Advertise on podcast: Draw Me Close: Podcast - A Ministry of Whitestone Christian Fellowship, with Pastor Bob Lawrenz

DRAW ME CLOSE is the Bible Teaching Ministry of Whitestone Christian Fellowship, taught by Pastor Bob Lawrenz. We pray that the audio bible teachings will bless and encourage you in your Christian walk. It is our desire that you draw ever so close to our Savior, our Redeemer and Lord.  "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Colossians 3:16⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Bobservations' Column is written each week by Pastor Bob Lawrenz, and correlates to our weekly Sunday Morning teachings. To hear the full message just click on the following link: ⁠⁠⁠The Book of Acts - playlist by Whitestone Christian Fellowship | Spotify⁠⁠⁠ This week's Bobservations' Column is written in correlation Acts chapter 9:26-43. The conversion of Saul—who later became the Apostle Paul—was a dramatic New Testament event on the road to Damascus where a vision of Jesus transformed him from a fierce persecutor of Christians into a leading follower of Jesus. Trouble arises when Saul tries to join in with fellow believers. They know who he is, and what he has don't to Christians. They have doubts about his conversion and fear it is a deception. When there is real change, there is fruit, and everyone at this point is looking to see if Saul's conversion is real.

DRAW ME CLOSE is the Bible Teaching Ministry of Whitestone Christian Fellowship, taught by Pastor Bob Lawrenz. We pray that the audio bible teachings will bless and encourage you in your Christian walk. It is our desire that you draw ever so close to our Savior, our Redeemer and Lord.  This week, in Acts 9:1-25, tells the dramatic story of Saul of Tarsus transforming from a violent enemy of Jesus into a bold follower and preacher of the Christian faith. We see our first glimpse of Saul in Scripture as he stands and watches the men of Jerusalem hurl huge stones at Stephen that broke his bones, bloodied his body, and eventually took his life. We read in Acts 8:1 that “Saul approved of his execution.” But perhaps that is an understatement. Evidently, it whetted Saul’s appetite for more. We read that “Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison” (Acts 8:3). The conversion of Saul—who later became the Apostle Paul—was a dramatic New Testament event on the road to Damascus where a vision of Jesus transformed him from a fierce persecutor of Christians into a leading follower of Jesus. We will see that by the end of the chapter; Saul has gone from hunter to hunted, but that's next week. Special thanks to Emmanuel Garilus for permission to use his instrumental track, the beautiful rendition of Draw Me Nearer.

DRAW ME CLOSE is the Bible Teaching Ministry of Whitestone Christian Fellowship, taught by Pastor Bob Lawrenz. We pray that the audio bible teachings will bless and encourage you in your Christian walk. It is our desire that you draw ever so close to our Savior, our Redeemer and Lord.  "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Colossians 3:16⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Bobservations' Column is written each week by Pastor Bob Lawrenz, and correlates to our weekly Sunday Morning teachings. To hear the full message just click on the following link: ⁠⁠The Book of Acts - playlist by Whitestone Christian Fellowship | Spotify⁠⁠ This week's Bobservations' Column is written in correlation to Acts chapt 9. Paul's conversion stands as a model to teach us that anyone can come to Christ. That there is no sin too bad, no evil too wicked, that can prevent us from receiving the grace of Christ—if, like Paul, we repent. The story then is rightly used as a paradigm of conversion. Certainly not all conversions are as dramatic! But all conversions to Christ are the regeneration of a sinful person, receiving God’s Spirit, and being declared righteous by faith in Jesus. Like Paul, if we are to be truly converted, we must be humbled. We must repent. We must start a new life. If we do that, we will be accepted, however bad our sins may be. Second, Paul also tells us that while on the one hand his conversion is paradigmatic of all conversions, it is also unique and different, and tells us instead that Paul was an apostle. The marks of an apostle (as we saw from the beginning of Acts chapter 1) are that a person was a witness to the resurrection of Jesus and is appointed by Jesus himself to be his representative (and not just a representative of the church). But what of Paul? He was not with Jesus before Jesus’ death. But Paul became an apostle through his Damascus Road experience. In other words, he did not merely have a subjective experience of Jesus, he actually saw the risen Lord. He insists on this in various places.

DRAW ME CLOSE is the Bible Teaching Ministry of Whitestone Christian Fellowship, taught by Pastor Bob Lawrenz. We pray that the audio bible teachings will bless and encourage you in your Christian walk. It is our desire that you draw ever so close to our Savior, our Redeemer and Lord.  Last week we learned how Stephen’s death actually ended up triggering much more than just a wider spread persecution. It ended up triggering the church’s first great missionary outreach. Up until now, the church was growing, but it had been centered in Jerusalem. Jesus had told His disciples to, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." And again, in Acts 1:8, Jesus had said, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Jerusalem was just the starting point, and now we are seeing His disciples being faithful to take the gospel further. This week, our study is in Acts 8:25-40. After an incredible evangelistic moment, God calls Philip to go to a desert road. This is a surprising move, but Philip is obedient. On that road, Philip meets an Ethiopian Eunuch, a man who ran the royal treasury. This is a fascinating moment in the history of the church. What is most notable is that, despite being an outsider, the man also seemed to be a devoted believer. As we see how God works through Philip, it is clear that God is the one who calls, redeems, and makes new the new believer. Philip is simply being obedient to God in this. This is incredibly encouraging for us. Special thanks to Emmanuel Garilus for permission to use his instrumental track, the beautiful rendition of Draw Me Nearer.

