The Connection Church: Recent Episodes
The Connection Church
Welcome to the audio podcast of The Connection Church! Included are sermons by our lead pastor, TJ Hall, as well as others on our leadership teams and guest speakers. This podcast is a convenient way for you to catch up on a sermon that you missed, or to have another listen to be sure you got all that you need to grow in the grace, wisdom, and love of God in Jesus Christ. The Connection Church is a growing congregation meeting in the Northern Virginia area of Woodbridge. We are connecting with God, each other, and the community. Join us!
We want to get closer to Jesus. We desire to move forward in God and don’t want anything to get in the way. We choose to keep Living in the Kingdom.
This week, we continue to look at what keeps us from Living in the Kingdom. We’re going to address focus (individualism), fear, and faulty thinking. How do those hinder us?
Hindrances cause delay. Obstructions bring setbacks. We desire to walk with God without limitations. God is ready to remove barriers to moving forward in Him.
In order to move forward with God, we must come with a mindset that nothing will hold us back. Join us we continue to examine hindrances to Living in the Kingdom.
What’s holding you back? This week we examine hindrances to Living in the Kingdom. We're more than conquerors through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit! Listen and be healed, refreshed, and abundantly blessed.
We’ve been looking at the Holy Spirit’s role for Living in the Kingdom. He is without limit and will empower you!
Let’s continue looking at the Holy Spirit’s role for Living in the Kingdom. The Holy Spirit does not “belong” to a denomination or a movement. He cannot be confined to a generation or an age. He has been sent to reveal Jesus and empower the entire Body of Christ.
Many Christians want the blessings of the Kingdom without surrendering to the Holy Spirit’s leadership. Kingdom living is not simply attending church, knowing Scripture, or trying harder to be good. Kingdom living is a life directed, empowered, and transformed by the Holy Spirit.
Grace is crucial for Living in the Kingdom. Paul said in Romans, “where sin abounded, grace abounded much more under Jesus.” Literally, the phrase “abounded much more” means: super-abounded, to exist in abundance. That means God makes His grace “super-abound” over abounding sin. In other words, grace reigns through who you are in Christ and sin has no power over you!
Discover the importance of being empowered by grace and our righteous standing with God. Grace should empower every believer to live victorious, no matter what trial may come!
Living in the Kingdom requires grace. Grace is the unearned, unmerited favor of God. By grace, we are also redeemed. Grace is also God’s empowerment. As believers, our position (our standing) should be one of power and authority.
Jesus is the King of the Kingdom.
What is the kingdom?
It includes the rule and reign of God in your heart.
How is this possible?
He empowers us with His grace.
When Jesus stepped into history, He introduced something radically different. He revealed a new way of life in a time when people were weighed down by religious legalism and strict traditions. This way of life wasn’t built on rules or earthly systems, but on the transforming power of God’s Kingdom.
Many people have accepted Christ yet still live as if the stone is still over the tomb. They are saved but are still thinking defeated thoughts, carrying old wounds, and walking in old habits. The Scriptures describe a life that all believers have been given, but too few are actually living it.
Over the last several weeks, we looked at the final seven words of Christ. Listen, as we finalize our series by examining the “surprise” resurrection of our Lord.
As Jesus hung on the cross, He wasn’t silent. He still had things He needed to say, and those final words are significant. Over the last several weeks, we looked at the first five of the Last Words of Christ. Don’t miss as we explore the 6th and 7th of the final words of Christ.
Jesus spoke from the cross: “I thirst.” At first glance, these words may seem like a small and insignificant moment. However, these two brief words from Christ turn out to be hugely significant. This Sunday, we explore the meaning behind them as we continue our sermon series, Last Words of Christ.
“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” What profound words Jesus uttered as He hung on the cross. Over the last few weeks, we looked at the first three of the Last Words of Christ. This Sunday, we explore the meaning behind this fourth set of the last words that He spoke from the cross.
As Jesus hung on the cross, He was not silent. He still had things He needed to say. Let's discover the third magnificent word which was aimed at His mother and John the disciple—and why those final words are significant!
Jesus still had things He needed to say as He hung on the cross…
Seven final words…
Significant words…
Magnificent words…
This week, we continue exploring the Last Words of Christ, and look at the second of those seven last words.
As Jesus hung on the cross, He wasn't silent. He still had things He needed to say, and those final words are significant. The Gospel writers record seven final words and phrases that Jesus said as He was dying on the cross. This week, we look at the first of those magnificent words. We examine why those words were significant then and how they’re relevant now. You won’t want to miss any of this Easter sermon series that explores the Last Words of Christ!
One of the greatest means of declaring the goodness of God is to proclaim the Gospel and share your testimony. Join us the conclusion of our sermon series, Declaring the Goodness of God.
God is good—all the time! Remember, for 2026, the Lord is telling us to declare His goodness in every area of our lives.
Our speech has spiritual, physical, and emotional implications. What we say matters! Join us to learn more about the power of our words.
God’s goodness is constant; there is no variation with Him. As children of a good God, we should have no problem declaring His goodness in every area of our lives. Join us as we continue our series, Declaring the Goodness of God.
Our theme for The Connection Church in 2025, was to "stop & listen." This year, the Lord is telling us to declare His goodness in every area of our lives. Declaring the goodness of God begins with an understanding that God is indeed good! Psalm 107:1 says, “Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.”
God sent His only Son because of His love for mankind. For our last message in this series, we explore the final theme of Advent: love.
This world isn’t exactly filled with joy. But God gave us joy and wants us to live a joyful life. Would you like to know the key to abide joyously? Find out this week, as we continue our Advent sermon series, Holy Night.
Explore with us the socially and spiritually dire situations of a shepherd at the time of Jesus. We may not be shepherds, but we all face our own inner battles. At times, we struggle within ourselves or with God. But Jesus came to give hope and peace instead. Join us as we continue our Advent sermon series, Holy Night.
The coming of the Messiah took a long time. It was easy for God’s people to start to think of it as an impossibility. The second coming of Jesus has been a long time coming. It’s easy for us to start to think of it as an impossibility. Yet all things have proven possible for God. There’s power in remembering what God has done for us in the past. Join us for our new sermon series, Holy Night.
We continue looking at what it means to follow Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Remember, Jesus as Shepherd is an aspect of His Lordship. It demonstrates how He lovingly guides, protects, and leads us in every part of our lives. Don't miss the wrap up of our series, Jesus is Lord.
We continue exploring what it means to submit to Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Jesus as Shepherd is an aspect of His Lordship. It demonstrates how He lovingly guides, protects, and leads us in every part of our lives.
Jesus as the Shepherd reveals a tender yet powerful aspect of His Lordship. His constant guidance, care, and leading is crucial to our daily lives. When we follow His voice, we find direction, peace, and freedom from poverty in all its forms. Join us as we continue our series, Jesus Is Lord. Discover how the Shepherd’s heart shapes our daily walk with Him.
We continue our series exploring the supreme authority of Christ. Come discover the comforting and guiding truth that Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He is the One who leads, protects, and provides for His people. Come and be reminded that surrendering to His lordship is not a burden but a blessing. Let's grow deeper in your walk with the Shepherd who knows you by name.
There’s a moment every Christian remembers — that first heartfelt confession that “Jesus is Lord.” It’s the moment faith takes root, and we become children of God. But while believing that Jesus is Lord brings salvation, truly submitting to Him as Lord brings transformation. Let’s explore what it means to let Him lead your life!
Sometimes life overwhelms us. But God doesn’t want us to be overwhelmed by anything. Instead, He wants us to obey what He’s said, which allows His Spirit to guide us on our daily journey of faith. Search the Scriptures with us to answer the question: “What Did God Say?”
Let's discover the principles of meditating and speaking only what aligns with the Word. All Christians have a responsibility to meditate and then speak!
So far, we’ve looked at several things the Bible says about the Light of God:
- Light is good.
- God is light.
- God’s light is salvation and life for believers.
- We are children of light.
Join us as we finish our series by covering one last principle about The Light of God.
Last week, we looked at two things the Bible says about light:
- Light is good.
- God is light.
This time we look at two more important principles for part 2 of our series, The Light of God.
Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology informs us that light literally expels darkness. When we examine the word “light” in the Bible, we'll see a contrast of light and darkness in the Old and New Testaments. The literal contrast is between metaphysical good and evil, God and evil forces, believers and unbelievers. The Bible entertains no thought that darkness is equal in power to God’s light. The Light of God is always shining, which means, as children of light (Eph. 5:8), we should always have the victory in Christ Jesus.
We examine what the scripture says in terms of being a good friend. Come learn more about friendship for our final message of the Friend of God series.
What are a believer’s requirements to be called a Friend of God? Jesus said to His disciples, “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.” So what are our main actions of obedience? What needs to be the daily focus in our walk with the Lord? Join us as we deepen our understanding of being a friend of God.
Jesus called His disciples His friends. James called Abraham “the friend of God.” Can we be the friend of God? The answer is emphatically, yes! Join us as we break down why James called Abraham Friend of God and what that means for us.
Most people have friends, good friends, close friends, or even best friends. But can we be a Friend of God? To many it may seem strange to see God as a friend. After all, He is the Creator of the universe. Yes, you are still called to be a faithful servant of God, but God can still call you friend!
We don’t have to conjure faith up from nothing. Increasing our understanding of the good and faithful character of God allows us to mature in faith. Join us as we learn more of God’s character through Abraham’s journey. Let’s grow in faith together!
Our God is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. God is always a man of His word. That’s why God is the One who gets The Last Laugh in Abraham’s journey of faith.
Compromise can hinder and delay the plan of God from coming into fruition. But we never have to compromise to obtain the many promises in God’s Word. Obedience leads us to a place of great blessings and wholeness and builds our faith in the process.
Life is hard sometimes, isn’t it? But God works through undesirable circumstances to reveal His faithfulness. Abraham’s journey of faith is rewarded with God’s assurance of faithfulness. Join us as we explore how this faithfulness is embodied in a good covenant and promise for the future.
Does God understand that walking in faith isn’t easy? Of course! Join us as we see how God reassures Abraham and how He will do the same for you.
Abraham’s story shows us that what we release doesn’t compare to what we gain when we trust God. Join us as we explore the steps of faith evident in Abraham’s journey. Let’s reflect on how these same steps can strengthen our faith walk.
Is your life following a trajectory of faith? Do your imperfections and failures disqualify the call of God on your life? Join us as we see how Abraham’s faith affected the commission God gave him. Let’s see how that applies to us as sons and daughters of God.
Join us as we embark upon an eight-week journey of faith. Like Abraham’s, our journey of faith is not always smooth sailing with no problems or mistakes. God’s enduring and patient faithfulness is the true highlight of Abraham’s story and ours. It’s what makes our faith in Him possible!
Ready for a powerful message about living with purpose, integrity, and spiritual readiness? Let's learn how be a person of value—one who lets God’s light shine through their life in every season.
Someone who sees the Holy Spirit as an influence or supreme Spirit will say, “I want more of His Spirit.” On the contrary, someone who sees Him as a wonderful person will constantly say, “How can I give myself more to Him.” Join us as we continue our series, Understanding God’s Spirit.
We continue our series, Understanding God’s Spirit. We'll cover the three levels of relationships. If we desire to know God more, we'll establish a relationship with His Spirit on the deepest and highest level.
The Holy Spirit is not a commodity to be desired. He is a Person to be honored and invited. We should want to have the Spirit of Truth present in everything we do.
Why is it important to know the personality of the Holy Spirit? When we do, we’ll be closer to Him. The Father sent the permanent indwelling Holy Spirit to commune with us as our Comforter and Guide. He is our Shield and Defender, guarding us from the evil one and guiding us into all truth.
Last week, we started a new series on the Person of the Holy Spirit. Let's come to know Him as He really is.
Why do a series on the Holy Spirit? He is the most misunderstood Person in the church. Countless labels and stereotypes have been assigned to Him. But too few in the Body of Christ know Him as He really is. Join us as we ask the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth. Let’s allow Him to remove any beliefs not grounded in Scripture.
As we celebrate Easter, we continue our sermon series, Believe. We examine Luke’s account of Jesus raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead. We observe how Jesus got sidetracked by a different suffering person on His way to Jairus’ house. What most would have seen as inconvenience, Jesus saw as an opportunity!
You've heard the story: Jesus raised Mary and Martha’s brother, Lazarus—from death! How did Mary and Martha respond to Jesus before and after Lazarus was raised? How might that have impacted their response to Jesus’ death and resurrection?
Join us as we examine the story of Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. We'll consider his role and encounters in the crucifixion of our Lord and what he came to believe.
Join us as we examine the story of the soldier at the cross, his response to the crucifixion of our Lord, and what he came to believe.
Join us as we start a five-part Easter series called Believe. It presents the stories of people who encountered Jesus and were challenged to believe He was the Son of God. Easter is the time we rejoice in the resurrection of Jesus. Without belief, there would be nothing to celebrate.
Scripture makes it clear that honoring others is always a benefit to us. Honor is a fleeting quality today, and the few who live by its code will stand apart from the rest. Don’t miss the next part of our this sermon series, Restoring Honor.
Have you ever witnessed a lack of respect or dishonor given to someone? How do you feel when you witness someone dishonoring another? God is a God of honor and all that He is and says in His word reflects this. God’s heart is to honor His people and for them to practice authentic honor.
Join us as we continue to dive into what the Bible says about relationships. We'll be talking about the dynamics of the parent-child relationship. Let's learn the truths from God's Word that shape our values and give us wisdom for life.
Today, many approach marriage as a transactional exchange of benefits with the mindset “I’ll do my part as long as you do yours,” which is contrary to God’s Word. Biblically-based marriages are beautiful and fulfilling, yet they are often charged with challenges that require intentionality, grace, and perseverance. Join us as we explore the Scriptures for attributes reflecting God’s divine design for a strong and balanced marriage relationship.
The Bible reveals two distinct roles for marriage relationships: the man as “head” and the woman as “help meet.” But the question is, how do we define these two roles found in Scripture? Discover how to interpret them as we look at God’s Design for Oneness in the marriage relationship.
What does an ordinary Christian do to hear the voice of the Lord? In addition to the sermon, we conducted some interviews on the subject. Pull up a chair as we wrap up our series, Stop & Listen.
Let’s examine what to do when you believe you've heard the voice of the Lord. Whether you hear an audible voice or a voice in your head, you must evaluate the message to determine if it’s from the Lord. After that, what’s next?
In our sermon series so far, we have learned that we can’t just “put our time in” when it comes to prayer. It’s also important for us to live separately before Him by caring for the things of God rather than the things of this world. Have a listen to the third prerequisite to hearing the voice of the Lord.
Ready to learn the second prerequisite to hearing the voice of the Lord?
This past Sunday we learned that when it comes to prayer we can’t just “put our time in.” It’s imperative that we come to God with a willing heart that is open to hear God’s voice. This week we will continue our series Stop & Listen.
Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice…” (John 10:27). As a follower of Christ, hearing the voice of God should be a normal and expected reality. There is no simple formula to hearing God, but there are basic principles that each of us can learn to hear His voice. God can speak to us individually in different ways, but every Christian must Stop & Listen in order to hear.
Enjoy this message for the new year from our friend and guest speaker, Peter Markgraaff.
God was the coming Messiah in the Old Testament, our Savior and Redeemer today, and He will come again. The Lord will gloriously return one day. No matter your end-time beliefs, you should anticipate Him. But what does that mean for us? How should we act in our anticipation? As we examine Christ's first advent, we can find answers to how we should anticipate the second.
Why does it matter so much that God came to earth in the person of Jesus? When we dive into His character, we can see what God is like. He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Join us as we look at the second part of our sermon series: Who Was, Who Is, and Who Is to Come.
The Bible is one big book of Advent. The word, Advent, has its roots in Latin and carries with it the meaning of “coming.” The story of the coming of Jesus doesn’t begin in the New Testament, and it doesn’t end with a baby in a manger. The entire Bible anticipates and tells of this great Messiah, the Anointed King, who has come to bring hope to a dark and dying world. Discover “Who Was and Is and Is to Come!”
“And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.” What did Jesus mean when He asked us to pray this? Find out as we finish our series on Jesus' model of prayer.
In the model prayer given to His disciples, Jesus asked them to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.” He goes on to tell them to also pray, “and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” These prayers express our dependence on God and relate to our physical and relational needs.
“Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” But what did Jesus really mean when He told us to pray for God’s kingdom to come and for His will to be done?
We continue examining the Lord’s Prayer which is a model of prayer given to us by Jesus Himself. As we look deeper into this wonderful example, we will see Jesus telling us what we must know to grow stronger in prayer.
Matthew 6:9-13 is one of the most popular passages in the New Testament. It contains a model of prayer Jesus gave His disciples as part of the Sermon on the Mount. It covers foundational basics that are expanded upon throughout Scripture, and its importance cannot be overstated. Prayer is the primary way God releases His power through His people. Who better to learn from than Jesus Himself?
From the beginning, God gave mankind authority over the earth. However, if we don’t know we have authority, we can’t take advantage of what is available. As a result, we live below God’s standard. Join us for a reminder of the authority God has given to us!
We are defined by who we are in Christ. God establishes this definition by who He is and what He has done for us. When we truly understand this, we know how to live the life God intends for us. Satan hates who we are in Christ so he declares war on us. However, we don’t have to let him win that war! Join us as we explore how to stand victorious in the revelation of how God sees us.
In the beginning, mankind messed up and put separation between us and God. Then Jesus came, as fully God and fully man, to restore what was lost in Eden's Garden with His death on the cross and victorious-over-death resurrection. We can now have the life God originally intended for us because our position with the Creator is restored!
Too many people lack a proper view of life and, therefore, don’t value life the way they should. Scripture tells us in Psalm 139:14, “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.” Join us as we look at the worth of humanity through the eyes of God.
Change is necessary for success. We all have a choice: to adjust how we live daily or to stay the same. Join us as we conclude this sermon series with our seventh and final decision for Godly success.
Everyone wants to have a successful life.
Throughout the year we make daily choices that determine whether or not we are successful.
Join us as we will continue to share the principles that will help us make decisions for Godly success.
As Christians, we know that our Heavenly Father wants the best for all of His children.
He wants us to be successful in every area of our lives.
And we must understand that success is not based on what we do (career or job), it is based on who we are.
It’s making right decisions stemming from who we are in Christ.
Life can be hard. It’s full of twists, turns, and decisions that we have to make.
The choices we make determine the course of our lives.
The decisions we make not only affect us, but they affect those around us as well.
What choices are the right ones? What makes the difference between failure and success?
In chapter 5, James winds down his letter by showing us that the heart of God is open to every aspect of our Christian lives through prayer and praise.
He concludes his letter with the message that Christian fellowship is a safety net to protect all from falling away from God’s grace.
In chapter 5 of our expository sermon series, James encourages Christians to be patient and strong in their faith as they wait for the Lord's coming. We will see our harvest!
A Living Faith cannot be achieved without a humble dependence on God. James cautions us against having an attitude of independence from our Creator.
He also issues a challenge to every believer to live according to what we know in the Lord.
A living faith cannot be achieved through pride because God resists the proud. Therefore, being humble should be of the utmost importance to us. In fact, submitting ourselves to God in humility is our responsibility as Christ-confessing believers.
Join us as we explore the humble attributes of a living faith revealed in James 4:1-12.
In the first chapter of James’ letter, we learned that if we feel that we lack wisdom, we can ask God for it. Join us as we discover James’ definition of what wisdom really is—his unique understanding of what wisdom from God actually looks like.
Words can hurt or heal. They can leave scars and cuts, or they can be soothing medicine. Thus it’s imperative to be careful what we say to others.
Can we control what we say? Yes.
Is it always easy? No, but with the Lord’s help, we can.
Being in control of what we say is part of how we demonstrate our living faith.
Our words have power so what we say truly matters.
James teaches us that the caution and care with what we say reveals a true spiritual maturity.
James seems to say that we need to work for our salvation. But is that true?
Salvation is simple: faith by grace. At the same time, our actions matter.
Transformation occurs in the life of the believer after salvation. What does that look like?
Do you see others the way God sees them?
In his epistle, James establishes the principle of no partiality. As Christians, we need to embrace this same principle in the life of the church.
Join us as we continue our exploration of James, and discover how to see others as God sees them.
There are so many ways that we can access and enjoy the Scriptures. We can:
- read our Bibles
- read Bible apps on our phones or computers
- check the verse of the day
- listen to online sermons and podcasts as we perform daily tasks
Hearing God’s Word is not a problem for most of us, but applying it to our lives is.
Do we hear it and receive it? Or do we hear it and walk away from it to do what we want instead?
We all must decide how we handle the word of truth.
More than any other book in the New Testament, James places a spotlight on the necessity for believers to think, speak, and act in faith.
Do your actions mirror the faith that you proclaim?
James helps us answer this challenging question and develop a living, thriving faith.
Join us as we begin a new sermon series exploring the Epistle of James.
But does the Bible really tell us to never judge? Should we judge others? If so, when should we judge, and how should we do it?
Join us as we discover what the Bible has to say.
Join us as we wrap up exploring the scriptures concerning the destiny of the believer.
Destiny is God's divine will for your existence. It’s your appointed and ordained future into what God has called you to become.
There is a difference between fate and destiny.
Fate is predetermined outcomes set by outside forces, while destiny is a journey you are called to join but have a choice of whether or not you will accept the calling.
Destiny is God's purpose for you. It's your appointed and ordained future into what God has called you to become.
There are promises, goals, and dreams that God has placed in your heart. You didn’t come up with them on your own. Those aren’t just your desires; God put them there. The “secret petitions of your heart” are the things you dream about, that you haven’t told anyone. They seem too big, too far out. That’s your Destiny Calling. That’s God telling you what you can become.
Do you know the way to deal with discouragement? It’s not numbing our sense of sorrow but rather setting it in right relationship to God. In God alone, we find the peace we need. He alone gives life.
Isn't it wonderful that our God is a shelter, fortress, and refuge? When we dwell in The Secret Place, we discover all this about God and more. Join us as Pastor TJ concludes this sermon series on Psalm 91.
