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Steve Durkac

Hospice Chaplain

 
 
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Author Archives: Steve Durkac

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Smaller is Bigger

Steve Durkac Posted on February 8, 2018 by Steve DurkacFebruary 4, 2024

Mega churches are great when it comes to outreach, but drawing a crowd isn’t what a pastor is called to do. Smaller gatherings is where disciples are made and souls are brought to Christ. Any executive can lead a mega church, but only a pastor can lead a small gathering of souls. Hundreds in our world are really wanting to … Continue reading →

Posted in Ministry Notes | Tagged House Church, start a house church

Starting A House Church

Steve Durkac Posted on February 8, 2018 by Steve DurkacFebruary 4, 2024

A house church is not a one-size-fits-all or a cookie-cutter singular approach, but rather a zero-budget mission that is developed organically according to God’s leading and your calling. First, start with a call upon your heart. God uses pastors in His ministry and house churches that are led by pastoral care leaders are certainly following the biblical example that best … Continue reading →

Posted in Ministry Notes | Tagged Bible Study, House Church, Micro-Church, Organic Church, Simple Church, Small Group, start a house church

Being the Church

Steve Durkac Posted on February 8, 2018 by Steve DurkacFebruary 4, 2024

The word church comes from the Greek word ekklesia which is defined as “an assembly” or “called-out ones” so according to the Bible, the church is the body of Christ—all those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. Our society has benefited from the traditional brick and mortar church building as a beacon of light in its presence and mission. However, … Continue reading →

Posted in Ministry Notes | Tagged church, ekklesia, House Church, Organic Church, Simple Church

Prayer Therapy: How to Pray for Problems

Steve Durkac Posted on February 6, 2018 by Steve DurkacFebruary 4, 2024

In 1994 I had assumed the pastorate of a church where I had the opportunity to sit down with the outgoing pastor to discuss various issues of that congregation. As I was sitting with him in his office talking, he handed me his keys and said, “Oh, I almost forgot, each Wednesday at 11:00 AM you have a counseling session, … Continue reading →

Posted in Deeper Faith | Tagged biblical prayer, How to Pray, Lord's Prayer, Matthew 6:9-13, Prayer, prayer is the answer, prayer ministry, prayer therapy

Jesus is God

Steve Durkac Posted on December 18, 2017 by Steve DurkacFebruary 4, 2024

Many years ago a sincere church member once asked me, Is Jesus really God? They went on to explain that they see where the Bible says Jesus prayed to God the Father, was called the Son of God, and they even pointed to the account of Jesus saying he didn’t know when he was coming back, only God knew that. Well, … Continue reading →

Posted in Deeper Faith | Tagged Jesus Christ, Jesus is God, Son of God

In Jesus’ Name

Steve Durkac Posted on November 28, 2017 by Steve DurkacFebruary 4, 2024

We commonly conclude our prayers by saying “In Jesus’ Name” and rightly so. When you say, “Lord, in the name of Jesus I pray, Amen” you are sharing in His power by claiming His character, life, atonement, and righteousness – not yours! When you say, “In Jesus’ Name,” you are saying… “Lord, I am asking you to answer and fulfill … Continue reading →

Posted in Deeper Faith | Tagged How to Pray, Jesus' Name, Prayer, prayer is the answer

San Antonio, Texas

Steve Durkac Posted on November 16, 2017 by Steve DurkacFebruary 4, 2024

I am happy to be back in Mobile today after being in San Antonio, Texas this week.   Memorial Service… The memorial service for Frank Wehrly went well and it was well attended as we celebrated and honored his life and family. Frank had fought lung cancer for 9 years until he passed last week just a week beyond his … Continue reading →

Posted in Mere Observations | Tagged Frank Wehrly, grief, Sutherland Springs First Baptist Church

Avoiding Malice in the National Conversation

Steve Durkac Posted on September 28, 2017 by Steve DurkacFebruary 4, 2024

There is a lot of chaos in our society and it is an intentional strategy of Satan, because we know from John 10:10 that he “comes only to steal and kill and destroy” (ESV) and Ephesians 6:12 reminds us that we “wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against … Continue reading →

