Fairlawn Church of the Nazarene

Fairlawn Church of the Nazarene Making disciples by bringing the Kingdom to light and life in our community.

06/07/2026

Join us as we worship together

God Encounters: Three AngelsDear Church Family,I'll be honest with you. I'm both excited and terrified about our new se...
06/05/2026

God Encounters: Three Angels
Dear Church Family,

I'll be honest with you. I'm both excited and terrified about our new series starting this Sunday, "God Encounters." Over the next six weeks, we will be looking at various mysterious encounters that people had with God in the Old Testament. Any encounter with God is both exciting and terrifying. A common response that people have following such an encounter is: "I have seen God and lived to tell about it!" They are literally life and death experiences. Sometimes these encounters are frustrating for us to read about because they are so ambiguous. There are times I want to yell at the writer, "Could you please be more specific? What are we talking about here?" What we all must continually remember is that God, by his very nature, is a mystery. God is completely "other" - He is spirit, and beyond our ability to perceive unless He does something unusual to reveal Himself to us. And that's when it gets weird. Imagine a being that is beyond space and time - a God who created those realities. Like a fish in a fishbowl, we only know and experience the realities that our senses can inform us of. But our senses and our experience are completely inadequate to comprehend the God of creation. Even the most brilliant human minds of human history are completely incapable of understanding God. Theology (the study of God) has long been considered the "queen of the sciences" because all knowledge must ultimately go back to the highest and most important truths. So get ready for a wild ride as we look at some of the Bible's most intriguing encounters with God!

See you Sunday!
Jeff

Dear Church Family,This Sunday is Trinity Sunday! I know, last week was Pentecost Sunday and now we have another special...
05/29/2026

Dear Church Family,

This Sunday is Trinity Sunday! I know, last week was Pentecost Sunday and now we have another special day. But it makes sense when you think about it. With Jesus came the revelation of God's nature that had been kept a mystery for centuries. The revelation of Jesus came to its fullness with his crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. Then came the promised Holy Spirit, to help the church continue work of the Great Commission for generations to come - right up to the present. Our text for this Sunday is Matthew 28:16-20, which is the Great Commission - but it also contains a very clear trinitarian formula, "...baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." As we head into the Summer months, and what is considered in the church calendar "common time," we enter a season that is focused on the work. From Acts to the rest of the New Testament (excluding Revelation, of course), we read about the church doing what it has been commanded to do. This is mostly through the work of Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles. Today we can celebrate the fact that we've been given a full revelation of God's nature (or at least a "fuller" revelation). Unfortunately, the paradox of a trinitarian God is impossible to comprehend completely, and this inability has led to much confusion and heretical teaching over the centuries. This week we will dive into some of this misunderstanding and try to understand the problems, learn from past errors, and embrace the paradox that is the Trinity.

See you Sunday!
Jeff

Ashes to Fire: Prepared to LaunchDear Church Family,This is a big weekend! There's so much going on right now, it could...
05/22/2026

Ashes to Fire: Prepared to Launch
Dear Church Family,

This is a big weekend! There's so much going on right now, it could make your head spin. First of all, it's the end of the school year and graduations are going on all over the place. So, congratulations to all the graduates - and their families! We will recognize our graduates next Sunday. Also, we've had a great school year with our partner school, Landon Middle School. Yesterday morning I had the privilege of attending the 8th grade promotion ceremony with two of our "mentoring men" (Randy Streeter, John Sutton). It was wonderful to see their joy in seeing us there and the gratitude they had for our investment in them over the school year. We also concluded our after school tutoring ministry, and this Sunday we will hear and see some of our students who came for music lessons - they've come a long way!

Another thing is that it is Memorial Day weekend. This is a very special holiday for our nation as we honor service members who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our great nation. My hope is that everyone would do something to remember and honor these heroic men and women. Whatever you do, be safe if you're traveling and have a great weekend.

Lastly, this Sunday is Pentecost Sunday. This is the day that we celebrate the fulfillment of Jesus' promise to provide a helper to the disciples in his absence after the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. Jesus may not be with us in "the flesh" but he is certainly with us through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost was not just an event that happened more than two thousand years ago, it also opened the door to an entirely new experience for all of us who believe in Jesus Christ. Today, we can be filled with the Spirit and experience His abiding presence at all times. My prayer for each of us is that this would be more than a promise, but it would be our experience. I hope you can be in church this Sunday, or at least join us online if you're out of town.