Psalm 91 is about a trusting and faithful person who affirms their status as safe and secure even during a time of calamity and distress.
We serve a God who is a shelter, fortress, refuge, and more.
For the believer, this status all begins in The Secret Place.
Back in the day, Michael Jordan was almost universally known as the greatest of all time in college and professional basketball.
When the game was on the line and there was only one shot left to win, you wanted the ball in Jordan’s hands.
He was going to make sure his team won.
The final words of Christ on the cross are words expressing full trust:
“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!”
What a powerful moment when all the results of what happens next are put into the hands of someone else!
Jesus had full confidence that His Father would “make the shot.”
He trusted not only that His Father would not let Him decay in a tomb, but He would win eternity for everyone who puts the ball in His hands.
Whose hands are you putting your life into with full trust?
This is Palm Sunday, when we remember and celebrate the day Jesus entered Jerusalem as Savior and King.
The disciples who followed His instructions that day set into motion the greatest events ever recorded in history.
It was An Act of Trust.
At least a couple times, we can find in the letters of the Apostle Paul that he compares his life of faith to running a race.
Additionally, in the twelfth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, we read that we too are in a race.
The goal is not simply to run but to win. This race has a prize.
It’s easy to get frustrated when we are not where we want to be in life.
When we don’t see our God-given dreams coming to pass, we must patiently wait on the Lord and trust that He is working on our behalf—even if we can’t see it.
Join us as we continue examining the story of Joseph to unpack the Characteristics of a Dreamer.
For this particular Sunday, we interrupted our current sermon series, Characteristics of a Dreamer, to have a joint worship service with our friends at Freedom Fellowship Church. Our very own Elder Joe Thompson shared a message as part the series that FFC is currently exploring. Enjoy!
While we are patiently waiting for the tangible realization of our God-given dreams, there are things we should and shouldn't do. Join us as we continue combing through the story of Joseph, examining the Characteristics of a Dreamer.
Are you a dreamer?
As a believer in Christ, we can all be dreamers. God gives us dreams, hopes, and desires to fulfill His Kingdom on the earth.
Sometimes, though, it can be difficult when we are waiting and waiting and waiting for them to come about.
Join us as we explore how faith can help us live the dream while we wait.
When we read the scriptures and see all the promises of God but realize we are not seeing them in our lives, we can quickly start to doubt that His promises are for us today.
Discover adjustments we can make in our lives to experience the manifestations of the Kingdom of God on a daily basis.
Are you living in the perfect will of God?
There can be such pressure to hear from God regarding a special path or plan that He has just for you.
But it doesn’t have to be this way! Discover the freedom, relief, and comfort of knowing God’s will for you.
When you say the word holiness, you might as well spray a can of conversation-repellant on everyone around you.
It might even seem to have been turned into a “gotcha” whip or weapon by some who preach, teach, and claim to adhere to a life of holiness.
In spite of that, we, the church, desperately need to pursue being holy.
It is not just some archaic idea from past generations. It’s the unyielding pursuit that defines the Christian life.
We need holiness, whether we realize it or not!
Discover the result of real holiness: freedom.
Just as there are advantages to being a citizen of the United States, being a citizen of the Kingdom of God comes with many benefits as well. A Christian’s primary, daily focus should be to live like a citizen of God’s Kingdom. But what must we do to experience the Kingdom with all the rights and privileges given to us by our King?
Today our focus is on the Kingdom of God. As citizens, we submit to God’s authority and His spiritual rule over our lives. Join us for this powerful time as we examine the first directive issued by Jesus, the Commander-In-Chief of the Kingdom of God.
“The Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).” Isaiah 7:14
From the very beginning, God’s practice and promise is that He is with us. With the birth of His Son, He took it to another level! Join us as we explore, rediscover, and meditate on the meaning of His name, Immanuel. Let’s receive a fresh revelation of the humble, miraculous incarnation of God in the Earth and the potential power that God wants to reveal in us and our lives today!
Despite whatever losses—great or small—you have encountered in life, it is God’s will to restore you to a life of abundance and joy. This Sunday, we will go over three keys to having a restoration mentality in our continuation of our current sermon series, Restore & Recover.
Have you ever experienced loss? Recently gone through a really tough time? Maybe you lost a job, a business deal, or time with family. Do you feel frustrated and robbed by what could have been? Despite our losses, we should never lose heart because it could be that we’ve been set up for our God to Restore & Recover.
Many times, as Christians, we waver and don’t stand on God’s promises due to a lack of confidence in who we are in Christ. Hebrews 10:23 says, “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised).” The key to our faith is to Hold Fast. But what does that really mean?
Have you ever asked God for something He’s said in His Word, but then you didn’t get the manifestation? According to 2 Peter 1:3-4, He’s already given us “all things” that we need for a life that represents who He is and what He desires to do in the earth. When we ask for something He’s already provided, His response will be, “Do you believe it?” When you think about it, You Already Have It. Now we simply need to believe it, receive it, and rest in it.
Have you ever had a moment when anxiety tried to creep up on you and seize your heart? I’m talking about those times when you are thrown into a state of panic about things that concern you — such as your family, your friendships, your business, or your finances. If it seems you have too many of those agonizing moments, know that God’s desire for you is peace, and there is a way to live A Worry-Free Life!
“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him...” 2 Chronicles 16:9
Over the years, many have taught that God is always looking down to punish. But is that really the Lord’s heart? The verse above reveals that God looks for ways to defend and show His strength on behalf of those who are committed to Him. So if we love God with all that is within us, He will give us the strength we need in every facet of life!
Enjoy this special message from our friend and special guest speaker, Mark Shell. We always have a wonderful time when he visits, so don’t miss out.
Life is hard. We encounter trials of various kinds—some minor, some heartbreaking. When we find ourselves wading through the rivers of sorrow, it’s hard to hold fast to God’s goodness. That’s why we need to be regularly reminded that God is So Good! That he is always faithful. That he’s on our side. That he is 100% for us.
Psalm 23:6 says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” God is good because that’s simply who He is. And because God, by His very nature, is good, we can be absolutely sure that he will pour out goodness on us for our entire lives. The revelation of His goodness will always lead us to declaring He is “So Good!”
Pastor TJ picks up where he left off last week in our exploration of the 43rd chapter of Isaiah, as we continue receiving the truth that God holds us, protects us, guards us, and cares for us, and thus we have Nothing to Fear!
The 43rd chapter of Isaiah opens with these encouraging words: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.” Knowing that we belong to the Lord is an empowering answer to fear. We can know that He holds us, protects us, guards us, and cares for us.
With God, we have Nothing to Fear!
It is written in Isaiah 40:3, “But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength…” God’s desire is to give strength to all of His people because He doesn’t want you to live in a continuous weakened state. God’s plan for you is freedom from heavy burdens that weigh you down, victory over the enemy, and Renewed Strength from the Lord!
It’s easy for us to take on burdens we shouldn’t bear. The concerns of this life are many, but Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29) When we truly give our burdens over to the Lord, we will discover The Power of Resting.
We examine the last of John’s three letters and conclude this sermon series, Letters to Humanity. John’s second and third letters apply the principles of 1 John, which test love and true faith in Christ to specific situations. In 2 John, the situation involved traveling teachers who did not confess truth about Jesus. The “elect lady” was not to extend hospitality to them. In 3 John, the situation also involved hospitality. This time involving three characters: Gaius, Diotrephes, and Demetrius and their response to the trials in proclaiming the truth in love with the issues of fellowship and hospitality.
We examine the second of John’s three letters as we near the end of this current sermon series, Letters to Humanity. Adam Clarke said, “This epistle is more remarkable for the spirit of Christian love which it breathes than for anything else.” It speaks of walking in truth and the importance of guarding the truth that we have in Christ.
We finish our study of the first of John’s three epistles in our sermon series, Letters to Humanity. It’s been a loving ride thus far, and the conclusion is not to be missed.
This Sunday we get a little closer to completing our examination of the first of John’s three epistles in our sermon series, Letters to Humanity. We will examine how John precisely identifies who Jesus, the Son of God, is. We will also see the importance of elevating the witness of God above the witness of man and John’s impressive confidence concerning eternal life for every believer. Don’t miss it!
We are nearing the end of our examination of John’s first letter in our expository sermon series, Letters to Humanity. Join us as we explore both the demonstration and assumption of the love of God.
We continue our exploration of the fourth chapter of the apostle John’s first letter. Let us discover (or rediscover) together our journey toward the wonderful, love-filled life God has always intended for us.
Dive with us into the fourth chapter of John’s first epistle in the Bible, a set of verses that reveal what God thinks about humanity, as well as how each of us humans should think about humanity. These God-inspired words (that the apostle wrote so many years ago) inspired the title of this sermon series, and they can and should inspire us today toward the wonderful, love-filled life God has always intended for us.
We continue our current sermon series, Letters to Humanity, on the pastoral letters of the apostle John. And yes, we’ll talk some more about love 🙄 (no, we can’t hear about it enough) 😊
Love is the process and the journey of our walk of faith in Christ. We can always (and probably should want to) learn more about the objective reality of love and how it’s revealed in our lives. Let’s discover together what it means to love in real life and the assurance and confidence we can find in it.
“Love is the essence of God and His kingdom.” We have said that every Sunday during our current sermon series, Letters to Humanity, on the pastoral letters of the apostle John. Join us as we continue our careful path exploring the themes, principles, and message of the words that John wrote and that God inspired.
John finishes the second chapter of his first letter continuing to stress the importance of abiding in God. He then segues into the next chapter, outlining the destiny of our relationship with God. In verse 3, John writes “and everyone who had this hope in Him…” Ultimately, our hope is not in heaven or in our own glory in heaven. Our hope is in Him! We must never set our hope on other things; not on romantic relationships, on success, on a mutual fund, on possessions, or even simply just on ourselves. Our only real hope is in Jesus!
This Sunday, we continue our current sermon series exploring the letters of John as he writes about the antichrist attack on the good faith and beliefs of the church. We will learn what this assault on the early church means for us today.
This Sunday, we will continue our expository sermon series of the epistles of John, Letters to Humanity, by covering two sets of three verses found in the second chapter of 1 John. In the first set, he addresses his readers according to their measure of spiritual maturity. In the second, he reveals the primary attack on our relationship with God. The truths found in all six verses can help us mature in our walk with the Lord, giving us a greater resolve to overcome every negative circumstance in life.
Most people understand that the important things in life are not things at all. Our relationships with others hold the most value. That connectivity with others is a God-given desire, which of course, He intended to be with our fellow human beings—but most of all, with Him.
Join us as we begin a new sermon series exploring the letters that John the Apostle wrote with much love to the churches and people for whom he cared so much. Let’s discover together what pastoral thoughts and urgings he had for his recipients then and what God wants to say to us today through them.
Join us for an encouraging and strengthening message from our long-time friend and guest speaker, Mark Shell.
Pastor Karrianne shares a special Mother’s Day message that will not only impact those who are mothers but all who long to know that our God is a God who sees, knows, and cares for each of us.
Pastor TJ shares the final part our sermon series of Ephesians, in which the apostle Paul brings all that he has written in his letter to a concluding urge for the churches of Ephesus to remain steadfast in God—and in which we can find God encouraging us to Be Strong no matter what challenges we face today!
We continue our joint worship services with Freedom Fellowship, as Pastor Horace Vinson continues with a message from the fifth chapter of Ephesians…
Pastor TJ continues our exploration of Ephesians, as we survey the fourth chapter, in which we’ll find four ways “to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.”
We continue our joint worship services with Freedom Fellowship, as Pastor Horace Vinson continues with a message from the third chapter of Ephesians…
Pastor TJ continues our exploration of Ephesians that Pastor Horace began last Sunday. Get excited as we hear about the reconciling power that Christ completed on the cross and in the resurrection. Be refreshed in the unity, peace, and family that Christ provides for us today.
Join us for this first part of a sermon series as we survey Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. For the next six weeks, we will explore the themes that the apostle wrote in order to build up the Body of Christ, the Church. We makes this series all the more wonderful is that we are embarking on this journey in the midst of joint worship services with our friends at Freedom Fellowship Church.
Join us for the conclusion to our Songs of Ascent sermon series. Pastor TJ will share what we can glean and grow from the psalmists about the joy of going to the house of the Lord, as well as laboring and prospering with the Lord.
This Sunday, we begin a two part series, Songs of Ascent. The Songs of Ascent are a series of 15 psalms (Psalms 120-134). The reason for this collection and arrangement is not precisely stated in the Bible; however, many different explanations have been given for these “degrees” or “steps” or “ascents.” Most theologians propose that these were songs for God’s people on their pilgrim journey to the temple in Jerusalem for the three yearly feasts (Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles). Regardless of their exact purpose and use in the past these songs serve as powerful examples of how we can express our worship and love for God.
Last week, we began a new sermon series. In that first part, we covered the first two strategies for winning every day: we must always recognize the right king, and never give in to the taunts of the enemy. This Sunday, Pastor TJ shares the final two strategies that the Lord revealed to him to help you be victorious!
This Sunday we begin sharing four strategies for everyday living. These strategies will help us to be victorious in every battle we face and have peace in our everyday decision making. The challenges of life don’t have to rule our lives!
This time, we focus on God’s design for marriage and the marriage relationship.
We know that applying biblical principles will give us a stronger foundation in marriage relationships. At the same time, God never designed marriage to give us perfect happiness or a conflict-free relationship. Leaving, cleaving, and becoming one is part of God’s creative work in making two distinct persons into one.
Marriage is unique in that it displays the character of God to all of mankind!
The love that is displayed in marriage reflects the love that God has for His Church. Whether you are single or married, this message is for you.
Over the last two weeks, we focused on Cultivating Relationships inside and outside the church. This Sunday, we focus on what the Bible says about being single and being unmarried.
Too often there seems to be an unfortunate societal mindset that views singlehood as something negative that needs to be fixed, even though many people are single by choice. Those of us who are married might need to change our perception of singlehood and how we relate to those who are single. Being single is not second best; there is no second best in God’s Kingdom.
Whether you are married or single, this message is for you!
God has called every Christian to show love in all of their relationships. Last week, we focused on Cultivating Relationships within the church. This weekend, we will continue talking about relationships, with a focus on Cultivating Relationships outside of the church. God commands us to love those around us that don’t know Him as Lord. We are even called to love the “unloveable.” Join us as we grow in the abundant love that God pours out on all His creation!
What do you want most out of life? Most of us would rank healthy relationships high on the list. Relationships are of the utmost importance to any life, especially in the life of a Christian. Except for knowing Christ and having eternal life, healthy relationships make life more rewarding. Our lives are all about learning how to love, and God wants us to value our relationships inside and outside of the church walls. Because relationships are so vital, it is important to know how to cultivate fulfilling relationships. Join us as we start a new sermon series, Cultivating Relationships, beginning with our relationships in the church.
In the last couple of Sundays, we have examined what love is and what love is not. As we wrap up this short sermon series on love, we will examine the remainder of the “Love Chapter,” as well as a brief trek into John’s first epistle. Join us as we finish up The Most Powerful Force
Last week, we talked about some things that love is not from ”The Love Chapter,” 1 Corinthians 13. Join us Sunday (10am at Gar-Field High School) as Pastor TJ explores the things that love is. We will find that in Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth he was attempting to convey less about what love feels and more about what love does.
What is the most powerful force on Earth? If you google this question, you will find the answer to be “the strong nuclear force.” This is the correct scientific answer. However, after scrolling through the results for awhile, you will find a different answer—the answer that can save the whole world! It’s found in the most popular verse in the Bible: “For God so loved the world…” Join us to explore what is truly The Most Powerful Force
Springboarding off the special word we received at our recent New Year’s Eve service, we are Getting a Fresh Perspective. We are examining some of the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus in the gospels. Join us as we gain a fresh look on God’s Kingdom, hearing the voice of God, and paying attention to His Spirit.
Join us this time for a special New Year’s Eve Service with our guest speaker, Peter Markgraaff, who had a special word for our church for the new year.
We hear the song, “Oh Come, All Ye Faithful,” every year at Christmastime. There is a beautiful and imploring line in this song that instructs us to “come, let us adore Him.”
What does it mean to “adore” the Lord?
This Christmas Sunday, we explore what that means and answer the question of why we should.
When you hear the words “the glory of God,” what do you think of? It might be difficult to describe the glory of God, but when you experience it, you definitely know it. Join us as we will attempt to answer questions like:
What is the glory of God?
Why is it important?
What’s the difference between His glory and His presence?
How can I experience the glory of God in my life?
The Bible makes it clear that one of the most important things to God is for us to seek Him. When we truly seek God, we experience His presence, which gives us blessings of all kinds: joy, peace, rest, comfort, encouragement, strength! Discover four steps on how to experience the presence of the Lord on a daily basis.
Can we experience the presence of the Lord on a daily basis? We believe Scripture is clear that we can, and those who do get rewarded. Hebrews 11:6 says, “…for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” Join us as we begin a new sermon series, Seeking His Presence.
Paul wrote to the churches in Thessaloniki, “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends. We also hope you’ll join us Sunday, as we continue our current sermon series, The Will of God for You.
In Romans 8:27-28 we read, “Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Join us Sunday as we continue our latest sermon series, The Will of God for You.
As believers, our faith will increase when we understand and know the will of God. However, confusion exists with many in the body of Christ concerning how to know His will for our lives. An unbiblical view of the will of God can cause those whose hearts are sensitive to spiritual things unnecessary heartburn, especially when making important decisions such as their vocation, marriage, education, and ministry.
We need to keep things in perspective: you may have some areas in which you still struggle and need to improve; we all do! However, being down on yourself is not going to help you do better! Join us as we look at the words of the prophet Jeremiah and what lessons and encouragements we can glean to grow.
Last week we began a new series on the biblical principle of God being the Potter, we are the clay, and what that really means for us. This week, we continue to talk about being shaped by the Potter unto full growth. We must accept our responsibility to grow!
One of the worst mistakes you can make is to go through life being against yourself. Some people live with a nagging feeling that’s always telling them, “You’re not good enough. You still have that addiction. You’ll never get it right.” They’ve heard that playing in their minds for so long that it’s become normal. However, we need to keep our flaws in perspective. Understand that God is the Potter, we are the clay. He’s the one who is making and molding you. It may not be happening as fast as you would like, but you don’t control the timetable. You are Not a Finished Product in the eyes of the Lord!
We must be aware of the constant opposition that we face as the children of God. God has revealed in Scripture how we can maintain the victory in our lives that Jesus acquired for us at the cross. This Sunday we will understand how worship and warfare go hand in hand with winning in prayer.
Enjoy the inspiring, empowering message and testimony of our guest speaker, Mark Shell.
The concept of time management is not just a business concept; it’s a biblical concept. A key part to being a wise person is knowing how to manage your resources. If you manage something wisely, it grows and develops. Have a listen today for four keys to managing our time from God’s perspective, as we continue the sermon series, Uncommon Sense.
This time we pick up where we left off in our current sermon series revealing what the Bible teaches about the power and effect of the words of our mouths.
Last Sunday, we learned that if we want to be wise people, we need to know what to say, what not to say, and how to say what we say. This week, we continue to reveal what the Bible teaches about the power and effect of the words of our mouths.
When we study Proverbs, we will find that wisdom is linked to our words! We can’t study this book without realizing that God is very interested in the words that we say. In order to be wise people, we need to know what to say, what not to say, and how to say what we say. Find out what the Bible teaches about how we can adjust our speech to how God wants us to speak.
Join us as we share the next five characteristics of wise thinking. You can’t have a wise life without having wise thinking!
Wisdom is the greatest asset that you can obtain. Your thoughts indicate where your heart is, so you could even say that your life is a reflection of your thinking. Join us as we begin examining several characteristics of wise thinking in the next part of our sermon series, Uncommon Sense.
Wisdom comes to us through right practices. This is something we have to do for our entire lives. We can be wise today and foolish tomorrow. We can do what’s right today and be wrong tomorrow. Having the right practices is important on a daily basis. This week we explore six practices that will help us obtain and maintain wisdom for the rest of our lives.
We kicked off our new sermon series last week on wisdom called, Uncommon Sense. This Sunday, we explore more about how to get wisdom. Don’t miss out on the Uncommon Sense that we all need to live the blessed life that God has in store for us!
The Bible says that wisdom is one of the most precious things we can obtain in this life. It is more valuable than rubies, gold, or silver. Wouldn’t you do anything to get a hold of as much of it as you could? What if it was offered to you for free?
Join us as we welcome back our very special friend and guest speaker, Peter Markgraaff, to minister in this morning worship service.
Throughout the Bible we find references to “the secret place” in God. In the secret place, there is special protection and provision for those who would believe God and trust him to be their God in every situation and circumstance. Join us for an examination of the numerous benefits to be found in the secret place.
Last Sunday, we learned that we can have victory when tempted to sin or when enduring trials. One may ask, “But what if I fail?” We need a contingency plan. We also need to develop a battle plan to help prevent falling into temptation and to help us through trials.
Have you ever been in a situation and had no idea how you got there? Has temptation come knocking, and now you’re wondering why you gave in and accepted the invitation? God wants us to be an overwhelming conqueror in all of the trials, tests, and temptations that we face. We can have victory as long as we Don’t Take the Bait of temptation.
The last few weeks, we talked about trusting God in the “what” even when we cannot see the “why.” We also shared about the importance of the mind and seeing things from a different perspective. Join us as we conclude the Change Your Perspective sermon series exploring Paul’s letter to the Philippians, as we complete our discussion of a new perspective on worrying from last week and discover a fresh perspective for daily living.
What you’ve experienced in your life usually determines what you see. Paul had experienced many things in his life, and because of those experiences, he was able to instruct the Philippian church to let go of the weights and burdens of the past and rejoice in the Lord. He gave them a different perspective on worry and trusting in the Lord. Paul changed his perspective to things that really matter, and we can too!
In 16 different places in Philippians, Paul talks about the mind. He also writes about the mind in many, if not all, of his other letters. James writes in his epistle, “a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.” So the subject of the mind is obviously of the utmost importance in our study on changing our perspectives to line up with the Word of God. Join us as we share several mind-shifts that are imperative to experiencing a joy-filled life.
