Make a Friend, Save the World | Evangelism Part 1 | Rob Freeman

2013:05:19

Lessons from Mom | Pastor Rob

Pastor Rob speaks about the lessons we can learn from our mothers

Here’s a discussion guide you may choose to use following listening to the sermon:
1. What do you appreciate most about your mom? In what ways does she reflect God to you?
2. How does God speak to you through his Word?
3. Pray for insight and God’s Spirit to stir in you as you read Psalm 46. What sticks out to you?
4. What is the main point of Psalm 46? Is it okay if what stick out to you is different than this? Is it okay if what sticks out to you conflicts with this?
5. How significant is the concept of spiritual community in the Bible? Why do you think that is?
6. What’s more important: your physical family, or your spiritual family? Why? (tip: there’s probably no simple answer)
7. Can you choose to not be a part of a church, and still be a good Christian? Why?
8. What does it mean to be a spiritual family? What does it look like to be a spiritual family?
9. What actions has God put on your heart?
10. What happens when your actions lack a heart of devotion to God? What happens when your heart of devotion lacks action?

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Spring into eXtreme

eXtreme
Alternating Fridays 7-9 pm
Grades 5-8
Welcome!
For more info call Pastor Rob: 707-0985 or Arlette 345-8313

Spring 2013
April 12th: Scavenger Bingo Tag!
April 26th: Swim & Slide @ the Complex!
— Cost: $3.30/child
— $8.28/adult
May 10th: Nerf Wars
May 31st: Capture the Flag (Hammarskjold field)
June 14th: The eXtremely Amazing Race
— Pick your team
— Find the clues
— Win the Race!!

Enjoy gourmet cafe treats with Chefs Selina & Arlette!

iWorship pt.4 | I Worship When I Imagine Reality | Rob Freeman

In the Fourth Part of iWorship sermon series, Pastor Rob speaks on how to use your spiritual imagination in worship and how it will change your life.

For discussion, after listening to the sermon:
1. Ice breaker – What is a dream that you have? What is an experience that you’ve had with spiritual imagination?
2. What do we believe, even though we can’t see it?
3. Read 2 Kings 6:14-23; what can we legitimately imagine all around us every day?
4. What evidence do we have to believe that Jesus is always with us, that angles are all around us, etc.?
5. Choose a short Bible story, such as the cleansing of Naaman, and read it slowly while imagining being present in the story. Share any insights you have.
6. What is the difference between General, Special & Personal revelation? What category does a spiritual imagination fit in?
7. What are the dangers and benefits of a spiritual imagination?
8. Spend a couple minutes in silent prayer, asking God to bring a scripture to mind, and then asking God to guide your imagination in imagining the spiritual reality in the room where you are sitting. Share any insights you have.

Click here for a map with the location of Saalem Church.

Kids Camp 2013

“It is that time of year again where we here at Saalem Church are gearing up and preparing for another fun, awesome and exciting adventure this summer – Kids Camp 2013!

“Our camp this year is being held from July 3th – July 6th, for kids who are entering grade 1 to those who are entering grade 8 in September 2013. We are going to have tons of fun with games, sports, swimming, bonfires, skits, drama, music and crafts. Our most interesting adventure is going to be learning about God’s love and how that love impacts our daily lives.

“This year we would like to encourage you and your children to invite friends who don’t go to church regularly.  We see this camp as a ministry opportunity and would like to reach as many children as possible, with your help!  Have a look in the invitation letter at the discount you can get by inviting friends who don’t go to church!”

Click here to view the invitation letter

iWorship pt.3 | The Power of Praise | Pekka Perho

In the third part of iWorship pastor Pekka speaks about different forms of praise. Looking at a battle led by king Jehoshaphat, we see the importance of trusting God in all circumstances.

