Tag: sermon series

Book Recommendations on Dealing with Our Anger

Post author By pastorkelvin
Post date July 16, 2012

This week’s continuation of the sermon series Kitchen Table Talks on Relationships dealt with the subject of anger in our relationships. I did not have a chance to mention the resource books I wanted to recommend.

One of the books I recommended last week; Making Love Last Forever by Gary Smalley (Word Publishing 1996) has several chapters relating to anger issues as well. Chapter 3, for example is titled “Seven Ways to Unload Unresolved Anger.”

Another small yet very helpful book is Coping with Your Anger by Andrew D. Lester (Westminster Press, 1983) It is available either new or used from Amazon.

A third book I recommend is Overcoming Hurts and Anger by Dwight L. Carlson (Harvest House). The version I have is dated 1981 but I discovered that it is now available in a newer 2000 revised and expanded edition.

Tags anger, books, relationships, sermon series

Journal Wisdom

Recommended Books on Respect in Relationships

Post author By pastorkelvin
Post date July 8, 2012
1 Comment on Recommended Books on Respect in Relationships

In this morning’s Kitchen Table Talk about Relationships, JoAnne and I discussed how important it is to respect other people. The apostle Peter wrote us in the key verse for the morning, “Show proper respect to everyone” (1 Peter 2:17 NIV). I was asked after the message about the books I recommended. So I thought I would list them here on my blog. I know they each one will be helpful to anyone who reads it.

Recommended Books on Respect in Relationships
Author(s)	Title	Publisher
Emerson Eggerichs	Love and Respect	Thomas Nelson, 2004
Gary Smalley and John Trent	The Gift of Honor	Thomas Nelson, 1987
Gary Smalley	Making Love Last Forever	Word, 1996

Tags marriage, respect, sermon series

Church Leadership Forward Look Journal

July sermons will be about relationships

Post author By pastorkelvin
Post date July 6, 2012

Marriage has so much potential yet most marriages also experience a good deal of pain on the way to forging a better way. What are some typical causes of this pain? What can be done to bring healing and find lasting satisfaction and love? I just finished planning the series for Sunday messages in July. When I was at family Camp earlier this week, I felt led to focus on human relationships especially marriages during this month. Since marriage is something we don’t do alone, we need the input of our spouse to get a well-rounded perspective. I have invited my wife to join me on the platform for this series for Kitchen Table Talks about Relationships. Like most couples, we’ve had our up’s and down’s in 42 years of marriage. Our hope is that we have learned some perspectives that can be helpful to others. I invite you to join us for this series.

Kitchen Table Talks about Relationships
Date	Title	Text	A Suggested Hymn
July 8	Respect is Essential	1 Peter 2:11-3:8	Make Me a Blessing (389)
July 15	Dealing with Our Anger	Eph. 4:25-31	What a Wonderful Savior (531)
July 22	Understanding Personalities Helps	Romans 12	I’ve Found a Friend (521)
July 29	2^nd Mile Living	Matthew 5:38-48	Spirit of God, Descend…(86)

Tags marriage, sermon series, sermons

Church Leadership Forward Look Journal

June messages planned

Post author By pastorkelvin
Post date June 7, 2012

At Community Wesleyan Church we have a simple six word motto and mission statement: Love God, Love others, Make disciples. Each of the three elements is taken directly from Jesus’ instructions to us. The first two are taken from the two commandments that Jesus identified as the greatest of all the Old Testament commandments. He also declared that these two summarized all the others. The third part of our motto is word for word from Jesus’ great commission to his church found in Matthew 28:19. During the month of June we will be seeking to understand this part of our motto and mission better. Our message series is titled: Our Mission — Make Disciples.