There is an unmistakable theme that runs throughout Paul’s letter to the Philippians: joy. Philippians has even been referred to as the “joy book.” You will find joy or rejoice or something similar at least 19 times in its 4 chapters. Paul was a man who had the joy of the Lord working in his life. This joy didn’t come from perfect circumstances or the perfect life; it came from having a changed perspective.
Join us for another joint worship service with the Founding Pastor of Freedom Fellowship Church sharing more on our two week theme of unity in the Body of Christ.
Join us for this sermon from Pastor Karrianne on unity in the Body of Christ at our first joint worship service with Freedom Fellowship Church.
Statistics show that more telephone calls are made on Mother’s Day than any other day of the year. This special day is also the third highest selling holiday for flowers and plants, and it is the busiest time of the year for restaurants. We have no problems celebrating the day, but do we honor our mothers as the scriptures command? Join us as we explore ways to honor and love our mothers not only on this special occasion but every day.
We all know basic right from wrong, yet so many of us still make the choice to do the wrong thing at certain times. Even the great Apostle Paul struggled. Paul said in Romans 7:15 NLT “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.” Despite his struggles, Paul still strived to live righteously; he had a Passion for Righteousness!
Sadly, it’s plain to see that the church in America is not perfect. Sometimes it seems that we can barely go a week without reading about another fallen minister. And we have seen worldly philosophies gain a foothold in many churches, and with them, the acceptance of sin in too many Christian circles. However, God, through His Spirit, is speaking to the church to regain its Passion for Righteousness. Join us as we seek after living righteously—therein we will find joy, protection, and abundant life!
We live in difficult and trying times. The message of Christ's resurrection and the resultant victory over Satan and darkness has never been more important and bears hearing and remembering again and again. Celebrate the Resurrection with us!
When you put God first, the rest of your priorities will easily fall into place. If we allow God to be the first person we talk to when we wake up and the last person we say goodnight to, then we can truly experience the benefits of our time spent with Him.
Have you ever made a new commitment to have that special daily time of prayer with God, and it didn’t go so well? You set an alarm or reminder on your phone. You start praying, and then it’s like the car doesn’t get past five miles per hour. Let’s break out of that stagnancy!
Everybody who went to Jesus to be healed was healed. His redemptive work includes healing. Join us as we begin a brand new sermon series reveling that it is indeed God’s Will to Heal!
Join us for the conclusion of this enlightening and encouraging sermon series, Prepared.
God wants to prepare you for a greater habitation of His presence. One of the ways He does this is by revealing His plans for the future. This message will encourage you, cause your faith to rise, increase your expectations, and prepare you for a greater habitation of God’s glory!
Our Lord wants to increase His presence in our lives, and the Bible tells us that we are the temple of the Lord. Sunday, we will look toward the future to see what God has planned for His church. God’s desire is to be in our lives to a magnitude that we have not experienced before!
There is a season of change that is happening right now in the realm of God’s Spirit and in our lives. Are you prepared? Would you like to see what God sees concerning us? Join us as we explore the Scriptures on positioning our spirit-man to see the unseen.
Join us as we continue our current sermon series, Prepared, with the third and final part on Conquering Offense.
Offense is one of Satan’s most deceptive traps to get us out of God’s will. The good news is that we don’t have to give in to the enemy’s devices. We are made to be more than conquerors through Jesus our Lord. If we know what the Word says about us, instead of getting and living offended, we will overcome it!
Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” As Christians, what do we guard our hearts from? The answer is simple: offense. The enemy makes it his job to get us offended and keep us from walking in love. Offense will keep our hearts from being prepared for what God wants to do in our lives. The good news is that God has provided a way for us to be free from offense. This Sunday, as we continue our current sermon series, Prepared, we expose the root cause of offense so that we can conquer it!
We need to be prepared for what God wants to do in and through us. That begins with preparing our hearts. We need to be steadfast in our faith, with our hearts rooted and grounded in the Lord!
Relatively few people are determined to do evil. They don’t wake up in the morning seeking ways to transgress. Rather, they fall into sin because they have not prepared their hearts to seek the Lord. Join us as we continue our current sermon series, Prepared, with ideas to live the victorious lives that are ours in Christ!
God is on the move into the new year! Join us as Pastor Tony continues our new sermon series about being prepared for what God is doing in His Kingdom.
Are you prepared for 2022? Join us for a short word on the importance of being prepared for the new year.
There are a lot of people who simply lack the resolve to genuinely follow Jesus. They’d like to, but to really go all-in requires a motivation beyond what they have. Joseph is a man who went all-in to follow God. He sacrificed everything for the sake of the Messiah. Join us as we look at three elements from Joseph’s life that will help us go all-in for Jesus.
We live in the position of righteousness as children of God by the power of His grace. This results in Fullness of Life!
Paul said in Romans, “where sin abounded, grace abounded much more under Jesus.” Literally, the phrase “abounded much more” means: super-abounded, to exist in abundance. That means God makes His grace “super-abound” over abounding sin. In other words, grace reigns through who you are in Christ and sin has no power over you!
Grace is the unearned, unmerited favor of God. By grace, we are also redeemed. However, grace is also God’s empowerment. As believers, our position (our standing) should be one of power and authority.
We continue our new sermon series, Grace for Today, with the question: Why Grace? To fully answer this simple question, we must define grace and talk about the purpose for our existence as well as our position in Christ.
It is true that God gave His grace to everyone through Jesus Christ, but each of us must still make decisions daily that will activate the grace of God. Join us for a new sermon series, as we discuss activating the gift of God's unmerited, unearned, and undeserved favor in our lives.
And so we arrive at the conclusion of our current sermon series, discover the strength, depth, and fulfillment that you need and desire in the promise of the Father—The Holy Spirit.
Join us for more on the greatness of God the Holy Spirit, as we continue this powerful sermon series.
This Sunday, we talk about the mysteries of God that are only revealed by the Spirit. We will also discover a gift of intimacy given to us by God through His Holy Spirit. This gift can help us with decision making and receiving clear direction in our lives.
Last Sunday, we continued talking about the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, as well as the four different types of tongues. Join us this week as we focus on having intimacy with the Holy Spirit and the power that is given to every believer to overcome the enemy.
Paul once said to the Corinthians, “Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers… Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind?” If you do not understand that there are different types of tongues, you might think that Paul completely contradicted himself when he wrote this. Join us as we outline the four different types of tongues given by the Holy Spirit.
Join us as we continue talking about our empowerment by the Holy Spirit to fulfill the will of God in and through our lives.
Every Christian has been given a position in the Kingdom of God. Therefore, we have been given a responsibility to advance our Lords’s mission until He comes again. In order to do the Lord’s will effectively, we need to be empowered by the Holy Spirit. Join us this Sunday as we delve into how we can be empowered by the Holy Spirit to fulfill our roles as children of God and step into blessings as we have never seen before!
Join us as we continue our sermon series, The Holy Spirit. This week Elder Joe shares about our communion and fellowship with the Holy Spirit.
Why do a series on The Holy Spirit? Because He is the most misunderstood Person in the Church. Countless labels and stereotypes have been assigned to Him, but too few in the Body of Christ know Him as He really is and should be known.
Join us as we ask the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth, and allow Him to remove any beliefs that are not grounded in His Word!
This Sunday, Pastor TJ shares the final part of our sermon series examining The Parables of Jesus.
This Sunday, Pastor TJ shares the ninth part of our sermon series examining The Parables of Jesus…
This Sunday, Pastor TJ shares the next part (on the “Great Banquet”) in our sermon series examining The Parables of Jesus…
For some of us, Father’s Day is a happy day; for others, it’s not. Some of us have great relationships with our fathers and some of us don’t. Our circumstances are so different when it comes to our relationships with our fathers, so I’d like to talk about something we all can relate to tonight. Without a doubt, we live in a busy world where everyone’s schedule gets filled up before we have time to look at it. Fathers feel the pressure, often feeling like no one understands, of providing for the family while juggling a hundred other important issues at the same time. However, you only get one lifetime to raise your children. The morals and values you teach your children will change their lives forever.
But to be a good father you need a model, an example of a father that you can pattern yourself after. Where do you find such a father? Where do you look? Is there such a thing as a perfect father?
This Sunday, Pastor TJ shares the next part (on “the friend at midnight”) in our sermon series examining The Parables of Jesus…
This Sunday, Pastor TJ shares the sixth part of our sermon series examining The Parables of Jesus…
Join us as Pastor TJ shares the next part (on the gift of forgiveness) in our sermon series examining The Parables of Jesus…
Join us as Pastor TJ shares the fourth part of our sermon series examining The Parables of Jesus…
Join us this Sunday as we continue with our new sermon series examining The Parables of Jesus.
Join us as Pastor TJ shares with us the conclusion of our thought-provoking, spiritually-edifying sermon series, Romans: The Epistle of Peace, in which we have explored the various themes and ideas that the apostle Paul shared with the divided churches in the city of Rome.
This Sunday, Pastor TJ begins looking at the final chapter in our long-running sermon series, in which we have explored the various themes and ideas that the apostle Paul shared with the divided churches in the city of Rome.
We tend to think of the Apostle Paul as the man with all the answers. He authored over half of the New Testament. If anyone can understand sin and our struggle with it, it would be Paul. Join us this as we complete our look at the seventh chapter of Romans, as we identify with Paul as he goes through his battle with the flesh and sin.
Have you ever done something wrong, knowing it was wrong and did it anyway? I would be shocked if someone answered “no” because even the Apostle Paul struggled to do what was right and sometimes did what he knew wasn’t. Join us as we continue in the seventh chapter of our sermon series of Romans, as Paul lays out the fallacy of trying to live the Christian life in our own strength.
What to do with Jesus? The world has been pondering that question for centuries. Do we get rid of Him or receive Him? Everyone must decide for themselves. This Sunday we examine Hebrews 12:2 for our answer, which says “looking unto Jesus…”
This Sunday, we complete our look at the sixth chapter of Romans, where Paul continues addressing the nature of sin and how to be free from its destructive power.
This Sunday, we will begin looking at chapter 6, where Paul encourages the believers in Rome to stay free from the enslavement of sin.
We invite you to join us as we continue exploring the fifth chapter of Paul’s letter to the churches in Rome.
This Sunday, we begin looking at chapter 5, where Paul outlines the benefits of being justified through faith. This chapter is so full of vital truths that one scholar remarked, “In the whole Bible there is hardly another chapter which can equal this triumphant text.”
This week we will survey chapter 4 of Romans, where Paul shows how Abraham and David demonstrated righteousness apart from works.
This week we will continue our study of Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome. The theology that Paul lays out at the beginning of this letter is extremely important because what we believe needs to be solid truth. If these principles are misunderstood, you can develop a flimsy faith that will cause you to walk in condemnation. Join us as we dig into the truths of the third chapter.
Last week, we covered six principles of judgment found in Romans 2:1-16. This week we will add one more principle in which God judges all men and women, as we finish our look at the second chapter of Romans.
When you hear the word “judgment” it might sound like a bad thing. However, Paul’s letter to the Romans was not intended to condemn anyone but to liberate everyone. When we really examine the truths in this chapter, it can liberate us and cause us to live in a freedom not experienced before.
This Sunday, we continue our sermon series on Paul’s epistle to the churches in Rome. Last Sunday’s message of Romans 1 ended with an especially important question unanswered: what about good people? Is it fair that God would judge a person who has tried to be a good person? What about those who maintain ethics and good morals and who aren't murderers, liars, thieves, fornicators, adulterers, and homosexuals? Is the moralist guilty, and if so, is there hope? Join us as we discuss how Paul addressed the Roman churches of God’s promised judgment as being perfect and righteous and the hope provided in the gift of salvation through faith in Christ.
In this Sunday’s sermon, we will finish looking at the first chapter of Romans, where Paul explains why man must be justified by faith. Even though Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome was written long ago, these words and the principles therein can still teach and speak to us today.
We return to our sermon series on Romans by going to the beginning of Paul’s epistle of peace. In the first half of the first chapter, Paul introduces himself to the Christians in Rome, introduces the gospel of Jesus Christ, and writes his theme of the letter. Through this chapter we gain a greater understanding of who we are in Christ, which can lead us to walk victorious in our daily living.
The first three chapters of Ephesians give us a much bigger view than our individual selves. It includes us and our personal salvation, but it’s more about God’s saving plan that is aimed at all things. We have a tendency to view things through a small lens, but God wants us to view things through a larger lens—to see His master plan. In order to see the way God wants us to see and live the way God wants us to live, we must Seek, Worship, and Obey Him. This is the way!
Last Sunday, we looked at the shepherds’ response to the birth of the Messiah. This time we look at what we can learn from the Wise Men’s response to the Savior. Join us as we continue the most wonderful story of the year…
Many people read the Christmas story in scripture as part of a yearly holiday season tradition. But the author of the story found in Luke tells us that he recorded actual history and real events. This is not “once upon a time.” These are not fanciful stories of Zeus and Apollo on Mount Olympus. This is real. Since this is the case, we can now look at this written record of events that took place some 2000 years ago and wonder, “what was this moment like for the shepherds?”
Paul was always confident in his ministry. On many occasions, he stated, “imitate or follow me as I imitate Christ.” Join us Sunday as we see how Paul lays the framework of a biblical model for ministry, not only for members of the early church in Rome but for Christian believers today.
In this part, we continue our sermon series in chapter 15 of Paul’s epistle to the churches in Rome. We will further discuss living peaceably with a focus on pleasing others and not ourselves. Join us as we explore Paul's teaching that those strong in faith ought to sacrifice their own desires to live in harmony with other believers. He instructs the church that unity comes when they glorify God in worship with one mind and one voice.
Is it ok for a Christian to judge others? Does the Bible tell us not to judge or to judge? If it’s ok to judge, what kind of judging is ok? Join us, as we answer these questions and learn what both Paul and Jesus had to say concerning this often misunderstood subject.
This week we continue our study of Romans 13 by outlining the Christian’s responsibility to his neighbor. In this chapter, Paul makes it clear that we have an obligation to love others. He also explains why we should have an urgency to walk in love with everyone we come into contact with. Paul then finishes the chapter by showing the importance of walking right with God. These scriptures remind us that those who confess Jesus Christ as Lord really can live the Christian life as empowered by the Holy Spirit. We simply have to do it.
This Sunday, we will continue our study of the Epistle to the Romans. Last week, we discussed how Paul related to the believers on living in love and living peaceably with all people. In that same context, we will commence chapter thirteen of Paul’s letter as he deals with the Christian’s responsibility to the government. We will cover particularly important points in understanding the believer’s relationship and responsibilities to civil and governmental authority.
This Sunday, we continue exploring the twelfth chapter of Paul’s letter to the churches in the city of Rome. We look at the spiritual gifts God has granted to individual members of the church and how important these gifts are. We also cover a series of instructions on living like a Christian with others, which will continue to lead us to the true peace that Paul wanted for the church.
Pastor TJ continues our sermon series, going deeper into chapter 12 of Paul’s letter to the churches in Rome. We look further into the foundation for Christian living, which is the vital first step in building towards the peace that Paul longed for every believer in Christ to have.
As we began to see last week, Romans is not simply Paul’s effort at producing a systematic theology of all he believed. This letter was a specific message to the members of the several house churches throughout the city of Rome. Yet these words and the principles therein can still teach and speak to us today. Join us as we continue our new sermon series and dive deeper into our backwards reading of Romans: The Epistle of Peace.
This weekend, we are excited to begin a study of arguably one of the most important books of the Bible to Christians in every century and everywhere. Join us on a journey through Paul’s masterpiece letter…Romans: The Epistle of Peace.
This past weekend, we able to have our first in-person service in almost seven months! In that time together, Pastor TJ share a brief sermon on having courage in the midst of whatever comes our way, especially with the multitude of trying events of 2020. Have a listen and prepare to be filled with the courage you need to overcome any and all fear!
Hebrews 10:35 says, “Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.” Some people think that they are due rewards just because they are saved, but this scripture tells us that not everybody is rewarded. You must have confidence! For the final message or our sermon series, “Got Confidence?”, we reveal several wrong belief systems that hold us back from having the confidence that we need in our lives.
When it comes to having confidence as a Christian, our confidence is not based upon a theory or unsubstantiated promises but on the very character and nature of our loving Father God.
You can have confidence that God is who God says He is; therefore, you are who God says you are.
God can do what God says He can do; therefore, you can do what God says you can do.
And because God has what God says He has; therefore, you have what God says you have.
God needs prepared men and women in this world. So for you to be prepared, you need confidence. Why? Because confidence will take you to the top. Confidence will allow you to believe that your image is found in God and rooted in His Word. Confidence lets you believe the truth that God is unstoppable, and therefore, you and I are unstoppable!
The theme in the church world in the early 2000s was about awakening people to their “purpose” in life. Ministers would preach, “If you have a pulse, you have a purpose.” This was a good and foundational truth because Paul said, in Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.” However, once they discovered their “purpose,” too many people did not have the “confidence” to actually do what they discovered they were supposed to do in life. For the church to move forward, the focus must shift from purpose to confidence. So…Got Confidence?
Have you ever gotten so exhausted from waiting for God’s promise to come to pass that you were tempted to say something like the following? “Forget it! I’ve waited long enough. I’ve given enough of my life to this, and I am just so frustrated. I’m done!”
Don’t let your discouragement allow you to quit; what you need is an infusion of biblical confidence. This Sunday, be challenged and encouraged to live in the confidence that God has already provided for each of us.
God’s desires for us to be encouragers of people (our family, fellow church members, co-workers, neighbors, the cashier at the grocery store…anyone). This is why Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:11 to “encourage each other and build each other up.” So we can’t dismiss helping others through encouragement because we don’t feel comfortable talking to others or because we just don’t feel like it. The Body of Christ would be incomplete, powerless, and lacking the strength to overcome adversity if we were all remiss in our responsibility to build up others. We would also miss out on the blessing that comes from encouraging others.
Hebrews 3:13 says, “But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today.’” If you have ever received encouragement, you know the value it holds. It doesn’t matter who you are, everyone needs encouragement from time to time. Even the smallest of gestures can stir up some much-needed strength to the soul. It could be an email, letter, text, phone call, or a three-sentence-long note. Regardless of the gesture, encouragement is like oxygen. It keeps hearts beating, minds clear, and hands strengthened and inspired to serve.
We all experience hardships from time to time. It might be financial stress, strained relationships, poor health, a job that seems overwhelming, or another personal disappointment of some type. The list of things that cause difficult moments is endless. At some point, everyone comes face to face with a moment when he or she wonders if they will “make it” through the event they are experiencing in life.
The task at hand can be so difficult and challenging that it seems utterly impossible in the natural realm. Even though the Spirit of God lives within us, the fact is that there are times when we need a touch of encouragement to build our confidence and to reassure us that we are capable of getting through difficulties.
Over the past few years, the rise of the term “social justice” among Christians has coincided with a growing level of misunderstanding, misuse, and misapplication of the term. So when you hear the term “social justice,” what emotions do you feel? For some people, the term evokes thoughts of “justice” for them personally or for their community. Other people hear the “social” side of the term and equate it with social action by a government or advocacy group. This Sunday, we will talk about the biblical view of social justice and how we should fight the injustices we see in our world…
Parents praise their kids. Grandparents praise them more. Teachers praise their students. Coaches praise their teams. Praise is something we were born with deep in our spirit. It is an integral part of life. We praise what we value, support, and love. But what about our praises to God? Most would agree that He is what we love and value the most. So why is it so difficult for so many of us to praise Him as written in the Bible? Join us as we talk about The Power of Praise and how to make it prevalent in our lives.
This Sunday, we bring one more part to complete the sermon series, The Importance of Faith. Just like the wilderness-wandering children of Israel, God has given you a proverbial land to claim. And also like them, there will be obstacles in the way. Our own strength and efforts will never be good enough to overcome. The key is to see ourselves as God sees us and to be fully persuaded in what God has said. Discover the key to conquering your circumstances and stake your God-given claim!
Whether you receive a word from God’s Spirit or as you meditate on the Scriptures, that word will be tested. You will be tested. Are you ready? That’s not meant to put you in fear but to put you in a ready state of faith—speaking what is sure to happen because what God says is certain to come to pass. He is faithful, and what He says is true! Join us online for the penultimate part to our The Importance of Faith sermon series.
This Sunday, we look at two truths about God that will help solidify your faith. We will also look at a certain aspect of Abraham’s faith that will help take your faith in God and His Word to a new level…
As we continue our sermon series on The Importance of Faith in tomorrow’s online service, discover the importance of hearing and acting upon God’s Word.
Throughout Scripture, Jesus spoke of varying degrees of faith from little faith to great faith. Also in Scripture, there are truths and principles for spiritual growth that will help us develop dynamic mountain-moving faith.
We all have a measure of faith, so why isn’t every Christian rewarded by God? Who is rewarded, and do we hold onto any misconceptions about being rewarded by God? Also, what can we do when panic sets in as we face tribulation and difficult circumstances?
In the fourth part of our current sermon series, The Importance of Faith, we will explore when faith perceives as a real fact that which is not yet revealed to the five natural senses. People who walk by faith are able to see and understand in ways that people who don’t walk by faith are able to perceive.
In the first part of our current sermon series, we learned about the elements of faith. Then last week, we outlined the two types of faith available to every believer. Join us as we continue growing together in our pursuit of The Importance of Faith.
We continue talking about “The Importance of Faith” by outlining the two types of faith available to every believer. We also cover how to increase our faith so that we can stay strong in every circumstance of life.
Even in these trying and uncertain times, every believer, through faith, can receive and experience all the benefits of the promises found in the Word of God. Join us this Sunday as we begin a new series, The Importance of Faith, with a message on the fundamental elements of faith.
We had some challenges with live streaming and recording this Sunday’s message from our guest speaker and friend, Mark Shell. But here it is…listen, be challenged, and grow in your faith as you do!
