This Sunday we took a break from Genesis to celebrate the gift of gospel partners as we had the privilege of having one of our international partners visiting us. In Philippians 1.3-30, there are four ways we see the blessing of faithful friends in the gospel. We see this through: 1) Paul’s Gratitude, 2) Paul’s Prayer, 3) Paul’s Suffering, and 4) Paul’s Charge.

This past week we lost a dear sister after a year-long grueling battle with cancer. She exemplified what it meant to glorify Jesus in her living and in her dying. And so, in honor of her life and death, we took a break from 1 Timothy to consider two simple truths from Philippians 1.21 to help us follow in her foot steps: 1)to Live is Christ and 2) to Die is Gain.

We take a break from 1 Timothy to survey the book of Philippians to spend some time thinking about gospel-partnerships. In Philippians, we can find at least 5 qualities every gospel-partnership must cultivate if we are going to be healthy and faithful: 1) Gospel-Centrality, 2) Mutual-Sacrifice, 3) Intimate-Friendship, 4) Serious-Accountability, and 5) Happy-Contentment.

Pastor Van Michael from Kihei Baptist Chapel preaches on the ultimate meaning of life from Philippians 1.21: to live is Christ and to die is gain.

We live in uncertain times and one thing we need more than even is peace that surpasses our circumstances. Dr. Robert Miller (Director of Regional Ministry for the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention) shows us three choices Christians can make to enter into God's peace: 1) we can choose to rejoice, 2) we can choose to think wholesome thoughts, and 3) we can choose to practice contentment.