Sneak Peek: Sunday, November 3, 2024

An old Monday night football saying went like this:  Are you ready for some football?  We could mimic that by saying:  Are you ready for some rain?  It looks like we’ll have soaking rains over this Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.  We need it!

Well, Christmas continues to march toward us.  On Sunday we are beginning the toy collection for the annual Mission Christmas Shoppe.  We hope to once again bless some 600 disadvantaged children (and their families). Please drop by the main lobby, or the children’s lobby, and select some gift suggestion cards to purchase a gift or gifts.  You can select a Boy or Girl, plus select from different ages.  We are also seeking to collect new (or nearly new) coats; along with new socks, underwear and gloves for kids. What a privilege to serve our community in this way!

Please be in prayer for two groups who are “getting away” this weekend.  Some 160 men and sons are at the Father-Son campout…pray for refreshed connections. Note:  Due to the threat of severe weather on Saturday evening, the campout “officially” will end at 8pm Saturday, although brave dads and sons are free to stay longer.

The other group we’d encourage you to pray for is our college group’s retreat.  This also is a time of connection and instruction.  We love college students!  Pray for a great retreat.

This Sunday we will be concluding the series, The Bible and Your Conscience. In this final message we will be examining How to Cultivate a Clear Conscience, a very worthy goal for all of us (see Acts 24:16 and Hebrews 13:18). I’m excited about exploring this together!

See you Sunday!

Bruce

Questions for Reflection: October 27, 2024

On Sunday, October 27, 2024, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is “Message 3 – Your Conscience and Other Believers” from our The Bible and Your Conscience series. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection.

1. Bruce listed a number of examples of perceived right/wrong issues today that Scripture does not directly address. In your experience, what are some of the most prominent areas where believers often view things differently?

2. Has there been a time in your spiritual walk when you considered something as wrong, but other believers considered it as OK? Explain.
How about the reverse, where you considered some behavior as OK and others considered it to be wrong?  Explain again.

3. Have your convictions of right and wrong altered in some way after studying Scripture more fully? Elaborate.

4. Have you ever felt pressure from someone else to violate your conscience?
How did you respond in that situation?

5. Why is it that people in the believing family can so easily view someone who’s conscience may differ from theirs as being spiritually flawed in some way?

6. What does it mean to “never put a stumbling block in the way of a brother”? (see Romans 14:13, 21; 1 Corinthians 8:9, 13)

7. Bruce mentioned five ‘principles of grace’ that can help us develop convictions about issues today that Scripture does not directly address.  List them out.

Personal reflection for later:
Is there anything you may be doing or saying that could encourage another believer to potentially violate their conscience?

Sneek Peak: October 27, 2024

Hey Wildwood Family!

What happened??

Well, we all blinked and now we are staring down the end of the month of October with Halloween happening next Thursday.  All that, and yet we haven’t had any fall weather to speak of. Hmmm…is that some sort of indicator about the upcoming winter season?  What do you think?

As we continue with this fall/early summer weather, much is happening around Wildwood.  The Samaritan Purse Christmas child shoe boxes are due back on Sunday. We so appreciate all who have filled those boxes!  In addition, toy collection for The Mission Christmas Shoppe is just ahead.

It’s not too late to register for the Dallas Theological Seminary one day class happening a week from Saturday on November 2.  Email info@wildwoodchurch.org for the registration link.

If you’ve never been through Wildwood’s Starting Point class (information on our mission and beliefs…and the first step toward church membership) it begins a week from Sunday (Nov. 3) at 9:45am in Room 4.

This Sunday we will be teaching the third message in our series, The Bible and Your Conscience. You won’t want to miss this one. No two believers have consciences that are exactly the same. How are we to relate to one another when we have different perspectives on issues that the Scripture doesn’t directly address? Sometimes that situation can lead to conflict within the body, and even to judgmentalism towards others.  There’s a lot of great biblical perspective this week!  I’m looking forward to it.

See you Sunday!

Bruce

Questions for Reflection: October 20, 2024

On Sunday, October 20, 2024, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is “Message 2 – Some Anatomy of our Conscience” from our The Bible and your Conscience series. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection.

  1. Bruce mentioned at the beginning of his message the classic movie Pinocchio (first released in 1940, last released in 1992). Assuming you watched the movie somewhere along the line, how much did you grasp about the imagery of “turning into a donkey” by not letting your conscience be your guide?
  2. Share a time when your conscience may have made you feel uneasy about something you said or did.  How did you handle the situation?
  3. Why is it not wise to solely rely on our conscience to guide us in life?
  4. Do any examples come to mind of how you once thought something was acceptable before the Lord, but the Bible gave you additional insight? How has your growth in understanding Scripture calibrated your conscience?
  5. What are some practical ways we can “take pains to have” (ESV); “maintain” (NASB) a clear conscience?
  6. Christopher Ash was quoted as saying, “The suppression of conscience has a narcotic effect upon morality.  Our moral antennae go to sleep.”  Expand on what you think he meant by that.
  7. Spend some time praying for one another to have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things (Hebrews 13:18)

Sneak Peek: Sunday, October 20, 2024

Hey Wildwood Family!