Enjoy the conclusion of our sermon series called, What Do We Call Him? During this series, we have learned that studying the names of God gives us a deeper revelation into His character and allows us a window to see how He feels towards us. This week’s sermon will be no exception! The character traits that we will learn this week will show us more of the goodness of God and how He loves us.
Life is not always easy. Everyone experiences pain and brokenness at one point or another in their lives. The good news is that we serve a God who can meet all of our needs emotionally, physically, and spiritually. This includes healing from sickness and disease. Our God is so powerful that He can heal anything!
At times in life, we might feel alone—possibly even abandoned. And during these days of calamity and self-isolation, those feelings have quite possibly increased and are more frequent. However, no matter how we feel, our God is faithful, He is always there.
Have you ever been in a bad situation and couldn’t see a way out of it? Have you ever been surrounded by the enemy and couldn’t see a way to victory? When our back is against the wall, we have two choices: we can give up and suffer defeat, or we can call upon the name of the Lord. Join us as we look at four biblical illustrations that will help us learn to call Him by name when we are at the end of our rope.
Sometimes we’re burdened because we think God is not going to come through for us. Other times we’re bitter because things have not worked out as we want. On occasion, we feel completely broken because everything has been taken from us. No matter what we are going through, or what state we are in, we can put our trust in the Lord. The Scriptures reveal in Jeremiah that “there is nothing too hard for You (God).”
For many of us, our view of God has not changed much since we were little kids. Too often, we see God in ways that hinder us in our relationship with Him. For instance, we may see God as a “policeman” who is out to bust us for our behavior, or we may see Him as “the grand old man” who just winks at our wrong-doing. Some of us may even see Him as a “managing director” who controls everything.
Studying the names of God allows us to see into His true character and attributes, which destroy these and other misconceptions about Him. This Sunday, we will look at four “hammers” that will help us break out of the boxes in which we try to put God as we continue the sermon series, ”What Do We Call Him? A Study of the Names of God.”
Before the pandemic that the United States is currently facing, “provision” wasn’t a word most Americans thought much about. It’s usually a weightless word to us. We may use it euphemistically when we stock up on “provisions” for a road trip, meaning Twizzlers and chips. We may use it to refer to unexpected upgrades in life: “the Lord provided us with a new car” or “the Lord provided our church with the means to get that new sound system.” But does this word, “provision,” take on a new meaning when the Bible names God as our Provider?
This is not merely the fourth part of our current sermon series. This is a very timely message for these challenging days in which we find ourselves.
Sometimes life throws us a curveball that we didn’t expect. What do we do during times of uncertainty or unrest? We know that we can’t allow ourselves to give in to fear, anxiety, and worry. The enemy of our souls would like nothing less than for us to fall apart emotionally during hard times. So the first thing we need to do is resist the pull to give in to fear, and call upon the name of the Lord. God has given us many names in scripture, but when you are faced with uncertainty and fear, the name of God to call is Jehovah Shalom—God our Peace!
People around the world call God many different names. But as Christians, what do we call Him? The Lord Jesus said in John 17:3, “And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.” The many names of God we find in Scripture constitute additional revelation of the true God’s character, His works, and His relationship to us. Studying the names which God chose for Himself helps us to know and relate to God in ways we didn’t before. Join us as we continue the sermon series, “What Do We Call Him? A Study of the Names of God.”
The importance of studying the names of God cannot be undersold. These names give a deeper revelation into His character and allow us a window to see His disposition towards us. Matthew Henry said it best, “The better God is known, the more He is trusted. The more God is trusted, the more He is sought after. God never did, nor ever will, disown or desert any that duly seek Him and trust in Him.” Join us as we continue the sermon series, “What Do We Call Him? A Study of the Names of God.”
For many of us, names are just names. They hold little weight or significance. However, in Scripture, the names of God are like miniature portraits and promises. In Scripture, a person’s name identified them and represented something specific. This is especially true of God. The value of studying the names of God cannot be undersold. These divine names open a deeper revelation into His character and allow us a glimpse of how He feels towards us. Join us for the introduction to “What Do We Call Him? A Study of the Names of God.”
Over the last few weeks, we have focused on how to receive the blessing. We discussed the habits of highly blessed people. We explored ways to position ourselves for blessing through obedience, prayer, thanksgiving, and a willingness to fight for our birthright. Now that we are blessed. What’s next?
There are moments in life, often when all seems lost, when what you need is some fight. In those times, you shouldn’t take no for an answer. God’s promises are yes and amen, but sometimes you have to do more than simply believe. You have to be willing to enter the struggle and fight. Once you are on the receiving end of God’s grace, you want to give God everything you’ve got! If you are in Christ, every blessing in the Bible belongs to you. Don’t let the enemy rob you of a single one!
Many Christians believe they can’t be blessed by God because He is upset or mad at them. However, is this really God’s heart towards His people? The answer is an emphatic, no! When we truly believe that God loves us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3), we break hindrances to the flow of blessings that God wants to pour out on us.
In this next part of our series “Blessed To Be A Blessing,” we unpack a sixfold blessing found in the book of Numbers to which every believer has the privilege of attaining. In this, we can and will see the true heart of God towards His people. When we truly believe that nothing can separate us from the love of God, we break hindrances to the flow of blessings that God wants to pour out on us.
Many Christians believe they don’t “deserve” to be blessed by God. But “deserve” has no bearing on whether or not God blesses someone. We don’t serve a God that discriminates, so He just pours out His blessing on those who have positioned themselves to receive it. This Sunday, in the next part of our series, Blessed To Be A Blessing, we will continue to talk about how we can position ourselves to stay under the umbrella of God’s blessing.
God has blessings for us in categories we can’t even conceive. If we are going to live the happy, healthy, and holy life God has called us to, we must position ourselves to receive it. God is in the blessing business! And as His children, blessing is our birthright. Join us to explore some of the habits of highly blessed people, as we continue our newest sermon series, Blessed To Be A Blessing.
As God’s child, blessing is your birthright! Many Christians believe that they are undeserving of God’s blessing, or they believe that seeking blessing is wrong or selfish. But you don’t have to settle for half of what God offers because the endgame isn’t about getting; it’s giving—giving to others! As Mark Batterson once said, “God doesn’t bless us to just raise our standard of living. He blesses us to raise our standard of giving.” Discover how you can both get it and give it…how you can be Blessed To Be A Blessing!
A new year is upon us. The possibilities and potential are there for our taking. What if you could see the way forward with perfect vision? What if you could hear directly from God for every big decision that you need to make in 2020? We all need to hear directly from God, and the good news is that you can!
What if magnificence and power were not the thing put on display with the Incarnation, the coming of God in the flesh of humanity? What was God showing us in that little baby in a feeding trough? What was it that God put on display in the life and brief ministry that child grew into? And how does that apply to the final line of the Isaiah poem that Jesus read in front of his surprised audience at the very beginning of his earthly ministry? Join us for a glimpse into the answers in the conclusion of our Advent sermon series as we enter into Christmastime with all its joy and wonder!
The Spirit of God was indeed upon Jesus for He submitted to the leading of the Spirit throughout His life, spoke only those things He heard from the Father, carried out His Father’s will, and fulfilled every prophecy relating to His first advent.
Jesus did indeed preach the good news of salvation to the poor, proclaiming freedom from sin, Satan, death and hell—by faith in Him. He proclaimed freedom to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, and brought freedom to the oppressed. Now what will we indeed do?
Often when we hear someone talk about getting into the spirit of Christmas or the Christmas spirit, they are talking about getting into a festive mood. Christmas trees. Decorating the house. Bathing the outside of the house and trees in lights. Santa Claus. Wish lists. Family traditions.
All that is great and should be enjoyed, but what if “The Spirit of Christmas” is so much grander than all those things? Last week, we began our Advent sermon series reflecting upon Luke 4:18-19, as we examined the first two lines of the poem that Jesus read from the book of Isaiah in the synagogue. In those two lines, Jesus was claiming that the Holy Spirit had anointed him for a purpose. This Sunday we begin seeing more specifically what that purpose was and what that means for us.
This Sunday we begin our Advent sermon series, drawing from Luke 4:18-19… Jesus read this poetic passage from the book of Isaiah to launch his earthly ministry. It caused quite a shock with all who heard it that day in the synagogue. But those revolutionary words were not just for Jesus as he began teaching and showing the power and truth of God in those days. Those words are still just as strong and revolutionary today. Join us as we begin exploring what those words meant for our Lord then and what they mean for us today…
According to Hebrews 5:12-14, there is a correlation between discernment and maturity. Those that are mature have discernment. Of course, we are talking about spiritual maturity, not physical maturity—there is a big difference between the two. Physical maturity is bound to time. Have you ever seen a 6 foot tall 2-year-old? Of course not! On the other hand, spiritual maturity is not bound to time. Have you ever encountered a believer who is only a year old in Christ but is more mature than many who have been saved for 20 years?
How do we mature and keep from mixing up good and evil? How do we mature and not fall into the same trap Eve fell into when she believed evil to be good, pleasant, and wise? The answer is by Developing Discernment. This Sunday, as we finish up our sermon series, we will talk about a final key ingredient every believer must have in order to develop discernment.
Who in their right mind would want to make a wrong decision? Nobody, of course! Unfortunately, we live in a world where most are taught to make decisions on their own power and are told, “don't worry…you’ll figure it out.” However, as Christians, we are not supposed to just “figure it out.” Believers can make decisions led by the Spirit of God. But in order to make the right decisions, our faith must be built on the right foundation. This Sunday, we look at the foundational principles that every believer must have in order to stay strong in faith and have the discernment needed for every situation.
Most people would say that if something is “good” then it’s okay for me, and I want it because it’s good. But for the believer, “good” is not always right. In other words, just because something seems good doesn’t necessarily mean it’s God.
In Genesis, we learn that a woman named Eve was approached by a serpent and presented with something that seemed good, but it was something forbidden by God. She ended up giving in, which was a grave mistake. So how was Eve deceived by the serpent? How did he get her to turn on God? The answers to these questions can give us valuable insight that will help us make the right decisions and protect us from being deceived by what seems good but is not God's will for us.
Developing Discernment is vital for the spiritual health of all Christians. Without it, we can be deceived by the enemy into believing all sorts of lies. We can even be seduced into departing from the faith (1 Timothy 4:1). This is why it’s so important to develop Spirit-led discernment. This kind of discernment demonstrates wisdom and insight that go beyond what is merely seen and heard. It gives us the ability to properly separate what is, not just good, but best for us.
We are living in a day when countless multitudes have lost their way both morally and spiritually. It seems that our current culture is being tossed to and fro by a flood of deception and wrong influences. This has even influenced many in the body of Christ, causing them to lose their way in a chaotic swirl of moral and spiritual confusion. But there is a way to make sure we make the right choices, stay above the fray, and stay anchored in our faith. The answer is Developing Discernment! This Sunday, we begin a brand new series, which will challenge us to develop true discernment that will benefit us in every area of our lives.
This Sunday, we welcomed our guest speaker, Peter Markgraaff. Align yourself with the inheritance that God has given to you. This inheritance is not held in your hand; it’s in your heart. And it’s not just for you and benefit, but all those around you. This is the gospel. This is the good news.
We know that God’s greatest gift to mankind is found in John 3:16… “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.” But what other gifts has God bestowed to all members of His church that we may spiritually mature and live a victorious Christian life? Join us as we explore the Scriptures as faithful stewards to discover the gifts that will foster unity of the faith and knowledge of God’s grace and love.
We have come so far during our journey through this epistle of grace. In Paul’s postscript, he leaves a final word regarding the motives of the legalists among the Galatians. And he reminds the churches in Galatia (and us) of the importance of the cross of Christ and that we are a new creation in Christ. Join us for the completion of the journey!
In the penultimate part of our journey through Paul’s epistle of grace to the churches of Galatia, we see Paul leaving some final instructions to the church—simple and good things such as helping one another, bearing one another’s burdens, conquering pride so you can help others, as well as the universal principle of sowing and reaping. Join us as we approach the end of this sermon series.
We cannot reach the end of Paul’s letter to the churches of Galatia without first examining his instructions on using our liberty in Christ to walk in the Spirit. What does it really mean to walk in the Spirit? Why is walking in the flesh dangerous? It’s time for us to understand and recognize the battle we face, so we can live as the victorious people God has called us.
Last week, we ended our study of the fourth chapter of Paul’s letter to the churches of Galatia with the truth that because we are born of the Spirit in Christ, we are children of the promise—we are children of the free! As we dive into the fifth chapter this Sunday, we will begin to see what it looks like to live free of the bondage of the Law of sin and death and live in true freedom and liberty.
In this week’s sermon, as we continue our journey through the epistle of grace, Paul appeals to the Galatians to reconsider the truth they once had. The opposing systems of Grace and Law cannot exist together as principles in our lives; there is only one true covenant.
We continue exploring the wonderful truth that we are ALL sons of God, as we begin the fourth chapter of our journey through Paul’s epistle of grace to the churches of Galatia!
This Sunday, we return to our journey through the epistle of grace, Paul’s letter to the churches of Galatia. We pick back up in the second half of the third chapter, where Paul addresses the purpose of the Law, God’s changeless promise, and our identity in Christ.
A message from our guest speaker, Rev. Gary Thompson, Associate Pastor at First Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Dumfries, Virginia.
This Sunday, we pick up where we left off last week at the beginning of the third chapter of the apostle Paul’s epistle to the Galatians. Thus far, we have been reminded that our salvation is secured through Christ alone, and we have seen the apostle’s passion as he dealt with prejudicial attitudes in the church. Now Paul moves from the initial work of salvation, in which God declares us righteous, to the process of sanctification where God conforms us to Christ-likeness. He preaches that we are justified by faith and by the same faith, we are sanctified.
After we heard the amazing testimonies from our recently-returned Puerto Rico Missions Team, we heard a brief sermon introducing the third chapter of Galatians. Join us next week for a continuation of this important part of Paul’s letter to the churches of Galatia!
We have seen so far in our exploration of Paul’s letter to the Galatians that the apostle is very passionate about the gospel and getting it right. As we continue this Sunday, we will continue to see that he pulls no punches as he deals with prejudicial attitudes and his refusal to give up the absolute supremacy of Christ in our salvation and the faith in which we live.
In the second chapter of Paul’s letter to the churches of Galatia, which we share this Sunday, the apostle continues his defense of the true gospel.
Don’t miss the next several weeks as Pastor TJ, Pastor Justin, and Elder Joe guide us on a journey, calling us back to the simplicity of Christ and His transforming grace. If you missed the first two parts, in which we covered the first chapter of the epistle, you can watch them on our YouTube channel or our website today!
This week we continue our journey through Paul’s letter to the churches of Galatia, in which reminds them (and us) of the total sufficiency of Jesus in securing our salvation, and of the leadership of the Holy Spirit for living it out. This Sunday, we discover why getting a true understanding of the gospel was so important to Paul and why it should be important to us as well.
We are very excited to begin a new sermon series. Throughout the summer, we will dive into the entire letter of Paul to the Galatians.
Salvation by grace: we believe it and preach it, but do we live it? The reality is that too many Christians begin well but quickly gravitate toward jumping through religious hoops in an ever exhausting attempt to ”get it right.” In Galatians, Paul reminds us of the total sufficiency of Jesus in securing our salvation, and of the leadership of the Holy Spirit for living it out.
Join us for the next several weeks as Pastor TJ, Pastor Justin, and Elder Joe guide us on a journey, calling us back to the simplicity of Christ and His transforming grace.
Our special guest speaker, Dr. Rebecca Polis from Revival Fellowship International, shares a life-changing message on obtaining and maintaining victory in life through the power of not only reading but speaking the truths and promises of Scripture.
Even though you may have regrets, that doesn’t mean you should live in the shadow of your past mistakes. With God, you can live free because You Are Better Than Your Worst! That being said, it’s also possible to avoid the pattern of making mistakes over and over again that lead to the regrets that keep you down. It is possible for you to make the right choices in life. This Sunday, we finish up examining the principles that will help you handle the regrets of your past. We will also discover how to avoid making big mistakes that lead to regret in the first place!
Peter made a big mistake in denying the Lord three times. Scripture makes it very clear that Peter was distraught once he realized what he had done. Even though he made this momentous mistake, it did not disqualify him from what Jesus had called him to do. Peter was fully restored and played a vital role in establishing and leading the early church. Your past mistakes don’t disqualify you, either. You can let go of regret, be restored by God, and live on top for God because You Are Better Than Your Worst!
Many people live in the shadow of their past mistakes. At the end of their lives, they are left with unresolved relationship issues, unfulfilled dreams, and long-held resentments. God doesn’t want us to live our lives to the end with regrets. With God, we can live in freedom and come out of the shadow of our past. This Sunday, we continue examining principles that will help us handle the regrets of our past.
In the journey of life, we’ve all made mistakes and hurt people mostly out of immaturity, selfishly pursuing our own needs, or acting out of painful emotions and unformed values. These missteps can turn into regret and a feeling of shame. However, God doesn’t want us to live in regret. He wants us to live victorious, productive lives through His Son, Jesus Christ. Because “greater is He that is in you,” you don’t have to live in the misery of your past. Because of God’s grace, as we’ll see in this new sermon series, you are better than your worst!
This week, we wrap up our current sermon series. In the first three parts, firstly we discovered where our focus should be in living this Garden Life. Next, we began to see that we have a responsibility in it. And last week, we explored the importance of our relationship with God in this Garden existence. In the final part, we will reveal what is the foundation or motivation of all that we do in living The Garden Life. Join us as we propel ourselves forward into the abundance God desires for us!
God’s desire is for all believers to have a great relationship with Him. He wants our lives to have meaning and for us to thrive in life, not just get by. But as the Apostle Paul said, we cannot thrive without our lives being “hidden with Christ in God.” This Sunday, we will see how establishing an intimate relationship with the Lord based on His grace is crucial to living The Garden Life.
Paul wrote to the believers at Colosse to “set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” He is saying that we must keep our minds stayed on the position and authority that we have through Christ. But how do we keep our minds from straying from who we are in Christ? How do we make sure we are listening to the right voice? This Sunday, we present two keys that will keep you victorious in your thought life. Because if your thought life is right, you are living The Garden Life.
Many believers end up living their whole lives trying to be “good enough” to get to heaven. This creates a constant and unnecessary struggle to live according to standards that God never intended for them. Day to day battles are fought questioning their holiness and their standing with their Creator; however, God never intended for them to live this way. God’s desire is for His children to live in the victory and liberty that He has provided for them. Our Creator wants all who believe in Him to live The Garden Life. Join us this Sunday, as we step into the life intended for us!
Every word that Jesus spoke while He was dying on the cross was significant and led to a victorious resurrection that changed the course of the world for eternity.
This Sunday, we will look at the final of the seven Last Words of Christ before His death. Jesus’ final sentence expressed full faith in His Father: “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” It’s a powerful moment of trust when all the results of what happens next are put into the hands of someone else.
As Jesus hung on the cross, He was not silent. He still had things He needed to say, and those final words are significant. Over the last three Sundays, we looked at the first four of the Last Words of Christ. This Sunday, we will explore the meaning behind the fifth and sixth of the final seven words and phrases that Jesus spoke from the cross: “I thirst” and “It is finished!”
At first glance, the words “I thirst” may seem like a small and insignificant moment on the day Jesus died on the cross; however, these two brief words from Christ turn out to be hugely significant, and imperative to the next of His last words: “It is finished!”
As Jesus hung on the cross, He was not silent. He still had things He needed to say, and those final words are significant. Over the last two Sundays, we looked at the first three of the Last Words of Christ. This Sunday, we will explore the meaning behind the fourth of the final seven words and phrases that He spoke from the cross: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
The agony of this cry is momentous. It was not only the agony of physical pain—but the pain of separation from His Father—the pain of taking on the sin of all of humanity. However, these Last Words of Christ go even deeper than the pain Jesus felt when He was dying on the cross…
As Jesus hung on the cross, He was not silent. He still had things He needed to say, and those final words are significant. The Gospel writers record seven final words and phrases that Jesus said as He was dying on the cross. This Sunday, as we continue our five-part Easter sermon series exploring the Last Words Of Christ, we will look at the next two of the magnificent seven last words Jesus cried out from the cross.
As Jesus hung on the cross, He was not silent. He still had things He needed to say, and those final words are significant. The Gospel writers record seven final words and phrases that Jesus said as He was dying on the cross. This Sunday, we will look at the first of the magnificent seven last words Jesus cries out from the cross. We will examine why these words were significant then and how they are relevant now. You won’t want to miss any of this five-part Easter sermon series that explores the Last Words Of Christ!
For the last two weeks in our current sermon series, we asked “What to Do with Jesus?” and we were encouraged as the Scriptures revealed that Jesus is The Object of Our Faith and The Example of Our Faith. We often think of faith as just trusting God, but it is much more than that. This Sunday, we will look at four aspects of faith derived from the fact that Jesus is “the author and finisher of our faith.” These four aspects of faith will show us that Jesus truly is The Developer of Our Faith.
The question is, “What to Do with Jesus?” Last week in the first of a three-part series, we were encouraged as the Scriptures revealed that Jesus is The Object of Our Faith. There are many examples in the Bible of faith, great and small, but 1 Peter 2:21 begins to unveil the ultimate example to us: “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.” Join us this Sunday as we dig deeper into the foundational verse of this sermon series, Hebrews 12:2, “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,” as we establish that Jesus is The Example of Our Faith.
There is a question the world has been pondering for centuries. The answer to this question can bring life or death. The right answer leads a person into total restoration in the image of God. The wrong answer can lead a person into a faithless, life-long battle with their identity. The question is, “What To Do With Jesus?” This Sunday, be encouraged as we begin answering this critical question by examining what the Scriptures reveal to us.
Clear communication is necessary for any relationship to be successful and grow. Distortion occurs when a person misunderstands what was said. And distortion causes frustration in both individuals who are trying to get through to each other. This is why we must make sure that we are always reliable in our communication. Proverbs 13:17 says, “An unreliable messenger stumbles into trouble, but a reliable messenger brings healing.” This Sunday, we will talk about three facets of communication that are absolutely necessary to be clear and reliable in what we say, as we share part two of What Are You Communicating?
