Pastor’s Pen
2: the act of wearing or grinding down by friction
3: the act of weakening or exhausting by constant harassment, abuse, or attack
4: a reduction in numbers usually as a result of resignation, retirement, or death
5: the people who leave an educational or training course before it has finished
It occurred to me that part of the Christian attrition is due to the prophetic reality in which we live, but also that the selfish part is entering into the equation in the following ways:
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October Upcoming Events
12 – Pastor Appreciation Day
– Time for Prayer during fellowship
14 – CED Meeting @ 7 pm
16 – Women’s Bible Study at FBC @ 6 pm
18 – Men’s Breakfast at FBC @ 8:30 am
19 – FBC Women’s Meeting during fellowship
21 – Spiritual Ministry Meeting @ 7 pm
26 – Medical Missions during fellowship
30 – Women’s Bible Study at FBC @ 6 pm
31 – Trunk -N-Treat at Parker Oaks @ 5 – 7 pm
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Choose Today Whom You Will Serve by Ronda Cooper
Culture has profound effects on gender-related behavior, values, identity, roles, and how these are regarded in
various social contexts. Culture governs the socialization of children, the tasks children are taught, the roles adult
men and women adopt, and the expectations that govern women’s and men’s attitudes and behaviors. Ruth Wienclaw.
that the LORD your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over,
to possess it, that you may fear the LORD your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes
and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as
the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.
with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You
shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by
the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as
frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Deut.6:1-9
Psalm 33:3-4 For the word of the LORD is upright, and all His work is trustworthy.
The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of His loving devotion.
Righteousness: the quality of moral uprightness, purity- aligning with the will of God and this can only be obtained through faith- a life changing gift from God that inwardly changes the heart, there by transforming the
person.
This is a Hebrew term “Yashar” that means both physically and morally living a life pleasing to God. Walking a
straight path: Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No
one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6 There is only one path that leads to righteousness and that
can only be seen by those walking in His light!
are lifted up and our mountains are made low. These are the transformations that arise from hearing the truth:
acknowledging that truth and believing that anything is possible with the Lord.
For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm.
This leaves no question of his power and his authority! Genesis 1:3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and
there was light.
A sinner who has been saved should not quiver with fear when asked by the Lord to step up and step out to
speak for and defend the weak and the oppressed! Our lives should now be full of thanksgiving and praise
and filled with the burden (s) of those yet held captive in this world: especially our children!
We are grafted into the vine, Jesus being the vine: and we are now a part of Israel-her spiritual side, and as
such we are a part of the kingdom of God. We are a nation God has raised up for himself. As his sons and
daughters we must walk alongside our Lord into the belly of the beast, and fight, to bring out of that place of
darkness: our children.
They may be children that we may not get to see face to face; but who are a part of our community, our state,
our nation, and from these very places there has risen up an army of darkness that desires to kill, maim, and destroy what God has said was ‘very good,’ by turning them away from any hope of salvation, of reconciliation
and eternal life.
Remember that being destitute does not always speak only of monetary value but of spiritually being without hope!
are added on to many school calendars as ‘days of observance. Many of these days will be pushed by the
sexual revolutions agenda to keep and make captive all who walk thru the doors of the public school systems.
I would encourage you to go to MissionAmerica.com and read for yourself the entirety of the article and to
read the articles that are mentioned as reference and information; then share them with someone who is captive to the public school system.
protection to cover the hearts and minds of those at the mercy of this wickedness.
is where he will find us, crying out to him for the salvation of those yet in the captivity of our enemy-the devil!
There will be no answer (s) to draw from; for your faith: will have said it all!
for—or worse, their involvement in — homosexuality or gender deviance? And often now, this indoctrination will be
interwoven with racism lessons, as if sexual immorality is similar.
cafeteria tables, special speakers/ assemblies, classroom lessons and school announcements promoting the following
events.
Banned Books Week—October 5 – 11, 2025.
LGBTQ History Month—Month of October 2025
“Coming Out” Day – October 11—2025
Indigenous People’s Day (sometimes substituted for Columbus Day)– Monday, October 13, 2025
International Pronouns Day, October 15, 2025.
Spirit Day, October 16, 2025, sponsored by GLAAD.
Solidarity Week (formerly Ally Week), 2025
Transgender Awareness Week, November 13-19, 2025.
Transgender Day of Remembrance— November 20, 2025
No Name-Calling Week, January 19-23, 2026
National Day of Reading (promoting gender confusion) –end of February 2026 ( date to be announced
Black History Month– all of February.2026
Transgender Day of Visibility— March 31, 2026
Day of (no) Silence— April 2026 ( date to be announced
International Day against Homophobia, Trans- phobia, and Bi-phobia– May 2026 ( specific date not confirmed).
Harvey Milk Day –May 22, 2026.
“LGBTQ” Pride Month – June 2026.
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Pastor’s Pen by D.L. Barnett
The Christian Attrition
The term attrition has 5 usages in the English language. According to Webster’s and the Cambridge dictionary shares the following:
1: sorrow for one’s sins that arises from a motive other than that of the love of God
2: the act of wearing or grinding down by friction
3: the act of weakening or exhausting by constant harassment, abuse, or attack
4: a reduction in numbers usually as a result of resignation, retirement, or death
5: the people who leave an educational or training course before it has finished
Now, maybe I am a bit sensitive to the shrinking reality our community faces these days, however – I have notice a trend. Less businesses, a decrease in population, shrinking congregations and church attendance, a lack of interest in going to bible study and Sunday school, a decrease in students enrolling in Christian schools in our area…. the list can go on.
