Faith in Christ Fellowship Sermons: Recent Episodes
Church Office
Since God saved the Israelites, they’ve become His treasured possession. The people of God are representatives of God to the surrounding nations. As a result, they must learn how to bear God’s name faithfully. Unfortunately, they often misrepresented God to all those around them. Exodus 19-20 reveals how the people of God can bear God’s name faithfully.
Ian Rawley is Sam's father and a guest speaker today. Our God is not static, but dynamic. He wasn’t finished 2000 years ago, but continues to be interacting with us and His creation.
As they begin their 40 year journey in the wilderness, the Israelites learn to trust their God.
How great is our God? The story of Egypt experiencing the 10 plagues gives us a glimpse of the depth and breadth of sin as well as the power and greatness of God. God defeated Pharaoh to bring hope to both humanity and the rest of creation.
Exodus 5-6 tells the story of how the Israelites began to be delivered from their oppressors. This gives great insights into how Christians can be delivered from evil as well.
Moses encounters Yahweh and is never the same again. In Exodus 3, God’s promise is His presence. God will always be a God who is with His people. Exodus foreshadows our ultimate promise of God’s presence, in the person of Jesus. May we encounter Jesus and never be the same again.
Exodus is about a people who had a life changing encounter with God and were never the same again. It’s a story of Israel’s journey with God. A difficult and demanding journey into an unfamiliar land in order to fulfill its purpose. As we explore the book of Exodus, may we have a life changing encounter with God and never be the same again!
This is the summary of our look into the Book of Luke. What are the key thoughts that Luke wanted us to know?
New Reality, New Opportunity . The resurrection is the beginning of a new reality. Life will never be the same again. We have a new identity, authority and purpose. This new reality gives us a new opportunity. How will we respond?
Sermon Subject: Remaining Hopeful. Sermon Series: The Gospel of Luke.In the midst of life’s struggles, how do we remain hopeful? In Luke chapter 21, Jesus reveals the posture and perspective of the Kingdom life. Our hope is certain and our response must be patience.
When faced with rejection and insult, God responds with grace. He turns his anger generated by injustice into an act of outrageous sacrificial love. As we seek to follow Jesus, how will we respond to his grace and love?
In Luke chapter 19 we see Jesus proclaiming himself as the long awaited Messiah who will bring Israel peace. His next surprising actions don't give them what they wanted, but what they needed.
Sermon series= The Gospel of Luke; Title: What Do You Want?In Luke chapter 18, Jesus shows us what it looks like to live as a follower of Him. We should have the pattern of the widow and the posture of the tax-collector. We are then presented with the same question that Jesus asked the blind beggar, what kind of life do you want to live? A new life demands a willingness to accept the responsibilities and challenges that come as a result.
We will be covering Luke 16-17 and will be discovering four of the messages inside of these two chapters. They are: Understanding the Law – There’s a new sheriff in town; The rich man and Lazarus – no turning back; Temptation to sin – The snake made me do it; Increasing our faith – Reporting a power outage.
Jesus desires to form his way of life in those who follow Him. This is only possible when we learn to become dependent on God and inter-dependent on one another. Ultimately, we’re accountable to God for how we live our lives.
Luke 10 tells the story of the sending out of the seventy and what they reported back. This story is like a soft-launch of the church, a trial run before Pentecost to build faith. This is the story that reveals the potential power for all believers and is a roadmap to increasing your faith-walk
Sermon series - The Gospel of Luke, Ch 6: Jesus is Lord. Jesus made the bold claim that He was God. As we continue our study of the Gospel of Luke, we see that Jesus’ declaration was made evident through the way He lived. If you want to follow Jesus, then He must be Lord of your life. Who do you say Jesus is? Does your life demonstrate that He is Lord? We’ll explore how the practice of Sabbath can help us live in this reality. Pastor Rawley also gave several ‘reflection questions’ to think about.
Jesus began His ministry by entering and winning victory in the wilderness. He overcame the thoughts and ideas in His mind that came as temptations from the devil. Jesus won victory on the most personal and intimate level by choosing the path of the cross instead of the paths that the devil offered Him. May we learn to follow in the way of Jesus.
Jesus entered our world. In chapters 1 & 2 in the Gospel of Luke, we see how God entered the lives of ordinary people living an ordinary experience. An encounter with God renewed their joy, hope and peace as they faithfully served Him. Jesus wants to do the same for us.
