The Church at Onslow

08/27/2024

I wonder what makes a summer night so serene.

I think sitting on a porch opens the evening to a place where good memories have been made. Where families sit after a meal together, or maybe you sit in a swing and look at the stars reflecting on God’s goodness and mercy. The sun has gone down, and you seem to forget how the heat was bearing down earlier. It’s a time of day and a place you want to unwind and close everything down, where dates were kissed goodnight, and casual, easy conversations still happen.

Even if it’s a little muggy, the night sounds—it’s cicadas around here—lull you into relaxing your mind, and before you know it, it’s 10 pm and you’ve forgotten most of your problems, including the 24-hour news cycle that keeps us on the illusion and stressful feeling of immediacy. A beautiful summer night can make us forget that the world is coming apart at the seams and help renew our minds back to focusing on what is real . . . the good life the Lord has given us.

It’s the perfect time to step away from the fever pitch and overheated political frenzy we are all watching outside our windows. If you love God and want more of Him and His Word in your life, there is plenty of common ground to find here. Messages like Brother Nobles gave Sunday night lift us out of our small (and carnal) lives and pull us into something much bigger and brighter offering hope and peace that we need now more than ever.

If you live in this world, but are not of this world, we relate. Sunday night was more than just a good service. It gave us a song to take through the week—one of peace that the Lord has given us a good life.

Share this post with a friend who is searching for a better life. Let's do this together, here: https://bridgetheword.com/2024/08/26/its-a-good-life-the-lord-has-given-us-2/

05/28/2022

Please join us as we celebrate with the graduates of Onslow Christian Academy, Class of 2022!

These two lovely young ladies have worked hard, especially navigating the last few years. We are so proud of them and wish them all the best as they kick off their adult lives and begin a new chapter.

You received an education that will take you down new and wonderful adventures in life while keeping you at the heart of where God is working. OCA is not only concerned with academic performance, but also with spiritual character development. You are ready and have everything you need to succeed!

Happy Graduation to Bella & Natalie!

We all love you and are praying for many blessings in your future💛

05/10/2022

Hey. Hope we are catching you having a relaxing evening before the night sets in. We're reflecting on words Brother Nobles gave us during a service a couple weekends ago that really stuck.

There are a million reasons why we wouldn’t be here, why we wouldn’t be in the fight to overcome, and why we could easily give up and walk away. And if worship and thankfulness were reserved for the mountaintop moments, then maybe this isn’t the right time, but worship and thankfulness should always be what we do, no matter our circumstances. It is our answer to a God who thought enough of us to call us and open our eyes to the truth.

Worshipping and thanking Him should be our response in the trenches, in the fire, or in the middle of a storm. There is a saying: never quit in the middle of a storm – you can’t see clearly.

We all come to that part of our walk, “This is not how I thought it was going to be." Don’t let it take you out of the race. Our song or praise doesn’t change because our circumstances get hard. God doesn’t change. People fail. We give up. We quit sometimes, but God remains faithful.

Every Road Trip is Better with Music

So is our journey. The medley of praise songs that particular Friday night and the services since then have been worshipful and had an impact. The song Brother John sang recently, “Sometimes it Takes a Mountain” left us knowing we need Him like we never have before. The words began resonating in our spirit, and that just grew. It’s like when you first hear the song, you appreciate it and it sounds amazing (our singers and band are awesome), but then the second or third time . . . you put yourself in the picture. The words become your own, and that’s when something happens.

Without revelation of what you are singing, the best you’ll get are emotions from a lovely song, but when the words are in sync with the words of truth we are receiving, that is when they go deep. The spirit that spread during that song planted the message we had just received stronger into our hearts.

Old Things are Passed Away Has New Meaning

My older brother loved classic westerns. In dying to ourselves, we all probably have some things that passed away quickly, while other things hang on and on and do not go quickly.

Like a gunfighter getting shot in the old westerns, he goes down into the dust and dies quickly. But other times . . .

The bad guy gets shot, and he falls over a chair. He manages to get up and stagger to the table half falling. He regains his balance holding on to the table but goes to his knees holding his chest. He crawls to the stairs, pulls himself up, only to fall over the railing and down a few steps. He manages to stand back up and makes it to the bar, falling over to the other side. Again, he gets up and limps a few feet out the swinging doors where he falls over the rail where the horses are tied.

You’re watching the movie wondering when in the world is this guy ever going to die? Just lie down and die already, lol. Some things we are battling might take a hit during a service or by our own fighting, but they are not going to die graciously or quickly. It’s going to take a whole lot more to completely put down these parts of our flesh. The carnal nature fights to live and to last.

Share this with a friend who left our recent services feeling encouraged because we have so much to draw on this week that will help us win our battles. These words will stoke the fire deep down, soften your heart, and reignite determination for the days ahead. It's a good night to head on over:

https://bridgetheword.com/2022/05/10/dont-quit/

Bringing God's People Together.

02/23/2022

Happy Wednesday -- we’re halfway there🙂. We were going to ask to have coffee with you this morning (but someone forgot to press "post" late last night), so maybe we could do lunch instead – to share some of our Sunday notes with you.

