First Church of Christ, Bluffton: Recent Episodes
First Church of Christ, Bluffton
First Church of Christ exists to lead generations into a life-changing, ever-growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
Brandon Kelley delivers his final message as Lead Pastor at FCC, his prayer for the FCC family.
Our response to Jesus - Mighty God - must be to join the chorus of Creation and give Him praise.
Student Pastor, Taylor Thompson delivers the third and final message in The Holy Spirit sermon series.
Dave Schultz bids a fond farewell to FCC and brings us a message on why the Holy Spirit matters.
There are a lot of misconceptions about who the Holy Spirit is. In this message, we dig into the Scriptures to see who He is and how we should respond to Him.
Right now, we live in a time when it seems that a lot of people’s souls are tired. But what do you do about that? In this message, we see how Jesus answers that question.
You’ve been sent into a hostile world, not to respond to it with hostility and fear, but with hope and faith.
God’s intention for your life is for you to be a committed, contributing member of a local church body.
What makes for a good life? A lot of people might describe it through:
• Material Wealth • Pleasure / Freedom • Popularity • Health
But Jesus tells us different.
We all probably have stories of the difference leaders make in our lives—both positively and negatively. We’re going to look at a picture of godly leadership from Scripture.
Joe Heins is the executive director of Woodburn Christian Children's Home http://www.wcchonline.org/
No matter what past you bring to Jesus, He can handle it. And not only that, He can turn it into a story of His grace.
We have a big problem. We're sinners. But Jesus has power to forgive our sins. And that's the best news we could ever hear.
Jesus invites you to not only live a 'freed from' life but a 'freed to' life. The combination makes all the difference.
We've all been through the storms of life. In this passage, Jesus shows us the way to stay standing no matter the storm you face.
Jesus announces that many people who call Him Lord will not be welcomed into the kingdom of heaven. He has a warning for the church. Will we heed it?
There are only two paths in life. One leads to destruction, the other leads to life. Which will you choose?
To close out our What to Do With Worry series, pastor Brandon was joined by mental health professionals from within our church, Leann Nash, Lacey Bass, and Bob Thompson. They worked through questions and scenarios that were submitted by our congregation.
Last week we talked about internal bullies and how they generate internal anxiety. Today, we’re turning our attention to relational bullies and relational anxiety.If you want to have greater freedom and confidence in relationships, even in the midst of conflict, lean in to this.
What happens when the bully isn’t just out there but he or she lives inside of you? That voice that is always harsh, unrelenting, condemning, etc. Let's talk about how to deal with your inner bully.
Do what you can do today alongside of God and trust Him with tomorrow. After all, He’s already there.
Do you feel weighed down with worry? Do you feel like you're spinning down the anxiety spiral? Jesus shows us how to stop the anxiety spiral.
Jesus' resurrection changes everything. Including our worries. In this message, we look at the hope of Easter and what that does for our anxious hearts.
Jesus told us that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. What if we did this in tangible ways with our actual neighbors?
The eulogy we live depends on the actual direction of our lives. Not our intentions, but our actual direction. So, what eulogy are you living?
It's not just that you pray, but how you pray that is most important. In this message, Jesus shows us how to pray. And this prayer, when we truly pray it, can change our lives.
All of us want to be seen, heard, and known. But it's not until we get away and get with God that we are truly seen, heard, and known. Here's fresh vision from Jesus for a familiar practice--prayer.
Maybe you’ve wondered, why do Christians give? Why should I give? Is this just because the church wants my money? What did Jesus say about it? What does the Bible say about it?Those are important questions which we talk about.But more than that, Jesus shows us how to experience God through our generosity.
Do you find yourself struggling in the present and/or worried about the future? This world seems to be changing quickly but we're still called to be Jesus' witnesses. Here's how we can have a thriving witness in tough times.
What does forgiveness mean? What doesn't it mean? Get the answers to both questions as we find out about how we can forgive others just as Christ has forgiven us.