Most people want to have good and meaningful relationships, but how do we achieve the connections that we desire to have? There are many things to which one could point to have successful relationships, but few are more vital than communication. Ed Cole once said, “Communication is the basis of life.” In other words, communication is extremely important! So now the question becomes, What Are You Communicating?
There are many in our culture who believe that close relationships with others are unnecessary. However, for the believer, relationships are not only important but vital to our faith. Jesus commanded us to love others multiple times throughout the Gospels. The Apostle Peter even said that we should have fervent love for one another above all things. This means that we should not shy away from relationships because of personality differences or fear. As Christians, we must overcome our personal hangups and reach out to those around us. Because Great Relationships Begin with You!
In John 13:34-35, Christ says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” In order to obey this commandment, we cannot take relationships lightly. Relationships rooted in love don’t just happen; they require effort. We have to do more than just reach out to others. We have to share our lives with others as well. Love is something we do, not just something we say.
What will birth, maintain, and manifest the will of God for your life? What must be done before anything is accomplished in the Kingdom of God? What must accompany the Word of God to have success in your life and walk with God? You guessed it: Prayer! That’s why it is written in the Scriptures to “pray without ceasing.” Discover the honor and privilege it is to be a royal priesthood in God’s house and experience the inexplicably powerful presence of the Lord!
Years ago, a plastic surgeon who observed the average healing times of his patients, came up with the “21-Day” hypothesis. He coined a term and wrote a book that posited the theory that 21 days is what it takes to build a new habit, break an old habit or create a new lifestyle. Millions believed it. But it’s just not true! Some habits will take months to become a part of your life. It takes effort, discipline, conviction, and perseverance for you to Be Vigilant.
Consider the statement, “prayer changes things.” People, in general, may or may not agree with those words. But most Christians, if asked, would emphatically say they do agree that prayer makes a difference in their lives. However, ask those same Christians, “How much do you pray?” and you will garner a slew of different answers. The answers would probably range anywhere from daily to once month. So does the amount of time we pray make a difference? Believe it or not, it most certainly does!
Suppose you could change anything about yourself, where would you start? Many of us would start on the outside. If you could wave a magic wand and change your outward appearance, would it be a light touch-up or an extreme makeover? We probably all go through seasons where we desperately want to change our outward appearance, but those changes can be difficult. As hard as it is to change on the outside, it seems infinitely more difficult to change on the inside. Godly change is not as simple as waving a magic wand. But the good news is that it's not impossible because with God all things are possible. We can be Transformed!
As we finish our Advent sermon series, we will look into the last royal title prophesied in Isaiah 9:6: “…a son is given to us…and he will be called…Prince of Peace…”
Jesus fulfilled this title when He walked on this earth, but His methods were not what everyone expected. It was different than how earthly kings and rulers established peace. However, the peace that The Messiah gave was transformative for those who listened and received it. It was so life-giving that it changed the world. What is the peace that Jesus gave? How can we receive it? And how can we spread it to those around us?
This Sunday, as we continue our Advent sermon series, we will unravel what seems to be a paradox in the royal titles prophesied in Isaiah 9:6: “…a son is given to us…and he will be called…Everlasting Father…”
We know that Jesus is the Son of God. And we even see in the Scriptures that Jesus, the Son, prayed to the Father. So how can the Son be the Father? Did Isaiah miss it in his prophecy? Did Jesus not fulfill this prophetic and messianic announcement?
The people of Israel were waiting for the Messiah—God’s Anointed King that would finally bring everlasting freedom and peace. The people were waiting for God to act. They were anticipating a deliverer to act on their behalf to liberate them from the tyranny of yet another oppressive empire in their history. Then, Jesus was born, and during His life he began showcasing the action of God in the earth, ushering in the Advent of a new Kingdom. Join us on Sunday, as we explore the second royal title announced by Isaiah 9:6: “…Mighty God…”
Christians have claimed from their beginnings that Jesus was the Messiah foretold in the Hebrew Scriptures. Isaiah 9:6 says that “…he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” This well-known divine utterance uses four royal titles for the coming Messiah. But did Jesus live up to these lofty titles? Jesus never denied the numerous prophecies of the Old Testament for the Messiah, including this one. He simply fulfilled them! Over the next four weeks, we will examine each of these four titles and how Jesus fulfilled each one. This Sunday, we will begin with the first royal title for The Messiah: Wonderful Counselor.
God designed us to leap for joy in victory over every battle. Even Jesus endured the horrible cross for the joy that was set before Him. In every battle you face, large or small, God has set joy before you, too. Come this Sunday and celebrate the joy experienced in victory as we bring the Face, Fight & Finish sermon series to a victorious completion. Learn how to leap for joy in every battle!
Ephesians 6:10 says, “…be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” In order to Face, Fight & Finish our battles, we need to be strong spiritually. God has given us all of the tools we need in our fight against the enemy. It is true that Satan comes to kill, steal, and destroy. It’s also true that he is a powerful foe. However, as we will see this Sunday, through the strength that comes from growing in the Lord, we can defeat our enemy every time!
Everyone experiences troubles in life that must be dealt with from time to time. For some, it seems like as soon as one battle ends another begins. Despite the barrage of battles, we cannot run from or ignore the fight. In this Sunday’s sermon, we will focus on three principles we need to know to successfully Face, Fight & Finish every battle.
Everyone experiences troubles in life that must be dealt with from time to time. For some, it seems like as soon as one battle ends another begins. Despite the barrage of battles, we cannot run from or ignore the fight. In this Sunday’s sermon, we will focus on three principles we need to know to successfully Face, Fight & Finish every battle.
Life in this fallen world is full of suffering that tests our faith in God—from illness and financial crises to broken relationships and the loss of dreams. You can do more than just try to get through these battles. You can emerge from them with a stronger faith. Every time you Face, Fight & Finish a battle, you grow in faith, and with that growth comes victory!
In his first letter to Timothy, Paul told him to “fight the good fight of faith.” These extremely profound words penned centuries ago still resonate for Christians today. They are important words of instruction because it takes faith to fight battles. It took faith for David to fight Goliath. It took faith for Peter to command the lame man to walk as we read in the third chapter of Acts. And it takes faith for us to fight our battles, no matter how big or small they might be. What separated these men from most was that they grew to be mature in their faith. They knew the importance of growth. It takes strong faith to Face, Fight & Finish battles.
Jesus said in John 16:33, “In the world, you will have tribulation.” This means that trouble is going to come. There is no way to avoid it. Even being a Christian doesn’t exempt you from having to deal with tough situations. No amount of running from, hiding, or ignoring your troubles will make them go away. This is why it’s important for every believer to grow in their faith and not stay stagnant. If you have a strong faith in God and His Word, when trials come, you can Face, Fight & Finish them. Join us Sunday for the beginning of this new sermon series that can lead us all to a more victorious life.
Most Christians will tell you that they want to get closer to God. Unfortunately, too many do not succeed. Can you really do something to cause God to get closer to you? The answer is “yes!” Everyone can experience that desired intimacy with God by learning and following a few simple, biblical principles.
God is faithful. The Scriptures inform us numerous times in both the Old and New Testaments that God will never leave or forsake us and that His mercy endures forever. If that is true (and it is), then as we grow to understand and experience this faithfulness, our hearts should be filled with so much joy.
Christians and non-Christians alike both desire to be good people. Sometimes we obsess over it. We buy self-help books and DVDs, we go to seminars, we get counseling, we make New Year’s resolutions, and we Google about how to break bad habits. These things aren’t bad, but you must keep in mind that God is more concerned about having a relationship with you then He is about your behavior. While we are getting uptight and stressed about being perfect, God is not. It was Jesus who said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest… My burden is light.”
You cannot talk about God without talking about grace. Grace is how we are saved, and it empowers us to be victorious in any situation that we face. This is why it is so important for us to really understand this thing called grace. A shallow understanding of it will lead to abusing this gift of God and leading a powerless life.
So the question remains: Who is God? In this sermon, hear much more about the One who gave His life so He could bestow His great grace on all who believe.
Jesus told parables (stories) to help people understand God, His way of doing things, and His kingdom. Jesus was real, authentic, and what He said made sense. His stories always went straight to the heart of the matter. The parables found in Luke 15 are no exception. This Sunday, we will take a glimpse into these particular stories and see how they help us to further answer the question, Who is God?
Who is God? It might be impossible to fully answer this question, but there are things about God that we can know. As a matter of fact, it’s easy for us to fill in the blank for the statement “God is_____.” For instance, God is love. We can also easily fill in the blank for what God is not. For instance, God is not lust. If we keep exploring what He is and what He is not, we can find a truly wonderful God.
While many in today’s society are engaged in celebrating “diversity,” the Bible places an extraordinary emphasis on “unity.” In the second chapter of Philippians, Paul states that followers of Christ be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord and of one mind. Join us this Sunday as we reinforce for the whole church, our men’s conference theme, Bound Together: Unity through Relationship.
Who is God? What is God like? These are enormous questions that are difficult to fully answer. But maybe the answer lies in another question: what if God is like Jesus? What if the personality of God is identical to the personality of the man called, Jesus of Nazareth, as portrayed in the Gospels? Jesus audaciously made this claim, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” What if that claim is true? Wouldn’t that be good news? Ah, that is the good news! God is like Jesus!
Who is God? This is the question that humanity has tried to answer for centuries. The many different conceptions of God, and competing claims as to God’s characteristics, aims, and actions, have led to the development of many different theories about Him. So how do we know what God is really like? While we may never know everything there is to know about God, there is a treasure trove of things written about Him in the Bible. So now the question is, “where do we start?”
“Expectation is the mother of all frustration.” —Antonio Banderas… Expectations can be so good, but sometimes they can be extremely frustrating, especially when they don’t live up to what we desired. This Sunday, we will see how God wants us to deal with our expectations in the sermon, Managing Expectations.
What has God promised you that you greatly desire to come to pass? Has He given you a dream or vision to move in a certain direction, but you just don't know how? Or maybe you know the direction in life you are going, but you keep feeling like you are going to mess it up. This Sunday, we will share the characteristics that every believer must have to ensure that you are Moving Toward Your Promise.
For roughly three and a half years Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom. He did this in both the hills and valleys of Israel, along with the temple and synagogues of the land. As he healed the sick and fed the hungry, He constantly preached the Kingdom of God. In Matthew chapter 10, He gathered twelve apostles and sent them out to preach the Kingdom, just as He did. As disciples of Christ today, we have a responsibility to exercise the gifts and talents that God has bestowed upon us to further His Kingdom. This may sound like work, but it is a calling. And when we answer the call, we are blessed beyond anything this world can offer. Join us for the concluding part of the Think Better, Live Better sermon series!
The Gospel of the Kingdom was never intended as a one-time work in the life of a believer. The gospel should be on continuous display over the lifetime of a disciple—an unfolding of years of service to our King, Jesus Christ. This is why having A Kingdom Mentality should be first and foremost for every Christian. This Sunday, we will see the value of the Kingdom of God as revealed in Scripture, looking at how one should live once they have entered this kingdom, as we continue to Think Better and Live Better.
We continue the bettering of our thinking and lives as we begin answering the question: What does it mean to have a “kingdom mentality”? And why does it matter if we have one? Join us as we begin wrapping up the last few weeks of this multi-sermon discovery of ‘Think Better, Live Better’.
Join us for part 9 of the “Think Better, Live Better” sermon series: In the Bible, we come across words like justification and election and predestination. At times they can be confusing at best and seemingly scary at their worst. Does God choose some people to be his beloved people and exclude others? Does the word predestination imply that some people’s destiny is fated to greatness and others to some horrific end…with no choice in the matter? Does fate play a role in humanity’s future? The answers to these questions can greatly affect the way we view and treat others (not to mention God Himself). They greatly affect the decisions we make and the lives we live.
As Christians, our theology shapes us. It shows up in our relationships, conversations, and the way we respond to our circumstances. If our theology doesn’t find its foundation in Scripture, we can do serious damage to those around us. Bad theology hurts people and dishonors God. When we study the Bible correctly, with the leading of the Holy Spirit, we can take great comfort in having a theology that honors God. This will help us encourage one another without confusion, present the gospel effectively to the lost, and live a truly blessed life.
“I think, therefore I am…” Rene Descartes, a philosopher and mathematician in the early 17th century, penned this one simple phrase that helped define a worldview for a future generation. As Christians, this cultural philosophy of individualism should not be followed. Our strength should come from the power of the Holy Spirit, not ourselves. When we think better about putting our faith in the wisdom and power of God, then we will live better.
Negative, self-depreciating, or belittling thoughts should have no place in a Christian’s life. And it’s equally important that you never allow negative labels to be put on you by anyone else. When you wear negative labels, you allow people to control your destiny. People don’t control your destiny. You control your own destiny through the power of God’s Word.
According to Paul in Romans 5:17, “…those who receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life…” Every Christian should be walking in a grace that causes them to rule in their life. This includes ruling over sin. If grace is in abundance, how can sin stand? It can’t because grace does not accommodate sin; it faces it squarely and goes above sin in order to conquer it. If you have a sin problem, the solution is not a set of rules to control it, it’s more grace—a grace that reigns! If we think better, we will live better.
Bad theology has caused many believers to live a performance-based Christianity—always trying to be good enough in the eyes of an angry God. But the truth is we don’t serve an angry God that is judging us based on our performance. Our God is a loving Father whose desire is for all of His children to be free in Christ. Once we settle the issue of our righteousness, we will think better, and therefore live better.
Our minds are like a computer. Computers are designed and programmed to function a certain way. You can have the fastest hardware, but if you put the wrong software in it, it’s not going to function the way it was intended. Viruses can get into a perfectly good computer and start to contaminate the software. As believers, we have to guard our minds from viruses. One of these viruses is bad theology. Our theology needs to be right so we can think better, and when we think better, we will live better.
Who are you? Are you the sum of your successes? Or maybe a collection of your failures? The real question is: who are you because of Christ? This Sunday discover how to end the cycle of instability in your walk in Christ, once and for all. Discover who you really are, and find the rest and peace that we all long for as we continue our new sermon series: Think Better, Live Better!
Your thoughts have incredible power over your life. What you allow your mind to dwell on determines how you live—for better or worse. The good news is that God made you with the ability to control your thoughts. You are equipped to handle anything that comes your way, including the bad stuff. Jesus said, “you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” Anytime you think on what is true, you will live better. Join us Sunday as we begin a new sermon series: Think Better, Live Better!
We all begin at different places in life. None of us had the chance to choose where we were born or into what kind of family we were born. None of us got to choose our social or economic environment, the educational system we were thrust into, or the opportunities that we may have had early in life.
For many, it might seem that life is not fair. Regardless of our beginnings in this world, God has established a level playing field in His Kingdom.
Please enjoy this encouraging and challenging message from this morning’s guest speaker, Mark Shell.
In his letters, the apostle Paul, made statements like “if God be for us, who can be against us?” and “we are more than conquerors.” Where does the audacity and boldness to declare this come from? Does this mean that, like Paul and those early Christians, we have some sort of power that can lift us up above the often chaos and hopelessness in the world around us? Is this merely a power that we find from within ourselves? How can we tap into this power and the victory that comes with it to live the confident lives that we all long for?
Follower of Christ. Lover of God. Servant of the Most High. The most loving person.
These are the things most Christians would want to be said about them long after they are gone. Unfortunately, for one of Jesus’ disciples, none of the above words are the first words that come to mind when remembering him. Because of one moment—one sentence—Thomas’ whole life has been summed up with a nickname that everyone in Christendom knows: the Doubter.
But is the nickname fair? Should we remember Thomas as “the doubter”? What does God think about Thomas?
This Sunday, we will complete our Easter sermon series, Jesus, by answering these questions and discovering how Thomas should be an inspiration to us all.
Power. This is one word that must be associated with the resurrection of Jesus. The power that was present when Jesus rose from the grave on that first Easter Sunday morning is immeasurable. Great hymns of the faith remind us how there is “power, power, wonder working power in the blood of the Lamb.” The power of God exploded upon the infrastructure of sin, death, Satan, and hell when Jesus accomplished the mission for which He came from Heaven to Earth because of His great love for people.
This Sunday, we will celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and look at what His miraculous rising from the dead means for us today.
Great courage was demonstrated on the day Jesus died. He was born sinless to die a sinner’s gruesome death on a Roman cross. Not only do we witness the courage of Jesus on display during Good Friday, but also we see the courage of one of His followers stepping out of the shadows of secrecy and into the light of open association with Jesus. This Sunday, we will look into the life of this secret follower of Jesus and how he overcame his fear with godly courage, and how he played an integral role after the death of our Lord.
If God is love, does He just sit in Heaven pining for us? Last week we began examining Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, the reason we gather, the reason we live and breathe, the revelation of what God is really like. And we saw that everything that He is and does emanates from His love. After all, He is love!
We continue our Easter sermon series this Sunday by discovering more of what the Love of Christ does, since His love—true love—is much more than simply an emotion that fills the heart. So join us for an Easter experience that will stir your heart in gratitude and praise for our Savior and compel us to pour out His love in the world around us.
JESUS. The name above all names. God became man to walk among His people—love them, lead them, and ultimately die for them. But the story didn’t end there. For the next five Sundays, join us for an Easter experience exploring the love, salvation, death, and resurrection of our Anointed King of all creation!
As believers, we start the maturing process when we accept our responsibility to become sons and daughters of God. However, the process of becoming spiritually mature comes with a cost. This Sunday, we will cover a third cost in our final part of the Upgraded sermon series.
You can define spiritual maturity in one phrase: Spiritual maturity is being like Christ. Most of us want to grow. Most of us want to mature. Most of us want to be like Christ. Yet many times, we come up short. This Sunday, we will focus on the one discipline that is essential for a Christian to spiritually mature.
The day a person gives his or her life to Christ should mark the start of an ongoing process of maturing spiritually. This process requires a radical reordering of one’s priorities. It takes a willingness to change from pleasing oneself to pleasing God and learning to obey Him. Scripture is very clear that God wants us to mature. He wants us Upgraded, so we can be the best that we can be for Him.
Esther, a Jewish maiden living in exile in a foreign land, faced many challenges in her life. However, this didn't stop her from becoming the Queen of the Persian empire. As queen, she was able to overcome the horrible odds that were stacked against her and save her people, the Jews, from certain death. This week we will see how she won the battle for her people and discover the two attributes Esther demonstrated that every Christian must posses to be an overcomer.
Esther, a Jewish maiden living in exile in a foreign land, faced many challenges in her life. But she didn’t let the bad cards she had been dealt defeat her. While most would crumble under the pressure, Esther conquered her fears and turned her disadvantages into victories.
In the book of Joshua, we are introduced to one of the most thought-provoking and astonishing heroines of the Old Testament. Rahab, the prostitute of the Canaanite city of Jericho, is noteworthy for her great faith and for her place in the lineage of Jesus Christ. But a closer examination of the life of this remarkable Gentile woman can lead to deeper insights into God’s dealing with individual believers in grace and mercy. Join us Sunday, as we continue this series examining and learning from the lives of the men and women of the Old Testament.
The narratives of the Old Testament are a rich resource for God’s people. There is no better example of this than the story of Deborah in the book of Judges. Deborah was a mighty judge for the people of Israel. She was a strong woman of influence who led her people out of 20 years of bondage into 40 years of peace. Find out how she accomplished this on Sunday, as we continue examining the Victories & Failures of some key people in the Old Testament.
Gideon was a mighty judge for the people of Israel. His first victorious battle over the Midianites, with a puny 300 man army, is legendary. Through the amazing story of Gideon, we can learn how to face any battle with confidence. During his 40 year rule, all of Israel lived in peace. However, Gideon was not without his faults. And this Sunday, we will glean from Gideon’s Victories and Failures, as we continue examining the lives of some of the men and women we read about in the Old Testament.
Gideon was the youngest in his family, but still became the fifth recorded judge of Israel. By putting aside his station of being poor and being from the most insignificant tribe, he was able to accept the calling of God for his life. Gideon, with God’s help, led the people of Israel to victory over their Midianite oppressors. Because of Gideon, “the land had peace forty years.” (Judges 8:28) Despite this, Gideon didn’t only have victories, he had Victories and Failures. And this Sunday, we will learn from both.
We believe for 2018 that God is going to bring unexpected shifts to The Connection Church—unexpected shifts in your life. When we say “unexpected shifts,” we’re talking about supernatural shifts of favor in your life. A turning point that puts you on a path to fulfilling your destiny. A turning point that makes you victorious.
Incarnation is a term used by theologians to indicate that Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, took on human flesh. It is one of the greatest events to occur in the history of the universe. It is without parallel. The Incarnation was an astonishing act of humility that was on full display from the beginning to the end, from Bethlehem to Golgotha. And He did it all because He loves us!
There is nothing worth more than you. Yes, you! Did you read that and say, “Yeah, yeah…” and mostly, or even partially, doubt that it’s true?
Here’s the thing—God really thinks that way about you. Need proof? God lowered Himself from His divine and heavenly throne to take on human flesh, the same type of human body that we all have, becoming one of us (He values us that much!). Then, to break the curse and bondage of sin and death over you, He died bringing us real liberty!
This is the wonder of redemption, and this is what we will explore in this third week of Advent.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “No pastor, no theologian stood at the manger of Bethlehem. And yet all Christian theology has its origin in the wonder of all wonders: that God became human. Holy theology arises from knees bent before the mystery of the divine child in the stable. The purpose of theology is to preserve the miracle as miracle, to comprehend, defend, and glorify God’s mystery precisely as mystery.” Join us as we continue our Advent sermon series, Preparing for Christmas, being captured by the amazing wonder of the mysteries of God!
More than 2,000 years ago, the Jewish people saw themselves captive in a world that was just not right, with no liberty to live and rule themselves as God had promised. They longed for a God-anointed king to come and save them and set them free.
