in love with His people.  And, in spite of all our failures, He is in love with you and me!

Title: Mirror

Scripture: Hosea 2

Preached: 10/18/2009

As a dad, I take great joy in watching my kids grow up.  The other day, I was walking toward the bathroom and I noticed that the door was cracked.  As I glanced through the crack, I saw one of my daughters standing on a stool in front of the sink.  She was examining herself in the mirror.  It cracked me up to watch her look at her face, arms, and legs.  She was pinching, pulling, and contorting her body into the funniest shapes to examine her body.  My first thought was: “Wow, she’s too young to be caring about her body image in this way.”  My second thought: “Wow, I’m getting old.”

We often think such types of examinations aren’t healthy.  But did you know that God thinks they are?  In God’s eyes, the mirror is vitally important tool for those who are seeking to be followers of Jesus Christ.

This Sunday, as we continue in our series on the book of Hosea, we are going to see God’s heart for His people in the present and future, and we’re going to see how God can use a mirror to transform your life.

Title: What’s in a Name?

Scripture: Hosea 1:1-2:1

Preached: 10/11/2009

How would you feel if you read the following news report: “Billy Graham Re-Marries Prostitute in Vegas!“?  Now that did NOT happen (just so there’s no confusion).  But, imagine if it did.  What would be the reaction of Evangelical Christians around the world?  No doubt, it would be the latest scandal!

That situation is the exact equivalent of what God instructed His prophet Hosea to do.  Hosea, a very godly man, was instructed by the Lord to marry a temple prostitute and to father children with her.  Talk about a scandal!  But God was doing more than just creating a scandal.  He was establishing a living illustration of the unfaithfulness of His people, and the deep love He has for them.

This Sunday, we’re going to continue our series on the book of Hosea by digging into chapter one and seeing what this living illustration means for our lives as followers of Jesus Christ.

Title: Introduction to Hosea

Scripture: Hosea 11:1-12

Preached: 10/4/2009

I love the Bible.  I love the WHOLE Bible.  I love every part (even the genealogies in the book of Genesis).  But, every so often, I come across a passage that grabs my attention and grabs my heart more than other passages I read.  Such is the case with the book of Hosea.  Hosea was a prophet of God who was told by God to do some very unorthodox things.  They were God’s creative way of getting His message across.  Hosea is a story of love, betrayal, forgiveness, and renewal.  It’s a story of God’s faithfulness and His people’s unfaithfulness.  Hosea is the kind of story that I read and ask: “What would I do if I were in his shoes?”  This weekend, we’re going to start a new series of messages based on this book.  And, it’s my prayer that you’ll be able to put yourself right in Hosea’s sandals as we focus on the love of a faithful God!

Title: State of the Church Address

This Sunday will mark the fifth time we’ve had an annual meeting.  Now, normally, upon hearing the words “annual” and “meeting,” most people don’t jump up and squeal like a little girl.  Normally, those words don’t generate excitement.  Then again, very few people have ever accused Pastor Dave of being normal.

I get excited when I think about the upcoming annual meeting because, during the service that occurs before, I have a chance to deliver the “State of the Church Address.”  This Sunday, we will have an opportunity to look at three things: 1) Where we’ve been, 2) Where we are, and 3) Where we’re going.  I relish every chance to remember God’s faithfulness and to ask the Holy Spirit to challenge us for the future.

Speaker: Bill Allison, Cadre Ministries

“Whenever there are people involved, life gets messy.”  Do you find this axiom to be true?  Isn’t there always at least one relationship in your life that is messy?  This Sunday morning, Bill Allison, from Cadre Ministries, will be sharing about “How to Clean Up Messy Relationships.”  If you’ve ever needed some help with messy relationships, this Sunday is for you.  Relationships are especially vital because, here at WCC, we recognize that they are the key to doing effective ministry.

Date: 9-13-2009

Seven years ago, I started a process that culminates this Sunday in a celebration.  Ordination in the Evangelical Free Church is a symbol of a pastor’s desire to enter into an accountability relationship with the pastors and leaders of the EFCA, and it’s a chance for the church and the denomination to affirm a pastor’s call to ministry.  For me, all of this is happening in a celebratory service this Sunday at 10 am at Prairieview School.

Cal Swan, our District Superintendant, as well as others from our district will be here for the occasion.  Still, what would be the most meaningful to me would be for you (the WCC Body) to be there to help me celebrate!

