August 2015

We just came back from taking 5 high school students to summer camp at Hartland Camp in the Sequoias. At a camp like this we expect there to be a significant difference in churches, theologies, and even methodologies. The same is true for who the camp gets as it’s speaker. This year the speaker was significantly different than what our high school students were used to, but I was proud how they responded and I think it leaves us all with a good example on how to treat sermons and messages we hear.

Let me explain a little about what I mean about the speaker. Of course he was a solid, evangelical, Christian man who upheld all of the significant Christian doctrines. However, he did talk in one message for a while about demons and demon possession; even describing how he had cast demons out of a person. Now, let me just say right off the bat that I completely believe in the reality of demons and that is clear from Scripture. But, I do not think that Christians should engage in any type of demon exorcism since the Bible never tells us to do that and the Bible never explains how to do that. For that believer who wants to cast out a demon, how does he/she even know it is being done the right way? That’s too big of a chance for me to engage in such an action.

The speaker also explained how these were genuine Christian people who were demon possessed that he helped. I flatly reject this idea. As a Christian you are indwelt by God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Christ lives inside of us, we are united to Him, and the human body is called a temple of the Holy Spirit. How in the world does a demon indwell that kind of person? How can a demon indwell a person that is united with Christ? How could demonic power and divine power occupy the same place? I think this is completely false teaching.

But now put yourself in the position of a camper. You are at camp hearing this message from a person who seems to truly believe it, he is an authority figure, and his experience seems to validate what he is saying. I think many campers probably just heard the message and didn’t bat an eye. However, our high school students seemed a bit skeptical and were looking at me as they heard this. We were able to talk about this after the message and I was able to explain what the Scripture says, but they already seemed locked on.

I think this reveals a very healthy aspect of the Christian life called ‘discernment.’ As Christians we are called upon to “examine everything carefully” (1 Thess 5:21). I think that is what these students were doing, and in so doing, were exercising discernment. Listening critically, and comparing to the Scripture is what discernment is all about. Discernment is not a license to stop listening, or an excuse to question the integrity of a speaker, or just a reason to be an unteachable jerk. It’s actually a healthy aspect of the Christian life and I applaud these students for looking seriously at what they were hearing and comparing it to what they know of the Scripture.

Discernment is almost a lost art in Christianity today. We have been fed the line “don’t judge people” and that has excused all kinds of false teaching. Anything that slaps a ‘Christian’ title to it people just completely accept without any examination whatsoever. While we cannot judge the character or motives of the speaker/writer, we are instructed to judge the content of what they are saying to make sure it keeps in line with Scripture. Without discernment we become tossed here and there by the waves of different doctrines (Eph 4:14) unable to distinguish true from false.

The next time you pick up a ‘Christian’ book or listen to a speaker, be ready to listen with discernment. Is this person teaching the Bible (in context!) or their own thoughts and opinions? Are verses cited and explained? What people recommended the book/speaker? Ask yourself these questions before and during your listening/reading to be careful to glean only that which is profitable, and not that which is error.

Pastor Mark Scialabba

July 2015

Caitlin Jenner, formerly Bruce Jenner, has been in the news a lot recently and it is not because of the success of Keeping up with the Kardashians. It is because of his well-publicized switch from being a male to a woman. Jenner has been the headline of a Diane Sawyer interview, a new reality show has been green lighted with him as the star, and he is now a coveted speaker at many transgender events (where he charges a mighty fee I might add; $40,000 per appearance at last check). I will refer to him as a ‘he’ throughout this article, since his biological DNA will always define him as a male no matter what physical changes he makes to himself. How should Christians think about this transgender movement? I will try to tackle this issue in this month’s article.

First, we must make it very clear that God defines gender, not people. He created them male and female (Gen 1:27) and He forms individuals in the womb (Jer 1:5). Defining what gender a person is is not up to the subjective feelings of the person, but up to the God who wrote the person’s DNA. What is so surprising about this transgender movement happening nowadays is that it is all housed in the realm of subjectivity. If a man ‘feels’ like using the women’s restroom, because he identifies as a female that day, he goes ahead. If a woman ‘feels’ like a man, she should think of herself as such, the transgender supporters will say. This is so bizarre since most of the transgender supporters would probably be those who don’t believe in God because of the lack of ‘hard’ evidence. Yet, they support transgenders even without any scientific proof that the person is another gender. The inherent contradiction of this world view is found in that Jenner is celebrated as a hero, yet the white woman who pretended to be black was mocked and joked about. What separates the two? They both define themselves subjectively. How can the public accept one and not the other?

We can’t live in the realm of subjectivity, we must live in a world of objective truth. What if I didn’t ‘feel’ like going to work? Or if I didn’t ‘feel’ like paying my mortgage? There would be serious consequences! Yet with gender, somehow we have allowed subjective feelings to be the determiner of truth. This is a dangerous and conflicting worldview to uphold.

Second, God condemns any type of gender switching in His Word. Deuteronomy 22:5 says, “A woman shall not wear man’s clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman’s clothing; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God.” I don’t know how much clearer that could be. “But isn’t that the Old Testament?”, some people may ask. Ok, look at 1 Cor 6:9 where ‘effeminate’ males are grouped as those not inheriting the kingdom of God. An effeminate male is a male trying to imitate a woman or act like a woman; just like Bruce Jenner. Even in all the passages about character traits of women and men it is never even hinted that a confusion between male/female is possible or encouraged.

It is no surprise that our culture has accepted the transgender movement, even to the point of celebrating it. Jenner is up for an award at the ESPY’s. The Bible says the “whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19) so if God says it is wrong then the world will say that it is right. That is nothing but the plan of Satan: to malign, destroy, confuse what God has said. Transgenders are told to “be what they truly are” yet at least one study suggests transgenders are more depressed and more suicidal AFTER gender transition than they were before. Once again, we cannot live in the realm of subjectivity.

What should Christians do? First, we need to recognize this is where our culture is heading. The things that God says are wrong the world will say is right. Second, embrace how God made you, and encourage others to do the same. He created them male and female, there is no third category. Lastly, remember transgenders are people who are entangled by the deceitfulness of sin. They need Christ and they need mercy, not ridicule and scorn. But the truth of Christ must be proclaimed to set them free.

Pastor Mark Scialabba

June 2015

There has been a lot of hype over a recent survey that was conducted on religious affiliation in our country. The study showed that the number of Americans who identify themselves as Christian is at the lowest it has ever been. Percentages have dropped from 78% of the population to 71%. The biggest decline was in the age group of 18-33 year olds. Now, only about half of that age group identify themselves as Christian. Conversely, the share of Americans who say they have no religious belief increased sharply. What do these numbers mean? Should we panic? Abandon our Biblical foundation? Uproot the status quo? Well, I’d like to give some reasons why these numbers are definitely bad news, but also why these numbers can actually be good news too.

First, the bad news. It is no secret that atheism and agnosticism are becoming the latest ‘fad’ in our country. I think Christians are too scared to try and evangelize these people because the secularists are touted as the “brightest, smartest, and clearest thinkers.” The reality is simple: we as Christians are not evangelizing, and part of the reason why is that we are intimidated. The church will not grow if Christians do not evangelize, it’s as simple as that.