Posted in Deeper Faith | Tagged End-Times, Ephesians 6:12, Matthew 24, society

Forsake Anger

Steve Durkac Posted on August 17, 2017 by Steve DurkacFebruary 4, 2024

Satan is happy to incite anger among all that will yield to it, because anger can quickly and easily be inflamed into his mission “to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10). But I say to you, forsake anger so you become part of Jesus’ mission of “have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). Now I realize we are human and society’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Deeper Faith | Tagged Anger

Light Shows at Church?

Steve Durkac Posted on August 7, 2017 by Steve DurkacFebruary 4, 2024

Lately, my social media feed has been full with video clips of live church worship music and something has struck me as an oddity regarding these numerous church worship programs — light shows. I’ve noticed that there appears to be a trend for light shows as part of the worship music and I’ve noticed this on video clips of both … Continue reading →

Posted in Mere Observations | Tagged worship

American Church

Steve Durkac Posted on July 19, 2017 by Steve DurkacFebruary 4, 2024

Here is another video clip from Francis Chan on “How to hear from God” where he deals with comparison between the American Church and Jesus, with a godly balance speaking the truth in love. There are many speaking against the modern institutional church without love, which is why I so appreciate Francis Chan addressing these issues. This is a good … Continue reading →

Posted in Ministry Notes | Tagged church, Francis Chan

When We Sin

Steve Durkac Posted on June 26, 2017 by Steve DurkacFebruary 4, 2024

We had a conversation Sunday during our study of James about what to do when we have sinned, and I want to share those Bible promises that I referenced again here. First, I mentioned a verse that I couldn’t locate right away, but the verse is Jeremiah 17:9  and it says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: … Continue reading →

Posted in Deeper Faith | Tagged 1 John 1:9, Jeremiah 17:9, Psalm 103:12, Psalm 51:12, Sin

Small Church Uniqueness

Steve Durkac Posted on June 16, 2017 by Steve DurkacFebruary 4, 2024

It’s not often I copy and paste from another’s blog but I can’t say it any better and I want to share these thoughts with our CrossHope Chapel fellowship and those considering God’s calling to a simple church ministry. The below words are from a January 29, 2015 post by Ben Gosden, Senior Pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in … Continue reading →

Posted in Ministry Notes | Tagged House Church, Simple Church, Small Church, Small Group

Self-Control or Gun Control

Steve Durkac Posted on June 15, 2017 by Steve DurkacFebruary 4, 2024

The solution to unprovoked firearm violence in our society is not gun control, but self-control. Galatians 5:23 tells us that self-control is the result of the indwelling Spirit of God in one’s life, and without the Holy Spirit there is no control over one’s unbridled sinful behavior. The angry expressions of violence are easily acted upon when the Holy Spirit … Continue reading →

Posted in Mere Observations | Tagged bible prophecy, last days, self-control, violence

Tree of Life?

Steve Durkac Posted on June 9, 2017 by Steve DurkacFebruary 4, 2024

Q: So when we get into heaven, will we have to literally eat of the tree of life to keep living forever, or is the tree of life a metaphorical object meaning we already have eternal life? A: In Genesis 2:9 and Genesis 3:22 we see that the tree of life seems to offer Adam and Eve a perpetual sustenance … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible Answers | Tagged Heaven, Tree of Life

Who is the Anti-Christ?

