How do you respond when life doesn’t go as expected? Do you ask God why? Get angry? The first few verses of the book of James remind us that working through these challenges brings perseverance, which can help us to grow and mature in our faith. An order of service with announcements is available here....
Sermon Tag: faith
The Ant and the Contact Lens
Pastor Keith Butler offers the following story for today’s devotion. Its original source is the 1995 book Keep a Quiet Heart, by Elisabeth Elliot. Ms. Elliot attributes the story to a first-person account sent to her by Brenda Foltz of Princeton, Minnesota, who maintained she wrote it based upon an event that occurred during her...
To Believe or not to Believe: Session 1 – What is Liberal Theology?
America is a nation of faith and a nation of doubt, a nation of religion and a nation of atheism, and for many Christians that reality is very problematic. This week, Mount Oak Fellowship and Pastor Barnes will begin a series of talks about questions that can become either the cutting edge of our doubt...
Rising Above the Hatred: Session 4 (the final session) – “Facing Each Other”
Text: Romans 12:15-16a – Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. When I was growing up in the 1960’s and 70’s people believed in talking about everything; absolutely everything. In fact, being open was expected of us. Sometimes we put our foot in our mouth, or...
Rising Above the Hatred: Session 2 – “A Special Kind of Grace”
This has been a tough week in America. The Derek Chauvin trial has put on display both the strengths of our justice system and the fragility of national unity. It has tested us all. As Christians we possess a strength and a hope that the rest of the world does not. In addition to that...
Oceans
For today’s devotion, Pastor Keith Butler invites you to worship our Lord and Savior.
How Much is Your Faith Worth? — Worship Service, Sunday, February 28, 2021
Please join us for worship and hear Pastor Robert Barnes share a message from Hebrews 12:4-24.
Fake muscles ?????
Like a bodybuilder who uses medication to look like he is stronger than he is, it can be tempting to do things to look more spiritual than we really are. Pastor Keith Butler challenges us to look more at the process than at the results. Mount Oak Fellowship of the UMC mtoak.org
Faith that is Worthy of the Name — Worship Service, February 7, 2021
Please join us for worship and hear Pastor Robert Barnes share a message from Hebrews 11, “Faith that is Worthy of the Name”.
“Making it Through ‘This Present Darkness'” (Rated PG-13 for challenging spiritual content)
These days people often feel one of two basic types of “spiritual needs”. Some people hunger to hear a word of hope that will help them to forget everything that is going on in the world and focus on Christ. Other people need words that challenge and provide direction for facing the demonic forces that...