Monday, November 24, 2014

1 John: Abiding Love


1John 4:16  So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

When Jesus tells us to "abide in my love" what does he mean? Just hang out with Jesus? Feel "funny" about Jesus? No, abiding love is a holistic and love DOES more than it it ever FEELS. The Apostle Jon describes a vertical (God <--> Man) abiding love, and a horizontal abiding love (man <--> his fellow man) and in this sermon Pastor Chris describes what we do in abiding love.
Delivered to the Galena Bible Church, Sunday November 23rd, 2014.

Monday, November 17, 2014

Exciting Normalcy


November is about the only time that I would say, for me, that ministry life feels normal. It's not that it's absent of busy schedules, it's just routine schedule. Nothing normally out of the ordinary. That said, normal is some exciting stuff around here. Yesterday afternoon we sent a team from GBC 60 miles north to share the testimonies of two native ladies who's lives have been changed through the Gospel. The reports I've heard were they were well received and we pray that the Holy Spirit would do the same work in the hearers as He did in these two ladies.

Meetings are normal too. We have a weekly meeting of SEND guys to talk through vision, planned trips, personal challenges, and planting churches. We have a monthly meeting of the elders of GBC where we prayerfully look to the spiritual health of the church. We also have a bi annual meeting for the SEND North interior team which currently represents three villages and 8 missionary families. Here we dream and ask what we can do to join God in His work to make disciples and plant churches. Meetings can be boring, but not when the Gospel is involved. 

Then there's what we would call everyday life normal. Fourwheeler fall through the ice? (Not mine by the way) Happens man. Sure we'll go play arctic AAA service. I love that brothers are not afraid to ask for help, and I love that there are brothers who will help. The Gospel creates a family that would otherwise not exist. Exciting normal. 

So how about you? Feel busy, worn thin, or have too much on your plate? Look through the lense of living and shareing the Good News of Jesus. If it can't be shaped by the Gospel, I'm convinced it shouldn't be what you are doing. 

Special Giving Idea: the SEND North 206 airplane that we use to travel to villages without evangelical churches costs $260/hr to operate. Maybe this Christmas you'd like to sponsor a trip or two. Average round trip time is about 3 hours to our furthest village. Email me at revkopp@gmail.com for giving details. 

Things you can be praying for:
- That people would come to know Jesus in Galena and the surrounding villages. 
- That dorm staff would find the selfcare that they need as they pour themselves into teenagers lives. 
- For the team led by Bill Pagaran of Carry the Cure who is comin to serve in Galena this week. 

1 John: Here is Love

1 John 4:10 "In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

The world offers a paint by numbers cheap imitation of the masterpiece called God's Love. Love has become so misunderstood that the fundamental questions about it have to be re-answered and not assumed. Where does love come from? What is love? What are we to do with love? If you take away one lesson from this, let it be this: God loves you. If that does not boggle your mind you have no earthly idea what love is.
Delivered to the Galena Bible Church, Sunday November 16th, 2014.


Tuesday, November 11, 2014

1 John: Not everything is Christian

1 John 4:1-6 The Apostle John gives a strong warning that not everyone who says they're teaching a Christian message actually is. That's why he warns us to "test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world." In this sermon Pastor Chris shows what John says we aught to do to test what is being said. Delivered to the Galena Bible Church, Sunday November 9th, 2014.

Monday, November 3, 2014

1 John: Practical Humble Saving Love

1 John 3:11-26 
What does it mean for a disciple of Jesus to "Love one another"? Does it give life or take it? Does it meet practical needs, or is all talk? Is love self serving, or does it operate in humility? And finally does it make us look more like Jesus. In this sermon Pastor Chris Kopp shares what Christian love looks like.
Delivered to the Galena Bible Church, Sunday November 2nd, 2014.

1 John 3:11-26 What does it mean for a disciple of Jesus to "Love one another"? Does it give life or take it? Does it meet practical needs, or is all talk? Is love self serving, or does it operate in humility? And finally does it make us look more like Jesus. In this sermon Pastor Chris Kopp shares what Christian love looks like. Delivered to the Galena Bible Church, Sunday November 2nd, 2014.