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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Don't Rely on Social Media for Truth
It should go without saying, “Don’t rely on social media for truth,” right?
Social media has captivated the attention of young and old alike. It is a communication mechanism that allows you to subject yourself to those things that are of interest to you and at the same time, reject those things you do not prefer. You can saturate your mind with political postings to suit your taste, recipes, automotive advice, poetry, or cat videos. You can subscribe to postings that are of interest and later unsubscribe...when you lose interest. You can connect with other people with similar interests and you can disconnect with anyone you wish. Social media is your world as you like it. You choose your influences. And social media does influence!
The following quotation from Rev. Benjamin Cremer has made its rounds on social media:
“If you take the Bible extremely literally about human sexuality, but not about feeding the hungry, bringing good news to the poor, liberating the oppressed, forgiving debts, bring health to the sick, or loving your neighbor, please don’t act like you take the Bible seriously.”
It is important to see the ploy used by this individual and many like him. It is a deceptive way of condemning a strict view of biblical morality.
In reality, what God said about human sexuality has no relationship...
...to what He said about feeding the hungry; immorality is sin.
...to bringing good news to the poor; immorality is sin.
...to liberating the oppressed
...to forgiving debts,
...to loving your neighbor…
immorality is sin.
If I claim to love God and love my neighbor, but I am known to be the world’s greatest hypocrite, immorality is still sin. One person’s sin does not justify or condemn another person’s sin. Yet, some people reject God’s instruction in a specific area, such as, sexuality, and distract from their error by shifting attention to the error in the lives of others. To them, Jesus said:
Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? (Matthew 7:3)
That was how Jesus illustrated His previous statement:
Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.
So, the quotation by Cremer is just another way of saying, “You can’t judge the wrong for which I am guilty, if you are also guilty of anything.” The flaw in that kind of reasoning is twofold:
- First, to recognize the moral sin in which someone is engaged is not the same as ‘judging.’ To call a thief a thief and condemn that person for theft is not judging but stating a fact. How else can we follow Jesus’ instruction In Matthew 18 and correct a brother who has sinned?
- Second, the faults and sins for which I am guilty have nothing to do with your faults and sins. We each bear the guilt of our own sin. That is a universal teaching described well in Ezekiel 18. (You should read it!)
Social media is not a good place to discover truth because you can find someone who already agrees with anything you want to believe. God has revealed truth in Scripture. Anyone who uses human reasoning to dismiss the clear teaching of Scripture really does not take the Bible seriously.
Mark Stinnett
November 2, 2025
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Reacting to Guilt
People have different ways of dealing with their ugly past. Some believe that they must go and apologize to all those who were hurt by their past poor choices. Others think they must do something to ‘make it up to’ the ones they’ve hurt. Still others imagine that a life devoted to good works will somehow offset the dark deeds of their past.
These are good responses, but they are ultimately only reactions that may temporarily pacify one’s guilt. Yes, that is the focus...guilt!
The problem with guilt is that there is no ‘undo.’ A person simply cannot reverse life and undo the past. An apology is a kind and relevant gesture, yet it does not take away the wrong done. Serving someone you've hurt is a kind gesture, but it does not erase the hurt. A life of service is admirable, but the past remains.
I think we intuitively understand this, and it frustrates us.
Think about the apostle Paul...before he was an apostle, when he was known as Saul. He had great zeal for God, but it was misplaced; he was a persecutor of Christians. God capitalized on Saul’s zeal thorough a blinding confrontation. Saul was on a trip to the city of Damascus. He held papers from the Jewish leaders authorizing him to search out anyone “belonging to the Way” so he could imprison them.
A light from heaven flashed around Saul (blinding him), and a voice said, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Saul inquired, “Who are You, Lord?” The voice came back, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.”
In the course of three days Saul was allowed to think things over and he made a complete turnaround giving his allegiance to Jesus Christ. He regained his sight and from then on, he “proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’” (Read his conversion story in Acts 9.)
How did Saul/Paul deal with his past...the persecutions…his guilt!? Here are three things he did not do that would be endorsed by many today:
- He might have made some personal apologies, but he did not go on a crusade to apologize to everyone he had hurt.
- He did not try to ‘make it up to’ the church for all his persecutions.
- He did not devote himself to making ___X___ number of conversions.
Paul did not try to pacify his guilt. He turned to Jesus and received forgiveness...from God. Then, he simply devoted himself to God.
King David had it right in his beautiful confession and plea to God after having committed adultery and murder: “Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight.”
David had taken advantage of Bathsheba by committing adultery with her. He had her husband killed to cover up their sin. He had shamed Israel. Paul had physically harmed Christians, had terrified the church of God, and undoubtedly persuaded some to avoid Christianity. And yet, both David and Paul first sinned against God. Bathsheba and her husband were not the standard of holiness. Christians are not the standard of righteousness. God is holy; He is righteous. All sin is first against God.
Paul summed up his quest after having become a Christian: “I want to know Christ.” His was not a quest to undo or repair the past, but to move forward. He knew, just as you and I know, there is no ‘undo.’
For that reason, our only response is to fall at the feet of Jesus and plead for mercy. Once we have received God’s forgiveness thorough the atoning sacrifice of Jesus, we then devote our lives to Christ: “I want to know Christ!”
Mark Stinnett
October 26, 2026
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What Do I Do?
The movie was about a politician who was an underdog in an upcoming election. It focused on all the facets of running for office, and as you might guess, he won. Various camera angles captured the great celebration in a ballroom full of supporters. The movie ended with our politician-hero, with fear in his eyes, desperately pulling his campaign manager aside, “What do I do now?”
Sometimes people are fully engaged in an idea, but not quite sure what to do. It’s one thing to support, agree, pledge, and even immerse oneself in an idea. But the time comes to ‘do.’
John the Baptist was sent by God to preach. He wasn’t a city preacher but lived and preached in the wilderness areas of Judea. People came to John to hear him preach. Many embraced his teaching, some became disciples. Excitement was running high because of John’s message:
“Repent! For the kingdom of God is at hand.”
Some who came to John were insincere. So, he confronted them saying, “Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance….” (Luke 3:8) Those who were sincere asked, “What shall we do?” John instructed them to share their abundance with those in need.
The kingdom of God was not an idea but real. It was not some kind of idealistic philosophy; it was a kingdom with a real king and real citizens. The people understood that in God’s kingdom there was a certain way of life; it was God’s kingdom. So, theirs was a natural question: “What do we do?” They wanted to know how to prepare for the coming of God’s kingdom. There were expectations; there was expected behavior.
Even with John’s general instruction, some wanted to know more specifically about their circumstances. Two candidates for the kingdom of God asked John what they needed to do. To the tax collectors, he instructed that they sould collect only what they were supposed to collect. To the soldiers, he instructed that they should not take money by force, should not make false accusations, and should be content with their wages.
Jesus came after John the Baptist with the same message: “Repent! For the kingdom of God is at hand.” He also taught people what they should do.
Here are some general instructions that apply to Jesus’ followers:
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
You shall love your neighbor as your self.
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.
And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.
Can you apply these instructions to your circumstances? Look at each of these teachings and apply sincere thought to your life. Ask, “How does the Golden Rule apply to me in my home, at my workplace, and elsewhere?”
Did you know that there is specific instruction for husbands, for wives, for children, for church leaders, for preachers, and others.
God has not thrown together a rulebook. Rather, He has communicated His identity and character and what is expected of the citizens of His kingdom. What is your attitude?
God has not left us wondering what to do.
So, listen!
Mark Stinnett
October 19, 2025
