Benwood Mt. Lebanon Church

09/07/2026

9.6.26 Sermon Summary
Rules vs Relationship

Everyone enjoys playing games. Each game has a set of rules to follow so the game will be played fairly and without chaos happening. Rules do not affect whether you win or lose. Kids sometimes make up rules as they play or even break the rules to achieve their goals of winning. When we play by the rules and lose, frustration and disappointment can set in because we don’t get the result we want.

In Colossians 2:16-22, Paul talked about rules and those who place rules and laws on you. Only eat this, and only if prepared certain ways. You must do this during special holidays and festivals. Basically, they tell people what they must do to be holy and acceptable to God.

Others have rules for our spiritual life. You must go to church, pray, read the Bible, sing praises, and fast, among other things. All of those certainly grow you toward God, but why do them and who are they done for? Do you just go through the motions because it’s what you are supposed to do? Do you do these things to make yourself feel better about what you believe God and people expect of you? Or do you do them to honor God?

Rules and laws are made for keeping the peace with fairness for all living together. But they aren’t enough. You can know all of the laws and proper acts of worship, but in and of themselves, they won’t help you with the sin nature we have. Our desire to sin will overpower any law we have. (Watch people on the highways.)

Neither morality nor spirituality comes from following rules. They come from desire and change. Change happens when we are baptized into Christ. A sin-centered heart is removed and transplanted by a Christ-centered heart. One whom the donor chose to give through His life. This change created a relationship with Christ and a changed attitude. We don’t live life because of rules, but because of Christ. We don’t live a moral life because we have to, but because we desire to.

Rules certainly help in spiritual growth, but they won’t fulfill you. Only a relationship with Jesus can. Without a relationship with Christ, there is no future.

To listen to the full message visit www.BenwoodMtLebanon.org/Sermons/

Join us Sunday morning at 10:30 am for worship. We would love to see you.

09/04/2026

08/31/2026

8.30.26 Satan Sermon Summary
The spiritual enemy has a few names. Satan, Devil, Lucifer, Liar, Deceiver, Accuser, and others. He also appears as images. There are jokes and cartoons of him as a small, red-horned, pitchfork-wielding being that causes mischief, but no real harm. In the Bible, he is shown as the once-beautiful angel, Lucifer. He is shown in the form of a man. He disguises himself in forms needed to deceive people, such as an angel of light or a stalking lion.

Yet we know he is a created being by God for His purposes, with a free will to choose good or evil. He is someone to be wary of but not to be feared by those with the power of the Holy Spirit indwelling within them. The Bible tells us Satan’s tactics, and we know his end.

1 John 3:8 “The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.”

Satan doesn’t need to make you do bad things. He just needs to keep you from doing the ONE thing that matters: surrendering to Christ. He deceives mankind by getting us to trust our morals instead of Christ’s sacrifice. Believe in our works instead of Jesus' finished work. Rely on our goodness instead of God's grace. Just be a good person, treat people right, and avoid the big sins. Morality over spirituality. The Pharisees believed that lie.

The most disappointed people in hell will be the moral upstanding people who thought being good was good enough. Only the blood of Christ can wash away sin and make us acceptable to a holy God. Everything else is Satan's deception.

To listen to the full message visit www.BenwoodMtLebanon.org/Sermons/

We would love to have you join Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m.

08/28/2026

The venue for this event has changed, but all else remains the same. You will still hear Joni give a personal testimony on the goodness of God, get a sneak peek inside the IQM Story Bus, receive sweet treats to eat, get a short performance from Grandma Puppet, hear a closing word from Pastor Tom, and go home with a copy of Joni's newest book, Faith to Believe. Invite your friends to come with you and hear how When God Writes Your Story, amazing things happen.

08/25/2026

8.23.26 Sermon Summary: Deeply Rooted
Extra strength medicine. Extra strength detergent. Do you ever feel like you need extra strength just to get through the day? Being pushed and pulled in different directions to where life seems out of control? You can hang on for the wild ride, or you can grow deeper and have a firm and strong foundation to overcome life’s challenges.

Colossians 2 offers the hope for overcoming challenging times by telling us that just as we have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in faith.

To flourish and grow we need to be rooted in Christ. His indwelling in us defines who we are and what we can become in him. The more deeply we are rooted, the more deeply we understand God, his word, and his will; the closer and stronger our relationship with him becomes.

Being deeply rooted helps us to stay strong when the storms of life come and withstand attacks from false doctrine and false teachings; teachings of things we have to perform to be saved or remain saved. Jesus provided the gift of salvation. We are counted righteous because he clothed us in his righteousness. We can’t add to that by anything we do.

