tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-385623902011-09-08T14:16:34.511-05:00Josh's sermons, prayers, and other spiritual insights. Seeking to ever be a disciple of Christ.Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.comBlogger451100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-87527455368079192732008-09-12T22:42:00.002-05:002008-09-12T22:58:17.923-05:00

It's been a year since I last wrote here. Not that anyone is still reading. My plan is to update this once a week, mostly with thoughts that come from devotionals with the Psalms. So here goes.Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-11364575386268136252007-09-21T09:50:00.001-05:002007-09-21T09:51:27.469-05:00

I finally updated to beta blogging (I think that's what it's called). It's still the same site, same sermon posts and same posts about premarital counseling, just a new look. Enjoy.

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-70164824334788686242007-09-20T16:06:00.000-05:002007-09-20T16:11:57.124-05:00

Session 2 takes place about 4 months prior to the wedding. Some of the goals are to discern any possible problems with family members, understand more about their upbringing, teach about roles in marriage, and search for red flags in the relationship. We review the parental wisdom project and their personality tests. Then we review their reading. After that, it's diving right in to session 2.

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-59448702316526842402007-09-20T15:56:00.000-05:002007-09-20T16:12:14.662-05:00

Obviously there are many more reasons why marriages fail. These are a few of the overlooked ones. We generally attribute divorce to financial or sexual problems, abuse or addictions, or something "high-profile." This session covers reasons 1-3 in some way. We talk about these things in the second session because all too often couples decide to get married and are at a "point of no return" in the

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-50486096206786755772007-09-20T15:39:00.000-05:002007-09-20T16:12:28.217-05:00

What kind of religious upbringing did you have, if any?Describe your current personal relationship with Jesus Christ.How certain are you that you are going to heaven when you die?Describe your spiritual life over the past 10 years. What were the high points? What were the low points? What caused growth or prevented growth?Are you involved in a local church? How has your involvement in a local

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-33219394099974941102007-09-20T15:30:00.000-05:002007-09-22T08:23:28.315-05:00

Most of us can identify characteristics from both lists, functional and dysfunctional, that were a part of our families growing up. How does a couple function when one comes from a largely functional family and the other a largely dysfunctional family? Is it smart to marry a couple like that?The Functional FamilyIf a person was raised in a healthy home, he or she is fortunate. These families are

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-76148270383889090092007-09-20T15:22:00.000-05:002007-09-20T16:13:05.433-05:00

Marriage is not to one person, it's to an entire family. Though God calls us to leave our parents and cleave to our spouse, that doesn't mean we cut off all ties to our in-laws. I just married a couple last Saturday, and their 6-yr-old daughter cried when I introduced the unity candle. She thought she would never see grandma and grandpa again!It's important to learn where each person has come

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-19885843668907540352007-09-20T15:18:00.000-05:002007-09-20T16:13:19.613-05:00

What do you believe about roles in marriage? Close your eyes and place up between 1-5 fingers. 1=strongly agree; 2=mildly agree; 3=not sure; 4=mildly disagree; 5=strongly agree1. The husband is the head of the home.2. The wife should not be employed outside the home.3. The husband should help regularly with the household chores.4. It is all right for the wife to initiate love-making with her

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-44563243782613704982007-09-20T15:06:00.000-05:002007-09-20T15:18:07.075-05:00

At the end of the second session I assign 2 bits of homework. The first is to make a list of marriage goals. Each person needs to make a list of 8 marriage goals, one personal goal for the next 3-5 years, and one goal for their future spouse in the next 3-5 years (being sure not to say I hope he/she changes...). Goals are like a vision for a church: without it, the church goes nowhere. I think

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-36594177377563613202007-09-09T21:58:00.000-05:002007-09-09T22:06:25.856-05:00

I know only one person left a comment saying they would read over my premarital counseling material. Thanks Kelly! So if you're reading this and wondering what's going on, here's the scoop.I am posting everything I use during my six premarital counseling sessions online—one a week—and asking for opinions. You may have questions, you may wonder why I included something or why I didn't include

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-89257146812162988182007-09-09T21:56:00.001-05:002007-09-09T22:07:03.958-05:00

I believe it's extremely important the couple know up front that counseling is beneficial even though they hate homework and feel ready for marriage already. I want them to know they might disagree with what I say and that they won't always leave happy campers. This is especially true for non-Christian couples. So this is how I open up our first session together.What were your expectations for

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-7045250538798706312007-09-09T21:54:00.000-05:002007-09-09T22:07:22.588-05:00

Define marriage. What is its purpose?Do you believe that marriage is a covenant? Why or why not?Do you agree or disagree with the following quotes?“Marriage resembles a pair of shears, so joined that they cannot be separated; often moving in opposite directions, yet always punishing anyone who comes between them.” —Sydney Smith“Is marriage a private action of two persons in love, or a public act