For discussion, following listening to the sermon:
1. Have you ever looked foolish? Does faith require foolishness?
2. What sorts of things go wrong in our everyday lives? How do we respond to these challenges? What beliefs would cause us to turn to God first with these trials?
3. If we turn to God in distress, where were we looking beforehand? Could we be always looking to God? If so, what would be different when distress came?
4. Are your battles really God’s battles? If so, how? If not, why?
5. What evidence do you have that God will save you from your trials? What evidence do you have that God won’t save you from your trials?
6. What promises has God made to you regarding your (his) battles? How can you boast in these promises before they are fulfilled?
7. How is praise a powerful weapon?
8. How is something released in the Spirit when we praise God loudly, even with a shout?
9. In what situation is it a good idea to trust God in an extreme way, potentially making yourself look stupid?
10. Is it significant that there are various words for praise used in 2 Chron 20? If so, why?
11. Do you believe that God can turn any situation around as you praise him?

Click here for a map with the location of Saalem Church.

iWorship pt.2 | The Reasonable Response | Pekka Perho

In the second part of iWorship pastor Pekka speaks about wholehearted worship. Looking at several passages in the book of Romans, we see that worship is the only reasonable response to Gods amazing mercy and grace.

For discussion, after listening to the sermon:
1. Read Romans 12:1. What is the kind of worship that God desires? What other Scriptures can you think of that resonate with this theme?
2. Read Romans 1:21-25. What is life without God like? How can remembering this motivate us to worship God?
3. Read Romans 3:9-12. Are people inherently good? Is it logically possible that people can be essentially good, but simply corrupted by society? Why is God so picky about us needing to be perfect to get into heaven?
4. Read Romans 5:6-8. Think of the most evil someone could do against you. Imagine giving up your life to save them. Reflect on the extreme nature of Jesus dying for those who were sinning against him.
5. Read Romans 10:9-10. Is it easy to be saved? Why or why not?
6. What sin is most likely to distract you from worshiping God. What can you do to regain your focus on worshiping God with all of your life?

Click here for a map with the location of Saalem Church.

iWorship pt.1 | Despite the Circumstances | Pekka Perho

In the first part of iWorship pastor Pekka shares from the life experience of Apostle Paul on the importance of worshipping in spite of our circumstances.

Scripture: Acts 16:22-31

For discussion and prayer, following listening to the sermon:
1. What is worship? How is worshiping on your own the same as worshiping at church? How is it different?
2. John 4:23 says that true worshipers will worship in spirit and in truth. What does this mean?
3. How do you express your passion for things you enjoy? How do you express your passion in worship?
4. Acts 16:12-40 tells of Paul and Silas being beaten and thrown in jail for exorcising a demon. How do you think they were able to worship God in jail?
5. Sometimes zooming out helps us regain focus. What is a difficult life circumstance that you have right now? How might you zoom out to be able to worship God in the midst of it?
6. Why is complaining wrong? What else can we do with frustrating, unjust or evil circumstances?
7. Worship opens the way for the supernatural. What was the result of God’s supernatural power in Acts 16? Does this get you excited about having God’s supernatural power at work around you? Why or why not?
8. When Paul and Silas worshipped, the chains fell off everyone present. How might this happen at church?

Click here for a map with the location of Saalem Church.

Discovering your Values

”Its not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are” – R. Disney

Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.
Proverbs 4:23

Life really emanates from the heart. When we know and focus on our core values, it easier to make right decisions during stressful times. If our life is in disarray, we find ourselves out of sync, or even slipping into despair; it can be time to prayerfully consider what our values are.

Our values are the things we have deliberately decided to live for. Our personal top ten, or six or twelve, depending on how many values you manage to boil it down to. The Bible gives us some clear guidelines, the foundation for our values. I would suggest that God, family and generosity should all be part of your core values.

A few good questions to help you discover your values are:
1. What do I want those closest to me to say at my funeral? Why?
2. If all my savings and possessions became invalid and I was completely broke, what would I do and why would I do it?
3. What in life is most important?