Title: Self Control: The Common Thread of Spiritual disciplines

Scripture: Titus 2:11-14

Preached: 9/6/2009

This Sunday, we’re coming to the end of our summer series: “The Spiritual Disciplines.”  Throughout the series, we’ve touched on the following spiritual disciplines: Mediation, Fasting, Submission, Confession, Prayer, Worship, Solitude, Simplicity, Service, Celebration, and Guidance.  If you’re like me, you look at this and think, “I can’t possibly have enough self-control to practice all these spiritual disciplines!”  I mean, really, how could anyone have that much self-control?  If self-control is just a matter of “try-harder,” very few people will ever succeed at the spiritual disciplines.  But, I want to encourage you: self-control is so much more than “try harder.”

As we wrap up our series this weekend, I hope that you’ll be encouraged to engage in the kind of life that celebrates the glory of Christ through the disciplines.  And, I aim to give you hope - hope that you, too, can live the life that bears the fruit of the spiritual disciplines.

Title: Your Will be Done: The Discipline of Guidance

Scripture: Ephesians 5:15-21

Preached: 8/30/2009

Speaker: Denny Ogden

Shortly before Jesus was crucified, Jesus told his disciples that He would not leave them as orphans, but he would ask the Father to give them “another Counselor” to be with them forever - the Spirit of Truth.  As promised, the Holy Spirit came to His followers with power on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:33).  At the same time, the church today has lost a sense for how to keep the “Unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

Richard Foster remarks in his classic work, Celebration of Discipline: “In our day, Heaven and Earth are on tiptoe waiting for the emergence of a Spirit-led, Spirit-intoxicated, Spirit-empowered people.  All of creation watches expectantly for the springing up of a disciplined, freely gathered, martyr people who know in this life the life and power of the kingdom of God.  It has happened before.  It can happen again.”

Title: Celebration

Scripture: Philippians 4:5-9

Preached: 8/23/2009

This Sunday, we’re nearing the home stretch of our summer series on Spiritual Disciplines.  This week’s topic is the spiritual discipline of “Celebration.”  Now, maybe you’ve never really thought about celebration as a discipline.  Maybe you normally think celebration is associated with “Kool and the Gang” - not followers of Jesus.   But there are a couple little verses in Scripture that should turn this notion on its head!

I Thessalonians 5:16 - “Be Joyful Always” Philippians 4:4 - “Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again, Rejoice!”

Celebration isn’t just left to “Kool and the Gang.”  Celebration is God’s idea.  Celebration is a discipline…the one that holds all the others together.

Title: The Upside-Down Kingdom

Scripture: John 13:1-17

Preached: 8/16/2009

According to “MailChimp,” the service we use to send our weekly email, only 51% of you read the weekly update from WCC.  Don’t ask me how they know that.  Maybe they have a camera in your cubicle at work!  I don’t know.  But, it makes me wonder: if you’re one of the 49% that don’t read the weekly email, how does it make you feel when you delete it without reading it?  I’d guess there are probably three reactions for those who simply delete the email. 1. “I feel guilty. I know that I should probably read an email from church, but I really don’t have time.” 2. “I feel slightly guilty. I probably should read it, but Pastor Dave is soooooo long-winded anyway.  I already have to put up with him every single Sunday!” 3. “I feel nothing. I’m not even reading this so I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Now, listen, this isn’t a strange ploy to get you to read the weekly email.  It’s just that many people have similar responses when they think about the Spiritual Discipline of Service. 1. I feel guilty.  I know that I should serve more, but I just don’t have time. 2. I feel slightly guilty. I probably should serve more, but I just don’t want to. 3. I feel nothing. Service?  What’s that?

But how would you feel if I told you that the Spiritual Discipline of “service” had very little to do with what you did on Sundays?  This Sunday, I want to encourage you to set aside your pre-disposed notions of what “service” is or is not, and come ready to be challenged as you seek to exemplify Christ in every area of your life.

Title: The Simple Life

Scripture: Matthew 6:31-34

Preached: 8/9/2009

When Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie began their reality show, “The Simple Life,” I’m sure the farthest thing from their minds was a Spiritual Discipline.  Having never seen the show, I’m not exactly sure what the producers aimed to accomplish (probably not much), but I think the title itself evokes a sense of an appealing kind of life: “The Simple Life.”  Have you ever longed for a life that was simpler?  Have you ever, even for a moment, wished that your life was removed from all the chaos and clutter that each day seems to entail?  What you probably didn’t know is that you’ve been longing for a Spiritual Discipline - simplicity.