Jesus is leading us through the unfamiliar territory of a Post-Christian/Post-COVID world. We must develop new rhythms and practices to help us keep close to Him because He wants to lead us to those who are disconnected from Him. Will we follow Him?
Finding renewed hope in the midst of so many challenging circumstances. 3 stories of people who had lost their hope, but through an encounter with the risen Christ, were able to find it again.
Sermon title: How Great Is Our God? Sermon Series: Renewed Hope. When was the moment you realized you weren’t great enough to overcome that which lies before you? We can often find ourselves wondering whether God is great enough to deliver us from a desperate situation. In Isaiah 40:12-26, the prophet lets us know just how great He is.
Prayer is foundational to becoming God’s people on His mission. It establishes an intimate relationship with our heavenly Father and gives us wisdom and guidance for carrying out His plans and purposes. Consistent, honest prayer transforms our hearts to have a greater love and compassion for others and the world around us bringing God’s Kingdom wherever He leads.
Today was Father’s day and Kathy Swanson gave a blessing for fathers.
This sermon is based on Heb 12:14 - “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord”. This sermon concerns moving from Holy to Wholly. We are reminded that to be holy, we need to be wholly surrendered, wholly sacrificed, wholly submitted and wholly pure.
Jesus is inviting us to journey with him through our rapidly changing world. May we not have excuses; may we learn to lament; may we extend grace to those we encounter.
The incarnation of Jesus Christ is often one of the least understood and most misrepresented doctrines of Christianity. Today’s sermon will help develop a solid understanding of incarnation along with valuable insights into its importance to Christians John 1:14
Sermon Series: Gospel Mission; What's Required? Jesus rose from the dead, now what? He invites us to follow after him. Micah, the Old Testament prophet, gives us a glimpse of what it means to follow after God- Do justice. Love kindness. Walk humbly. This is what is required to participate in God’s mission.
Sermon Series- The Mission of God’s People; Easter Sunday - A Resurrection Foundation. The resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of the Christian faith. On Good Friday, Jesus’ disciples had a crisis of faith. But, on Resurrection Sunday, their faith was built a new foundation- one that is immovable. Pain and suffering are part of the story but they don’t get to control the story.
Sermon series - Gospel Mission. Sermon title= Evangelism: Good News? Do you feel bombarded with bad news? The truth is, as followers of Jesus, we have good news. Jesus is alive- He’s redeeming, reigning and soon to be returning! Let’s learn to communicate this good news with wisdom, grace and courage.
Sermon Series- The Mission of God’s People; “People who represent God to the World” Should Theology drive our ethics or our ethics drive our theology? What is the mission of God’s church? If we are to be the people who represent God to the world, how do we go about doing that? This sermon unpacks the meaning of how to represent God to the world.
Sermon Series- Gospel Mission; “ God's Mission” In March 2022, we find ourselves in a moment that has the potential to reshape our future. Our moment is connected to the True Story of the whole world. God is on mission and He is inviting us, His church, to join Him. Let’s explore what it means to join Him in His mission.
February is Mission Month at FICF. Jesus is climbing the mountains of our Post-Christian world in order to reach the disconnected. Will we join Him? On the journey, there will be campfires, mountaintops and hearts healed. It’s going to be an adventure like no other.
February is Mission Month at FICF. Our goal is to activate our church family to participate in God’s mission in our world. Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus in John chapter 3 gives us an insight into who we need to become in our Post-Christian world.
"Vision Sunday: Looking Back & Looking Forward" It’s important to reflect on the journey God led us on during 2021 and discern where He wants to lead us in 2022 and beyond. 2021 marked the beginning of a new adventure for our church family. We’re committed to follow Jesus into the “uncharted territory”.
God’s ultimate purpose is to restore all of creation, so that it would flourish and live under its rightful King. A time is coming soon when there will be no pain, suffering or death and the relationship between God, humanity and creation will be healed and restored. Let’s join in with the true story of the whole world.
The Church – "Spreading the News of the King”. In this sermon, we discuss the definition of the church, the purpose of the church, and the believer’s role in the church.
We finally reach the climax of the True Story of the Whole World. Redemption is the solution to the problem of human rebellion. King Jesus and His Kingdom has come. The Kingdom of God is revealed, there is victory over sin and salvation for all of creation. Redemption releases our purpose and helps us find our place in the True Story.