Take a moment to prayerfully ponder your personal core values. Write them down with specific, tangible goals that you can keep track of. Looking back later, this may be the most productive 10 minutes of this day. In fact, it may set you up for success spiritually and relationally. And remember to be specific. Below are my personal top two core values:

CORE VALUES:
1. Jesus Christ. To live life with and for Jesus and His glory at all times. Practically I value time spent with God, reading the Bible and praying, above other activities. I will seek to spend time with God daily. If a day has been too busy, I will do this at night before I go to bed.

2. Family. I value quality time with my spouse and children. I will seek to spend at least one hour of focused time with each family member every week. This may have to happen using technology if I am traveling.

When you have discovered your values, it is easier to live life on purpose.
Pastor Pekka Perho

He is Risen! – Pekka Perho

Greatest comeback ever. He is Risen – He is Risen indeed!
Pastor Pekka shares some historic April fools jokes as he speaks about the events surrounding Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Easter Sunday 2013 message.

Scripture: John 20:19-31.

For discussion and prayer, following listening to the sermon:
1. Listen to John 20:19-31 being read aloud while imagining being one of the disciples. Describe the experience.
2. Who do you think that the Pharisees thought Jesus was? Who did they think John the Baptist was? How do we also blindly go about preserving the comforts of our lives without considering who Jesus really is?
3. In what ways do we also follow the crowds, rather than the convictions of our hearts?
4. Why is it important that Jesus died – that is, that he wasn’t simply in a coma?
5. Jesus says, “Peace be with you!” What peace does Jesus speak over your life today?
6. Why is the resurrection so important?
7. Does faith need evidence? If so, why? If not, what impact does evidence have on faith? What evidence do you have for your faith?
8. Faith is built on a personal experience of the Holy Spirit and reliable testimony. Why are both necessary? How do we grow in each of these?

Click here for a map with the location of Saalem Church.

Scandal of Grace Solo | Aleksis Penna

Aleksis Penna does a fabulous job with this solo of Scandal of Grace… Come check out the Easter Concert, Sunday March 31st at 7:00 pm for more of Saalem’s talent!

Saalem Witch Hunt of 2013 Pt.3 | Pekka Perho

The third lie we uncover in this series is Individualism – the belief that we can do all things without the help of others. We study a Biblical account of war where the victory was won, not because of what happened on the battlefield, but by the power of blessing. We reap what we sow. When we live life in a posture of blessing, we will receive blessing.

Click here for a map with the location of Saalem Church.

Saalem Witch Hunt of 2013 Pt.2 | Rob Freeman

The second lie we uncover in this series is Docetism – the belief that Jesus wasn’t actually fully human. 1 John 4:2,15-17 and Luke 7:31-50 show us the truth that can radically change our lives: God is found in Jesus forgiving us.

For discussion, following listening to the sermon:
1. Consider the four summaries of the Christian in 1 John 4: “acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh,” “acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,” “lives in love,” and “like Jesus in this world.” What might each of these look like in everyday life? That is, how would you act differently if you believed each of these rather than their opposite? How are each of these different perspectives on the same thing? Which one resonates most with you personally and why? What do these inspire you to do?
2. Consider the interaction between the very good man, the very sinful woman, and Jesus in Luke 7. How does this sort of interaction happen today in your church and in your life? What should the very good man have done? What should we do?
3. When you encounter Jesus in prayer, what sins is he calling you to confess to find forgiveness? Take some time to process this.
4. Do you have less reason to be thankful than the woman in Luke 7? If not, how can you express your thankfulness so unreservedly and unashamedly?
5. If you are discussing these questions with at least one other person, affirm Jesus’ words for each person upon the confession of their sins: “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace!”

Click here for a map with the location of Saalem Church.

Saalem Witch Hunt of 2013 Pt.1 | Pekka Perho

Back in the day people were punished for believing what others thought to be a lie. Some were declared as witches and sentenced to be burned on the stake (we are against that by the way). Many of the ancient heresies, false beliefs, are still alive and well today, but we have also invented new ones.

When we believe a lie, it will begin to affect our lives as if it was true. If you believe you are ugly and good for nothing, that is how you will act. The Saalem Witchhunt is a series in which we seek to uncover the truth that will set us free. We are not hunting for witches, but seek to expose some common lies that keep people from living in Gods best for their lives.

