Spencerville Church: Recent Episodes
Spencerville Church
Spencerville Church is a community of people committed to sharing the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ, equipping our members for ministry, nurturing relationships with Him, and offering compassionate care to those in need.
Our minds are our greatest tool, yet they can be our greatest weakness if untrained and undisciplined. Are your thoughts “obedient to Christ,” as the Apostle Paul inquires in 2 Corinthians, chapter 10? Do you take time to “renew your mind” daily, as he suggests in Romans 12? This week, Pastor Chad returns to the pulpit for the first in a three-part series titled “Summer Health.” Listen in as Pastor Chad shares, “Capture Your Mind, and the Rest Will Follow.”
As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, we're inclined to focus on being thankful. And while it's great to be thankful this season, we should be thankful year-round. Is that even possible? How can we position ourselves for being thankful no matter the season we're in? Listen in as Pastor Crystal E. Ward shares a message titled, "In Everything, Give Thanks."
This week we emphasize the integrated mission of our church and hospital network as we celebrate what God is doing through Adventist HealthCare. Terry Forde, President and CEO of the Adventist HealthCare network, shares our message titled “The Moment of Truth.”
It's Halloween week. It's likely that you've noticed an increase in images of ghouls and ghosts, even from cute little neighbor children who knock on our doors asking for candy dressed in Halloween attire. These things can make spiritual warfare seem playfully imaginary. However, as Christians, the Bible tells us that spiritual warfare is very real. Listen in as Pastor Matthew shares a message titled “Battling Our Demons.”
As followers of Jesus, we are called to be a witness and make disciples. Join us for the final sermon in our series titled “Words Matter,” as Pastor Crystal E. Ward shares why the power of our witness is not based on the eloquence of our speech or our theological prowess but solely on the power of the Spirit.
God speaks to us through many avenues, including nature, prayer, relationships, experiences (both good and bad), dreams, and convictions. However, of all the ways God speaks to us, it is the pages of Holy Scripture that provide a revelation of Jesus. This week, Pastor Chad shares the third message in his "Words Matter" series, titled "The Words that Matter Most."
Each of us is just a breath away from our words being life-building (from God) or life-destroying (from Satan). So what determines which words come out of our mouths (Proverbs 18:21)? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares the second message in the Words Matter series titled "Speak on These Things."
The words we choose (along with where and when we use them) frame our understanding of the Gospel. Jesus never left sin unaddressed but always spoke to the person with love and compassion. As we begin a new four-part sermon series titled "Words Matter," we'll start by looking at the example set by Jesus in the New Testament book of John, chapter 8. We invite you to join us as Pastor Chad Stuart delivers the first message in this series, "Write in the Sand, Don't Drag Through the Mud."
This week, we'll ponder how individuals like Steve Jobs, who dropped out of college, and Henry Ford, who possessed only a few years of education, achieved much more than the educated elite of their day? Is knowledge really power? Or is knowledge simply power that is acted upon? We invite you to join us in worship as we explore how the Bible clearly answers these questions (along with so many more). In this two-part sermon series, Pastor Chad Stuart encourages us to push against cultural trends by going back to the Bible, which is most definitely the book for us.
The Bible is the most owned, yet least read, book in history. According to the American Bible Society, the average home in the United States has 4.4 Bibles, yet only 19% of Americans engage in scripture reading outside of the church setting. If this is the reality of our lives, can we sing with honesty, “The B.I.B.L.E.—Yes, that's the book for me?” In this two-part sermon series, Pastor Chad Stuart encourages us to push against cultural trends by going back to the Bible, which is most definitely the book for us.
Jesus utilized the most unlikely strategy to establish his kingdom on earth. Instead of recruiting society's most powerful or privileged as the leaders of his Church, Jesus called average men to serve as equals within what was essentially a small group.
As we read through scripture, we're faced with the reality that we only have two options as humans—to let Jesus gather us into His arms, or to resist His gathering and be destroyed for eternity (as a result of our own choice). While that may seem harsh, consider God's heart, his pure motives of love, and know that He will literally do (and has done) everything He can to gather us to an eternity with Him.
What you see is not always what you get, right? Most of us know this. However, humanity is great at self-deception. Even what we see of ourselves is not always who we are. However, there is One who sees us and knows us intimately. What would happen if we invited God to search us? Will He be scared away by what He sees? No! But submitting ourselves to be searched may help to grow us more than anything else.
Last week, we looked at a story from Matthew 23, and gave examples of how a disoriented view of the gospel has a significant impact on how we witness. This week, we'll examine how a disoriented view of the gospel can impact the truths (doctrines) we do (and sometimes don't) live by.
How does it feel to have the door slammed in your face, both literally and metaphorically? Not good! How does it feel to be promised the imitation is as good as the real thing, only to discover it isn't? Again, not good! This is the story of Matthew 23:13-15. We invite you into worship as we attempt to understand the impact of Jesus' words on our day-to-day interactions.
This week, Pastor Chad begins a new five-part series that grew out of his visits to Spencerville Adventist Academy. He asked the students questions about their faith—what they wanted and needed to be addressed from the Spencerville pulpit. One word kept rising to the surface: hypocrisy. Oft misused, many people think hypocrisy is only a challenge for those who are ultra-conservative or legalistic. However, we are all in danger of living as hypocrites. In the first sermon of this series, Pastor Chad cites Jesus' words from Matthew 23:1-12 to contrast a religion of the heart against a heartless religion. Why is it imperative to know the difference? One leads to hypocrisy, and the other protects us from hypocrisy.
The love we have for each other—even with the best of intentions—fails to match the unrivaled love of Jesus. Sometimes, we wrongly equate our love for each other with God’s love for us. However, the Bible presents a more compelling picture of God’s love, a love that is larger, unrivaled, and incomparable. We invite you to listen this week, as Pastor Matthew Piersanti shares why choosing to accept and abide in God's boundless love will change your life, even when you feel like you're at your worst.
God has an interesting way of teaching us powerful lessons. Sometimes they come from the unlikeliest of circumstances and from the unlikeliest of people. In this message, Pastor Crystal E. Ward explores Luke 23:39-43 to look at a powerful takeaway from the thief on the cross. Listen in and you may never see the infamous thief the same way again. Pastor Crystal E. Ward presents our message titled "The Power of Prayer."
At the cross, Jesus faced ridicule and rejection from those He came to save. What was it that prevented them from understanding and accepting Him? After all, Jesus himself was the most beautiful manifestation of the grace of God! Ironically, that which prevented others from accepting Jesus almost 2000 years ago is also what prevents many from accepting Him today. We invite you to listen as Pastor Matthew Piersanti shares a message on the importance of understanding and accepting the grace of God for ourselves.
What would you be willing to give up to follow Jesus? Is it worth it? In Luke 14:25-33, Jesus says if any person comes to me and hates not his father or mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters and even their own life, they are not worthy to be my disciple. We invite you to join us this Sabbath as Pastor Crystal E. Ward shares why discipleship with Jesus is the best decision you could ever make.
A sign on the side of the road reads, "Believe in God and be Saved." Could this statement be true, yet incomplete? The New Testament book of James (2:19) tells us even the demons believe in God—and tremble! So there must be more than just belief for the Christian. This Sabbath, Pastor Chad Stuart shares why belief in God falls short as a measuring stick for the church, and what we as Christians should be cultivating in our families and church community instead.
As we contemplate what God has given us (everything) we must consider the concept of grace. What is grace? It's been described as "unmerited favor." Something that prefigures a love so good, so pure, that there's nothing we can do to earn it. It's given freely. It's the best possible news, and this week, Pastor Matthew Piersanti tells us why.
What would you be willing to give up to follow Jesus? Is it worth it? In Luke 14:25-33, Jesus says if any person comes to me and hates not his father or mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters and even their own life, they are not worthy to be my disciple. We invite you to join us this Sabbath as Pastor Crystal E. Ward shares why discipleship with Jesus is the best decision you could ever make.
Some of us have been blessed with great Dads and, unfortunately, some with Dads who aren't so great. No matter which category we find ourselves in, we're all in need of adoption by a perfect Father. Let's celebrate our good good Father and the eternal freedom from sin that His love affords! Worship along with us as Pastor Chad shares a message titled "A Perfect Father."
The pursuit of happiness is often tied with the pursuit of riches and power in modern culture. Yet, the Bible presents a different message entirely regarding happiness which is uniquely tied to the mission of Jesus. Listen as Pastor Matthew Piersanti uncovers how happiness is best pursued from the perspective of Jesus.
School's out and summer is here! We're pleased to welcome back Pastor Kandace Zollman to the pulpit as she shares a message titled, "Common Sense, or God Sense?" Over the next few weeks, many from our pastoral team will be traveling to church meetings and taking some much-needed vacation time. We solicit your prayers and ask that you will also pray that Pastor Kandace's message will reach those God needs it to reach. We're grateful that you've chosen to spend your worship time with us and pray that God blesses you today, this weekend, and in the week ahead!
When we hear a "bad take" on the internet, or see someone blow up an opposing political position, our tendency is to want to add fuel to the file—to pile on. But is this the right move even if the person is in the wrong? In a message from the short Old Testament book of Obadiah, Pastor Chad Stuart shares why it's not only beneficial, but Godly to hold our tongues.
Have you wondered how the Gospels were written with such care that they can speak broadly to many different people groups over many centuries? And yet, they also seem to address specific sub-groups to show them they're divinely seen? One Gospel book especially demonstrates Jesus's value of women, which is what we'll be looking at this week. Listen in as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a special message on that will be especially relevant for women and mothers, but hang with us, guys, it will be relevant to you as well!
If there's a single word that's become a mainstay in communication since the onset of the pandemic, it's the word "unprecedented." You don't have to look far to find many "unprecedented" problems in the world; issues of famine, war, environmental disasters, and yes, pandemics. But are these events really without precedent? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a stand-alone message titled "Is it Really Unprecedented?
There are times, as followers of Christ, when we may experience an emptiness or a lack of purpose in our lives. In this week’s message, Pastor Matthew Piersanti looks at the creation story in Genesis 1. Can the creation narrative help us as we search for deeper meaning as disciples of Jesus?
In our sinful, less-than-perfect world, every person lives under a curse. We’re all trying, in a variety of ways, to overcome the effects of this curse—unsuccessfully—on our own. Jesus’ journey down the Emmaus road on resurrection day provides the answer to overcoming the curse. What is it? Listen as Pastor Chad shares the final message in our four-part series on the Road to Easter.
Jesus told His followers to take up their cross and follow Him. This week Pastor Chad reminds us that when we bend down to pick up our cross, to make sure we don’t pick up the wrong one. Listen to the message from April 9, 2022, as Pastor Chad continues his series on the Road to Easter with a message titled, "Via Dolorosa."
As Jesus walked the road to Jerusalem He sees the sin of the people He loves and the conscious choice that they're making to reject Him. Though He has every right to be angry, there is only love in His heartbreak as He weeps for the people of the city. The evidence with which we're presented is much the same as that of the people of Jerusalem. We've been offered the same choice. Will we choose correctly? What future will we move toward?
In the person of Jesus, we find an exemplary life leading to the sacrifice that made a way for our eternal salvation. Amazingly, He did both with the humility of a servant while holding the power of a King. There is no better example because the humble heart of Jesus IS the Gospel.
After constantly adjusting for several years due to the pandemic (as well as many other factors), many of us are running on empty. What has you feeling empty? Is it work? Family life? Personal factors? What will it take to get us recharged? Where can you find a sure source of power to draw from? Pastor Kandace Zollman will share a critically important message for those of us who find ourselves feeling a little flat.
Join Pastor Matthew Piersanti as he takes a closer look at the older brother in the story of the prodigal son this Sabbath. Last week, Pastor Chad began this two-part series with a look at the younger brother, the so-called "prodigal," from a different and surprising point of view. This week, Pastor Matthew will follow up with a message looking at the older brother from Luke 15:25-33.
Prodigals aren’t who you think they are. So who are they? Join Pastors Chad Stuart and Matthew Piersanti as they take a closer look at the two brothers in the story of the prodigal son over the next two Sabbaths. This week, Pastor Chad begins with a look at the younger brother, the so-called "prodigal," from a different and surprising point of view.
It's tempting to think that the topic of stewardship is only about money. However, as we've seen over the past few weeks, the concept of stewardship applies to almost every aspect of our lives. We've examined the stewardship of time, the stewardship of talent, and this week, we'll close our three-part series with a message on the stewardship of financial resources. God's call to give isn’t always immediate. Sometimes He begins by calling us to prepare our hearts, then wait.
When the Bible speaks of talents, it's referring to anything in your life that can be used to share Jesus and His Gospel message. What are your talents? How are you using them? How would you like to use them? This week, Pastor Chad will remind us that sharing Jesus is less about the how and more about our willingness to share. Make sure to stay to the end to hear a powerful story and a challenge from a special guest!
There are few phrases heard more often in casual conversation than "I don't have time!" But is it really true? After all, each of us receives 24 hours each day—and 168 hours a week should be more than enough if we know how to make good use of it. Do we? In this three-part series titled "Good Steward," Pastor Chad will look at the ways that Christians should use their resources to bring honor to God, and in service to those around us.
What if a sentence written 2000 years ago was guaranteed to positively impact the relationships within our community? Would you read and apply it to your life? What if it served as a lens through which we could view the stories of the people we sit next to you in church, as well as the unseen faces of our virtual church community. Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message titled "Burden Bearers and Their Stories."
In Luke 8:44-47, a woman touches Jesus' garment, causing Him to stop. The woman doesn't go unnoticed by Jesus, in a place where he's pressed by people on every side. What can we, as the people of God, learn from this story? Is there something we can do today to make sure that people aren't going unnoticed in our midst? Pastor Chad returns to the pulpit this week with a message titled, "No One Goes Unnoticed."
As we continue our look at the topic of discipleship, we'll examine a common practice that prevents us from following Jesus as true disciples. What is this practice, and how can it be a hindrance to others, stopping them from joining a community of faith? Listen as Pastor Matthew Piersanti leads our study from James 2 in a message titled "Faith Without Favoritism."
Throughout 2022, we’ll be looking at what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. Rather than an in-depth study of a particular book of the Bible as we’ve done in previous years, our sermons this year will be divided into multiple series, with multiple themes—but which all come back to the topic of discipleship and what it means in the twenty-first century. This week, we invite you to listen in as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message titled “Not Christians. Disciples.”