Also, this is bad news because it shows us that we are not reaching our younger generation. I know young people can be loud, they can do things differently, and they also have different likes/dislikes. But, if we don’t face the facts, Christianity in this country will literally die off. As the older generation passes on, the younger generation is not being reached to replace them.

Now, I would like to move on to the good news, and I really think there is good news in this report. The first piece of good news is that this report reveals ‘cultural Christianity’ is being reduced (and that’s a good thing). When I say ‘cultural Christianity’ I mean people who identify as Christian simply because they live in America. To the world, America is seen as ‘Christian’ and many people who probably have no idea about Christ or have ever gone to church would probably call themselves a Christian simply because they live in America. A Christian, according to the Bible, is someone who has been born again by the Spirit of God (John 3:3), has believed upon Christ as his/her personal Savior, and has been saved from the penalty of their sins. As we clearly identify what a Christian really is, the false idea of what Christianity is goes away. We don’t want people deluding themselves into thinking they are a Christian simply because they checked a box on a survey.

Another reason this study presents some good news is that it proves that the Bible is true! Let me explain. The Bible predicts that as the last days approach, and the return of Christ draws near, people will turn away from the faith in greater numbers (Rom 1:18-32; 2 Tim 3:1-5; 2 Pet 3:3-7). So, as this study seems bad for Christianity, it actually shows that the Bible’s predictions of people’s actions are coming true! I read the literature of atheists who rejoice in the findings of the study and exclaim “it’s about time!” And, little do they know, their own philosophical mindset’s growth is actually proof against them as it really shows the Bible is getting it right and the return of Christ is drawing nearer. If you have ever read the book of Revelation and wondered how the world could possibly get so evil, the fast track is the abandonment of God and Christ! This shift in ideology in our nation has begun to pave the road towards the end times.

Now, it should not bring a Christian joy to think of the inevitable judgment that is coming upon this world, but it should give us confidence that the religious trends in our country are actually confirming the Bible we hold so dearly.

In summary I would say a few things. First, don’t stop evangelizing. Ever. Second, let’s not abandon convictions and beliefs for attendance numbers to increase. Third, believe your Bible because it is being fulfilled in front of your very eyes!

Pastor Mark Scialabba

May 2015

A well-known Christian blogger and speaker began a search looking for teenagers who wanted to be one of his interns. He asked teens from all over the world to fill out a written questionnaire, and then submit a 3 minute video sharing how they came to know the Lord. In one of his blogs he shared the findings. He watched 100 of the video testimonies and here is what he found.

Nearly every single one of the teenagers could adequately and clearly present their salvation testimony, not just speak Christian things. They were able to explain who they were before salvation, what Christ did to them, and who they are now (the essential elements to a testimony). This is encouraging to me as a pastor. This means that all the sermons, Bible studies, and devotionals are getting through and we should keep going! Again, we are not saying this is true for all teens, but when God gets a hold of someone, He does an amazing work! We need to keep teaching and preaching the wonderful things of God and let Him handle the results.

Another interesting find was that half of the respondents were home-school educated, and of the other half, was split between public school children and Christian school children. There was no discernible difference between one group and another in how they spoke of Jesus Christ. This was also true of what church they came from. It could be a big, well-known church, or the church down the street, but the blogger couldn’t spot any real difference in how they explained the things of Christ. This is encouraging as well because this means God does not only do His work in big churches!

A find that brought him some concern was that over 90% of the teenagers were Caucasian. Now, this could be because that is the demographic that follows this particular blogger. But it could also be that churches are being a little too narrow in their growth and evangelism. Are we (consciously/unconsciously) speaking the gospel to, or inviting only Caucasian people to our churches? It is something to think about.

Another concern that was brought up was how many of these teenagers said they made a profession of faith at a very young age (5 or 6 years old) but then realized they weren’t really converted until their teen years because their faith became independent of their parent’s wishes. We need to remember if a child gives a profession of faith at 5 or 6, he/she may just be doing that to please the parents and not because they have truly been regenerated. Keep giving your children the gospel and challenge them in their faith but don’t tell them they are Christians because they said so back when they were younger.

The last concern was the most serious. Very few of these teens could speak of an older believer or mentor who was instrumental in their life. Almost all said it was a parent or a pastor. This trend concerns me as well and I think we need to change it. The model for discipleship in the church is for older believers to mentor/shepherd younger believers, and it seems that this isn’t happening as much as it should be.

I think all are to blame in this final concern. Pastors think they are the only ones who can shepherd and influence. Older believers don’t actively seek out teens to shepherd and mentor. And, teenagers tend to stick to their own youth group and aren’t being an active part of the church as a whole. All of us need to look carefully at our life and see how we can better disciple young people. As a pastor, I need to ask myself “Am I trusting the believers in the church to disciple?” As an older believer, are you seeking out a teenager to mentor and shepherd? And as a teenager, are you a ‘youth group only’ part of the church?

The future of the church is bright and God is doing a mighty work amongst teenagers but let us continue, striving to improve and grow, instead of just accepting the status quo.

Pastor Mark Scialabba

April 2015

As a pastor working with young people primarily, nothing warms my heart more than seeing and hearing a young person stand up for the Lord Jesus Christ in a public setting. I got to see this first hand at the Distinguished Young Women’s event at the high school on March 20th.

There were only eleven girls participating, but the majority of them are active participants in local church youth groups. There was a moment where each girl had to answer a question into the microphone for all to hear. The question was, “What is the one thing you are most sure of?” It was amazing to hear at least 4 of the girls speak of the knowledge of God, or at least referencing some truth about God was the one thing they were sure of. Even one girl proclaimed the gospel by telling the audience she was most sure of the fact that “God sent His only Son to die on the cross for our sins.” This is a big step of faith for two reasons.

The first reason is how it reflects spiritual maturity. In a platform such as Distinguished Young Women, the temptation is to flaunt yourself. Your makeup has to be perfect, your routine: flawless, your smile: continuous, and your public speaking answer: concise and clear. You are basically trying to present yourself in the best possible light. So, to use the occasion of a public speaking answer to deflect attention away from yourself, and towards God, is spiritually mature. It reflects a heart that is pointed toward glorifying God, a desire to exalt God, and a willingness to deny self. What if the judges don’t appreciate ‘god’ answers, or what if they don’t believe in God? The girls would be taking a big risk…and they did for the glory of God. As John the Baptist said, “He must increase, and I must decrease” (John 3:30).

The second reason speaking about God is a big step of faith is because of the possible repercussions from their classmates. I understand in our small community there are a lot of Christian students at Shafter High, but do not be fooled, there are many who are just as antagonistic toward God and the gospel as anywhere else. I wonder if these girls considered the backlash they might face at school on Monday after DYW. Would their classmates laugh at them for talking about ‘god?’ Or maybe those classmates would snicker and laugh behind their back embarrassing them from afar? I think these girls didn’t really mind those possibilities. This shows maturity in the area of fearing God and not fearing man. Fearing man is caring more about what people think than what God thinks, but fearing God is caring more about what God thinks than what people think. These girls showed the fear of God.

