Warsaw Evangelical Presbyterian Church

As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek. Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, “The Lord be with you!”  Ruth 2:3-4 Have you ever had one of those times when you worked hard for something? Or when you had to ask someone else for help? It’s not always easy to ask for what we need, and hard work is, well, hard. And...

Have you ever had a famine in your life? Maybe not an actual famine, but a spiritual, emotional, physical, or relational one? Have you ever felt bitter? Have you ever felt so much sorrow that you just want to be alone? Or, have you ever seen people who believe that they would be better off if they were not around? Isolation can be a tool of Satan that leads to even more trouble and sorrow. Yet, ca...

“All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me, I will never drive away.”  John 6:37 Physical hunger is very real in our world today. It is estimated that up to a billion people in the world struggle with food insecurity (about 1 in 7 people). That is a terrible statistic to behold, especially since we have been blessed with so much. However, there is another kind of hunge...

Over the years, I have had many conversations with people who experience doubt. For some, it is the suffering they see in the world. For others, it is the feeling that science has refuted everything religion offers, and so the Bible is nothing but fairy tales. And still, for others, it is a personal tragedy that leaves them with the nagging question: Is all of this true? Maybe you have the same do...

A new year often means a fresh start, hitting the ‘reset’ button, goal setting, and new possibilities  followed  by the realization that we’re a long way from Spring and it’s too cold to get out of bed. Ah, yes, the January doldrums. Know the feeling? Well, to start 2024, we’re going back to the basics and revisiting one of Paul’s earliest writings—his letter to the Galatians. By all counts, these...

I hope you had a blessed Christmas celebration and are enjoying these final days of 2023. We pause at the threshold of a new year, knowing that 2024 will usher in new chapters for WEPC. Although there will be some obvious changes, much will remain unchanged. No matter what the coming months may bring, WEPC's mission to display the majesty of Christ, proclaim the hope of the gospel, and bring t...

Are you familiar with the story of “The Christmas Truce”?  It took place during the week of Christmas in 1914 as World War I raged in Europe. In various parts of the Western front, as soldiers were dug into their trenches (in some places just 30 yards apart), they could hear one another singing Christmas hymns. Amidst the shouts back and forth, an informal ceasefire was eventually decided upon, wi...

“As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.”  Psalm 103:13 I thank God that I grew up in a home with a father who loved me, provided for me, corrected me, and taught me God’s will in Jesus. Not everyone has that, so when the statement of Jesus being our “Everlasting Father” arises, I understand why people may bristle. We recognize that earthly fat...

What’s in a name? This Sunday, we’ll explore the second title bestowed on the One whose advent was greatly anticipated:  Mighty God . The spiritual atmosphere of first-century Israel was thick with messianic expectation. Change was afoot, but how was God working? Would he finally deliver his people from foreign oppressors and restore the glorious Davidic kingdom? Not exactly. Instead, onto this sc...

When you speak with counselors, they will often tell you that they are a guide and that a guide cannot lead someone where they do not want to go. If a person does not want to seek health and wholeness, then the counselor’s words and advice will only fall on deaf ears. As people say, “You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make them drink.” As parents and friends, we experience the same thin...

This week, we reach the conclusion of our sermon series on “The Abundant Life” of discipleship. Each week, we have seen what it means to be people who “Gather,” who “Grow,” who “Give,” and who “Go.” This past week, we talked about how we can give thanks for the time, talents, and treasure that God has given to each of us. We also spoke about how we are to use those gifts to bless others. It seems...

In the world, we sometimes hear the phrase, “How to win friends and influence people.” This statement seems to be the main point of this passage at first glance. In what might be considered the most confounding words Jesus ever utters, he says,  “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”  (Luke 16:9)  What?!...

“Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”  Colossians 2:7 (NLT) During this fall season, our minds often turn to harvest, to bounty, and to Thanksgiving. It is not a season where we think of putting down roots that grow; we save that for spring. Yet Paul reminds us...

Last Sunday, Pastor Aaron challenged us to live as God's people on mission for Him in our daily lives. But how do we get there? What does it mean to be a community on mission together as we seek to gather, grow, give, and go forth in the love of Christ? During November, our services will be oriented around the theme of "The Abundant Life," which is found as we live together as God&#3...

“Truly, I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”  Matthew 25:40 The life of following Christ is not just about “me, me, me.” The gospels challenge us repeatedly to devote our lives to living for others. Jesus equates serving others with serving God. All too often, though, our lives become consumed by our own plans. Our schedules may...

…But now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.” Ephesians 5:8-9 As we start a new two-week sermon series on the invitation to live our life on mission, we are going to see this consistent call to live as light in a world full of darkness. While we once lived in darkness; no...

Actually... Did you know that our current sermon series will be coming to a close this Sunday? This week, we will consider one final teaching not found in the Bible: the notion that when a person passes away, it is because "Heaven must have needed another angel." Most of us have probably encountered this idea before. During times of mourning or loss, it is comforting to think of our love...

"It is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” Mark 7:15 After a day of playing outside, my parents always reminded me when it was time to come inside for dinner, “Don’t forget to wash your hands before you sit down. And use soap!” they would say. The desire for cleanliness has stuck with me, and I still squirm when I see someone in the public restroom bypass washing their hands after...

“But godliness with contentment is great gain…For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” (1 Timothy 6:6, 10) Have you ever sat back after a good meal with a groan and a sigh? The meal was so good - and you are so full - that you cannot possibly eat any more. You might even say that you’re stuffed or cannot possibly eat another thing. Yet we know that even after a full meal, we will soo...

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Don’t be so earthly-minded that you’re no heavenly good?” How about the reverse? “Don’t be so heavenly-minded that you’re no earthly good?” Or, have you ever heard people use phrases like, “This world is not my home; I’m just passing through” or, “Be in the world, not of the world?” The reality is that Christians are described in a number of ways and instructed to...

“Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” -Colossians 3:9-10 I just love when you put fresh sheets or a new set of sheets on the bed. There is something about having everything be tight and tidy as you put your feet in for the first time. There’s also the fresh...

How many of us have ever been in a discussion where we have heard someone say something along the lines of, “Sure, I'm not perfect, but God loves and accepts me just the way I am”? Or, “God will never love you less than He does right now”? Ironically, variations of those themes might be something we have shared with others as a form of comfort. Taken at face value, they are true statements. Jo...

Have you ever experienced analysis paralysis? I usually find myself in this situation when I play a board game, especially when facing a tough opponent who will exploit any mistake I make. Out of a well-intentioned desire to avoid committing blunders of colossal proportions, I attempt to consider any possible outcome of every possible move I could make. However, this usually means that I overanaly...

Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me.”  John 7:16 Over the years, I have experimented with different kinds of diets. The most recent one was Keto. The idea is that you cut out all sugar and carbs, making your body burn fat instead of storing it. This diet (and others like it) has been endorsed by a number of celebrities, bloggers, and social media influence...

The more we grow in our faith, the more we can expect to encounter obstacles along the way. At times, we may even face major barriers that threaten to block our spiritual progress and cause us to feel stuck in difficult or frustrating situations. This Sunday, we will spend the second week of our new sermon series looking at a time where being stuck was both a present and a potential reality. As we...