As we reflect on last year and look forward to the next, Pastor Matthew Piersanti examines a new source of hope available to each of us. Despite the difficulties we've faced or will face, we can have hope and assurance which cannot be taken. Where can we find this hope? How can we have such assurance?
What is the correct way to worship? There are obviously many styles and forms of worship, so is it possible to say that there's a single “right” way? Perhaps a better question would be: what is the evidence we’ve worshiped? How can we know conclusively that we’ve experienced the presence of God in our hearts, and not simply filled a pew during a church service? We invite you to listen to this powerful Christmas day message titled, “The Evidence of Our Worship.”
What does it mean to seek God with all of your heart? (Deuteronomy 4:29) Not simply to acknowledge His existence, but to earnestly seek Him? The journey of the wise men in the Biblical narrative of Jesus' birth gives us several clues on how we can best seek God. In this third message of our four-part Advent series, Costin Jordache examines the concept of "seeking" in his message titled, "Our Common Quest."
This December, we're examining aspects of the phases of Advent; waiting, watching, seeking, and worshiping. This week, Pastor Kandace Zollman shares why simply waiting for Jesus’ return isn't enough, and what each of us should do instead.
As we begin the month of December, we're pleased to welcome Daniela Cruz to the pulpit. Daniela is a Spencerville Adventist Academy high-school student and a leader in our Spencerville Church Youth ministry. Daniela will share our message in the first of four weeks as we examine aspects of the phases of Advent; waiting, watching, seeking, and worshiping. We're always grateful to have our young people involved with the worship service!
The Thanksgiving holiday has passed, but unlike the delicious food we partake of during the holidays, there's always room for more Thanksgiving in our lives. A daily attitude of gratitude lived out all year tells the people around us whether Jesus is the Lord of our lives as much or more than our words. So how can we bring honor and glory to the One who has done so much for us? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart for a message titled "Thankful Obedience."
November 13 is Adventist HealthCare Sabbath at Spencerville Church. We greatly value the partnership between Adventist HealthCare, Spencerville Church, and Spencerville Adventist Academy. Listen and be blessed by a sermon from Adventist HealthCare CEO and network president, Terry Forde.
Everyone has a reason to be thankful. For many, however, the idea of gratitude and thankfulness is clouded by the pain and trauma they've experienced. Yet the Bible assures us that God is actively working for the good of every person all the time. Listen along and worship with us for our Thanksgiving service as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message titled, "A Leper's Thanks."
None of us are perfect, yet we are made in the image of God—who is nothing less than perfect. The way we perceive ourselves has a direct impact on how we perceive and glorify God. How can we ensure that what we're seeing is accurate? We invite you to listen as Pastor Matthew Piersanti shares the second message from his two-part series titled "Glorifying God."
As Christians, we glorify God with our right beliefs and right behavior. However, we sometimes overlook an important area that has significant potential to damage our Christian witness. Join us as we discover how to avoid this area while bringing glory to God. Listen as Pastor Matthew Piersanti shares the first of a two-part sermon series titled "Glorifying God."
The book of Acts ends somewhat abruptly. Unlike a television drama or a short story, the author doesn't tie up the narrative with a neat bow. Why is this? What does this tell us about the church's mission then and now? We invite you to watch as Pastor Chad Stuart shares the final message from our 10-month series in the New Testament book of Acts. He'll close the series with a message titled, "The Mission Continues."
Is the world getting worse? Has it ever been this bad? Unfortunately, those are the wrong questions. Instead of seeking to measure how bad the world may be, we need to do what the Apostle Paul did. What was it? How should we react when we come face-to-face with the storms of this life? Should we focus on the storm itself, or is there something higher? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares the penultimate message in our series from the New Testament book of Acts titled "Through the Storm."
Every interaction we have with others says something about who we are, what we believe, and the God we serve. We're called to desire good for all whom we interact with—the highest form of "good" being a person's relationship with Jesus. Are we saying this with our words? Are we doing this with our actions? Listen in as Pastor Chad Stuart continues our series from the Book of Acts with a message titled “Every Interaction.”
Have you ever gone along with an idea that you knew was incorrect, simply because you didn't want to make waves? Most of us have probably done this at some point in our lives. In Acts 22, we see the Apostle Paul making a conciliatory gesture for this same reason—he didn't want to make waves and unfortunately, there were consequences. Are there areas in our lives where we don't speak up or speak out, simply to avoid the awkward moment that follows? What can we learn from Paul as he navigates the tricky cultural waters of his day? Listen as Pastor Chad shares the latest from our series in the book of Acts, "Don't Go Along to Get Along."
The apostle Paul, the writer of much of the Bible’s New Testament, was never one to shy away from his calling. In Acts 20:17-37, Paul lays out the ideal qualifications and characteristics for a church leader. He did so while declaring to the believers in Ephesus that God was guiding his ministry and they would never see him in person again. Paul placed the Gospel message as his highest priority—more so than his own comfort or even his own life. Do we model this same level of commitment to sharing, testifying, serving, and praying in Jesus’ name? Are we allowing God to lead and guide our ministry—both personally and corporately? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart delivers a message from our series on the Book of Acts titled “A Model for Church Elders.”
The apostle Paul, the writer of much of the Bible’s New Testament, was never one to shy away from his calling. In Acts 20:17-37, Paul lays out the ideal qualifications and characteristics for a church leader. He did so while declaring to the believers in Ephesus that God was guiding his ministry and they would never see him in person again. Paul placed the Gospel message as his highest priority—more so than his own comfort or even his own life. Do we model this same level of commitment to sharing, testifying, serving, and praying in Jesus’ name? Are we allowing God to lead and guide our ministry—both personally and corporately? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares this timely message titled, "The Book of Acts: Model for Church Elders."
The story of the city clerk in Acts 19 demonstrates how power and influence can be used for good—to diffuse a tense situation. Every person has a circle of influence. What we do with this influence is up to us. How do we effectively use our influence for the benefit of others and to the glory of Jesus? Join Pastor Matthew Piersanti as he shares the latest in our sermon series from the book of Acts titled, "Influencer."
Jesus' final meal with the disciples in the upper room serves as a model for what we practice within the communion service. According to Jesus' own words, it is a service to remember. We're called to ponder His broken body and his innocent blood spilled—His sacrifice on the cross for our sake. We invite you to worship with us at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 11, as Pastor Chad shares a short message titled "This is my prayer for you..." as a homily to go with our communion service.
Jesus' final meal with the disciples in the upper room serves as a model for what we practice within the communion service. According to Jesus' own words, it is a service to remember. We're called to ponder His broken body and his innocent blood spilled—His sacrifice on the cross for our sake. Listen as Pastor Chad shares a short message titled "This is my prayer for you..." as part of our communion service.
Do you struggle with idolatry? Most of us would probably answer in the negative. While it's true that we may not have little statues made of silver or gold, each of us can still struggle with idols. How are some common, modern-day idols impacting our faith? Can we move to a place where they no longer have any control over our lives? Worship with us as Pastor Matthew Piersanti returns to the Spencerville pulpit this week with a message from our series taken from the New Testament book of Acts titled "Removing Our Idols."
When the Holy Spirit leads His church, it’s sometimes moved in directions that it didn't plan to go. In order for this to happen, we need an open posture and humble hearts. Are we laying our church (His people) at His feet each day and asking Him to lead? Do we trust that regardless of circumstances, His love will lead us to Salvation? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart continues our series from the book of Acts with a message titled, “The Limitless Gift of Salvation.”
As we’ve discussed in the previous messages from this series, the strength of our spiritual health depends on the personal growth that takes place in, you guessed it, circles, not rows. The sum of our experience with God and each other must be more than 90 minutes of worship on Saturday mornings. As humans, we simply don’t build relationships this way. What happens when we make a conscious effort to spend time in circles? Listen as Pastor Chad has three special guests join him to bring this message home in a very real way.
There's an element of human connection so foundational, it's virtually impossible to function without it. Jesus and the Apostle Paul reference it in the Biblical accounts—and it's essential to understanding the concept of unity. What is it? Listen and worship with us as Pastor Chad Stuart as he shares the second part of this three-part sermon series—a message titled, "Unity Grows in Circles, Not Rows."
In the second chapter of Philippians, Paul encourages the believers in Philippi to become united with each other by becoming united in Christ. Is this encouragement toward humility—putting others first—any less appropriate today? Can you think of any examples where we can set ourselves aside for the good of others? We invite you to listen as Pastor Chad begins a four-part series with a message titled "Humility Grows in Circles, Not Rows."
In chapter sixteen of the book of Acts, following his separation from Barnabas, the Apostle Paul continued preaching the Gospel message from town to town. When he called Timothy to join him in his travels, he did something that was pragmatic, consistent, but may have caused Timothy to pause. What did Paul do? How did his actions contribute to a more effective spread of the Gospel message? What can we learn from Paul that will make Jesus better known and better loved in our community? Listen in as Pastor Chad Stuart delivers the twenty-first message from our series from the New Testament book of Acts titled, "Pragmatic for the Gospel."
Despite what we see played out on social media and in the news, it is possible to disagree and still be reconciled to one another. Doing so requires grace and forgiveness—something unfortunately in short supply these days. As children of God, we're called to a higher standard than contributing to the mob mentality. Pastor Kandace Zollman returns to the Spencerville pulpit to share a message titled "Forgiveness. Easier Said Than Done."
We live in an age where it has never been easier to take up the mantle and speak out for a cause one believes in. As Christians, we sometimes feel that this is our calling! Unfortunately, many have opted to use their platform to "cancel" others or incite division. This phenomenon isn't new, and it isn't divinely ordained. In this sermon from our series from the book of Acts, Pastor Chad Stuart looks at Paul and Barnabas and their ministry to the people of Iconium in Acts 14:1-28. What was their reaction to the mob mentality of that day? How can we learn from their response to be better witnesses for Jesus today?
In Jonah 4, we find Jonah angry with God. However, he isn’t angry about what God has done but rather what He hasn’t. God has spared the Ninevites, showing them favor despite Jonah’s wishes to see them punished and destroyed. As God reveals why, we’ll see how Jonah’s view of God’s goodness is hampered by many of the same pitfalls we wrestle with, even today. We welcome back Dr. Bill Knott, editor of the Adventist Review, as he shares a message titled, “In the Shadow of God’s Goodness.”
According to our video analytics, most of our weekly viewers watch this service from the relative comfort of the United States, where religious freedom is still protected. However, for many other places globally, living as a Christian means accepting a remarkable amount of risk. At its core, Christianity is a calling to a life of risk. A willingness to embrace risk to live out and speak about Jesus and His countercultural Gospel message.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how risky does your life feel? Is God calling you to something greater, which involves stepping out in faith and accepting a higher degree of risk? Listen in as Pastor Matthew Piersanti shares a message in our series from the book of Acts titled “It’s Worth the Risk.”
In the ninth chapter of Acts, Luke details the conversion story of Paul from an ardent persecutor of Christians to a devout follower of Christ. What does Paul's conversion tell us about God's willingness to meet us where we are? We invite you to listen as Pastor Matthew Piersanti continues our series from the New Testament book of Acts titled, "In Transition..."
Just as the printed page, radio, and television were once the technological frontiers for the gospel message, we now have internet-based platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok as well. Is the use of these new evangelistic tools something that someone else will do? Or do each of us play an individual role in using these media to distribute and live out the gospel message? Join us as Pastor Chad Stuart shares the latest message in his series from the book of Acts titled "To the Ends of the Earth."
After a few weeks of stand-alone messages, we return to our sermon series from the New Testament book of Acts. We welcome Pastor Matthew Piersanti back to the Spencerville pulpit as he leads a study from chapter 8. In this message, we'll encounter a sorcerer who has dedicated his life to Christ while still struggling with a deep desire that is typical to us all. What is his struggle, and how can we overcome these same pitfalls in our own lives?
We invite you to join us in worship as we come together to celebrate the accomplishments of the graduating class of 2021 and how God has continued to lead and bless them. Pastor Andrea Jakobsons returned to the Spencerville pulpit on May 29 to lead our baccalaureate worship service at Spencerville Church with a message titled "Succeed With Him."
The dictionary defines holiness as "to be holy, or a state of sanctity." Unfortunately, more common definitions used in everyday language find the word or its root in phrases that are less than complimentary, like "holier than thou." Even little catch-word phrases like "holy moly" belie the true definition of the word. What is holiness, actually? Why is the call to holiness important in the life of the Christian? Join Pastor Kandace Zollman as she shares a stand-alone message this week titled "In Search of Holiness. Or Not."
Many Christians desire to travel to the Holy Land to walk in Jesus’ footsteps. However, we don’t have to travel thousands of miles to walk in the steps of Jesus. Matthew 25:34-40 gives us insight into how this can be done. "Whatever you did for the least of these…you did for Me.” Is there a change that takes place in us when we serve others in this way? What would a church community look like where serving others is a priority for every member? We invite you to worship with us as Pastor Chad Stuart delivers a stand-alone message titled, “Sanctified Through the Least of These.”
The process of recognizing and honoring the women in our midst follows an example set for us in Scripture. God-honoring women have a long legacy of influence in both the Old and New Testaments. It’s appropriate to pause and reflect on this during our worship service. We should not only do this on Mother’s Day but make it our practice to honor women all year long. Join us in worship as Pastor Chad Stuart honors the ladies of the past and present in a message titled "They Left a Legacy."
Would you be willing to suffer for others to hear about Jesus? The apostles consistently chose the mission of the Gospel above their own personal welfare—even being willing to die so that they would have an opportunity to share the good news. Philip, a deacon in the early church, set an example of what it means to “gossip the gospel.” As we continue our sermon series from the book of Acts, we invite you to listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message titled, "Gossiping the Gospel."
Change is inevitable when growing a family beyond the parents. Family life can become even more complicated when you move to a situation where the kids outnumber the parents. It's the same with churches. When the size of the family grows, the challenges grow as well. We must learn to change—we must adjust. To be clear, this is not a phenomenon unique to Spencerville; we see it in the early Christian church. How did the apostles address this need for change? What did church leadership do that their culture didn't expect? Hint: it builds on last week’s message regarding distraction...
We invite you to listen in as Pastor Chad delivers the latest message from our series from the Book of Acts titled "Growth=Challenges=Change."
Life in the modern world is full of distractions—something that keeps us from accomplishing our mission—from accomplishing the primary task at hand. Noted Georgetown professor and author, Cal Newport, cites studies in his latest book that the average white-collar worker accomplishes only 1 hour and 15 minutes of undistracted work in a given day. Distraction is unfortunately no less prevalent in the church. However, distraction within the church is not new. Acts 5 depicts a bevy of forces, instigated by the devil, to stop the spread of the gospel by distracting Jesus' disciples. How did they respond? How were they able to stand against these distractions? The answer to these questions may surprise you. Listen in as we continue to explore and study the book of Acts through a message from Pastor Chad Stuart titled, "The Devil's Distractions."