I think we could all learn something from these girls. Are we spiritually mature enough when we are praised or tempted to exalt ourselves, to deflect all honor to God knowing that He has blessed us with every good thing we have? Or, are we spiritually mature enough to not fear the thoughts and words of our peers because we care more about what God thinks of us than what they think?

Some might say the DYW event was not the time or place to talk about God. In return I ask, when is it going to be the right time or place? We keep telling ourselves that and pretty soon we have never spoken about God to others. We are forever looking for the ‘right time.’ If you are looking for the right time, now is the right time. If God has given us the voice to speak, the words to say, and the listener to hear, then now is the time to speak of the things of God.

Pastor Mark Scialabba

March 2015

We have all had this scary moment: we are driving down the road in our car and the “Check Engine” light comes on. Some of us ignore it, some of us panic, some of us wonder if there is something wrong with that particular light. Those lights on the dashboard of our car are called “Warning Lights” because they are to warn us of any impending danger.

Well, God has wired every individual with an internal warning device to alert us to sin, and that warning device is called a ‘conscience.’ That is the purpose of the conscience; to produce guilt or concern to allow us to confront sin. Some people ignore their conscience, like the check engine light, and have no concern over indwelling sin. Some panic when their conscience accuses them of wrongdoing and they begin a spiral of doubt, depression, and sorrow. It is to these people that this article is directed.

The book of 1 John was written to believers to examine themselves to see if they were truly in the faith. If they examined themselves and found that they passed the test, then they would be blessed with assurance. John says, “these things I have written…that you may know that you have eternal life.” This book is to be the soothing balm to those with a hyper-sensitive conscience. Instead of driving us to despair when we sin, the book of 1 John is to give us assurance and confidence that we really do know the Lord.

In chapter 3 verse 19 it says, “We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him.” What is the ‘this?’ It primarily refers to his message about loving others (3:14-18), but also in the broader context, it refers to practicing righteousness (3:4-10). So, if we are loving others in the way Scripture says to, and if we are living a life of righteousness, then that is how assurance can come to us. Of course there are always times when we are not perfectly loving others, and we don’t always live righteously, but where is the general direction of our life? If the habits of our life are pointed towards love and righteousness, then we can have assurance. If you are on a long road trip, you will have to pull off the freeway to make stops. Sometimes you may even have to drive a mile or two away from the freeway to find gas or food. But the overall direction of your journey is toward your destination, even if there are turnoffs along the way. The same is true in our spiritual life.

John also says in 3:21 that we can have ‘confidence’ before God. I’m sure there are some reading this with an overly sensitive conscience who might balk at this statement. But if we have been forgiven by God, justified by God, redeemed by God, born again by God, then we can have confidence before God. The next verse (v 22) tells us that he is speaking about prayer. We can confidently approach God in prayer, and ask what we want according to His will, and He will answer. What a tremendous privilege!

Now, in no way am I advocating a flippant or loose lifestyle that just casually ignores the warnings of the conscience. Like a pendulum, we never want to swing completely to one side. Sometimes our conscience warns us of serious sin we didn’t know of before, and we must listen and repent. But as believers, we do not need to live in a constant state of spiritual dryness, of sorrow, of feeling unworthy. Guess what? We all are unworthy! That is what grace is all about; giving blessings to the unworthy! Look at your life, are you headed toward the direction of loving others and practicing righteousness? Then, be assured and be confident when you approach our holy God. He has qualified you to be able to do such things.

Pastor Mark Scialabba

February 2015

February is the month of love. Valentine’s Day is huge business and most couples take this special day to express their love for their spouse (or boyfriend/girlfriend). I think if you are in a relationship where you are in love, you would probably characterize it as ‘strong’ or ‘good.’ I’ve never heard anyone in a relationship of love describe that love as ‘all right’ or ‘weak.’ We tend to think that we are loving very strongly and very passionately, and there is nothing wrong with that.

          But in this article I want to share a love that no human love can even come close to. I’m talking about the love of God for His children. If we think our love is strong and passionate, that only elevates God’s love to even higher heights. I’ve heard some old fantastic hymns that discuss the love of God. Songs like “Amazing Love” or “The Love of God” are amazing hymns that try to put into words the awesome love of God. I have to say, in my opinion, modern day song writing about the love of God falls woefully short. But those wonderful hymns cannot even appropriately capture with words, the deep love of God.

          I want to draw your attention to a verse in a chapter in the Bible that is not about love. In fact, it is about death and sorrow. It is Isaiah 53. This chapter is famously known as the most clear, concise, accurate prediction of the suffering of the Messiah in all the Old Testament. It is graphic, violent, and can point to none other than the Lord Jesus Christ.  But as I said, this chapter is not about love, it is about the suffering of the Messiah. I don’t have to go into all the details; you can read Isaiah 53 on your own time. But I would like to draw your attention to a part of a verse in chapter 53. The beginning of verse 10 says this, “But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief.” There are two people mentioned here: The Lord and Him. The ‘Him’ is referring to the suffering servant of God that Isaiah is talking about, and we know Him to be the Lord Jesus Christ. Then the only question is, who is the ‘Lord’? It must be God the Father. So here is my translation of that verse: God the Father was pleased to crush His Son Jesus Christ.

You may be wondering how this shows the love of God. Well, let me explain. It was not just the physical sufferings of Christ that were significant. As He died on the cross it was our transgressions and iniquities that were dumped upon Him (v 5). And, verse 12 says that “He Himself bore the sins of many.” The death of Christ was not simply about giving us a good example of how to handle unfair treatment. It was a legal transaction on our behalf. Christ was bearing our sins, our iniquities, and our transgressions as He died on the cross. He was punished as if He committed those sins, when in fact He hadn’t. Here is where the love of God comes in: the Father was pleased to do this to His Son for our salvation/justification.

Now, let me be clear, Christ was in no way an unwilling participant in this. He clearly stated that He was laying down His life on His own initiative, no one was making Him do it (John 10:17-18). So, Jesus’ love is just as grand as the Father’s. But, as verse 10 said in Isaiah 53, the Father was pleased to crush Him. God would happily crush His own Son, treat Him as a sinner, and punish Him accordingly…for us. That is amazing love. That is unbelievable love. That is awesome love. This love is higher than any other love in existence.

While we think of our romantic love as wonderful and without end, this love cannot even compare. Would we willingly crush someone in our family, treat them unfairly and unjustly, for the eternal blessing of someone who is our enemy? I sincerely doubt it. But that is what God did. He crushed His own Son, His beloved Son, and allowed Him to be treated in the most unfair of ways, so that His enemies (us) could receive salvation and eternal life. That is love.

I’m not trying to rain on the parade of Valentine’s Day. I encourage you to spend joyful time with your spouse, tell him/her of your love, and cultivate that relationship. But as you do, be humbled because of the vastly superior love of God displayed upon you and I.  

Pastor Mark Scialabba

January 2015

Have you ever had a Divine Appointment? If you don’t know what I mean, let me explain. A Divine Appointment is when you know that God has placed you in the exact moment, situation, and with the right person as He wanted to. There is no question that God arranged for you to be there in that exact moment. I had one of these recently, with some students from our youth group that I would like to tell you about.