Jesus calls us to something much higher and greater than we can imagine. Turning the other cheek isn’t a sign of weakness, but a sign of great strength. Jesus gives us a path to take so that we can be heaping fiery coals that bring about the light of the world that shines through the darkness.
God puts healthy boundaries on the area of the words and actions we use. He also invites us into a better way to use our words and actions.
It’s important for us to understand what the origin of marriage is and what the design of marriage is. After all, marriage was God’s idea. He came up with it. So he gets to be the One to describe it and define it. Jesus’ vision for your marriage is one of life-long love and commitment.
There’s a segment of our population that says sex is everything and there’s another segment that says sex is nothing. All the while, the church is largely standing idly by and remaining silent on a topic that impacts everyone. But Jesus didn't stand idly by and we shouldn't either. So, what does Jesus say about our sexual desires? Let’s see.
What do you do when you find yourself at a point where your anger is growing and your bitterness is beginning to boil toward someone? Well, Jesus has some things to say.
Every year, we look back at what God has done at First Church of Christ and we look ahead to what we anticipate him leading us to in the future.
You can trust God because He is perfect love and righteousness. He will never harm you or forsake you.
We live in a sin-stained world but is it still possible to have hope? Yes, and here's why.
We gather together and invite others to gather together with us because the Lord calls us to do so. It's for our good (and theirs).
We are sons and daughters in the family of God, called to contribute to the household our Father is building.
Jesus wants to equip us and prepare us to deal with those times when someone insults you, persecutes you, or slanders you, simply because of your faith in Him.
Jesus is going to give you a paradox for when you’re hurting. He’s going to speak to those moments when you’re grieving, when you’re mourning.
Jesus wants to have us as his apprentices. His padawans, if you will. But this isn’t an apprenticeship for carpentry or plumbing or welding or electric but it’s an apprenticeship for life.
When you understand the purpose of Jesus and the work of Jesus, you’ll be able to understand your purpose and your work.
On one particular day, two sets of brothers’ lives were changed because of a simple invitation.
They made a decision that changed their lives forever.
And today, Jesus is going to invite us into a more purposeful life too.
It can feel like we’re a people living in darkness. Cynicism. Numbness. No motivation. Brain fog. Coping in unhealthy ways. Anger and frustration reigning in our hearts.
Maybe you resonate with some of that.
Well, today we're going to see what Jesus’ message was and is to people who are on the verge of burnout, to people who feel like they are living in darkness.
When you surrender to Jesus, you are born again and adopted into God's family. From then on, your Heavenly Father goes about a process of re-parenting you.
The devil wants to do battle with you and the field he’ll often wage war on is your identity. He wants to make you doubt who you are and tempt you to live out of that doubt.
There is a war waging right now but many don’t realize it’s going on which makes them easy targets to take out.
There is an identity crisis of humankind that is impacting Christians and non-Christians alike.
In today’s passage, we’re going to discover the sentence that you (and everyone else) deeply desire to hear. One that will free you from the identity crisis of humankind.
What does it mean to surrender to Jesus? In this passage, we see the importance of two things: repentance and baptism.
In today’s passage, we’re going to meet someone new in the book of Matthew. He’s a prophet. He’s kind of a weird dude as we’ll see. And through today’s passage, John is going to be bringing people to a moment of decision. The most important decision they'll ever make.
In this passage, we’re going to, once again, see Joseph obey God’s direction in his life and through it, we’re going to be given the opportunity to learn How to Receive Direction From God in our lives as well.
In this passage, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus are on the run. What we'll see through Matthew's account is what we can do when life hurts.
By walking through the account of Herod, some wise men, and their journey to Jesus, student pastor, Taylor Thompson gives us three questions to consider in our journey toward Jesus..
In this passage, God shows us what He is doing through Jesus: two life-changing things.
