October 26, 2025
“… Take the time and the trouble to keep yourself spiritually fit.” ~ 1 Timothy 4:7b (Ph) ~
Back in March of 1987, I left the relatively warm climate of San Diego, California to spend 3½ weeks at the Navy Basic Chaplain’s School in Newport, Rhode Island. I was about to embark in a new phase of ministry and life.As non-combatants in theArmed Forces, I found it a little ironic that our classroom building was situated right next door to the Naval War College.
Chaplain’s School was eye-opening, to say the least. First, it was cold. I mean really cold! (I returned once again in August of 1988 to finish the second half of the course and it was miserably hot and humid! Who lives in places like that on purpose?)
Secondly, it was not at all what I expected my pastoral life and ministry to be when I said “yes” to God’s call to pastoral ministry 14 years earlier. Having grown up in San Diego, I was familiar with the Navy Recruit Depot and the Marine Recruit Depot, both right next door to downtown San Diego and theAirport. I knew of the tough reputation that the Marines had for harshness in training. I imagined that the Navy side was not a walk in the park either. Both pictures were in my head on arrival. Fifteen of us were in the class from all over the United States and one Catholic Priest from the Philippines. Only one of us had any prior military experience, and most of us were in our early to mid thirties. (You don’t become a military chaplain right out of High School. First comes at least four years of college and 3 years of seminary, followed by a minimum of two years of full-time pastoral ministry experience within your denomination or faith group.) Bless his heart, the one Catholic Priest was 60 years old!
The goal of the course was not to turn us into pastors or priests. That’s who we already were. The goal was to acquaint us with Navy and Marine Corps life and help us learn to acclimate into it as chaplains. To aid in that process a “very kind” Marine Gunny Sergeant was assigned to us as our Drill Instructor! The Gunny got us decked-out in our new uniforms, taught us to make our beds correctly, taught us to march in formation, to be hoisted from the ground to a hovering helicopter, and even sent us to a naval facility near Boston where we simulated being on the inside of a ship under attack and how to do damage control while the ship was filling up with ice-cold water from Boston harbor with 15 chaplains quickly freezing to death as the water covered our bodies!
The Gunny also taught us to run and exercise and swim (in an indoor heated pool at least) and run some more! We ran in the morning. We ran in the afternoon. We ran in the rain. We ran in the snow. We ran in gym. WE RAN!
Why did we do all of this? The answer was simple we needed all that discipline in our new lives. We would not be able to be effective in the calling we now had without it. We would not survive in some circumstances without it. So we submitted to the discipline and exercise. In the process, we not only got a little stronger we also began to see the purpose behind it. It was not only for our benefit, it was also tailored to the benefit of those sailors and marines we would serve for years to come.
2,000 years ago, theApostle Paul told young pastor Timothy:
“... discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.” ~ 1 Timothy 4:7b (NASB) ~
It wasn’t that Timothy was a complete amateur in the Christian life. He was the pastor of a church already. But there would never be a time in his life and ministry when discipline would not be crucial for his own spiritual benefit, or for the spiritual benefit of those he would encounter and serve.
Friends, the same can be said for us. Most of us are not complete amateurs in the Christian life though everyone of us begins that way but we never out-grow the need for spiritual discipline in our lives. The purpose behind the discipline is always godliness in our lives. Godliness is for our own personal benefit and also for the benefit of others that we encounter in the church, our families, at work, and in the community. Let me encourage you to take advantage of the opportunities that are provided at First Southern for growing and serving.
Blessings on your week as you practice some spiritual discipline in your personal life this week. May you grow in godliness! I do hope to see you in worship this coming Sunday. This week I will conclude my sermon series BETWEEN SUNDAYS. I will be reflecting on what we, as Christians, do during the week while we are not in church. We will discover a fifth thing we do between Sundays as we find ourselves UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
Pastor Terrell
P.S.
Just a heads up. Our annual Salute to Veterans is coming up soon. Sunday, November 9th, we will honor our military veterans in attendance. If you know a vet in the community, give them a personal invitation to attend with you that morning.
with our activities.
ScheduleforSunday,October26,2025
The Saints Class @ 9:00 AM Room #201
Ruth Class @ 9:00 AM Room #202
Preschool Worship @ 10:15 AM in KID CITY
Sunday Morning Worship @ 10:30 AM in Worship Center
Kidz4Christ (K-6) dismissed to KID CITY during Morning Worship
Schedulefortherestofthe week:
Tuesday@ 10:00 AM in Fellowship Hall - Women’s Bible Study @ 10:00 AM in Room #202 - Men’s Bible Study @ 3:15 PM Granville Elem - Good News Club
Wednesday@ 6:25 PM in Room #203 - Choir Rehearsal @ 6:30 PM in Cabin - Youth Group
Thursday @ 6:00 PM in Fellowship Hall - Bible Study
Women’s Bible Study Tuesdays 10 AM in Fellowship Hall.
Men’s Bible Study Tuesdays 10 AM in Room #202 got questions?
Come to the church foyer to pick up your box and items for it!
IF YOU NEED HELP OR ASSISTANCE
Deacon of the Week: Paul Marshall
928-99-2109
Gospel Conversations
Total since 2021: 49,987
Morning Worship at a Glance
“Revival”
CONTACT INFORMATION:
2820 N. Pleasant View Drive Prescott Valley, AZ 86314
928-772-7218
www.firstsouthernpv.org
“Almighty”
“How Great Thou Art”
Welcome & Offertory Prayer
GOD’S LOVE INA SHOE BOX
Kidz4Christ dismissed
“Days of Elijah”
“Living Stones”
“Blessings” solo by Maggie Smith
BETWEEN SUNDAYS WHATWE DOWHENWE’RE NOT HERE
Under Construction
Hebrews 10:24-26 / 1 Peter 2:5
“Find Us Faithful” “Yes, Lord, Yes”
Offerings and Connection Cards will be collected in the Offering Boxes located just inside the two main entrances into our Worship Center, as well as in the Office Hallway.
Church Office Hours: Monday - Thursday, 8:30AM - 2:30PM
Senior Pastor Terrell Eldreth: 619-244-6265
PastorTerrell@firstsouthernpv.org
Worship Pastor Bart Young 928-254-8713
PastorBart@firstsouthernpv.org
Advancing the Kingdom of God one heart at a time.
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