Steve Durkac Posted on June 2, 2017 by Steve DurkacFebruary 4, 2024

Last Sunday at CrossHope Chapel we spent a little more time on 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 and the subject of “the man of lawlessness” and who this man could be. I shared a thought I had, but I couldn’t recall if it was from the book of Daniel or a commentator, but the thought I shared was that there is a … Continue reading →

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Posted in Bible Answers | Tagged 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, Anti-Christ, Beast

Pastoral Calling

Steve Durkac Posted on May 24, 2017 by Steve DurkacFebruary 4, 2024

I am an advocate of doing church simply and a believer in the God ordained pastoral calling. However, I realize that there are voices in organic, simple, house church movements who reject the roles or at least the position of a “pastor” as belonging to institutional church. (I spoke to my concern of pastoral clergy criticism in my blog post “Critics of … Continue reading →

Posted in Ministry Notes | Tagged House Church, Micro, Non-traditional Church, Organic Church, Pastor, Simple Church, Small Group

Critics of Church Styles

Steve Durkac Posted on May 24, 2017 by Steve DurkacFebruary 4, 2024

Several years ago I left traditional institutional denominational church pastoral ministry and received a lot of criticism from my colleagues on planting a house/organic church fellowship. Criticism from my fellow traditional ministers didn’t surprise me as much as the criticism I received from other organic church advocates, including random unexpected emails and even letters chastising me and trying to correct … Continue reading →

Posted in Ministry Notes | Tagged House Church, Micro, Non-traditional Church, Organic Church, Pastor, Simple Church, Small Group

Organic Pastor?

Steve Durkac Posted on May 24, 2017 by Steve DurkacFebruary 4, 2024

Somewhere along the line of my journey with CrossHope Chapel, it occurred to me that my calling in this mission was one of an “organic pastor” in philosophy, approach, and ministry. I want to give you a definition for the term “organic pastor” which is a term that I like to use when talking about those called of God to pastoral … Continue reading →

Posted in Ministry Notes | Tagged House Church, Non-traditional Church, Organic Church, Pastor, Simple Church, Small Group

79 Years Later

Steve Durkac Posted on May 24, 2017 by Steve DurkacApril 23, 2024

Yesterday, May 23, 2017 would have been my birth mother’s 79th birthday, had she not died in 1990. I was thinking earlier today that when I get to heaven I will have two mothers – the mother that adopted me and the mother that birthed me. Interestingly, the mom who raised me is named Irene and the mom who birthed me … Continue reading →

Posted in Mere Observations | Tagged Adoption, adult adoptee, Family, Jeanette Thoemke

Observations for SDA’s

Steve Durkac Posted on May 24, 2017 by Steve DurkacFebruary 4, 2024

I have been out of the Seventh-day Adventist church almost as long as I was in the Seventh-day Adventist church. Since I have been among and ministering within non-Adventist churches, I have observed some things that I have always thought would be worth sharing with my Adventist friends. These are observations that I wish were shared with me when I … Continue reading →

Posted in Mere Observations | Tagged Adventist, Former Adventist, SDA, Seventh-day Adventist, Steve Durkac

My Baby Feet

Steve Durkac Posted on May 23, 2017 by Steve DurkacApril 23, 2024

I finally got my baby feet. What I mean is, I just received the card stock paper where the nurses at St. John’s Hospital in Fargo, North Dakota inked my feet, shortly after being born on October 1, 1962 and made an impression of my baby feet with ink. As I looked at the paper with the impression of my new … Continue reading →

Posted in Mere Observations | Tagged Adoption, adult adoptee, Family

3 Scriptures for Adoptees

Steve Durkac Posted on May 23, 2017 by Steve DurkacFebruary 4, 2024

I am an adoptee, and you can read my personal testimony to learn how that impacted my conversion and sustaining faith in Jesus Christ and His word. Here I wish to share 3 Scripture verses that I believe speak to the real significance of every individual who may be wrestling with their identity because of being an adopted child.   Jeremiah … Continue reading →

Posted in Mere Observations | Tagged adoptee, Adoption, Bible

Fake Godliness

Steve Durkac Posted on May 21, 2017 by Steve DurkacFebruary 4, 2024

Today at CrossHope Chapel we took a cross-reference jump from 2 Thessalonians 2:5 to 2 Timothy 3:1-5 and read this: “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, … Continue reading →

Posted in Deeper Faith | Tagged 2 Timothy 3:1-5, Bible, Isaiah 8:20, last days

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