Our preacher, Mark Stinnett, publishes articles for the church bulletin each week. These articles are designed to teach, encourage and challenge the members of our congregation. His latest articles can be found below with the most recent at the beginning of the list. Mark has archived all of his articles on his personal blog 'MicroMarks' which can be accessed at: micromarks.blogspot.com.
Preacher's Blog
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Why the Misunderstanding??
In a distant place, long ago I preached a sermon and immediately afterward was approached by one of the leading women of the church with a big hug and compliments. She emphasized the importance and timeliness of my sermon topic and the content of my sermon. Yet, the longer she talked, the more I wondered....
I thanked her and then greeted other folks as they exited. I probably seemed distracted because I was distracted. I kept wondering, “What sermon was she talking about?” Her complimentary remarks simply did not match what I thought I had preached that day.
Communication is difficult even under the best circumstances. Sometimes the listener is distracted or does not hear accurately. Sometimes the speaker is a dud or uses unfamiliar or awkward terminology. Sometimes a speaker and listener use the same words, yet with different shades of meaning based on each one’s background. Sometimes one person assumes that the other knows something they don’t know. Sometimes….
Sometimes I marvel that humans can communicate at all. Conveying meaning accurately is a challenge. Yet, we all want to be understood, and that includes God.
Among other things, we call it God’s word, The Word, or Scripture. A somewhat recent Bible paraphrase is entitled, The Message. All these describe the collection of written documents that make up the Bible, a message from God to created man. Even so, these descriptive phrases and titles may give different impressions as to the contents of the Bible.
Many people want to know God, or in our day, experience God. Some turn to the Bible but feel that they are missing something. They find it difficult to understand and come away with the impression that God is distant.
Something that has often been overlooked is that the Bible is God’s revelation about Himself. It is not merely a law book, history book, poetry book, song book, or a spiritual guide. Although those are descriptive of different parts of the Bible, it is God’s communication to man in which He revealed to man Himself and His intentions and His expectations.
God understands that communication is difficult because He created man and He knows the shortcomings of man. So, He communicated:
- Verbally through direct communication, including angels, prophets, visions and dreams.
- In written form through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
- But ultimately in human form, in the man Jesus of Nazareth who was His only begotten Son. Jesus revealed God through His teachings but also through His personal behavior and through the way He lived and interacted with mankind.
Even so there have always been those who misunderstood God’s message. But why the misunderstanding!?
There are three things that stand in the way of God’s clear and accurate communication of Himself to mankind:
YOU
Your attitude
Your desires.
Do you have difficulty understanding God’s word? It might be that YOU are in the way and need to step aside for once and simply listen to God!
Mark Stinnett
November 23, 2025
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hOW dO yOU tAKE cORRECTION?
One aspect of love is tolerance. For that reason, a cherished friendship does not dissolve because of a disagreement or hurt feelings. A child may misbehave but parents do not kick the child out of the house. When someone we care about makes a mistake or offends us, we do not end the relationship. Rather, we show tolerance.
Even when tolerance is shown, we may address the mistake or offense. A parent applies correction to a misbehaving child. A good friend will point out a wrong. When you think about it, correction is also an act of love. Both tolerance and correction preserve relationships.
All of us have experienced cases in which we desired tolerance for a shortcoming. At the same time, we have all experienced the need for correction. One of the most important lessons in life is learning how to take correction.
Most people desire correction when they engage in something of great importance. Correction ensures success. However, there is a natural human tendency to reject correction. That may be for the simple reason that correction suggests that I am wrong or inferior in some way.
Some people attempt to justify their wrong. That means that they present an explanation to show that the wrong was actually right. A good example of this is the explanation given by King Saul in 1 Samuel 15. He explained that he had obeyed God when he had only partially obeyed.
Rationalization is another common response to correction. It is an explanation of why a person had to commit the wrong and should not be held accountable. They are indeed wrong, but it wasn’t their fault. Adam and Eve rationalized their sin in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). They each explained that someone else was responsible for their wrong. Rationalization is also used to explain why “I had no choice” and was forced to do wrong.
Some people simply reject correction as if they are untouchable. This might be seen when someone thinks that their position of authority makes them exempt from correction, such as a king, politician, CEO, parent, etc. The threat of power is used to intimidate anyone who would dare to correct.
Another strategy for dealing with correction is an outburst of anger. The anger deflects the correction making it uncomfortable for the person who is bold enough to challenge. Milder ways of deflecting correction may be open denial of wrong or the silent treatment. Whether by anger, denial or silence, the issue is simply dropped and never addressed.
In great contrast to all these is accepting correction. It requires a measure of humility and a genuine desire to mature and improve. The person who accepts correction takes responsibility for his/her actions.
The way you react to correction tells a great deal about how you regard God. As our spiritual father God disciplines us. No person believes that he/she is truly flawless. So, we all know that correction is reasonable and necessary at times. God disciplines us because He loves us. Discipline, whether simple correction or something stronger is carried out so that we can “share His holiness.” In addition, it produces in us “the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” (Hebrews 12:4-11)
For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light;
And reproofs for discipline are the way of life.
—Proverbs 6:23
The way you have responded to correction from parents, teachers, friends, coworkers, bosses, etc. will likely also reflect your attitude toward God.
Mark Stinnett
November 16, 2025
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The Invitation
On one occasion a dad tried to stop a couple of boys who were running in the auditorium after church services. The words from one boy were sharp, yet true; disrespectful, but undeniable. Offering only a quick glance as he slowed down, not stopping, one of the boys quipped, “I don’t have to do what you say; you’re not my dad.”
The dad reflected on his own generation. When he was young He would have stopped. He would have shown respect. He would have stopped and answered with humility, “Yes, sir.” He would have at least recognized that the man was like his dad.
The dad stood looking on in silent thought as the two boys ran on.
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On one occasion God sent his son to earth. Everyone was busy, running all over the place. The son explained the ways of his Father. Some quit running around and stopped and listened and followed. The son sat and ate with those people and taught them and invited them to come home with him to his Father.
Others offered only a quick glance as they slowed down, not really stopping, not really listening, but only a quick, “I don’t have to do what you say….”
In time, the Son went home…
His invitation still extended…
He said he would visit once again…
But only to take his followers home.
His followers recognize that the
Son is just like the Father.
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To a group of unbelievers Jesus, the Son, once said:
"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one."
—John 10:27-30
Most who read this have stopped and listened and followed. Yet the path is challenging. A follower must never exchange Jesus for a decoy, must resist copycats and deceivers.
Even followers can forget how to slow down and listen. Don’t let the business of life and children and grandchildren and holidays get in the way of Jesus. The risk? Adopting a different father of your own making.
Jesus is the exact representation of God, our Father. Let’s keep our focus.
And for anyone reading this who does not follow Jesus, who is your father? We all listen to someone. We all stop for something. We all follow someone or something, even if it is oneself.
As for Jesus...the invitation to follow is still extended…
Mark Stinnett
November 9, 2025
