Pastor Rick addressed the congregation this week about the critical importance of discerning reliable spiritual sources in an age of abundant but not always trustworthy information. Drawing from Matthew 7:15-20, he warned about false prophets who appear harmless but are spiritually dangerous, emphasizing that believers must be able to identify false teaching through careful examination of spiritual "fruit." Pastor Rick stressed that protecting the congregation from false doctrine is one of his most important responsibilities as a pastor.

He provided practical guidance for spiritual discernment: regularly reading Scripture, praying for understanding, listening to proven reliable teachers, and testing everything against God's Word. Pastor Rick concluded by reaffirming the simple gospel truth found in 1 Corinthians 15 - that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day, and that salvation comes by grace through faith alone, not by works.