May 13, 2012 | John Bayles | The Living Witness (1 Timothy 4:9-16)

We live in a “gotcha” age. You know, just after a person has gone into great detail outlining the best parts of an idea, the interviewer says, “Yes, but in some past time (and embarrassingly on tape) didn’t you say the following?” Then the tape, or worse the videotape, is played, the contradiction is highlighted, and then in response the accused person says, “I never said that!” It’s the kind of thing that makes me yell at the TV - though, of course, as you know, I never do that.

May 6, 2012 | John Bayles | Truth: The Safe Anchor (1 Timothy 4:1-8)

Where does grace begin and where does it end? There is little doubt that the genuine Christian believes that he/she was saved by the grace of God. We lived in the beauty of those early days of faith and the accompanying thanksgiving of seeing clearly that though we are sinners, Christ’s death and resurrection has made us whole and acceptable to God.

April 29, 2012 | John Bayles | Calling to the Servants (1 Timothy 3:8-16)

These instructions are the second section in the category that the Apostle Paul presents: "Here is a trustworthy saying...." His first trustworthy saying addresses the overseers (elders) in Ephesus, and today we will consider the servants (deacons).

April 22, 2012 | John Bayles | Calling to the Overseers (1 Timothy 3:1-7)

This text of scripture is one that is truly a gift to the church, for few things have a more profound impact on a congregation than its leadership. Throughout church history there has been a consistent emphasis upon what a leader does for the church, what is the function of leadership? But sadly, far too many times it is not the responsibility of a leader that comes into question, but the character of the leader that is in view.

April 15, 2012 | Art Sanborn | International Adventures

We welcome our long-time brother in the Lord and missionary, Art Sanborn. Art and his wife, Ellen, have been missionaries with Youth With A Mission since 1980. Art’s book, “A Walking Miracle”, chronicles dozens of miracles they have witnessed, including Art’s miraculous recovery after a bodysurfing accident that left him a quadriplegic.

April 8, 2012 | Easter Sunday | John Bayles | O Death, Where Is Your Sting? (1 Corinthians 15:50-58)

The resurrection is the summum bonum (greatest good) reality of the Christian faith. Without the resurrection Paul tells us that we should be pitied above all people, for if Christ is not raised from the dead, we are placing our faith in a myth and a false hope. "But now is Christ raised from the dead!" This the reality that separates Christianity from all other world religions and the reality that defines orthodoxy and cultism.

April 1, 2012 | John Bayles | On the Way to the Cross (John 12:12-19)

Isaiah 53:6 states, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Who are these people? What do they think is happening? What are their expectations? Who do they think Jesus is? What do they think he is doing? Where do they think he is going? And what is he trying to accomplish?

March 25, 2012 | John Bayles | Calling False Teachers To Faithfulness, Part 2 (1 Timothy 3:1-16)

March 18, 2012 | John Bayles | Calling False Teachers To Faithfulness, Part 1 (1 Timothy 3:1-16)

A traditional view of this text is that it outlines the qualifications for elders in the church. As if it were a manual for a local church to use when considering those who should be chosen for leadership. Or perhaps, more accurately it has been used to examine the lives of those who are in the candidacy stage of moving toward leadership and, if qualified in the ranges of the provisions, they then are presented for ordination by the local church. These are good uses for the text, but very probably this was not in the Apostle Paul’s mind as he wrote to Timothy.

March 11, 2012 | John Bayles | Listening to the Text (1 Timothy 1 & 2)

There is a problem when interpreting a text of scripture: we bring ourselves to the process! Does it surprise us how often a scripture is used to underline our viewpoint of an issue? We believe in something: for example, the role of women, husband and wife relationships, end times issues, or a theological orientation. In these familiar subjects most everyone has his/her view of what they believe about the subject and then the Scriptures are applied which reinforce our opinions. This is unfortunate because this means that interpretation brings forth the dynamic between "my view," "your other/wrong view," or sometimes "my pastor's view," verses again, "your or your pastor's other/wrong view."