Spiritual Puppy Dogs

The percentage of Americans identifying themselves as 'Christian' has decreased from 86% in 1990 to 76% currently. Mainline Protestant churches have slipped from 19% to 13%. Clearly, churches are not doing a good job of offering something meaningful to spiritual seekers. Maybe that is because we have abandoned our core teaching about sin and the crucifixion in favor of feel-good lessons on spiritual puppy dogs and unicorns. Maybe, in an effort to make church "enjoyable", we have dumbed it down to the point that it offers no challenge to serious seekers of spiritual growth.

Click HERE to join us for "Spiritual Puppy Dogs"

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

The Two Crosses

The Two Crosses
Each Lent, we bring in a big, ugly oak cross that one of our congregation made for us. It sits on the floor and we bring symbols of Lent to it. It really is an ugly thing, and it contrasts with the beautiful mahogany cross on the wall behind me. Which cross is Jesus talking about in Mark 8:31-37? Click the title, or click here.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

I love you all

Rev. Stew

The Hinge of Mark

Lent is a time when we can review our understanding of Jesus as we walk with Him through His final days. It is a time of great introspection, and one of my favorite times of the church year. The question that Mark poses is "Who IS this Jesus, and how do we understand him?" CLICK HERE to hear our worship service for February 22, 2009 as we view Jesus's answer to his Disciples.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Join us online at http://communitypresbyterian.org/

I love you all

Rev. Stew

Squandering the Gospel

President Kennedy famously said, "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country". You might say the same thing about our relationship with God. Is it based on "what's in it for me", or is it based in service? CLICK HERE or on the title to hear our worship service for February 15, 2009.

Oh...and I've now reached the age where I can't find the word I want in TWO languages. The Hebrew for "man of God" which escaped me was "ish elo'him"...not that it matters...but still...

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Bill of Responsibilities

We're proud of our Bill of Rights in this country, but the document I would have liked to have seen adopted by our Founding Fathers is a Bill of Responsibilities -- a list of the responsibilities we owe to our neighbors.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Hot Pot Lid

Nobody picks up a hot pot lid then enters into a discussion about what to do with it. You drop it before you think about it. It's a reflex that doesn't even involve your brain -- it's located in your spinal chord. That's the kind of relationship with God which Christians seek -- God in our spinal chords.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

The Tao of Samuel

What would happen if we looked at the story of the call of Samuel through the lens of something really foreign to our usual way of thinking? Something like, say, Confucianism and Taoism?

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Ungomming the Gospels

We are blessed to have four, unique, accounts of the life of Jesus in the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Since each Gospel differs from the others, the early church looked at several "harmonizations". Ultimately, they were rejected. The church admitted only the four separate accounts into the canon. This Sunday, for year B in the Revised Common Lectionary, we'll begin to unravel the gommed up Gospel ball we have all created mentally so that we can hear Mark's account more clearly.

By the way, if you don't know what "gommed" means, you ain't from around here.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Christ the King

Why do we do the wrong thing, even when doing the right thing is in our best interest? Why do we drive 75 on a 70 mile per hour highway when we know it is unsafe? What are the limits of what we can get away with? Does God's patience have a limit?

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Prophesy, Signs and Wonders

"Prophesy" has come to mean little more than fortune telling, but the true meaning of prophesy is in God's word delivered to us now. Let's talk a bit about prophesy through the experience of Thibideaux and Boudreaux, two proud Cajun pastors.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Tying Up Cats

What is the real meaning of worship? How do we understand the rituals used in worship in the Presbyterian Church? What of the Apostle's or Nicene Creed we recite each Sunday? What's that all about?

Join us on The Casting Floor and let's talk about what we are doing when we worship.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Who Do You Think You Are?

Sharpening your internal ears to listen to God's voice isn't easy. It takes some concentration. And the result is almost always the contempt of the rest of the world, usually initiated with the question, "Who do you think YOU are?"

Join us on The Casting Floor and let's talk a bit about the cost of acting on God's word, and finding the courage to get past the attitudes of others.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us.

Can You Hear Me Now?

There has never been a shortage of people anxious to speak in God's behalf. The question is, "How do you discern the authentic prophetic voice?" As many times as we misunderstand each other, think of how difficult God must find it to get through to us. Let's examine what it takes to hear God's voice in the speech of His prophets.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us.

Spiritual Wrestling

Scripture isn't like the New York Times. Sometimes, it requires a struggle to give up its blessing. Join us on The Casting Floor as we talk about how to read Scripture.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us.

Can You Hear Me Now?

We continue our discussion from The Casting Floor of how to determine authentic prophetic voices.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. CLICK HERE TO HEAR.