February 11, 2023
by Dr. Kevin Prather
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Category:
Pastor's Blog
| Tags: Church, Jesus, Christianity, Culture, God, Holy Spirit, Communities, Renewal, Revival, Salvation, God's Glory, Awakening, Cultural Christianity, Reformation, America, God's Mercy, Judgment Day
The great need for our church, for all churches, for our communities, our city, our nation and our world is for God to show mercy to us, and to revive us and reform us, that we, His people, might glorify Him and reflect Him to a lost and dying world. Our great need is to be consumed with a passion for the glory of God and to love Him more than we love anything or anyone. O...
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December 27, 2022
by Dr. Kevin Prather
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Category:
Pastor's Blog
| Tags: Church, Faith, Jesus, Christianity, Culture, DIscipleship, God, Holy Spirit, Communities, Following Jesus, Trinity, Growth, Brave New World, Cultural Hostility, Growing in Christ, Christian Mission, City, Nation, World, Signs of the Times, Walking With Christ, Exiles, Perseverance
We live in a culture that is increasingly hostile to historical, Biblical Christianity. As we approach the new year, how are we to live as Christians? What does God expect from us in a rapidly changing culture and world? How are we to live as a church? It is my prayer that 2023 would be a year of profound Christian maturation and growth for us individually and as a church,...
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March 3, 2022
by Dr. Kevin Prather
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Category:
Pastor's Blog
| Tags: Stonebridge Baptist Church, Jesus, Christianity, God, Holy Spirit, Revival, Humility, Finishing Well, Salvation, Sanctification, Season of Prayer and Fasting, Running the Race, Kingdom Business, Seeking God, Interceding, Pursuing Holiness, Making Disciples, Loving our Neighbor
Our church is in a season of prayer and fasting. We are praying for revival in our church and for an awakening in our nation. As we entered this season of prayer, Russia invaded Ukraine. The world is watching in horror as an evil autocrat with a large nuclear arsenal seems prepared to do anything to regain the 'former glory' of the old Soviet Union, even to the point of th...
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December 28, 2021
by Dr. Kevin Prather
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Category:
Pastor's Blog
| Tags: Stonebridge Baptist Church, Church, Grace, Love, Truth, Jesus, Christianity, God, Spiritual Maturity, Holy Spirit, Scripture, Growth, 2022, New Year Sermon Series
Many people struggled the past two years with their faith and in their personal lives. As we enter into 2022, these things are necessary if we are to grow spiritually on an individual, familial and church level. ...
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September 15, 2021
by Dr. Kevin Prather
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Category:
Pastor's Blog
| Tags: Faith, Jesus, Christianity, Culture, God, Holy Spirit, Christian growth, Books, Classics, Contemporary Issues
Reading good Christian books is a great way to grow in your faith. Here are a few books I am reading (and re-reading) for your consideration. ...
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September 10, 2021
by Dr. Kevin Prather
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Category:
Pastor's Blog
| Tags: Gospel, Jesus, prayer, Christianity, God, Holy Spirit, Suffering, Evil, 9/11, Remembering, Sovereignty of God, Turning to God, Praying for our Nation
We said, as a nation, after 9/11, that we would 'never forget,' and yet, on the 20th anniversary of 9/11, we must ask ourselves if we truly have remembered, and, if we have truly wrestled with what it means for God to be Sovereign over all things, including 9/11. What is He saying, and how should we respond?...
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September 6, 2021
by Dr. Kevin Prather
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Category:
Pastor's Blog
| Tags: Church, Faith, Jesus, Christianity, God, Holy Spirit, Trials, Following Jesus, Refining, Testing, Calling
Following Jesus is an amazing adventure. It can also be an uncomfortable thing at times as He calls us far beyond our comfort zones. That said, don't miss the blessing of the abundant life He promised by shrinking back and not following!...
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August 26, 2021
by Dr. Kevin Prather
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Category:
Pastor's Blog
| Tags: Ministry, Church, Death, Jesus, Christianity, God, Holy Spirit, Revival, Pain, Suffering, Leadership, Fallen World, Evil, America, Afghanistan, Missions, Redeem the Time
It was a dark day for America today. The American withdrawal from Afghanistan has been a painful and terrible situation. What are we to make of such times? How can we pray? What can we do?...
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August 16, 2021
by Dr. Kevin Prather
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Category:
Pastor's Blog
| Tags: Love, Truth, Evangelism, prayer, Christianity, Culture, DIscipleship, Lies, Boldness, Scripture, Following Jesus, Transformation, Courage, Do Not Conform
As the culture continues to buy and sell lies, and to demand conformity to the lies, Christians must be a people who walk in Truth, even if it is costly. ...
