Stephen Bray

Its Mothers Day! Will you preach a sermon on Motherhood or stay in the passage you're currently doing? Either way, stay true to the Word of God, don't fit your event into the passage let the WORD OF GOD speak to the Event! Making much of the Word will honour Christ and Mothers!

No new podcast for this week, so enjoy this past episode on the coalition of @AdvancingChurch where @PastorCroft , @newfoundsteve, and @spandlerdavison dive into the heart of (ATC). This isn't just about another event; it’s about a shared vision for reaching the "hard places"—the marginalized, the rural, and the forgotten communities where the light of the gospel is needed most. 🎙️ In This Episode: 1️⃣ The Vision: Why three distinct ministries (Practical Shepherding, Mile One Mission, and 20Schemes) united. 2️⃣ A "Non-Conference": Why they are ditching the typical exhibitor-booth format for a relationship-driven ministry showcase. 3️⃣ Supporting the Core: A deep dive into training faithful women in ministry and providing holistic care for pastors. practicalshepherding.com/trenchtalk/ep-…

Preaching Acts 15:36-41 WOW! How much I assume on a passage and assign emotion and outcome simply by negative word association. Paul and Barnabas, the picture of grace in disagreement, which is more about being true to calling than declaring a winner or loser! What a LESSON!

Christ is RISEN! I pray today...I will not simply sing and preach this from nostalgia and tradition but rather I will preach and sing and proclaim this as THE ONE TRUE REALITY! A truth that has changed me and offers hope to ANYONE who will believe IN JESUS!

Acts 15:22-35 today! The glorious Unity of the Gospel that Only Faith in Jesus Christ saves us...but that a real faith in Jesus Christ also changes us to be like Him and the ability to even attempt that! Excited and challenged, settled and at peace with this AMAZING Gift!

Check out this update video from @newfoundsteve about our new offices! God has been so good to us youtu.be/H9ySU7__u6Q?si…

Acts 15...Where we see the early Church, stand for Truth, defend the gospel, and maintain unity, all the while teaching that FAITH BASED righteousness is still to respond to God's Love with self-denying love towards others!

Preaching Acts 14:21-28 today...The Priority of the Gospel, the Priority of Discipleship, the Priority of Patience and the Priority of Passion! Excited and humbled, expectant and amazed that God's will, done Gods way will always get God's results!

Acts 14:8-20 Where we learn the Power of the gospel to save and heal, the need to always be humble and give glory to God, to preach repentance and face rejection and persecution. Yet to see the gift of the family of God and the promise of protection and deliverance!

Hudson Taylor said this...There are THREE stages To EVERY WORK OF GOD...First! It is IMPOSSIBLE...Second...IT IS DIFFICULT...Third...THEN IT IS DONE!!! Oh God! Give me a heart to trust Your ways over mine and to rest in the reality of your power not mine!

Derek Thomas writes... "Prayerless churches will always have a poor vision of the needs of the lost and perishing." This is both a challenge to me and haunts me! Oh God! Forgive me when I think action is more important than prayer!

With all that’s gone on this week! The emotions and questions…I’ve longed and looked forward to being with my church family a little bit more this week! “I was glad when they said to me…let us go to the house of the Lord.”

2 Cor 4 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Why not start next week off by joining us for Sunday service at 10:30 a.m. as we worship the Lord together as a church family? Boys & Girls Club kicks off again this week as well as our Young Adults Group! #calvarybaptistnl #sundayworship #boysandgirlsclub #youngadultsministry

Pastors, God works all things for our good…including a brutally hard ministry situation. But it will definitely require faith to believe this promise from God. But it is true for you.

Brothers, Sunday is over. 45% of all SBC churches had fewer than 50 in worship. 71% fewer than 99 and 88% fewer than 199. But numbers alone don’t reveal the work of God among us. Only eternity will reveal the true results of your labors today. Rest well in Jesus tonight

Acts 11:1-18...Peter's actions questioned, but Ultimately it's the gospel that is questioned. Peter stays calm and patient. He simply tells the truth and presents nothing more than God's Word which leads to acceptance and celebration! Maybe we can all learn something from this!?

Baby Dedication Sunday for me and Calvary Baptist Church...Can't wait to celebrate family and to challenge us all to give our kids Jesus not religion, to show them relationship and not rules and to give them assurance in Christ being Saviour to their kids and not them!

Jesus, don’t let us get away with having a theology of grace but a vocabulary of criticism, an attitude of resentment, the spending patterns of a spoiled middle-schooler, and the schedule of a driven affirmation/acquisition junkie.