Have you ever noticed in walking or driving around your town that often we think we know these places so well, but it’s amazing how little we "see" as we wander or drive the streets? We don't know the history and secrets inside many buildings we pass by every day. Who lived there? Who worked there? Who owned it? What stories happened inside its walls even before we were born? If it's a much older building, maybe we wonder about all the people who walked its halls, their lives, and anything that remains of them or a trace left behind of what the building was like all those years ago.

As a resident of a town, we think we are familiar with all its buildings and places because we see them all the time, but there may be a lot more that we don't know – than we do know.

How many times have we thought we knew scriptures so well because they were familiar and we have heard them our whole lives or read them hundreds of times . . . only to find ourselves later amazed at how little we actually “saw” of what was in that verse or chapter?

Keep a hunger to know more and more – even if you think you already know all about it. Sunday night, Brother Nobles was excited. We were excited. Are you excited?

Share this with a friend who needs a mid-week boost🌞. Catch it on the Bridge, over here: https://bridgetheword.com/2022/02/23/born-again/

02/07/2022

Hi, hope everyone had a nice weekend. We have a beautiful reminder to help us get through whatever we may be facing this week.

Our revelation and the Holy Ghost have been our strong tower, but the Holy Ghost is also a lantern that can guide you through a fog of religion out there. There is an insane amount of noise everywhere today, and it is increasingly difficult to sort through all of it and hear His voice.

Having the right mindset for this journey is not an option. If we are being honest, there will be times we feel like quitting almost every week, sometimes several times a week. The messages Brother Nobles and the ministry give us are the words of life we need to hear to not only prepare us for the road ahead, but also what we need to make sure that when things get tough (and they will), we don’t quit. They are the words that ring in our heads and hearts that cause us to keep pushing forward past obstacles, challenges, and failures . . . through discouragement.

We will struggle on this journey. We will also win. We will get it right.

The ministry is continuously planting teachings and scriptures to produce the right thinking. If you get tired of hearing it, remember this: the right mindset is what will help you defeat the carnal nature and keep your motivation to stay the course.

The ministry gives us everything we need, but they cannot do it for us. We must work on our lives when we aren’t in church. It is up to us individually to invest in our journey and our chance for eternal life. No matter who you are or how far you have come or how many years you’ve been on the path, you have to devote significant time and resources to your goals at various stages. How much of yourself you devote indicates how much it means to you and how much you value each goal toward overcoming. Some things you are working on may be smaller, some larger.

The teachings, scriptures, truth, and Holy Ghost – are all what make this walk sustainable for the long term. If we only think about short-term goals, it may cost us in the end. While we are working on smaller things, we can’t take our eyes of the gold (as Elder used to say). Making the Bride is not a sprint. It is a marathon. The only way you can lose is to quit.

If you aren’t moving forward, you will die. You don’t have to be on a rocket ship blasting through life – it eventually runs out of fuel anyway. You just have to keep moving . . . with the cloud.

There’s something important about the way truth causes transformation. If your life is not changing, you are either not receiving truth or not applying it.

Have you noticed in this world of non-stop communication, where we are constantly buried in our screens, our attention glued to these objects buzzing in our hands, we are consumed by short attention spans? Stop and experience this teaching, these scriptures. There will be an honesty, a truth in the messages that, even when it is hard or bitter to swallow, it has something that takes your breath away because inside you know that God gave you this revelation. Listen to (or read) the message. In the silences between his words, listen to what you have to say back. Therein lies your work. We got it. We hope you experience it, too. If He has opened your eyes, it is a gift, and it is from God.

The world may become a darker place, but we will still walk in light. Share this with someone who is seeking God's protection. Brother Nobles is talking about how to stay under God's covering and why it is so important, over here: https://bridgetheword.com/2022/02/07/staying-under-the-covering-of-god/

Take care and we are praying for you always💜

06/04/2021

Opening Night!!!

See you on the path🙂

7 PM, Friday
2 PM, Saturday

This is "pilgram.her.story.movie.mp4" by Ron Canby on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

05/17/2021

From another incredible weekend in church, we're going into the week stronger . . . strengthening our hearts, lifting up our hands that hang down, and making straight paths for our feet.

Don't be so easily beset at adversity. The escape from adversity is walking through it and overcoming with your head up. Elder LaFleur and Brother Joe Byrd went through adversity and made straight their paths. They endured and finished their course. Knowing that gives us hope that we can, too💙

Abraham faced adversity full force and head on -- he staggered NOT at the promises of God. A faith like Abraham's shines brightest when conditions are at their darkest. We are walking a journey finding peace and hope amidst adversity because we are not casting away our confidence, and we're facing it with God on our side.

Although it is tempting to complain, complaining changes nothing. We all have to meet the same qualifications to make it -- God is just. He doesn't allow one person to not earn eternal life, and make others have to earn it. Our way through adversity is to take up our cross and keep fighting the good fight!

Much Love,
Have a Great Week Ahead, Everyone!🙂💛

05/14/2021

How's your week been? Some of us around here have been working hard to prepare for our production, "Pilgrim, Her Story".

