The church needs faithful shepherds in a time of growing hostility against Christianity, which may become outright persecution.
There is absolutely no reason to be ashamed of the Gospel, because it's God's power for salvation.
We must be determined to grow but to guard the growth. You must fight to honor the commitments you have made to God.
Salvation comes only by faith in Jesus -- and not in anything added to it. It sets us free from the prison of the law, as Paul taught in Galatians.
To remember the Lord, as Moses commanded in Deuteronomy 8, means sometimes having to forget things -- even good things -- like Paul said in Philippians 3:12.
Jesus asked His Father to forgive those crucifying Him, even though they didn't know what they were doing, which as the pastor teaches can be a stunning thing.
