I am personally grateful for the security team, because for several months I was the security team, setup/teardown team (with occasional volunteers), and cleanup team. I also had to occasionally teach Kids Sunday School, help with A/V, and even preach. That does not make for strong security. We finally got a man who saw the need, got extra training, and now we have a good team in place. (We also have teams for everything else, though I help in several areas still.) I get updates and questions from the team, but I can sit more on Sundays. We certainly live in a dangerous world, but God is good and has His people equipped.
Daniel
This Sunday at Church I want to encourage you to do the following: If your church has a church security team let the pastor know you are grateful.
We launched our Sunday “prayer corner” nearly three years ago, only the elders taking turns being the primary contact. A year and a half ago, we started a midweek prayer group. It actually took us a while to have this same thought as today’s exhortation. Today, our deacons lead the prayer corner with other volunteers, and midweek is facilitated by volunteers. (We elders still participate in both! I rarely make the prayer meeting due to youth group being at the same time.)
Pray for congregational prayer.
Daniel
For this Sunday here’s what you can do: Pray for the church’s prayer meetings ahead of time.
We may be seeing a revival before our eyes, but like the early Church in Acts and later, we keep facing people telling us to stop speaking in this Name, or at least say everything the same way everyone else is.
May we be bold and seek our King, knowing He set the example and has called us to boldly proclaim the gospel, especially when the world hates us.
Daniel
This Sunday at Church: Pray for Christians in the West as Biblical Values are deem as Hate Speech.
Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’? Everything is possible for the one who believes.”
Mark 9:23, CSB
Humble, sacrificial service out of love for God and others is the expectation for those who carry the name of Jesus. He empowers us to live like He did, and we can lead others to the salvation He gives us.
Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much.
Luke 16:10, CSB
Humble, sacrificial service out of love for God and others is the expectation for those who carry the name of Jesus. Thinking we have it all figured out or are the only ones who can do things, or even those who don’t try, is wrong. We do all things for and through Christ.
I was once again at Paulden Christian Fellowship, planned for nearly two weeks, so before the events of the first full week of September 2025. Fortunately and unfortunately, the message was ready for this week. I also was dealing with a cold.
As usual, below are my rough notes (in fact, very rough notes this time), so there is a deviation from what is written and what was said. (P.S. I made the correction to the PowerPoint that I reference in the sermon.)
Hebrews 11:1-12:3 – Long list of those who suffered for their faith.
Abel (Genesis 4)
Joseph (Genesis 37-40)
David (1 Samuel 18-30)
Most of the Prophets
John the Baptist
Stephen (Acts 6-7)
The Apostles and other Christians (Acts 3-8 and beyond)
Thousands (or millions) of martyrs through today
[Jesus] – Hebrews 12:2-3
Recent events also show it continues.
Approximately 380 million Christians today (opendoors.org)
[Confirmed] 4,476 killed in 2024
[Confirmed] 4,744 imprisoned in 2024
[Confirmed] 7,679 churches/properties attacked in 2024
North Korea, Somalia, Yemen, Libya, Sudan, Eritrea, Nigeria, Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan are the top 10
8 under Islam, 2 other tyrannical rule
Nigeria alone has at least 7,000 confirmed killed Christians THIS YEAR (as of August)
In the US
Rise in Persecution: In the past 15 years, so many Christian businesses, ministries, and individuals have faced civil and criminal legal troubles for standing for their biblical faith, such as the Masterpiece Cakeshop and Jack Phillips in Colorado. (I think Kim Davis of Kentucky is a slippery story, and musician/activist Sean Feucht is creating problems.)
Charlie Kirk:
Shot on Wednesday, 9/10, at Utah Valley University
Shooter appears to have come from a conservative Republican and Mormon home, who went to Utah State University, where he was apparently led into agreeing with Antifa and other radicalized political groups.
Engravings on bullet casings stated things like “Hey fascist! CATCH!”, the Antifa logo, and other sayings in support of groups that on the left side of politics.
The shooter and his family disagreed with Charlie Kirk, but his family showed their disagreement over violence when they turned him in to authorities, knowing many were calling for the death penalty.
Step on toes: Remember that political violence happens on both sides. (Gabbi Giffords, JFK, MLK, abortion bombings of the 1980’s-90’s and later in 2020’s, shots fired/knives bared at the White house in the past four administrations). Both sides of the political aisle have ramped up violent rhetoric.
But this serves as a reminder that we have a message that divides:
Luke 12:49-53
Matthew 10:16-25
Matthew 24:3-14
John 16:33
Remember First:
v. 11: Unlike Paul, most of us don’t get a message straight from Jesus confirming anything past today, but we have the message that He is with us (Matthew 28:20; John 16) and that we have hope of eternity when we die (Luke 23:43).
Remember Second:
vv. 12-15: Some conspiracies are true, and people will hate us for preaching righteousness.
Matthew 10 – 10:26-28
Remember Third:
vv. 16-22: We fight for life and light & reveal darkness, but we remember those made in God’s image.
Ignorance: Acts 7:60; Luke 23:34 (They think they’re right.) [examples of feeling they’re right compared with “our side”]
Deceived: Romans 1:22-25 (God let them go their own way.)
Reach out: Matthew 5:44; 2 Corinthians 5:11-16; Jude 22-23
Do we truly love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths? Maybe I can help with the mind part, at least! This is Daniel M. Klem, apparent poet, reluctant yet passionate Disciple (Peter?), and foolish man attempting to understand theology!
a simple man of God 