I was struck by how much I love this musical for how it literally (it's an allegory) walks through our journey, not as a way to simply leave the bad behind, but as a way to remember the lessons we learned as we continue on the path and to be thankful for every landmark, place of refreshment, and safety the King has provided for us along the way. The biggest takeaway? No one ends up on the path by mistake. Even if it doesn't look like what you imagined or think it should . . . stay on it and keep walking. It's the path to Mount Zion.

Our production camp week is just around the corner. Something special happens in an environment away from the routine. It’s perhaps one of our favorite weeks during the years we do productions. It’s a week like no other . . . a week without distractions, a week of focus and dedication to bring your very best to the performance, a week to be around all your friends having a great time (especially on breaks), a week to create memories that will last a lifetime, and a week to believe that God will impact the life of every young person as they learn the lessons from "Pilgrim, Her Story" about friendships, life choices, positive relationships, getting back up from setbacks, to keep walking on the path, the whole journey, and so much more.

I believe in something my dad used to say, “Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future.” Friendships and the people your teenagers surround themselves with have a huge influence on their lives. It’s nice to see them hanging around others who are also on the path walking alongside them. I love that being together through all the rehearsals and that last week allows the opportunity to form God appointed friendships . . . those are bonds forged in Christ, the strongest kind.

FYI, the message from "Pilgrim, Her Story" will be powerful❤

05/05/2021

Hi, hoping we made it in time to be part of your nighttime routine🌙

What powerful messages we have heard the last few services! (We'll get to them shortly. Also, you're going to want to hang around for the music on this one. The band and singers were awesome, and Brother Darrell was killing it in this song.)

Brother Nobles mentioned the bread of life Friday night. It reminded me of a table that has been in my family since I was a child. I grew up sitting around the table that is in my mom's kitchen. Dad and Mom used to have lots of company around that table in years past. I'm not sure how they all fit, but it was probably a simpler, less extravagant time. I think that table will be the most prized possession of my brother's and mine in years to come. It would be the one thing I would try to run into flames to save if there was a fire.

I'm not sure where I'd be without that table. Obviously, it is not about the actual furniture, but all the meals and times shared around it. I've watched food, Bible studies, and family times transform that space and chairs around it into the safest place for everyone who entered it. Something happens to us when we stop the hustle, turn off the screens, and slow ourselves as we sit and eat and enjoy each other. There has been so much laughter there -- the can't-catch-your-breath kind -- even when our conditions and the world seemed darker than ever.

There have been more than one impromptu post-dinner talks and lingering fellowships that didn't want the night to end. There have been many tears here where the pressure valve was released. There have been prayers prayed and prayers answered. There have been weighty conversations as weary or broken hearts have wrestled with disappointment, fear, and faith.

I've always loved this table and all the things that have brought us together around it, but I think a lot now of Elder and all the men of God (including Brother Nick) who once sat there breaking the bread of life as they ushered a little bit of heaven down to all sitting around it. My mom was always there serving and making sure everyone had what they needed. After all the days from the past few years and the roller coaster of the days ahead, I return to this table in my mind and to all the precious words I heard and memories that shaped my life.

That table is not just at home. Think of the wondrous spiritual table in our church -- all the years sitting in the pews gathered around the pulpit (or a table in Elder's later years). All the feasts that have been spread, the river of life flowing through as we sat around it, the cries that went up to heaven, the blessings that fell over all who sat around it, and the eyes that were opened right in those seats. We come in and we unplug from all the noise in the world and in our heads, and we sit at a table spread with everything we need to fill our souls.

Our meals have been plentiful. We've had many memories in this space, and we've come too far, shed too many tears, and had too many victories -- together, all around this spiritual table -- to turn back or walk away. And as time goes on and things become more unstable in the world, the Lord will protect us, give us more instruction, and settle us . . . and I imagine it will all take place right here, around this table.

Share this with a friend who loves building the Kingdom with this family❤

It's All Good, so come on over: https://bridgetheword.com/2021/05/04/its-all-good/

04/03/2021

Greetings from our churches! We’re hoping this post finds you, your loved ones, and your friends safe and well.

We’re asking God,

"Where are you?"

And the Lord looks back at us and asks,

"Where are you?"

Brother Nobles recently mentioned a time when the men were gathered in the dining room before service, and the Elder gave an answer to a question someone asked regarding people leaving church. Brother Nobles said Elder's answer had always stuck with him:

"Well, I'm sorry they did not see it. God brought them here to show them."

How many people pray for God to lead them to His church, but when He does, they find some things not to their liking? If you pray for God to lead you to His way, open your door because He will answer you. It's up to you to not miss it.

What we're plugged into lately: last Wednesday evening's service. It was great, and we'd like for you to be blessed and learn a few things we learned.

Friends don't let friends trim their lamps poorly. It creates a flame that is dim and smoky as opposed to the flame from a well-trimmed lamp, which is clean and bright.

Share this with a friend who knows it won't be long (til the Bridegroom Comes).

That's your cue:
https://bridgetheword.com/2021/04/03/how-to-open-doors-and-keep-them-open/