Rev. Dr. Richard L. Shaw, Pastor

The church that Jesus is building is to be a community of redeemed people who love God and faithfully support each other.  We find and develop our gifts and use them to strengthen the church and reach out to the unchurched. It is not the case that some of the members of Christ’s body have no gifts. All are gifted, though some are unaware of their gift or gifts. Not all can sing, teach, preach, give messages in tongues or interpret tongues, or prophesy; not all have gifts of healing’s. But all can be good givers and help provide the Church with resources to better implement our outreach to those who need Jesus. All can develop sensitivity toward guests and make them feel welcome and loved in the church. A common complaint of the unchurched is “Yeah, you have a friendly, loving church – toward your own people. But when I came in as a stranger, I was practically ignored while everyone talked with their friends. I felt like one on the outside looking in.” Pray that no one, ever, can rightly say that of us! Let there be no “outsiders” but make everyone feel like we’ve known them for years. Tell them your name, then ask theirs. Introduce them to the pastor and others. Show them where the restrooms are. Invite them to stay after the service for coffee and bagels and cookies or whatever we have. Remember, it is your house and they are your guests. Tell them about other services of the church and welcome them to attend. Ask if they have any questions. The practice of hospitality is an important, if unsensational, gift. One that Jesus’ Church has been famous for.  Let’s make it a top priority here.

Rev. Dr. Richard L. Shaw, Pastor

The local church is to be, among other things, a worship center and a learning/training center. If every Christian congregation would take seriously its call to teach – a prominent New Testament emphasis – there would be fewer cults and heresies. Christian truth would have greater, richer soil in which to grow. We would have a holier, safer America, and a powerful Christian witness. What a thrill it would be to any Christian pastor to see his or her people learning the Christian doctrines, theology, history, the original languages of Scripture (Hebrew and Greek), and how to communicate these to others!

As to the worship aspect – even the learning is a form of worship. But worship as a corporate praise to God, hearing his Word, testifying of his grace, singing of his love and mercy, allowing unbelievers (pre-believers) to discover unsettling and life-changing truth – this is what every church needs to be and do. Mixing prebelievers and believers in the same gatherings means there is no “in crowd.” All are treated alike, as James admonishes (James 2:1‑4). The wise church allows the prebelievers to slide into the same rhythm and chemistry of the same event. While not pretending, or encouraging them, to think that they are all right with God without their own conversion experience, they can be encouraged to sing with us, pray with us, take communion with us, without giving them a false sense of salvation before they have been truly born again. But excluding others from any aspect of Christian worship is not the way to show the inclusiveness and power of God’s reconciling love.

— Written by Rev. Larry Sassmann, Asst. Pastor

The unknown always carries with it an amount of apprehension. We have innate concerns over stepping out of our comfort zone into an area that may prove to be harmful or at least different from what we are accustomed to. I remember stepping off of a plane in Asmara, Eritrea, some 45 years ago, not having any clue what the next year-and-a-half would bring. Yet when I entered the barracks I would be staying in, I saw a familiar face and suddenly felt less anxious–the face of Winston Baker, who I knew from Fort Dix. The unknown was now less intimidating. Now I can look back on it with some great memories, having met people that I’m in touch with again, even after years of no communication. Any arrival at a distant land where the culture and lifestyles are totally opposite to our own can be overwhelming at first. We also step into a new environment, and, in a very real respect, a new life when we come to a saving knowledge of the vicarious death and subsequent resurrection of Jesus Christ. Yet, just as seeing Winston in Asmara, but in a much more complete way, when we see Jesus in eternity, the joy will be complete and all (not some!) of our fears will disappear. We in this earthly realm, step into darkness and feel fear or anxiety, yet God’s word tells us in 1 John 3:14 that, when we receive Christ’s forgiveness, we step from death to life; in 1 Peter 2:9 that step is referred to as from darkness to light. We can make that step anytime we choose–Jesus, being the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, offers us this “new life” spoken of in many Scriptures. Do not be deceived, this will bring change, but change that will accompany itself with peace instead of anxiety, with a regeneration that will bring joy; that–no matter the circumstances–will bring comfort. All are invited to experience this joy and peace; Jesus gave the invitation to “whosever will” … Will you?

Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?” “I do!” And one of the first things the American new bride takes after saying “I do” is the trip around government offices, where she legally signifies her new life by taking her husband’s family name. We Christians, as the bride of Christ, begin our profoundly changed new life by taking the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is a joyful and solemn occasion, for his name is holy and he expects us to revere his name: “Let them praise your great and awesome name. Your name is holy!” (Psalm 99:3). More than that, we are told that because our God is holy, we, also, are to be holy. We find this in both the Old Testament—“For I am Yahweh, who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God, so you must be holy because I, the Lord, am holy” (Leviticus 11:45) and “You are to be holy because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from all other people to be my very own” (Leviticus 20:26)—and the New Testament, where Peter reminds us of this long-standing covenant/contract (1 Peter 1:16: “It is written, ‘Be holy because I am holy.’ ”). When God gave us his most important Ten Commandments, so important that God entered human history and spoke to Moses, one of the first was, “You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:7). He repeats this admonition in a tender reminder: “But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 5: 10-11). And Jesus tells us that when we love him, we are to do what he tells us—follow his commands (Luke 6:46).  So we know that as Christians—people taking the name of Christ our Lord and God—we are to be holy and honor the name of the Lord in how we act, think, and speak. We who pray in the name of Jesus, sing worship to “that name” of our almighty God, take the name of Christ as part of our identity, but who continually—even deliberately—disobey his commands, we misuse his name: taking the holy name of the Lord as nothing! When we use the name of the Lord as a curse, we are dishonoring his holy name. When we informally repeat God’s name in exclamations (“Oh my God!”)—so casually that now we only need the abbreviation “OMG”—we are breaking our covenant command to not misuse the name of the Lord our God. Can you imagine abbreviating almighty God?!! James tells us that when we know what is right, but don’t do it, that is a sin (4:17). Christians do not make a “practice of sinning” because God lives in us and we who have been born of God cannot keep on sinning (1 John 3:9). When we do something so casually that we don’t think about it, or sometimes even realize it, we can call that being “trapped” by a sin. Our brothers and sisters in Christ can “gently and humbly help” us see the wrong we are doing and remind us of the holiness of God’s name, taking care not to fall into the same unholy habit (Galatians 6:1). We know that when we take responsibility and decide to intentionally honor God’s name, we can admit our wrong, and “he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This repentance and forgiveness breaks the habit. Then we only have to remember its importance—a command from our holy God—and we are free! The Holy Spirit gives us power to live in holiness: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ—new creation! The old has passed, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Blessed be the name of the Lord! Psalm 111: 8, “He provided redemption for his people, he ordained his covenant forever—holy and awesome is his name.”  

—Written by Rev. Linda Lee (Shaw) Karanja-Sebastian

Board Secretary

 Rev. Dr. Richard L. Shaw, Pastor

The Church has many needs – (when church is spelled with capital “C,” it usually designates the universal Church; with a small “c,” a local church) – it is far below its potential, living beneath its promised power and effectiveness. A study of the history of the Church reveals times of worldwide influence, when the moral lives of entire nations are transformed. Pray for the worldwide Church, that God will bless it with a refreshing out-pouring of his Spirit. As for the church – our own church at Calvary Chapel of Monmouth County – we have many spiritual needs, a new outpouring of his Spirit heading the list. We also have a long list of physical needs that will strengthen our ministry, as we see them fulfilled. One at or near the top is the repairing of our parking lot. The weather has left its mark (many of them!) on our lot – these are not only a nuisance, but they are a danger to our people walking across the lot. On a much larger scale, we need to drain and pave the adjoining lot for parking. The back fellowship “gathering room” has suffered damage from rain and snow, and will be helpful in our tending the “flock” and reaching others. As we pray and trust God for financial resources, remember that God works through his people. Consider Paul’s joy in telling the church in Corinthians of the generosity of the Macedonians: “For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us” (2 Corinthians 8:3-5 NIV). When we trust God and follow this example, we will see these and other projects completed. It is a big, almost overwhelming, undertaking. But God has brought us through even greater obstacles. We praise him for one of the most recent needs fulfilled – the lights on the building! How good it is to see our parking lot well lighted during evening events! Thank you for your generosity in meeting that need! Pray – give – praise – for the remaining ones. Thanks!

