PASTOR’S PEN

The Good Life

Posted on Jul 19, 2022 by admin | pastors pen |

Having moved here to Warren in February 2020, last year’s Marshall County Fair was the first that the Sarenpa family experienced. What fun! It started with a parade and a bag full of candy, and proceeded to four days of freedom, friends, food, games, music, and rides, rides, and MORE RIDES! Life was good, and the kids were living the good life! They wished those days would never end.

Perhaps you’ve seen, or even have one of those t-shirts that says, Life is Good. And perhaps you’ve never thought about it from God’s perspective. The Bible tells us that God when created everything, including all different kinds of life, he declared that it was Good – and human life, which God created in his very own image, was Very Good. While Heaven is the eternal hope of all Christians, that doesn’t mean life on earth is bad. Heaven is simply described as “far better.” But still, here on earth, life is good.

So how do we live the good life? What is that, really? Is it summers at the lake and winters in Phoenix or Florida? Well, God tells us that we can have it, no matter where we are, no matter what season we’re in. In the book of Psalms in the Bible, it says:

“Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

In other words living the good life means doing good – because life is good!

Enjoy your time at the Marshall County Fair, and please come to the Worship Service in the Grandstand! It begins at 9:30. See you then!

-Pastor Ryan Sarenpa, Warren Covenant Church

Written In Stone

Posted on Jan 22, 2022 by admin | pastors pen |

“It’s not written in stone.”

We’ve all heard – or perhaps even used – the phrase. It’s used to communicate the fact that something – usually a rule or a policy – isn’t permanent. But we might also find ourselves saying this: “Nothing’s Permanent.” It’s true that a lot of things change. Look at any of the old pictures of Warren, and most of the time you’ll see things that aren’t around anymore. Change is going on all the time, so it’s understandable that we use that aphorism.

But is that true? Does everything change? How about good and evil, right and wrong?

In the past few years it seems that our common perceptions of morality have particularly become a subject of debate. For example, there’s been the movement across social media called “Shout Your Abortion” that celebrates and affirms women who have undergone this procedure.

The fact of the matter is that the exponential growth of information and technology, coupled with the philosophy that all of our ethics are a product of culture has created a mass of confusion. Many of us feel this deeply. How can we know what is truly right and wrong?

The Good News is that there is something we can rely on. There is something by which we can make our moral choices that is not only clear, but compelling. And it’s nothing new! It’s been revealed to mankind for nearly 3000 years. It’s been a source of instruction and inspiration to millions of people. It’s the foundation of justice for both individuals and communities, states and nations. And they were written in stone. What is it?

It’s the Ten Commandments.

Beginning on Sunday, January 30th, I will be preaching on the meaning, the purpose, and the hope of these 10 “words” that God spoke directly to the liberated tribes of Israel. These words were not only intended for them, but for all of us.

Join us for worship as we gather, in-person and online every Sunday morning.

Your Partner in the Gospel,

Pastor Ryan

God is Good, All the Time!

Suppers with the Savior

Posted on Sep 10, 2021 by admin | pastors pen |

One of the simplest, and greatest joys in life is experienced in a very common way: eating together. And getting together over a shared meal with time to spare is even better. I don’t know about you, but I have many great memories of the dinner table. At home as a boy, with our extended family at holidays, romantic dinners with my wife-to-be, lunch meetings with parishioners, church potlucks, and even meals in the field as a soldier. These memories stick because good things happened over good (and even not-so-good) food.

In the Bible, lots of good things happened during mealtimes – especially in the life of Jesus. The gospel of Luke alone records at least 10 instances of Jesus eating with others. Around the table, people experienced the joy and love of Jesus, the compassionate correction of Jesus, the forgiveness of Jesus, the leadership of Jesus, and the powerful, life-giving sacrificial power of Jesus. Eyes were opened and hearts were changed. Lots of good things happened around the table!

And good things still happen around the table when we practice hospitality and eat together. The Barna Group’s research shows that one of the strongest factors for passing on our faith to our children is the regular practice of hospitality. Amazing! Why would that be? Here’s a few reasons:

Hospitality reinforces family integrity. While we often “put on our best” when guests come for dinner, hospitality compels us to open our homes. It says, “This is who we are.”
Hospitality teaches the joy of service. There’s something about serving a well-cooked meal to others that make serving fun. There’s nothing quite like delighting someone else with a good meal.
Hospitality fosters conversation. Eating together puts us face-to-face. In this day of technology and all of its convenience we can lose the skills of listening and talking together.
Hospitality is a great opportunity to share our faith. Serving a meal is a tangible expression of love – of culinary talent and treasure, and personal time. Luke tells us that as Jesus ate with his disciples following his resurrection, he was “made known to them in the breaking of the bread.” And that was just a start – thousands of people have been introduced to Christ since then.

The Bible says: “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 37:8). Now that’s hospitality!

Join us here at Warren Covenant Church as we begin our new Fall Sermon Series, Suppers with the Savior. See you soon!

Pastor Ryan

God is Good, All the Time!