The story of Ananias and Sephira in the book of Acts can seem out of place at first glance. After all, the story sees God using instantaneous divine judgment again Ananias and Sephira for their bold-faced deceptions toward God and the young Chrisitan church. Although this tragic incident involves money, there's more to it. It's also about authority and our willingness to give God all authority in our lives, holding nothing back. Are we prepared to give ourselves in full and complete surrender to God? If you've ever questioned the Biblical accounts of God's divine judgment and considered them to run counter to a God of love and grace, this is a message you won't want to miss. Listen and worship with us as Pastor Chad Stuart as he shares the next message in our series from the Book of Acts titled "Disrupting the Glorious Progress."
Most of us have heard the idiom about getting up on the right side of the bed. When we wake up positive and ready to face the day, we must have gotten up on the right side of the bed. It's based on an old Roman belief that is steeped in superstition. At this point, you might be asking, "What does this have to do with Easter?"
Easter is one of the two pivotal milestones for Christianity (the other being Christmas). One celebrates the birth of Christ, and the other, the resurrection that follows His death. As Christians, we talk a lot about Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross—how His death saves us. However, what is it saving us from, and just as importantly, what does it save us to? Could there be a blessing in the meaning found within Jesus' death? We invite you to worship with us as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a special Easter message titled “The Right Side of the Resurrection.”
We never expected that Spencerville Seventh-day Adventist Church would not be able to gather in person for over a year. Yet here we are—385 days since we last met in person. To be clear, worship has not stopped. In fact, it has continued to grow in exciting, new, and different ways. But the building has remained closed. We've been unable to gather corporately. In some ways, there is a similarity between our year-long exile and what we read about the Jewish experience scripture. No, ours wasn't as long, nor likely as troubled, but it still feels a bit like a return from exile nonetheless.
In scripture, God used exile to remind His people of their need for reform—of their need to turn back to Him. Similarly, we've had time over the past year to reflect on this same need.
We are in the early phases of regathering after an exile of sorts. Even though we rejoice as we return to the sanctuary, we recognize that our community is different from a year ago. There will be some who do not return by choice. Some cannot return because they’ve passed to their rest. There are aspects of our gathering that will be quite different when we return.
This week, Pastor Chad Stuart shares a stand-alone message titled "Hope for Exiles." We're glad that you're here to listen and worship with us.
If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we need each other. However, this concept is not new. Before His return to heaven, Jesus gave humanity two gifts—the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the gift of His church. In doing so, Jesus himself told us that our faith will die if we become detached from a community of faith. Over and over the Bible contrasts life in spiritual community with those who are not. How can we discipline ourselves to depend on God more fully? Why is doing so literally the most important calling for the Christian? We invite you to listen as Pastor Matthew Piersanti delivers the message from our series from the Book of Acts titled, "The Discipline of Dependence."
Are you boldly speaking the name of Jesus in your everyday life? Do you speak of him at work? At home? On the phone with friends? Do you consider Jesus to be the source of everything in your life? In a world that's increasingly less comfortable with speaking about matters of faith, the Bible calls us to do exactly that. However, there's a key to speaking boldly that makes all the difference. What is it? Join the Spencerville Church in worship as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message from our multi-part series from the Book of Acts—a message titled, "No Other Name."
Our needs are not invisible to Jesus. On the contrary, He sees ALL of our needs and responds in the way that is best for us. Unfortunately, our human hearts are less in tune with the needs of others. Because of sin, prejudice, and indifference, we often fail to respond to those for whom we could have an impact. How can we remove these blinders and align our hearts with God? How can we get past our indifference, learning to serve others with the same faithfulness that Jesus shows us? Listen in as Pastor Matthew Piersanti as he shares this week's message titled, "God Will Feed Your Need."
Why do we do good deeds for others? Is it possible to believe in social justice and still speak about salvation in the name of Jesus? Modern culture seems to paint a picture of social justice that asks us to do good for others while abstaining from any attempt to proselytize or "convert" them. However, when Jesus performed acts of service, it was about setting Himself aside for the sake of others, so that their lives would be improved, but also that he might also show them that he was their Savior. Are we called to do the same? If yes, how do we navigate acts of service that address an immediate human need while also addressing a person's eternal reality? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart leads our study from the book of Acts titled "True Disinterested Benevolence."
There’s something special about the first time you fall in love. No less special is being in love. One author termed the act of love “a passionate understanding of another person.” It takes the head and the heart together to really experience love the way God meant it to be experienced. There is an intimate connection between the human heart and the divine heart. We see this in scripture when the church is referred to as “the bride of Christ.” Husband and wife imagery is used many times in the Bible, consistently paralleling God’s love for his church—for us—with the marriage relationship. Listen as Pastor Kandace Zollman shares a message from our series in the book of Acts titled, “What Does Love Look Like?”
God wants each of us to understand His grace and experience conviction both emotionally and intellectually. If we only possess an understanding but lack a first-person encounter with the grace of God available through Jesus, we are incomplete. How do we move beyond simply understanding His grace to encountering His grace? How do we receive the faith tune-up that Jesus promises in Scripture? We invite you to worship with the Spenceville Church family as Pastor Chad Stuart shares the fifth message in his series from the New Testament book of Acts titled, "Your Mind, Your Heart, Your Love—His Grace."
The second chapter in the New Testament book of Acts holds a story of the disciples experiencing the Holy Spirit in a way that was bewildering to those looking on. They were speaking in different languages—languages that they likely wouldn't have known. Onlookers wanted to know how this was possible? But the disciples knew that with God, all things were possible. They asked a different question, "What does this mean?" What are the characteristics of those filled with the Holy Spirit? Are there ways that the Bible says we can know if someone has received an infilling of the Spirit? Listen in as Pastor Chad shares the fourth message in our series from the book of Acts titled, "What Does This Mean?"
The Book of Acts serves as the New Testament record of the early-Christian church being formed and sent out to the world. In the very first chapter, we find a few short sentences which, at a cursory glance, add little to the biblical narrative. Beyond containing the first mention of a nominating committee, these sentences contain two important models for those of us living in the twenty-first-century church. What are they? Join Pastor Chad as we look at Acts 1:14-26 in a message titled, "The Power of a Throwaway Story."
"Wanna race?” Most of us remember the thrill of a race as kids racing during recess, or perhaps it was that shot of adrenaline as we lined up on the track during P.E. class. Of course, once a race is decided upon, there are the obvious questions that follow: “Where are we racing to?”, “Where are we starting from?”, and finally, “How do we know when to go?” Ironically, these questions hold a lot of weight for the twenty-first-century church as well. But there's also something that happens after these questions and before the race—the waiting. Join Pastor Chad Stuart for the second message in his series from the Book of Acts as he shares a message titled "On Your Mark, Get Set..."
The book of Acts marks a pivotal time in the early church. Renowned theologian John Stott proclaimed, "Thank God for the book of Acts, for the New Testament would be greatly impoverished without it." As the Gospel message received "legs" and was sent out to the ends of the earth as commanded by Jesus in the Great Commission, new people groups were being reached. Faithful leaders proclaimed the good news of salvation through Jesus in areas yet unreached by the Way. When viewed through a twenty-first-century lens, it's tempting to view the book of Acts as a how-to manual for what a successful church looks like. However, in doing so, we might miss the aspect of calling—we might miss the actions of the Holy Spirit.
What can this pivotal book teach us almost 2,000 years after it was penned? How does it fit into the overarching narrative of Scripture as the message of Christ moved from the few to the many? Join Pastor Chad Stuart as he shares the opening message in a new series from the Book of Acts titled "Impoverished Without It."
Spencerville Church is a body of people that invests in the livelihood and wellbeing of our young people. Our two largest financial line items in our annual budget reflect this. However, as we continue to invest in our young people monetarily, it is possible that we're unintentionally pushing them at the same time? Are we pushing them away with our culture, our words, our stance (or lack thereof) on important theological and social issues?
Lest you think this sermon is about young people, it isn't. However, the issues we're seeing with church engagement among our young people is an example of how a cultural shift is needed across the board. The numbers that Pastor Chad will share may be shocking to you, but the reality is that nothing less than a paradigm shift will change what is, and has been happening for the past several decades. Listen as Pastor Chad shares a stand-alone sermon message titled, "Taking an Alternate Route."
Why did God send Jesus? The answer to this question says nothing about us and everything about God and His character of Love. In this first message of 2021, Pastor Matthew Piersanti shares a few words from one of the most well-known passages of scripture, John 3:16-17. If you feel like you messed up in 2020, this is a message for you. If you feel like things from your past still weigh heavy on your shoulders, this is a message for you. As we start a new year, we have a brand new set of challenges, but also many new opportunities. New opportunities for growth and new opportunities to recognize where God is working—if we will only ask Him to align our will and our lives with His plan. We invite you to worship with us today as Pastor Matthew Piersanti delivers a message titled, "Why Did God Send Jesus?"
Human beings are an interesting lot. If you watch our public gatherings, you'd assume (correctly) that we place a lot of importance on gathering in tribes to cheer on the things that we value. Some dress in elaborate costumes to tell others about their rabid devotion to a sports team, a favorite band, or a singer. The especially devoted may even get permanent tattoos to complement their apparel. When things are important to us, we want everyone to know. We want to show that we're true fans—perhaps even fanatics! We want the world to know that WE are a member of this tribe. Yet, for many, including some inside the church, we're not this way about Jesus. We pledge our allegiance to a sports team and stop short of doing so to the One who came and gave all for us! How can we be more fanatical about our love for Jesus? We invite you to worship with us as we share one last service in 2020, as Pastor Chad Stuart brings a message titled, "Fanatics."
There's a great deal that can (and should) be said about Jesus' life here on earth. We could add to it by talking about His death. However, the part we sometimes miss is what came after His ascension. What is Jesus' role in heaven? What does it say about the beauty of God's character? How does His heavenly role have a direct impact on our lives today? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares the final message in his three-part series Jesus Loves You. We'll close the series with a look at the third expression of Jesus' love, as our intercessor.
Whether you care about Him or not, Jesus loves you. Even if you decide not to follow Him, he still loves you. What does this say about His character? Does he wield His authority with an iron fist or with a warm, loving embrace? Join us as we worship together on Saturday, December 5, as Pastor Chad Stuart brings us the second message in his three-part series titled "Jesus Loves You: As Your Savior."
Do you know that Jesus loves you? Many of us acknowledge it with our lips, but do we really understand? Do we really know how He loves us? This week, we're beginning a new three-part sermon series titled, "Jesus Loves You." In it, Pastor Chad will look at three of the ways that Jesus emphatically demonstrates His love for us.
Seven letters sent to seven churches in the second and third chapters of the New Testament book of Revelation. The strongest letter was the last one, sent to the church of Laodicea. We often look at this letter as a rebuke to that church—one accompanied by an invitation to come to Jesus for those outside a saving relationship with Him. But is it only for those outside? Or is there more for those within the church if we just look a little closer. Join Pastor Chad Stuart on Saturday, November 21 at 11:15 AM as we take a closer look at the final letter to the church of Laodicea. This is the final sermon in the Seven Pictures series, titled, "Open the Door."
The account of Peter’s dream in the New Testament book of Acts regarding a bedsheet full of many different animals has been received by many in Christianity as tacit permission from God to eat whatever they desire. Nothing is un-kosher—there is no more unclean, as the Jews were once taught through the Levitical law. But is this passage of scripture really talking about food? Or does it have much to say about a much more serious topic—how we treat and interact with our fellow humans? We invite you to join us for worship as Bill Knott, the editor of the Adventist Review, shares a message with us at 11:15 A.M. on November 14, 2020.
What is our reaction to the political and cultural unrest of the present age? Not just personally, but corporately as well. Let's begin with another question: In whom are we placing our hope? If our answer is Jesus, do our lives reflect this? The New Testament book of Matthew shares a remedy for the deep divisions we're experiencing. Join us for this timely message as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message titled, "Election Reflection: A Prayer."
There's no doubt that as believers, we are called to "go." This call appears many times in the Bible. However, we'll see in the book of Revelation that there is also an invitation to come in—to possess the assurance of salvation in Jesus. How can we better understand this call? How can we know that we have such assurance? This week, Pastor Chad takes a look at the church of Philadelphia, the sixth of the seven churches in the book of Revelation. Join us for a message from our Seven Pictures series, titled "Blessed Assurance."
Much attention is paid to a church’s size as an indicator of success. Spencerville Church is a large church if you look at our membership numbers—more than 2,000 strong in October of 2020. However, size is not a foolproof indicator of success or health, as we’ll see in John’s letter to the Christian church in Sardis from Revelation 3. If we’re being honest, Jesus’ words sting a bit. “I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.” Are we presently resting on past success? Are we claiming to be alive when we’re really dead? Listen in as we continue our look at the seven churches of Revelation—taking a look in the mirror as we do so. Pastor Chad will share the fifth message from this Seven Pictures series titled, “Jumping the Shark.”
There are many references to the Old Testament scripture in the New Testament. The book of Revelation is no exception. This week, we're looking at the church of Thyatira, a church that struggled with compromise in order to "fit" into the cultural context of the day. In his letter to the church, Jesus asks (through John the Revelator) His people to examine their hearts. This same practice would serve us well today. Join Pastor Chad Stuart as he shares the latest in his sermon series on the seven churches of Revelation titled, "Confronting the Jezebel Within."
The trust and notoriety that popular television and radio personalities once enjoyed has made way for the rise of “influencers.” We see them on social media, often making large sums of money in exchange for the reach of their platform. Whether or not we're paid for it, the reality is that we are all influencers. The primary question is, how will you use your influence? Who is God calling you to reach? We invite you to listen as Kandus Thorp shares our message on this special Women’s Ministries emphasis Sabbath.
In Jesus' letter (through John the Revelator) to the church in Pergamum, he speaks against the subtle seeping in of pagan culture into the church. It was a very clear and present problem, as the society of that day was becoming increasingly hostile to Christianity. Is the church today fighting this same battle? Is there a standard of absolute truth to use as a yardstick in our modern context to keep us from doctrinal compromise while using every method allowable to share the Gospel? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares the third message in our series on the seven letters to the church in the New Testament book of Revelation. The title is this message is, "Seven Pictures: Absolute Truth."
