The Church of the Redeemed of Beaver Valley

Today we worshiped at The Church of the Redeemed of Beaver Valley, Senior Citizen Center in the Beaver Valley Mall, Monaca, PA, www.thechurchoftheredeemed-bv.org, Evangelist/Pastor David Grove.

Scripture – Matthew 25:34-46 KJV

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”

Bob’s thoughts:

We were welcomed at the door by both pastors and the wife of one.

The church is blessed to meet in the Senior Citizen Center space in Beaver Valley Mall. Many churches don’t realize what a burden it can be to own a building.

The sermon dealt a lot with other churches being nonjudgmental, the “no offense” (i.e., no Christ) Bible, and one I experienced first-hand with the military chaplaincy not mentioning Christ.

When our son was killed I composed a eulogy, and when it was time to deliver it I threw it away and went with what God led me to say. The next week we were invited to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina for the Marine Corps’ memorial service for Dan, and again I tossed my prepared words in favor of what I had from God. Both times I preached Jesus Christ while the chaplains offered internet stories. My son’s comrades in arms would soon go into battle…they needed to hear Jesus Christ. The pastor shared a little of when his son was killed and I don’t know how either of us could survive without Christ.

I liked the small wooden cross with a dove carved out of the middle, and I appreciated a line from the last song, “He knew me yet He loved me.” Thanks be to God.

Jan’s thoughts:

This church meets in the Senior Citizen Center in Beaver Valley Mall and has been on our list for a while. Today our plans changed at the last minute and we thought we simply chose to visit here.

We were made to feel welcome by the associate pastor and the pastor and his wife.

The space was nicely decorated with purple walls and hardwood floor. The chairs were comfortable and the volume just fine.

The untitled message was presented after several songs. He opened with the reflection that one of the songs reminded him of the passing of his son, which surely caught my attention and which we discussed at length following worship.

The preaching centered on how those without Jesus are hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, and in prison and how Christ, as the Living Water, is the only satisfaction for every need and whose blood is the only remedy for sin.

In the closing prayer I treasured the appeal for the gift of “holy boldness.”

Our prayer for this church:

Lord, we pray You open the eyes of this church to how best to minister to those walking by in the mall. Amen.