A lot of questions come up when it comes to what the Church and Christians should be doing and not doing during the Coronavirus pandemic. In this study, we look at the Bible to find support for the positions being offered, expose tome false views being pushed around on social media, and ask ourselves certain question so we can be ambassadors for Christ during this time. tsflife.com
Posts Tagged ‘church’
Back to Church 2016
Posted in Just Life, Uncategorized, tagged back, church, fellowship, marion, ohio, Shepherds on September 1, 2016| Leave a Comment »
Did you know that most people who have stepped out of church have not lost faith in God? We have found that a physical move, a change in schedules, or being hurt by Christians or a church before have effected many when it comes to being in Christian community.
At The Shepherd’s Fellowship, we have a huge heart for those outside of church … especially those who have been hurt before. Many of us, including myself can relate due to our past church experiences.
However, we find it’s clear in the Bible that God has created us for community – to work together, encourage each other, enjoy life together, worship together, and help each other. We see that God adopts us into His family and not to be orphans in Christ.
What we have found that if you chase after Biblical community, there is a real beauty in the messiness of true relationships. Many who have not felt comfortable in other types of church communities have found a home at The Shepherd’s Fellowship.
With this in mind, we want to take a moment and invite you to “Back to Church Sunday” on September 18th. Our Sunday morning gathering will start at 10:30am and will include music, a study that’s life applicable,share in some ways to make big impacts in our community, and more! There will also be kid’s ministry going on with TSF Kids for babies – 5th grade for those who wish to plug in.
We don’t expect this invite to serve as enough to give you a feel for who we are and why you should give church with us a chance so please stop by our web-site at www.tsflife.com and learn more about us. If you have any additional questions, touch base with me through our leadership page and I’ll help any way I can. Hoping to see you!
Blessings,
Pastor Tom Hypes
The Shepherd’s Fellowship
tsflife.com
Trey Pearson, Homosexuality, and the Church
Posted in Bible Study, Uncategorized, tagged Bible, christian, church, closet, conservative, everyday, gay, GLBT, GLBTQ, homosexuality, LGBT, LGBTQ, liberal, pearson, sin, Sunday, trey on June 2, 2016| Leave a Comment »
As many of you know, Trey Pearson of the Christian music group, Everyday Sunday came “out of the closet” yesterday. Once you get into social media, there is a firestorm of commentators from every side of the conversation spitting out Bible verses to support their personal feelings and beliefs. The sad part is, for the most part, they are taking verses out of context and painting conflicting and sometimes hateful pictures.
So, with this in mind, I thought I would dig out this study we did a little while back at digs into the topic in an honest and complete manner. Enjoy!
“This is not your normal sermon on homosexuality….
`Few topics divide the world and the church like homosexuality. For that matter, few things divide the church like the same topic.
The issues within the GLBT community effect our politics, views, and most of all… personal lives. Many have been hurt, driven to anger or just fall away over past hurts and experiences and the divide deepens.
At The Shepherd’s Fellowship, we believe in 100% love and 100% truth. Can this also apply to the conversation of homosexuality? Be part of our study and see what you find as we dig into a hot button but critical study.”
Don’t Stray from the Nest
Posted in Bible Study, Uncategorized, tagged abandoned, bird, Christ, christian, church, empty, God, help, Holy, hurt, hurting, Jesus, Lost, love, me, Proverbs, Proverbs 27:8, salvation, sin, spirit, spiritual, spitiualy, starving, struggling on March 7, 2016| Leave a Comment »
Have you ever found a baby bird that had fallen from it’s nest and tried to nurse it to a healthy life? It’s possible but not easy.
Once the baby bird has lost it’s way, often times the mother bird abandons it to the elements, leaves it unprotected from predators, and suffers it to starve for provision.
It reminds me of a proverb in the Bible. Proverbs is a collection of sayings from King Solomon who had asked God for wisdom which is displayed in these eternal truths.
As I skimmed through Proverbs 27, I came across verse 8 that says….
“Like a bird that strays from it’s nest is a man who strays from his home.”
Often times, people find themselves feeling like they have fallen out of the nest. They are lost, exposed, and hurting with similar feelings to the baby bird fallen to the ground.
As I did a quick study of some of the reasons birds stray from their nest, it struck me that it’s similar of how people stray from home (a life with Christ).
Weather – Storms and unexpected wind currents often times will knock a young bird right out of it’s home in the same way the storms of this life can do to us. A move, job loss, family member passing, addiction and other challenges leave us feeling lost and beaten.
Inexperience – Juvenile birds making their first migration without the lead of a mature bird often times undershoot or overshoot their destinations. Sometimes, we too head boldly on a path without instruction, mentorship, or God’s map to find where He was leading us all along.
Wanderers – Some types of birds have been known to simply be wanderers and undertake destinations that are not within their normal environments. In the same way, we sometimes look for places that are not ours but it just seems the “grass is greener on the other side”. These situations can show up as marital affairs, shortcuts that lead to failure in the work place, or going against God’s ways to obtain something we want in the moment.
Whatever the reason, falling out of the “nest” leaves us feeling just as hungry, lonely, and abandoned as the infant robin alone on the ground. However, the good news is God does not abandon us there like a mama bird does to her young. He is just a whisper away willing to offer you forgiveness, direction and provision when you lean back into Him to find mercy and grace abounds!
In Matthew 23: 37, Jesus refers to himself as a mother hen who longs to gather her chicks (you and me) under her wings (for protection, love, and care) but that often times, we are unwilling.
Will you choose to not “stray” but “stay” with the Lord? Trust me, it’s much better in the nest.
Pastor Tom Hypes
theshepherdsfellowship.org
(If you have a topic you would like Pastor Tom to blog about, feel free to drop all ideas to tom@theshepherdsfellowship.org)
Better Life of a Witness (John 1: 19-42)
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged baptism, Baptist, Bible, calling, Christ, church, evangelism, God, Jesus, John, John 1, life, light, purpose, role, sermon, study, witness on October 7, 2015| Leave a Comment »
When Jesus was speaking about John the Baptist, He said “I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John.” (Luke 7:28)
What made John the Baptist so special? Is it simply some extra blessing that God put upon on Him or is it a life that you and I can choose ourselves today? Could it be possible that his choices and outlook are something we can adopt that can lead us to a greater way of living full of purpose and passion?
As we enter week two of our study in the gospel of John, we explore these questions as well as learn more about Jesus Himself …. the LIGHT and LIFE we desire.