Don’t worry, these talks are for internal use only. We will not actually burn anyone.

For discussion, following listening to the sermon:
1. “If you believe a lie, you will act accordingly.” What examples of this can you think of?
2. Why do you think people are attracted to fatalism? Why does this seem like a God-honouring belief?
3. Do you think that we can influence God? Can we make God change his mind? How does this belief affect your actions? (consider Jeremiah 26:3)
4. Do you expect your prayers to change anything? Why?
5. God spared Israel because one man prayed. God stopped the rain and started it again three years later because one man prayed. If you believed this, how might you pray differently?
6. Describe your current prayer habits. If different, what prayer habits do you believe God wants for you? Is there anything stopping you from doing that this week?
7. When you consider that you can change God’s mind, but His character doesn’t change, what are you inspired to do?
8. When you consider that God will not do whatever he wants to do, but that he has the power to do anything and is in complete control, what are you inspired to do?
9. If you are discussing with a group, share prayer requests and pray for each other.

Click here for a map with the location of Saalem Church.

Teen Challenge Sharing and Testimonies

Saalem Family Celebration – Sundays at 11:45am.
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Click the “play” button below to listen or right click the “download” text and choose “save as” in order to download. Sermons from Saalem Church can also be found on iTunes as a podcast.

Sweet Relationships Part 5 | Rob Freeman

Single life, dating, engagement and marriage. It should all be easy, nice, even sweet. But that is not always the reality we wake up to. Some things are easier said than done. Just in time for Valentines Day, Saalem church is heading into a four week series on relationships, starting Sunday, January 27, 2013 at 11:45. Whether you have been to church before or not, we believe you will receive help and encouragment from these messages. Childcare is provided through our nursery, elementary and Kids Church programs. Welcome!

Click here for a map with the location of Saalem Church.

Saalem Weekly Calendar

Each and every week at Saalem church:

Wednesday 7pm – Sana & Rukous
Finnish prayer meeting.

Thursday 7pm – Ablaze
English midweek service with worship, prayer, word and ministry.

Friday 8pm – HWY Youth
English youth meeting, open to youth and young adults, ages 13 and up.

Sunday 10am – Aamukokous
Finnish Sunday morning service.

Sunday 11:45am – Saalem Sunday
English Sunday morning service.

Love and Respect Each Others Differences | Sweet Relationships Part 4 | Pekka Perho

Single life, dating, engagement and marriage. It should all be easy, nice, even sweet. But that is not always the reality we wake up to. Some things are easier said than done. In part 4 of the series pastor Pekka speaks about the differences between men and women as well as what leads to conflicts in marriage and the way out of the crazy cycle, all out of Ephesians 5.

Recommended reading that parts of this message were based on:
Love & Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs

Click here for a map with the location of Saalem Church.

Seeing With Their Eyes – Sweet Relationship Part 2 – Rob Freeman

Single life, dating, engagement and marriage. It should all be easy, nice, even sweet. But that is not always the reality we wake up to. Some things are easier said than done. Just in time for Valentines Day, Saalem church is heading into a four week series on relationships, starting Sunday, January 27, 2013 at 11:45. Whether you have been to church before or not, we believe you will receive help and encouragment from these messages. Childcare is provided through our nursery, elementary and Kids Church programs. Welcome!

Click here for a map with the location of Saalem Church.

Be The One-Sweet Relationships Part 1 – Pekka Perho

Single life, dating, engagement and marriage. It should all be easy, nice, even sweet. But that is not always the reality we wake up to. Some things are easier said than done. Just in time for Valentines Day, Saalem church is heading into a four week series on relationships, starting Sunday, January 27, 2013 at 11:45. Whether you have been to church before or not, we believe you will receive help and encouragment from these messages. Childcare is provided through our nursery, elementary and Kids Church programs. Welcome!

Click here for a map with the location of Saalem Church.

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