I hope everyone enjoyed the “smell of fall” in the air the last few days.  I really do enjoy the change of seasons.  Alas, it looks like we’ll be having some early June weather again in the next week or so (projected highs in the mid 80’s). Don’t pack away that sunscreen yet!!

It is an exciting weekend as some 109 dads and daughters are on the Father-Daughter campout in the Sulphur area.  The Lord has graciously given them some fabulous weather for the weekend.  Pray for refreshed connections with the dads and daughters.

The Father-Son campout is scheduled for Nov 1-3.  To learn more and to get more details go to wildwoodchurch.org/campouts.

The next round of Starting Point (where you can learn more about what Wildwood believes and about the membership process) is set to launch on Sunday, November 3rd at 9:45 am in Room 4 downstairs.  If you haven’t been to Starting Point, it’s time to go!

It’s not too late to enjoy the free one-day Dallas Seminary class (Theological Method and Bibliology) to be held at Wildwood on Saturday November 2. Email info@wildwoodchurch.org for the registration link.

I am excited to share the second message this Sunday in our new series entitled, The Bible and Your Conscience.  We will delve deeper into the Word as we spend some time looking at the anatomy of our conscience.  What does all this have to do with Pinocchio??  Well, you’ll have to come and find out!

Hope to see you Sunday!

Bruce

Sneak Peek: Sunday, October 13, 2024

Hey Wildwood Family!

Well, we made re-entry back into the USA from our trip down to Mexico.  It was a wonderful opportunity to speak some biblical encouragement to many of the missionaries who serve faithfully in Mexico.

We got some true Mexican experiences while there.  One was experiencing the notorious Arco Norte (Northern Arc) highway.  It is a four-lane highway that bypasses around the north of Mexico City.  It is known for frequent and significant car/truck wrecks. We were traveling from Amealco (where Jennifer and Zac serve) to Puebla, normally a four-hour drive.  Well, indeed, there was a big wreck ahead of us and it shut down the highway.  We sat still for 2.5 hours…dead still.  The “four-hour” trip took us eight hours!  Not unusual in Mexico!

It was also encouraging to meet with the leaders (and their wives) of the church that Jen and Zac are helping to plant. They expressed encouragement in meeting with us, although all communication had to go through either Jennifer or Zac via translation.

The hard part of our trip was having to miss Wildwood’s picnic.

We hope many of you have experienced some refreshment from fall break.  Some great opportunities loom ahead at Wildwood.  The Father-Son and Father-Daughter campouts are soon.  Go to wildwoodchurch.org/campouts for details.

Also, if you’ve ever wanted to attend a seminary class, you can attend a one-day class for free at Wildwood.  Email info@wildwoodchurch.org to learn more.

I’m looking forward to starting a four session message series this Sunday, entitled The Bible and Your Conscience.  One doesn’t often hear teaching on this subject.  I hope to see you then as we delve into this fascinating topic!

See you Sunday!

Bruce

Money Matters: Wisdom from Proverbs (part 3) – Sermon Audio, Video, & Questions

On Sunday, October 6, 2024, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on select Proverbs.  This message was the final installment in the “Money Matters: Wisdom from Proverbs” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

  1. Pray
  2. What do you consider to be the “poverty line”?
  3. In general, poverty is a part of this world because of the “fall due to sin” … however, there are a variety of other factors that impact poverty, including:  foolishness (Proverbs 13:18, 21:5), injustice (Proverbs 13:23), “spin cycle poverty” (Proverbs 28:3), and sovereign outcomes (Proverbs 10:22; 28:22).  How have you seen these contribute to the poverty you have seen or personally experienced in the world?
  4. Is there any foolishness in your own life (contributing to financial problems) that you need to change?
  5. What are some things you can do to help the poor around you physically AND relationally?
  6. What is one need you can meet in the life of another this month in the church or in the community? (Proverbs 11:24-25; 21:13; 22:9; 28:27)
  7. Throughout this series, we looked at a number of Proverbs related to money.  What has stood out to you most from this series?
  8. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

Interested in giving or volunteering to Hurricane Helene Relief? 2 Organizations to consider that Wildwood has experience with in the past:

 

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

 

To listen to message offline, click the link:

Money Matters #3 10.6.24

 

To listen online, use media player below:

 

To watch online use YouTube:

 

Money Matters (part 3) Sermon Preview

Money matters to us, doesn’t it?  Yes it does.  In fact, there is a direct connection between our wallets and our hearts.  As Jesus said in His Sermon on the Mount, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  Money matters, in part, because it demonstrates where our heart is.  Most of the time, our heart lies hidden, but its condition is demonstrated in our actions, reactions, AND our expenditures.  This is why how we handle our money matters to God.

