Bear Creek Friends Church

09/06/2026

We celebrated September birthdays and anniversaries this morning. Each and every one of these people means a lot to our church family. May each of them shine the light of Jesus and be an example to others they encounter throughout their lives.

09/06/2026

The message this morning finished our look at Paul's instructions to the elders in Ephesus (from Acts 20:28-38). In this section, Paul finally gets to the meat of his address. He challenges these elders to "be on guard for [themselves] and for all the flock," because "savage wolves will come in among you."

All who believe in Jesus Christ are called to be ministers of the gospel as we walk in this world. That requires us not only to be on guard for our own spiritual well-being, but also, to look to the needs of others and consider how we might minister to or shepherd them as well.

I pray not only that each of us draws nearer to Jesus through this message and Paul's encouragement here, but also that we take seriously the call to shepherd those God has entrusted to each of us (children, grandchildren, friends, family, co-workers, etc.).

Acts 20:28-38

09/04/2026

Join Us for Quaker Haven Sunday!

Please join us as we celebrate Quaker Haven Camp staff and campers. Campers will share what they enjoyed about their time at Quaker Haven Camp and how they grew closer to God.

This will be a casual Sunday, with lunch provided. The worship service and camp celebration will be held outside, weather permitting. Dress casually and bring a lawn chair.

When: Sunday, September 13, 2026, 10:30 A.M.

08/30/2026

The message this morning continued our look at Paul's address to the elders in Ephesus in Acts 20. In vv22-27, Paul shifts from his past testimony among them, to his future direction as bound (or compelled) by the Holy Spirit. Despite warnings of the "bonds and affliction" that awaited him, Paul was "bound by the Spirit" to go to Jerusalem--the same city where Jesus was accused and sentenced to be crucified. While this was a scary prospect for Paul, he did not consider his own life of more value than his desire to fulfill the calling that God had placed on his life: "to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God" (v24).

I pray each of us develops a heart to see the gospel advanced in our own circles/community like Paul had and did in his world.

Acts 20:22-27

08/23/2026

Our women's ministry had a wonderful evening out at Olive Garden. We're so blessed with a church family of all ages and stages! Look at these precious women of God!

08/23/2026

Tony Bosworth, a local Gideon, brought our message this morning. He shared with us about the importance of God's written word. It is both timelessness, as we see in His commandments, and powerful, as we see in Jesus' ability to overcome Satan's temptations. Tony also shared with us about the many things the Gideons are involved in both locally and globally. As a church, we are glad to partner with the Gideons in their work to distribute God's word around the world!

I pray each one of us stays plugged into His word throughout this week, and that it continues to grow us day by day into maturity in Christ!

Exodus 20 - The Ten CommandmentsMatthew 4 - The Temptation of Jesus

08/20/2026

08/16/2026

In the message this morning, we looked at the opening words of Paul's final instructions to the elders in Ephesus, found in Acts 20:16-21. In these few verses, Paul speaks of three important aspects of his testimony (the way he lived his life) throughout his 2-year ministry in Ephesus.
- vv18-19 -- The Character of the Teacher: humble
- v20 -- The Quality of the Teaching: bold
- v21 -- The Content of the Message: the gospel ("repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ")

Each of these qualities gives us something to evaluate in our own lives today! I pray each of us is actively living out our faith with a humble Christian character, a bold proclamation of the gospel, and a clear view of the repentance and faith Jesus calls us to every single day.

Acts 20:16-21

08/16/2026

During our lunch today, Joel and Wendy Smith shared about their recent visit to the sites of seven churches in Asia, mentioned in Revelation. It was a blessing to have them come and share!

08/09/2026

We had an extended time of open worship this morning. Many challenges as well as many praises were shared this morning. Through it all, there was a theme and a reminder that the comfort of God's caring presence and the power of His word are able to sustain us and grow us no matter what we are walking through in life, but we must continue to seek after Him (Jeremiah 29:11-14).

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