Lillyville Church of God

Today we worshiped at Lillyville Church of God, 408 Hickernell Road, Ellwood City, PA 16117, 724.758.8258, www.lillyvillechurch.com, Pastor Dennis Arndt.

Scripture – 1 John 2:18-23 NLT

Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that the last hour has come. These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us.

But you are not like that, for the Holy One has given you his Spirit, and all of you know the truth. So I am writing to you not because you don’t know the truth but because you know the difference between truth and lies. And who is a liar? Anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ.

Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist. Anyone who denies the Son doesn’t have the Father, either. But anyone who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

Bob’s thoughts:

Although we were early, we didn’t tour much. I did find good signage and we were welcomed by the pastor and many of the members. Also, I didn’t have to hunt for a cross.

The chancel is a deep alcove with a round stained glass window positioned high on the rear wall. The low arched tile ceiling provided fine acoustics and the volume was good. I was pleased to spot the all-male praise team in prayer before the service.

We watched the pastor greeting folks and attending to many small issues, hope he normally has help with some of this.

It was interesting to witness the pastor present a children’s sermon to one cute little girl.

A clipboard was passed around to write a note of encouragement for a prison chaplain. At one church we visited, I lamented that jail ministry would be hard to do, and the next day I got a call from a woman I had been trying to minister to saying she was in jail. I think I heard God laugh in the background. I’m glad we could be a part of His recognition.

I believe the pastor is right that most of the problems in America today can be traced back to 1962 when the Bible was removed from schools. We need to continue to pray for a turnaround. The antichrist has been busy; it’s time for America to return to being a Christian nation.

Members were invited to come to the rail for prayer at the end of the service.

Jan’s thoughts:

A friend and coworker invited us to attend her church and today we were finally able to connect.

Arriving early provided an opportunity to wander around the premises. The first thing that caught my eye as we entered was a collection of items for members in the military. I was surprised to note there are 12 active members of the military listed by name on the prayer list…a surprising number for what I supposed was a fairly small congregation.

The pastor welcomed us and continued to greet each new arrival by name. Most of those we saw smiled a welcome, which is normal for a church with multiple services.

The lovely sanctuary has just one odd feature – a very deep chancel. My friend informed me the reason it is designed that way is to accommodate a baptistry in the far corner.

The sermon, “Fellowship with God,” was obviously a continuation of a series based on 1 John. Today’s message had to do with identifying false teaching in the Church and the characteristics of an antichrist.

Everyone was invited to attend a soup luncheon after the later service and my friend showed us where it would be. From what I could see from an upper floor, it looked like a terrific space for such events.

Our prayer for this church:

Lord, we thank You that You guide Your people back to You. I pray Your children are effective servants. Amen.

Lillyville Church of God

Today we worshiped at Lillyville Church of God, 408 Hickernell Road, Ellwood City, PA 16117, 724.758.8258, www.lillyville.cggc.org, Pastor Dennis Arndt.

Scripture – NIV

This is the word the Lord spoke through Jeremiah the prophet concerning Babylon and the land of the Babylonians:

“Announce and proclaim among the nations, lift up a banner and proclaim it; keep nothing back, but say, ‘Babylon will be captured; Bel will be put to shame, Marduk filled with terror. Her images will be put to shame and her idols filled with terror.’ A nation from the north will attack her and lay waste her land. No one will live in it; both people and animals will flee away.

“In those days, at that time,” declares the Lord, “the people of Israel and the people of Judah together will go in tears to seek the Lord their God.

They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come and bind themselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten.

“My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place. Whoever found them devoured them; their enemies said, ‘We are not guilty, for they sinned against the Lord, their verdant pasture, the Lord, the hope of their ancestors.’

“Flee out of Babylon; leave the land of the Babylonians, and be like the goats that lead the flock. For I will stir up and bring against Babylon an alliance of great nations from the land of the north. They will take up their positions against her, and from the north she will be captured. Their arrows will be like skilled warriors who do not return empty-handed. So Babylonia will be plundered; all who plunder her will have their fill,” declares the Lord.

“Because you rejoice and are glad, you who pillage my inheritance, because you frolic like a heifer threshing grain and neigh like stallions, your mother will be greatly ashamed; she who gave you birth will be disgraced. She will be the least of the nations— a wilderness, a dry land, a desert.

Bob’s thoughts:

This church is located in a scenic locale with a larger campus than I expected, but the sanctuary was more quaint and country-sized. I appreciated the suspended wooden cross and round stained glass window in the chancel alcove and the interesting banner shouting “Come Holy Spirit.”

We were warmly welcomed by quite a few people.

The message, “The Lord Destroys Wicked Nations,” is a good one to take to heart as we seem determined as a nation to go downhill.

Babylon was surprised that they were not invincible: they were attacked and overwhelmed almost overnight, the attack undetected until too late. From a military standpoint I have often admired Biblical battle plans and how human smugness in not needing God always leads to downfall. I pray our nation soon reaches the point of asking “What were we thinking?”

I was very grateful to have the pastor anoint me and, along with others, lay hands and pray for me.

Jan’s thoughts:

We appreciated the large signs at the main road…they were hugely helpful.

The warm greetings began in the parking lot and after we were inside they just kept coming. Numerous people welcomed us genuinely and openly.

The building is larger than expected, well cared-for, and aesthetically pleasing with a chancel that would have been surprisingly deep at half what it was; but the paint and the large ornate banner were perfect complements. I also appreciated the unique multi-colored paraments.

The message, “The Lord Destroys Wicked Nations,” was based on Jeremiah 50:1-12. He interspersed much of Daniel 4 and 5 in explaining the overnight fall of Babylon, and reminding that God was at work in the midst of the chaos.

To a large degree our country, indeed our world, seems to be immersed in chaos that is much the same. And I am convinced that God’s purpose is the same now as it was then: to bring people to faith in Christ.

For more than 50 years our country has been testing the waters of self-sufficiency in the hope that the god of science or self or some other entity could somehow figure out how to make things right. I pray the Voice of Truth will soon make itself heard above the din of idolatry before God’s patience is exhausted and we fall as Babylon did. And the fault will lie with us alone.

It has been a while since I was present for anointing with oil and laying on of hands and prayers for healing, and I was deeply touched that a congregation to whom we were strangers only a few hours earlier would do this for Bob.

Our prayer for this church:

Father, we pray this congregation will continue to make You known, and that they all will enjoy You together. Amen.