Sermon series – The True Story; Promise, Part 2. The Israelites struggled to connect putting their faith in the promises of God for blessing with the ugly experiences of their reality. As the people of God journeyed with God for 2,000 years their faith was formed on 5 foundational truths. Let’s reconnect our lives to these truths.
Sermon series – The True Story; Promise, Part 1. Pastor Steve says this is Act 3 of a 6 Act play that tells the whole story of the world. Following Act 2, which dealt with the Fall and with sin, Act 3 introduces us to the solution – God’s promise!
Creation is perfect. There is peace and harmony with God, humanity and the world. What could possibly go wrong? As we move to Act 2: Rebellion, humanity chooses its own way, not God’s way. As a result, sin corrupts the whole of creation and every part of humanity. Everything looks lost and devoid of hope. However, we find a promise in Genesis chapter 3 that gives us a future hope!
Pastor Raul Rodriquez from Sanidad Divina is guest speaker today. In Acts 16:6-10, Paul has a vision of the man of Macedonia calling him and Barnabus to come help them in Macedonia. Is God calling us to help others find Christ?
Sermon series – The True Story; Creation. Pastor Sam points out that Humanity, not Christians, are created in His image, Male & Female, to Complete the image of God and to Co-reign over creation. When we enter a different world there is a new “normal” that we must adapt to. As followers of Jesus, who desire to participate in the Biblical Story, we must learn a new “normal”.
Today's Sermon title is, Ethos vs Theos. Steve’s message will look into the Word of God to look at the challenges of an unchanging Gospel in a changing world and how it applies to each of our lives.
Sermon series – The True Story; From Creation to Restoration. We live in a world that has many competing stories and we’re left asking the question, what is the true story of the whole world? Over the next few months, we’re going to explore the answer to this question. The Biblical Story is the one true story of the whole world. Our desire is that we would reconnect to the Biblical Story and have our imaginations renewed for what it means to participate in God’s story for His creation. Let’s go on the jou
In a world that says, “I want it and I want it now”, waiting is not easy. However, the Biblical Story is one that requires waiting. As we wait for the launch of Big Church/Small Church, we can learn from how God prepared the Israelites to enter the Promised Land. Joshua chapter 1 shows us how we should wait. Ephesians 3:14-19
Sermon title is “Vision Sunday”. In October, we launch our new church model of Big Church/ Small Church. Pastor Sam shares the vision for the future of Faith in Christ Fellowship. Come on the journey!
Pastor Sam’s 8th Sermon in the “A New Humanity” Series; "Principalities & Powers." The Church has been called to engage in Spiritual Warfare as Divine Warriors. However, we need renewed imaginations in order to understand the nature of a Kingdom Warrior. As Divine Warriors we must understand our role, enemy, weapons and tactics. Only then, can we perform Jesus’ triumph as the New Humanity!
The Apostle Paul extends God’s invitation to the Church to participate in the triumph of Christ. Why? Because the Church is a community that has been filled by the Spirit with the presence of God and is called to perform His Kingdom here on earth. However, participation can often look very ordinary. We must learn to live as the New Humanity in the ordinary of our lives.
Pastor Steve’s sermon will explore the Ephesians 5:22-33 passages that lovingly direct us towards a rewarding a fulfilling marriage.
Pastor Sam’s 5th Sermon in the “A New Humanity” Series; “New Life in Love”. As we turn to chapter 5 of Ephesians, we find ourselves asking the question, “What does it mean to participate in the victory of Christ?" As we take a posture of humility and depend on the grace and power of the Holy Spirit, we must develop communal rhythms that enable us to walk as Jesus walked- to walk in love and to transform the darkness around us.
Pastor Sam’s 4th Sermon in the “A New Humanity” Series; “The New Life”. Change is hard. In Ephesians 4:22-24, Paul tells us to put off the old self & put on the new self, resisting the world’s ways. Our Rhythms of resistance are Fasting, Silence & Solitude, Lament, Community, Worship, Confession, Prayer, Sabbath. Failure to change and develop new patterns of transformation/ rhythms of resistance is to fail to live as New Humanity.
Pastor Sam’s question for reflection: Do you have any relationships that
In this sermon, Pastor Steve will be exploring how to develop unity and diversity from a Biblical standpoint, verses a humanistic standpoint.