Let's be honest, things haven't been easy for the past several months. Many have lost their jobs, faced financial insecurity, and have seen the trajectory of their lives changed. Is this the new normal? Or is this just a foreshadowing of what's to come? Can we find hope in the midst of the turmoil? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message titled, "Seven Pictures: The Struggle is Real."
If you remember your first love, you probably remember feeling "butterflies" in your stomach—a feeling of excitement when you were around them. You were in love! You didn't care who knew. When it comes to your faith, do you feel that same way about Jesus? Are you bubbling over with excitement to share Him with others? If not, you're not alone.
How do we get back to that "first love" feeling with Jesus? Or, perhaps you haven't had that experience with Him. Why is it important that we do? Join Pastor Chad Stuart as he starts a new sermon series called "Seven Pictures" with a message titled, "Remember our First Love."
We believe that the church is a training ground. When it's operating at it's best, God works through it to use the spiritual gifts of those within it for the betterment of all within its reach. But we sometimes fail to properly utilize the gifts of some within our midst. Instead, we choose to celebrate only those with certain, special gifts—selecting them to "do," while deeming those with "lesser" gifts to sit by and watch. How did this become normative, and what can we do to address it?
Join us for worship on Saturday, September 12, as Pastor Chad Stuart delivers the final message in his Back to the Future sermon series titled "For the Common Good."
When God created the earth and all that is in it, we read in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, that He said, "It is good." But as we read on, we see that there is one element of creation about which God feels otherwise. There is an aspect of creation that He proclaims, "not good." Students of the Bible will remember that it was the loneliness of man that God proclaimed "not good." We often view this verse in the context of marriage, but there's another, perhaps more accurate way of looking at this verse. We invite you to listen as we continue our series on small groups, Back to the Future, as Pastor Chad Stuart shares the fourth message in the series, "It's Not Good for Man to be Alone."
What grows a relationship? Is it time spent together? Shared interests? Or perhaps, common beliefs? If you said "all of these," you'd be correct, as each plays a part. For larger communities like ours, growing closer to others can be a challenge. Unless intentional steps are taken, we default to relationships of proximity—thinking we know someone because we sit near them once a week. However, do we really know them? Have we made it past the surface level questions to know their needs and where they hurt? In this week's message, Pastor Chad Stuart will talk about how Jesus built community and why striving to be like Him should be our aim in every aspect of life. Listen as he shares the third message in our Back to the Future sermon series, titled, "Glimpses of Dunbar's Number."
Pride is the root sin, “an anti-God state of mind” says C.S. Lewis. Unfortunately, it’s not only a problem that is “out there”—it can be found in the church as well. In this second message of our Back to the Future sermon series, we’ll see how pride can lead us down the wrong paths, causing us to emphasize the wrong things.
If you’re familiar with church history, you know that Constantine was responsible for a major change to the day of worship for the Christian church. But that wasn’t the only thing he changed. Constantine made another change; a change in emphasis that’s proven equally as troublesome for the modern church, including our own. What is it? And how can we grow in this area? We invite you to listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message titled, “Constantine’s Other Blunder.”
In this new sermon series, we're going back to look at the early Christian church in the New Testament of Scripture. We'll look at several attributes and practices of the early church that, by God's grace, will guide us as we move forward toward. Toward what? We're glad you asked. Join us in worship with us at 11:15 (ET) tomorrow morning as Pastor Chad Stuart starts a new series called Back to the Future with a message titled, "Identifying Challenges."
Few things irritate the adversary as much as living a Godly, faithful life. Daniel lived such a life and was promoted to a position of power and authority. He became a target for others who sought to damage his reputation, only to find his character so unimpeachable, that they had to trick the king to accomplish their means. What can we learn from Daniel's life? How can we live in a way that every aspect of our life points others to God? We invite you to listen to the final message in our series from the Old Testament book of Daniel, titled: "A Consistent, Observable Faith."
Once again we find Daniel standing in the presence of the most powerful man in the kingdom. Once again he's been called on to provide an interpretation of a Babylonian king's dream. However, providing an accurate interpretation—which was given by God—would require giving the king some bad news. Speaking truth to power is a difficult thing, yet as Christians living in the modern era, we can learn a lot from the experience of Daniel. Join Pastor Chad Stuart as he shares the penultimate sermon from this series from the Old Testament book of Daniel titled, "Dare to Make it Known."
Imagine that you're standing in front of one of the most powerful kings in the known world. He's furious with you and your friends because you've directly contradicted one of his orders. Are you scared? How will you respond? The third chapter in the Old Testament book of Daniel tells us how Daniel and his friends responded. It's a story of faithfulness for the ages. Listen in as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message recounting this story, emphasizing the important lesson for us in the 21st century.
How is God calling you to step out in faith? Join us for Pastor Andrea's final sermon as a pastor of Spencerville Church as she addressed the graduates of 2020 in a message titled, "Step Out in Faith."
If someone came to you and asked you to tell them what they dreamed last night, you'd probably think they'd lost their minds. And yet, that's exactly what happened in the second chapter of Daniel. King Nebuchadnezzar ordered the wise men to tell him what he dreamed or be put to death. They were given an impossible task. Yet, God had been preparing Daniel for this moment his entire life. This was just the latest impossibility in a life filled with them. How did Daniel respond? How will we respond when (not if) we're asked to step into the impossible?
Join us on this Independence Day, July 4, as we start a new sermon series from the book of Daniel. Ironically, we start in a place where it was captivity and not freedom that fell upon God's people. But the story of Daniel is a story of faithfulness. Join Pastor Andrea Jakobsons as we look at the first chapter of Daniel in her message, "A New Name in a New Land."
What does it mean to live by, or follow, the Bible? There's an old saying which says, "We learn best by doing what we learn." So it is with Bible reading and study. What can we expect will happen if we consistently pour over scripture with an open heart? To answer that question, we invite you to watch the final week's lesson in our 13-week series on How to Interpret Scripture with Pastor Chad Stuart and Dr. Frank Hasel. It's been a joy to share these conversations with you, and we pray that they have been helpful in your own study and spiritual growth.
A lot has been said about the last supper depicted in the New Testament book of Matthew. We talk about the three main characters in that part of the story; Jesus, Judas, and Peter. But we often miss several other details that tell us as much or more about who Jesus was and what his mission was—both on earth and in heaven. We invite you to join us in worship as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message on the Last Supper titled, "Recommitment."
In the later years of their lives, even Jesus' own disciples agreed that parts of scripture were "hard to understand." Our study needs to find a balance between understanding what is understandable while allowing faith to provide comfort in the things that we may not understand until we reach heaven. Most of the Bible is easy to understand, however. It is trustworthy and accessible. When we find a difficult section to understand, do we have the tools to tackle the interpretation? Join Pastor Chad Stuart and Dr. Frank Hasel as they look at lesson 12 in the Sabbath School Quarterly for Q2 2020 titled, "How to Study Difficult Verses."
In the final sermon of this three-part series, Pastor Chad is continuing to address the pain of the black community and how we can do better. In order to have a brighter future in our church and our world, he will give us three practical things that each of us can do to be Good Samaritans—just like Jesus. We invite you to listen along as we learn and grow together.
By looking at prejudice through a Biblical lens—specifically in the parable of the Good Samaritan—Pastor Chad, in last week's message, called each of us to act on behalf of another. We saw how the Word of God demands that we use our power and privilege to help the suffering and oppressed. This week, we're looking within our own hearts. How do we overcome the innate human biases that every one of us holds? The truth is that there's only one way. Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares the second part in a three-part series titled, "Examining Our Biases."
Jesus told a parable in the New Testament book of Luke, which addressed an all-too-familiar scenario in those first-century times. The parable in question is the "Good Samaritan." Jesus' words, though 2,000 years old, are still relevant today as we see the pain of a multi-generational struggle playing out here in the United States and around the world. We pray that you will open the Word and allow it to convict your heart and direct your future. Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a raw, emotional message titled, “Do Not Pass By.”
The Bible begins with the words "In the beginning..." Over 66 books, and numerous authors, the Bible is a narrative about the history of God's interactions with humanity since the dawn of creation. It reveals a personal, loving, and invested God—one who cares about His creation and wants what's best for it. Through it's recounting of history, the Bible enables us to witness God's faithfulness to His people, over and over again. This week, Pastor Chad Stuart and Dr. Frank Hasel discuss the Bible as a history book. We invite you to come along as they dive into a discussion for week 10 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church Sabbath School quarterly.
After living for several years at the edge of "normal," Jesus offered an intimate prayer for His eleven disciples. His prayer rocked the status quo in that moment, yet it also has a powerful application for those who follow Him today. What is it? Join us in worship this Saturday morning at 11:15 as Pastor Kandace Zollman shares a message titled, "The Last Taste of Normal."
From antiquity up through modern times, a person's name meant something. It might refer to a family legacy, or it might refer to a characteristic one may wish to foster. There are a few sections of the Bible where lists of names are prominent. We often refer to these as the "genealogies," because in this case, the names are how we figure out dates and relationships in ancient times. Individual names hold clues that allow us to shine a light on Biblical history. Names also show us the connection between the Creator and the created—going all the way back to the beginnings in Genesis. Lean into this exciting conversation between Chad Stuart, the Senior Pastor of Spencerville Church in Silver Spring, Maryland, and Dr. Frank M. Hasel, Associate Director of the Biblical Research Institute. In this week's lesson, Pastor Stuart and Dr. Hasel will continue their look at whether the Bible can be trusted as a source of information relating to origins. This video accompanies the Sabbath School lesson for Week 9 in the second quarter of 2020.
Throughout this sermon series and the last, we've talked about having an increased awareness of a need for space in our lives and schedules. For many of us prior to the pandemic, busyness had become an obstacle to better relationships. Recently, we've heard stories from within our community about how some of the interpersonal communication within our Sabbath Schools and small groups has never been better. What if this could become the new normal? What would we need to do to make sure that we don't fall back into old patterns? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares the final message in this series, titled, "Practice Affirmation."
If we examine the foundations of creation in the Bible, we see that God created with purpose and meaning, giving worth and value to His creation. The modern scientism movement teaches us that life is nothing more than a random act with no worth or value—just chance. However, many of the great minds from past generations held a high view of Christianity; Johannes Kepler, Sir Isaac Newton, and Robert Boyle; just to name a few. These are the minds who built the foundations of much of what we believe today! Join us for a conversation between had Stuart, the Senior Pastor of Spencerville Church in Silver Spring, Maryland, and Dr. Frank M. Hasel, Associate Director of the Biblical Research Institute. In this week's lesson, they'll look at whether the Bible can be trusted as a source of information when it comes to human and earthly origins. This video accompanies the Sabbath School lesson for Week 8 in the second quarter of 2020.
In the Western world, we don’t often consider what it would be like to live without having access to the Word of God in our native language. Yet, for much of the world prior to the 1500s, that was precisely the case. Of the more than 7 billion people on this planet, a full 1.5 billion do not have the complete scripture in their native tongue! We invite you to join Pastor Chad Stuart and Dr. Frank Hasel as they discuss the languages of the Bible, why they matter, and how you can use the ancient languages in your study—even if you don’t speak them fluently.
There’s a big, fancy-sounding word that some people use when they discuss Bible study. The word is: hermeneutic. All it really means is the “lens” through which we view the Bible. What is our worldview? Do we have any preconceived ideas? Are we using any assumptions or rules? These are all part of our hermeneutic—our way of understanding Scripture. Join Chad Stuart and Dr. Frank Hasel as they explore the lesson for week 6 of the Sabbath School quarterly for Q2 2020.
Be honest. When someone asks how you're doing, how often has your reply contained the word "busy?" We sometimes use our busyness as a merit badge of how important we are. Or best case, as a yardstick for working our way through this life. But is it possible that it's getting in the way of something more? Is there a point where too much of a good thing becomes a bad thing? If you catch only one of the messages from this sermon series "Please, Don't Go Back to Normal," we hope it's this one. Listen in as Pastor Chad Stuart has he shares a message titled, "Appropriately Busy."
As we read through the New Testament, we find many important reminders in the parables of Jesus. Yet there's one that's so important—that if we miss it, the rest won't matter. Listen in as Pastor Chad Stuart shares the second message in his series "Please, Don't Go Back to Normal" with a message titled, "Get Ready, Stay Ready."
What if you could start over? What if it could be more than just a reset of today, or last month? What if you could have the assurance that all the mistakes you've made would be left in the past? In the midst of all that's going on in the world at present, there is a chance to reset—an opportunity to start over. When Jesus rose from the grave, he brought with Him the gift of eternity. The chance at new life doesn't begin for us at death, it can begin now—today. No matter what your past looks like, you'll want to hear this powerful message from Pastor Chad Stuart.
Sola scriptura is the teaching that one should only use the Bible to decide our beliefs. Where does that leave us with regard to prophecy and the continued revelation of God? How do we test "new light" to see if it's in harmony with Scripture? Join Pastor Chad Stuart and Dr. Frank Hasel as they explore a core premise and teaching of the protestant church, that of Sola Scriptura; the Bible and the Bible alone.
How should we read the words, “Father into your hands I commit my spirit?” You might have heard these words read mournfully and with agony. Perhaps you’ve seen a passion play in which the actor playing Jesus spoke these words and there was a great cry of anguish from the crowd? So have we. Is it possible that these words in scripture take on another meaning if they’re seen through a different lens? What if they were spoken in a different tone? Join us for the final sermon in Pastor Chad Stuart’s series “Words from the Cross.” Listen in as he looks at the final words of Jesus, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”
If you gather a group of churches to survey them about their beliefs on the Bible, you might be surprised how different they are one to another. However, regardless of what they believe, each church uses five primary methods for framing those beliefs. What are they? Tune in and enjoy the conversation between Chad Stuart, the Senior Pastor of Spencerville Church in Silver Spring, Maryland, and Dr. Frank M. Hasel, Associate Director of the Biblical Research Institute as they take a look at the origins of Scripture. This video accompanies the Sabbath School lesson for Week 4 in the second quarter of 2020.
During His life on earth, Jesus regularly quoted scripture. Scripture was a well-established part of Jewish culture, familiar to many who heard Jesus speak. But which scripture was it? Do we know what Bible Jesus and His disciples used? Were there different translations even then? We invite you to listen in on an enjoyable conversation between Chad Stuart, the Senior Pastor of Spencerville Church in Silver Spring, Maryland and Dr. Frank M. Hasel, Associate Director of the Biblical Research Institute as they take a look at the origins of Scripture. This video accompanies the Sabbath School lesson for Week 3 in the second quarter of 2020.
