Sermons on Church Issues
Loving Our Neighbor
Devotion to God leads us love our neighbor as ourselves. Love is the beginning, middle and end of our obedience to God. If we love God and love our neighbor truly, we do not need any other command.
Stirring Up Love through Forgiveness
We are a people in the process of progress; we have not yet crossed the finish line. Forgiveness enables us to glorify God in our local church. In this message from Colossians 3:12-15, Pastor Ritch teaches that not only is forgiveness a means of bringing glory to God, but that very same glorification of God can be so easily lost when forgiveness is fumbled.
Christianity Gone Sour
One hot, summer day I came into our air-conditioned house after working outside and building up a tremendous sweat. My throat was parched and I could not wait to get something cold to drink. I hastily opened up the refrigerator door and I spotted a jug of milk which had one serving left in it. “Perfect,” I thought! I love milk and I joyfully grabbed the jug. At this point I did something mother’s across America warn their children not…
A Charge to Church Leaders, Part 2
When our oldest son, Alexander, was about seven months old Kimberly and I decided to adventure out on a date night to a Texas Rangers baseball game. At this point we didn’t have a regular baby sitter so we called a teenager in our church to see if she was available. Her mother had recommended her to us. We were thankful when she accepted the job. The night arrived and we kissed our little boy farewell as we entrusted our…
A Charge to Church Leaders, Part 1
The message I bring to you specifically focuses on church leaders. This is the audience that Paul addresses in Acts 20. Paul gives counsel and encouragement to the elders at the church in Ephesus on this last retreat that he will ever have with them. Paul has enjoyed a deep friendship with these men as he lived among them for years; loving them through his service, his sacrifice, and his teaching. These men are now given the sacred duty of…
Marks of a Healthy Church
Many Christians who move into a new community discover that searching for a good church proves very difficult. Often families decide upon a church for all of the wrong reasons. As a twenty-five year old youth pastor, I remember one mom telling me that her fourteen year old son was visiting our youth group that Sunday and that she and her husband had decided to let him choose the church to which they were going to attend and ultimately worship.…