I got to thinking – is it just a sign of the times? Is it that the difference between being nominal or surrendered? Is it that discipleship is just not happening? Is it that Satan seem’s to be winning? Is it a priorities issue? Is it we are so ingrained with the world’s systems that we treat Christianity as a welfare system?
I would venture to say a little of all of this, but it is deeper – it was prophesied by the Apostle Paul that this was going to happen – attrition among Christians. Look at the following verses:
2 Thessalonians 2:3 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.
The Greek term for rebellion here is apostasia. It means defection from the truth, falling away, and forsake. Its root definition means something separative, that is, specifically divorce.
1 Timothy 4:1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
Here the Greek term for abandon is aphistēmi. It means to remove, that is actively instigate a revolt, to desist, desert, depart, fall away, withdraw self. Its root definition means cessation, separation, departure, reversal from abiding, standing, covenant, continuing.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
And this verse contains what the characteristics of those who defect and depart from truth – even to instigate others to do so. Then they follow falsehood, demonic teachings, and become selfish and just plain narcissistic in every facet of life.
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September Upcoming Events
9 – CED Team meeting @ 7 pm
10 – Wednesday in the Word Starts at 7 pm
16 – Spiritual Team meeting @ 7 pm
20 – Men’s Breakfast @ 8:30 am
21 – FBC Women’s meeting during fellowship
23 – Servant Leadership
28 – Medical Missions
30 – Newsletter Deadline
For full calendar click here.
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Spiritual Ministry Team Letter By Makayla Nepp
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Pastor’s Pen by Pastor D.L. Barnett
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August Upcoming Events
10th – Time for Prayer during fellowship
12th – CED Meeting 7 pm
16th – Men’s Breakfast 8:30 am
19th – Spiritual Ministry Meeting 7 pm
31st – Medical Missions
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Pastor’s Pen by Pastor D.L. Barnett
humidity, storms, rain and repeat. Many are in vacation
mode and looking forward to much needed rest, but as
you know with vacations – preparation and planning,
traveling and coming home all take a toll. This time of
year, I always think of the day ahead when we all are
gathered together with Jesus, and the realization of all
the heat of work, the humidity of heart, the storms of
life, the raining downpours of low points, and the
repeating cycle of ups and many downs.
I want to give you all the word of encouragement the
LORD gives me each summer, when the vacation time
seems to take forever to get there and the saying “I
need a vacation from vacation” is real!
Too many times, we feel the guilt of rest. It is difficult
for us to be still, to rest, and not feel bad about it,
because of the fallacy of believing a busy person makes
one valuable. BUT – that is not God given guilt, it is a
satanic attack!
Think about it – at least for me, when I take time away,
it takes me two or three days to declutter my thoughts
and just enjoy the “going up to mountain” moment I
have before me, after travel and the vacation
destination is reached. Without fail invading concerns
and yes worries about what I am going to come home
to, preoccupy me. Almost like I feel I can’t let them go
or everything will fall apart.
Maybe it’s a prideful thing, or a savior complex, or just
the reality of this life on earth, but it robs me of rest,
relaxation, and refreshing. I know it is cliché’, but hey –
the LORD did say through Peter, “stay casting ALL your
anxieties (distractions soliciting your attention, cares,
disunited thoughts) on Him, because He cares for you”.
Jesus Himself after ministering daily “And after he had
dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by
himself to pray. When evening came, he was there
alone.” “And after he had taken leave of them, he went
up on the mountain to pray.”
If even Jesus took time to rest, pray, be away – and
never sinned, there can be no sin in taking time away….
So, this encouraged me to not feel guilty about setting
things down and aside in the proper times.
of ease, pain-free, not at work, not serving? NO, a thousand
times NO!! Too much time away – one gets used to being idle,
slothful, lazy, unproductive…. Didn’t Jesus say, “I chose you
and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that
your fruit should abide”? And doesn’t His Word say through
Paul “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for
good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should
walk in them.” And not to mention “For we hear that some
among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but
busybodies”, “that if any would not work, neither should he
eat.”
This to encouraged me – after the vacation get back to the
vocation. We are told to rest, and we are told to work.
Nowhere does it say we are to remain on permanent vacation
on this side of heaven.
What are the common areas people seem to take “permanent
vacations”? That’s easy – it is usually not from a job when they
need money, though that seems to be rising these days…. It is
often from serving, giving, ministering. It is rarely from hobbies
and habits; but rather of the very works God has for us that
produce fruit, that are spiritually productive, and most often it
is from knowing what God wants us busy about not what keeps
us to busy and distracted from the things of God and even
sometimes from God Himself.
Anway, remember – take your rest when God says and it is
needed; BUT don’t forget get back to work when God says and
it is needed.
Learning to Vacation so I can Bless in Vocation,
Much Love and Prayer,
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July Upcoming Events
July 15 – Spiritual Ministry Meeting @ 7pm
July 19 – Men’s Breakfast at FBC @ 8:30am
July 27 – Medical Ministry
July 29 – Servant Leadership Meeting @ 7pm
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