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

A Zero-Sum Game

Mark tells us that Jesus was driven by the spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted by Satan. What in the world could Satan have offered? And who is Satan, anyway? Rev. Schneider draws on his extensive knowledge of UK Basketball to look at what sort of game Satan might be playing as we continue to meditate on our question for Lent, "Who is this Jesus, and how are we to understand Him?" To hear "A Zero-Sum Game", 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.

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.

The World Whisperer

Mark tells us that Jesus could change lives just by a word. In today's text, Mark tells us that Jesus could heal illness with a mere touch. What kind of power is Mark showing us? To me, it sounds like the more familiar power of Cesar Milan over dogs on National Geographic's "The Dog Whisperer", but Jesus' power is over much more -- indeed, all of Creation. Click here to listen to this week's message.

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.