 By  REV. DR. RICHARD SHAW, Pastor
      Peter, I Peter 2:1-2, gives a negative and a positive call to the church- negatively- rid yourselves of all malice- hypocrisy- envy- and slander of every kind.”  Positively-  Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation…”.  God’s consistent call to his people is for growth.  We are not to be satisfied with mediocrity, certainly not with stagnation.  Many of Jesus’ parables have to do with growth.  What are some areas where growth is possible and imperative if we are to be faithful as a church?  Prayer- the soil and seed for all spiritual growth.  It is the one thing we are called to do constantly to do, I Thessalonians 5:17.  It was the life-blood of the early church, Acts 1:14.  After the church prayed came miracles, wonders, and signs, Acts 2:22.  See Acts 4:24, 31, etc.  The early church was propelled by the power of prayer.  Giving- a praying church is a passionate church and a giving church.  St. Paul commends the Macedonian church in II Corinthians 8:1-3 “In the midst of a very severe trial their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.  For I testify that they gave as much as they were able and even beyond their ability!”  Gathering together- to pray, hear God’s word, learn, encourage-  …” Every day they continued to meet together…” Acts 2:46.  “Not giving up meeting together as some were in the habit of doing…” .   Hebrews 10:25.  Going forth-  we meet- then we go- with power and passion to win others to Jesus- Matthew 28:18-20.  The result- Acts 2:47b “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”  We don’t need to wonder how we can grow as a church- the Bible makes it abundantly clear. 

There are multitudes of people who try to hide areas of their lives from others, sometimes even from themselves. We may wonder how the latter is possible, it almost seems incomprehensible, yet to admit our faults to ourselves is a hard thing. It is much much easier to see the speck  in someone else’s eye than the plank in our own. Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, pointed this out, as recorded in the early verses of Matthew chapter 7. We have a tendency to rationalize when it comes to ourselves- yet all is visible to the one who breathed life into man. King David struggled with this and in Psalm 139 wrote the words ” O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise, you perceive my thoughts from afar.” Imagine that ! He perceives our thoughts from afar. He knows our deeds, the good and the bad, that’s why the Psalmist in verse 14 of Psalm 19 prayed ” May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in your sight. O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” We can though work to, as we are told in 2nd Corinthians chapter 10, take captive every thought, to make it obedient to Christ. With the help of the Holy Spirit, let us strive to put on the mind of Christ in all we do, allowing Him to tear off the facades we display – even to ourselves.

Asst. Pastor, Rev. Larry Sassmann

Matthew 7# Psalm 139# Psalm 19:14# 2 Corinthians 10#

Written by Larry A Sassmann:
The Epistle of James mentions how the tongue can be used in harmful ways! This is proven over and over again by hurts that never really go away; By children who never reach their full potential because of a parent who regularly spoke in degrading terms; Marriages that dissolved because of careless words spoken in anger and so many other things. Yet many are also hurt by not using the tongue ; A compliment at the appropriate time – never given, a …simple I love you that is expected yet not received, or perhaps an expected and desired response to a reaching out. The verbal, or even written – (considering social media’s popularity) reply can lift someone’s spirit, as can a non- response create a feeling of alienation. When speaking we need to choose words carefully- but we should also choose our silence and short one word responses just as carefully- they also can have a lasting effect. Let us all remember to do all – whether in words or in silence – in love…

James 3:1-18# Proverbs 18:21#