Elmira Baptist Church
Online Streaming
Sunday: 9:45 AM Sunday School
11 AM Worship Service
Wednesdays: 7 PM Prayer Mtg
11:00 AM - Updates from Pastor Dean -
Mon-Tues, Thurs-Sat
You'll find on EBC's Facebook Page:
live-streaming & recorded Services
11 AM updates, Wednesday night's Prayer Meeting and Sunday's 11 AM Worship Service
will also be posted to EBC's YouTube page
and SermonAudio Page..
SERVICE TIMES
SUNDAYS-
Sunday School is Live-streamed only
9:45 AM- SUNDAY SCHOOL
11 AM- MORNING WORSHIP
WEDNESDAYS
Bible Study/Prayer is Live-streamed only
7 PM- BIBLE STUDY/PRAYER
ELMIRA BAPTIST CHURCH
Pastor- Scott Dean
6111 California Pacific Road
P. O. Box 160 (use for mailing)
Elmira, Ca. 95625
EBC Office: (707) 430-3529
WEBSITE:
E-MAIL:
Rules To Live By
1. Nothing happens until you act. Be bold!
2. The stories that you tell yourself about who you are, why you exist, and the nature of the world around you powerfully affect how you heal, whom you help, and whom you harm.
3. Your effectiveness grows out of what you do during the journey not from what you do once you arrive.
4. Life is about what you give to others, not what you get for yourself.
5. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil." Correctly identify the shadow and do not live in fear of it.
Elmira Baptist Church
Policies & Plans
for returning to Worship
at the Church Building
A Message from Pastor Dean
Welcome to Elmira Baptist Church. We are a group of believers who are developing our love for God, our love for each other and our love for people. We invite you to join us for music that exalts God, preaching that easily applies to life and fellowship that makes you feel a part of the family.
Our theme for 2019 is "Jesus, name above all names" based on Philippians 2:9-10, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow." Join us in exalting Christ. Whether you are new to the neighborhood or new the the Christian life we welcome you to grow with us.
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
1 Corinthians 10:31
The Garden of Eden
It was in the Garden of Eden that God first extended the grace of religious freedom. God gave Adam and Eve the full freedom to believe, trust and obey Him or, to doubt Him. What some call the God-given and God-blessed "freedom of the human will," is God's gracious extension of religious freedom to every person in every time and place.
The Bible records that in exercising their religious liberty, Adam and Eve sinned. That first fall has led to all kinds of evil, but God was more interested in our freedom than in conformity to His will. That's an amazing reality. God loves us enough to let us " have our own head," as an equestrian might say. No bit in our mouths, no oppressive yoke; in fact, in Christ, the yoke of God is easy and the burden light. So, real freedom begins in the Garden and the freedom is then restored on Golgotha. In between is the realty of slavery to sin that cannot be escaped. God, by grace, gives His people the Law as a counselor, tutor and guide, but ultimately there is no effective or lasting righteousness achieved. Atonement was only possible through One perfectly submitted in perfect sacrifice. And only God could do that. So He did.
Freedom is not free and never has been
The all-sufficient atoning sacrifice of Christ for freedom from sin and liberty from the Law is what Paul is talking about in Galatians 5. For liberty we have been liberated; for freedom we have been set free. Nothing need be added to Christ for salvation: no deeds, no circumcision, nothing but Christ. To add anything of our works to Christ is to put ourselves again under the unbearable yoke of slavery to the Law - and ultimately slavery to sin.
Freedom, within bounds
Current examples of using freedom for license abound as our culture has devolved into moral relativity. We are not accurately described as "one nation under God" as too many pledge their allegiance to identities apart from God. To our peril we have disconnected the independence as a people from our dependence upon God. Everyone does what is right in his own eyes. We have forgotten that to be liberated from the tyranny of sin also means we joyfully submit to the full authority of the Lord who died that we might live. The yoke of Christ is real - not burdensome, but real. He is our King and Lord, and He has very real expectations for our lives. That is the nature of discipleship: a person set truly free by Christ and freely enslaved to Christ. So we are called, so let us live.