Any time we face difficulty, it can be easy to become discouraged. But in all things, we must remember that no matter what we face, God's still working.
In America, we don't really like kings. But here's the catch: while we don't like kings, we do need a King. A true and better King.
If you’ve ever sat down to read the book of Matthew, you probably skipped over the first 17 verses but let me just say: there’s more than meets the eye. You see, a genealogy is a family tree. And Jesus’ family tree? It’s weirder than yours. And that's, surprisingly, really good news.
Humans are capable of a lot. But the biggest thing we're not capable of is this: escaping death. We just can't. And this is why what we celebrate on Easter is such a remarkable thing. Our biggest problem was solved over the course of a single whirlwind of a weekend.
We're all on a perpetual search for ultimate peace. The problem is, we usually look in the wrong places.
How should Christians think about gender identity? Does Scripture speak to it at all? This is our focus as we close out the Triggered series.
How should Christians view and interact with science? Student Pastor, Taylor Thompson helps us discover answers to both questions.
In this message Brandon talks about race issues in our culture today and compares it to the church in Ephesus.
Today, the topic of deconstruction is growing in popularity. In this message, you'll learn what deconstruction is and what we can do in response to this growing trend among people in our culture today.
Should we be involved in politics at all? If so, to what extent? In this message, we dig into these two subjects with hopes to showing a Christian political path forward.
When it comes to political engagement, there are values Christians bring but there are also vices that must be guarded against.
Today, we turn to the subject of politics. And there may be no other subject in our day that is more divisive than this one. So what we’re going to do—led by the Holy Spirit—is to formulate a political theology.
What does that mean? It means that we’re going to look at Scripture to see what God thinks about politics and what our relationship should be to the political world. And then we’re going to turn to what this means for us practically as Christians who live in the United States of America.
Today, we’re going to talk about the sexual distortions of our day and the roots that contribute to them.
What's one thing we should focus on in 2022? In this message, we dig into what that one thing is and why it's so pivotal to get it right this year.
Here's how God worked through FCC this year and what we are focusing on for 2022 as He leads. To view the State of FCC PDF Report, click the link below.
Anchor your life to this: the arrival of Jesus is proof of God's loving pursuit of you.
A lack of trust always results in a lack of peace. So how can we experience peace? We must put our ultimate trust in the right place.
Today, we’re going to talk about what acceptance looks like, which is the 5th stage of grief. What acceptance is, what it's not, and how to grow in hope so we can be prepared as much as possible when we're confronted with grief.
It felt like I was in a dark pit. My senses weren’t working like normal. The brain fog was overwhelming. And I was needing to remind myself to breathe. That's what depression can feel like. In this message, we'll see what depression is and how we can respond to it.
Guest speaker Tom Frye delivers a testimony on his experience in the bargaining stage of grief.
Anger is a natural response to grief. But what should you do with all the anger, with all the frustration, with all the emotion that tend to well up inside of you when you begin to realize just how terrible your loss is? That's what we talk about in week 2 of Stages: Good Grief.
Sometimes our world collapses. We experience a loss that changes everything. When this happens, we enter into the first stage of grief: shock/denial.
A lot of times, we try to control a large part of our lives and when we cling for control, we tend to make things worse. In this message, we'll find freedom through leaving room for God to lead.
What does it look like to live a peaceful life in a world that lacks peace? That’s what we see in this week of The Good Life.
Our society is lacking a frame, lacking a foundation, lacking an anchor. Our world is, in many ways, unhinged. This world needs an antidote and the church has the answer.
Many of us feel depleted, weary, and isolated. But God wants us to live full, hopeful, and purposeful. But the only way we move to that full, hopeful, and purposeful life is through practicing the presence of God. In this message, we talk about what that is and how to implement it into our every day lives.
What does the good life really look like? Well, it begins with such a vital truth: you were meant to make a difference. But what does that look like? Let's talk about it.
How can we move forward even in the midst of difficult circumstances? Find out how in this message by student pastor, Taylor Thompson.