Title: Solitude

Scripture: Mark 6:31

Preached: 7/30/2009

How much of your life is filled with noise?  Between radio, television, music, movies, cell phones, and people, it’s hard to find a quiet moment. And, even when we have a moment of audio silence, our lives are filled with visual noise - billboards, websites, emails, texts, twitter, facebook, blogs, and more.

In the midst of maintaining the most important ministry life that the world has ever seen, Jesus did something interesting.  He “withdrew to a lonely place.”  Doesn’t that sound nice sometimes?  A “lonely” place?

This Sunday, we’re going to continue our reflection on the Spiritual Disciplines by listening to what God has to say about the discipline of solitude.  It should be a great time being challenged from God’s word!

Title: Worship

Scripture: John 4:1-26

Preached: 7/19/2009

Have you seen the video that parodies the modern church’s view on worship?  If not, click here.

When most Christians hear the word “worship,” they think of two things: 1) singing and 2) Sunday mornings.  Certainly there is no shortage of this type of worship in the modern church.  It seems that every church wants to have the best “worship” - and by worship, we mean leader, band, or song.  It’s an important enough issue that we Christians even fight over it with each other.

But what if worship is more than just 16-21 minutes on Sunday morning?  What if worship is something I do and am, rather than something I attend?  What if worship is a spiritual discipline?  How would that transform our lives?  This Sunday morning, during “worship” time, we are going to examine the spiritual discipline of worship and see how each of us can rightly live a life of worship.

If you have a chance to prepare for Sunday morning, read John 4:1-26 and take time to dwell specifically on verse 24.

Title: Prayer

Scripture: Matthew 6:5-14

Preached: 07-12-2009

Speaker: Thomas Cackler

As you read this, WCC’s Global Missions Team has wrapped up a fantastic time serving and proclaiming the good news in two un-reached countries.  As exciting as this trip is, we are just as excited to come home and thank each and every one of you for your support.

One of the ways that we asked you to support this trip was to pray for us and the countries we are visiting.  What if you forgot to pray?  What if you didn’t pray every day?  Would God allow this trip to be a failure?  Or, is that the wrong attitude regarding prayer in the first place?

For the longest time, I truly misunderstood prayer.  At first, I thought it was a means to get what I wanted from God - if I only believed hard enough. Then, as I became more convinced that God is sovereign, I began to wonder if prayer really had any impact at all.  You might say my prayer life has swung from one end of the spectrum to the other.

Please make it a point to come this Sunday, not only to welcome back the Global Missions Team, but also to hear what God has to say on prayer.  As we continue our series on Spiritual Disciplines, we’ll look at what prayer is and isn’t, and use the Lord’s model prayer to help us gain a better understanding of what prayer actually is.

Title: I Confess!

Scripture: Psalm 51

Preached: 07-05-2009

Speaker: Nick Reddin

Everyone has those moments in life where, for better or for worse, we have a burden we need to confess to someone.  Maybe it is from a certain amount of guilt or our conscience weighing on us from something we did - perhaps we wronged another person.  Not only is confession of sins committed against each other a good and right thing to do - it is Biblical.  How much more, then, should our confession to God be made in light of our sin?  I love what Louis Cassels has said: “In confession…we open our lives to healing, reconciling, restoring, uplifting grace of Him who loves us in spite of what we are.”

This Sunday, we are going to look at the Spiritual Discipline of Confession.  We will walk through what the Bible has to say about confession as a whole and we will draw heavily from Psalm 51.  We will look closely at what it means to make confession to God based on what David has said in this wonderful Psalm.

Title: Like Johnny or Like Jesus? The Path of Submission

Scripture: Philippians 2:3-13

Preached: 6-28-2009

Speaker: Denny Ogden

You may have heard of the mother trying to control her seven-year-old at a local restaurant.  Johnny was running from table to table being cute, which brought great embarrassment to his mom.  ”Sit down, Johnny,” she ordered.  Johnny continued his little show.  So, in desperation, Mom grabbed Johnny by the arm and sat him down in the booth.  ”Now, you stay there in your seat.”  Johnny replied for all of us who hate being told what to do: “I may be sitting down on the outside, but I’m standing up on the inside.”

Often we, like Johnny, do comply, but only when we are out of options.  Contrast Johnny’s attitude with the attitude of Jesus who, when faced with a decision that involved life or death, responded to his Father with the words: “Yet not as I will, but as you will.”  Then, the Lord of all “humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:8)

If we are to be like Christ, we must walk the path of submission.  It is a discipline that is essential in becoming all that God made us to be.  Come learn how practicing submission will result in great benefits in our lives and the lives of others.  I look forward to seeing you this week!