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June 10, 2021
by Dr. Kevin Prather
| Tags: Love, Jesus, Christianity, God, Holy Spirit, Humility, Sanctification, Christians, Anger, Isolation, Cultural Anger, Cultural Moral and Spiritual Revolution, Hostility, Covid, Transformed, Do Not Conform, Self Control, Truth in Love
We live in angry times. There is much anger in our culture over many different issues. There is a great sense of fragmentation taking place. In addition, those who are leading the culture's moral and spiritual revolution, see Christians who are committed to the authority of Scripture as 'the opposition.' As such, there is greater hostility toward the Biblical worldview and...
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April 15, 2021
by Dr. Kevin Prather
| Tags: God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Christianity, Church, Covid 19, Pandemic, Culture, Cultural Changes, Anxiety, Isolation, Fear, Frustration, Anger, Faith, Hope, Love
Much has changed in our culture over the past year. Many have isolated themselves over the past year and many experts report increases in cases of depression, anxiety and loneliness as a result. In addition, many report a general sense of fear, anger and frustration as they have tried to navigate the past year of Covid-19 as well as the economic uncertainty, social upheava...
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April 10, 2021
by Dr. Kevin Prather
| Tags: Church, Jesus, Christianity, Culture, God, Holy Spirit, Scripture, Secularism, Bible, Christians, Culture. Spiritual Warfare, Cultural Storm, Woke Ideology, Intersectionality, Critical Race Theory, New Atheism, Queer Theory, Cultural Shifts, Spiritual perseverance
The coming cultural storm is ultimately a spiritual storm. Christians in America have not seen anything like it in our history. Are you prepared? How are we to live and what do we need to do?...
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March 29, 2021
by Dr. Kevin Prather
| Tags: Stonebridge Baptist Church, Truth, Resurrection, Jesus, Christianity, God, Holy Spirit, Who is Jesus, Easter Sunday
If Jesus rose from the grave, He is exactly who He claimed to be and is worthy of all praise, glory and honor. He is worthy of our everything. If He did not rise from the dead, then He is of no importance whatsoever....
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March 17, 2021
by Dr. Kevin Prather
| Tags: God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Bible, Church, Christianity, Social Justice Gospel, Woke Gospel, Intersectionalilty, Political Correctness, Conformity, Changing Culture
To follow Jesus means the world will not like us. We have a choice to make: please God or man. The great danger for Christians in America is to believe the lie that we can both be liked by the emerging culture and approved by God at the same time. We must choose...
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February 9, 2021
by Dr. Kevin Prather
| Tags: God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Covid 19, Trials, Tests, God's Sovereignty, God's Goodness, Christianity, Faith, God's Glory, Following Jesus
Trials and tests (and suffering) are a part of our Christian life. Jesus calls us to trust Him, even if we do not always understand what He is doing (or why). Our Lord is Sovereign and Good and is working in our circumstances for His glory and our ultimate good, therefore we can rest in Him, and, we must....
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December 27, 2020
by Dr. Kevin Prather
| Tags: God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Bible, 2021, New Year, Following Jesus, Christianity, Refocus, Priorities, Church
If you found yourself drifting in 2020, the new year offers a wonderful opportunity to refocus on the One who truly matters. As a church, we have an opportunity to refocus on Christ's mission....
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August 12, 2020
by Dr. Kevin Prather
| Tags: Gospel, Love, Jesus, Christianity, Culture, God, Holy Spirit, Scriptures, Christians, progressivism, wokeness, the church, ministers, Idolatry, Man Pleasing, Repentance, Affirmation
There are many problems with the emerging trend of 'progressive Christianity,' but the root issue is a fundamental denial of both the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Lordship of Christ...
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July 14, 2020
by Dr. Kevin Prather
| Tags: Christianity, Christ, Following Jesus, Culture, Cancel Culture, Anger, Christian Courage, Faith, Hope, Love, God, Jesus, Church, Holy Spirit, Scripture, God's Word,
Our culture is experiencing a war of ideas unlike anything most of us have seen in our lifetime. There is much darkness and anger in the culture. As the Cancel Culture expands, will Christians stand in faith or compromise?...
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May 30, 2020
by Dr. Kevin Prather
| Tags: Gospel, God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, American Culture, Racism, Fragmented Culture, Christianity, Peacemaking, Power of Gospel, Healing, Work
America is fragmented. There is anger in the streets and there is fear, accusations, hatred and mistrust and pain. As Christians, we believe the gospel changes everything. We believe that Jesus truly saves and changes us and our life trajectory. Instead of retreating from the cultural chaos, we must lovingly engage with the gospel of Christ. Instead of clinging to secular ...