DRAW ME CLOSE is the Bible Teaching Ministry of Whitestone Christian Fellowship, taught by Pastor Bob Lawrenz. We pray that the audio bible teachings will bless and encourage you in your Christian walk. It is our desire that you draw ever so close to our Savior, our Redeemer and Lord.  "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Colossians 3:16⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Bobservations' Column is written each week by Pastor Bob Lawrenz, and correlates to our weekly Sunday Morning teachings. To hear the full message just click on the following link: ⁠The Book of Acts - playlist by Whitestone Christian Fellowship | Spotify⁠ This week's Bobservations' Column is written in correlation to Acts chapt 8. There are many elements of God’s providence and intervention in the story of the Ethiopian eunuch. The account reveals the importance of these three things: the Word of God, the Holy Spirit’s leading, and a human evangelist. In order for a person to accept the truth, he must first hear the truth preached (Romans 10:14). It is God’s desire that the truth be preached everywhere (Acts 1:8). The Spirit of the Lord had been preparing the eunuch’s heart to receive the gospel. As the eunuch read Isaiah, he began to ask questions, and at just the right moment the Lord brought Philip across his path. The field was “ripe for harvest” (John 4:35), and Philip was God’s laborer in the field. This was no coincidence. It was God’s plan from the very beginning, and Philip was obedient to that plan.

DRAW ME CLOSE is the Bible Teaching Ministry of Whitestone Christian Fellowship, taught by Pastor Bob Lawrenz. We pray that the audio bible teachings will bless and encourage you in your Christian walk. It is our desire that you draw ever so close to our Savior, our Redeemer and Lord.  Last week we learned how Stephen was tragically killed for his faith in Jesus Christ; his life was cut short and his promising ministry abruptly ended. Not only that, but his death triggered a massive persecution against the whole church.Our study is in Acts 8:1-24. Stephen’s death actually ended up triggering much more than just a wider spread persecution. It ended up triggering the church’s first great missionary outreach. Up until now, the church was growing, but it had been centered in Jerusalem. Jesus had told His disciples to, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." And again, in Acts 1:8, Jesus had said, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Jerusalem was just the starting point, and now we are seeing His disciples being faithful to take the gospel further. Special thanks to Emmanuel Garilus for permission to use his instrumental track, the beautiful rendition of Draw Me Nearer.

DRAW ME CLOSE is the Bible Teaching Ministry of Whitestone Christian Fellowship, taught by Pastor Bob Lawrenz. We pray that the audio bible teachings will bless and encourage you in your Christian walk. It is our desire that you draw ever so close to our Savior, our Redeemer and Lord.  In today's study, Acts 7:42-60, we find Stephen, concluding his defense before the Sanhedrin (the Jewish high council). What began as a historical recital of Israel’s history turns into a sharp indictment of the council's ongoing rebellion against God. His speech incites a violent reaction, resulting in Stephen becoming the first Christian martyr.Luke notes that the witnesses who began stoning Stephen laid their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul (7:58). He adds that “Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death” (8:1). As a result, that very day a great persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem. Special thanks to Emmanuel Garilus for permission to use his instrumental track, the beautiful rendition of Draw Me Nearer.

DRAW ME CLOSE is the Bible Teaching Ministry of Whitestone Christian Fellowship, taught by Pastor Bob Lawrenz. We pray that the audio bible teachings will bless and encourage you in your Christian walk. It is our desire that you draw ever so close to our Savior, our Redeemer and Lord.  "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."  ⁠⁠⁠⁠Colossians 3:16⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Bobservations' Column is written each week by Pastor Bob Lawrenz, and correlates to our weekly Sunday Morning teachings. To hear the full message just click on the following link: The Book of Acts - playlist by Whitestone Christian Fellowship | Spotify This week, the early Church faces a pivotal turning point where intense persecution triggers the geographical expansion of the Gospel. Following the martyrdom of Stephen, a great persecution scatters believers from Jerusalem throughout Judea and Samaria. What began as a tragedy becomes the catalyst for fulfilling Jesus’s command in Acts 1:8 to take the Gospel "to the ends of the earth."

DRAW ME CLOSE is the Bible Teaching Ministry of Whitestone Christian Fellowship, taught by Pastor Bob Lawrenz. We pray that the audio bible teachings will bless and encourage you in your Christian walk. It is our desire that you draw ever so close to our Savior, our Redeemer and Lord.  In today's study, Acts 7:23-42, Stephen recounts the history of Moses and the Israelites in his speech to the Sanhedrin, highlighting how the nation repeatedly rejected God’s chosen deliverers and turned to idolatry, ultimately culminating in their rejection of Jesus. Special thanks to Emmanuel Garilus for permission to use his instrumental track, the beautiful rendition of Draw Me Nearer.

