Construction continues on the new auditorium. This last week a ‘finishing touch’ was added with the raising of the steeple delivered Monday, October 6.

For many years the month of October has been set aside as Missions Month. Over these 35 years our missions family has grown from one - the Peterson Family in France - to seventy-four missionaries and projects. During this month we have several goals we wish to see realized as a church and also as individuals.

One is to stress the importance of getting the Gospel into the lost world. Men will die in their sins without the Gospel. The command for world evangelism was given five times in the New Testament. Each time our Lord instructs us to “go into all the world.” more…

Today is Friend Sunday at Fairview. This ministry has hundreds of friends throughout this area and beyond. All of the membership of our church should be grateful to those who are friends to this church and its ministries. Many of you have invited special friends to be your guests today. Those who have responded and many others who could not are certainly appreciated by this church.

The word ‘friend’ is a warm, full word that portrays deep feeling. All of us enjoy special friendships and are deeply hurt when we feel this relationship is threatened. Although earthly friendships are important, we must be constantly reminded that in Heaven we have a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Jesus calls us friends. Imagine the wonder of being a friend to the Son of God! Jesus loves us with a broad, unconditional love but He also walks with us as a friend. more…

Today is Neighbor Sunday. The Great Commission starts with our Jerusalem. Certainly our Christianity should be most powerful in the area we live. If what we project ourselves to be on Sunday doesn’t measure up to what we actually are on Monday, then our Christianity is meaningless. A neighbor who watches a professing Christian stay home from church will not be moved to attend services when invited. Make no mistake, the world is watching and listening to see if you are different. more…

I am reflecting this morning on thirty-five years at Fairview. My first thought is how long it has been and yet it seems like a few minutes when I look back. My mind traces memories of people and events of over three decades. These years reflect a large portion of my life. Without doubt, these have been the years of my physical strength. The older I get, the more I see the importance of living each day for Christ’s glory and for the good of others. more…

There is a massive difference between giving and investing. The Bible teaches plainly that those things given to the Lord’s work are a pure investment that pays temporal and eternal dividends. The principle is that God is debtor to no man. The ironical part of the entire matter of giving is that we actually have nothing of personal ownership to give. The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof. So our God who owns everything lets us use his possessions and then rewards us when we invest part of that back to Him.

Investing in God’s work yields many types of dividends. Our monies, our time, our abilities, and energies benefit as an investment in at least five ways: more…

The motto of our nation is “one nation … under God”. Have you ever thought about what this means? It means that we have this land, our flag, and our government as a gift from the great God of the universe. It means that it did not become “the land of the free and the home of the brave” by blind fate or a happy set of coincidences, but that a wise and benevolent God was hovering over us long before the hour of our conception. more…

Nothing is as encouraging to the believer as seeing someone come to Christ for salvation or to rededicate a life to Him. Granted we are always blessed whenever we attend a church service. Being with Christian friends, singing the old songs, reading the scriptures and times of worship are always special. The icing on any spiritual cake is to be present when God is working by His Holy Spirit and decisions are being made for our Savior.

After having been in the ministry more than 40 years, I have observed a truth that is as consistent as the sun rising in the east. All decisions for Christ made in public services come after someone or often many believers have invested time, energy, prayers, and much Christian love into someone’s life. Paul stated it as a joint venture. “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.” more…

It recently dawned on me that the members of our church represent hundreds of people who have need of the Savior. Immediate family, friends and co-workers make up an exclusive list of contacts. One of the misconceptions of our responsibility to the Great Commission is that it only involves taking the gospel to those in distant lands or at least to those who are strangers to our situation. When Jesus healed the Gadarean demoniac, His instruction to him was “go back to your family and share what has been done for you”.

Begin to think of the people around you who have spiritual needs. Remember, the gospel is first to be given to our Jerusalem. I think we will be amazed at the people who could be reached if we would simply share our burden for them and our desire to see them come to Christ. more…

Today is Mother’s Day. The very word strikes cords of memory in all our hearts. There is no power on earth to hurt or help as strongly as the touch of a mother. The task of being a proper mother holds an ever expanding job description. A mother is an educator, doctor, police officer, lawyer, dietician, mechanic, and much more. Her days are filled with lofty tasks. She shapes, teaches, molds, and influences tiny lives at the most crucial time. more…