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March 29, 2020
by Dr. Kevin Prather
| Tags: Coronavirus, Covid 19, God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Movement of God, Christianity, Seeking Hope, Gospel, Awakening, Revival, prayer, Hunger for Word
These are uncertain times, and people are justifiably concerned, but the Lord is at work! We must stay in prayer and in the Word and fix our eyes on Christ to run the race before us....
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September 17, 2019
by Dr. Kevin Prather
| Tags: Young Men, Manhood, Toxic Masculinity, Biblical Manhood, Youth, Fathers, Parents, Christianity, Virtues, Sacrifice, Leadership, Passive Men, Absent Fathers, Jordan Peterson, Jocko Willink, David Goggins, Joe Rogan, Tim Ferris, Podcasts, the Apostle Paul, the Early Church, Families, Christ, God, Holy Spirit, Maturity
Young men (and even men in their 40's) are turning to a group of men who have much to say about manhood, some of it good, some of it slightly off base, some of it the gospel of self-help as opposed to Gospel, and most of it a form of Stoicism because they were not taught what it means to be a man in the home, did not see it modeled, are taught by the culture that manhood i...
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July 26, 2019
by Dr. Kevin Prather
| Tags: God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Christianity, Church, Family Ministry, Children's Ministry, Youth Ministry, Young Adult Ministry, DIscipleship, Equipping, Everyone
We must implement a comprehensive discipleship platform that impacts families if we are to build strong disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ and if we are to make disciples in this ever changing culture....
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May 15, 2019
by Dr. Kevin Prather
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Category:
Pastor's Blog
| Tags: Paul, Pain, Suffering, God's Glory, Our Growth, Gospel, Jesus, Christianity, Holy Spirit, Frailty, Opposition, Persecution, Hardships, Trials, Sanctification
Jesus' primary concern is not our comfort, rather our becoming more like Him. He desires our ultimate good which means our sanctification and intimacy with Him, and that God is glorified in our lives. There are times in which those primary purposes are accomplished through trials, troubles, hardships and pain. ...
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April 19, 2019
by Dr. Kevin Prather
| Tags: Jesus, Easter, Resurrection, Truth Claims of Christianity, Christianity, Victory
Everything in Christianity hinges on the resurrection. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, Christianity is a lie and irrelevant. If Jesus did rise from the dead, Christianity is true and the most important issue in life is how one responds to the Gospel of Jesus Christ...
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March 18, 2019
by Dr. Kevin Prather
| Tags: Jesus, Gospel, Easter, Christianity, Faith, Jesus' Demands, Jesus' Claims, Avoiding Jesus, Cultural Jesus
We are not free to edit out the parts of Jesus that make us uncomfortable. We are not free to worship a Jesus made in our image. The only Jesus who can save us is the Jesus Who Is....
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February 6, 2019
by Dr. Kevin Prather
| Tags: Christianity, Evangelicalism, American Christianity, American Evangelical Churches, Church, Jesus, Faith, Post Christian Culture, Truth, God, Holy Spirit, Relationships, Conviction
Evangelical Christians can learn much from our brothers and sisters in Christ who live in Western Europe. As America slides into a Post-Christian culture, there will be new challenges for most believers in the culture. We can learn from those who stand firm overseas....
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January 31, 2019
by Dr. Kevin Prather
| Tags: Children, Infanticide, Babies, Life, Pro-Life, Abortion, Murder, Christianity, Created, Value of Life, Sanctity of Life, Subjectivism, Objectivism, Truth, Salt and Light, Engaging the Culture, God, Christ, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Bible, Church
With recent events in the states of New York and Virginia, and calls for more similar legislation in more states, Christians must have a clear, Biblical understanding of the sanctity and value of human life. And, Christians must be willing to lovingly but clearly and firmly articulate Truth and take redemptive, positive action to minister to the unborn to save lives. ...
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June 25, 2018
by Dr. Kevin Prather
| Tags: God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Faith, Christianity, Abraham, Lessons, Trials, Tests, Growing, Becoming
If you're going to grow in Christ, you must be stretched. Trials and tests are God's ordained means of growing our faith....
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May 21, 2017
by Dr. Kevin Prather
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Category:
Pastor's Blog
| Tags: Gospel, Church, Truth, Meaning, Life, Jesus, Christianity, Culture, DIscipleship, Consumerism, Lies, Meaningless, Time
Twobooks have profoundly grabbed my attention the past few months. One is "Impossible People," by Os Guinness, the other is "The Benedict Option," by Ron Dreher.
Both books address something we may not want to hear, but if we are honest, can sense, because the evidence is all around us: Rome has already fallen (the West-and that includes America) and we (Christians) have ...
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