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-84271382967341181272007-09-09T21:50:00.000-05:002007-09-09T22:07:40.171-05:00

My goal for this time is to look for red flags of immaturity, selfishness, or an unhealthy relationship. If a couple cannot come up with 12 reasons to marry the other person and 12 reasons to get married now, that's also a red flag.What will you receive out of marriage that you wouldn’t receive by remaining single?Share 12 reasons why you want to marry the other person and 12 indications as to

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-50670590929429674702007-09-09T21:48:00.000-05:002007-09-09T22:07:54.074-05:00

These are a few questions I ask to get to know the couple. I've already taken some time to get to know them during our initial meeting, where I determine whether or not to begin counseling.How did you meet?What attracted you to one another?How long have you been dating/engaged?If I were to ask you to describe your fiancé, what would you say?Is there anything about your current relationship you

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-34899520922327694302007-09-09T21:38:00.000-05:002007-09-09T22:08:09.231-05:00

This next section of session 1 is all about love: what the Bible says about it, what the couple thinks about it, and why it's so important.How would you define love?Love in ScriptureProverbs 17:17Matthew 22:37-39John 3:161 Corinthians 8:1Luke 6:27-32Ephesians 4:21 Peter 4:8Luke 10:30-37Ephesians 5:251 John 3:16-181 Corinthians 13 In-Depth1 Corinthians 13:4-7 is one of the most poetic passages of

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-22005089521240985272007-09-09T21:24:00.000-05:002008-12-08T18:14:06.634-06:00

Part of their homework for session 2 is a parental wisdom project. The goal is to learn from their parents, both the good and the bad. And hopefully it helps their parents feel like they are impacting their children. I also have the take a personality test (not posting it) and read the book Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas.The premise of the book is that God uses marriage to make us holy. Not only

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-48584848042717006892007-09-09T21:15:00.000-05:002007-09-09T22:08:37.497-05:00

This is the purity covenant that I have them sign during session 1.It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his/her own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like those who do not know God.1 Thessalonians 4:3-5Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-52476984615729519942007-08-31T10:43:00.000-05:002007-08-31T10:48:30.715-05:00

I'm the type of person who is rarely satsified with his work. Always improving, always looking for new ideas. In the last year as a pastor, I've had the privilege of counseling two couples and marrying them (well, the second couple gets married this month). It's been fun coming up with material for six sessions of counseling, and for the most part I think it's good, but I'm sure it could be

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-65417022932184750932007-08-31T10:33:00.000-05:002007-09-22T08:24:45.360-05:00

Our church recently came up with a new mission statement: Celebrating Christ as Lord, sharing His story, and serving our community. So I preached a sermon about God's story based on Hosea 3:1-5 last Sunday.Here it is.Have you ever read a bedtime story to your kids? You tuck them in for bed, bring them that one final glass of water, and sit at the edge of the bed to read. I can remember staying

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-77829410109185059202007-07-24T15:10:00.000-05:002007-07-24T21:40:05.276-05:00

Last Sunday I preached a sermon about baptism. The day before at our men's breakfast I brought up the topic and found out that some of our congregation had been baptized as infants. Boy am I glad I found that out before I preached! That's not to say I believe in infant baptism. But it helped me understand a touchy subject that previous pastors failed to understand. As of now no one has responded

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-5622276656832945002007-07-14T14:58:00.000-05:002007-07-14T15:03:09.096-05:00

Who thought you could preach an entire message about the benediction? While our church doesn't speak or sing it at the end of services, many churches in our area do. Perhaps your church does. The goal of this sermon is for us to hear the benediction and be reminded of why we have been blessed.Text: Numbers 6:22-27; Psalm 67(I played the IWU Chorale singing "The Lord Bless You and Keep You" to

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-13415082276717615702007-06-27T15:31:00.000-05:002007-06-27T15:41:29.817-05:00

Here's part 2 to the Luke 5 sermon. This one focuses on what Peter did as Jesus called Him. I preached it on June 17. On June 24 we had Master's Praise, a southern gospel quartet from IWU, sing. They gave a great concert and we timed it perfectly (just after District Conference). Anyway, here's the sermon.Text: Luke 5:1-11Last week we looked at the story of Jesus calling Simon to be a disciple.