Prayer, reading the Bible, and going to church are great ways to foster growth, but being deeply rooted in Christ means maturing our relationship with him. It’s growing into his character, following his actions, and actively serving, giving, and worshipping him for his glory.

Looking back over your life, do you show more love, more kindness and have less anger and bitterness than in past years? Grace doesn’t just save; it transforms. You may be saved and counted as righteous, but can you stand strong in the face of life’s storms? Deeply rooted you can.

To listen to the full sermon visit www.BenwoodMtLebanon.org/Sermons/

Join us for worship at 10:30 am Sunday.

08/17/2026

8.16.26 Sermon Summary
In Colossians 1:15-23, Paul speaks of Jesus and his supremacy over all things. He also clears up false messages like those we see today that reduce Jesus’ authority and supremacy.

We must recognize Jesus as God, a part of the Trinity. He is the Image of the invisible God. In him all things were created, ALL things through him, and for him. In him all things hold together. The fullness of God dwells in Jesus. We are reconciled to God by Jesus’ death on the cross in order to make us holy in his sight.

Gordon Dahl has stated that Americans worship their work, work at their play, and play at their worship. We don’t make Jesus a priority in life because we fill our lives with other, lesser things. A Gallup poll once found no clear behavior differences between Christians and non-Christians. People should notice a change. Many call themselves Christians, and they may be, yet we lack disciples. Disciples, those who truly follow and obey God's Word.

We can be in awe of the many things seen in creation, but it’s much greater to have a relationship with its creator. We can look at the cross and the empty tomb; yet it’s entirely another thing to know Jesus as your own Lord and Savior.

Stop clinging to an imitation of the Christian life. Open yourself up to embrace the greatest and fullest life available in Jesus. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise.

To listen to the full message, go to www.BenwoodMtLebanon.org/Sermons/

Join us on Sunday morning at 10:30 for worship. We would love to meet you.

08/17/2026

✨ WHEN GOD WRITES YOUR STORY ✨

We’re looking forward to welcoming Joni Wolf, founder of Immanuel Quilt Ministry, to White Pine Manor for a special evening of faith, testimony, and encouragement.

Joni will share her personal testimony of the goodness of God and stories from her new book, Faith to Believe.

💜 Thursday, September 10, 2026
⏰ Meet, Greet & Bus Peek: 6:00–7:00 p.m.
🎤 Event: 7:00–8:00 p.m.
📍 White Pine Manor
7831 N State Rd 59, Brazil, IN

🎟 Tickets: $20
✨ Early Bird Tickets: $10 when purchased before September 1st!

The evening will also include sweet treats, an inside look at the Immanuel Quilt Ministry Bus, a Grandma Puppet performance, discounted IQM products, and more.

Proceeds benefit Immanuel Quilt Ministry Inc., a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.

We hope you’ll join us for an uplifting evening at White Pine Manor. 💜

Please share this post with someone who might enjoy this special event!

08/12/2026

This year’s scramble was great success! Thanks to all involved! Our community and players as well as the congregation really came through for the kids. Next up Help-A-Family at Christmas!

08/11/2026

8.9.26 Sermon Summary
As people, we typically meet a special someone, get married, and start a family. We are thankful and blessed when a newborn arrives. We want the best for our children as they grow. Our hope is that they achieve their dreams and have success in school, sports, jobs, and their own future family. We want them to have a life of love and to live well financially, physically, and emotionally.

God, our Heavenly Father, desires many of the things our earthly parents desire, yet He wants to give us even more. Colossians, chapter one shows us a bigger picture of what we should desire. Colossians 1:9-11 says, “We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so you that you may have great endurance and patience.”

We should pray to receive the full experience of God, being filled by the Spirit to know his will. To know His will, not just in certain situations or decisions, but in all we do—through the wisdom and understanding that the Holy Spirit gives, so that we can live a life worthy and pleasing to God in every way.

Babies wear bibs, feed on milk, and must be served. As we grow and mature in Christ, we are to wean off milk and turn to taking in meat (solid food). Babies have bibs to be served; spiritually full believers put on an apron to serve others.

All this so we can live a life that is worthy and pleases God in every way. A life lived in thankfulness and appreciation for the sacrifice of Jesus, who gave us that life.

Take a look in the mirror. Are you wearing a bib or an apron?

Benwood Mt. Lebanon Church, 945 E. Co. Rd. 1200 N., Brazil. Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m., Wednesday Night Bible Study 7:00 p.m., Ladies Bible Study Thursday 9:30 a.m.
Listen to this full sermon at www.BenwoodMtLebanon.org/Sermons/