Enduring Trial
Having been baptized, Jesus is sent into the desert to be tempted by the devil. Why? And what does that mean for us? From Matthew 4:1-11.
Continue reading...
Mark Bemenderfer (119)
Mark served as pastor of Lafayette Salem Evangelical Church from January 2023 until August of 2025. He and his family have served overseas for 30 years. His wife, Rachel, is a local gal from Whittier, IA. They met while serving in East Asia. As of September 2025, they returned to the foreign field.
Preparing a People for Jesus
John the Baptist came on the scene with several very specific purposes. He was to prepare a people for the coming Messiah. How did he do that? From Matthew 3:1-17.
Continue reading...Who's Responsible?
Picking up from where Christmas and the Advent season left off, I'll be teaching through the rest of the Gospel of Matthew. After the Magi depart, Herod seeks to destroy Jesus by killing the infant boys in and around Bethlehem. Who's responsible for the decisions…
Continue reading...Why the Gospel?
We know we needed the Gospel in order to be saved from the penalty of sin, but was that all God intended when He sent His Son to die and rise again? Was there more to His purposes than just paying for our sins and…
Continue reading...