See you Sunday!
Jeff

SIGN UP HERE: https://fairlawnnaz.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3583744🎣 Calling all young anglers! 🌿Get ready f...
05/19/2026

SIGN UP HERE: https://fairlawnnaz.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3583744

🎣 Calling all young anglers! 🌿

Get ready for a fun, hands-on outdoor adventure designed just for kids! Join us for the FNC Kids Fishing Clinic — a 3-week experience where kids will learn practical fishing skills, build friendships, and discover more about God’s amazing creation.

Whether your child is brand new to fishing or already loves being out on the water, this clinic is the perfect opportunity for fun, learning, and making memories together. 🐟☀️

We can’t wait to see your little anglers there!

05/17/2026

Join us as we worship together.

Ashes to Fire: A Divine UnityDear Church Family,As we look toward the celebration of Pentecost next week and the end of...
05/15/2026

Ashes to Fire: A Divine Unity
Dear Church Family,

As we look toward the celebration of Pentecost next week and the end of this "ashes to fire" season, we turn to Jesus' prayer for his disciples both present and future (that's us by the way!) found in John 17. In that prayer Jesus prays for something that is impossible, "May they be one as we are one." (v.11) What!? Jesus was so "at one" with the Father that he was sinless, that is, completely obedient and in harmony with the Father. Jesus was regularly up early in the morning to pray, he would make time in his busy schedule to get away to a solitary place to get alone with the Father and sync his life and ministry. Jesus let Peter, James and John in on one of these sessions and they witnessed him "transform" into his divine nature and meet with Moses and Elijah. How in the world are we to be as one as Jesus and the Father? That level of unity is simply impossible. But that's the thing about God - nothing is impossible with him, right? Of course that's right! The unity of the church is the mark of authenticity to the world so that they may believe. "May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me." (v.21) Over two millennia later, we can look back through history and see very clearly that our track record falls dismally short of Jesus' prayer. For centuries, the church took this prayer very seriously, even literally. But today there are hundreds of denominations, judging by all the church signs out there it would seem that we are more fractured today than ever before. It's true, as long as sin remains there will never be perfect unity. But despite the differences that may exist, there is one factor that brings us all together and makes us one - the Holy Spirit. All who truly and sincerely put their faith in Jesus Christ and submit to His will are filled with the same Spirit. Because of this, all Christains share a common and familiar relationship that draws us together as family, brothers and sisters in Christ. Like all sibling relationships, it certainly can get messy. But despite our differences, we share a bond that is thicker than water. The Apostle Paul admonishes the church, "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." (Ephesians 4:2) Let's be careful that we do not demand uniformity in our unity, let's continually strive to be humble, to be patient, and bear with one another in love. In other words, don't give up - admit that maybe you don't have it all figured out and have some rough edges that require love and grace, and generously offer that to others. One day Jesus will come to complete and perfect what he started. Until then, let's stick with it and love one another.

See you Sunday!
Jeff

ASHES TO FIRE: The Spirit of TruthDear Church Family,This Sunday is Mother's Day! I'm not sure of the origins of this h...
05/08/2026

ASHES TO FIRE: The Spirit of Truth

Dear Church Family,

This Sunday is Mother's Day! I'm not sure of the origins of this holiday exactly (I suspect that the greeting card and flower industries had something to do with it!), but the virtue of motherhood is absolutely something we should celebrate. The Bible celebrates "the wife of noble character" in Proverbs 31, and of course, the example of Jesus' mother, Mary, are two powerful examples. These are great sources of inspiration for all mothers. This week's sermon will explore John 14:15-21, where Jesus is preparing the disciples for what to expect after the crucifixion. Here Jesus is teaching them about the Holy Spirit, who will be given to them on the day of Pentecost. Jesus promises that he will not leave them as orphans, but will provide them with a "helper." The literal translation of the word Jesus uses here is "paraclete." Other words to help us understand this Greek term are: "comforter" (KJV), "counselor" (RSV) and "companion" (CEB). As I reflect on this, I can't help but see some connection between motherhood and the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Mothers are usually the primary nurturer and comforter in the family. A spirit-filled mother is an amazing blessing to her family because she can be the physical embodiment of God's presence with us and for us in her own unique way. Mothers are helpers, comforters, counselors, and companions for our entire lives. No matter how old you are, you will always be your mother's child. Though even the best mother cannot "outdo" the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we are certainly blessed if we have a spirit-filled mother who is physically with us and guided by the same Holy Spirit that is working in us.

See you Sunday!
Jeff

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730 SW Fairlawn Road
Topeka, KS
66606

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Monday 9am - 3pm
Tuesday 9am - 3pm
Wednesday 9am - 3pm
Thursday 9am - 3pm
Friday 9am - 3pm
Sunday 9am - 12pm

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