I always tell the students if they come to youth group, and only a couple people show up, that I will take them out for a treat. Well, on a recent Wednesday this happened. There were only 3 people that came and they asked me if we would go out for a treat. I actually was thinking of making them help me wrap Christmas gifts, but I had to keep my word.

We decided to head to Bakersfield because one of the students lived there and needed a ride home. On the way I asked them for suggestions of where they would like to go. Dewar’s and Freddie’s were the suggestions, but I decided to go to Starbucks. Don’t ask me why because I didn’t even order anything when we got there!

As we sat and chatted, a girl (college aged) got up from the table behind us and asked us if she could ask us a personal question. She asked if we were religious and we said ‘yes.’ She asked if we were Christians and we said ‘yes.’ I wondered how in the world she knew? She told us she was writing a paper about how people choose religions just to fill a void and they don’t even know the exclusive claims that their religions make. She asked if Christianity claims to be the only way to God, and if so, where in the Bible it says that. I quoted her John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” She said that definitely sounded pretty exclusive.

It looked like that was the end of her questions, so I asked her about her spiritual state. She said she was raised Catholic, but was ‘whatever’ now (that means ‘nothing’ in today’s lingo). I told her the gospel message of Christ and told her she could have her sins forgiven by faith in Christ. Then I asked if we could pray for her, which we did. I must admit, I wish I could say she got saved, but she said ‘thank you’ and went back to her table.

I was floored by this Divine Appointment and I couldn’t stop talking about it on the way home. Just imagine: if one or two more students had showed up to youth group, then we wouldn’t have gone for a treat anyway. And, if I had simply gone where the kids asked, we wouldn’t have been at that Starbucks. And, if one student didn’t live in Bakersfield, we would have stayed in Shafter, not going to Starbucks. And, if we hadn’t sat where we sat she may have never approached us. Now, I’m not endorsing skipping youth group, or advocating my excellent choices of where to get treats. But, I know without a doubt that God wanted us to be there at that Starbucks at that exact day and time to speak the gospel to this young lady.

Now, I ask again, have you ever had a Divine Appointment? Well, they aren’t all as magical as the one we experienced. We have Divine Appointments every day! Each and every person we come in contact with is a Divine Appointment. God, in His sovereign plan, has orchestrated the events of our life to cause us to be in each situation that we are in. The reality is that it is up to us to not waste those opportunities. It may not be a gospel message, it may be an act of kindness, or a smile. But we need to think of each situation we are in as a Divine Appointment.

Pastor Mark Scialabba

December 2014

My wife and I have completely stopped watching the news. There was a time when we would make sure the channel was on early in the morning so we could see the latest events in the world. We may have stopped watching because our kids were getting older and would probably want to know what “killed” or “raped” was, and we didn’t want to have to explain those. But I think the overwhelming reason was simply that we got tired of hearing all the stories of darkness in the world.

The world is full of darkness and if something hard/evil hasn’t happened to us then we should consider ourselves fortunate. But just watch the news for the first few minutes and I guarantee you will hear stories of stabbings, murders, and shootings. And we know that those stories are just a smidgeon of all the different variations of darkness that go in other parts of the world. There is some solace that I find from Scripture in a world full of darkness. It is 1 John 1:5 and it says, “God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all.” The idea of light here means righteous, without evil. There are two important truths taught in this verse that should give us comfort in a world full of darkness.

The first truth is: God is light. That is a profound statement made by the apostle John. It is one of the few statements in Scripture that proclaim what God is. He is also called Spirit and He is called love. God, in the perfections of His character, is light. John does not say that God chooses the light or that God likes the light, He says that God is light. This means there is no outside source of goodness and righteousness that God adheres to. He is, in fact, what is good and righteous. I think we as Christians make the mistake of thinking that there is some universal standard of right/wrong floating around in the universe and God always picks the right thing to do. We need to remember this verse though. God is light, He is the very definition of what is right.

The second truth is: there is no darkness in Him. John wants to make it absolutely clear that there is no tiny speck of impurity or evilness in God whatsoever. Notice the emphasis by John. He said there is no darkness, but then he adds, at all. Have you ever read the label on those hand sanitizer bottles? They say that they kill 99.9% of bacteria. (I always wonder if the bacteria that I’m touching is the .01%!). But killing 99.9% of bacteria is still very clean and very pure. To say that God is 99.9% light would be an utter blasphemy. He is absolutely, 100% pure and free of any imperfection at all.

The two truths in this verse should bring total comfort to the Christian. No matter what happens in your life you can be absolute sure that God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. I think we have our own definition of what should/should not happen and we try to tell God He should do that. The problem is, our view is limited and impure. God’s is not. I think the next time an event or situation happens in our life that causes us grief or hardship we should remember 1 John 1:5.

This verse also has a very important application for us in how we behave as well. If God is light, then we should be light as well. That means being a people of purity, holiness, and righteousness. As we behave like that we reflect the character of God. Also, there needs to not be any darkness in us…at all. We need to strive with as much prayer and effort as possible to root out any sin and any impurities that are lurking in our hearts. As we do that, we reflect the character of God as well.

Pastor Mark Scialabba

November 2014

Beware! The push for ‘tolerance’ has struck again. Recently, a city’s mayor subpoenaed the sermons and writings of some local pastors to find out what they were preaching on and if it conflicted with the mayor’s views. Where did this attack on civil rights happen? In Iran? In China? In Syria? No, in Houston, Texas.

If you are surprised to hear that, so was I. But after reading about the context of why the mayor did this, I understand this is the new ‘tolerance’ of our country. You see, the mayor of Houston is an open practicing lesbian and she recently passed some laws that are gender neutral laws. These laws basically say that you can use any public restroom that you feel you are inclined to any day of the week. Say for example, a man felt more like a woman on a certain day, he could walk into a woman’s public restroom and use the facilities without any question.

Well, some residents of Houston were not ok with these new laws, specifically pastors of local churches. The mayor took this as an act of intolerance and bigotry by the pastors and subpoenaed their sermons and writings to look for any anti-homosexuality or trans-gender content in them. Why would she care what these local pastors say in their local congregations? Because if she could find anything said that was offensive she could publicly denounce it and ruin their reputations and/or churches.

What is really bizarre is that this is nothing more than an elected official acting like a bully and a thug. No public servants are elected to office to carry out these kinds of actions. They are there to serve the people, not run a dictatorship. How does she get away with this? (The legal proceedings are ongoing). Isn’t this a clear violation of the 1st amendment? We would expect to see this in a country like China or Iran, but never in Houston, Texas.

It is sad for me to write this but we as Christians need to wake up. This is the new ‘tolerance.’ Before, tolerance meant that we acknowledge other people have different beliefs and opinions. Now, tolerance means you MUST heartily agree and support everyone else’s views and opinions, without saying anything to the contrary, or else you will be the target of attack. You see, criticism is not enough anymore. Anyone not being ‘tolerant’ is destroyed. Case in point: Houston pastors. Forget civil dialogue and debate, the ‘tolerance hunters’ are on the attack. Even though they don’t realize that in the name of ‘tolerance’ they become mighty intolerant of those with views opposing them.

