40 Churches in 40 Weeks: My Journey of Faith and Hope for the Church

01/03/2026

God in Heaven. You see what we can't see. You know what we can't know. So we place all our hope and trust in You and You only.

Help ease our anxieties about the future. Help us to stand up and be counted among Your army of believers and defenders of our faith.

God, we ask You to give us wisdom to recognize the Truth when it's revealed, and lies, even when they are hidden.

We recognize the season and the signs of the times. Show us what it means to fill our lamps and trim our wicks in this world that is growing darker every day.

I pray we are ready for Your return.

All praise and Glory to You, dear Lord. Forever and ever. Amen

07/02/2024

It isn't that there aren't any good Democrats that could run for President. It's that none of the GOOD ones are part of the Marxist/Globalist agenda. So, I'm sorry to say that the people actually in control of our country's future will only let you choose from those who are.

05/11/2024

05/07/2024

The Bible says:
“a friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Adversity is on every side of God’s Chosen People Israel today.

Most especially the natural born but also the born again. Most especially in Israel but also in the United States.

Make no mistake. Anyone who longs for and celebrates the death of Jews or Christians is an enemy of the God who created Heaven and Earth.

They worship and serve something or someone else.

Whether they are Islamic extremists in the Middle East or a college student shouting “From the River to the Sea” they stand in opposition to our Father, God.

It is time for the people of God to stand together as one in this fight.

Because the fight has nothing to do with geographical territory. It has nothing to do with the Palestinian people or land rights.

This war is being waged in the unseen realm by an unseen enemy.
And that, my friends, is the bottom line.

This is not a war of flesh and blood.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Is it not obvious that not only the slaughter of October 7, 2023, but every war, every social and cultural battle on the world stage today is a gathering of armies meant to pit those who hate God (or do not know Him) ...against those who love Him?

Is it not obvious yet that the push for things that God hates and the hatred for things that God loves is at the heart of every division in Western civilization today?

What is happening in the Physical Realm is only the manifestation of what is happening in The Invisible Realm where the satan is actively engaged in his battle to destroy the people God has chosen as His special possession.

Just as it happened in N**i, Germany.

Jews and Christians lived and worked side by side in Europe when the N**i regime came into power.

The N**i's twisted and evil agenda was to eliminate the Jewish people from the face of the earth.

They systematically flooded the news and public discourse with propaganda designed to make the Jews seem deserving of the hatred and persecution.

Some who listened to the propaganda grew to believe the terrible lies being told about the Jewish people. Many of them joined in the persecution of their innocent neighbors simply because they were Jewish. It was shameful and despicable.

As a Christian I could never understand how that was possible. How could they not see how evil it was? How could they stand by and let it happen?

I was a child in elementary school when I learned about the Holocaust. It was traumatizing and I could not reconcile the horror in my head or my heart. I remember being comforted by the thought that could never happen in America.

But I was wrong.

The same evil scheme is unfolding all around us in the United States.

Today we can turn on the television and listen to a member of our American Congress promulgate anti-Semitic propaganda into the public discourse while defending the heinous actions of Islamic extremists who chant – not only death to the Jews - but death to America.

What we are experiencing all over the world is simply a repeat of that dark, horrifying attack against God and those He calls His own.

It was not then and is not now about or because of the Jewish people.
It is about the evil one destroying everything created by or created in God's image.

satan longs to rule over and be worshipped by God’s creation. The only way that could be achieved is if everyone who worships God is wiped off the face of the earth.

The destroyer has won many hearts and minds with lies and propaganda. Just as he did in N**i Germany. he failed then and he will fail this time too. The question is how many innocents will be destroyed in this war?

Who are we to stand against this enormous evil? What are we supposed to do about any of this?

I do not have the answers. But I know this, the least we can do is stand with our Jewish brothers and sisters.

We can speak up and stand up for the things God loves and stand against the things God hates.

Together.

The battle may belong to the Lord. But we stand on the battleground.

Let's not cower as so many did in N**i Germany. Let's not be complicit in this evil.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed, and with your feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace.

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.

Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly, as I should.” Ephesians 6:10-20

In His love and service,
Sharon Bollum

04/28/2024

I have read the Old and New Testaments of the Bible repeatedly. Every word of it testifies to God’s unrelenting love for His Chosen ones, the children of Abraham, the Jews.

Not one word of the Holy Bible supports the notion that God ever permanently rejected or replaced them with Christians.