And today, we find ourselves in a world that still shows evidence of brokenness, waiting for our Anointed King to return and finally bring His Kingdom to its fullness and grandeur. But do we wait in agony and torment as God’s people did before their Messiah would come? Can we have the peace and goodwill that the angels declared to the shepherds the night that Christ was born? Join us Sunday as we begin our Advent sermon series, Preparing for Christmas.
So far in this sermon series, Victories & Failures, we have seen in the lives of the early Old Testament patriarchs that God was very patient and merciful in spite of these men’s failures. He brought them through those bumps in the road to lead victorious lives. The overall lesson for today? God deals with us with the same mercy and graciousness! This Sunday, we will finish our look into the life of the Old Testament patriarch, Jacob.
As we continue our exploration of the characters found in the Old Testament, we see such drama developing in the story of the family that God is forming under Abraham and Isaac. It is like watching a daytime soap opera play out in the beginning pages of our Bible. The story seems almost ridiculous until we realize that it reveals the heart of mercy, patience, and love that God holds and gives to the people of His creation. So join us this Sunday as we beginning looking at the lives of Jacob and Esau.
Isaac was blessed by God just like his father, Abraham. And like his father, he wasn’t blessed because he was good or perfect, but because of his faithfulness to God. Isaac definitely had victories, but he had just as many failures. He even made some of the same mistakes as his father. Did Isaac have to make the same mistakes as his father? Were Abraham’s sins passed on to Isaac? Was it inevitable for Isaac to sin because it was in his genes? This Sunday, we will discover that the answers to these questions will lead us to victories instead of failures.
Abraham was a man chosen by God for something huge. But just because he was called by God didn't mean that he was perfect. As a matter of fact, Abraham was far from perfect! However, despite his imperfections and failures, God still used Abraham mightily. The miraculous thing is that God took the mistakes in Abraham's life and turned it into victory. What we must realize is that God desires to do the same for all of us!
There were many times in Abraham’s life that he messed up. However, his failures did not disqualify him. Even though Abraham made the same mistake more than once, God never gave up on him. As a matter of fact, God used Abraham’s mistakes to show him just that. This obviously had a huge impact on Abraham and built a stronger faith within him, so much so, that he became known as the Father of Faith. Just like Abraham, we all mess up from time to time. But when we do, we should submit ourselves to God and allow Him to turn our failures into victories, which will build a strong faith within us!
We have begun a new sermon series examining the lives of some of the men and women we read about in the Old Testament. The Bible shares with us the ups and downs in their lives. We get it all: richer, poorer, wise, foolish, victories, and failures. As the apostle Paul wrote, their stories are there for our example. We have to take it all—gleaning and learning from their decisions and actions.
So join us as we begin by exploring the life and times of Abraham, the Father of Faith!
In our lives, we have many challenges: relationships, finances, health, jobs, and others. However, everything changes after an encounter with God. There are different types of encounters with God, and each has its own purpose. We need to learn how to activate them and how to receive all the benefits from each. The lifelong pursuit for purpose and fulfillment are found in these encounters. God is doing a new thing at this time. A new encounter awaits you.
This was a special weekend of growing in God’s Kingdom. It was a time of “Reset” — a time of awakening, activation, alignment, and acceleration into Kingdom reality. Come and have your God-given gifts fanned into flame!
Our enemy, the devil, is very real. His desire is to bring every Christian as low as he can. Satan is persistent, cunning, and attacks in different ways every day. However, he can only devour those that allow him! In the last chapter of Ephesians, Paul gives us a powerful description for the armor of God that is laid at the feet of every believer. Every person who takes up their armor will have proven spiritual warfare strategies and weapons that will give them the victory against the enemy every single time he attacks.
Join us for the final installment of our sermon series exploring Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.
As believers we are called to a new way of life in family and vocational relationships. These relationships should be governed by principles which mark us as distinctly different from the secular society in which we live. Chapter six of Ephesians contains truths that transcend time, and if followed, will bring blessings that only God can deliver.
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the word submission? Is it positive or negative?
In our culture, submission is a word that often incites controversy. For many, the first things that come to mind are words such as inferior, doormat, or controlled. Even though the word submit tends to be a disliked word, we need to embrace it—but not through the lens of the culture in which we live. Instead, we should look at submission through the lens of the Word of God, and it just so happens that Ephesians is the perfect place to start!
In the fifth chapter of Ephesians, the apostle Paul exhorts believers to live the way they should be, which is to be as a child of God and an ambassador of His Kingdom. This chapter is not just a moralistic teaching so we can all be nice. It's also not simply a list of dos and don’ts to make us “good enough” for God. It’s actually an explanation of what it looks like to live a life of love. It’s not “avoid fornication, uncleanness, idolatry, and the like so that you can be a saint.” Rather, it’s “you are a saint; now live in a manner befitting one.”
When God looks at us, He sees His sons and daughters. As we have already learned in Paul's letter to the Ephesians, God has joyfully and eagerly welcomed us into His family to be a part of the work of His Kingdom on the earth. This Sunday, we will continue to examine what it looks like to live as a child of God and ambassador of the Kingdom. We begin discovering some specific instructions on what it looks like to be Kingdom people.
No matter how long we have been Christians, God wants each of us to grow in Him. He desires that none of us become stagnant in our journey of faith. This Sunday, we continue our study of Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians. In the first half of his letter, Paul wants the church to understand who we are in Christ—how God sees us and how we should see each other. This week, as we dive into the second half of the letter, we will begin discovering what it looks like to live as the redeemed and beloved by God.
A message from our guest speaker, Pastor Mark Howey from Today Church in Tampa, Florida.
This Sunday, we will examine the second of Paul’s prayers for the Ephesians found in the third chapter as he wraps up the first half of this glorious letter. This prayer serves as a benediction for the message that Paul has so far been conveying—how wonderful it is to be included in God’s beloved, redeemed church—before he continues in the second half of the letter revealing how we, as the redeemed, are to live.
In English, a “mystery” is something dark, obscure, secret, puzzling. That which is “mysterious” is inexplicable, even incomprehensible. However, the word mystery written in Ephesians is different. Even though it’s still secret, it is no longer closely guarded but open. This Sunday, we will see in the third chapter of Ephesians a revealing of God’s mystery to the saints. Paul describes it and shows us how we, just like the Apostle Paul, can be a part of God's great and mysterious plan!
This Sunday, we will continue examining Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Last week in chapter 2 verse 10, we saw that we are God’s workmanship created to do good works. This week, we will unpack verses 11 through 22, where Paul helps us see what it means to be God’s “workmanship.” We will talk about the idea of the church being God’s big, unified family and what that can and should look like in the earth today.
As we continue exploring each chapter and verse of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians this Sunday, we will discover what it means to be made alive in Christ. We will uncover the glorious truth of reconciliation, and what that means for all Christians today.
The book of Ephesians is home to some of the Bible’s greatest promises and deepest spiritual insights. The first chapter alone has foundational elements of the Christian faith and doctrine that are vital for every believer. This Sunday, we will continue breaking down the rest of chapter one, which will include a powerful prayer by Paul for the church. Understanding this prayer will help us grow spiritually and be victorious in our everyday living.
We are very excited to begin a new sermon series this Sunday, June 25. Over the next 10 weeks, we will dive into the entire letter of Paul to the Ephesians. This is the first time that we have shared an expository and comprehensive study of a single book of the Bible like this. And it is going to be great!
We will explore each chapter and the vital themes that Paul was trying to convey to the church at Ephesus and that God wants us to understand and apply today. This epistle reveals how we are saved, under grace, mandated to grow in maturity, and empowered by God to advance His victory over evil and the increase of His Kingdom in all creation.
Join us for the next several weeks as Pastors TJ and Justin guide us on a journey of discovery unveiling the “mystery” and purpose of the church as revealed in Ephesians.
Every believer should have a desire to grow in their faith so they can advance the kingdom of God. But is this really possible for every believer in Christ? Is it the responsibility of every Christian to further the kingdom? If so, what are the pre-requisites for growing in our faith and advancing the kingdom? And what are the hindrances that keep us from having a faith that advances the kingdom?
Our faith brings blessings to our lives, but our faith is not just for our own good. The purpose of our lives is to reveal God’s glory so others will see and know His goodness.
Join us this Sunday as we continue our series, You Gotta Have Faith, with a sermon on Advancing Faith.
Sometimes we are under the impression that faith is an element of our life that is hard to define or too difficult to understand. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we live by faith, not by sight.” If we are to live by faith, then we must have a good idea of how a life of faith ought to be lived.
The Body of Christ needs a refreshing. We become refreshed when we know how free we are in Christ. When we are truly refreshed in Christ, our steps will be ordered by Him. This means that I never have to worry about what I am going through. Because if I am in Christ, He will always cause me to triumph.
The Body of Christ needs a refreshing. It seems that too many times we grow weary in our faith. You can’t be weary and refreshed at the same time. You can’t walk by faith if you are not refreshed with the real truth written in the Word of God. Religion will always make you feel ill-equipped and impossible to meet some unnecessary criteria. However, when you walk in a Refreshing Faith, you won’t get weary; you will walk in faith and victory like you’ve never experienced before!
You have begun this journey, one of faith in Christ—a relationship that will not only last a lifetime but through all eternity. Is that the end of the story? Do you just settle in, contentedly relaxing in the knowledge that your eternal destiny is secure? Or is there more? Well, of course, there is more—a lot more!
Every relationship you have ever begun has potential, but it needs a personal investment to experience its genuine richness and depth. This is equally true of your relationship with your Heavenly Father. If we truly want our faith to go to another level, we must build it through relationship.
In our continuing exploration of faith, we will compare and contrast the stories of Blind Bartimaeus and the woman with the issue of blood. We’ll discover how the miracle of her healing reveals another level of faith that we can live and walk in. We’ll see how The Touch of Faith takes us from a faith activated to a new and higher level.
How important is faith? It takes faith to even believe in Christ. It takes faith to believe that what God says is always right and true. And it takes faith to trust and walk in that each and every day. However, if your faith doesn’t continue to grow in your walk with Christ, you won’t have the faith to see God’s Kingdom come not only in your life, but in the lives of those around you. This is why it’s vital to have your Faith Activated and never deactivated.
Prepare to be challenged to think differently than you might have thought before about prayer in this message from our guest speaker, Mark Shell.
Jesus is the One who conquered the grave after He died for the sins of all humanity on the cross. Jesus is the One who is worthy of our worship and our praise because of the resurrection and the hope He offers all people of all nations. Jesus is the One who gives us meaning and purpose and value and life that is truly life. For all these reasons and many more, we worship and celebrate Jesus this Easter!
“Who do you say that I am?” No human being ever will be faced with a more poignant question with such eternal ramifications than the one Jesus posed to His disciples. Never will there be another question that rivals its gravity and consequence. This Sunday, we will watch two more mini-movies depicting New Testament characters to help ponder and discuss this life changing question.
There is a question that Jesus asked his disciples—the most important question—one that resonates through history. A question that He asks each one of us: “Who Do You Say I Am?” Over the next three Sundays, we will use five mini-movies that depict a variety of New Testament characters as they attempt to answer this life changing question.
Our enemy, the devil, is very real. His desire is to bring every Christian as low as he can. Satan is persistent, cunning, and attacks in different ways every day. However, he can only devour you if you let him! In this episode, we will go over the weapons at our disposal and proven spiritual warfare strategies that will allow you to take the bite out of the enemy. Silencing the devil will give you the upper hand on Winning Everyday Battles.
We know that the battle belongs to the Lord, but we must not forget that we are the soldiers. As Christians, we are in a spiritual battle of some sort on a daily basis. In warfare, battles are fought on different fronts, for different reasons, and with varying degrees of intensity. The same is true in spiritual warfare. Our spiritual battles and warfare are real, so we need to educate ourselves on how the battles are fought and how they impact our lives on a daily basis. If we have the knowledge of how God equips us to fight, Winning Everyday Battles will be the norm for us.
In Philippians 2:25-29, Paul describes a man by the name of Epaphroditus as a brother, fellow worker, fellow soldier, messenger, and even a minister. These were glowing terms that Paul used for a man who is barely mentioned in the Bible. Paul went on to tell the church where Epaphroditus was from to hold him in “high regard.” Why did Paul say all of this about this man? Because he was one who did his best for God! This time we will cover four decisions that Epaphroditus made which allowed him to give his very best.
If you want your work to be blessed by God, then you need to exceed what is expected of you. No matter what you do, whether you’re a truck driver, an attorney, a cook, or a teacher, do more than merely the minimum. Don’t just “get by.” God wants you to go beyond the normal, and do your best for Him! Joins us this Sunday, as we begin a new sermon series, Doing Your Best for God.
As we wrap up Relationship Month at The Connection Church this Sunday, we ask…
Have you ever had a relationship turn sour? When this happens, it hurts. Have you ever had to walk away from a close friendship? That never feels good. Have you ever been separated or been through a divorce? This type of break-up is always traumatizing. Relationships that go bad and don’t recover can cause years of internal pain. However, we have good news: there is life after broken relationships! Join us this weekend, as we discuss Overcoming Broken Relationships.
February is relationship month at The Connection Church! And this Sunday, we will continue seeking to strengthen our relationships using the truth of God’s Word.
Jesus laid down His life because He knew that it was going to change things. You can also willingly sacrifice knowing that it will change things. God never says in His Word that love was easy, but He did say it was worth it when He said, “love never fails.” Join us this weekend as we discover how Love Changes Everything.
February is relationship month at The Connection Church! Throughout this whole month, we will seek to strengthen our relationships using the truth of God’s Word.
We can’t control how others will act or how the world will act, but we can control how we act and how we will respond. By connecting our marital experience to our Christian faith, we can solidify our belief in God’s promises through the problems we face to the provisions that God will establish. Join us this Sunday as we explore how our feelings and emotions affect the marriage relationship.
February is relationship month at The Connection Church! Throughout this whole month, we will seek to strengthen our relationships using the truth of God’s Word. We will begin this week by exposing The Myth Of Singleness. We live in a culture that confuses singleness as being alone. Because of this, many times being single carries a very negative connotation. Find out this Sunday how God's view of singleness will bring success to all of our relationships.
A violent battle is raging around us every minute of every day. It’s an invisible war that many don’t realize is taking place. It’s a fight that determines whether we walk in truth or deception. As believers, one of the most important things we need to learn is how to renew, strengthen, and guard our minds because The Battle Over Truth is very real.
Here's a question that is seeking to be answered by the parable of the barren tree: Does God care about results, yes or no? Yes, God cares about results! God cares about us being effective for the Kingdom. The word that encompasses all of that is “fruit.” This Sunday, we will continue our series, Grace, Truth, and Time, by outlining why fruitfulness matters and covering the steps to living a fruitful life.
This is the first part of a brand new sermon series on three essential ingredients for the growth of every believer. If you are diligent in applying these principles to your life, it will lead to good fruit. Even if you feel empty and lost, Grace, Truth & Time can give you the path to a new future, a new hope, or a new beginning.
It is estimated that right now over 127 million well-intentioned Americans set goals for the New Year. Get fit, save money, stop eating fast food, and pray more are all on the list because setting goals is admirable. On December 11, 2016, a University of Scranton Journal of Clinical Psychology study revealed that just 8% of people who make New Year resolutions achieve them. What have you resolved to change this year? Join us this Sunday as we look at the recurring behaviors and habits that either hinder or enhance our lives and our walk with Christ as we begin 2017 Breaking Into The New.
Last Sunday we answered the question: why should we adore Jesus? We should adore Jesus simply because of who He is—our Savior, Lord, and King. Tonight we will answer the question: How should we adore Him?
We hear the song, “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” every year at Christmastime. There is a beautiful and imploring line in this song that instructs us to “come, let us adore Him.” But what does it mean to “adore” the Lord? This Sunday, we will begin to explore what that means and answer the question of why we should.
At some point in our Christian walk, we may have questioned ourselves…
Why did He make me? What does He want me to do? What does He want me to be? What is His purpose in my life?
Join us this Sunday as we confront these questions and build a self-confidence and self-worth in knowing that we are significant in God’s plan and purpose for our lives.
Atheists often use their unbelief as an excuse to live how they want to live. They don’t want to step into the light because they know if they do, they might have to change the way they live. Unfortunately, many Christians live the way they want to live as well instead of being fully submitted to God. They just use different excuses than atheists. Don’t miss this Sunday, as we expose the root of the excuses for both the atheist and the Christian by “Dispelling Delusions” and learn to live in the light of truth and liberty!
Have you ever believed God for something, and you waited for God to answer…and then you waited some more…and then you waited even longer, but nothing? When answers to what we are believing for are delayed, this does not necessarily indicate a definite “no” from the Lord. God has promised that whatsoever we ask, we can receive. However, are we sure that we are meeting the conditions for answered prayer? This Sunday, we will cover a checklist to help you answer the question, Is My Faith Working?
Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:7 that “we walk by faith, not by sight.” Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? Except if you haven’t developed your faith, this verse is near impossible. Walking by faith requires a strong determination to follow God’s Word regardless what life throws your way. It also demands that we fight Satan, the enemy of our soul, and put all of his lies under our feet. That’s tough to do with an undeveloped, weak faith. The good news is that God doesn’t make it too hard for us to build our faith. He is always right by our side to help us along our faith journey.
This Sunday, we will continue building our foundation of faith that we began several weeks ago. Faith is not just for when we pray or attend a church service. Faith is for our day to day life. God’s desire for us is to not only understand and have faith but to activate it. An active faith in God changes both us and the world in which we live for His glory and His kingdom.
Last week we learned that we need to keep moving forward and faith is the vehicle that keeps us advancing in the right direction. Fear keeps us from moving forward. Fear is not a component of progression. How do we eliminate one of the biggest things that hinders our progressive movement of faith?
We have a deceitful and cunning enemy that wars against us to keep us down. His desire is to prevent us from being able or even wanting to advance the kingdom of God. However, the Scripture tells us that if we resist the devil he will run from us! (James 4:7) When we resist the devil and stand on God’s Word, we can thrive in life with Forward Moving Faith.
No one is immune to doubt. It can and does happen to us all. You’ve just got to know how to handle it when it comes. Even the great men and women of God recorded in the Bible had to deal with doubt. But how we deal with doubt is up to us. We can either let doubt sink into our hearts or we can leave doubt behind. Join us as we learn how to leave the darkness of doubt for the light of God's love and faith in Him.
As believers, our faith will increase when we understand and know the will of God. However, confusion exists with many in the body of Christ concerning how to know the will God for our lives. An unbiblical view of the will of God can cause those whose hearts are sensitive to spiritual things unnecessary heartburn, especially when making important decisions such as their vocation, marriage, education, and ministry. This Sunday, using the simplicity of the Bible, we will outline how to know The Will of God for You.
We celebrated Pastor Appreciation this Sunday. We surely look to our pastors as examples for us and rightfully so. God has called them to be godly examples. Likewise, God has also commanded us to be examples to others. This Sunday we take a look at the Holy Scriptures to see what kind of examples we are to be and why.
When you hear the words “the glory of God,” what do you think of? It might be difficult to describe the glory of God, but when you experience it, you definitely know it. This Sunday, as we continue with part three of The Presence of The Lord, we will attempt to answer questions like: What is the glory God? Why is it important? What’s the difference between the glory and the presence of God? And how can I experience the glory of God in my life?
The Bible seems to make it clear that one of the most important things to God is for us to seek Him. When we truly seek God, we experience His presence, which gives us joy, peace, rest, comfort, encouragement, strength—blessings of all kinds. This Sunday, we will discover four steps on how to experience The Presence of The Lord on a daily basis.
Can we experience the presence of the Lord on a daily basis? We believe Scripture is clear that we can, and those who do get rewarded. Hebrews 11:6 says, “…for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” Join us this Sunday as we will begin a brand new sermon series, The Presence of the Lord.
We should all hold “trust” as a core value. Trust is something that we have to build up in our lives. While God has given to each of us a measure of faith, it’s not exactly the same with trust. Trusting is what we do because of the faith we have been given. Trusting is believing in the promises of God in all circumstances, even in those where the evidence seems to be to the contrary. Join us this Sunday, as we conclude the sermon series, Valuable.
It is written in 1 Corinthians 1:10, “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.” Paul wrote this to a divided body of Corinthian believers. He wrote this because he knew how important agreement was to the church. This Sunday, we will continue with the third part of Valuable by defining what Christian unity is and why we should value it.
This week we will further explore the values that define our principles and standard of behavior as we continue discussing the importance of excellence in our lives.
We read in the Bible that Daniel was promoted and preferred above others because he had an excellent spirit within him. This Sunday, we will look at three things in Daniel’s life that caused him to gain a spirit of excellence.
What do you consider valuable? Most would say things like my wife, my husband, the kids, family, God, money, my house, my car… and these are all good answers.
Value can be define as “a person’s principles or standard of behavior; one’s judgement of what is important in life.” Let’s ask the question again using that definition of value. What do you value, or what are your values?
Over the next few Sundays, we will dig into some values that we believe everyone should possess or be pursuing. Join us!
One of our guest speakers at the recent women's retreat, Pastor Kim Howey, is with us this Sunday to talk about The Pursuit of Corporate Breakthrough. A “breakthrough” can be defined as a sudden, dramatic increase in knowledge or understanding—an important discovery that happens after trying for a long time to understand or explain something.
Join us, as we discover how we can go further in God than we have yet to experience. “Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge… For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:5,8)
God loved people so much that He offered His best, His one and only Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus’ one commandment for us was to love others as He has loved us. To truly love others and win with people, we have to offer our best. This Sunday, as we wrap up our series, Winning With People, we will talk about being the best we can be, so we can be the best for others.
Are you able to learn from others? Are you teachable, or do you have the attitude that no one can teach you anything? The truth is that all of us can learn things, even from unlikely people. But that is only true if we have the right attitude. As we continue the series, Winning With People, we will focus on the principle that says: each person we meet has the potential to teach us something.
So far in the current sermon series, Winning With People, we have learned that who we are determines how we see others, that the first person we must examine is ourselves, that we should never use a hammer to swat a fly off of someone's head, and that we can lift people up or take people down in our relationships.