Over the past three weeks at Wildwood, we have been walking through a sermon series investigating the Proverbs to see God’s wisdom regarding money.  I recently did a study in the Proverbs and made a four page (single spaced!) list of all the verses in this one book that talk about money.  Money Matters to God indeed!  This sermon series has been a vehicle to showcase what I found in God’s Word.

So far, we have seen a few introductory principles, including:

  • A wealth of wisdom (i.e. WISDOM is better than WEALTH).
  • Trust funds?  (NO!  There is a firmer foundation to build our lives upon than our checking account.)
  • Rich people opportunities (there are a variety of difficulties disguised as opportunities that people with means have stewardship over … make the most of it!)

Then, last week, we saw the connection between hard work and wages, where we saw:

  • There is work that does not pay (how we make money matters!)
  • Work hard as unto the Lord (generally speaking there is a positive correlation between hard work and income … AND work is not bad, it is from the LORD, so what job does He have for you in this season?)

On Sunday, October 6, we will wrap up this short series by looking at poverty, and we will see:

  • Some of it’s cause.
  • The relational implications of poverty.
  • AND our call to generosity.

Hope you make plans to be with us as we wrap up this series on Sunday at 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00.  We will sing, pray, study the Word together, and end by sharing the Lord’s Supper.  Don’t miss it … and bring friends!

Money Matters: Wisdom from Proverbs (part 2) – Sermon Audio, Video, & Questions

On Sunday, September 29, 2024, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on select Proverbs.  This message was part 2 in the “Money Matters: Wisdom from Proverbs” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

  1. Pray
  2. What paid jobs have you had in your life?  What did you learn in those jobs?
  3. Proverbs 16:8, 22:16, 28:6, and 28:21 all talk about it being better to have righteousness and integrity than wealth.  In what ways have you seen that to be true in life?  Be honest … what do you want more right now:  wealth or integrity?
  4. Where are you tempted to “sell your integrity for a piece of bread” (Proverbs 28:21)?
  5. Are you tempted at all in your business practices to “use false scales” to slant things in your favor (see Proverbs 11:1)?  Have you ever considered that kind of behavior as a sin against God?
  6. How have you seen yourself (others you know) become a slave to debt (Proverbs 22:7)?  How can remembering this picture of slavery help you from entering into much debt in the future?
  7. What is the “job” the LORD has for you in this season of your life?  What would it look like for you to work hard at this job (as unto the LORD)?  There were many Proverbs addressing this topic that were explored in this message including Proverbs 16:26, 6:6-11, 10:4, 12:27, 19:15, 28:19, 10:5, 20:4, 24:30-34, 12:11, 14:23, 20:13, 21:25-26, 22:13, 23:19-21.  Did the message of any of these Proverbs stand out to you in any way?
  8. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

 

To listen to message offline, click the link:

Money Matters #2 9.29.24

 

To listen to message online, use media player below:

 

To watch online use YouTube:

 

Money Matters (part 2) Sermon Preview

How many jobs have you had in your life? Paid jobs.

I have had only 13. Want to hear what they were?

1. Hawaiian Shaved Ice Stand
2. Summer Youth Pastor at ECUMC
3. Front Counter Worker at McDonalds
4. Dishwasher & kitchen worker at a fraternity house
5. Administrative help at Phillips 66
6. Call center at Dallas Theological Seminary
7. Sold used fax machines for a bartering company (no, really that was the job)
8. Window washer
9. Youth Pastor at Ovilla UMC
10. Associate Pastor at MCC
11. College Pastor at Wildwood
12. Executive Pastor at Wildwood
13. Senior Pastor at Wildwood

13 jobs over 35 years of employment (with the last 24 years … including 3 different roles … here at Wildwood). What’s your list?

In that time, I have learned a lot of things on the job … but one consistent lesson I learned is the connection between work and wages. When you work a job, you get paid. (Well, most of the time … I did have one job that I was promised a wage I never received). Some jobs paid by the hour, others paid a monthly salary, and still others paid by the job. But the steady lesson was this: “The wages of work is money.” And through that arrangement, God has provided the resources for me and my family to live.

As we saw last week at Wildwood Community Church in part 1 of our “Money Matters” sermon series, money matters to us AND money matters to God. That is why the Bible has so many sections dealing with finances. Particularly in the book of Proverbs there are many verses dealing with money. This Sunday, we will be in part 2 of our study, looking at what God says in the Proverbs about work (as it relates to money). Some great stuff there!

I think there are two big lessons God wants us to learn about the connection of work and wages from the Proverbs, and we will explore these principles together on Sunday in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 services. Hope to see you there … and bring friends!