There were no Christians at the foot of the cross. Only Jews. So, when Jesus said, “Father, forgive them…” He was not talking to or about Christians. He was talking about the Jewish people who believed crucifying Jesus was the right thing to do.

The religious leaders had a vastly different expectation of the Messiah they had long awaited. Jesus of Nazareth did not embody the Savior they had imagined He would be.

The only people utterly convinced that Jesus was the Messiah were those who came to hear Him and know Him. Those who did not, believed He was a fraud.

The Jews and all who followed Jesus took the name “Christian” sometime after His resurrection. But most of them were, in fact, Jews who continued to believe everything taught through Jewish tradition since the time of Abraham. They simply understood that God’s Promise for a Messiah had been fulfilled in Jesus.

Before He ascended into Heaven, Jesus told his disciples to “go and make disciples of all nations.” And that is how you and I came into the family of God. We are adopted. Grafted in. Co-heirs with the Children of Israel through our acceptance and faith in Jesus Christ. They are natural born children. We are Born Again.

I long for the day we live as one family. I long for the day when all the children of Israel come to know God as we know God. I know they love God as much as anyonecould. They love the Truth as much as anyone could. How can that lead any sincere believer to anywhere but the foot of His throne?

We must stand with Israel.

The Bible says:
“a friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

03/31/2024

In Christ alone, my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song.

This Cornerstone, this solid ground.

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.

What heights of love, what depths of peace!

When fears are stilled, when strivings cease.

My Comforter, my All in All.

Here in the love of Christ I stand!

In Christ alone, who took on flesh.

Fullness of God in helpless babe.

This gift of love and righteousness.

Scorned by the ones He came to save.

'Til on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied.

For every sin on Him was laid.

Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground, His body lay.

Light of the world by darkness slain.

Then bursting forth in glorious Day!
Up from the grave He rose again!

And as He stands in victory.
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me.

For I am His and He is mine.

Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death.
This is the power of Christ in me.

From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny.

No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand!

Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.

02/27/2024

Reasonable, commonsense middle

When one perspective is opposed to another, that doesn’t necessarily mean one is totally right and the other completely wrong. You’re likely to find truth, wisdom, and utility in each one.
The same forces that are empowering and beneficial in some ways can also be oppressive and destructive in other ways. Life as we know it would be impossible without water, yet in certain contexts water can be deadly.
Just because a concept, person, organization, or process has certain negative aspects, doesn’t make it all bad. Just because something is useful and has positive qualities, doesn’t make it worthy of unquestioned worship.
You have to be willing to accept the bad with the good. Otherwise your choices narrow to almost no choice at all.
In the world of computers and logic, binary choices can be configured to be highly useful. Yet to successfully navigate the messy, imperfect world at large, you have to be more nuanced.
Be careful of accepting or rejecting anything based on just one or two factors. Give yourself access to all the value that’s found in the reasonable, commonsense middle.
— Ralph Marston

01/03/2024

SHOW ME A BELIEVER WHOSE LIFE HAS REALLY CHANGED AND I WLL SHOW YOU A TRUE DISCIPLE

“I want to live in such a way that folks don't have to wonder if I'm a Christian…that's what's missing these days…people don't have a clear understanding of what a Christian is… and how they should live…” Pastor Vic Redding, Faith Free Will Baptist Church, Greensboro, NC

“The question is does the Word of God make a difference? The answer is- sure it does…but it has to be applied and lived out…people think they just need to attend church and that will take care of every issue.” Pastor Terri Carver, First Baptist Church, Mt Juliet, TN

"The whole idea there are hypocrites in the church should not be a surprise to anyone. We try to make that clear. The tension in that is we don't want to provide license for everybody to just do whatever they want.

I think we think grace is somehow going to make you want to be great at all these things. I have to teach people that when we receive God's Grace, and understand how deeply we are loved, that we begin to change. His Spirit in us makes us begin to want the things that God wants.... It's a pursuit of life not some kind of deviation from it."
Pastor Mike Ashcraft, Port City Community Church, Wilmington NC

Transformation is an inter-dependent pursuit. Each individual Christian must have some intention to grow. One cannot become “like Christ” apart from self-giving, self-control and self-sacrifice within the context of a larger group.

Humility, loving others, generosity and personal sacrifice are at the core of being like Jesus.

Fostering congregations who are allowed to remain self-reliant, self-centered, self-serving or hateful toward those we disagree with will never lead to a healthy church or a compelling expression of God in this world.

No one argues that Biblical literacy is embarrassingly low. No one argues that precious few Christians are living transformed lives.

