Fran Trascritti ministry

Worship in Pajamas?!?

Well, with worship cancelled due to the ice and awful driving conditions, I thought that I would try to do something different. I went ahead and had a Google Hangout Air with as many people as wanted to come to study the Word. Here’s the link of the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mkG6ydyoiU

All in all, it was fun. Yeah, we had a troll come on and try to distract the study from the topic at hand, but it was still very worthwhile. I can see application of this tool for a variety of bible studies and content delivery for the church. With a little practice, I foresee us using Hangouts for several applications. Keep in mind that won’t replace live, person to person interaction, but it is a good alternative in circumstances like what we had or if people have to travel long distances.

So let me ask- what ways can you see this tool used for the Kingdom? If so, how?

Fran Trascritti Devotional, God's Goodness

Devotion: Comfort in the Midst of Crisis

2 Corinthians 1:3-5, “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.  He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.  For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.”

helpb

When tragedy strikes, people need comfort. Sometimes people need hugs, words of kindness, a smile, a tear, or just a sympathetic ear. There’s something to be said about the power of encouragement, as the loving presence of a loved one can change another’s overall outlook for hours, days, or even years.

Yet there is a greater comfort that is available for Christians: the comfort of the Holy Spirit. The Bible says that if you are a believer and are hurting, He groans, He prays, He brings peace to you. Comfort, true permanent comfort, is found through the healing touch, the cool refreshing water of the Holy Spirit. It is an internal joy that comes from Him, knowing that although the situation seems impossible and the hurt seems limitless, the presence of God is still with you.

King David wrote in Psalm 30:5 that “weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.” There is a joy promised, a hope before you, and a love around you. It may not feel like that right now, but God is surely with you, never to leave nor forsake you, never to forget your pain. Remember this as you suffer through the pain found in this fallen world.

May the power of God’s love surround you, and may the comfort of the Holy Spirit be with you in this time!

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti Uncategorized

Death is not the end

Please be sure to read this wonderful entry written by my wonderful wife, Teresa, in her blog today as we love on our family members who have been hurt so much by the pain of death:

Death is not the end.

Fran Trascritti Reds, Uncategorized

Votto on the radio

Votto on the radio

In preparation for the start of Spring Training in just a few short weeks, here’s a link to Lance McAlister’s interview with none other than #19, Joey Votto. It’s really great to get a glimpse of his personality and work ethic. Got a good sense of humor too. 

Go Reds!

Fran Trascritti Uncategorized

A Prowling Lion…

Satan knows how to get at us. He watches, studies, plans, and tempts each believer in every way, looking for a way to make each of us ineffective and destroy our testimony. When one thing doesn’t work, he tries something else. He uses the fallen world, the lost soul, even his demons and minions to take an already fallen human and spiritually ground them into powder. 

If you try to fight Satan with your own wisdom, power, and will, you don’t stand a chance. The only way to fight a spiritual battle is with a spiritual armor, a spiritual shield, a spiritual sword. And it begins with your faith in Jesus Christ. If your faith is in Jesus, your status before God has changed: you are His. He indwells in you. He guides you. He prays for you even when you don’t realize it. 

Your battle is not your own, it is the Lord’s battle. Be encouraged: even when you are knocked down, you are never out. The God that is in you will complete the work until the day of Christ’s return. Stand firm against the attacks of the devil, and as you do, it will result in praise and glory due His name!

Fran Trascritti Uncategorized

A Battle of Worldviews

Image
http://www.answersingenesis.org/assets/images/articles/nab2/hardware-operating-systems.gif

The debate about creationism vs evolution last Tuesday night was a blessing. Ken Ham and Bill Nye presented their arguments to a live audience, in an attempt to advance their views on the viability of Creationism. But what was the debate really about? I believe that the debate was really about two opposing worldviews- naturalism and supernaturalism.

Naturalism assumes that nothing miraculous can occur, and so any evidence that they see is explained through the lens of the natural. Christians, on the contrary, consider both the natural and the supernatural, including the view that God is and always has been at work in creation. This difference is huge, and it is why the both men can look at the same evidence and arrive at different conclusions. This is also why that philosophical bias was the real issue behind the debate- Ken Ham’s assertion from the very start.

Now as to the facts and figures: there were many points that Bill Nye presented that have long been dealt with on the Answers in Genesis website. If you want to hear more about how Answers in Genesis looks at the scientific evidence, click here. For more on their view on Greenland ice ring formations and the age of the earth, click here. For a good follow up discussion video with Dr. Georgia Purdue and Ken Ham, please click here. I think that these links and others on the Answers in Genesis website will be helpful as you do reflect on the presented facts in the debate.

Be encouraged and be in prayer, because even in this venue, there were many positive advances. First, pray that the gospel of Jesus Christ penetrate the hearts of the millions that watched. Second, pray that people might see that naturalism is indeed a worldview. Last, pray for the follow up discussions that are occurring- that civilized, godly men and women engage in discussion done both in truth and love. May God use these discussions for His glory!