Also, this is the culture’s new view of homosexuality. We have seen the shift in our culture come at a rapid pace. At first, homosexuality was viewed as a deviant form of sexuality. Then, it became more of an accepted practice. Now, it is being shoved in the face of everyone in this country. “You must agree with this…or else” is the mindset of proponents of homosexuality. And it’s not just homosexuality anymore. Now it’s transgender desires and inclinations.

I say again: Beware, Christian. The day is fast approaching where you will be asked what you think of homosexuality. Not as a question of genuine interest or in the spirit of civil dialogue, but as a probing to see whether or not you are in line with the new ‘tolerance.’ And if you are not, be ready for the consequences. What will we see when that day of questioning comes? Will we willingly receive the consequences for standing on our convictions?

Pastor Mark Scialabba

August 2014

One of my hobbies outside of work is watching sports. I’ve inherited this trait from my father, who could watch any sport on TV at any time. I love watching sports because it is real (not like reality TV), unscripted, and very human. One thing though that I cannot stand about sports is trash talking. There are always certain players who love to trash talk and it always seems like they get the most camera time. Nobody wants to interview the humble athlete who is just doing his job. Everybody wants to hear what the trash talker has to say.

What’s amazing about trash talkers are those that can back it up with action. Anybody can trash talk, but certain players have the gift of being able to back up the talking with action. All the basketball players who played against him said Michael Jordan was the biggest trash talker ever. But he backed it up by winning 6 championships! This year the Seattle Seahawks gained notoriety for their trash talking, and went on to dominate the Broncos in the Super Bowl. Those two examples talked the talk and walked the walk.

When it comes to our faith, we know how to talk the talk. We have no hesitation telling people we are Christians, or that we go to church, or that Jesus is our Lord and Savior. Where we struggle, however, is having our actions in life back up our talk. When it comes to the Christian life, we have to walk the walk not just talk the talk.    

The second part of 2 Timothy 2:19 says, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.” Do you see the talking and the walking in this verse? If you name the name of the Lord, then that is talking the talk. But if you talk that talk, then you must back it up with staying away from wickedness.

The verse is very clear that we are to abstain from wickedness. It is not ok to dabble with wickedness, or try out wickedness, or be slightly wicked. We are to abstain from wickedness. Some kinds of wickedness that come to mind would be: lying, stealing, cheating, gossiping, complaining, hurting, insulting, etc. Those are all forms of wickedness and those are the things we are to abstain from.

What is at stake is the name of the Lord, as the first part of the quote says. If we go around naming the name of the Lord, then we have to live in such a way that it brings honor to His name, not shame. In Biblical times, they lived in a very shame/honor society. Doing something evil or wrong would embarrass or shame your family name. Honor and respect was held to very high esteem. We can imagine what it would be like for someone to shame their family name, but it goes even deeper for the Christian. We not only have our name, but the name of our Lord. If we name Christ as our Lord that means He is our master, we belong to Him. Any wickedness we do brings dishonor to His glorious name. Imagine how embarrassing it would be to have a servant do something that brought dishonor to his master. We need to think of this the same way for us. Jesus is our Master, we are His servants.

As we go about our everyday life we must consider all of our actions as to how it will affect our testimony of Jesus as our Lord. If it will bring shame or dishonor to our Lord then we must abstain from doing it. Even if the Bible doesn’t specifically say it is wrong, we should still abstain for the sake of the name of our Lord. We have to make sure that in all we do, we must not only talk the talk but walk the walk as well.

Pastor Mark Scialabba

July 2014

In just a couple of weeks we will be sending our young people out to summer camp again. We go to camp every summer, and while the possibility of repetition is always a possibility, we continue to see the Lord working in this ministry.

I did not grow up in a Christian home so I never went to a summer camp, let alone a Christian camp. My first experience at Christian summer camp came when I was a counselor for our Junior boys back in 2009. I had no idea what camp was like, but I was the counselor! The impression that Hartland camp left upon me was nothing but positive. The teaching, as well as all the fun stuff, was top notch. That is why we have continued to go there all these years.

I used to think that our young people only wanted to go to camp just to get away for a week, or to play some really cool games that they can’t play at home. But what I have seen is that they truly care about the spiritual side. Our young people ask me, “who is leading worship?” And, “who is the speaker this year?” Those are things I thought would not even be on their radar, but they want to know.

Also, whenever I ask our young people about their best spiritual moments or most memorable spiritual moments, their time at Hartland camp always comes first. There is just something about summer camp, being away from the everyday, separated from all the cell phones and TV’s, that allows the Word of God to really get through to these students. And, we have seen some of our students come to faith in Christ at camp, and even students who weren’t a part of group have come to faith there. Seeing someone else come to faith can be a tremendous experience for young people to have.

I also take our youth group to camp every summer because of a selfish reason. It’s not that I enjoy the games…and the mud, I really don’t. In fact, I laugh with our students telling them I’m the worst counselor when it comes to participation (I haven’t been in the mud pit in 5 years!). I go to camp for the teaching and fellowship as well. I want to learn and grow just as much as everybody else. Even last year I was able to meet and fellowship with another youth pastor and we formed a really neat bond. I would even challenge anyone reading this to consider being a counselor for our young people just so you can be taught and challenged as well!

It may seem like the same old thing going to camp every year, but it really has brought our young people amazing experiences, including salvation. Please continue to support and pray for our campers.

Pastor Mark Scialabba

May 2014

Back in the first week of April I was able to attend a Pastor’s Conference on Evangelism to prepare me to become a Senior Pastor. The conference was called Together for the Gospel, which is a group of pastors who agree on one central thing: the gospel. These pastors may differ on other points of theology or church organization, but they come together for this conference because they all agree on how people get saved.

The conference was in Louisville, Kentucky because that is the home of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (one of the largest seminaries in the world). Students from the seminary, as well as pastors from all over the country were there with a total registration of over 7,000. Be encouraged that there are men proclaiming the gospel all over this country! I’ve never heard such world class speakers in all my life and I would encourage you to check out the website to view any of the sessions for free (www.t4g.org). In this article I would like to share a few takeaways I gleaned from the conference.

First, there is no flashy, new, evangelistic gimmick that causes more salvations that others. It all boils down to Christians speaking the gospel to people who are not Christians. Too many times we can emphasize the program or the event and we forget that evangelism occurs when Christians speak the gospel to non-Christians. We could have a huge outreach event, draw lots of people, but if the gospel is not spoken, we have not evangelized.

Second, when people get saved it makes God happy, really happy. How happy? Heaven throws a celebration every time someone gets saved. You can see this in the 3 parables of Luke 15. There is the parable of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son. In all 3 of these parables, Jesus says that heaven rejoices when one sinner gets saved. What an excitement for us that God would use our mouths and our words to bring about spiritual regeneration and the celebration in heaven.

