Powell Butte Christian Church

70% of Americans (or right around that number) believe that Jesus rose from the dead. But the reason there isn’t a spiritual awakening in this country is that what was ALSO determined from research was that for a good majority of those people who believe Jesus rose from the dead, those who acknowledge the truth of Easter, they don’t see how it makes any kind of difference to their lives. And so, t...

 I hope you’re ready today for a doozy!  There is a skyscraper in Chicago known as Willis Tower. And one of the features of the tower is a glass sightseeing box extending from the 103rd floor. It attracts 1.5 million visitors each year.  Pretty trippy, if you ask me. BUT, what’s even scarier is that back in 2019, the protective layer covering the glass floor of the Skydeck shattered into millions...

For a variety of reasons, I am excited about this message. Have you ever said this: I can hardly wait to get my hands on that person!  I’m pretty sure that’s NOT what the Bible means when it speaks of this “laying on of hands.” But I also am pretty sure that this is one of those really confusing ideas we read in Scripture and don’t automatically understand what it’s talking about. I mean - on one...

This morning I want to talk to you about Baptism. Baptism is one of those things we talk about here at PBCC - but I don’t remember the last time we had a study on the basics of baptisms. This is one of those issues that was clearly important to the early Church. In the New Testament book of Acts, for instance, it might surprise you to see that there are absolutely NO unbaptized believers. Baptism...

I want to start this morning with a question. Does your faith have any value at all? In other words,  once you come to faith in Jesus, does that mean anything? Once I become a follower of Jesus, should there be anything different about what I do with my life? Should there be a different focus for the way I live than what I had before I confessed my faith? FAITH in Jesus can not just be something t...

This past week I was doing a lot of thinking and meditation and discussing with other people about the concept of faith. You know, even if you claim to be a person without faith, the fact remains that you have faith in SOMETHING. And you can have 100% of faith in something.   Don’t believe me? People do it everyday when they get on an airplane…this multi-ton metal tube that hurtles through the air...

I want to begin by mentioning an important event that will happen this week for many, many churches around the world. Now, in our tradition, in the Restoration Church, where we don’t follow many of the High Church events on the Church calendar (i.e., Epiphany, All Saints’ Day, etc.), we haven’t ever really focused on this event - much less ever really mentioned it; BUT it is a day that has been he...

When people don’t mature like they should, we recognize that there is something wrong with that. What’s even worse is when people experience a real psychological phenomenon called Personality Regression. Personality regression is a mental state in which one suddenly adopts an identical or similar personality, thought structure, mannerisms and behaviors to that of their past self from a younger age...

What makes a King? Is it merely the title? Some people operate like that. Not great leaders. What makes a King is the power he has AND HOW HE USES THAT POWER… Today’s culture - LOTS of politicized things. Driving a wedge between people, where there doesn’t seem to be much middle ground. There’s an explanation - and it has a lot to do with the kind of leaders we have in power… Today as we approach...

Today I want to talk about words. Words are powerful ways to communicate ideas. And some words are beautiful. Majesty. Creation. Life. Forgiveness. Home’s a good word . Some of you have confirmed that word for me in the last few weeks. There are some beautiful words. There are also words that make us a little uncomfortable, aren’t there? Tests. Moist. Submission. Obedience. LORDSHIP. Start using t...

 Last week we closed by looking at a passage in Revelation - Revelation chapter 5, where we read about how the Lion of the tribe of Judah had the strength to open the seals of the scroll of eternal life. This was the Lion of Judah prophesied in Genesis 49 by the patriarch Jacob as he was blessing his sons on his deathbed. And I told you that we would be continuing to look at that passage this week...

Many of you know that I am involved in the theater scene in Bend.  One famous playwright that I have never done a play by - nor really even have the desire to do so - is a Russian playwright named Anton Chekov. He is famous for plays like Uncle Vanya and Three Sisters. But he is also famous in the theater world for a literary device known as Chekov’s Gun. In a nutshell he was saying that it was im...

Ever have a job where you feel like the conveyor belt just gets faster and faster and you can’t keep up with the demands? Ever feel like that when it comes to other areas of life? Like maybe your religious experience, where the rules just keep coming at you, and you feel overwhelmed by all the things you THINK you have to do to please God? This morning I hope to clear the air of what God has calle...

Question Authority. Ever hear that? It was a mantra  of the peaceniks of the 1960s. Free love; peace, love, and dope. Oddly enough - now those people are now in Authority, and how they’ve changed their tune: Don’t Question Us. We know what we’re doing. But back in the day, rebellion against authority was turned into almost an art form! You can’t tell me what to do. My opinion is right - and you ca...

Today, really is going to be about just one verse - and, really, mainly only one word. It’s a powerful word - but one that I think we don’t fully understand in many Christian circles. I think it would benefit us greatly to take this time before we barrel ahead in the Book of Hebrews to makes sure we get what the NT authors meant when they use this particular word. So here’s the verse:  HEBREWS 3:1...

Before we get to our text today (and I geek out again), I want to lay some groundwork as we proceed with our study of an ancient Hebraic document - the New Testament Letter to the Hebrews. Hebrews, remember, is a different kind of animal. It’s rabbinical in nature - with concepts taking the forefront, rather than systematic logic. It’s challenging - especially for modern thinkers. We like to figur...

 For those of you who are joining us for the first time - or the first time in a while - let me quickly give you a synopsis of the study we have undertaken in the NT Book of Hebrews… What the Book of Hebrews is, is a letter written to Hebrew converts to Christianity in the First Century. And the REASON the letter was sent as an encouragement for these converts to stick with their new-found faith....

The man of God, Moses, has led a host of Israelites to the foot of Mount Sinai. Jehovah, the God that rescued them from bondage in Egypt called Moses up onto the mountain to receive His Law for His people. We speak of awesome things - nothing was more awesome than the sight of a mountain, terrible, smoking and fiery. Thunder pealed from the clouds that enveloped the top of the mountain and a stric...

What have the Romans ever given us? What have they ever done for us? When I read the first three verses of Hebrews 1, this is what I think of. We live in a post-christian world. No longer do people recognize one absolute truth. Here’s the danger for believers today — unless we fully understand WHO Jesus is and the benefits he brings, we could easily be swayed to accept other ways to be made right...

I don’t know about you but there are some things I’d LIKE to change. There are sins, habits, hang-ups that exist that keep me from walking closer to Jesus. I KNOW I’m supposed to deal with these things - but I’ve tried…and I’ve failed…and sometimes I don’t WANT to change - though I know I’m supposed to… And the things I know I’m supposed to do, I DON’T do - and some of the things I’m NOT supposed...

The Music Man… a con artist selling a boys band in River City, IA. Problem - he didn’t know music at all. Used a con called “the THINK system.” There was no practice; he just told the boys to THINK the Minuet in G (la de da de da de da de da…). And when they all came together, it was obvious they had no clue what they were doing! What happens when you don’t put things into practice - what happens...