After we've done reconnaissance on the lies believe and wage war on those lies with truth from God's word, we must submit to that truth through a regime change. In this message, we're going to learn how to reframe how we view our past, the future, and the world in general.
If we want to win the battle that is raging in our minds, we need to not only identify the lies we believe, but we also need to wage war on them with the truth of God's word.
We have an enemy who wants to wage a battle for our minds. And the main way he does this is by putting lies in front of us and disguising them as truth. In this message, we're going to learn how to identify the lies we believe so that we can speak the truth against them.
First Church of Christ has been a church for 100 years. Many people have served Jesus along the way to get us to today. But the question for us all who are here right now is this: what will people say about us 20, 50, 100 years from now? The key to making the impact God is calling us to make is this: to see that we are sent.
One of the most basic lines of code in programming is the if-then statement. But computer programs aren't the only ones with if-then statements. All of us, over time, have written some unspoken if-then statements--and many of them aren't healthy. As James concludes his letter, he wants to help us rewrite some of our if/then statements.
A puzzling piece of life for a lot of us is that while we experience difficulties quite often, many of us don’t know how to handle those difficulties in healthy ways. James has wisdom for us.
What do you do when someone hurts you and they seem to be getting away with it? That's the question these first-Century Christians are wondering because they were being taken advantage of. James has something to say.
What does the future hold? That's a question that excites some and worries others. And at times, it does both to the same person at the same time. How, though, should we approach the future? What kind of planning should we do? Let's talk Life Planning 101.
Student Pastor Taylor Thompson continues in our series on the book of James by helping close the gap of conflict we have between each other and treat each other with love and kindness.
Worship/Connections Pastor, Mike Jefferson gets to the source of where true wisdom comes from.
Is it possible to believe in God and still be unsaved? James says, yes. Why? Because there is a faith that you can have that is dead and useless. To say it simply, it's fake faith. The question is, is your faith alive?
What happens when our worship of God doesn't change anything about us? That's called, nasty religion. James, though, shows us a different way to live. A way to live that is truly in line with what God would want for us.
Have you ever received an email or a phone call from a scammer who wanted to steal your identity? If so, hopefully you didn't fall for it. But did you know that there is an easy way to scam yourself? There is and here's the complete guide on how to do it. Disclaimer: we don't recommend you do this.
What should you do when you're in the thick of trials and difficulties? James gives us this powerful, yet simple insight to help us for when we are confronted with trying times.
Sometimes life comes at you fast. Sometimes it straight hurts. But something is happening in us when we go through trials. So when you suffer, don't forget this powerful truth that James gives us to hold onto.
As we anticipate the day when all wrongs will be made right and everything is made new (including us), how should we live today?
Instead of residing in Heaven for eternity, the New Heaven is coming down to the New Earth. It's a place that is familiar to what we know here, but it will be infinitely better. If you've ever wanted to know what is in store for eternity as a Christian, don't miss this message.
What is Heaven like right now? In this message, join Taylor Thompson as he walks us through what Heaven is like right now and how to experience Heaven... now.
Some people (maybe jokingly) think Hell is a fun place to be. A party, even. No rules. No commitments. If Sin City is awesome in this life, Hell will be even better for eternity. But is that true?
There are a lot of theories about the after-life. But so many of them are wrong. In this message, we look at 5 misconceptions people often have about Heaven.
Is life after death a legitimate thing to expect or is it merely wishful thinking—merely a way for the weak-minded to sleep at night? Life after death is a nice idea, but on what basis can we even expect it? Because as long as death exists, we can’t have hope for life after it.
Following Jesus means forgiving others as He has forgiven us. When we show grace to others, He will show grace to us.
God wants us to thrive in every area of life, but if we don't get this right, nothing else matters.
Esther shows us what courage looks like and how to make an impact in the place God has placed us.
