Laurelbrook’s church service on February 22, 2020 began with a welcome by Clayton Brandt. There will be a church board meeting Monday at 6:30 at the church. He welcomed Raynald Sajous as the new outreach coordinator.
Jacqueline Miller played introduction for the service. Dorin Bacata had the invocation. The congregation sang “Morning Has Broken”. Clayton Brandt had the Morning Prayer; the congregation sang “Hear Our Prayer, O Lord”.
Felix (senior) announced the time for the church offerings had come. Gerrie Vemaak and Iram (senior) collected the tithes and offerings. Any money not designated for a particular purpose went toward the Georgia-Cumberland Ministries. The congregation sang “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow”. Felix prayed for the offering.
Yzzynne (sophomore) told the children about her family’s experiences as missionaries in the Philippines. One time the children were left with their grandmother while the parents went to buy supplies. But the children had prepared an escape from fence their dad had built to keep them in. They played and jumped in a creek nearby despite the snakes living there. Their grandmother made the children stay in their rooms for a week.
Larron (junior) read the scripture reading James 1:19-20,26 “19 ¶ Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God, 26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion [is] vain.”
Dorin Bacata had the sermon on gossip. The congregation sang “The Old Rugged Cross”. Dorin Bacata had the closing prayer.
Personnel Other Than Students
Clayton Brandt – works with Laurelbrook’s heavy equipment / local church elder
Dorin Bacata –academy boys’ dean / husband of the academy principal
Gerrie Vermaak – works on the Laurelbrook farm / local church head deacon
Jacqueline Miller – retired nurse living on Laurelbrook’s campus
Following are some notes on the sermon:
- Why do we come to church except to hear something to meet the needs of our souls or correct wrongs?
- James 1:26 “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion [is] vain.”
- Religion involves working for God, coming to church, paying tithe, etc.
- Note that the control of the tongue is a struggle that all have.
- Philippines 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things.”
- Ellen White says that gossip and criticism shows a lack of culture and religious training. Following are some notes from her book Education.
- A person who gossips is like a cannibal.
- Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”
- God spoke the world into existence. We were given the power of speech to bring life, not to express our frustrations and dissatisfactions with life. Express these to God, not to people not involved in the situations.
- Inventors of gossip are classified in the Bible with murderers.
- The Bible condemns deceptive compliments and words close to profanity.
- Marketing can deceive you by exaggerated compliments.
- Joking can be just as bad as gossip.
- Hinting at something can be as bad as saying it openly.
- Hasty and impatient speech can be as bad as well.
- Proverbs 29:20 “Seest thou a man [that is] hasty in his words? [there is] more hope of a fool than of him.”
- Proverbs 25:28 “He that [hath] no rule over his own spirit [is like] a city [that is] broken down, [and] without walls.”
- Is it worth it to gossip? What can we do to get rid of gossip?
- Luke 6:43-45 “43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. 45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”
- Gossip starts in our own minds, something we can control. Think on the good things. Place the best motivation possible on the words and acts of others. Appreciate others as much as possible. Think about the Cross and Jesus’ sacrifice when tempted to gossip about others.
- What can we do about others gossiping? Don’t take part. Try to push the discussion in other directions. If not, ask the group to stop or leave altogether. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you.
- What do you do when others gossip about you? Bear it with God’s protection and guidance. Think about what that person is doing to God’s work.
- Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.”
- Ellen White says that the blow aimed at you really hits Jesus. Nehemiah kept building the wall despite gossip.
- We must defend what is happening when the gossip is hurting God’s work.
- David had patience when God allowed Saul to persecute him.
- What would Laurelbrook be if gossip was handled properly? It is up to us to do this.