In this sermon, Pastor Steve will be exploring how to develop unity and diversity from a Biblical standpoint, verses a humanistic standpoint.
In this scripture, we find Paul on bended knee again offering a prayer for the body of believers requesting they 1) be strengthened with power, 2) be rooted and grounded in love, 3) comprehend the immensity of Christ’s love, and 4) be filled with the fullness of God. Today as the church – the ecclesia - we can offer the same requests bringing God’s glory in our midst.
Pastor Sam’s 3rd sermon in the "A New Humanity” Series. Single New Humanity: The Apostle Paul highlights that "in Christ” there is one new humanity. Jesus has overcome the division & self destruction of humanity and brought unity. Often our experience doesn’t align with this Biblical reality. Therefore, we must learn and perfect new rhythms of life that supports it.
Sermon title: Resurrected with Christ. Pastor Steve shows how God’s grace has created a new humanity made for the believer.
Pastor Sam’s second sermon in the "A New Humanity” Series; A Prayer for Knowledge The Apostle Paul prays that the church in Ephesus would not just know about Jesus but know Him intimately. To know Jesus means to live in the reality that He is Lord and has triumphed over every spiritual force. Jesus' triumph liberates the people of God to bear the image of God. Jesus' victory enables us to know the hope to which we've been called, the inheritance that we have received and the power that works in and through
Pastor Sam’s first sermon in the "A New Humanity” Series; Every Spiritual Blessing. The Apostle Paul is reminding the church in Ephesus that they are part of God's story. A story by which Jesus has triumphed over every demonic force, evil and darkness. The church is being invited to participate in Jesus' triumph as He makes all things new. God's creation will be renewed through a new humanity.
Pastor Sam’s last sermon in the "Beyond the Wilderness" series: "A Time for Wounded Healers" As followers of Jesus we must become wounded healers. How can I be a healer when I need healing myself? Great irony of the gospel: we must bring the good news of healing when at the same time we are in need of it. But we don’t have to be completely healed in order to be healers. Being wounded healers is a true telling of our story.
The Year of the Lord’s Favor Pastor Steve focuses on Luke 4:18-19 to show the 5 proclamations that Jesus spoke of during his first sermon at a Synagogue. He states that He has fulfilled the Prophecy of Isaiah 61:1-2 and how this ushers in the year of the Lord’s favor.
Pastor Sam asks “What does it look like to follow Jesus beyond the wilderness?” Jesus rejected the path of Popularity, Awe & Wonder, Domination & Power. Jesus chose the path of the cross; Humble service, Self- giving love, Sacrificial suffering Pastor Sam’s Discussion questions are: 1.What area of need do you feel drawn to serve? 2.Who do feel drawn to serve?
Pastor Steve looks at Luke 4:18-19 to demonstrate what the Lord used to vaccine us against sin. He presents 5 things that vaccinate us from Sin.
A Time for Humility. (3rd Sermon in series 'Beyond the Wilderness') Is your Spirit or body wounded? Wounds either push us closer or push us away from God. During this season, the Holy Spirit wants to heal our wounds. Full healing require: proclamation, justice advocacy and compassion. The Kingdom is here!
Reasons for Poverty. Myths about Poverty. Poverty relationships. Traits of Poverty. God’s plan for poverty. What we need to do to break the curse of poverty.
Sermon Series "Beyond the Wilderness" - A Time to Heal 1 of 6. As we start to emerge from the wilderness in a Post-COVID world, there is a great need for healing in our own lives and the lives of those around us. We all have wounds. We all need the healing touch of Jesus. It’s often in the wilderness that we unlearn and relearn practices and perspectives that reconnect us to Jesus’ unique mission call on our lives. There is hope, healing, salvation and purpose beyond the wilderness.
Easter Sunday has passed, but for believers it's only the beginning & the road to new life continues. Because Jesus ascended to heaven and sits on the Throne – this changes everything! We become co-heirs with Christ and are called children of God. As we continue on this road to new life we are now resurrected and redeemed people. Do our lives and the state of our hearts reflect this eternal inheritance? Who sits on the throne of our heart? (First 1-1/2 minutes is poor quality audio, but better after that)
The Empty Tomb. After Jesus was buried, several women went to His tomb to dress His body with spices, according to the Jewish tradition. They expected a dead man in the tomb, but discovered a risen Jesus. Their expected reality was changed by a new reality! The resurrection changes our expectations and our reality [focus/role]! How was your reality changed when you met Jesus? What’s your current experience?
