March 2021

Happy Monday, March 29, 2021, church!

Sisters and brothers,

Happy Monday to all! We had a great day worshipping yesterday! It was wonderful to hear from Dave Germann the special, “Glorious Day.” Also, his testimony was so encouraging about how one of East Madison’s early members who is now with the Lord, Peggy Blum, witnessed to him as a young man and planted the seeds of the gospel in his life. As we worshipped through Scripture readings, songs, and the proclamation of God’s Word, we thought about the triumphal entry of Jesus. We considered that we, along with believers from every age, need to boldly proclaim Jesus as King, Savior and Lord. There will be those who will seek to silence us by mockery, intimidation, economic pressures, and, sometimes, even persecution. We must pray for boldness so that these things would never stop us in proclaiming Jesus as King, Savior and Lord to our generation.

We will be having a Good Friday service this Friday evening, April 2 at 6:30 PM. We will be gathering physically and virtually. I will send out the worship order and link for this later this week.

We are looking forward to celebrating Resurrection Sunday by seeing George Linde and Laurie Skille confess their faith through believers’ baptism this Easter Sunday, April 4. What a great way to proclaim the truth of Jesus’ resurrection!

We will be beginning a new virtual Bible Study of the book of Galatians on Wednesday, April 7 at 6:30 PM. If you did not join us for the last virtual study and would like to be part of this study, let me know so I can add you to the email list to send you the weekly link.

We will have our annual business meeting on Sunday April 11 right after out morning worship. We will provide a zoom link for all who want to join us virtually on that day so we can receive your feedback.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other.

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Happy Monday, March 29, 2021, church! Read More »

Happy Monday, March 22, 2021 church!

Brothers and sisters,

Happy Monday to all! Yesterday we worshipped our Almighty Creator who is the very breathe of life. We learned from John 6 how Jesus is the very bread of life. We learned that we are not to be searching simply for the food and sustenance for this life, but for the food that gives eternal life. We learned that Jesus is the very source of eternal life. Jesus’ flesh was broken, and His blood was shed so we could receive Him as the only sacrifice acceptable before Holy God to provide forgiveness for our sins. Jesus provides ultimate satisfaction by giving true and eternal life to those who receive Him.

We are planning a Good Friday service on Friday evening, April 2 at 6:30 PM. We will be gathering physically and virtually. Details will follow in next week’s email.

We will be baptizing on Easter Sunday, April 4. If you are interested in being baptized, contact me, and let us talk about what baptism is and who should be baptized. 

We will have our annual business meeting on Sunday April 11 right after out morning worship. We will provide a zoom link for all who want to join us virtually on that day so we can receive your feedback.  

Remember to keep praying continually for each other.

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Happy Monday, March 22, 2021 church! Read More »

Happy Monday, March 15, 2021 church!

Sisters and brothers,

Happy Monday to all! Yesterday through the message from John 6 and the songs we worshipped through, we considered the surpassing greatness of our God. In John 6, we see the apostles of Jesus in two humanly impossible situations. Through these, Jesus wanted to show them how great He is and who He is. Jesus also wants them to learn to follow Him whatever He might lead them to do. We learned that there are temptations in both our weaknesses and in our successes. Sometimes in our weaknesses, we are so focused on us and our limitations and our lack of resources that we forget that whatever God calls us to do, He will enable, empower, and resource us to do. God works through our weaknesses to show His mighty power! Sometimes when God has used us and we see great successes, we can forget that it is God who has worked and allowed us to be a part of what He has done. We can gain an inflated opinion of ourselves in those successes. So, the question always is whenever some great need or opportunity presents itself to us, “Does God want to meet that need or opportunity through me or us?” This question is the only one that matters. No matter how great our weaknesses or limited our resources may be, if God wants to use us to meet certain needs, He will provide the provisions and manpower that we need to accomplish what He wants to accomplish. God will show through weak people like us how great and powerful He is. God works in impossible situations to show His children His mighty power that enables them to do whatever He leads them to do.

We will be baptizing on Easter Sunday, April 4. If you are interested in being baptized, contact me, and let us talk about what baptism is and who should be baptized. 

Remember to keep praying continually for each other.

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Happy Monday, March 15, 2021 church! Read More »

Happy Monday, March 8, 2021 church!

Brothers and sisters,

Happy Monday to all! From John 5 yesterday we discovered Jesus invites us to scrutinize His claims. The religious leaders of Jesus day wrote Jesus off and did really examine Jesus’ claims. They rejected the witnesses of John the Baptist, the witness of the works of Jesus, and the witness of God the Father through the Scripture. They refused to check out His claims. Why? Because they cared more about impressing their fellow man than seeking the truth of God! Do not do what they did. Examine the evidence for His historical life and for His resurrection from the dead never to die again. Seek the affirmation of God and not men and women. Look at the lives of those who have truly followed Jesus and those who even died because they believed in Jesus. Jesus invites you to examine Him, to check Him out and see if He and others can back up His claims. Following Jesus is not a “blind leap of faith.” Faith is involved but it is not blind faith based on no evidence. Following Jesus is based on reliable, historical, reasonable, and verifiable evidence and truth. If you have not checked Jesus out to verify His claims, check Him out today. Trustworthy witnesses verify Jesus as the only Lord and Savior of the world.

Do not forget to spring forward an hour next Saturday night, March 13 before you go to sleep.  Daylight savings time is beginning.

We will be baptizing on Easter Sunday, April 4. If you are interested in being baptized, contact me, and let us talk about what baptism is and who should be baptized. 

Remember to keep praying continually for each other.

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Happy Monday, March 8, 2021 church! Read More »

Happy Monday, March 1, 2021 church!

Sisters and brothers,

Happy Monday to all! Yesterday as we celebrated communion together, we focused on Jesus, who He is and all He has done to rescue us from our condemnation and to make us part of His eternal community. We considered the price paid so we could be saved. We considered who Jesus is and claimed to be from John 5. Jesus is one with God the Father. Jesus is the unique and only eternal Son of God. Jesus is the judge of the whole world. Jesus is the One who will one day call out of the grave the dead bodies of all who have died physically and raise them to eternal life or eternal condemnation. You cannot be neutral about Jesus. You cannot just think He was some great moral teacher because moral teachers do not make the kind of claims about themselves that Jesus made. You have to decide who you believe Jesus to be. Jesus was either a lunatic, a liar or Savior and Lord who has the right to rule our lives. What have you decided about Jesus?

We will be baptizing on Easter Sunday, April 4. If you are interested in being baptized, contact me, and let us talk about what baptism is and who should be baptized. 

Remember to keep praying continually for each other.

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Happy Monday, March 1, 2021 church! Read More »