Third, there is assurance that God will save His people. Now, He may not use me specifically to bring about thousands of conversions, but God will save. Thinking back to the first two of the three parables of Luke 15 you notice the certainty of God’s work in finding His sheep/coin. The verses say ‘when’ He finds it. The sheep and the coin are searched for until they are found. God gets his man. This reminds me that the gospel of Jesus Christ will still convert people, no matter what the culture does or says. Our society is moving away from Christian values, and Christianity is more marginalized than any other time in history, but that will not stop God from getting His people.

The fourth lesson is the hardest for us to admit, but it is true: all the reasons we don’t evangelize are self-centered reasons. When I heard this I snickered, but then I started to realize it was true. We say things like “I don’t know what to say,” “I’m scared,” “it could make my friendship weird,” etc. All those reasons, and other ones that are similar, are all self-centered. Would we defy the orders of our Lord (Matt 28:18-20) because of the inconveniences it will bring us? We wouldn’t do that with the Lord’s other commands, would we? But we casually dismiss the command to ‘make disciples’ because of some petty, non-eternal reasons. I told you this was the hardest one for us to admit.

I hope we look at evangelism for what it really is: a command of the Lord to speak the gospel message to non-Christians. Either we obey or disobey. It’s one or the other. But you can be greatly encouraged that God will save His people, He will. And when He does, the celebration begins anew in heaven for that sinner who has been reclaimed. What an exciting privilege for us to be a part of.

Pastor Mark Scialabba

April 2014

It seems that we are in a very busy season for ‘Christian’ movies. Son of God came out a few weeks ago. God’s not Dead is currently playing. Noah comes out soon (at the time of printing this it will have already come out). And lastly, Heaven is for Real comes out near Easter. I can’t remember a time when so many ‘Christian’ films or films about Christian topics have ever come out. Is there a Renaissance happening in Hollywood? What should we think/do about it?

First, Hollywood has been for years and will continue to be, against any sort of positive Christian message. Just watch films and see how Christians are portrayed. They are seen as wacko, religious nutcases who really have no redeeming feature whatsoever. An example of this is the remake of the movie Carrie where the mom is a Christian and a complete crazy lady who cuts herself and locks her daughter in closet to “pray for forgiveness.” Even the movie The Passion of the Christ had trouble getting a studio to fund it, and Mel Gibson had to invest his own money into making it. This is a bizarre stance from Hollywood because Christian movies really do make a lot of money. The Passion of the Christ went on to become one of the top 10 grossing movies of all time! One would think that making more Christian movies or portraying Christians in a positive light would be a good business decision by Hollywood since Christians have such a big movie-going presence.

Second, don’t be fooled by the ‘Christian’ stories of some of these movies. For example, the movie Noah was directed by an avowed atheist who bragged in an interview that Noah was going to be the “least Biblical Bible movie ever.” Just because the story is about Noah’s Ark doesn’t mean the message is Biblical or Christian. In fact, the moviemakers made it a specific point to never mention the word “God” in the entire movie. Should I take our youth group to see this movie? I don’t think so. Another example is Heaven is for Real about a young boy who visits heaven while he is clinically dead in a hospital. Even though this boy’s descriptions of heaven are completely different from anything the Bible says, Christians are going to flock to see this movie. And, it is not an accident that the studio decided to release this film during Easter week. Is this a movie that I would recommend Christians to see? Not at all. Do I sound like the ‘Grumpy Gus’ who takes everything so seriously? If we are talking about the integrity of the Word of God, then absolutely. Know the details of the movies before you go.

Third, the real issue here is a lack of discernment amongst Christians. Just because something is labeled ‘Christian’ doesn’t mean the message is faithful to the text of Scripture. I guarantee you that there will be copies of Noah and Heaven is for Real being sold at Berean and Christians without any discernment will pick them up and their confidence in the Bible will be shaken because what they see on screen is not what they read in the Word. We have to remember that Hollywood is in the business of fantasy, not Biblical accuracy. If you can watch these movies with solid discernment then do it, but I’m afraid many will not.

Now, the movies Son of God and God’s Not Dead are pretty solid in their message and they were made by Christians. Also, believers who have seen them have made many positive comments about the nature of the films and the gospel message therein. I do find it a positive thing that the gospel was communicated to millions through the medium of film. I also don’t have a problem with people making Christian films. I do think we need to approach all Christian movies with a bit of skepticism because it does run through so many Hollywood channels, which are primarily anti-Christian. Also, I think the best way for Christians to impact Hollywood is not to go see all the Christian movies, but to make it a point to NOT see movies that glorify and celebrate the things that God says are wrong. The Christian public can make a big statement to Hollywood if they refuse to spend their God-given money on films that rejoice in homosexuality, revenge, violence, filthiness, etc. I fear however, that this is actually more of a challenge to us than to support the Christian films.

March 2014

The Grammy awards are the most prestigious and recognizable music award in the industry. Recently, however, a show about music became a political and ideological statement. During one performance of a song about the nature of love, and how it takes different forms, and people cannot help whom they love, a group of homosexual couples (and a few straight couples) actually got married in the aisles during the performance. While intended to be a statement about the legitimacy of gay marriage, in reality, it was a throw-it-in-your-face, deal-with-it pronunciation.

Of course any public criticism of this event would be harshly condemned in the name of the new buzz word of our society: tolerance. People who do not welcome and receive this statement from these musicians would be labeled intolerant and bigoted. Are we as Christians guilty of being intolerant if we do not support gay marriage?

First, I would say that we have to define ‘tolerance.’ The classical definition of tolerance is to “accept the existence of different views.” To that definition, Christians are tolerant. We accept the fact that different views of marriage exist. However, our society has redefined what tolerance really means. Now, tolerance means “accepting different views.” While you may not catch the small difference, the implications are massive. The first definition acknowledges other people’s rights to different views, but the second definition makes us no longer allowed to disagree. Christians are told they must no longer disagree with other people’s opinions, that they must accept all opinions, or else they are not ‘tolerant.’ I would say Christians can tolerate other views on gay marriage according to the first definition. We must acknowledge that other views of marriage exist, and people have the right to hold those views, but we are still allowed to disagree with those views.

Second, notice the huge inconsistencies of those who claim Christians are ‘intolerant.’ Are supporters of gay marriage really accepting of all views of ‘love?’ What about pedophilia, bestiality, or polygamy? Do gay marriage supporters accept those different views too, or would they be ‘intolerant’ of such definitions of love? Also, the statement that Christians should tolerate all views is an inherent contradiction. The people that say that are actually being ‘intolerant’ of the Christian’s views! And they are demanding we conform our beliefs to theirs. Sounds eerily similar to what they accuse Christians of, doesn’t it? Do they not see the contradiction of the values they declare?

In this world of political correctness and ‘tolerance’ I would propose one piece of advice for Christians: be tolerant in spirit, not in mind. Let me explain. First, we should have a tolerating spirit. That means we should be able to hear people out, we should be able to listen respectfully, we should love all people, we should evaluate all arguments that oppose us. That is having a tolerating spirit. Christians who are angry, violent, and refuse to listen are not showcasing a tolerating spirit. The Biblical word would be: humble. We should be humble enough to understand it is only God’s grace that keeps us in the Truth and revealed the Truth to us. It is not the genius of our own mind.

