Whispering Pines Church

Prayer is one of a number of spiritual disciplines that Christians are to put into practice – meant to be a staple of our lives – along with reading Scripture, fasting, and sabbath rest. But what is prayer? What does it do? What is its purpose? Over the course of the next seven weeks, we’re going to explore the purpose and intention of prayer. We’ll do so by looking at prayers that are offered throughout Scripture. This Sunday we’re going to introduce the topic and look into the theological conundrum of prayer. We’ll poke and prod at some of our bigger questions around the practice of prayer. Join us as we launch this new series! -Pastor Nate Roschen

The last book of our Old Testament is a book about the love of God. The love found here is not some fluffy emotion. It is sure and certain. It is hard won and selfless. It is expressed in ways here that by its very nature – leads us to repentance and obedience. The book begins with Israel doubting the love of God. This struggle, this doubt, this uncertainty, is the doorway to much of humanity’s sin. We hedge our bets with idols and place our hopes in governments because we doubt the love of God. How will God respond? How will He convince us? Join us this Sunday as we wrap up our sermon series on the prophets. -Pastor Nate Roschen

Join us this Father’s Day as we give thanks for the fathers and men of our congregation and our community. We are grateful for their influence and passionate faith! This Sunday we continue our study of the prophets by turning to the book of Haggai. Haggai was a prophet during the time of Judah’s return to the land after the exile. During this time the people were hesitant to rebuild the temple. The apathy they experienced from their suffering and loss led them to focus on themselves and not God. God speaks through Haggai to encourage them to do what they thought was pointless – rebuild the temple. Join us this week as we explore obedience in the face of apathy. -Pastor Nate Roschen

Since the Fall – there has been conflict and tension on this earth. Struggles that don’t seem to ever resolve. These kinds of tensions leave us with a sense of Us vs. Them. Like the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s – these ongoing conflicts leave us in a lurch. The book of Obadiah speaks into one of these conflicts, a sore spot for the nation of Israel, its ongoing feud with Edom. Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament, and like the prophetic book of Nahum, it is dedicated to the judgment of one nation – Edom. Edom had betrayed Israel, preyed on her, and took advantage of her when she was weak. And as we have seen in the other prophets – we are left to wait and watch – for what God will do. Join us this week as we study together! -Pastor Nate Roschen

If you have ever known devastating loss, a grief that you didn’t know how you’d ever get past – then Daniel is your book. Daniel was just a young man when he was led into Babylonian exile. 90% of Judah was killed in this time, so in a sense, Daniel was one of the “lucky ones.” As we’ll see this week, Daniel lost not only his past and his present life, but also much of his future on earth was taken from him as well. These are all of the earthly conditions. These are the human concerns. The book of Daniel is about what God will do in the midst of them. Join us this Sunday as we see God show up in the life of Daniel and his friends and they cope with their grief. Join us as we explore this book and the heart of God put on display within. -Pastor Nate Roschen

In Galatians Chapter 1, we will explore Paul's passionate message to the church. He highlights the importance of faith in Christ over adherence to the works of the law and expresses his astonishment at the Galatians' transition to a distorted version of the gospel. The chapter emphasizes the necessity for believers to understand God's true plan for salvation—the Gospel of Jesus Christ. -Ken Klepper

The unearned freedom, flourishing, and favor of God is not only endlessly enjoyed in Christ, but graciously extended through His Spirit-filled Church. As Christians, we can struggle to remember that God’s grace towards us doesn’t end with us. God has given us the gift of extending His grace to those around us. Enjoying the jubilee of knowing, and being known by Christ, compels us to love those who we might not naturally be drawn to. Jesus challenges our hearts which often desire to build our own kingdom, instead of laboring with God in growing His kingdom. Luke 4 is a beautiful reminder of the gift we have extending the grace we’ve received to those in need. -Michael TenBarge

Join us this Mother’s Day as we come together to thank God for the inspiring and godly women in our lives. This Mother’s Day we give thanks for the women who have been instrumental in the growth of the Christian faith, for the women in our own lives who nurtured our understanding and poured into us, and for the ways Christ elevated women and gave them a voice during His time on earth and ever since. This Sunday we will be focusing in on the story of Hannah from 1 Samuel. In Hannah I see the kind of unwavering faith and persistence that defines the women of faith that I have learned and benefitted from. Please join us as we recognize the women and mothers in our lives this Sunday! -Pastor Nate Roschen

It is around 587 B.C. and the Babylonians are storming Judah in all directions – destroying, murdering, and deporting the Jews from their land, the land that God gave them! What will happen to the faithful remnant? Why is God allowing the faithful to suffer with the sinners? How can a God who hates evil allow evil to come upon Judah and Jerusalem, his sacred city. Habakkuk seems to stand before God with his arms crossed and says, “God, I am waiting for an answer.” And God says I will give you an answer and you will not believe it. God is using Babylon as an instrument of judgment and ALL people – whether faithful or not – will be judged. God says to the righteous that you must live by faith! I will bring good where you see evil. Your perseverance and your waiting will glorify God, refine your faith, and ultimately lead to your salvation. Knowing this, the faithful must live through judgment rejoicing in their God and Savior, and leaning on the strength of their sovereign Lord. This is our future and this is o