Ruth's whole world seemed to be crashing down. And that's when she made the unlikely choice to go with her mother-in-law to a different nation and begin worshiping their God. Through her story, we see what real love is like.
Rahab was a very unlikely person to be used by God. She had a very sinful past. But she shows us a powerful lesson.
What is God calling us to in the future here at First Church of Christ? We are excited to share the vision we believe God is calling us to over the next few years at FCC.
Sadness isn't the most exciting thing to talk about, but we all deal with it. So how can we engage our sadness in a healthy way? Let's talk about it.
All of us get angry at times. But what should we do with it and how can we engage our anger in a way that is Christ-like? That's what we dig into in this week's message.
Over the last twelve months and certainly at other points in our lives, there have been times when we have felt flooded with anxiety. A lot of us have felt that. But what should we do with that anxiety? How can we find relief? That's what we dig into this week.
Where is God when I hurt? That's a question we've all asked from time to time. But what's the answer?
This is the truth that Christmas so loudly and boldly declares: You are loved. And not just generally. You are loved specifically. God meets you right where you are, dealing with what you are dealing with, and He mends you.
This time of year is known as "the most wonderful time of year," but we, oftentimes, lack peace during Christmas time. But peace is possible and in this message, you'll learn how to find peace no matter the season or the circumstances you face.
Many of us need some new or renewed hope in our lives. If that's you, then this message is for you because in it, you'll learn how to experience hope.
Faith. It's a word that you hear in church circles quite a bit. But what does it mean? In this sermon, we will see how Jesus shows us to how to cultivate a living faith.
If the money you manage could talk, what would it say? That's an important question. At least it was to Jesus. In this message, we're going to look at biblical ways to be intentional and faithful with our finances.
At times, we're tempted to build barriers that get in the way of receiving the blessing God wants to give us. That was certainly the case for a man who asked Jesus a question about eternal life. It turned out, he chose the barrier instead of the blessing. Here's how we can choose the better path.
Jesus told a story that should disrupt all of us. All of us deal with pride, but we must let Jesus deal with our pride.
Ever had a problem that, if you were honest, had you? Find out what happens when Jesus disrupts our problems.
Ever had a problem that, if you were honest, had you? Find out what happens when Jesus disrupts our problems.
Pastor Brandon explores one of our CORE values at First Church of Christ. We Are: For Wells. What does it mean to be all in for the kingdom in our spheres of influence as we share the love of Christ to those around us?
None of us want a household that ISN'T built to last. But in order to have a household that IS built to last, it takes intentionality and it requires us to integrate our faith in our home. Let's see what that looks like.
What is your calling? This is something that we tend to overcomplicate, but it's actually quite simple. In this message, we consider what God has called us to and how to take a first-step toward obeying Him in it.
Sometimes it can feel like isolation is easier. After all, sometimes people are stressful and difficult. Life without others might be easier at times, but it's never better. We are better together. So let's learn how to be better together, better.
We are Christ-centered. He is our life. He is our motive. He is our goal. He is our hope.
In the final verse of the Lord's Prayer, Jesus invites us to ask God for deliverance. Make no mistake, we are in a battle. Our enemy? Satan and his demons. Satan wants us to believe that there is no way out of temptation and that he has power over us. And while Satan has many schemes to try and get us off track, we know that God has given us armor for the fight and that He will ultimately deliver us from him and this evil age.
Jesus invites us to pray about the big things of life (who God is, honoring Him, desiring His kingdom and His will to come and be done) as well as the basics of life. In a society that puts a high value on self-sufficiency and self-reliance, Jesus confronts us with a truth that, if received, will free us from worry and increase our trust in Him.
The Lord's Prayer is a dangerous prayer to pray because it opens us up completely to what God would want our lives to become. It's dangerous but in an amazingly good way. So let's see what it means to pray for God's kingdom to come, His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.
When Jesus taught the disciples how to pray, He invited them to pray to God as their Father and THAT was not only a game-changer for them, it's a game-changer for us.