This Sunday, we will continue by asking the questions: Are we willing to focus on others? And why should we focus on others anyway?
“The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing in the right place, but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.” — Lady Dorothy Nevill.
Join us this Sunday as we continue the sermon series, Winning With People. We are uncovering the people principles that will work for you every time to improve your current relationships and cultivate strong, exciting, and new ones.
We cannot afford to take our relationships for granted. John Maxwell once said that “people can usually trace their successes and failures to the relationships in their lives.” Beginning this Sunday in our brand new sermon series, Winning With People, we will discover the people principles that will work for you every time to improve your current relationships and cultivate strong, exciting, and new ones.
F. F. Bosworth once said, “Most Christians feed their body three hot meals a day and their spirit one cold snack a week. And they wonder why they’re so weak in faith.” This Sunday, for our third and final part of Anchored, we will talk about building a victorious faith in the life of the believer by being sanctified through the Word of God.
You have probably heard about God’s sanctifying work in your life through His Word. But what does that process look like? How do you know if the living truth of Scripture is actually at work in your life? How do you know that God’s Word has actually taken root in your life? This Sunday, we will attempt to answer these questions by diving deeper into the process of sanctification.
What is sanctification? What is justification? These are big words that you have probably heard on a Sunday morning at some point. But what do they really mean? This Sunday, we will begin exploring what these words mean and what the difference is between them, because every Christian needs to be Anchored in the truths that theses words stand for.
Proverbs 19:11 says, “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.” Overlooking an offense is not always easy, and at times it can seem near impossible. However, if the scriptures say that it can be done, then it can be done! This Sunday, for the last part of Conquering Offense, we will list the four symptoms of the easily offended. We will also look at the two main weapons that every believer must use that make it possible to overlook offense.
Many times when we think of the word offended we think, “ahh, they got their little feelings hurt.” But, offense is much more than that. It is a trap of the enemy to get us so wrapped up in our own feelings that we can’t function normally. Offense will impede your destiny and can even be a hindrance to the manifestation of blessings in your life. This is why it’s imperative for believers to defeat offense. This Sunday, we will continue with part three of Conquering Offense by listing the common characteristics of offense and naming the four symptoms of the easily offended.
Offense is one of Satan’s most deceptive traps to get you out of God’s will. The good news is that we don’t have to give in to the enemies devices. We are made to be more than conquers through Jesus our Lord. If we know what the Word says about us, instead of getting and living offended, we will overcome it! Join us this Sunday as we continue Conquering Offense.
Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” So as Christians what do we guard our hearts from? The answer is simple: offense. The enemy makes it his job to get us offended and keep us from walking in love. Offense is the point when you stop growing in life. The good news is that God has provided a way for us to be free from offense. This Sunday, we will expose the root cause of offense so that we can conquer it!
In exploring the life and trials of Joshua in the Bible, we are finding that God can and will use the circumstances of our life (the good, the bad, and the ugly) to forge in and through us a life of greatness. And we are discovering God’s wisdom for how we can better prepare ourselves for His plan. Join us this Sunday for the conclusion of Positioned For Greatness.
God has positioned us for greatness through Jesus Christ. The story of Joseph in the book of Genesis is full of principles that can help every believer reap the benefits of the position that God has promised to us. Last Sunday, we learned of two shortcomings in the life of Joseph. This week will begin exploring what Joseph did right on his journey to greatness. Are you ready to be great?
When we repent and become part of God’s family, we are immediately Positioned For Greatness. That’s right, greatness! Why? Because God wants the best for His children. However, even though God has positioned us, there are some things we have to be careful of so that we can reap the benefits of the position. This Sunday, we will begin looking at the life of Joseph to see what we can learn from his journey to greatness.
Is there some way that could lessen and overcome your emotional hurts? Is there some way that could cause you to be more satisfied, more peaceful, and happier than you have ever been? A way that could change you, the church, the nation, and even the world? Jesus gives us the positive answer to these questions. To grasp the message of Jesus and put it into practice will transform your life, whether you are a new Christian or a long time follower of Jesus Christ.
Join us as we celebrate the Risen Lord Jesus Christ in sermon and dramatic video (well, the audio portion at least) presentations, which include messages from Barrabas, Lazarus, Mary, Peter, John, and more.
The arrival of Jesus signaled the end of the Temple Model and the beginning of something brand new—an approach to faith characterized by loving others. The Temple Model is you-focused, but Jesus’ new covenant calls for a focus on others. So what is required if we want to follow Jesus’ example and radically love the people around us? Find out this Sunday, as we conclude with part three of The Irresistible Church.
Jesus stepped into a world where religion was characterized by the “temple model,” and He initiated something entirely new. This new movement that He initiated is rooted in love and makes us free in Him.
Unfortunately, many of the old ways of the “temple model” crept back into to the church during the fourth century—continuing even today—and it has robbed too many believers of their freedom in Christ. Because of this, the Church became resistible, undesirable, and has turned many off.
But all is not lost!
Through love, the Church can become irresistible again.
Think of your favorite restaurant, band, or clothing line. They have created an image and brand that probably carries a positive reputation and level of trust for many others just as yourself.
How does the world view the church? Unfortunately, we’ve created a brand for the church that Jesus never intended, which has caused many to resist its true calling and purpose. However, we have the opportunity to give everyone a new perspective because the arrival of Jesus signaled the end of the old ways of doing things into something brand new.
Join us as we begin a new sermon series that will challenge the way you think of church, and in turn will change the way those around you perceive The Irresistible Church.
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the word submission? Is it positive or negative? In our culture, submission is a word that often incites controversy. For many, the first things that come to mind are words such as “inferior,” “doormat,” or “controlled.” Even though the word submit tends to be a disliked word, we need to embrace it. However, we shouldn’t embrace submission through the lens of the culture we live in. Instead we should look at submission through the lens of the Word of God and follow its directions.
In our continuing examination of Owning Your Relationships, this Sunday we will discuss the marriage relationship and the responsibilities before and after. Marriage was and is the creative work of God. It is unique in that it conveys the character of God to all of mankind. The love that is displayed in the marriage relationship reflects the love that God has for His church. Join us as we not only identify the responsibilities in the marriage but how to overcome the unique challenges of becoming one.
Think about your most precious memories. Do they involve things or people? The most important things in life aren’t things. The relationships you have with family, friends, and others are the most important and valuable. This is why Owning Your Relationships is so important: successful relationships depend on your willingness to take full responsibility and expect nothing in return.
Relationships are important. We’re immersed in relationships 24/7 — at home, at work, at school, and everywhere in-between. In each relationship we encounter, we can present the best of ourselves or the worst. This Sunday, we will expose certain relationship pitfalls, learn how to overcome them, and show why Owning Your Relationships is the key to making every relationship great.
Over the next several weeks, we will be talking about the second part: staying connected with each other. We will explore the different type of relationships that we have and how to stay in unity in all of our relationships. As believers, when we have a healthy relationship with our church, our spouse, our family, and our boss, we have unity. Unity brings peace and agreement. Agreement brings the power necessary to advance the Kingdom of God. The enemy knows this and tries to break up our relationships. He is a thief that comes to steal, kill, and destroy. This Sunday, we will discover some of our enemy’s tactics so that we can be effective in Decimating Division.
When you gave your life over to Christ, He breathed His life into you and made all things new. He didn’t do it so you could simply feel better for a few days. God wants to be in relationship with you for the long term. But for your relationship with God to be fruitful and prosperous, you must stay connected to Him. You must set a new standard for your life and leave the past way of doing things behind. This Sunday, we will hear the next four keys to Staying Connected To God.
In any relationship, growth happens over time. This includes our relationship with God. God doesn’t expect you to be perfect and to know everything. He just wants you to keep moving forward, connected to Him. God wants to be a part of your everyday life. We should never cut Him out of any day! This Sunday, we will cover the first four of eight keys to Staying Connected To God.
Confidence is vitally important to our success in life. If fact, it’s so important that without confidence we will not receive a great reward! (Hebrews 10:35) So how can we stay confident in every area of our lives? This Sunday, we will reveal the essential principle to having a Confidence That Never Wavers.
To destine is to determine something beforehand. Destiny is what God has preordained for your future, what He determined that you are on to earth to do. It is the inner purpose for your life. It is the real reason for breathing. To live in God's destiny for you is to live a life that is exciting, joyful, and fulfilling. Learn what it means to live in your destiny and how to live it to the fullest.
Have you ever broken a promise? Maybe circumstances beyond your control caused you to miss the mark. The validity of a promise is dependent on the character and ability of the one who makes it. Living The Divine Life is dependent upon God’s promises, and the Bible is filled with them. The most important thing to remember is not how many promises there are, but the fact that He keeps every single one of them.
The average child hears the phrase, “you can’t do that,” 70,000 times by age 7. By the time they are 17 years old, they will have heard 180,000 “no’s.” Most people have been conditioned to fail to one degree or another. These statistics reveal one of the reasons why we need to work on and build our confidence. Confidence is so important that without it there will be no reward (Hebrews 10:35). The good news is that God has made a way for us to keep our confidence high which will enable us to live The Divine Life!
So far in our current sermon series, The Divine Life, some of what we have discovered is in whom we really must have our confidence (hint: it’s not just God) and that we must know who we are in Christ.
Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Many have believed that we should not have any “self” confidence; it should be only “God” confidence. But the truth is that having confidence in who we are is essential to living The Divine Life. While true that our salvation is based on Christ alone, our success in receiving the abundance and promises of God while here on earth is shaped by our own personal level of confidence, commitment, and pursuit. Hebrews 10:35 says, "Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.”
Confidence in who we are is essential to living The Divine Life. What happens when we’re not feeling so confident? How do we get it back and keep it? God has put all things in us that pertain to life and godliness, and it is up to us to discover and walk in them.
Have you ever been so stressed that it was hard to sleep at night?
Ever been so disappointed with things that you literally cried?
Has a situation been so bad before that you felt you just weren’t good enough?
We go through things in life that are hard and almost unbearable at times. So it’s natural to have these feelings at times. However, God doesn’t want us to continually live in a negative, emotional state. God didn’t make us so we could live in stress, disappointment, depression, and defeat. God made us to have fellowship with Him and to live The Divine Life.
In this episode, we wrap up the series by finishing up the biblical worldview of the nature of humanity, and establishing the viewpoint we should have concerning the world and society as a whole.
So far in this sermon series, we have uncovered the truth about some of the worldviews that have influenced thought and theology in the church. We have been reconstructing a true biblical view of God, and began discovering how God sees humanity. Join us as we continue to unpack how we should view ourselves and all of humanity from a biblical perspective.
Over the past several weeks, we have been building a truly biblical worldview by discussing the nature and existence of God. This week, we will turn our attention to the nature of humanity. As far back as the 4th century, Church leaders have taught that mankind is inherently evil. But is this really true? Is that what the Word of God really says? Join us as we begin to unpack how we should view ourselves and all of humanity from a biblical perspective.
Many philosophers and rationalists who lived during the Age of Enlightenment cast many doubts upon the validity of scripture. The erroneous teachings of these men were taught in universities and colleges around the world as truth. Their teachings are still being taught in our schools and dramatically affect Western society as a whole. This Sunday, we will continue to build a true Biblical worldview by exposing the fallacies of these enlightened thinkers and their views on the Bible. We will prove the validity of the scripture and present evidence for the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
A fundamental change in thought patterns began to emerge from the Scientific Revolution of the 16th and 17th centuries. The spiritual world was seen as insignificant, and the natural world was seen as the “real” world, the world of reason, and the world of science. As a result, by the end of the Age of Enlightenment, many held the worldview of God as being unknowable or unprovable. A wall was created dividing faith from reason. But is God unprovable? Is our faith in God reasonable, or is it an irrational belief in the absurd?
Last week, we began a new series, An Unshackled Worldview. In it, we are continuing to develop and adjust our worldview to God’s perspective as revealed in the Bible. The more biblical our worldview, the freer we get. Jesus said it himself, “…the truth will make you free!” Join us this Sunday as we continue with the second part of this challenging and faith-strengthening series and answer the question: Is God really in control?
Do we really have a sound biblical worldview, or have some of man’s ideas shaped our theology? How much has classical Western philosophy affected our thinking? The more biblical our worldview, the freer we get. Jesus said it himself, “…the truth will make you free!”
We all know that God is a God of Love, but He is also a God of Judgment. So, how does God deal with those who refuse and reject the Good News: the Savior and King, Jesus Christ? God is a God of Justice, but He is also a God of Mercy. He is both at all times. His judgment is always meted out from a place of mercy. This Sunday, we will explore an aspect of our God and His ways as the Merciful Judge, and perhaps see Him in a fresh way.
Is evil actually growing throughout the earth? Is humanity descending into greater chaos and destruction? Is the Church really losing ground? Based on social media and news reports, multitudes believe that the world is getting worse and worse.
However, there is not evidence of this. As a matter of fact, there is strong evidence to the contrary. This Sunday, Pastor TJ will show us, through verifiable statistics, that life has been and continues to improve around the globe. Darkness is fading, and the goodness of God’s Advancing Kingdom is truly taking root!
Last week, we discovered that we don’t have to wait; the Kingdom of God is here. Now. Our King, Jesus, has come and now the world will never be same. And that is such good news!
Now what? What does God’s Kingdom on Earth look like? Where is it, and how do we know if we've seen it? This Sunday, we will explore what it looks like for us to be active participants in the Kingdom of God here on Earth.
Jesus taught his disciples to desire and pursue the Kingdom of God. That pursuit is even interwoven into the way that He taught them to pray (Matthew 6:9-10):
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom Come…
So where is this Kingdom? What does it look like, and how do we know when we’ve seen it? And when do we, His modern disciples, get to see this desirable Kingdom? Join us as we jump into the search for the Kingdom of God…
The future can be foreboding with all its many uncertainties. However, our God has a remedy for everything we will face. There are many voices in the land but only one with the answer, and He has a plan for each of us. This Sunday, we will see the Lord’s assurance that He Will Never Fail Us, as we explore His plan of empowerment to face the future.
Christians face many obstacles and might sometimes wonder where God was in their distress. This can cause a person to falter in their faith in the Lord. However, we can reign in life by knowing that He has never failed and will never fail us.
How does judgment fit in the light of the grace of God? This can be a difficult question to answer for many believers. Having a proper perspective on judging others is crucial for every Christian. However, many people conclude that making judgments on anyone (especially coming from Christians) is wrong because Jesus said, “judge not” (Matthew 7:1). But does the Bible really tell us to never judge? Should we judge others? If so, when should we judge, and how should we do it?
We all have life issues, such as our concerns, responsibilities, needs, and desires. However, these issues are not supposed to keep us from taking our rightful place in the Kingdom of God. This week we will talk about what it takes to be established in “true grace” which will prevent us from ever losing our position in God’s Kingdom.
Every Christian can receive an abundant amount of grace. One of the functions of God’s grace is to empower us to “rule in life” (Romans 5:17). Even though there are many trials and tribulations that we must face, God will always give us the grace to be victorious. The Scripture would not have told us to rule in life if it was not possible. The key is to believe, make a stand, and fight.
Christians were never meant to “just get by.” You were created to rise above adversity and display greatness! This Sunday, we will continue talking about the empowering grace of God that enables us to overcome any and every tribulation we face.
One week ago, the Supreme Court decided to legalize gay marriage. What does this mean for the church? How should we as Christians respond? Listen as we explore our way forward.
Most people on the earth at one point or another want to grow up and mature. A major aspect of our maturity in Christ is our ability to take on responsibility. Just as we have to accept certain responsibilities to grow up and mature in the natural, we have to accept our spiritual responsibilities given to us by God to mature in the Lord. We will learn that it’s only by the empowering grace of God that we can truly grow in the Lord.
1 Peter 4:10 says for us to be “…good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” Manifold means “many sided” or “many different forms.” We need to understand that God’s grace is powerful inside of us, and it manifests itself in many different forms. It can help us in every area of our lives. Join us this Sunday for the next part of Amazing Grace, as we learn that we can have grace for every place.
We serve an awesome God who is very rich in mercy and grace. But many believers have questions about understanding God’s grace and how far it goes. Questions like: If I sin, how do I reconcile with the Father? Since I am saved, do I have to keep asking the Lord to forgive me if I mess up? What happens if I commit a sin but then forget about it and never remember to confess it to God? Since I am saved, am I always saved no matter what? This Sunday, we talk about the principles of reconciliation and repentance to help answer these questions and more.
Grace empowers you to rule in life, and it is also the only thing that makes you an effective witness for Him. When you truly understand grace, you will not be intimidated to witness. The power of grace strengthens your boldness. When you have grace operating in your life, it won’t matter what you’ve done in your past, you will be able to speak boldly and with authority.
When we sin, there is a sense of guilt and shame present that hinders our faith and undermines our boldness to stand in the authority of Christ. But when we confess (acknowledge) our sin, God through His grace assures us that we are forgiven and cleans our conscience by the blood of Christ. Then there is no more sense of unrighteousness in our hearts and minds.
Romans 5:17 says, “…they which receive abundance of grace…shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.” This is great news! It means that life on this earth is not supposed to surpass us. We are to rule and reign over life. This Sunday, we will continue to dig into the Amazing Grace of Christ and how the goodness of God allows us to walk in a faith that overcomes.
Amazing grace results in an amazing life. God never intended your life to be average, mediocre, or mundane. He intends your life to be truly amazing, and He has provided the grace to make it a reality.
When we speak, words come out. These words affect not only us but all those who hear them. This is one of the reasons that David prayed in Psalm 19:14 for his words to be acceptable in the sight of God. Our desire should be that our words bless both God and everyone else that listens. This Sunday Pastor Karrianne will share how you, too, can pray that prayer and find your words to be pleasing to God and a blessing to others.
It’s easy to get discouraged when you don’t see things coming to pass for which you have hoped. But Hebrews 10:23 says to “hold fast the confession of our hope.” This means that after our hope is restored, we can hold onto it. We have to fight and win the battle against hopelessness! This Sunday, we return to our Restoring Hope series and learn how to obtain and maintain a confident hope for the rest of our lives.
A child is born with no ego. Your first introduction to identity is usually looking in a mirror and being told that’s who you are. We must relearn our identity so that our ego or confidence is based on Jesus Christ in us. Find out who you really are, not what others, or even you have said, but who God says you are. It’s time to no longer be a slave to pride and an ego of arrogance, but be free to serve God and others with confidence!
Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” It’s easy to get discouraged when you don’t see things coming to pass for which you have hoped. However, God wants you to live in a confident expectation and desire for something good in your future. You can only do that by Restoring Hope to your life journey.
This week, we conclude our series, 40 Days with Jesus. We will hear four more eyewitness accounts that dramatically retell the course of Christ's ministry leading up to his crucifixion and victorious resurrection.
For the next couple of weeks, we will watch a series of eyewitness accounts that dramatically retell the course of Christ’s ministry leading up to his crucifixion and victorious resurrection. We will highlight some of the major events in Christ’s life and how they impact our lives today. Celebrate the resurrection of Jesus with us!
God desires for His children to truly live a blessed life, but in order for this to take place, our hearts must be right. When God changes a heart from selfishness to generosity, every part of that person’s life-journey is affected for the better. A heart of generosity is the number one key to living The Blessed Life.
A father always wants the best for his children. This is true of our Heavenly Father as well. God desires to bless you because He loves you and wants the best for you! But, in order for God to bless you, there are certain things that must be in order in your life.
Being blessed means having supernatural power working for your good. You may not be wealthy by the world's standards, but you can enjoy a quality of life that most billionaires would envy. Join us as we begin examining God's laws and principles of giving that are key to living The Blessed Life.
The Bible teaches that victory can be increased in your home, business, and church through unity. The unity of the saints is fought by the enemy of our souls more than any other truth. Gain a greater understanding of the power of unity and how it works to change your life, and ultimately the world.
What if God designed marriage to make us more like Him rather than to simply make us happy? Pastors TJ and Karrianne will show us how to use the challenges and the struggles of marriage, as well as the joys and the celebrations, to draw us closer to God and to grow in Christian character.
In our examination of and our desire to increase in Quality Relationships, this week we will focus on the marriage relationship. Marriage is unique in that it displays the character of God to mankind. The love that is displayed in marriage reflects the love that God has for His Church. Join us as we search God’s Word for direction, not to just survive a marriage, but to thrive and Increase in Our Marriage Relationship.
We all have relationships during our time on Earth. Unfortunately, not every one of them turns out to be a good one. And some of our relationships even end up being really bad. Everyone would love to have only good relationships in life, but is that even possible?
The ultimate example of perfect love and the fear of the Lord working together is Jesus Christ. He warned us at every turn to fear God, not men, and He confirmed that in everything about his life, death, and resurrection. He spoke lovingly but frankly to all and didn't mince words when people needed to face their sin and repent. This Sunday, we will conclude our rediscovery of The Fear of the Lord.
There are many Christians who feel that the fear of the Lord is an old idea found in the Old Testament and is no longer relevant. However, the principle of fearing God is found in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. It's not only relevant for today, but the fear of the Lord is crucial to the proper spiritual growth for every believer. Join us this Sunday, as we discover our great need of The Fear of the Lord.
As we discovered during our New Year's Eve Service, 2015 is the Year of Increase. The word increase means to become or make greater in size, amount, intensity, or degree. This is what God's wants to do with you in this new year! This Sunday, Pastor TJ will introduce some areas in which God wants to increase you so that you will be blessed and so that you can be a blessing to others. The following Sundays, we will begin exploring these areas in depth. It's going to be your best year yet!
The word was given at our New Year's Eve Service that 2015 is the year of increase. However, in order to receive increase from God there are basic spiritual truths that must be followed. One of those truths is fasting. Even though Jesus spoke often of fasting and even fasted Himself, it's one of the least talked about disciplines in the church at large. Many people believe that fasting is just for religious fanatics, for the pastor, or monks living in the mountains somewhere, but this is not true. Fasting is for everyone, and this Sunday we'll learn that we can all Increase Through Fasting!