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-26181895939535898012007-06-12T09:53:00.000-05:002007-06-12T10:06:01.515-05:00

Last Sunday and this Sunday we're looking at Luke 5:1-11, Jesus' calling of Simon Peter. Last Sunday we saw what Jesus did, next Sunday we'll look at Simon's actions. I recognize there are no easy-made disciples. Cookie-cutter evangelism is a hoax. This sermon is not meant to say, "Here's what Jesus did when He called Peter, so here's what we must do." My hope is that it spurs us on to be

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-28247753473116278162007-05-15T17:32:00.000-05:002007-05-15T17:41:50.760-05:00

I preached this sermon about the importance of a holy lifestyle last Sunday. I credit Dr. Steve Lennox from IWU for the metaphor with the pipes. The situation at our home in Marion with pipes was true. Now I know why God allowed that nasty stench to invade our house! It was for this sermon.Text: 1 Peter 1:13-25Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-9618255630919409992007-05-03T15:45:00.000-05:002007-05-03T16:00:44.044-05:00

I preached this sermon last Sunday as part of our emphasis on the Holy Spirit. I got sick halfway through writing it so I understand it is choppy. The only way I was able to preach it was through God's Holy Spirit (seasonal allergies are at war with my nose and throat).Text: 1 Corinthians 12“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-66563956700287918142007-04-25T13:59:00.000-05:002007-04-25T14:18:23.076-05:00

When I received word that I was a licensed minister last fall, they told me I'm good to go to marry, bury, baptize, and give communion. I consider myself privileged to lead others in these covenants and sacraments. Privileged and under pressure.Especially when it comes to marriages. One would think that weddings are easier than funerals because the pastor isn't grieving with family and friends,

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-90863532829609604402007-04-23T23:21:00.000-05:002007-04-23T23:37:02.479-05:00

It has been a while since I last posted a sermon. Here's one to chew on for my one faithful reader (thanks mom).Text: Galatians 5:16-26Importance of TreesTwo trees. Just outside those windows stand two tall, strong pine trees. I’m guessing they’ve been there as long as this building has. To us they’re just trees. Perhaps they’re nice to look at and perhaps they’re good for shade, but other than

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-83524447132643223382007-04-17T21:34:00.000-05:002007-04-17T21:47:50.364-05:00

Last week I was watching Law and Order and saw an episode about kids being sold in the US in shipping containers for slavery. I think it was a rerun from a few years back, but it got me thinking: How big is slavery now? Are there slaves in the US?The new movie out, Amazing Grace, isn't showing in the Baraboo area. We don't get "Christian" movies in theaters here. So I haven't seen it, but I

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-11461765352421371802007-04-12T10:41:00.000-05:002007-04-12T10:53:10.707-05:00

Today our backyard is covered in snow. The newspaper had a picture of a boy making a snowman's belly that was bigger than he was. Yes, it's April, post-Easter. This seemingly out-of-place snowfall reminds me of how God works in our lives.The big metaphor Christians use is that God washes us white as snow. His forgiveness cleanses us. Even though spring is the season of new life, winter must come

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-22327015320729066302007-04-06T11:15:00.000-05:002007-04-06T11:22:09.874-05:00

Sorry for the lack of blogging. The past few months have been mainly full of blah days, and the last thing I want to do is write about it. Who wants to read about blah? I hope to get a "fresh wind" for writing soon.Part of it is I also feel like the last bunch of sermons have been sub-par and I don't want to embarrass myself by putting them online for all to see. Is that stupid? Or should I just

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-55951117222006470922007-03-08T19:08:00.000-06:002007-03-08T19:17:24.334-06:00

With no church Feb. 25th because of snow, I skipped preaching about Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. On to a three-part miniseries on salvation. The idea is taken from Brian McLaren's A Generous Orthodoxy. The book stretched me, and though I don't agree with everything McLaren says, I like his way of putting a few keys words to God's saving us.The three words are judgment, forgiveness,

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-62592955537954237532007-02-16T16:52:00.000-06:002007-02-16T16:56:00.904-06:00

Here's the message I spoke today at the service.Mabel was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Her family and friends were of utmost importance to her. Last night, Carol told me how they had such a hard time finding a picture with only Mabel in it. She loved people. Her faith was of utmost importance as well. She raised her children to follow Jesus. She attended the

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-1178535635549164062007-02-16T16:47:00.000-06:002007-02-16T16:52:55.441-06:00

Today I took part in my second funeral as a minister. I felt much more comfortable with this one than with the first, mainly because I had gone through the process once before. I know I still have a lot to learn. I'm not that great at knowing when it's good to bring God into the conversation and when it's good just to "small talk" or not talk at all.With so many people in the family, it's still

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-31702821215231273352007-02-13T16:28:00.000-06:002007-02-13T16:52:08.211-06:00

Preached this on Feb. 11th as a "Valentine's Day" sermon. So maybe it's no surprise what the subject was (begins with "L" and ends with "OVE"). But read on to discover what John has to say about loving one another.Title: Seeing Valentine's Day in Light of EasterText: 1 John 4:7-21Introduction Valentine’s Day: a day known for chocolate, for hearts, for Cupid, for diamonds, for flowers, for love. I

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-81983914720853662742007-02-10T12:14:00.000-06:002007-02-16T16:46:55.614-06:00