Our Mission – Make Disciples
Date	Sermon Topic	Scripture	A Suggested Hymn
June 3	What is a Disciple?	Matthew 28:16-20	Jesus Calls Us (424)
June 10	Why Make Disciples?	Mark 1:14-39; Acts 1:8	For God so Loved the World (164)
June 17	How Can I make Disciples – Part 1	2 Cor. 5:11-21	Christ for the World We Sing (498)
June 24	How Can I make Disciples – Part 2	Matthew 5:13-16	The Light of the World Is Jesus (287)

Tags make disciples, outreach, sermon series

Church Leadership Forward Look Journal

Lenten/Easter Series Planned

Post author By pastorkelvin
Post date February 15, 2012

This mild winter is passing quickly. A week from today is Ash Wednesday. This coming Sunday begins our 50 day emphasis leading up to Easter. This year, Pastor Eric and I have chosen to focus on the life of our Lord using passages from the Gospel of John. Each week we will show a DVD interpretation with words taken directly from the Good News Bible translation of the American Bible Society, an excellent contemporary translation. It’s hard to believe that it has been 5 years already since the last such series from John. Each time we cover it I find new insights to emphasize.

Jesus’ Life Can Change Our Lives
Date	Title	Scripture	DVD Section	A Suggested Hymn
Feb 19	Called to Follow	John 1:29-50	DVD 1 section 2	Follow On (440)
Feb 26	Challenged to Believe	John 5:15-47;6:1	DVD 1 section 7	All Hail the Power (240)
Mar 4	Comforted by Forgiveness	John 7:53- 8:11	DVD 1 section 11	Amazing Grace (293)
Mar 11	Charged to Know the Truth	John 8:31	DVD 1 section 12	In Christ Alone
Mar 18	Cared for by the Shepherd	John 10:1-21	DVD 1 section 15	Shepherd of Love (448)
Mar 25	Cherished by the Shepherd	John 17	DVD 2 section 8	Jesus, I Am Resting (325)
Apr 1	Confronted in our Selfishness	John 13:1-20	DVD 2 section 3	Hosanna, Loud Hosanna (211)
Apr 6 Good Friday	Cleared, Cleaned and Claimed because of Him		DVD 2 section 9, 10, 11	When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (224)
Apr 8 8 AM	Celebrating Resurrection Power (Lazarus)	John 11:25	DVD 1 section 18	Because He Lives (238)
Apr 8 10 AM	Carrying Good News	John 20:1-18 esp. v. 17,18	DVD 2 section 12	Crown Him with Many Crowns (243)

Tags Easter, Gospel of John, Lent, sermon series

Church Leadership Forward Look Journal

January message series sets tone for the New Year

Post author By pastorkelvin
Post date January 4, 2012
3 Comments on January message series sets tone for the New Year

As we begin the New Year, most of us are making plans of some sort. Some of us (like me) are making plans to lose weight (again); others are making plans for major changes in their lives, a marriage, a move, or a job change. But as the New Year begins, it is also important for us to think about the spiritual plans that we should be making for the New Year, plans that can help us to grow and advance in our Christian lives.

That is the purpose of our new series of sermons that began last Sunday. Each week we will take up a new topic that represents a key area of our spiritual life. In some areas we will find the message simply affirming habits that we already have in place. In other areas, we will find ourselves deeply challenged to strengthen our walk with God, our witness, and our service.

I invite you to join us for this insightful and inspiring series. It will carry into February and be followed by our 50 Day Lenten Emphasis which will start February 19.

Spiritual Plans for a New Year
Date	Topic	Text	Speaker
Jan. 1	Preventing a Famine of Hearing God’s Word	Amos 8:1-12	Ben Mackey
Jan. 8	Partners In the Gospel	Philippians 1	Pastor Kelvin
Jan. 15	God’s Plan for Financial Stewardship	Gen. 14:17-20; Lev. 27:30-32; Mal. 3:6-12; Matt. 23:23,24	Pastor Kelvin
Jan 22	The Power of Testimony	Revelation 12	Pastor Kelvin
Jan 29	Bring the Sacrifice of Praise	Hebrews 13:1-21	Pastor Kelvin
Feb 5	Using Our Abilities for God	Matt. 25:14-30	Pastor Eric
Feb 12	(Preschool Sunday –family emphasis)