In the parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15, Jesus shared this parable: "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?" If you found yourself in the same situation, what would you do? Join us this Sunday as Elder Joe Thompson leads us in searching the scriptures to seek and define The Heart of the Shepherd.
As we continue to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior this Sunday, we will take a look at the birth of Christ as found in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. We'll begin by exploring the account of the shepherds who were visited by an angel proclaiming the good news, and then focus on the wise men and their significance to the Christmas story. You don't want to miss this Sunday's service. There is something important we need to learn from The Christmas Visitors.
God has purposed to reproduce His life in and through your life. In order for Him to do that, He must reveal Himself to you and bring you into an intimate relationship with Him. It is His highest priority! How does He do that and what is your part?
Having a spirit of gratitude is extremely important for every believer in Jesus Christ. Being kind to those around us is not the only purpose for gratitude, it’s for our protection as well. Thankfulness is an essential guardian of the soul. We open ourselves to be fair game to the enemy when we don’t live a life of thankfulness, so we should always guard ourselves with gratitude.
Transformation is not a one time event. It is the constant never ceasing change of a believer into the image of Christ. As Paul states in 2 Corinthians 3:18, we should always be willing to be "...changed into the same image from glory to glory..." This Sunday, we will go deeper into what it means to have a renewed mind and be transformed by the Spirit of the Lord.
Ephesians 4:23-24 says, "and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." This Sunday, we will explore what it means to be renewed in the spirit of your mind.
We get our DNA from our parents. And while our genetic makeup tells us what color hair and eyes we will have, what about our personality traits? Studies have shown that we do pass on certain personality traits such as our attitudes and even our sense of humor to our children. If this is so, do we have any say about who we are or who we will become? Are we destined to be nothing more than a genetic product of our parents...good or bad? What does the Word of God say?
Jesus said, "...I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." God's design is for us to put our full trust in the work of the cross. Jesus died for us so that we could not just "live," but live abundantly. We must choose to stand on God's Word and break every chain with which the enemy tries to shackle us. God wants every Christian to walk in freedom, but we must choose to do so.
In the Proverbs, a question is proposed: where can one find a virtuous woman? In Christ we find her: the church. His Bride and His Body, the church, is the place of power, healing, and refuge on this earth. Come discover why and how you belong in the Body of Christ, the church.
The time to think about the finish line of a race is not when the race is over, but before the race has been completed. When all is said and done in your life, will you be able to look back as Paul did in 2 Timothy 4:7 and say, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith"? This Sunday we finish this message series by covering the last three keys to Winning the Race of Life.
In order to win the race of life, we must have the right attitude. No matter what crisis may come our way, if our attitude is right, we can still win. This Sunday, we will uncover another key that will help us face any crisis, overcome it, and stay on course to win the race.
So we've learned the first two keys to Winning the Race of Life: 1) know who you are, and 2) know where you are going. This Sunday we discover the third and fourth keys, so you can say with Paul the Apostle, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:7)
When David went out to face Goliath, he knew he was going to win. David was able to maximize his own strengths and talents to defeat a giant much taller and stronger than he was. Why? Because he knew who he was, and he was able to draw from the ultimate source of his strength and abilities: God!
Every Christian should be able to confidently say they are Winning the Race of Life. Paul, nearing the end of his life said, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:7) If Paul did it, so can you!
We need to know where we are going in life...it is imperative! We will explore three different aspects of vision: heavenly vision, pastoral or church vision, and individual visions and dreams.
Last week, we began exploring a theology of the Holy Spirit, discovering who He really is according to the Bible. In doing so, we found that theology is an important and even exciting part of our daily walk with God. This Sunday, we will discuss what the Holy Spirit does in and through us, as we continue the sermon series, Led By The Spirit.
Theology is not just that tedious, boring thing that is taught in seminaries. Our theology, or our system of beliefs, good or bad, affects our daily lives. We do not want ineffective, or worse, lives lived in opposition to God's Spirit. This Sunday, we will look at some basic biblical ideas of who the Holy Spirit is and what he does, as we continue the sermon series, Led By The Spirit.
One of the areas we desperately need to examine is how we think about and relate to the Holy Spirit. As Christians, we have a good understanding of God the Father and Christ the Son, but when it comes to the Holy Spirit we are too often forgetful. This Sunday, we are going to begin shedding some light on the Spirit of God, and the need for Him to govern our lives. During the Led by the Spirit series we will take a look at the Holy Spirit as a person, the Holy Spirit as God, the fact that the Holy Spirit has his own mind and prays for us, and more.
As we grow and understand the purpose of our lives, we see more and more of the life of Jesus being lived through us. This Sunday, we will see how God uses our circumstances to bring about the fulfillment of our destiny in him as we conclude the series, The Exciting Christian Life.
Devestating circumstances can be used by the enemy to rob you of your future blessings. However, God changes those circumstances for our good. This Sunday, discover God's great plan for you as we continue to examine The Exciting Christian Life.
We continue to look at The Exciting Christian Life. God has provided all that is needed (and more) to fulfill our destiny in Him. The battle and the fight associated with our walk in Him can produce a thrilling and abundant life. Our understanding and knowledge of this life's adventure increases as we open the Word.
The Christian life can actually be an exciting adventure! This Sunday, we will discover God's process in which He makes the Christian life exciting. Understanding ourselves and God's Word will ensure the antidote to a boring life.
Joshua 24:15 says, "...as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." This Sunday, we will talk about the type of service that is pleasing to God, brings Him glory, and makes Him look supremely valuable in the eyes of those around us.
God has called each of us to Serve Him. Service is not just about doing good things; it is about doing good things for the Lord. However, in all of our doing, we must make sure that our service is acceptable to God. This Sunday, Pastor TJ will begin discussing what it means to acceptably serve God.
For the past two Sundays, we have been exploring what it means to be a true worshiper in our hearts and attitudes. But what does that look like on Sunday or in our day to day life? This Sunday, we will discover how the Bible instructs us to live and act in praise and worship of our God.
This Sunday, we will go deeper into what it means to be a true worshiper who worships God in Spirit & Truth.
If Christianity is the transformation of rebels into worshipers of God, then it is imperative for Christians to know and understand what constitutes biblical worship. This Sunday, we will begin a brand new sermon series, Spirit & Truth.
True biblical happiness is independent of our circumstances, and it is not based on what others around us do or don't do. This Sunday, we will finish up the ten things happy people don't believe, and discover the truths of our acceptance, security, and significance in Christ.
A few weeks ago we began discovering how the Bible defines being blessed and redefining our beliefs about true happiness. This Sunday we will return to the Blessed series by finding out what happy people don't believe.
Every morning we wake, we have a day full of choices to make. The choices we make can affect us and those around us. However, many of those choices are difficult and have lasting effects. Beginning a right choice with the two words "I choose" can be harder than it may seem. This Sunday, Pastor Karrianne will share with us how to use the fruit of the Spirit to confidently make the best choice.
James 1:12 says, "Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial..." The word blessed in this verse means happy. However, happiness defined by our culture basically depends on good things happening. If things are going reasonably well, then we are happy. If things are not going so well, then we are not happy. But true happiness is not material, is not inherited, and is not based on circumstances. True happiness is based on a scriptural relationship with God. This Sunday, we will contiune to explore the "Seven Reasons Why You Should Be Happy Right Now."
Many believe that if you are blessed, you have been fortunate or lucky to have something: health, love, fame, fortune, talent, etc. But, is being blessed a matter of fortune or luck? What does it really mean to be blessed? As Christians, should we seek to be blessed? We will answer these questions and more as we start a brand new series on the Biblical concept of being blessed.
From Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, Jesus goes from being ushered in like a king to being crucified like a criminal, and then ultimately overcoming the grave. We'll take a look at six individuals who had Encounters with Christ during His final week, and how that could have impacted their lives.
If you could live without fear, what would you do? Who could you be? Fear does not need to hold a grip on your life, nor does it need to chart the course of your life.
The Bible says that he that endures to the end shall be saved. This principle is expressed throughout the Word of God. Faith that endures to the end shall receive the reward. Like many of the men and women of the Bible, sometimes we have to keep the faith for a long time before seeing the blessing. Learn how to "keep the faith" until the expected end comes.
In the final part of our sermon series, The Gospel, we will talk about being a citizen of the Kingdom of God, and what it means to be blessed by Him.
As Christians, it's important to really know and understand the magnitude of what Christ has done for us. He sacrificially died for us and then rose again, and now he makes intercession for us at the right hand of the Father. It is equally vital for us to respond in the right way to this sacrificial act of love.
The four core truths of the gospel are vital for every Christian to know and understand. As we go deeper into each core truth, our hearts become more grateful and full of awe because of what Jesus has done for us. We also gain a greater level of confidence when we share the gospel with others.
The gospel of Jesus Christ stands at the very center of Christianity. However, there are many different things that come to people’s minds when they are asked, "What is the gospel?" This is because many Christians make assumptions about what the gospel is without hearing the Bible’s clear and definitive voice. Even though the gospel can be explained in a variety of ways, there are several core truths of the gospel that every believer should know and understand.
Everyone has opportunities to get offended or upset. We all have to deal with the issues of bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness at one time or another. However, we should not accept unforgiveness as an inevitable part of our lives. Through the strength of God’s Word we can live our lives free from unforgiveness.
God desires for us to be holy. In order for us to be holy, we can't try to hide from God when we sin like Adam and Eve did in the garden. Instead, we must be open before God and not allow our guilt to turn into shame. Shame seeks to paralyze us and knock us off track in our pursuit of holiness. Only the love of God can break down the walls of shame and put us back on the track to being holy.
Why does God want us to be a royal priest for Him, as it says in 1 Peter 2:9? Why does He expect us to obey Him? Why does He command holiness? It's not because He is some control freak who just wants to keep us in line. God is not up in heaven with a finger ready to zap us when we mess up. He wants us to be obedient and be holy because He loves us! He wants what is best for us. He doesn't want us to suffer. He doesn't want us to be hurt. He wants us to thrive! God knows that the only way for us to thrive is to be holy!
When you say the word "holiness" you might as well spray a can of conversation repellant on everyone around you. This tells us that the church desperately needs to pursue being holy. Holiness is not just some archaic idea from past generations. It's the unyielding pursuit that defines every Christian life. We need holiness whether we realize it or not!
Learn how to use the spiritual tool that God has given to release spiritual power into your personal life. Getting into God's presence while fasting has helped many to gain greater insight and understanding. Long time barriers are broken and joyous abundance is released when we seek the Lord.
This sermon is being shared in preparation for our churchwide 21-day fast, January 6-26. We want to begin 2014 with humility and soberness to see all that God has planned for our church body come to pass both individually and corperately.
On the front of most communion tables are usually found the words, "This do in remembrance of Me." When we come to observe this ordinance, it should be a time of remembrance of the difference Christ made. This Sunday, we will remember Jesus' sacrifice by taking communion, but we won't start there. We will begin with a time just before the birth of Christ, and see how God used Elisabeth and Mary to start Jesus' journey From The Stable To The Table.
Hear this encouraging message from our guest, John Peyton, Pastor of Reconciliation Community Church of Manassas, Va.
Find out what the last two icebergs are in this third and final part of the sermon series, The Power of Grace.
The Titanic sunk because it couldn't avoid all of the icebergs. Just like the Titanic, the the church in America hasn't avoided all of the icebergs and is having trouble staying afloat. Christ is becoming less important in our Western culture every year. We need the power of God's grace to patch the hole in the ship and avoid future icebergs. This Sunday Pastor TJ will reveal three huge icebergs that must be avoided if the church is to stay afloat in part two of the sermon series, The Power of Grace.
No one ever thought that the Titanic would sink, but an iceberg sunk it. Many times we tend to equate size with stability. Many times we do the same with the church of America. You could look at it's size and think it's stable, but that is not necessarily the truth. The truth is the church of America is having trouble staying afloat. There is a hole in the ship that needs to be patched. Christ is becoming less important in our Western culture every year. What can we do to patch the hole and avoid future icebergs?
God's desire is for us to grow in Him and get stronger. If we want to be spiritually stronger, we must learn to Trust God's Power. This Sunday, Pastor TJ concludes the Stronger series with four things that will help us to understand how to trust in the power of God in a greater way.
God wants us to grow stronger in Him. As a good Father, He has a plan for each of us, His children, to grow spiritually mature. One of the many things we must do to grow according to God's plan is to accept and experience His love firsthand for ourselves. As Christians, we should be rooted and grounded in this love so that we can share it with others. As we Share God's Love with others, we will grow stronger!
God doesn't want us to be spiritually weak! He wants us strong and able to stand firm and trust Him during any trial, tribulation, or attack of the enemy. This Sunday, Pastor TJ will share four things that we need to know and understand so that we can be unshakably strong in our faith. It's time to Grow Spiritual Grit.
Elder Joe Thompson shares a special message with us dealing with God's three gifts that will strengthen our faith.
Part of Paul's prayer for the church in Ephesians 3:16 (NLT) was, "I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit." God has glorious, unlimited resources available for us right now! As Christians we must learn how to tap into these resources and bring them from heaven to earth. The primary way that we do this is by learning and taking hold of the promises that are in the Bible. This Sunday, Pastor TJ will share three things that we must know about the promises of God so that we can take hold of these promises and receive them into our lives.
Many people ask the question, "How do I know God's will for my life?" Get this: God wants you to understand His plan for your life. He doesn't want you to live in confusion, or get off track from His will. He wants to reveal His will for your life so that you can be stronger and live a life that makes a difference here on earth. This Sunday, in part three of the Stronger series, Pastor TJ will share four principles that will help us to know, understand, and Accept God's Plan.
Spiritual growth doesn't "just happen" in our lives, or come to us instantly. We must be in constant pursuit of God, and learn His ways to grow strong. This Sunday, Pastor TJ shares five practical things that we can do that will lead us to know God better. Knowing Him better gives us the strength to be God's mighty representatives in the world.
Spiritual growth doesn't just come to us automatically. It's not something God can give us instantly. Growth happens over time through our pursuit of God and the disciplines that we apply to our lives. This Sunday, Pastor TJ begins a new sermon series, Stronger!
Paul said in Galations 3:28 that, "...you are all one in Christ Jesus." Oneness is defined as being unified despite having two or more parts. In order for the church to be unified, we must love, honor, and be devoted to one another. Oneness takes a commitment and a willingness to sacrifice our time to be available to others in the family of God. This Sunday, Pastors TJ and Tony will share the fourth and final part of the sermon series, Why We Need Each Other.
For the past two Sundays, we've learned that we need each other. So how do we do life together? What does that look like? This Sunday, Pastor TJ will share part three of the sermon series, Why We Need Each Other, addressing these questions and more.
The church is more than that thing we do on Sunday morning. God did not make any of us to be Lone Rangers. We need each other for support, strength, and encouragement. This Sunday, Pastor TJ continues sharing Why We Need Each Other, preceded by a brief testimony by Forshonda Williams on how she overcame a brain tumor.
Life can be tough, and we need encouragement and help from others. When we do life together, we can also learn from one another. We need each other. Hey, even the Lone Ranger had Tonto. This Sunday, Pastor TJ will begin a new sermon series, Why We Need Each Other.
Miracles! Everyone would love to see a miracle, or better yet experience a miracle in their own lives. What kind of faith does it take for a miracle? You may be surprised.
Faith is more about receiving than doing. When we relax and receive God's promises, the end result of faith is realized. Faith will always bring a brighter future. Our loving Lord has already given to us a multitude of promises which can be experienced through faith. Your future is in your hands. This Sunday, Pastor Tony will continue to share how to Remove the Struggles of Faith.
In Hebrews 11:6 we are told that "without faith, it is impossible to please God." Faith is required in our walk with Him. However, pushing, pulling, and fighting is not necessary. Faith brings us to a place of trust and rest. This Sunday, Pastor Tony will share how to Remove the Struggles of Faith.
Confidence is the fuel that can propel a man to his destiny. However, a wrong belief can kill his confidence, and derail him from fulfilling God's plan for his life. Proverbs 14:12 says, "There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." (NASB) There have been many beliefs in the church over time that have seemed right, but have actually held us back. This Sunday, Pastor TJ will expose these wrong belief systems, which will free us to live a more confident life in Christ.
This Sunday, Pastor TJ will continue to challenge us to let go of our personal insecurites and live confidently the life that God has planned for us, unleashing us to our full God-given potential.
Our personal insecurities create an invisible "glass lid" that keeps us from growing to maximum capacity and potential. This Sunday, Pastor TJ will talk about unleashing the lion within, which will erase those invisible barriers, launching you to the next level...and beyond!
Are you Eeyore, or are you Tigger? Listen to last week's sermon to find out. This Sunday, Pastor TJ will continue to share how to Take Hold of Your Destiny, unleash your potential, and receive the rewards that God has promised you in life.
Do you feel like you should be much further along in life than you are right now? Do you feel like you are destined for more, but don't know how to get there? This Sunday, Pastor TJ gives away the master key to accelerating your destiny. It will unleash your potential, and show you how to receive the rewards that God has promised you in life.
What is the greatest gift that a Christian can give? What is the greatest gift that a father can give? The answer is a consistent example of Christ. This Sunday Pastor Tony will share how can we be a consistent example year after year that our children and others can see and follow.
Part of being a wise person is knowing how to build good habit patterns in your life. The key to building good habits is having the right amount of discipline. Discipline is doing the right thing even when you don't feel like it. Saying yes to right things, and no to wrong things. This Sunday, Pastor TJ will wrap up the Uncommon Sense sermon series, and share four truths to help us to build good habits.
The concept of time management is not just a business concept; it's a Biblical concept. A key part to being a wise person is knowing how to manage your resources. If you manage something wisely, it grows and develops. This Sunday, Pastor TJ will share with us four keys to managing our time from God's perspective.
Last week we learned that if we want to be wise people that we need to know what to say, what not to say, and how to say what we say. This Sunday, Pastor TJ will continue to reveal what the Bible teaches about the power and effect of the words of our mouths.
When you study Proverbs you will find that wisdom is linked to our words. You can't study this book without realizing that God is very interested in the words that we say. If you are a wise person, you need to know what to say, what not to say, and how to say what you say. Find out what the Bible teaches about how we can adjust our speech to how God wants us to speak.
Prayer is vital to all Christians, yet so many times our prayers don't seem to produce results. Listen as Pastor Karrianne shares on how to see God moving in our prayers.
Wisdom is the greatest asset that you can obtain. Your thoughts indicate where your heart is, so you could even say that your life is a reflection of your thinking. Join us as we begin examining ten characteristics of wise thinking.
Wisdom comes to us through right practices. This is something we have to do for our entire lives. We can be wise today and foolish tomorrow. We can do what's right today, and be wrong tomorrow. Having the right practices is important on a daily basis. Explore six practices that will help us obtain and maintain wisdom for the rest of our lives.
We kicked off the new sermon series last week with You Need It. This Sunday we begin to explore more about How to Get It. Don't miss out on the Uncommon Sense that we all need to live the blessed life that God has in store for us!
The Bible says that wisdom is one of the most precious things we can obtain in this life. It is more valuable than rubies, gold, or silver. Wouldn't you do anything to get a hold of as much of it as you could? What if it was offered to you for free?
We are the church. We are individual people that make up one body — the body of Christ. As His body, we were given the assignment to love the Father with all of our being and to love others. When the New Testament church followed their assignment, “the Lord added to the church daily” (Acts 2:47). How can the church of today do the same?
The church. What exactly is it, and does it really matter? Surely it's more than just that thing you do on Sunday morning. If it is, then what is it's purpose?
Last Sunday we learned that we can have victory when tempted to sin, or when enduring trials. One may ask, "but what if I fail?" We need a contingency plan. We also need to develop a battle plan to help prevent falling into temptation, and to get through trials.
Have you ever been in a situation and had no idea how you got there? Has temptation come knocking, and now your wondering why you gave in and accepted the invitation? God wants us to be an overwhelming conqueror in all of the trials, tests, and temptations that we face. We can have victory as long as we Don't Take The Bait that Satan lures us with.
Despite whatever losses (great or small) you have encountered in life, it is God's will to restore you to a life of abundance and joy. Our faith must remain in God, and we need to have a restoration mentality.
Have you ever experienced loss? Have you recently gone through a really tough time? Maybe you lost a job, a business deal, or time with family. Do you feel frustrated and robbed by what could have been? Despite our losses we should never lose heart, because it could be that we've been set up for Rapid Recovery & Radical Restoration.
About 8 billion candy hearts will be produced this year for Valentine's Day. That's enough candy to stretch from Rome, Italy, to Valentine, Arizona, 20 times and back again. It's a day we try to spread love to those we care about. This Sunday Pastor TJ shares with us what the Bible says about love.
Everyone wants to have a successful 2013. Throughout the year we make daily choices that determine whether or not we are successful. Pastor TJ will continue to share the principles that will help us make Decisions for Success.
Life can be hard. It's full of twists, turns, and decisions that we have to make. The choices we make determine the course of our lives. The decisions we make not only affect us, but they affect those around us as well. What choices are the right ones? What makes the difference between failure and success?
Jesus taught more on fasting than baptism and the Lord's Supper. Fasting is a spiritual journey that will change your life.
The election was an anxious time for many people in our country. People are often very passionate about their political beliefs. They believe that their candidate will affect positive change for our country, while at the same time they are concerned that the other guy will affect negative change. As Christians, we are always concerned about the spiritual implication of elections...and we should be! However, no election should kill our joy, rob our peace, or displace our trust in God.
With so many social and political issues that concern all of us, how do we tell which one is the most important? Which one is the most important to God? In this sermon, Pastor TJ shares another issue that concerns God greatly and should concern us as well.
There are so many social and political issues that concern all of us today: health care, the economy, foreign policy, marriage, gun control, social security, abortion, the environment, education, and the list goes on. Which one is the most important? Which one is the most important to God?
We read in the Gospel of John that God is looking for those who will worship in spirit and in truth. What is true worship? What does it look like? Is it simply a prelude before listening to a sermon on Sunday morning? What if worship is just not your thing? Does it really matter?
The fourth and final part of the “Unlocking the Secrets of Great Relationships” series.