The Road to a New Life; the Cross. What the cross did to make sure that you would be eternally protected and loved. Are we looking for treasures we already have?
Without the Garden of Gethsemane, what Jesus did on the cross would have been of no value to anyone. What happened in the garden will change your perspective of how incredibly loving is Jesus to you personally.
1st sermon in new series called, "The Road to New Life". Pastor Sam’s sermon is “The Table.” Who did Jesus sit at tables with? Sinners. How can we emulate Jesus’ example of who to share a table with? Pastor Sam’s discussion Questions: 1. What would it look like at FICF if we spent more time gathered around the table than the stage? 2. Who is the Holy Spirit prompting you to share a meal/drink with? (Sorry – audio from the video clip did not record)
Doug Hon from the LifeLink related church in St Charles, Missouri, is guest speaker today. He discusses the place of church in society, as Paul reveals in Ephesians and what kind of people we, as believers, are destined to be. How did this great church leader, Paul, end up in prison? Our lives are not defined by what appears to be, but by the reality of the Kingdom, the wisdom, of God. There were no slides for this sermon.
Living in Our Identity. Jesus’ 6th & final paradigm shift challenges us to leave behind a 2 tier love, where we have greater love for our fellow believer and embrace a 1 tier love, where we have the same love for both our neighbor & our enemy. By living in our new identities, as sons and daughters of God, we become missional to a world that needs Jesus. At FICF, we must give greater priority to spiritual growth, neighborhood impact and multiplication & less priority to reaching our maximum seating capacity.
Radical Acts of Kindness. Jesus’ 5th paradigm shift calls His followers into a radical way of life. Jesus is asking His disciples to be willing to hold their personal rights, property and prosperity more loosely for the sake of the expansion of His Kingdom. If we want to be a mission minded church then we need a model that facilitates it. Big/Small Church operates with a centralized vision but a decentralized structure, which causes greater participation, responsibility, reach and impact of its members.
Pastor Swanson's Sermon is "All About Love."What is Love? We only have one word for love, but the Greeks have 8 words for it. 4 of these are used in the Bible: Eros, Philia, Storge, Agape. What did Jesus say about Love? Perhaps we can summarize it by saying “Love God, Love your Neighbor & Love yourself.”
Jesus’ 4th paradigm shift is calling His followers into a life of integrity. When our character is under question, our message is compromised. If we want to produce disciples of integrity at FICF, then we need to increase the responsibility, accountability and participation of our members. Big/Small Church shifts the emphasis from the Pastor does everything to everyone has something to contribute.
3rd sermon in the series "You've heard; I (Jesus) say". Jesus’ 3rd paradigm shift reveals what Kingdom Community looks like by calling us out of contractual relationships and into covenantal relationships. In embracing a new church model of Big Church/ Small Church, we seek to cultivate a community marked by covenant relationships. Covenant relationships are formed as we embrace the forging process that the Spirit wants to take us through.
Pastor Steve is departing from Pastor Sam’s series with this Sermon titled "Have Faith in God" We Christians are all on a journey. We may need a fresh start, a fresh anointing or we will miss out on the power of that anointing. Having faith in God is our starting point. Then pray, believe, receive. How to activate faith: 1) Pray 2) Desire it 3) Decide who rules in your life 4) Act on it 5) Persistence 6) Receive it 7) See it, visualize it 8) Speak it forth, prophesy it into the world.
Jesus’ 2nd paradigm shift raises the standard of being one of His followers. Jesus is just as concerned with the private areas of our life as He is the public. As we embrace the Big/Small Church model we need to be less concerned with measuring success by attendance and more concerned with measuring health by participation and engagement. A healthy church where its members are actively participating and engaging produces disciples that look more like Jesus.