You don't have to go very far to find a sign in a store window touting a "free gift with purchase." Yet, if you have to make a purchase to receive the gift, is it really free? We're conditioned to be suspicious of anything that sounds too good to be true. Yet, we're told that the greatest gift that any of us could ever receive is given free of charge. Is it true? And if so, why were some of the smartest and most scholarly men in Jesus' day so challenged by the idea? Listen in as Pastor Chad Stuart shares the penultimate message in our series on Jesus' words from the cross titled, "A Word of Victory."
Where did the Bible come from? How was it assembled into book form? Join this personal and informative conversation between Chad Stuart, the Senior Pastor of Spencerville Church in Silver Spring, Maryland and Dr. Frank M. Hasel, Associate Director of the Biblical Research Insitute as they take a look at the origins of Scripture. This video accompanies the Sabbath School lesson for Week 2 in the second quarter of 2020.
Bearing the weight of mankind's sins, Jesus cried out from the cross, "Father, why have you forsaken me?" If Jesus and the Father are one, as He said previously, what did this exclamation mean? As we find ourselves over 2,000 years distant from the cross, what impact do Jesus' words have on our lives today? In our fifth message in this series, "Words from the Cross," we pray that Jesus' cry will grab your attention like never before as Pastor Chad Stuart unpacks the context from that moment as well as what Jesus' death meant for humanity as a whole.
The Bible is different from any other book. It shows us God's work in the past to save humans from sin. It also demonstrates God's future plan for humanity as well as what's to come in His everlasting kingdom. Listen in on this personal and informative conversation between Chad Stuart, the Senior Pastor of Spencerville Church in Silver Spring, Maryland and Dr. Frank M. Hasel, Associate Director of the Biblical Research Insitute.
As we mentioned last week, Jesus was not spared from physical suffering during His time on this earth. This means that, in every aspect of our suffering, Jesus can relate to us. What does this mean for those who are experiencing physical suffering today? Does scripture have any words of encouragement for those in the midst of suffering? Can Jesus empathize with what they’re going through? Listen in as Pastor Chad Stuart shares the fourth message from his series on Jesus’ Words from the Cross—a message titled, “A Word of Humanity.”
Jesus suffered on the cross. He suffered as no person has ever suffered before or since. Along with the physical pain, there was emotional and spiritual pain as well. And yet, in His time of suffering, Jesus turned His heart to the comfort of another—he showed compassion. How will we respond in times of suffering? Will we make time for those around us? Join us as Pastor Chad Stuart shares the third message from his series “Words from the Cross.” This week’s sermon is titled, “A Word of Compassion.”
We invite you to listen in on a fascinating and informative conversation between Pastor Chad Stuart and Dr. Frank Hasel, as they discuss the Sabbath School Quarterly for the second quarter of 2020. Frank Hasel, along with his cousin Michael, are the principal contributors (authors) of the lesson. Michael is an Old Testament professor at Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, Tennessee and wasn't able to be with us. However, Frank agreed to sit down with Pastor Chad for a conversation on the high points of this quarter's study. We invite you to join us as we listen and learn how to interpret scripture.
As He hung dying on the cross, Jesus spoke to the thief hanging next to Him. In a situation that seemed hopeless, Jesus gave him assurance. Though the situation didn’t change, the thief’s viewpoint did. As we look around our world today, things may seem somewhat bleak. But Jesus has a word of assurance for us too. We invite you to listen as Pastor Chad Stuart delivers the second message in his series “Words from the Cross,” titled, “A Word of Assurance.”
"Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they're doing." These are the words of Jesus, said of the Roman soldiers as they stripped him naked and sold His clothing. Receiving forgiveness from someone who has wronged you is powerful. Giving forgiveness can be life-changing. How can we find the strength to forgive those who've hurt or wronged us? And what does that mean for how we live our lives? Join Pastor Chad Stuart in the first message from a new series titled, "Words from the Cross." This message is taken from Luke 23, and is titled, "A Word of Forgiveness."
When the topic of giving comes up, especially at church, we often hear terms like stewardship and firstfruits. Giving is a very personal topic—one that each person should study for themselves. However, the question is never "to give" or "not to give" as the Bible is very clear that giving financially, just like giving of our time, is necessary for the health of the Christian. The question is why do we give? Is it simply because we're told to, or is there another reason? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message titled, "Before our Firstfruits."
In the New Testament book of Mark—chapter 11—just before Jesus is arrested, He sends two disciples ahead to secure a room for what they would later realize was their final meal with Him before His death. What was the significance of this stop on Jesus' journey to the cross? Why do we continue to practice #communion over 2,000 years later? Join us as Pastor Andrea Jakobsons leads our worship service, accompanied by our youth.
There is a story told about a parishioner who once approached Martin Luther after a service. He asked Luther, “Why it is that week after week, all you preach to us is the Gospel? The canon has other books, and we are ready for more.” Luther replied, “I preach the Gospel because week after week you forget it.” Is it important to be reminded of what we supposedly already know? Martin Luther thought so, as did the Apostle Paul. Listen in as we review what Paul labeled as of first importance—the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. Pastor Chad Stuart brings our message today titled, “A Gospel Review.”
When we talk about the church, we sometimes think it's a building. In reality, the church is comprised of people. But don't discount the testimony of a building. When a church erects a building, it's usually out of necessity—to provide a place for people to gather and worship together. Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart speaks on the testimony of a building, and how God faithfully worked through His people to reach multiple generations for His kingdom.
How old do you need to be to receive the call of God? The Old Testament scriptures tell us that the prophet Samuel was called at a very young age. So was King David. Is it any different today? We invite you to listen and be blessed by messages from three of our young people speaking about the calling of God. At Spencerville Church, we value this calling and want to do everything we can to encourage not only their participation but also their leadership. Join us as our young people share a three-part message titled, "The Call" as part of our Middle School emphasis Sabbath.
The influence of celebrity culture and the pressure of social media has a significant impact on how we view each other. To save face, we position ourselves as the arbiters of our own little kingdoms with our own individual rules for living. "Don't judge me, I'm living my truth. I'm doing me–you do you." Is this what God had in mind? Does each of us have the right to declare ourselves justified according to our own rules or are we called to a higher standard? Throughout this sermon series, "God Never Said..." we're looking at common Christian pop-culture phrases that get thrown around without much thought. In the fourth and final installment of this series, Pastor Chad Stuart looks at the statement "You do you."
Throughout this sermon series, "God Never Said..." we're looking at common Christian pop-culture phrases that get thrown around without much thought. In this third installment of the series, Pastor Chad Stuart looks at the statement "God never gives us more than we can handle." Is this really true? Can it be found in scripture? If there's one message you listen to today, make it this one.
If you survey modern religion, it seems that many people believe that God has promised those who follow Him prosperity, health, and success. But is this really true? We invite you to listen in as Pastor Kandace Zollman takes us on a deeper look at this topic within scripture—a look which reveals a very different focus.
Belief, by nature, must be rooted in the truth, otherwise, it crumbles. So how do we examine our beliefs to ensure that they're true? And is there a universal Truth by which all other truths are measured? Listen in as we start the new year off with the first of a four-part sermon series. Pastor Andrea Jakobsons begins our series with a message titled, "God Never Said: 'It doesn't matter what you believe.'"
"Am I Growing?" It's a worthwhile question. This time of year, our thoughts often turn to new habits, change, and personal growth. We seek to accomplish growth by means of either New Year's resolutions or newly acquired skills (or some combination of the two). But what about spiritual growth? Are we as committed to growing our spiritual maturity in Jesus as we are in our personal and professional lives? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message on this topic titled, "Am I Growing?"
It's easy to look at life and dwell on the negatives. Human nature tells us to focus on what's wrong and how the worst is yet to come. However, our belief should give us hope! The future is something we can be thankful for—not only because of what Jesus has done but also what He will eventually do. How can we live "in praise" right now? How can we live "in thanks" right now? Join us for worship as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a special Thanksgiving message titled, "Thankful Now for the Not Yet."
Every December, homes all over the world open their Bibles to read the nativity story found in the first few verses of the book of Luke, chapter 2. Yet, there's more to the story beyond those first few verses. What would we learn if we read the rest of Luke's second chapter? We invite you to listen in as we view the Christmas story through the lens of the other characters in Luke 2—the shepherds, the older prophet and lady, as well as a young boy. Join us as Pastor Chad Stuart shares his message titled, "Three Revelations, One Response."
When Jesus arrived in Bethlehem, he arrived as a baby. But it was only his human form that was new. The Ancient of Days has existed since before creation. Soon, He will deliver us to a future where we will live in peace—His perfect peace. Jesus is the One who was and is to come, but He's also the One who is—today. How do we live in this reality? Listen in us as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message titled, "Past. Future. Today?"
The first few books of the New Testament tell the story of Jesus. But his arrival was foretold thousands of years earlier. From the book of Genesis to the prophet Isaiah, and even in the Psalms, we can find prophecies of the coming Messiah. Join us in worship as our youth lead the service. We'll hear messages from both high school Seniors Caleb Salazar and Lindsey Gispert. Did we mention that we love having our young people involved?
We come to the church building each week to worship as a community of believers. But did you know that studies show other benefits intrinsic to being an active part of a church community? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares these benefits and more in a message titled, "God's Instrument of Grace."
Pastor Chad is back this Saturday morning with the second message in his series on parenting, titled, "Raised: Part Two." Let's be honest, being a child is complicated! But so is being a parent. This week, we'll take a look at what the Bible says about the relationships between parents and their children. Whether you’re a child or the parent of a child, you’ll want to join us for the next two weeks as we explore the God-given foundation for every parent-child relationship. We don’t have all the answers, but we can provide a biblical foundation for where to begin.
Being a parent is complicated, but so is being a child. Over the next two weeks, we'll take a look at what the Bible says about relationships between parents and children. We don't have all the answers, but we can provide a Biblical foundation for where to begin. Whether you’re a parent or the child of a parent, you’ll want to listen for the next two weeks as we explore the God-given foundation for every parent-child relationship.
In a world that often seems so broken, God has created the concept of family to support, encourage, and cleave together in times of joy and times of sorrow. This includes our nuclear families, as well as our broader church families. The foundation on which each family is built should be nothing less than the Truth of God and the salvation available through His son, Jesus. We invite you to listen as Willie and Elaine Oliver, the Directors of Family Ministry at the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, share a powerful message of hope.
On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his famous 95 Theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg, Germany. As we remember his courage in standing up for what he saw to be grievous errors in the church, let's not forget that being courageous does not mean being fearless. Listen as Pastor Kandace Zollman shares a message for the season titled "The Fears of Martin Luther."
If you were raised with the My Bible Friends book series, you may remember the children's story where the prophet Elisha told a man named Naaman to wash in the dirty river to be cleansed from leprosy. However, if you recognize this story, your familiarity with it may cause you to miss an extremely important point. What is this point? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message from the life of Naaman titled, "A Children's Story for All of Us."
Throughout Scripture, inspired authors often used the language of contrast to create a distinction between those who are saved at Jesus' return from those who will, unfortunately, be lost. The final chapter of Revelation gives us a little more detail, providing the characteristics of those who are saved and what they can look forward to when Jesus returns. We invite you to worship with us as Pastor Andrea Jakobsons shares the sixth and final message from our series on Revelation's Blessings.
In the last book of the Bible, Revelation, it mentions two types of resurrection related to Jesus’ second coming. The first resurrection, which happens immediately upon His return, and the second, which happens later. Both resurrections provide the expected result—people are brought back to life from a state of death. However, there’s a distinct difference between them, one that is critical for every person to understand. Join us as Pastor Chad Stuart presents the fifth message in our series on the blessings from the book of Revelation.
We invite you to listen in as Pastor Chad Stuart continues our series on the beatitudes (blessings) found in Revelation, the final book of the Bible. We'll be looking specifically at Revelation 19:6-9 as part of a message titled "Revelation's Blessing: Part Four."
When Jesus speaks of changing our hearts, is he referring to our attitudes, our outlook, or our entire person? What does this heart change look like in practical terms? How can we determine if our own hearts have been changed? Listen as Pastor Gaspar Colón shares a stand-alone message titled, "Revived for...?" Pastor Chad will be back with us next week as we continue our series titled Revelation's Blessings.
The concept of judgment is not held in high esteem within today's society. Yet, rightly understood within the context of Christ's salvation, judgment is not only a good thing, but it's also something that we will desire to receive! The fact remains, however, that judgment does imply two sides—a favorable outcome, along with an unfavorable outcome. We invite you to listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message on how to avoid the latter in a sermon titled, "Revelation's Blessings: Part Three."
In Revelation 14 we see three distinct messages known as the Three Angels' Message. Immediately following the message of the third angel we find another of Revelation's Blessings, however, this one speaks of death. How do we reconcile the idea of death and blessings? What can these passages tell us about the character, power, and salvation of God? Listen as Pastor Andrea Jakobsons shares the second message in our series from the last book of the Bible titled, "Revelation's Blessings: Part Two."
We invite you to listen as we begin a new sermon series on the beatitudes, or blessings, from the last book in the Bible, the New Testament book of Revelation. If the word "beatitude" is unfamiliar to you, it simply means "blessing." Typically, the Biblical beatitudes are associated with the book of Matthew, but in the third verse of John’s prophetic letter of Revelation, he uses the term “Blessed is the one who…”—the same phrase Jesus spoke in the book of Matthew during the Sermon on the Mount. So, what are these blessings in Revelation? And what purpose do they hold for a people living 2,000 years later? Listen in as Pastor Chad shares a message titled, "Revelation's Blessing: Part One."
The final week in our Exodus series brings a message that is closely tied to a New Testament reminder—a call to remember. As we look back over our 20-week study of the Old Testament book of Exodus, we've seen evidence of God's leading and faithfulness to His covenant people—even while they themselves were less than faithful. We will close this series with a communion service—a call to remember. Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares an important link which spans thousands of years between the Old and New Testament scriptures in a message titled, "The Action of Remembering."
The Bible says that God loves a cheerful giver. It would be easy to read this as being solely about money, however, it applies to all areas of life. The question it begs then, is “Why?” What is it about our time, money, and material possessions that God needs so badly? Is it these things specifically that He’s after? We invite you to listen to this replay from August 3, 2019, as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message titled, "Exodus: Offerings of the Heart."