But who is equipped to lead us to change? If it isn’t those called by God then whom?

Yes, the old adage is true, “you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.” BUT are we leading them to water? Are we even stirring up their thirst?

I’m not sure we are.

When the number one reason people leave church is because “they weren’t being fed” or it wasn’t very meaningful or relevant to their lives I am hard pressed to say it is all their fault.

“I think a lot of times pastors are scared of depth. They're scared of maybe even hard questions so they are tempted to preach in such a way that is a little bit more Self-help and basic life equipping. The Bible handles those things but it never stops there.”–
David Ritchie, Redeemer Covenant Church, Amarillo TX

We do not have a shortage of religion, we have a shortage of healthy leadership and healthy Christians.

This world is crawling with Christians who do not understand their lives are meant to change as a result of their decision to follow Christ.

Sure, most are aware of the unwritten set of rules and expectations for outward appearance and behavior for church folk, but they view their Christianity as an allegiance to a particular belief system rather than a journey of transformation.

We have indeed made a blurry mess of what it means to follow Jesus.

For years I didn't understand why Jesus cursed the fig tree (Matthew‬ ‭21:19‬).

The tree stood strong and by all appearances, it was healthy. Jesus was hungry and figs were in season. But when he searched among the branches he found no fruit.

He cursed it and the tree withered instantly. Why didn't He just leave it? Maybe it would bear fruit in the future? Couldn't it at least be useful for shade?

It seemed punitive and harsh to me.

But it wasn't.

Jesus knew that if He couldn't find fruit in it no one would. He didn't want anyone else to waste their time or strength searching the tree for something that wasn't there.

Think about the hungry, hurting, and lost who go to a church or a Christian friend, searching for a place to find shelter, nourishment and salvation.

If only they could see from a distance whether or not they would find what they were searching for there.

If they could see, no matter how pretty or big, or healthy the church looked, that there was no fruit within it they'd know to walk on and keep looking.

But they can't.

That's why Jesus cursed the tree.

In His love and service,
Sharon Bollum

Read more on my website.
Www.SharonBollum.com

My Journey of Faith and Hope for the Church In the United States

12/25/2023

As we celebrate the birth of our Savior today, soak in the joy of His promise to return.

Savior, Redeemer, Healer, Soon and coming King..how we long for You to fulfill Your Word and promise to rescue Your children, defeat our enemy, and restore Your Kingdom.

May we be ready for it.
May we be worthy of it.

Merry Christmas to you and yours. And may Christ reign in your home today and every day.

12/25/2023

Merry Christmas from me and Ruby!

12/20/2023

Hallmark of a Healthy Church Number Five –
Discipleship Is the Business Model, Not Corporate America

They lead by example and nurture their staff in the way they want staff to nurture those they serve. They have not forgotten they are sinners saved by Grace. Nor do they forget they have an enemy constantly plotting their undoing.

They create an environment that promotes transparency and they live in full submission and accountability to one another.

“We ask for health, but we have a fear of opening up where we are truly struggling…we have a culture where we don't ask for help…showing weakness is not something we want to do…when we invest in other people, it isn't neat and clean…it's messy…but it's worth it.”
Pastor Joshua Bundy, Greensboro Christian Church, Greensboro, NC

They would gladly do what they do for no pay, but humbly receive a fair portion of the harvest because it is healthy and it is right.

They pray. They really pray.

They sincerely put their trust in the Lord and are faithful to keep their word with Him.

Everyone knows to whom they are married and who their children are, because the place and the priority of their family come before any and everyone else.

They pray for their congregation and continually challenge them to grow.

They may not know every member personally, but they sincerely would if they could.

“So, the Body of Christ, if God has assembled, in every region, His people, and placed them there supernaturally …if that could be harvested ... it's great to have 300 leaders, but there are hundreds more leaders that could be.. maybe thousands of believers that could be finding their place in the body of Christ on the walls of our city to fulfill our destiny . If that could happen, where every joint was supplied, where every part of the body was fully functioning, what could happen transformationally in our city?” Pastor Francis Anfuso, The Rock of Roseville, Roseville, CA

He's right. If that could happen the world would be transformed.

If the millions of people who attend church were fully dedicated to Christ and His teachings EVEN WHEN THEY WEREN'T IN CHURCH we could tip the scales back to being a nation that honors God and invites His blessings.

A healthy church will lead members to understand that the church as an organization has very little impact on the unbelieving world. The message and meaning of the Gospel only goes as far as the individual Christian takes it. In other words, you.

In His love and service
Sharon Bollum