During this new sermon series, we desire to embrace Jesus' new paradigms found in Matthew 5. Jesus’ 1st paradigm shift highlights the importance of relationship in Kingdom community. At FICF, we need to embrace a model of church that facilitates healthy community life. Big/Small Church causes us to shift from thinking like a mother (focused on what I can produce) to thinking like a midwife (focused on what you can produce). A midwife mentality produces a community tha
"New Wine, New Wineskins" Pastor Rawley brings in the new year considering the need to put New Wine into New Wineskins as this New Year begins. Jesus tells us what happens when New Wine is put in old wineskins. Matt 9:17 The Kingdom of God is the New Wine, we are the Wineskins. The Wine is more important than the Wineskins. Jesus is showing us the new Reality. We must be born again in order to contain the Kingdom of God. John 2:1-11 Jesus changed the water into Wine
Pastor Steve speaks about Vision – personal vision for 2021. Are we ready for change? He lists 3 key aspects of personal vision: 1-Having a clear personal vision 2-Developing a clear purpose for our lives, in line with our vision 3-Relationships in line with our vision Prov 29:18 Without vision people perish or are unrestrained Eph 6:19-20 Paul had a clear, passionate vision
Love in the midst of uncertainty. Christmas & Advent in the midst of CoV19. The heart of our Christmas should go from tree/stockings/gifts, etc., to Jesus. Joseph had love for Mary and was going to divorce her quietly until an angel came to him in a dream. Examples of Love & worship by the shepherds & the wise men. John’s instruction about love 1 John 4:7-10
Joy in the midst of uncertainty Pastor Sam continues the Advent series, asking “What does joy look like?” What is the World’s Joy vs Biblical Joy? The World’s joy is temporary & dependent on current circumstance. True Joy is fundamental, lasting happiness, based on God’s word & promises. Pastor Sam Suggested 2 things to discuss during a short breakout. 1-Share a time when you experienced God’s joy in a difficult situation. 2-What practical steps can you take in order to “see Jesus” and “remain in Jesus”?
Pastor Steve continues the Advent series with "Peace in the midst of uncertainty". Hope leads to Peace, which leads to Joy, which leads to Love – all which centers on Jesus. The world’s concept of peace (via WikiPedia) vs a Christian theological one. What are the ingredients of peace? Confidence – Approval - Assurance - Lack of fear – Awe, but in the right measure. Why the difference between Jesus’ words in John 14:27 vs Matthew 10:34 ?
Hope is is the Confident Expectation of Coming Good Advent is here, which is a new hope - God’s coming. We must renew our minds, knowing that God is always with us, ready to provide for all our needs. We must Dwell in God’s PRESENCE, Trust for His PROVISION, Rely on His POWER & Believe His PROMISE. CoVID has cancelled many things, but HOPE is not cancelled!! Group questions for your consideration: 1) In what ways has it been difficult to maintain a sense of strength and hope in these last months? 2) What
How to overcome worry during these perilous and threatening times. We need to have a promise of God on our lips every morning when we get up. We need to transform our minds; interrupt thoughts of fear or negativity (Rom 12:2) Combat the “I feel” thoughts by remembering what “I know” from the Word. Practice Scriptural positive thinking (Phil 4:8), God will provide your needs, no need to worry.
Disciples left Everything to follow Jesus. Peter was thinking: What reward will I get for giving up everything & following Jesus? What benefit is there from following Jesus? Why am I living this Kingdom life?
What can we learn from the parable of the owner of a vineyard who hired men from morning to evening, then paid them all the same? Why does God sometimes seem unfair?
Pastor Sam suggested 2 topics for discussion: 1. Share a time when you experienced the grace of God. 2. What impact did it have on you
Pastor Steve talks about Relationships in Midst of Uncertainty. Jesus calmed the storm, He was certain of God’s will. Pastor Steve lists 7 actions that we can use to weather relationship storms in our lives.
Have you felt the emotion of insecurity recently? We need unity with one another. Unity connects diversity. Unity cannot be contained to the few. Unity is our priestly duty to extend His blessing to the world. Unity is a gift to be shared. Unity sustains us in uncertain times. How can we stay in unity while the [pandemic/election/social unrest] is tearing us apart?
Pastor Sam’s Discussion Questions: 1. Share a time when you experienced the unity of the Spirit. 2. What practical steps are required in o
Faith in the midst of uncertainty - Vision Sunday Pastor Sam Rawley shares FICF's vision in the light of current situation (CoVid, Political, potential loss of FICF building & other concerns). The challenge of Faith, the example that we have in Abraham, Jesus' Disciples. Gen 12:1-4 Matthew 4:18-20 Pastor Sam's topics for group discussion: - What promise of God are you holding onto right now? - In what area of your life is God asking you to obey Him?
