PASTOR’S PEN

Back to the Basics

Posted on Feb 5, 2026 by admin | pastors pen |

Today in our “Back to the Basics” moment, we are going to continue to consider the church and ministry. It is so important that we become convinced that the church is an absolute necessity for spiritual growth in our lives. Notice what Paul says about the church in Acts 20:28, we are to “shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with His own blood.” Let’s not minimize over need to weekly gather together.

Pastor Jim “Pray without ceasing”

“Beware of stopping your ears to the call of God”

Deep in Debt?

Posted on May 12, 2025 by admin | pastors pen |

“I owe, I owe, so it’s off to work I go.”

That’s the song we often sing. And the reality of life is that sometimes, we must borrow money and therefore be in debt. Many of us cannot simply purchase a house with money from our savings. But the wisdom of the Bible is that we should avoid financial debt. Proverbs 22:7 says, “the borrower is slave to the lender.” In our world today, holding a balance on our credit cards is especially costly. But what keeps us going, what gives us energy, is the hope that one day the debt will be “paid in full” and we’ll be able to live debt free!

But how about a debt we can never repay, even into eternity? That would be discouraging, debilitating, and deadly. Such is the reality of the debt we owe to God for our sins against him.

But thanks be to God! The Bible tells us that Jesus has done for us what we could never do for ourselves. By the work of Christ in his life and his death on the cross, he has paid the price of justice that our sins have incurred. Colossians 2:13-15 says, “He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”

That was written to people who had put their faith in Jesus. And what was true for them can be true for you as well. Put your trust in Jesus Christ and live “debt free!”

Pastor Ryan Sarenpa

Warren Covenant Church

Get Wisdom!

Posted on Jan 9, 2025 by admin | General |

Life in our world is complicated. It’s complicated with all of our technology. But even without that, life is still incredibly complicated. First, it’s complicated because we experience such a wide variety of circumstances, many of which are complicated even more by evil. You see, our circumstances are often complex because it’s composed of people and people are so varied and different and complex. And all of this can be overwhelming and confounding. It’s overwhelming because this creates a complex array of emotions within us. It’s confounding because we either lack the knowledge, but even more, the know-how, and oftentimes, the will to do it.

When we find in ourselves these circumstances, what do we need? We need to know how to live God’s Way in God’s World. We need wisdom!

Let’s think about Wisdom. We as humans all have a great need from birth: Wisdom. Human beings, created in the image of God, have a sense of right and wrong that’s there, though sometimes we try really hard to explain it away or ignore it. So we need the moral instruction that God offers. We need our consciences formed by the Word of God and have a strong sense of right and wrong.

But human beings are not instinctual creatures. We need instruction. Not only on what God deems to be right and wrong, but on what the Bible calls wisdom. In our daily lives, we need more than rules. We need know-how. Ray Ortlund writes:

“Wisdom is more than brains. It is more than morals. We could memorize the whole Bible, and mean it from the heart, without wisdom. Wisdom is skill, expertise, competence that understands how life really works, how to achieve successful and even beautiful results.”

And how do we get wisdom? Again the Bible is clear. We need to seek God wholeheartedly! The Bible says:

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God” (James 1:5). The wisdom that leads to true and lasting happiness is not natural or inborn. It is supernatural. It is a gift of God. Therefore, if we would “get wisdom,” we must pray. Again, the Bible says:

The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom! (Proverbs 4:7)

Are you asking God?

Pastor Ryan Sarenpa

A Mother’s (and a Son’s) Love

Posted on May 10, 2024 by admin | General |

Your very first experience of love came at the expense of your mother. Your first 39 weeks of life came inside her body. You were growing and developing and as you did, it took a toll on your mom. In all likelihood, she was exhausted, especially at first. She was hungry, perhaps for some very peculiar foods. She was uncomfortable, especially as the months wore on. There were doctor appointments, not to mention the challenges of everyday life and many other things I can’t think of, that many of you certainly could tell me about. And this, all before the rigors and potential complications of labor and childbirth. This is the first experience of love that all of us had (and none of us can remember it).

And yet, this love that we received from our mothers was just beginning. Mothers, both natural and adoptive, love their children. There is no more helpless creature in the world than a baby, and they utterly rely on the sacrificial efforts of their caretakers for longer than almost every other living being. And as they grow, their needs only change, and mothers need to change to meet these needs. Mothers feed, mothers nurture, mothers heal, and mothers teach. And that’s only the beginning of what they do.

And all of this is intentionally designed by our all-wise creator and designer.

Love is the Greatest commandment, according to Jesus. The Bible tells us that the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love, and that love is the fulfillment of the law. Not only that, but when it comes to love, Jesus shows and tells.

First, Jesus tells: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command.”

And then, at the Cross, Jesus shows. John, the Beloved Apostle who was there, wrote: “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”

The Cross of Christ is the greatest expression of love. Jesus laid down his life for you, taking the guilt of your sin so that you might become a new creation in him. Have you received this gift? Receiving comes by believing!

And the Cross of Christ is the pattern we follow to put love into practice. Listening to people, truly listening – especially to people who are hurting, confused, lost or lonely requires sacrifice. Being present with people requires sacrifice. Helping hurts, making meals, helping with homework, disciplining and discipling, driving to games and discussing difficult subjects, all take sacrifice.

Pastor Ryan Sarenpa

God is Good, All the Time!