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti discipline, ministry

Pump it up!

I have had a revolution in my thinking on health. For years, I pursued growth in different areas of my life. I studied and worked hard to earn a PhD. I tried to grow and increase to utilize and teach biblical knowledge. On a personal level, I came to Christ and grew in Him spiritually. I even tried to improve in my own communication and relationship with my wife, sought friendships with men, and focused on my own emotional health. These areas were all important for me to grow and improve in as a father, a grandfather, and a servant of Jesus Christ.

However, in doing so I neglected my physical health. I gained weight, I grew physically weaker, and I had less energy. What I realized was that the physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional areas of my life affected each other. I took action to exercise and eat better, and I am making progress while being careful not to neglect the other areas of my life.

I thought about the Apostle Paul, who wrote in 1 Cor 9:25, “Everyone who competes in the games exercises self control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wealth, but we an imperishable.” We are in a race for life, a journey to pursue God’s glory in all things. When we discipline ourselves in Christ, we present ourselves as a testimony of His work within us, His grace. We are sanctified as we humbly surrender ourselves to Christ in all our strongholds.

That’s tough to do, and I am not there yet, but let me ask you: What areas of your life do you need to change?

Fran Trascritti Jesus, ministry

Snow Day for Worship?!?

First of all, I hate cancelling worship. I have always hated cancelling worship. I avoid it like the plague. Yet though deep down inside I felt that something was not right about it, I could never express what the reason was that I had. Until I read this post.

I don’t agree with everything that was written concerning cancellations, but this post did help me to think a bit more about the why of cancelling. Let me then restate some of the thoughts written and add my own on why I want to avoid taking a snow day for worship:

  • First, I never say never. I realize that some conditions merit cancelling worship. However, worship should be the number one priority for the church. Extreme or dangerous conditions may deem it necessary to cancel in the name of safety. There’s no reason to put people in danger, but this action should be taken rarely (if at all). That said, I don’t cancel worship unless it is indeed dangerous. By the way, 1-2 inches of snow is usually not dangerous. Inconvenient, yes, dangerous, probably not. If you doubt this, ask the Minnesotans or Alaskans and you’ll get a hearty Canadian sounding laugh out of them.
  • Second, I also think that other activities are open to cancellation. Team meetings, bible studies, and other activities are not critical if they are missed. We can be flexible and reschedule many of those events. We also have to be flexible in our use of ministries such as nursery and be understanding of those who can’t make it to church for various reasons.

So why is worship so important that cancellation should be avoided at all costs? As the author of the referenced post wrote, the glory of God is shown through worship. Sure, God’s glory is seen in other places such as our homes, our work, and our lives, yet the corporate gathering of God’s people now is a taste of what we will experience when every tribe and tongue will gather before the Lamb. We worship to give God His worthiness in a sacrifice of praise, and if we cancel because of inconvenience, what are we really telling God? As a leader who will stand before God one day, I must proclaim the worship of God with God’s people as most important.

Besides, again as the author wrote, if our brothers and sisters in persecuted countries worship with threat of physical harm, we should likewise be willing to step up and overcome some inconvenience to worship Christ. Our worship together is a show of solidarity for the persecuted church, that though we are absent from their conditions in body, we at least in a small way, are identifying with them in spirit.

I hope this helps. I am an imperfect and frail human, limited by my own knowledge and lack of gifts. However, by the grace of God, I press forward, hoping to see God glorified in a weak man that I am. May God be glorified today as we worship Him!

Blessings to you and yours,

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti Fran's Poems

God’s Plan

Darkness covered and the Spirit hovered,
Words were spoken, Creation unbroken,
Light, land, animals, man,
All a part of the Master’s plan.

Garden of Eden, life without ceasing,
The serpent slithered with temptation’s teasing,
Sin, pain, death, Cain,
All been tarnished by rebellion’s stain.

Noah’s ark, clouds gone dark,
Drop upon drop removing life’s spark,
Rain, stop, ground clear,
A bow is shown, nothing to fear.

Righteous Abram, promised son, Jacob and Joseph, to Egypt they run,
Cries of the Hebrews, Moses removes shoes, God’s grace rescues, Israel’s good news.
Snake, blood, frog, fly,
Red Sea crossing, power from on High.

Joshua’s conquest, foes defeated,
Judges, invaders, Judges, repeated,
Samuel, Saul, David’s call,
Solomon’s wisdom, Solomon’s fall.

Idolatrous kings, judgment this brings,
Prophets were preaching, the Word they were teaching,
“Repent!” they exclaimed, “Messiah!” they proclaimed,
Obstinance, they maintained, Judgement then remained.

Centuries of silence ensued, the hope of Messiah renewed,
The birth of the King, the joy it would bring,
The perfect life, the great sacrifice,
Arose from the grave, a world to save, God the Spirit He gave.

Salvation full, salvation free,
Salvation comes to all who see.
Not born of works or the will of man,
Salvation comes from the Great I AM.

Fran Trascritti
December 25, 2013

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Francis Trascritti, all rights reserved.