Jesus didn't come to merely make some people religious, He came to start a revolution. In this message, Brandon Kelley shows us, from the Beatitudes, what it looks like to be a part of God's revolution. In the midst of our current crisis, this is what we need.
Jesus was the ultimate disruptor. As His followers, we should be disruptors too (in a good way).
Have you ever dealt with rejection? Odds are, you have. But Jesus shows us the way forward out of rejection and toward hope.
What does the book of Revelation mean? What is it all about? Does it have any relevance for today? In this message, we power-walk through the book of Revelation.
Everywhere we look, evil is present. But if God is good, why does He allow evil to exist and bad things to happen?
How good is good enough? That's a question many of us wonder when it comes to heaven. That's the question we begin this series with.
Pastor Brandon Kelley brings us the message for the fourth and final week of our series: The Greatest Playlist Ever. This is our first week gathering back in-person LIVE at our studio here at WFCC 90.9FM. The radio station is 100% fake, but the content is 100% real!!!
Psalm 46 is full of hope and it points us to an amazing river in an amazing city that Christ-followers will, one day, inhabit.
There's a lot going on in our world right now that can shake us. But life with the unshakeable God makes us unshakably joyful. What does that look like? That's what Psalm 16 is all about.
In difficult times, where do you turn? Throughout the centuries, the book of Psalms has put language to our experiences. In Psalm 13, we are able to see what it looks like to be real with God and to trust God through difficult times.
He and his friends were the wrong people politically and the wrong people morally. But that didn't stop Jesus from pursuing them. They were messy, but Jesus invited them to follow him anyway.
Josiah lived an unlikely story. He became king at the age of 8. His father worshiped idols. But God used Josiah. And He can use you too.
Gideon is a man God used in extraordinary ways in spite of his timidity. In fact, God brought him face to face with his timidity so that his dependency on God would rise.
God promised this married couple quite a lot. But they got impatient and began manipulating their circumstances. Even through their messiness, though, God still used them.
Today, we're going to meet a guy who had the odds stacked against him from day one. His parents were messy. His name is messy. And in spite of his mess, he trusted God.
Jesus knows everything about us and yet He still came down to rescue us. Jesus pursues the messy, the broken, the sinner--you and me. That is good news for all people.
We often wonder what the future holds but right now, that is on our minds maybe more than ever. So let's talk about it.
All through the book of Malachi, God has been giving His people opportunities to return to Him. Like the Israelites, He wants all of us to respond to Him.
We have an amazing opportunity to flex our faith, church. Now is the time. Flex your faith.
Judgment and hope. That's what God offered the Israelites and, surprisingly, both of these words should encourage us as we anticipate the day Jesus returns to make all things new.
Want to have a home sweet home? In this week's passage from Malachi, God shows husbands what their responsibility is. God's message for these Israelites is just as relevant to us today. Husbands, this one's for you. But it's also important for single ladies (to know what to look for) and single guys (to know who God wants them to be) who want to be married someday.
God rebuked Israel's priests because He loved them and wanted what was best for them. Today, the church is God's royal priesthood so let's see what God's message through Malachi had to say to the Israelites then and to us today.
All of us are bringing something to God and WHAT we bring is an indication of whether our heart is for Him or not. How is God's word to Israel in the 5th Century BC relevant to us in Bluffton in the 21st Century AD? Find out.
God loves you. In the first week of the Malachi series, Kevin encouraged us to rest in the fact that God loves us.
Throughout the Rhythm or Blues series, we've looked at different things we can incorporate into our lives. In this message, we put it all together so that the song our lives produce is one that pleases God.
For many of us, life is moving too quickly. We don't have any space to breathe and our lives are full-steam ahead without any sight of pumping the brakes. But we need to slow down. We need a better cadence.
If you want to live the life God is calling you to live then you can't miss having this three-part harmony in the song your life is producing.
