Viola Wall went home to be with the Lord this Thursday, May 27th. She passed quickly in the Heads home around 5:00PM. The funeral service will be held at Harvest Baptist Church on June 1. It will begin at 11:30 and there will be a reception following. Pray for the Head Family as they grieve.
Pastor Josh
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Dear Church Family,
Natalie Jane Musgrave was born at 4:08 a.m. on Sunday Morning May 23rd. She was 8lb 14oz and 20 1/2 inches long. You know she is the pastors kid since she decided to be born on a Sunday. We had a safe delivery and both she and Priscilla are doing well. Here are a few pictures for those of you who would like to see them.
She should be at church on Sunday for those of you who would like to get a more personal look.
Thanks for your prayers for Natalie. We are praying that she accepts Christ at a young age and goes on to serve the Lord with her life.
I’ll see you all on Sunday,
Pastor Josh
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This is a continuation of last weeks Pastor’s Corner on church attendance. You may want to look up last weeks and read it if you didn’t get a chance to read it. Click here for to read last weeks Pastor’s Corner.
I have heard a ton of excuses about why people don’t come to church. The people at Church are hypocrites. I don’t have nice clothes to wear. I don’t need to go to church. I can worship God, even while I am fishing. I have to work late on Saturday night. I only get to sleep in on one day and that’s Sunday. Church isn’t important. Church is for good people who haven’t messed up. You don’t know what I’ve done. They’re so many churches. I don’t know anyone there. I want to spend time with my family. I believe that all of these, and many other excuses all boil down to self-focus (Notice I said excuses not reasons an excuse is a lie with the skin of a reason. Don’t let Satan fool you with his lies). How does church impact me, my family, my job, ect?
The church isn’t just another social event. The church is the body of Christ. The people in each local church need each other. We are interdependent. Just like your whole body would be affected if you lost your arm so the church is affected when you don’t do your part and attend. We are to be, “provoking one another to love and good works,” and “exhorting one another.” Some have said, “That was really important when the church was just starting but it just isn’t as important anymore.” The author of Hebrews would disagree, “and so much the more, as you see the day approaching.” Church attendance should become more and more important as the day of Christ’s return draws nearer. The Bible says, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come (2 Timothy 3:1).” During these perilous times we need to have the encouragement that God has provided for us through the church.
This is why we have multiple services during the week. Not so that you can pick and choose but because we are meeting more as the day of the Lord returns. Sunday morning we meet to be encouraged and challenged by the word of God. We meet together on Sunday night so that we can get into the doctrine of the Word. We meet together Thurdsay night so that we can expectantly pray for God to work in our Church. On Saturday morning the men meet to pray for God to work in our Sunday services. We have activities and fellowships so that you can encourage and lift each other up. If you are missing out on these things it isn’t that God hasn’t provided them for you it is that God is calling you to come.
Those who are attending church need to recognize the reason that they attend is to lift each other up. To point each to Christ who is the head of the body. We don’t just sit in church as soak up all that the Bible can give to us. But we encourage each other in Christ. We draw close to each other through the word of God. We get involved in what God is doing. We come to church to bask in the love of the one who died for us and to show his love to each other and be prepared to go out and show the world.
I’m praying for each of you and I’ll see you Sunday.
Pastor Josh
P.S. Still no baby 
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Why does a person choose to attend church? This has been a question that has been plaguing me ever since moving to Castle Rock. Is it so we can pacify our conscience for the week? To be able to enjoy fellowship with those who think and act like we do? So the church can justify owning a building? So we can tell our unsaved coworkers that we attend church? Is it to worship God? To obey God’s command to attend church? To receive forgiveness of sins? Is it just another social gathering? Is it so that the pastor can have a job? To be spiritually fed? Is it just what you have always done? Ok, I think you get the picture I really don’t know why you attend church or why you don’t attend church. I also don’t have the ability to judge why you come or why you don’t come to church. As I have contemplated these questions and many others (I chose to spare you from my barrage of questions) I have become convinced that each person needs to understand the reason that they choose to come to church and then reflect on what the Bible says about attending Church.
The most definitive passage in the Bible about church attendance is found in the book of Hebrews. “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching (Hebrews 10:24-25).” The context of this passage is shows that a positive response to the gospel results in salvation. It shows us this through three clauses beginning with the phrase “let us”. Verse 22 reveals that a person draws near to Christ through faith. Verse 23 shows us that a person holds fast to Christ through hope. This passage is about encouraging other Christians by showing Christ’s love to them.
These three responses faith, hope and love are also seen in 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter. “And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13).” These are the lasting affects of salvation. Notice that the most important lasting fruit is love. In Hebrews 10 we see that love is reflected by church attendance, “assembling of ourselves together”. This passage is not speaking about simply doing your Christian duty or filling a pew it is about encouraging each other in love. Notice it says in verse 24, “And let us consider one another.” Church attendance is not about you. It is not about what is convenient, easy, accessible, fun, entertaining, or even worshipful. It is about others. You should attend church so that you can “provoke” encourage each other in love to do what Christ is calling you to do. “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:”
This article will be continued next week so stay tuned.
So why do you choose to attend or not attend church? Is it for the right reason? Are you doing what God is calling you to do in church? I’ll see you on Sunday.
Through his Grace,
Pastor Josh
There is not Thursday evening service this week because it is Paul Nelson’s is High school graduation. I encourage all of you to come to his graduation service.
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