But, Christians cannot be tolerant in mind. What I mean is, certain things God has unequivocally declared as ‘wrong’ or ‘right.’ And no matter what the culture says, what the world pushes on us, or how much society has progressed, does not change what God has declared. There are such black and white things that are always wrong. Things like lying, stealing, kidnapping, and even homosexuality, God has declared to be wrong. We cannot let our minds be changed about those things because society disagrees with us. Have a tolerating spirit to hear people out and listen to their disagreements, and acknowledge they have that right. But do not have a tolerating mind, where you let society change how you think about what God has so clearly defined. (For further help on this issue see The Intolerance of Tolerance by D.A. Carson).

Pastor Mark Scialabba

February 2014

Recently we had our winter retreat for our youth group. The topic was: Resisting Worldliness, and was selected by our student leadership because they thought it was such a necessary topic for young people to hear. I think that this topic is necessary for all of us. We do not have to look hard to find the world’s ideas, thoughts, mindsets, and evaluations. They are on the radio, television, in the movie industry, in the fashion industry, and in our fascination with celebrity. Here are 5 ways that we can still live and exist in the world, but not be conformed to the ways of the world.

Number one is to enjoy your life. Just because the world is bad doesn’t mean you have to walk around with a scowl on your face all the time. It’s ok to enjoy the things that God has made and provided. Enjoy things like nature, good food, friendships, laughter, good art, etc. Those are things God gave us and wants us to enjoy.

Number two is to engage the world. Christians are called to be ‘light’ in the world, so be the light! Don’t separate yourself completely from the world and go live in a monastery or a cave. Get into your job or your school or your club and be the light in that place. One of the reasons I enjoy the COLOURS festival is that instead of refusing to produce art, the makers of that festival have decided to engage the culture by producing wholesome and good art. That is engaging the world and being a light.

Number three is to evangelize other people. Too often we think the culture is going to change if we just pass this law or elect this person to office or get this TV show cancelled. That is not how culture is going to change. The world’s values and mindsets will continue even if we get another president. The real change will only come as people get saved and give their life to Christ. One soul at a time; that is how culture can change for the better.

Number four is to equip your mind. Romans 12:2 says, “do not be conformed to the world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” We understand we should not be conformed, also we understand we are supposed to be transformed, but transformed into what? Into what the Word of God says we should be like! The only way to really be unlike the world and to be different is to equip our mind with what Scripture says our life should be like. What does God say about what our clothes should look like or what our entertainment choices should be? It’s there in that Book, we just have to equip our mind by using the right tool.

Number five is to evaluate your heart. This is the hard part. We really have to get down to the nitty gritty of why we do what we do. And we have to be honest with ourselves. It’s easy to just make a rule like: I won’t watch any rated R movies. It’s harder to truthfully evaluate and ask why I want to see that particular movie. Could it be that we really find our entertainment in evil and perversion? The answer to that question is more soul searching than simply making a rule to follow. Or ask yourself, why do I dress or talk the way that I do? Is it that I want others to notice and be impressed? Evaluating our heart can be a messy exercise but it makes all the difference in real life change.

One famous preacher said, “The reason the church holds such little influence over the world is because the world holds such big influence over the church.” That was said 150 years ago, and it still rings true today. Let us take to heart those words from Romans 12:2, “do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”Avoid conforming to the values of the world and pursue transformation through the Word of God. 

Pastor Mark Scialabba

January 2014

Now that the holidays are over, I feel like I can write this article without being labeled a Scrooge. I was talking with a family member a few weeks back about Christmas, when I mentioned that we (Angela and I) do not tell our children that Christmas gifts come from Santa Claus. (Stop reading if you still believe in Santa Claus). The family member was shocked and surprised thinking that we were in some way depriving our children of some childhood right. But as I thought about this for the past few weeks, I became even surer of my conviction on this matter.

Now, I am not saying that we do not let our children utter Santa’s name, like he is some kind of Voldemort. We tell our children that Santa is one of the Christmas stories, like Rudolph or Frosty. We always knew it was going to be a problem because we do not have a chimney in our home, so it would be a little strange to tell our children that Santa sneaks in through the back door or something like that. But we have other reasons for why we don’t tell our children that Santa brings them gifts on Christmas Eve.

First, we do not want to compromise our integrity as parents. Over and over again we tell our children to not lie, we tell them to not tell half-truths, and we tell them to speak the truth at all times. I always tell my girls it will be better for them if they confess, than if they lie to hide something. It is hard to escape the fact that the tale of Santa Claus is a lie, told to children.  Calling it a lie sounds harsh, but what other word could I use? My parents were the ones who would write Santa’s name on our gifts, when in reality, it was mom and dad who bought them and wrapped them. When I was old enough to understand, my inevitable question was, “you’ve been lying to us for years?” I don’t want to face that day when my children challenge our integrity as parents by saying, “you tell us not to lie, but you lie?”

Second, we do not want to compromise what we tell our children about the character of God. Let me explain. The folklore behind Santa Claus is that he knows when you are sleeping, he knows if you have been bad or good. This is kinda scary for a child, thinking that if they push a kid down on the playground, Santa saw it and is going to withhold gifts. But the idea that Santa knows all and can see all, is an attribute that God alone possesses. They should be scared of God seeing them, not Santa. It is called omniscience; that God knows everything. I do not want to give my children the impression that a man (Santa) is able to share one of God’s incommunicable attributes. What makes God, God, is that He alone knows everything, not Santa. I want my children to be in awe of God, not Santa Claus.

Third, we do not want to compromise how we explain the gospel to our children. It may sound like this has nothing to do with Santa Claus, but hear me out. The message of Santa is that if you are good, he brings you presents. And if you are bad, you will not get any presents. But this teaches our children that if they do good, then good things happen to them. That does not always happen in real life, and it for sure, is not the gospel message. The gospel message is that we do bad things, and God forgives us. Unfortunately, the gospel is usually taught like the message of Santa Claus: be a good person and God will do good for you. That is not the gospel message and I do not want to be the one who is confusing the gospel, I want to make the gospel ring clear to my children.

Now, some may think I have gone way over the deep end with this. “It’s just a fun, Christmas thing, lighten up,” I can hear people saying. But I take my task as a parent very seriously. And if I am going to choose a story to tell my children that could compromise my integrity, God’s character, or the gospel message, then it is my responsibility to refuse it. I am not saying every parent or family should take my family’s stance on this, each one needs to make his/her own decisions. All I’m saying is, we have reasons for choosing this way that we have thought long and hard about. And don’t worry, I also teach my children to not run around telling everyone “there is no Santa Claus!”                                                            

Pastor Mark Scialabba

December 2013

Every once in a while, when in a public place, we may overhear another’s person’s conversation. We don’t mean to, it just happens since we are in such close proximity. Sometimes the conversations can be funny or weird, or in my recent case, very disturbing.