As Christians, every single one of us has God's call on our lives. His calling is for everyone, not just pastors, teachers, and paid denominational workers. But how can we recognize our specific calling? Are there indicators or characteristics that can be discerned? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares the next-to-last message in our series on the Biblical book of Exodus titled, "Proofs of God's Call."
In ancient times, God's people had a very specific ritual for consecrating priests to the priesthood. The Bible tells us in 1 Peter that we are all now part of a royal priesthood. But in order to function as priests, we need to recognize and understand the importance of the priestly duties. Don't miss this special message as Pastor Andrea Jakobsons shares from the final few chapters of Exodus.
When a group or organization is in crisis, leadership is required. When the situation is dire, bold leadership is necessary. As we continue following the story of the Israelite people, we look at what happens when Aaron's leadership falls well short of the mark (Exodus 32:1-14). What does Moses' response tell us about the God he serves? How will this situation be redeemed for the glory of God and the advancement of His people? Listen as Pastor Lerone Carson shares a message from our sermon series from Exodus, the second Old Testament book of the Bible.
We pause our sermon series from the Book of Exodus to consider a New Testament community of believers in the New Testament book of Acts. This was a people focused on experiencing the power and presence of God. Dr. Bill Knott, the editor of Adventist Review and Adventist World and a member of the Spencerville congregation, shares a message about a congregation built on the message of grace.
Jesus says that if we love Him, we will obey His commandments (John 14:15). In chapter 20 of Exodus, the second book of the Bible, we see a set of laws that God gave to His people. These laws are commonly known as the Ten Commandments. They are God's promises to us—ways to live that honor Him and allow us to live in harmony with one another. As if that's not reason enough to obey them, there is one more. Join us for worship as Pastor Gaspar Colón shares a message in our series on the book of Exodus titled "A Covenant of Belonging."
When Moses came down from the mountain to sanctify the people, we can assume he brought a message from God. Yet, as we read in Exodus 19, God's presence brought its own message as well—one of justice, holiness, and righteousness. Have you ever been confronted by the character of God? If so, what was your reaction? Listen as Pastor Andrea Jakobsons shares a message in our continuing series from the Biblical book of Exodus titled, "The Lord Comes Down."
Part of living in community is having the wisdom and humility to receive counsel from those more experienced than ourselves. This is what we see in Exodus 18 as Moses receives advice from Jethro after sitting in judgment over the Israelites. How does Moses react to this unsolicited advice? What changes do we see in the Israelite culture afterward? We invite you to listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message from the book of Exodus titled, "Exodus: Those Blessed In-Laws."
When God is leading, how far are we willing to follow? How will we respond when things don’t make sense and we can’t see a way to get through what lies ahead? When trust is required will we resort to complaints or confidence? The stories of Exodus 17 remind us that God always has a way to provide for our most basic needs and give us victory in our most impossible battles and that he has established tangible means to accomplish this in our lives and in our world. We invite you to listen as guest-speaker Leah Jordache shares a message titled "Water and War."
When the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, God provided manna for food to sustain them. Just as God provided manna for those he loved thousands of years ago, he calls us today to be that "manna" for others—both inside and outside His church. But how? We invite you to listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares the eleventh message in our Exodus series titled, "You Are the Manna." Don’t forget to download the study guide for next week: http://bit.ly/2GG4OY2
There's a lot of information on the internet and in pop culture regarding what happens to a person when they die. However, rather than guessing about what may happen, let's take a look at what God tells us will happen according to scripture. Join us as we look at the general narrative arc of scripture on the topic of life after death. Listen in as Pastor Chad Stuart brings us a message titled, "What Happens When We Die? (and does it matter?)."
It's a high day when we join together to worship our Creator, making note of how He's blessed not only our church but also our school, Spencerville Adventist Academy. We invite you to listen to our Baccalaureate message from Spencerville Academy's graduation weekend featuring Pastor Andrea Jakobsons. She will share a message titled "Only Jesus."
God's work in our lives is meant to be comprehensive. When we surrender, He's able to work through the Holy Spirit within us to accomplish His ways (which scripture tells us are better than our ways). How do we surrender? Is it possible to get in the way of His work? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message titled, "Treating the Holy Spirit Like Your Social Media Feed."
What must have been going through the minds of the disciples as they stood there and watched Jesus, the Man with whom they’d spent the previous three years, ascend into the sky? Disbelief? Probably. Awe? Absolutely. We serve a risen Savior who sits in heaven at the right hand of God. Join us in worship as we think on Christ’s ascension as Dr. Ekkehard Mueller brings us a message titled, “Taken Up.”
As the most revolutionary political figure in history, Jesus transcended party politics and set in motion the one truth that will finally right all wrong in the world. We will explore that one truth. This is the third and final message in Pastor Ty's three-part sermon series.
As the most revolutionary political figure in history, Jesus transcended party politics and set in motion the one truth that will finally right all wrong in the world. We will explore that one truth. This is part two in a three-part sermon series.
As the most revolutionary political figure in history, Jesus transcended party politics and set in motion the one truth that will finally right all wrong in the world. We will explore that one truth. This is part one in a three-part sermon series.
We're pleased to welcome Pastor Evan Knott to our pulpit as a guest speaker for May 11 as part of the Spencerville Academy Homecoming Weekend. Pastor Knott is an alumnus of Spencerville Academy and is currently pastoring in Dover, Deleware.
In Psalm 40, David refers to a new song that he will sing in praise to God for all of the ways that He has blessed David’s life. We have that same opportunity to praise God today, but how do we find our song? Listen as our Minister of Music, Mark Willey, makes a rare appearance in the Spencerville pulpit.
When someone receives Christ, the Bible says that they become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). But does this new creation, though justified and covered by the salvation of Christ, still have some learning and maturing to do? We invite you to listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message from our Exodus series titled, "After Deliverance."
When we say that the believer has new life in Christ, what does that mean exactly? Does He call us to drudgery or does He call us to more? Jesus said, "I am come....that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." How do we access this abundant life that Jesus promised? We invite you to listen as Pastor Andrea Jakobsons shares an Easter message focused on Christ's conquest of sin through the resurrection.
Don't forget to download the study guide for next week, as Pastor Chad Stuart will return to the pulpit for a message titled, Exodus: After Deliverance. Get the study guide here http://bit.ly/2KPm5SE
There is a strong connection between the Passover service and the Lord's Supper—they're connected in a multitude of ways. As we celebrate the Communion service today, we invite you to worship with us. Pastor Chad will be exploring how both the Passover and the Lord's Supper were instituted to help us overcome spiritual amnesia.
The ten plagues found in the book of Exodus can be a difficult topic. The Bible tells us that God is love, but how do we reconcile the plagues with God's love? We invite you to listen as Chaplain Tim Soper takes a deeper look at the plagues in Exodus and how they reveal God’s desire to change hearts through His power and grace.
The Bible teaches us that all scripture is inspired by God. Yes, even the genealogies, which tell the story about our family origins and history. Where we come from is an important part of who we are. Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares the inspiring story of Moses' and Aaron's family tree.
How do you react when things don't go according to plan? Do you get frustrated? Angry? If so, you're not alone. Yet, a life surrendered to God is one also surrendered to His plan. Should we be upset if it's not our plan to start with? Listen along as Pastor Gaspar Colón shares a message from our current series from the book of Exodus titled, "When Things Go Wrong."
If you missed this week's study guide, download a PDF copy here: https://goo.gl/Ln8F2c
In popular culture, the word "obedience" has developed a negative connotation. However, for the Christian, we're told that living in obedience to God's Word will provide the best life possible—certainly better than that of following culture or personal feelings. We invite you to listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares an important message from the second book of the Bible, the book of Exodus. It's the fourth message in our series, simply titled "Obedience."
Stress, anxiety, worry. They're all too common in modern life. We forget that when our lives are properly surrendered, they're in control of none other than the Creator of the universe. So how do we reconcile the anxiety we experience with the peace of a surrendered life? Join us as Pastor Chad Stuart delivers the third sermon in our series from the book of Exodus titled, "It Doesn't Matter What You Think."
History is full of people that have made significant mistakes but were used by God anyway. Moses was not a perfect man, yet God accomplished much through him. What can we learn from God’s selection of Moses in light of his many shortcomings? What does this mean for those of us living in the 21st century? Listen as Pastor Chad delivers the second message in our series from the book of Exodus, titled, “Still Called.”
Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, "We must accept infinite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope." Though life on earth may bring us pain, suffering, and disappointment, we look forward with hope to a time when all will be made right, and all will be made new. How do we keep looking ahead when circumstances today can seem so dire? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares the opening sermon of his series from the second book of the Bible, Exodus, in a message titled, "Hope in the Darkness."
Don't forget to visit the sermon page on our website to download the study guides for today and next week: https://goo.gl/PNrcmM
In an age of social media connectedness, survey after survey shows that people have never felt more isolated and alone. The Old Testament book of 1 Kings shows us that Elijah, one of the most successful and Godly prophets of all time, also experienced loneliness and isolation. Perhaps the problem isn't one of time or technology? Perhaps there's another root cause for these feelings? Listen as Pastor Andrea Jakobsons shares what we can learn from Elijah's story in a message titled, "Touched by the Angel of the Lord."
Personal prayer is essential to the life of the Christian. However, there is another aspect of prayer that is also important, and that is corporate prayer. Coming together as a faith community to bring our praise, needs, and desires cannot and should not be underestimated. We invite you to listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares the fourth message from his 2019 Challenge Series emphasizing corporate prayer, titled, "Praying Together."
We can honor God with our words and actions, we can honor him by keeping his commandments. But there's another way that we honor him. Hint: it's been referred to as the "right arm of the Gospel." Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares the third message from his #Challenge2019 sermon series, titled, "I Love You—I Want You Healthy."
The Biblical narrative shows that Abraham was a devoted follower of God, up to and including the requested sacrifice of his son when asked. He was also generous. As God was generous to him, Abraham was generous with God. He was willing to sacrifice when necessary in order to do what God asked of him. What can we learn from Abraham’s generosity? Are there ways that we can apply the same principles to our own life? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares the second message in our 2019 Challenge Series titled, “Give Like Abraham.”
When we look at the story of Jesus calling His disciples, Andrew was the first to one whom Jesus called. Andrew, after answering Christ's call, took up the responsibility of leading others to Jesus. If each of us has answered the same call to follow Jesus, do we not share the same responsibility? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message, titled, "We Need a Few Good "Andrews."
The new year brings new beginnings and new opportunities for change. What will your priorities be in the coming year? Work? Family? Every priority is an opportunity to shift our focus from something temporal to something eternal. It’s this topic that Pastor Gaspar Colón covers in our final sermon of 2018, titled, “The ONE Thing I Do.”
You've probably received a gift that wasn't exactly wanted—one that, instead of keeping, you decided to pass along. We call this practice re-gifting. In this Christmas season, we've all received a gift in the form of a Savior—a Gift which is given to each of us over and over again. It's always perfect, and always on time. As we close our sermon series on the Two Babies of Christmas, we invite you to listen to the final message titled, "Regifting" by Pastor Chad Stuart.
Just over two thousand years ago, a baby was born in a small, rural town. There was nothing remarkable about the birth—quite the opposite, actually. It was a humble birth, in a humble place, to humble people living in humble circumstances. Humility is the best word to describe the whole event. And yet, from these humble beginnings, a King was born. Listen in to our worship replay from December 15, as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message, titled: "Two Babies of Christmas: The Anti-Celebrity."
Before Jesus came into this world as a baby, there was another who came before Him. Who was this person? And what was their role in the larger Biblical narrative? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares the answer in a message titled, "Two Babies of Christmas: The Preparer."
The story of the birth of Jesus contains “the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God” (Romans 11:33). As we enter into the season of our Savior's birth, we invite you to join us as we look at different aspects of the first Advent narrative. As part of Youth Sabbath, our message this week will be presented in two parts. The first by Rachel Ingram-Clay, and the second by Nathan Chhachhauk.
Let's be real for a moment: all of us are guilty of taking things for granted. We overlook the amazing gifts, large and small, that bless and enable our daily lives. We forget, but God remembers—and blesses us anyway. Listen as Pastor Chad shares the final part of his three-part series from Psalm 136 titled, "He Remembers Those Who Forget."
Psalm 136 tells us that our God is a God of wonders. He created all things and has preserved His people throughout the ages. Because of this, Scripture says we can trust Him with our future. Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares the second part of his sermon series on Psalm 136 titled, "The God of Wonders."
Living a life of thankfulness to God is more than just acknowledging Him with our lips. Thankfulness is a life posture—something we do with our whole hearts and entire being. Living a life outside of this posture can allow other priorities to creep in, however, the Bible tells us how we can stop this from happening. Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares the first message in multi-part sermon series on thankfulness, titled, "Psalm 136: Give Thanks to the Lord, Part 1."
“Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Or so goes the old schoolyard expression. But the truth of the matter is that words make an impact—good or bad. They can be used to tear down and abuse others, or they can be used to lift up and heal. How do you use your words? Can we make a difference for God’s kingdom, as well as the culture in which we live by watching our words? Listen now as Pastor Chad Stuart brings a message titled, “Too Many Bullies.”
As sinful human beings, we will not always agree with one another. Even in our disagreement, the Bible provides counsel on how those protesting and those being protested against should respond to one another. Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart takes a look at the council of Scripture on this topic—important insights for where we are currently as a church, a movement, and a nation.
God is light. From His light, we are given light to direct us where we're to go. God is responsible for His light—He's proven it many times in the history of our global church. How can we participate in the work to which we've been invited? What are the implications of receiving His call? We're privileged to welcome Dr. Galina Stele as she includes us into her very busy schedule to share a message, titled, "In Your Light We See Light."
Focus. An important word as we dedicate our Senior class to God's will this Sabbath. However, the message isn't only for them. A call to focus is something that each of us would do well to heed; personally, in our family life, in our organizations and institutions. In short, our focus, or lack thereof, will determine where we'll go and what we'll achieve in this life—as well as the next. We invite you to listen along as we welcome Associate Secretary for the General Conference, Claude Richli, as our speaker for Senior Dedication Sabbath.
Jesus' very nature is love. He consistently works to be close to us. How can we draw closer to him? Does scripture give us the instructions or tools to do so? Yes, it does! Watch as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message titled, "Near to Jesus."
What do you appreciate most about the Sabbath? Have you wondered if there are activities and practices that could add value to the way that we experience God's holy day? If so, can they be done in a way that's consistent with the Biblical command to "keep it holy?" Listen as Elder Bill Knott, the editor of Adventist Review and Adventist World Magazine, shares a message titled, "Do Something that Won't Compute."
