June 24, 2012 | John Bayles | Reasonable Benevolence (1 Timothy 5:3-16)

Jonathan Edwards once wrote that those who do not want to give can rarely find anyone in need, yet those who want to give seem to find people to help no matter where they are. The idea that people have needs and that we can help them should be enough for us to consider in the order of benevolence.

June 17, 2012 | Father's Day | Joe Porter | 1 Corinthians 15:10

Over the past few years River of Life Church and Twinbrook Community Church have worshiped together of Father’s and Mother’s Day each year. This is a wonderful time of mutual sharing, communion, worship, and preaching.

Stan Telchin: 1924 – 2012

I had the privilege of working with Pastor Stan Telchin in the late 1990's for a church merger in Germantown, Maryland. As we brought the two churches together (Living Word Fellowship and Grace Fellowship), my family entered the trial of my oldest son suffering a spinal stroke. Though Stan had taken the role of Pastor Emeritus, in my absence he stepped forward again and ministered to me, my family, and the merging congregations. Shortly before he and Ethel moved to Florida, we worked together again in another church merger which brought his previous congregation, mine, and Halpine Baptist Church together, forming Twinbrook Community Church.

June 10, 2012 | Roger Melson | The Sovereign King (John 18:1-14)

In this text we see Christ not as a victim, a martyr subject to the will of man, but as a Sovereign King and Lord embracing the path predetermined that He walk in obedience to the Father. The scene is a garden where the second Adam triumphs, and it reminds us of another garden where the first Adam failed. Here we see the inherent blindness of man concerning Christ and who He is. Today, it is essential for us to realize that it is only through the Sovereign will of the Father that we come to a true knowledge of the Savior.

June 3, 2012 | John Bayles | Who Has Believed? (Isaiah 53:1-12)

From time to time it is important for us to review the foundational teaching of the Gospel. This is not a new message, but one that dates back to the beginning of time. From the foundation of the earth it was God’s plan to reveal Jesus Christ as the God-man and the great redeemer. Today’s sermon is an affirmation and a declaration to this truth.

May 27, 2012 | Memorial Day | John Bayles | Now, To Him Who Is Able (Ephesians 3:20,21)

We often think of God's power in the timeframe of the past: what He has done, both in the historic biblical context: the flood, the rescue of Israel from bondage through the Red Sea on dry ground, the plagues, the fall of Jericho and we think of how He has worked in our own personal past in some amazing way. Or, we may share a deep hope that God will act in our future in a powerful way to bring about an expectation or request.

May 20, 2012 | John Bayles | The Dignity of Community (1 Timothy 5:1-2)

In chapter 4:12 Paul told Timothy, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young.” This might well be the tendency on a shallow level of relationships. “Who does that young fella think he is?” Statements like these are the natural tension that exits in the general interaction between the young and the old, especially when the younger have authority over the older.

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).