DRAW ME CLOSE is the Bible Teaching Ministry of Whitestone Christian Fellowship, taught by Pastor Bob Lawrenz. We pray that the audio bible teachings will bless and encourage you in your Christian walk. It is our desire that you draw ever so close to our Savior, our Redeemer and Lord.  "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."  ⁠⁠⁠Colossians 3:16⁠⁠⁠ The Bobservations' Column is written each week by Pastor Bob Lawrenz, and correlates to our weekly Sunday Morning teachings. This week, Stephen concludes his defense before the Sanhedrin (the Jewish high council). Steven enters into a dialog with at least one of the Priests (verse 44). The influence of the Sadducees upon the Jews becomes clear. . .

DRAW ME CLOSE is the Bible Teaching Ministry of Whitestone Christian Fellowship, taught by Pastor Bob Lawrenz. We pray that the audio bible teachings will bless and encourage you in your Christian walk. It is our desire that you draw ever so close to our Savior, our Redeemer and Lord.  In today's study, Acts 7:1–22, Luke records Stephen’s long defense before the Jewish Sanhedrin.  Stephen’s sermon points us to the sovereign, abundant grace of God toward rebellious sinners, but also to the danger of hardening our hearts against God’s grace. Stephen’s message focuses on three issues: (1) the patriarchal period (7:2-16); (2) Moses and the law (7:17-43); and, (3) the tabernacle and temple (7:44-50). The conclusion (7:51-53) is a scathing denunciation of the Sanhedrin, who were following in the rebellious pattern of their forefathers. Special thanks to Emmanuel Garilus for permission to use his instrumental track, the beautiful rendition of Draw Me Nearer.

DRAW ME CLOSE is the Bible Teaching Ministry of Whitestone Christian Fellowship, taught by Pastor Bob Lawrenz. We pray that the audio bible teachings will bless and encourage you in your Christian walk. It is our desire that you draw ever so close to our Savior, our Redeemer and Lord.  "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."  ⁠⁠Colossians 3:16⁠⁠ The Bobservations' Column is written each week by Pastor Bob Lawrenz, and correlates to our weekly Sunday Morning teachings. This week, Stephen’s soliloquy before the Priests and the Temple Council continues as he reminds them of their own Jewish history. They have idealized Moses and the Law, respecting Moses-the-Law-Giver perhaps as much as they respected Jehovah God! They saw the Jewish suffering through their own human eyes, not understanding what the Prophets have said.

DRAW ME CLOSE is the Bible Teaching Ministry of Whitestone Christian Fellowship, taught by Pastor Bob Lawrenz. We pray that the audio bible teachings will bless and encourage you in your Christian walk. It is our desire that you draw ever so close to our Savior, our Redeemer and Lord.  In this week's study, Acts chapter 6 illustrates the continuation of Jesus’ ministry through His followers, particularly in how they address the church's needs, face opposition, and stand firm in their faith. Stephen’s ministry, mirroring that of Jesus, includes performing wonders and miracles, facing false accusations, and demonstrating a calm and divine presence amidst persecution.Acts chapter 6 is historically and theologically significant because it establishes structural church leadership and marks the transition from local ministry to global persecution. The chapter details how the early church navigated cultural conflict by delegating authority, leading directly to the rise of Stephen, the first Christian martyr.Acts 6:5 introduces a faithful man of God named Stephen: “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit.”

DRAW ME CLOSE is the Bible Teaching Ministry of Whitestone Christian Fellowship, taught by Pastor Bob Lawrenz.We pray that the audio bible teachings will bless and encourage you in your Christian walk. It is our desire that you draw ever so close to our Savior, our Redeemer and Lord.  "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."  ⁠Colossians 3:16⁠ The Bobservations' Column is written each week by Pastor Bob Lawrenz, and correlates to our weekly Sunday Morning teachings. This week, Stephen is being interrogated by the High Priest in today’s passage. The High Priest doubts what Stephen had said. Chapter 7 opens with the Priest’s words, “Are these things so?” It is somewhat typical. Often a high authority speaks an order, but does not want to know how his underlings will accomplish that order. Not wanting to know the details give the authority plausible deniability, to the distasteful details of how his order was carried out. . .

DRAW ME CLOSE is the Bible Teaching Ministry of Whitestone Christian Fellowship, taught by Pastor Bob Lawrenz. We pray that the audio bible teachings will bless and encourage you in your Christian walk. It is our desire that you draw ever so close to our Savior, our Redeemer and Lord.  In today's study, Acts 5:18-42, Peter and the disciples were arrested for presenting the message of the risen Christ and brought before the religious rulers in Jerusalem. Rather than allowing themselves to be shaped by the mood of the mob, the disciples declared their intention to continue preaching Christ. When the disciples chose to obey God rather than the godless religious leaders, they raised a standard of conviction that rose above the opinions of the rulers of this world. The trials we face may test our commitment. But we will find opportunities to exalt the King if we trust Him for the strength to go beyond the words of the crowd-pleasers and do right as He defines it in His Word. Special thanks to Emmanuel Garilus for permission to use his instrumental track, the beautiful rendition of Draw Me Nearer.