The Bible calls us to be salt, which might seem like a strange metaphor to some. Yet, when you consider salt's ubiquity in our food—adding flavor and preserving—you may begin to understand the comparison. However, the way the salt is used is just as important. Listen as May-Ellen Colón shares a message from our Outreach Ministry emphasis Sabbath titled, "Salt is Not the Whole Recipe."
When Jesus died for your sins, you were set free—that's what the Bible says in John 8:36. But then what? What are we to do with this freedom? It's not a trick question, the answer is in the title of this week's message. Yet many of us get hung up on the "how." As our local congregation looks forward to our Ministry Outreach Sabbath on September 8, we invite our online family to worship with us here on Facebook as Pastor Chad Stuart shares this week's message titled, "Free to Serve."
There are times when life takes an unexpected turn. Three friends faced just such a turn in Daniel 3 at the fiery furnace. What can we learn from their experience that will allow us to face the unexpected turns in our own lives? Listen as Pastor Andrea Jakobsons shares a message for teacher dedication Sabbath titled, "Dedication."
You may remember a song we sang as children about the wise man who built his house upon the rock. The story from the final verses of Matthew 7 explores the implications of building our lives on a solid foundation. Join us as Costin Jordache takes a practical look at what it means to build our lives on this solid foundation in the final message of our Peculiar Living series titled, "Regarding Foundations."
As Christians, our lives are transformed both in an instant (justification) and over the course of a lifetime (sanctification). As the fruit of this life change, the Christian should always seek to do God's will, but can we recognize it when presented to us? How will it be made manifest in our lives, and how can it impact the lives of others? We invite you to listen as Pastor Chad Stuart delivers the fourteenth installment of the #PeculiarLiving series titled, "The Saddest Words in Scripture."
You may have heard someone say, "follow your truth," or "live your truth." However, is truth something that can be defined individually? Is it something that can be changed on an as-needed basis? We invite you to listen as Pastor Chad Stuart continues our sermon series from the Sermon on the Mount in the New Testament book of Matthew in a message titled, "Peculiar Living: Truth Matters."
Jesus makes a statement in Matthew 7 that probably stunned the established religious order of that day. He summarizes, in effect, the entirety of scripture up until that time in one phrase. What is that phrase, and if it was so important then, does it still have an application for us today? Listen as Pastor Lerone Carson delivers a message titled, "Peculiar Living: The Golden Rule."
In Scripture, there is a great amount of importance given to the practice of prayer in the life of a believer. Yet, on average, we spend very little time in this practice. How does the Bible tell us to pray? How would our lives change if we paid more heed to this imperative call? Listen as Pastor Gaspar Colon brings us a message titled, "Peculiar Living: Importunate Prayer."
Over the past few weeks, we've looked at the Gospel of Matthew, specifically the teachings of Jesus as delivered during His famous Sermon on the Mount. We've seen that God wants to grow us—taking the focus off of ourselves and instead looking at Him. We've learned that God wants to be our priority—over money, our career, and our possessions. In this message, Pastor Chad Stuart will be looking at chapter 6 of the Gospel of Matthew, verses 25-34. As part of this section, Jesus shows us why we need to surrender the most difficult thing of all, our worries. We invite you to listen to the ninth message in our Peculiar Living series, titled: "Kingdom Ambition."
As you survey your life, where do your priorities land? Where is your focus? Is it family? Your career? What about finances? We invite to you listen as Pastor Chad Stuart explores what the Bible tells us about our priorities in a message from June 30, 2018 titled, "Peculiar Living: Transient Treasures."
Jesus promised a sanctified life for his followers. That doesn't mean an easy life, but rather a life that continues to grow in holiness as we increasingly look at Him rather than ourselves. Are there disciplines by which we can better position ourselves to focus on the Divine instead of on ourselves? Listen as Pastor Andrea Jakobsons shares the seventh message of our Peculiar Living series titled, "Show or Secret?"
What is prayer supposed to be? What is its role in the life of a Christian? The Lord's Prayer holds several important lessons on prayer, taught by the Master himself. Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares how this brief conversation in Matthew 6 can provide a road map for personal prayer that will last until eternity.
For almost 175 years, the watchwords for our movement have been, "Jesus is Coming Soon!" Do we still believe this? If so, does it change how we live? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message titled, "He's Still Coming Soon!"
There are a multitude of reasons to seek the power of the Holy Spirit each and every day. We invite you to listen as Pastor Chad Stuart looks at one of most impactful ways we can do this in a message from May 19, 2018 titled, "Just Ask!"
How should we treat those who offend us? What can we learn from the way Jesus treated people—especially to those who may have deserved it the least. We're excited to have Leah Jordache with us as a guest speaker this week as she shares an important message titled, "Looking Through His Eyes."
What is the ultimate reward for giving of ourselves? Jesus tells us that when we give with the right motives, that we will receive a reward from God. What is it? (hint: It isn't heaven...) Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares the fifth message in our Peculiar Living series titled, "What's My Reward?"
As humans, our tendency is to look at a person's actions, but Jesus sees the heart. What does this mean for us as human beings, and what implications does it have for the Christian? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart brings the fourth message in the Peculiar Living series, titled "The Heart of the Matter."
The life of a Christian is called to be "peculiar" by nature. But how do we relate to those who don't share our beliefs in a world that is often a dark, formidable place? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart examines these questions in this episode titled, "Peculiar Living: The Christian by Definition Is..."
The life of a Christian is called to be "set apart" or different from the world. This is not an instruction to remove ourselves from everyday life and flee to the hills, but is instead a call to live our lives differently. "Okay," you might be thinking. "It's one thing to say it, but what does this actually mean in practice?" We're glad you asked. Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares more on this topic during a message titled "Peculiar Living."
In addition to faith in God, our faith in the events ordained by God is just as important. Just as the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is linchpin of the Christian faith, so our personal faith must be in the life, person, and the work of Jesus—which did not end at the cross, but continues to this day! Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares this timely message from our Easter service titled, "Those Who Have Not Seen."
When we look at the story of Jesus' crucifixion, it's easy to see Pilate as a bad guy—and perhaps his reputation is deserved. Yet, can you picture the heavenly struggle that was taking place in that court room? God loved Pilate, and desired to save him eternally, even as he deliberated the life or death of His only Son. Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart brings us a message titled, "Pilate's Dilemma."
As we've learned from Pastor Chad Stuart in a previous sermon, obedience is not a four-letter word. But this begs the question: what role does obedience play in the life of the Christian? Listen as Pastor Chad addresses the tension between obedience and knowledge using a parable told by Jesus in this message, titled "Believe. Obey. Mature."
Jesus is our savior and redeemer, in addition to being our healer as well. But does He know us personally? And if so, what impact does this have on our lives? Don't miss this powerful sermon by Pastor Chad Stuart titled, "Kanaph."
Raising the next generation of the church is a high calling. But whose responsibility is the spiritual care and nurture of our young people? The church? The school? The parents. What does the Bible have to say on this topic? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message titled, "An Aphorism for Parenting."
Many of us have experienced times in life that feel unfair. Joseph certainly did, yet he trusted God to lead. What was his secret? How can we do the same today? We invite you to listen as Elder Richard Rajarathinam shares a message from Genesis, titled: "But God is Good."
How do those considered "least likely to succeed" actually break through to enjoy success? Do labels of "failure" need to haunt us forever, or can they be shed? Join us as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message from the 49th chapter of Genesis, the first book of the Bible, titled, "Simeon and Levi."
How should we react when we've been wronged by another? We have a powerful model of forgiveness in the closing chapters of Genesis. Listen as Pastor Andrea Jakobsons unpacks this model in a message titled, "Genesis: Reconciliation."
We're back in the book of Genesis this week as Pastor Andrea Jakobsons takes a look at the life of Joseph—his family, his faith, and his fortitude—in a message titled, "The Dreamer Interprets Dreams." We invite you to listen along as we explore chapters 41 and 42 in the book of Genesis.
Our worship service for January 20, 2018 was led by a group of families from our Middle School class in conjunction with Pastor Lerone Carson. It was a full house at Spencerville Church for a message titled "Growing in Christ, Growing in the Church."
The Bible has a lot to say about temptation. How we respond to temptation says a lot about our relationship with Jesus. Still, there are questions, such as: Is it a sin to be tempted? Do the temptations lessen as we mature in our faith? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message from January 13, 2018 titled, "Temptation."
God has a plan for each of our lives, but he can also call an "audible" and change His plan in the moment based on our choices. What would motivate him to do so? Find out in this week's message as Pastor Chad Stuart brings us a sermon titled "The Second or Third Option."
One of the names the Bible gives Jesus is Emmanuel. which means "God with us." Do we truly grasp what it means to have God with us? What are the implications for His presence both now and eternally? As 2017 draws to a close, Pastor Chad Stuart brings us a homily titled, "O Come Emmanuel."
We speak about giving our hearts to God. Yet as believers, there is more to be done—not to earn salvation, but because we've been given salvation. Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart brings a message titled, "In the Bleak Midwinter."
What is the first priority of the believer during the Christmas season? Where should our focus be? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart continues his series on Christmas songs with a message titled "O Come, All Ye Faithful."
We invite you to watch a beautiful worship service from December 9, featuring baptisms, special music, and capped by a message from Pastor Chad Stuart titled, "O Holy Night."
Is our joy found in the acquisition of material goods, or is it found elsewhere? Is it innate to our humanity, or does it have a source? As much as our answers to these questions say about our worldview, they also speak to our beliefs regarding Christmas. We invite you to join us as our Youth Sabbath School class presents our worship service on December 2, 2017. Listen as high-schoolers Rachael Rajarathinam and Ethan Wu, bring our messages titled "Joy to the World" and "The Joy of the Second Coming."
What does it take to be a conduit of Holy Spirit-led spiritual healing for another person? Is the amount of healing we're able to give tied to the healing that we've received through God's grace? Listen as Pastor Gaspar Colón shares a message on this theme titled, "For the Healing of the Nations."
Few of us are as thankful as we ought to be. If we truly understood that everything which we possess is a gift from God, we would probably show more gratitude—not only to God, but also to each other. How can we be mindful of these blessings, and demonstrate thankfulness on a daily basis? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart explores these themes in his message, "Overlooking Gratitude."
We sing songs like "Power in the Blood." There is definitely power in Jesus. But think about this: is it possible to have Jesus without the power? Can you be a saved, yet powerless, Christian? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart delivers a powerful and timely message, "I'm a Christian, Where's My Super Power?"
With Reformation celebrations still ringing in our ears, it's worth pondering the zeal for Christ which possessed these men and women of faith. But these were only a handful in history who found a cause worth giving their lives for. Could it be that God is calling His people to a similar, if not greater, zeal for His cause today? Listen as Ranela Kaligithi shares our message, "One Pearl of Great Price."
It should be our desire to live our lives to the glory of God alone. Yet, taking credit and assuming God's glory for ourselves is sometimes all too easy. How do we take ownership of our own faith, while giving God the glory for everything good that happens in our lives? Listen as Elder Bill Knott shares the closing message in our Reformation series, titled: "Five Solae: Soli deo Gloria" (to the glory of God alone).
As human beings, it is often easier for us to put our trust in the things we can see, than to trust the unseen—and yet, that is exactly what the Bible asks us to do. Will we trust in earthy power(s), or will we put our trust in Christ? Listen as Pastor Leah Jordache presents the fourth sermon in our series on the Reformation, "Five Solae: Solus Christus" (Christ Alone).
In the New Testament book of Romans, the Bible says that the "righteous shall live by faith" (Romans 1:17). Does the measure of our faith impact God's work in our lives. If so, how do we grow our faith? We invite you to listen in on the third sermon in our series on the Protestant Reformation titled, "Five Solae: Sola Fide" with Pastor Gaspar Colon.
Most Christians today will tell you that they believe in salvation "by grace through faith." But there was a time where that idea ran counter to what the church was teaching. What about you? Do you believe that salvation is available as a free gift? Listen as Pastor Andrea Jakobsons continues our five-part sermon series on the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation titled, "Five Solae: Sola Gratia."
Is the Bible the sole authority in your life? If not, should it be? We invite you to join us for the first message in a five-part series celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. The sermons in this series will focus on each of the five solae: scripture, grace, faith, Christ, and glory to God. Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart brings us the first sermon in this series, "Five Solae: Sola Scriptura."
We're taking a brief break from our series from the book of Genesis to bring attention to one of the roles our church holds within the community. As part of enditnow Sabbath, we want to be intentional about positioning our church as a safe place for people that are abused, humiliated, and violated—a place where they won't feel silenced. Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart brings a message titled, "No More Silence."
Jacob struggled for most of his life before finally surrendering to God and relying fully on Him. Just as God's grace was evident in Jacob's struggle—that same grace is available to us. Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart brings a message titled, "Genesis: Broken, Named, and Blessed."
Have you experienced difficulties in life? Maybe you're going through a difficult time right now? Especially in difficulty, God loves you. He may not change your circumstances, but He will change your heart if you allow Him. Listen as Pastor Andrea Jakobsons brings this message titled, "Genesis: The Unloved Wife."
Do we understand what it means to have God's blessing? How many of us can say that we have it now? Would you like to know for sure? Listen as Pastor Gaspar Colon brings a message titled, "Genesis: The Blessing."
As humans beings, we should always strive to see the best in people. But unfortunately, we often overlook our commonalities and drive in relational wedges over our differences—no matter how minor. How can we build bridges instead of driving wedges? What guidance does scripture provide? Watch as Pastor Chad Stuart brings us a message titled, "Genesis: No Polarization."
As human beings, we often make decisions that favor short term results over long term benefit. Yet, God is more concerned with our eternal salvation than our temporary comfort—and we should be as well. Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares this message about the lives of Jacob and Esau in his sermon titled "Genesis: Taking the Long View."
In Genesis, the first book of the Bible, we're shown a picture of man's spirituality and the Power behind it. Yet, it's the 24th chapter which gives us the first glimpse of a simple, straightforward spirituality that we can all understand. Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart delivers a message titled, "Genesis: Simple Spirituality."
Each of us lives within the context of culture. Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares how biblical figures, Abraham and Lot, were both shaped by culture—a trend that continues to the current day. And asks how we, in turn, can have an impact in shaping culture for others in a positive way? We hope you can join us for this extremely relevant message, titled "Genesis: Products of the Culture."