If your life were a song, what would be the chorus? In other words, what do you always go back to? We're going to look at the most powerful chorus we can have.
Worship is more than the songs we sing when we gather together. Worship is the song our lives produce each and every moment of the day. In this message, we look at the first rhythm of life we must adopt so that we don't live with the blues.
Before we can live in rhythm, we have to turn down the noise in our lives. If you feel like the noise of life--exhaustion, distraction, endless notifications, and busyness--is too loud, there's a way to turn it all down. That's where we begin in week one of Rhythm or Blues.
As we close out 2019, we took time to celebrate what God has done over the last year, share stories of how He has worked in us and among us, and to look ahead to 2020.
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, love had come down. That is why we celebrate Christmas. We are loved by the God who saves!
All of us, no matter what our story is, have dealt with the inevitable reality that no gift wrapped under a tree has ever solved the dissatisfaction we experience in our lives. But thankfully, One has come who can satisfy all our deepest longings and desires.
All of us, at certain times and because of different reasons, wrestle with doubt. It could be because we doubt God's existence, His presence, His grace, or what He has called us to. But instead of getting stuck in doubt, we can lean into the doubt and grow deeper in our faith.
What happens when we work hard to get rid of the chaos of our lives and we still feel like something's not right? December (and life in general) can be quite discouraging. But what if we could experience joy instead of discouragement? It's possible!
December seems to feel chaotic for so many of us. Work continues, shopping increases, paying for said shopping happens, family gatherings occur, and full schedules are had. But in the midst of the chaos of the season, what if we could experience peace instead of chaos? It's possible!
Parenting is hard, humbling, and sometimes it's easy to feel discouraged and defeated. But God wants us to thrive as parents. Here's how...
As we get older, making new friends and deepening existing friendships can be difficult. To say it simply, many of us feel like we're in survival mode when it comes to our friendships. But God wants us to thrive.
Married people, what would it look like for you to thrive with your spouse? Marriage isn't easy. It was never meant to be. But while it isn't easy, it is so worth it! In this message, we look at what God's word tells us about THRIVING in marriage.
The most difficult relationship you will ever be in is your relationship with you. So what if you could thrive with...yourself? God's word shows us the way.
God has a specific design for leadership in the church. We examine what that looks like and realize that church leaders are to lead like Jesus because when church leaders lead like Jesus, the church flourishes.
We've spent time discussing the importance of our spiritual gifts. This week Student Pastor Kevin Mechling discusses how to begin using them in service to the Kingdom and God's Unstoppable Church.
One of the most powerful images of the church that is found in Scripture is the body of Christ. Each one of us has a part to play.
We are called to love well which means we are restorers and burden bearers. What does love require of me? That's the question we must ask ourselves every day.
We are God's family. We live within the presence of God and we must live in proximity to one another. That is what love requires. Let's step into God's provoking love.
In Philippians, it tells us we should shine like stars in the Universe. We are to shine God's light into the darkness.
Joe Heins is the executive director of Woodburn Christian Children's Home http://www.wcchonline.org/
Sometimes life in the family of God isn't the easiest. Because, well, people... So what does it look like to live in the family of God? Find out in this message.
Have you ever seen something ugly within yourself? Here's the thing: God knows all about what hinders you. He sees you and loves you. And He sent His Son to redeem you. But He didn't stop there. Because not only do you need redemption, you also need something else. And that something else is what we talk about today.
What makes Jesus mad? Have you ever thought about that? When he got mad, he started turning over tables in the temple. As people who have received the promise of the new covenant, we are now the temple of God. If Jesus entered his temple today, what tables would he turn over?
From the beginning of time, God has desired to dwell with his creation. We saw this in the garden, the Tabernacle, the Temple, the incarnation of Jesus, and now, the indwelling of the Spirit of God. We, the church, are the house of God and members of that household. And that theological truth leads us to be hospitable.