I was eating lunch with my family at a restaurant when behind us I could hear someone upset at another person. It was the table behind us and clearly someone was not happy. However, the person talking was not yelling or raising his voice. Instead, he was uttering the most obscene and vulgar language I have ever heard toward someone else at his table. I assumed it was some young people picking on each other in a joking way, and was about to ask him to keep his voice down because there were children nearby. As I turned I realized it was not young people having fun at all. It was a dad speaking to his son.

I was so shocked I couldn’t say a thing and instead started talking louder at our table so my children couldn’t hear what was being said. I heard words from that father, directed toward that son, that I would never say to my worst enemy. It left me deeply disturbed because if that was a normal conversation in public, what went on behind closed doors? The son was of course crying at the verbal insults he was receiving which made the dad stretch his vocabulary even more.

This whole situation left me thinking of my responsibility as a parent. And God has given clear guidelines for parents about what they need to be communicating to their children.  The most comprehensive passage is Deuteronomy 6:1-9. In this passage God makes it very clear that parents are to teach their children to fear the Lord, love the Lord, and obey the Lord. While every parent will readily admit that they are not perfect, we can have some measure of confidence that we are heading in the right direction if we are teaching our children to do those three things. And we compromise our integrity as parents when we sin to try and get our children to do those three things.

To all the young people out there who have parents who are trying to teach you to fear the Lord, love the Lord, and obey the Lord, be thankful for them. Yes, thank God for those parents. They may not be perfect, they may mess up, but that is so much better than the alternative. The alternative is for parents to simply do whatever they think is right in their own eyes, and that leads to parents who can abuse and harm. Thank God for parents who are striving to raise their children in the ways of the Lord.

Pastor Mark Scialabba

November 2013

Sometimes we, as parents, can get very focused on behavior. What is our child doing? How do we correct or improve the behavior? Well, we have to remember that Scripture says it is the heart that produces behavior. So changing behavior can sometimes leave the heart unaffected, which can be disastrous in the long run. What we really want in our children is heart change; we want their hearts directed toward God. If their heart is pointed in the right direction, the right behavior will come. Here are some behaviors or actions that if seen in a teenager, may reveal their heart is directed toward the Lord.

First, does your teenager have a time of personal worship to the Lord? I’m talking about a private devotional time. Does your child have his/her Bible near the bed? Do you see them reading? Or, is the only time they pick up their Bible is when parents make them go to church?

Second, is closely related to what I just said. Does the teenager desire church, fellowship, and instruction? Is it a fight every Sunday morning to get up and go to church? Does your teen enjoy spending time with other like minded teens, or do they prefer to run with the ‘wrong crowd?’ Is the teen trying everything in his/her power to get out of hearing a sermon? If you can see evidence of a desire for church, fellowship with other Christians, and hearing instruction then your teen is on the right track toward developing a heart for God.

Third, is the teenager willing and open to talk about spiritual things? Or, every time you open your mouth about God or the Bible, does the teen start rolling his/her eyes and storming out of the room? A teen who has a heart for God is not opposed to such discussions. Does your teen ask you to pray for him/her? Do they ever ask what God’s will is or what God thinks they should do? If so, be encouraged because God is working on the heart.

Fourth, do they take into account the Bible, when making decisions? We do not want our teens to be impulsive, or driven by their emotions, or self-centered in their decisions. We want them to consider what God has to say, or what God wants them to do. If they are concerned about those things when making decisions, then we see evidence that the heart is moving in the right direction.

Now, as a parent, these are things to look for in your teen. But you can also work to try and encourage a heart for God. First, you must model personal devotion time and make church a priority. Don’t be surprised if you have no devotional time, that your teen doesn’t as well. If you like skipping church, of course they will learn that as well. Second, refer to God often. When your teen is venting about life and school, point the conversation towards the Lord. What does the Lord want, think, or say about this situation? In this you will train them to think Biblically. Third, be positive with your use of Scripture. Don’t beat them over the head with the Bible and cause them to hate Scripture. Use Scripture to give hope to them and show them that God always has an answer. Lastly, be willing to admit and ask forgiveness when you mess up. You will mess up sometimes because parenting is a learning process. But teens will grow leaps and bounds in their respect for you when they see you humble and willing to admit wrong. Maybe that will rub off on them as well.  To the teenagers I would ask: do you have a heart for God or are you simply trying to behave in a certain way? Spend time with God, and with people who love God, and ask the Lord to shape and mold you into a person who has a heart devoted to Him.

Pastor Mark Scialabba

October 2013

For as long as we can remember, teenagers have gotten a rush out of doing dangerous things. Whether it is racing in a car or using drugs, unwise and dangerous choices have marked the lives of teenagers. Recently, however, a new way to achieve this rush has become popular. This is found in what is known as ‘cutting.’ When someone ‘cuts’ they purposely use a sharp object to pierce the skin and draw blood.

If you go back 15-20 years ago, if somebody was injuring themselves in this way it would be seen as a cry for help, or the definition of someone who is suicidal. However, recent research has shown this is not necessarily the case. Researchers now think it provides a rush, or to put it another way, a ‘high.’ It is the modern day free drug. Rates of people who injure themselves have skyrocketed, and specifically amongst teen girls. In the 1990’s the rate was lower than 3%. More recent research has shown numbers as high as 1 in 5 teenage girls between the ages of 10 and 18 either cutting or burning themselves. 

While I cannot offer a complete treatise in this article on cutting and how to deal with it, I would like to show what the Bible says about such self-harming/self-mutilating practices. In short, the Bible describes cutting as the actions of pagan and false religion worshipers. While I’m not implying that anyone who cuts is some sort of a Satanist, I am saying that those who cut as a recreational escape, are engaging in acts of pagan worship and they might not even know it.

The clearest example of this is found in 1 Kings 18 in the showdown between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. The wicked king at the time, King Ahab, was promoting Baal (pagan god) worship and Elijah felt it was time to take a stand. So Elijah ordered a showdown to see who the boss was. The prophets of Baal went first calling on their god, but there was no answer. So they began to “cut themselves according to their custom with swords and lances until the blood gushed out on them” (1 Kin 18:28). Notice it was their ‘custom’ to cut themselves in such a way. It was ingrained in their pagan worship, a tradition. It was these pagan cultic practices that made God give the command to “not make any cuts in your body for the dead…” (Lev 19:28). Clearly there was some sort of prescribed form of pagan worship that involved self-mutilation.

In the New Testament the only mention of self injury is the man who is demon possessed and when Jesus casts out the demons they indwell a bunch of pigs and the pigs run down into the sea (Mark 5:1-13). In that passage it says he “gashed himself with stones” (v 5). Again the situation is pagan, occult, demonic influences.

I want to make it clear that I am not insinuating that anyone who cuts is a pagan worshiper or a demon possessed person. What I am trying to say, to those who cut for simply a recreational high, is that you have to realize the dark history of such a practice. If Satan can convince us that such evil practices are simply ‘recreational’ then he is already winning the battle of our minds.

To those who struggle with cutting because of depression or anger, I would encourage you to seek Pastoral Counseling. The real solution to the problem is understanding your identity in Christ, not a temporary diversion from life’s problems. We are not to try and escape life’s problems, but seek the Lord in the time of life’s problems.

Pastor Mark Scialabba