Tag Archives: worship

Ordained to Serve



Acts 6 and Acts 13 both mention that the church leaders “laid hands” on the new servant leaders before sending them to the work. The official term for that is ordination – a physical symbol of a spiritual reality that confirms the work of the Spirit and identifies the new person as one with the others to continue the work of the Lord.

Acts 13:1-5

Taught Sunday morning, August 24, 2025 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!


God’s Charge to Serve



Likewise, Paul continues God’s instruction regarding the character of servant-leaders in the church. We know them as deacons. But we may not know what they are supposed to look like or what they are supposed to do. So let’s see what the Bible says regarding these servants of the Lord.

1 Timothy 3:8-13

Taught Sunday morning, August 10, 2025 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!


A Charge to Pray



Paul sometimes challenges us with doctrines that don’t make as much sense to us as they did in his context. But the instruction is always applicable to us. We need to pray, pray for those who don’t know Jesus as Savior, and we need to make sure we are not a distraction for others knowing him.

1 Timothy 2

Taught Sunday morning, July 27, 2025 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!


Humility and Faith



This story is uncomfortable for us, and is probably intended to be. We know Jesus is compassionate and not prejudiced but it sounds bad here. Maybe Jesus has more going on here than meets the eye. Maybe Jesus is confronting us more than He is this woman. Do we have what it takes to pass the test of faith? Do we actually have the compassion that He does?

Matthew 15:21-28

Taught Sunday morning, May 11, 2025 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!


Sitting at feet of Jesus



Martha was busy with many good things. Mary had chosen one better thing. Jesus would not take that best thing from Mary in order for her to do more good things. Maybe that should hit home with more of us. Don’t let the many good things drown out the better thing – sitting at the feet of Jesus and hearing from Him.

Luke 10:38-42

Taught Sunday morning, February 16, 2025 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!


Gentiles seek Him



The Magi (or wise men as we popularly call them) not Jewish but they came from far away to find the King of the Jews. But they were not looking for a minor king but The King – the Messiah for all peoples, Jews and Gentiles. And their search was rewarded by God who always rewards those who diligently seek Him.

Matthew 2:1-12

Taught Sunday morning, December 29, 2024 by Brad D Harris
(audio from the YouTube video recorded before Sunday)

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!


Work in Eternity



The LORD promises to bring forth a new creation: a new heaven and new earth. And on the new earth, there will be no more curse of corruptibility nor futility. It is hard for us to imagine what eternity in “heaven” will be like, especially a new heaven and earth conjunction. But Isaiah and John in the Revelation give us glimpses that we will still be working and doing jobs that we enjoy for His glory and our pleasure. I reference Jordan Raynor for provoking thought on this topic. Here is a place to learn more https://www.jordanraynor.com/blog

Isaiah 65:17-25

Taught Sunday morning, September 29, 2024 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!


God is Generous



Generosity to the LORD is found in knowing that God has been generous to us first and that God delights in our being generous like Him. The Lord frequently challenges His people as Paul does the Corinthians in this letter. Let’s see what God has to say about time, talents, and treasures.

2 Corinthians 9:5-11

Taught Sunday morning, August 18, 2024 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!


Greatest Command



Ancient Landmark series covers three in this one dialogue Jesus had with a wise scribe of the law. What is the greatest commandment? Jesus gives us more than we ask. He repeats an ancient landmark of His day and another law of God. Will we hear the words of the Teacher?

Mark 6:28-34 and Deuteronomy 6:4-5

Taught Sunday morning, July 14, 2024 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!


Lord’s Model Prayer



An Ancient Landmark that has been recited and meditated upon for generations of Christ-followers. Jesus taught His disciples a short model prayer that they could direct and inform their prayers to their heavenly Father.

Matthew 6:9-13

Taught Sunday morning, July 7, 2024 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!