This month I'm holding membership classes. One woman wants to become a member, and another man is interested in learning more about who the Wesleyans are.Yesterday we talked about the pros and cons of being a member at a church. Membership isn't nearly as big as it used to be. I'm not sure why. Perhaps we have a hard time saying, "I agree to all that stuff." Maybe we think our membership "rules"

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-45893262855775040362007-02-06T16:56:00.001-06:002008-05-26T15:19:04.494-05:00

This is my list of books I'd love to have for ministry. I've already gone online to find prices for most of them. Some aren't available now, but may pop up later. All prices are from amazon.com unless otherwise noted.Other websites useful for finding books:cbd.comalibris.combookfinder.comcheapestbookprice.comlogos.comMy goal is to have one commentary for each book of the Bible first, then to

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-39907494478098844942007-02-06T16:46:00.000-06:002007-02-06T16:55:28.019-06:00

I preached this last Sunday. We're still focusing on attributes of God. We believe God still has power in our lives, to answer prayer, to do miracles, to show up in ways beyond what we could imagine. And we don't ever want to put him in the itty bitty living space of the genie on Aladdin.Text: 1 Kings 18:16-40Introduction: Big GodderLet me tell you a story. St. Denys lived in the 3rd century AD.

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-84413940779845119862007-01-25T14:46:00.000-06:002007-01-25T14:53:47.885-06:00

I preached this sermon January 21st. We looked at God's faithfulness to Judah even after Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. If God is faithful, He also calls you and me to be faithful. But how?Text: Lamentations 3:21-27Background: Destruction of JerusalemJosiah was a righteous king. 2 Kings 23:25 describes him like this: “Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-85465401999795943922007-01-19T19:47:00.000-06:002007-02-02T13:39:30.231-06:00

This Tuesday night Jamie and I went to Madison to David and Lisa Treloar's house. They pastor the Lakeshore Church and we've become good friends with them. David was holding a class for discovering your spiritual gifts, strengths, talents, personality, and learning from past experiences.What I loved about the class was the comprehensive nature of it. In the past all I've really heard of is taking

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-25735464496938100892007-01-16T16:51:00.000-06:002007-01-16T17:00:12.241-06:00

I preached this sermon on the 14th. Now that I look back on it, I wish I wouldn't have read so many Scriptures at the end. Perhaps reading one passage over and over, asking questions of it (Lectio Divina) would have been better. Anyway, this is a sermon emphasizing general and specific revelation without using those terms. How has God been speaking to you? Are you listening?Main Text: Psalm

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-74104000718366037792007-01-10T16:09:00.000-06:002007-01-10T16:15:17.148-06:00

I'm trying to include as part of this blog as many links to good, quality, Scripture-based websites. Do you have any favorites that you visit? Any sites you've seen that you dislike? Let me know.I like Reverend Fun because the cartoons are great for throwing in a bulletin/newsletter. Ccel.org has a huge collection of Christian documents, sermons, creeds, etc. And Follow the Rabbi is the newest

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-36229273489826261902007-01-09T18:22:00.000-06:002007-01-10T16:16:23.370-06:00

I preached this sermon on the 7th of January. More than the Bible just being truth, it is God's truth with power to tranform us into His image, to make us holy.Text: 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5Introduction Listen to these stories and see if you can catch the common thread.The Taco Liberty Bell. In 1996 the Taco Bell Corporation announced that it had bought the Liberty Bell from the federal government and

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-1168380968424802972007-01-09T16:14:00.000-06:002007-01-10T16:17:00.906-06:00

I preached this sermon December 31st as a kickoff to the series on what we believe. The theme was how knowing doctrine affects everyday choices, and how dumb it would be if we chose not to learn what we believe.Text: Galatians 1:6-12IntroductionWhen I think of New Year's, I think of two things: lists of the top whatever from the past year and resolutions. This sermon has both. We'll start with

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-1168379042871977352007-01-09T15:37:00.000-06:002007-01-10T16:17:31.478-06:00

2007 will be a year of learning what we as both Christians and Wesleyan Arminian Christians believe. My sermons will be focused on topics covered in Bounds' theology classes, ranging from Scripture to communion to the Church, to the Trinity... Right now we have a small grasp on theology at Parkway. To say we could communicate the doctrine of salvation as outlined by the Wesleyan Church/John

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38562390.post-1168378593484216182007-01-09T15:34:00.000-06:002007-01-09T15:36:33.493-06:00

I'm dedicating this blog to sermons, prayers, things I'm learning in ministry, things I'm learning from God, etc. If you want to keep up with Josh and Jamie personal stuff, keeping going to our first blog. If you want to see more of what's happening at Parkway, come here. Enjoy!

Josh and Jamie Hiltynoreply@blogger.com0