The Christian life is necessarily one of sacrifice. But God gives us much more than anything we give up. Though He is the Creator of the universe, we often fail to trust Him with both the large and small things in our lives. Listen as Pastor Andrea Jakobsons brings us a message in our continuing series from the book of Genesis titled, "Giving It All." #givingitall
We often hear others say "God will provide," but do we believe it? Should we set our expectations low so that we're not disappointed, or should we expect big things from a God who makes big promises? As human beings, we often sell God short. This week's message is a "must-hear" as Pastor Gaspar Colón shares our message for this week, but also brings his wife, May-Ellen, on stage to share a powerful testimony for God's leading in their lives.
Having a joyful attitude isn't always easy. Maintaining a spirit of joy in the face of difficult circumstances harder still. Yet, as Christians, we serve a God who is able to provide joy no matter the circumstances. Listen as Pastor Lerone brings us a message on joyfulness titled, "Think on These Things."
We don't obey God in order to earn salvation. On the contrary, it is by faith that we obey—in response to the salvation that we already have through the sacrifice of Jesus. Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart delivers this week's message titled, "Genesis: Obedience is Not a Four-Letter Word."
Faith allows us to experience things that others may miss completely. It also enables us to find value in people that are overlooked. God did this in the 16th chapter of Genesis (the first book of the Bible) through Abram, Sarai, and Hagar. Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a message titled "Genesis: El-Roi and Ishmael."
In the fifteenth chapter of the book of Genesis, God comes to reassure Abram that He will take care of Him. But instead of being grateful, Abram chooses to focus on what he doesn’t have—a son, and the land God promised. What does it take for God to get through to Abram's heart? Do we, like Abram, often fail to see what God means when he says that he is all we need? Listen as Pastor Andrea Jakobsons shares this message from June 24, "Genesis: Cutting the Covenant."
You may have heard the Biblical patriarch Abraham referred to as "the father of many nations." While Abraham was faithful to God in many ways, his life and story prove that it is God who is ultimately and consistently faithful. Many people will be familiar with the account of Abraham, but will have missed the detail that Pastor Chad shares in this message.
When it comes to life choices, Jesus is always the better option. But why? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares his message titled "Jesus is Just Better!" Because having a better option is always preferable—and choosing Jesus is the best choice of all.
We invite you to enjoy the message from this past Saturday as we emphasized religious liberty with speaker, James Standish, who spoke on behalf of NARLA (North American Religious Liberty Association). Spencerville Church welcomes NARLA as they join us for worship as part of their annual conference.
We're faced with many choices in life, but none will bring the peace, joy, and surety that Jesus provides. This message is targeted to the Class of 2017, but is equally applicable for believers of all walks and backgrounds. Listen as Pastor Anthony Kent brings us a message titled, "Your Tomorrow."
We're often too proud of our accomplishments related to faith. We see ourselves as the hero of our own story—instead of yielding that place to an unchanging God who, according to Scripture, "...is the same yesterday, today, and forever." How can we choose to give God His rightful place as the Hero of our lives? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart brings us a message titled "Genesis: The Unfaithful Faithful Christian."
Every person who accepts Christ's gift of salvation also accepts God's call within their life. His calling changes everything. What's required of us when we accept His gift and hear His call? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart brings us a message titled, "Genesis: Get Thee Out."
We serve a God who keeps his promises. Yet, when we don't trust these promises, we end up fruitlessly trying to build by ourselves, wasting time, effort, materials, and expense. How can we avoid this waste? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart brings us the sixth message of our Genesis series titled "Trust the Rainbow."
Last week, Pastor Andrea Jakobsons showed us how God's grace and mercy was evident in the flood. But what about after the flood? Scripture repeats the phrase "be fruitful and multiply," with regard to Noah's family—but was God only speaking of procreation? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart continues the Genesis series with a sermon titled "Start Again."
Is the God of the flood account in Genesis the same God who appears in the rest of the Bible? What is the nature of character of this God? Listen as Pastor Andrea Jakobsons answers these questions and others in a message titled, "The God of the Flood."
Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart continues the series on the book of Genesis. You might be thinking, "Genesis? On #Easter weekend?" Yes! Stay with us, this is a sermon you'll want to hear. There's more in common between Easter and the book of Genesis than you might think!
Does God unfairly limit us? When He created us, did He truly given us free will, or is it all just an illusion? Listen as Pastor Andrea Jakobsons brings a message to answer this question and others titled, "Mending the Broken "We."
Written by Maurice Duruflé (1902-1986). Conducted by Dr. James Bingham in his final appearance as the director of music for Washington Adventist University at Spencerville Church.
Written by Maurice Duruflé (1902-1986), conducted by Dr. James Bingham in his final appearance at Spencerville Church as the director of the music program at Washington Adventist University.
"In the beginning..." These are the words that begin the book of Genesis. They make the assertion that God is foundational to all that has been and all that will be. Watch as we begin our walk through the book of Genesis with Pastor Chad Stuart titled, "Genesis: A Very Good Place to Start."
To paraphrase the second verse of Ecclesiastes 1, "Vanity, vanity, all is vanity." Our attempts to make sense of our time on earth are nothing more than chasing the wind unless God is present and foremost in our lives. Listen as Artur Stele, the General Vice President for the global Seventh-day Adventist Church brings us a message titled, "The Essence of All Things."
When a wedding story is told, the bride and groom are the main characters. Yet, the author of the parable of the ten bridesmaids focuses on the wedding party instead of the midnight groom. Could this be an allegory of the efforts of our Savior, where Jesus puts the focus on humanity not Himself? Listen as Pastor Anthony Kent brings us this timely message, titled: "Keep Watch..."
We were made to sing. It's a part of who God made us to be. Worship benefits from music and from song. How can we use this gift to better bring God praise? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart brings us this week's message, titled, "Sing."
If you identify as Christian, did you know that you're called to share the gospel within your sphere of influence? Now is the time for all who dwell under the banner of Christ to "embrace their sentness" as missionaries for Jesus. Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart brings us the sixth and final part of his "Questionable" sermon series, titled: Embrace Your Sentness.
Are you ready to answer spiritual questions from those around you? Is the way you live your life consistent with what you claim to believe? Listen as Pastor Chad Stuart delivers his message titled: "Questionable: Be Prepared," looking at effective ways to minister in everyday life.
We were blessed to have the fantastic musical ensemble containing John Sackett, Ekaterina Tomenko Di Pinto, and Richy Flores, Jr., accompanied by Mark Di Pinto on the piano. This was recorded during the Sabbath School hour this past Sabbath. Close your eyes and enjoy God's gift of music, delivered through the cello.
When it comes to publicly representing our values, do we walk and talk what we believe in a way that is loving and not condemning? Are we regularly sitting at the feet of Jesus in prayer—not speaking, but listening for His voice? Enjoy part four of Pastor Chad Stuart's message titled: "Questionable: Less Talk, More Listen."
As parents, one of our greatest hopes is that our children will grow up to be helpful, uplifting people, with hearts of service for their fellow human beings. There's no better example of this in history than that of Jesus Christ. Whether you're young, or just young at heart, you'll be blessed by this message from Pastor Lerone Carson.
The gospel record is littered with accounts of Jesus dining with all classes of society. From the disciples to a tax collector, Jesus treated dining with people as a sacred act. What did He know that we don't? Join Pastor Chad Stuart as he challenges us with the third sermon of his "Questionable" series titled, "The Power of a Meal."
We understand that, as Christians, we are called to live our faith. But what does that look like? Are we to wait until opportunity comes to us? Or should we be intentional about seeking out opportunities to be missionaries in our homes, neighborhoods, workplaces, cities, and towns? Listen in as Pastor Chad Stuart brings us this timely and important message.
What does the way we live communicate to those around us? Are all of us, as some say, evangelists in some way? Listen as Pastor Chad shares a message that calls us to live in a way that causes others to question what we believe.
The Word of God has many prescriptions for human happiness. However, there is a specific formula that is foundational to all others. In this week's message, Pastor Andrea Jakobsons shares this formula with us. We invite you to listen to this message titled: "Seek and Build."
When Jesus spoke to the people of His day, he talked of heavenly values from the Kingdom of glory. He found a way to communicate those divine values to those here in the earthly kingdom—a kingdom dependent on God's grace. Can we do the same? If so, how? Join us in worship with Spencerville's newest Pastor, Gaspar Colón, as he brings us the Word in four scenes, titled: Kingdoms of Grace.
As we remember what Jesus has done for us, we're reminded to consider our response to His blessings. Are you being called to recommit your life to His divine plan in 2017? Join Pastor Chad Stuart as he delivers this short homily on the eve of a new year.
Christ came to Earth to die for us. That he was willing to come shows the value we hold to Him. Watch and listen as Pastor Chad Stuart talks about the importance of our ministry of "going" and how Jesus' life was lived as an example for us all.
What do you expect to receive from the world? Many people look to the world for light, but they receive only darkness. Join Pastor Chad Stuart as he reminds us that the only light available in this world exists in Jesus.
Thousands of years ago, God's people were frightened. They lived during times of upheavel and political unrest. It was the very definition of chaos. The longed for the promised Deliverer mentioned in the Holy Scriptures. Just as it was long ago, God's people still exist in chaos. Yet we must wait—our Deliverer is coming! Watch and listen as Pastor Chad Stuart shares the great hope of our soon-coming Deliverer.
Our God is an optimist. He doesn't define us by our past or by our present but instead by what He knows we can be through our faith in Him. Listen as Pastor Chad shares how God reached him, and how he longs to reach every human heart.
Is Thanksgiving only celebrated once per year, or should it be a regular part of our lives? Join us for worship as Pastor Chad Stuart shares a touching personal story about a past Thanksgiving experience, and gives Biblical reasons for why an attitude of gratitude is a great way for God to shine through us.
Our regrets are not big enough to stop the grace of God's power to work in us and through us. Join us as we take another look at the book of Esther. There's more to this story than appears at first glance.
This is a presidential election like none other in history. There seems to be true anxiety in the world over who will win the presidency. Let us remember that God is all powerful. Is God going to have a more difficult time being God because of OUR election? Our vote for the next president shouldn't compromise our true mission which is to witness to everyone about Jesus regardless of their political affiliation.
The Man Who Fasted and Prayed - Pastor Andrea Jakobsons - Oct 29, 2016 by Spencerville Church
The Man Who Loved the Word of God - Pastor Andrea Jakobsons - Oct. 22, 2016 by Spencerville Church
Two Stories About "Everything" - Pastor Chad Stuart - Sept 24, 2016 by Spencerville Church
The Grace of the Right Outfit - Pastor Chad Stuart - Sept 10, 2016 by Spencerville Church
Yes, Jesus Wants to Save Him Too - Pastor Chad Stuart - Sept 3, 2016 by Spencerville Church
Little Things and Character - Pastor Marilyn Scott - July 16, 2016 by Spencerville Church
Little Things and Character - Pastor Marilyn Scott - July 16, 2016 by Spencerville Church
Following the events that transpired last week with #AltonSterling, #PhilandoCastile, and the shootings in #Dallas, Pastor Chad speaks of a need to put aside divisive labels and come together in Christian unity. We pray that you're blessed by this emotional sermon, please share it as you feel led.
The Sin of Turning Our Heads - Pastor Chad Stuart - June 18, 2016 by Spencerville Church
Hearts Full of Seeds and Leaven - Pastor Chad Stuart - June 11, 2016 by Spencerville Church
Protecting Lambs Until They're Sheep - Pastor Chad Stuart - May 14, 2016 by Spencerville Church
The Space Between the Cross and the Empty Tomb - Pastor Chad Stuart - March 26, 2016 by Spencerville Church
Living in 3D: Discerning Our Next Steps - Pastor Chad Stuart - Mar 19, 2016 by Spencerville Church
Living in 3D: Discover Stories - Pastor Chad Stuart - Mar 12, 2016 by Spencerville Church
Living in 3D: Developing Friendships - Pastor Chad Stuart - Mar 5, 2016 by Spencerville Church
Ready or Not, Here Comes the Groom - Pastor Marilyn Scott - Feb 20, 2016 by Spencerville Church
It May Not Seem Bad Right Now - Pastor Chad Stuart - Feb 13, 2016 by Spencerville Church
Save My Child: What Will You Leave In Them - Pastor Chad Stuart - Jan 16, 2016 by Spencerville Church
Save My Child: It Starts With You - Pastor Chad Stuart - Jan 9, 2016 by Spencerville Church
Arise, Shine, for Your Light Has Come - Dr. Claude Richli - Dec 19, 2015 by Spencerville Church
Earthly Parents, Part 2: Joseph - Pastor Chad Stuart - Dec 12, 2015 by Spencerville Church
Earthly Parents, Part 1: Mary - Pastor Chad Stuart - Dec 5, 2015 by Spencerville Church
Faith in the Faith of Perverted Justice - Dr. Ekkehardt Mueller - Dec 5, 2015 by Spencerville Church
Set Food and Water Before Them - Pastor Chad Stuart - Nov 28, 2015 by Spencerville Church
A Smelly Shirt, Broken Laws, and a Whole Lot of Grace - Pastor Chad Stuart - Nov 14, 2015 by Spencerville Church
Of Course Generous! What Else Would You Expect? - Pastor Chad Stuart - Nov 7, 2015 by Spencerville Church
Forgive Us Our Debts, As We Forgive Our Debtors - Pastor Chad Stuart - Oct 3, 2015 by Spencerville Church
About Traditions and The Heart (Mark 7) - Dr. Ekkehardt Mueller - Oct 3, 2015 by Spencerville Church
They Should Have Had ALL the Power - Pastor Chad Stuart - Sept 26, 2015 by Spencerville Church
Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done - Pastor Chad Stuart - Sept 12, 2015 by Spencerville Church
Christian Fast-Paced Living - Dr. Ekkehardt Mueller - August 15, 2015 by Spencerville Church
When Grain Fields and Synagogues Were Battlefields - Pastor Anthony Kent - August 29, 2015 by Spencerville Church
This is Our Church, Prone to Prayer - Pastor Chad Stuart - February 14, 2015 by Spencerville Church
This is Our Church, Koinonia - Pastor Chad Stuart - January 24, 2015 by Spencerville Church
This is Our Church, Steadfast in the Word - Pastor Chad Stuart - January 17, 2015 by Spencerville Church
This is Our Church, With One Accord - Pastor Chad Stuart - January 10, 2015 by Spencerville Church
This is Our Church, Full of Pentacostals - Pastor Chad Stuart - December 6, 2014 by Spencerville Church
This is Our Church, The Church We're Called to Be - Pastor Chad Stuart - November 08, 2014 by Spencerville Church