Blog
Pastor Ray’s thoughts on issues in the church and contemporary culture.
A Virtuous Woman, Who Can Find?
Boaz said to Ruth, “And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.” (Ruth 3:11) Ruth had the reputation of being a virtuous woman. Precious ladies, what would your...
No Other Gospel!
This morning we begin a study in the book of Galatians. In this powerful epistle both the credibility of Paul's apostleship and the very gospel of the grace of God were coming under the attack of the legalists and the ritualists of the day. Right at the outset Paul...
Persecution And The Will Of God
Persecution is not a popular or pleasant subject to talk about. Nevertheless, Scripture speaks of the inevitable fact of persecution for any and all who choose to live godly in Christ Jesus. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talked about persecution this way: 'Blessed...
Innocent Blood
One of the many moral battlegrounds being waged today in our society is that regarding the life of the unborn in the womb of its mother. This battle began with the Roe vs Wade Supreme Court decision back in 1973. There is no question that according to God's Word, life...
Proclaim Christ
After Knowing Christ and Growing in Christ, we move on to our 3rd vision statement, which is to Proclaim Christ. We will see this morning that at the end of each gospel and the first chapter of the Book of Acts, the church is given the mandate to preach the gospel....
Grow In Christ
God calls each and every one of us to be 'Body Builders'. That is what this 2nd part of our church vision statement is about. Growing in Christ. The goal of the Christian life is not sinless perfection, but continual, steady growth in The Lord. While this growth in...
The 4-Fold Ministry Philosophy Of Koinonia Fellowship
TO KNOW CHRIST- John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. Knowing Christ is the foundation of our faith. Jesus Christ is The Solid Rock of our salvation. Every believer has the assurance...
Parenting Isn’t For Wimps!
It has been said that anybody can have children, but according to numerous passages of Scripture, the goal of Christians is to raise God-fearing children. Thus, parenting is not for wimps! Biblical parenting is done 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. It is a blessed and...
Salt and Peace
The real body of Christ consists of real people, with real issues, who are being transformed into the image of Christ one person at a time.
Hear Jesus
Matthew 17:3-5 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias....
Legalism Or The Lord?
Paul, by the inspiration of The Holy Spirit, shows how the letter of the law is superseded by the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 3:7-18). Paul makes the comparison that, if the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is...
Understanding The Wiles Of Satan
In 2 Corinthians 2:1-11 this morning, Paul is concerned that the saints at Corinth are falling right into Satan's hands by refusing to forgive the repentant individual who was a cause of great pain and harm to them. That concern of Paul is a valid concern for us...
What Is Exhortation?
The Biblical admonition to exhort one another cannot be described with a “one-size-fits-all” definition. It is a word that is defined by the context of when it is used. For an individual who is reeling under the cloud of despondency, it will take the form of being...
Pray For One Another
In the gospel of Luke chapter 11, the disciples said to Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray” (verse 1). Amen. Our next “one another” is found in James 5:16, and the admonition is to pray. In fact, there are seven references to prayer in James 5:13-18. Is any among us...
Forgive One Another
Most people in the body of Christ find the command to forgive one another (Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13) the most challenging of all the one another scriptures. When we are hurt or wounded by others, our natural inclination is to “get even”. How are we to respond...
The Ministry Of Comfort And Edification
One of the best ways to crawl out of the dungeon of self-pity and the self-life is by reaching out to someone else with a word of comfort or encouragement.
Forbearing One Another In Love
You cannot be a “hermit Christian.” You cannot be a Christian with a “chip on your shoulder” or “an axe to grind.”
A Real Basket Case
We are all called to endure difficulties and forgo conveniences for the cause of Christ and to care for one another.
The Leaven Of Hypocrisy
When we compromise we agree to meet the world, the flesh, or the devil half way. You see, the devil loves half-hearted faith because his kingdom is not effected in the least by it. Compromise is extremely dangerous because it sends the wrong message to both the body...
Spiritual Gifts
Care must be exercised when we learn about the gifts of the Spirit in operation. A false balance concerning the gifts can result in “false advertising” with the result being frustration and questioning, “Why didn’t I get the baptism?” Saints, post-Pentecost records...
The Church, The Body Of Christ
The section of Scripture that we are looking at this morning is in many cases the most amazing description of the Church. We are the body of Christ. In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul likens those who have been born into the body of Christ to the human body....
Equality Before God
The church consists of individuals who have been plucked out of the fallen world system to belong to Jesus Christ. Though there may be earthly distinctions that are based upon one’s vocation, education or income, in the sight of Jesus Christ we are all equal and...
God-Ordained Order And Gender
Believe it or not, the subject of wearing head coverings in church is more practical than you think. Understand that the head covering for a woman, be it a shawl or some kind of a kerchief meant that the woman was submitting to the headship or covering of her husband....
The Local Body
The illustrations found in Scripture are so simple yet so profound. One such description is that of the local church, which is part of the body of Christ. Although communion symbolizes the body of Christ, each and every “born again” Christian, both individually and...
“The Lord Is At Hand”
To say that Jesus is coming soon is a phrase which is met with mixed reactions. For some, it is a blessed hope, but to others it is regarded as religious fanaticism. According to the holy Scriptures, the same Jesus who died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and...
Blessed Submission
One powerful principle in the kingdom of God is the principle of submission, which we see throughout Scripture. We see it taught in marriage, as it pertains to government, work, and in the local church. All Christians are called to live a life of submission in the...
The Need To Be A Berean
When Paul and Silas taught in the synagogue in Berea, the Scriptures tell us that the listeners received the word with all readiness of mind, but then they searched the Scriptures daily to see whether the things that were taught them were Biblically correct (Acts...
Clothed And Cared For
"Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time...
Fervent Faith
As we have been studying Jesus’ teaching on signs leading up to His return, I’m sure that we have been challenged to walk closer to Him. A word that is used in Scripture that could label the kind of faith needed for these last days is fervent. Paul tells the church at...
The Submissive Husband
By a ‘submissive husband’ I mean a husband who is submitted to the Lord Jesus Christ. When a person truly submits to Christ, he or she will be submissive to His Word. Thus, for a Christian couple to be submitted to God requires both husband and wife to be submissive...
About Me
I am the Lead Pastor of Koinonia Fellowship, a husband, father and grandfather. I also serve on the worship team as one of the drummers.