Jeff Dotterer, elder at First Church of Christ brings a message from the book of Habakkuk.
From the beginning of the church, we have had an instinct for being together in community. In Acts 2:42-47 we see what the church did when it was brand new. They had a rhythm to their lives - a rhythm of gathering and dispersing. And this is why we are launching community groups. To learn more and join a group, go to https://fccfamily.com/groups/
Oftentimes we feel like the way that society is headed is completely in the wrong direction. But if history is any indication, if what Jesus said is any indication, this isn't something that should surprise us. But as the church, we are called to be separate from the world. In it but not of it. This is not our home. We are strangers in a strange land called to proclaim the praises of Jesus.
When you think of the word, masterpiece, what do you think about? Maybe one of Beethoven's symphonies? Maybe the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci? What if we asked God that question? Hey, God, what do you think about when you think about the word, masterpiece? His answer is straight from Scripture and what He says may surprise you.
Guest speaker Phil Beavers brings us a challenging message from the story of Stephen in the book of Acts.
We are a people of hope guarded by God's power through faith. We hope together but we don't hope in each other. We have a living hope in Jesus. And because we are a people of hope, we can flourish in the face of anything this life throws at us.
At salvation not only are we clothed with Christ and given a robe of righteousness, but we are also given armor. This armor is for a real but invisible war that is raging. Scripture tells us to put on that armor and stand firm for the fight.
In week 5 of Unstoppable, we're discovering the law of the land in the Kingdom of God. This is how we are called to live: cross, righteousness, and love. Those three words should characterize our lives. Every. Single. Day.
In week 4 of the series, Unstoppable: The Church and Her Mission, we look at how God has rescued us and how we can live out the redeemed life here on earth as God's kingdom people.
In week 3 of the series, Unstoppable: The Church and Her Mission, we look at the mission we have as God's kingdom. If you feel like something has been missing in your walk with Christ, this is likely it. As God's Kingdom, we must rise up and engage in the mission our King gave us.
In week 2 of the series, Unstoppable: The Church and Her Mission, we are going to consider the connection between the Kingdom of God and the church and what that means for life today.
In week 1 of the series, Unstoppable: The Church and Her Mission, we look at those two words that seem to not go together "unstoppable" and "church" and what Jesus said about His church.
In the fourth and final week of "Life's Big Questions," we are asking the question, where am I headed after this life?
Life is full of questions. But in this series, we're tackling the biggest ones. How should I live? Find out the answer.
In week one of "Life's Big Questions," we are asking the question, where did I come from?
When it all comes down to it, the Christian faith is founded on a completely falsifiable claim. If the resurrection never happened, our faith is worthless. But if it did happen, it changes everything!
In Philippians 4:10-23, Paul wraps up his letter to the church in Philippi and he wants them to understand how to be content in whatever circumstances they find themselves in.
We all tend to worry about things. But what ought we do with those worries? In Philippians 4:2-9, we see what it means to take our worries and hand them over to the God of peace.
What is more important? Competency or character? What does success look like? In this message, we see how Paul articulates success in the kingdom of God through two real-life people who he used as sermon illustrations.
Paul calls the Philippian church stars in the night. But what comes first, what allows them to shine is the difficult work of joining God in the work He is doing in them. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. That was Paul's command to us. Let's find out what that means.
In Philippians 1:27-30, Paul talks about an uncomfortable topic. That topic? Suffering. But he shows us what it takes for us to endure and to move forward in the midst of it.
What does a "good life" look like? What matters most in this life? In Philippians 1:21-26, we see a clear picture of what a "good life" really looks like.
What's your greatest desire in life? Paul had an eager expectation for something very specific. If we want to live into the life God is calling us to, we'll adopt that same expectation, that same desire.
In Philippians 1:1-11 Paul begins his letter to the church in Philippi. This was a church that he, by the power of God, began in Acts 16. He adored them and wanted to encourage them. Even while he himself was in chains.