The prophet Micah speaks to us out of his own humble beginnings. Micah was from Moresheth, a small village in Southwest Judah. As he grew up he was a witness to the greed, excess, and corruption of the privileged classes. But it was not just the sinfulness of the people that Micah confronts – he confronts their worship. More so than other prophets, Micah asks the question, “What does God truly want from us?” Micah boldly confronts the worship of his fellow Hebrews who worship God with “hands full of blood” and “sins like scarlet.” We cannot worship God and remain silent about the needs of the world around us. Worship is meant to nurture the people of God. Then we can become a people of peace, a people of commitment. Join us as we explore this beautiful and timeless book together. -Pastor Nate Roschen

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die…” – John 11:25 Throughout the course of the year great emphasis is placed on the cross, and rightly so. The cross of Christ is a powerful symbol for us of the love and forgiveness of God. We cannot know who God is apart from the cross. It reminds us of the cost of our sinfulness, and God’s goodness in that He is willing to pay the cost Himself. Often, the resurrection is kept at a simmer on the backburner of our spiritual lives. I believe this happens for a few reasons, it is often overshadowed by the cross and the power of that symbol. But it is also harder for us to get a handle on. If the cross is the payment of God’s love, then the resurrection is the proof of God’s power. Join us this Easter Sunday as we explore this great gift – that still changes us, and still changes our world! -Pastor Nate Roschen

A time of worship and reflection for Good Friday!

Please join us this coming Sunday for our Palm Sunday Service! On Palm Sunday we remember Christ’s entry into the city of Jerusalem. The whole city was stirred. Men and women threw down their coats and olive branches before Him as he came down the rode on the foal of a donkey. But away from the noise and excitement, the priests of the temple went about their work – and read that day from Psalm 24. This Psalm only further heightens the intensity of the paradoxical nature of that day. Who was this Messiah? What has He come to do? What were and are our expectations of Him? Join us as we take another look at Palm Sunday through the lens of Psalm 24. -Pastor Nate Roschen

Isaiah writes a book of judgement and hope to the people of Judah. In their rebellion against God, their religious hypocrisy, their worship of idols and moral corruption, God reveals Himself to be holy, and the one and only true God. A righteous and just God that addresses sin, but he is also loving, patient, a promise keeper and redeemer. Join us this Sunday as we look at the character of God through the book of Isaiah and what implications that has for us today. Elder Jason Moat

In this third and final week of studying the book of Hosea, we turn to the second half of the book, to see God’s response to the sinfulness and adultery of His people. How does God respond when His own people are as sinful as those who don’t know Him? When the people meant to be a blessing – fail to be? What is His divine response? Lament. Like a parent mourning over their lost children – God laments over His people who have rejected Him: “What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah? Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears.” – Hosea 6:4 Join us this Sunday as we witness divine lament and come to more fully understand the heart of God. -Pastor Nate Roschen

Each one of the 66 books that make up our Bibles is important because each one conveys something unique about our God. As we continue our way through the book of Hosea, we see that this book is primarily about the love of God. Another important aspect of this book that we will explore this week is the personal nature of sin. To sin against God is not like bending the rules with a landlord or an employer – but a violation of the love relationship that we have with God. Hosea compares this with adultery – the prophet himself taking on an adulterous relationship to expose sinfulness for what it truly is. Join us this week as we see the love of God displayed – even to the unfaithful. -Pastor Nate Roschen

“Jesus Loves Me” – For many of us, this may be the first Christian song that we ever learn to sing ourselves. The words are simple, the tune is catchy, and an important truth is communicated – we are loved by God. Of course, the love of God is brought to its fullness in the death of Jesus on the cross. But in the Old Testament – how would one know the full extent of the love of God? How was it expressed? How was it represented? As we continue making our way through the prophets, we come to the prophet Hosea. If you aren’t familiar with this prophet and the events of his life – you will be stunned to learn what his life can teach us about the love of God. Please join us this week as we introduce this book, and learn about the heart of God together! -Pastor Nate Roschen

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” - 2 Chronicles 7:14 The book of Amos, and Scripture as a whole, does everything that it can to knock us off center. To remind us that this life isn’t primarily about us. A life of faith is not one of pleasing the God – earning His favor by getting Him to cover over to your side and perspective. It is about uprooting yourself, and humbly, gently, passionately – coming to God. The ”if” at the beginning of 2 Chronicles 7:14… is a big “if.” The truth of Amos is that most of Israel – nearly all – failed. They did not uproot themselves and come near to God. But some did. And even though they did not obey God perfectly – they came to God in expectation that His grace would be sufficient in their shortcomings. Join us this week as we wrap up the book of Amos! -Pastor Nate Roschen

We often say that God is in control. But what does that mean? To what extent? How far-reaching is our God? And how should we understand this – should we be comforted by God’s sovereignty? Or fearful because of it? The book of Amos explores the sovereignty of God as He works among His people. God is described here as a Father who loves His beloved so dearly, so desperately, that He both cherishes and disciplines them. He is described as being in total control – willing and allowing things to happen on the earth – wasting nothing. We may be tempted to reject this – the world certainly does. But we will see that when properly understood, God’s sovereignty is a most comforting and reassuring doctrine, and much preferred to leaving our lives left to fate, to chance, irrevocable natural law, or our short-sighted selves. Join us as we study the prophets together! -Pastor Nate Roschen

You won’t want to miss this Sunday morning! Lori Ann Satriano Arfsten, Director of Communications & Community Engagement for Alternatives Pregnancy Center, will be with us to share about the daily work of the pregnancy center and how you can be involved with positive solutions! Lori will explore how we can focus on the humanity of women facing an unplanned pregnancy and at the same time stand for the dignity and value of the life she is carrying. There will also be a table of resources and time to ask questions during lunch!