Tags New Year, Planning, sermon series, spiritual enrichment

Forward Look Journal

Advent Christmas series titled The Light of the World

Post author By pastorkelvin
Post date November 21, 2011
1 Comment on Advent Christmas series titled The Light of the World

Every year as we approach the Christmas season, we automatically focus on Bible passages in Luke chapter 2:1-20 and Matthew chapter 2:1-12 where the Christmas story is found. As I was thinking about the Advent/Christmas messages for this year I thought about the fact that the gospel of John also introduces the story of Jesus in its own rich way. It would be different, and enlightening to explore John 1:1-18 during the Christmas season and allow its deep theological themes to weave in and out of the Christmas narratives in our minds and holiday celebrations. So, after prayer and study, that is how I’ve designed the Advent/Christmas series for this year.

Advent/Christmas Series – The Light of the World
A study of Jesus in John 1:1-18
Date	Title/concept	Text	Suggested carol(s)
Nov. 27	Way Before Christmas	John 1:1-3	Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne (169)
Dec. 4	The Word	John 1:1	What Child Is This (180)
Dec. 11	The Light	John 1:4-9	Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (181) O Little Town of Bethlehem (192)
Dec. 18	Not Received Well	John 1:10-13	We Three Kings (197) I Heard the Bells (196)
Dec. 24	The Word Made Flesh	John 1:14	Gentle Mary Laid Her Child Angels, from the Realms of Glory (182)
Dec. 25	Gifts of Grace	John 1:15-18	O Come All Ye Faithful (178)

Tags advent, Christmas, light of the world, sermon series

Forward Look Journal

October messages planned

In an article written before hurricane Lee, Atlantic magazine had already called 2011: the year of the disaster. Even without the difficult economic times of our year, and the sobering reminder provided by the 10th anniversary of 9/11, the natural disasters of the year have given us all pause to think. I feel led during the month of October to examine the writings of an ancient prophet who spoke to Israel in a time following a natural disaster. The series will begin October 9 and is called the Power of Prayer. The prophet’s name was Joel. October 2 is World Communion Sunday so together with Christians around the world we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper then.

Date	Sermon plan	Scripture
Oct 2	Message: In the Name of Jesus – because of relationship, according to his character, made possible by his provision	Heb. 10:19-25; John 16:23-28
Oct 9	Start a new series from Joel called: The Power of Prayer. The first message: Speaking in a Day of Disaster	Joel 1:1-2:11
Oct 16	Rediscovering the sacred assembly	Joel 2:15-27
Oct 23	Personal repentance: What is it? Pastor Eric preaching	Joel 2:12,13
Oct 30	The valley of decision	Joel 2:28-3:21

Tags disaster, joel, prayer, repentance, sermon series, sermons

Americana Forward Look Journal

September sermon series to be called Preserving America

Post author By pastorkelvin
Post date September 7, 2011

I’ve been planning our September service emphasis to go along with the 10^th anniversary of 9/11 which we are all marking this next Sunday. Most of us remember exactly where we were when we first heard the news of the devastation caused by the terrorists’ depraved acts. The tragedy moved us all to greater prayer and increased awareness of our collective spiritual needs. Suddenly prayer and patriotism were close companions. Had we known at that time the 10 years of war and trouble which the enemy’s actions have precipitated, we would have been even more dedicated to prayer than we were. Yet, unfortunately, such openness to God and dedication to prayer have not been maintained or nourished in most of our cultural landscape. Instead we have seen unprecedented decline in moral values and an increasing chasm between government and faith. Now the occasion of this 10 year remembrance provides a time for us to regain our perspective; to once again call upon God on behalf of our country, and to draw closer to Him for ourselves as well. I am praying that this series will help us to regain our spiritual fervor.

September sermon series – Preserving America
Date	Title	Text	Key Question
Sep. 11	Remembering	Ps 37	Who does God say inherits the land?
Sep. 18	Recommitting	1 Tim. 2:1-8; Titus 3:1-8	How do we live in a post-Christian America?
Sep. 25	Protecting and Preserving	Eph. 6:10-24	How do we protect and preserve America?