Pastor's Pondering
Read Lead Pastor Duane Mabee's weekly Pastor's Ponderings here!
Greater Love Has No One Than This
by Duane Mabee on September 28, 2022As Jesus was making His way to the cross, He told His disciples, “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends, (John 15:12-13 ESV). Within a matter of hours, Jesus would prove His love by dying on the cross for the disciples and for...
Read MoreContext Changes Everything
by Duane Mabee on September 22, 2022Context changes everything. Years ago, there was a popular Christian worship song that included the lines:
I will give thanks to Thee, O Lord, among the people.
I will sing praises to Thee...
Read MoreWhy Do We Baptize?
by Duane Mabee on September 15, 2022This weekend, we will baptize two individuals which prompts the question, “What is baptism and why do we practice it?”
The simple answer to why we do it is that the Bible tells us to. Those...
Read MoreLearn Unity by Being Together
by Duane Mabee on September 8, 2022It is important for the church to gather because it is the only way we learn how to be unified with people who are different from us. God is glorified through our unity amid diversity, and the...
Read MoreEmbassy of Heaven
by Duane Mabee on September 1, 2022There are a number of metaphors used in the New Testament to describe the church. The church is the body of Christ and the bride of Christ. We are called a living temple, the household of God,...
Read MoreChurch: God's People Gathered
by Duane Mabee on August 25, 2022What is the “church”? I doubt anyone at North River would say it is the building. Most of us would say something like, “the church is the people,” but Jesus promised to be with us whenever two...
Read MoreWhat is the Church?
by Duane Mabee on August 17, 2022What is the church and why should we care? A broad definition is: The community of all true believers, (Wayne Grudem). That definition includes all believers, throughout all time, in what is...
Read MoreIs Church Necessary
by Duane Mabee on August 11, 2022What is the church and is it necessary? Many Christians believe the answer to the second half of that question is “no”. They see no reason to go through the hassle of getting out and interacting...
Read MoreChrist In and Through Us
by Duane Mabee on August 4, 2022The founder of The Christian and Missionary Alliance, Dr. A. B. Simpson, taught that the Christ Who justified us also wants to enter each believer’s spirit and substitute His strength, His...
Read MoreHaving the Spirit vs. Being Filled with the Spirit
by Duane Mabee on July 27, 2022There are a number of phrases in Scripture that we read over far too quickly, assuming they are just metaphors. Among them are, “Christ in you”, “you are in Christ”, “you are united with Christ”...
Read MoreIt's a Far Different Life
by Duane Mabee on July 21, 2022In the book Wholly Sanctified: Living a Life Empowered by the Holy Spirit, A. B. Simpson talked about being conformed to the image of Christ. He wrote:
Implicit obedience to every voice of...
Read MoreThe Deeper Life
by Duane Mabee on July 14, 2022There were a number of ministry priorities that coalesced in the founding of the Christian and Missionary Alliance. One was a deep desire to reach those others considered undesirable with the...
Read MoreSubmitting to One Another
by Duane Mabee on July 7, 2022The last “one-another” command we’re going to address for awhile is found in Ephesians 5:21 – submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. You will observe that the verse isn’t written...
Read MoreThoughts About the 4th
by Duane Mabee on June 30, 2022Happy 4th of July! I don’t usually take this space to talk about national or “Hallmark” holidays, but things are different these days and we need to think about what it means to be Christlike in...
Read MoreIt Takes Getting Together
by Duane Mabee on June 23, 2022The Board and Elders have begun discussing the book, Rediscover Church: Why the Body of Christ is Essential by Hansen and Leeman. Free copies are available on the foyer table if you would like to...
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