Church is going to need to be reimagined, not reinvented. - We are not going to make a new kind of church. - Not starting a new kind of worship. - Not getting a new book to lead us. - But re-imagined as in rethink (are we missing something?) - Restored (as in what have we left behind?) - Rejuvenated (what must we be doing to release the awesome power of the Holy Spirit?) Before it get’s reimagined, it needs to be re-explained
Pastor Rawley continues the topic of Formation for Mission with the “UP” component, Living on the altar.
The group sharing topics this week are: - What does it mean for you to be a living sacrifice? -What would it take for you to have the same trust in God that Abraham had?
Pastor Rawley introduced the topic of Formation for Mission. What is Mission? The Holy Spirit has been sent to continue (to completion) the commission of Christ. The group sharing topics this week are: -Which dimension (up, in & out) do you do best? -Which dimension (up, in & out) do you need to grow in?
Pastor Sam’s sermon was “Jesus’ Invitation” FICF met outdoors again this Sunday, due to CoronaVirus rules. Sorry for the wind noise & constant jets flying overhead! The group sharing this week was “In what area of your life do you need to receive Jesus gladly?”
Pastor Doug Hon from Main Street Church, St Charles, MO was the guest speaker. He pointed out the importance of stories; how Jesus told stories; the story of creation through salvation and how God created a New Humanity. After his sermon, he suggested that we break up into small groups and share our testimonies and tell the story of how the Lord reached us as individuals.
Pastor Rawley’s sermon was outdoors today & it was super windy (September 6, 2020). So the wind noise level is a bit high. Following Jesus in an increasingly polarized world is a big challenge for the Church and us. The sermon did not Include Slides. However, there were discussion questions, which are included here. 1. What does it mean to “Love your enemy” (Matthew 5:44) in our cultural Moment? 2. How does following Jesus challenge an “us vs. them” mentality?
Outdoor Church for Faith In Christ! As a result, audio quality is not so good, and there are no Slides this Sunday. Pastor Sam shares a personal experience relating to being transformed into the image of Christ. Such a transformation is the objective of every believer.
Pastor Sam wants to talk about Jesus; I believe that He’s calling us to Himself. He wants to transform us into His image. An encounter with Jesus transforms our purpose. What areas of your life do you need “image transformation”?
Pastor Steve Swanson continues a 4-part series to re-imagine FICF in a post-COVID world Community; We must remind ourselves of our objective & direction: How can we keep our relationships in good repair? How do other churches stay connected through this time? This was a 'Zoom' session.
Pastor Steve Swanson continues a series to re-imagine FICF in a post-COVID world Community; We must remind ourselves of our objective & direction: How can we keep our relationships in good repair? How do other churches stay connected through this time?
Pastor Sam Rawley continues a 4-part series to re-imagine FICF in a post-COVID world Community; We must remind ourselves of our objective & direction: 1st - Commission 2nd - Compassion 3rd - Community 4th - Connection (This week) God is connected: Father, Son & Spirit. Humanity is connected to God & His creation Sin disconnected humanity. Jesus reconnected humanity to His body, to our new identity & to His promises. Within the church, we must celebrate what connects us. This was a zoom meeting.
Pastor Sam Rawley continues a 4-part series around re-imagining FICF in a post-COVID world. Community; We must remind ourselves of our objective & direction: 1st element is Commission 2nd is Compassion 3rd is Community (This week) Next week: 4th is Connection What is ‘the church?’ Universal church: Anyone who has a personal relationship with Jesus. vs Local church: Not THE church but A church. This was a ‘Zoom’ meeting.
Pastor Sam Rawley begins a 4-part series around re-imagining FICF in a post-COVID world. Compassion: Reaching out with great mercy to those in need. Bible shows many examples of when Jesus showed Compassion. We must remind ourselves of our objective & direction: 1st element is Commission (Last Week) 2nd is Compassion (This week) Next 2 weeks: 3rd is Community 4th is Connection
Last sermon in the Book of Esther Series. Greatness - What is it? How do we get it? How did Mordecai get it in the Book of Esther? What did Jesus say about greatness?
What does the Book of Esther teach us about living in the Palace? The situation is bad for Mordecai, Esther & the Jews because of Haman. But the Lord has set up a reversal & a superseding for them.
Today Brad Feltis shared about his life-changing experience of having a heart attack and said good by to the church. He & his family will be relocating soon to Tennessee to become an instructor for pediatric surgery. His heart condition does not allow him to continue in the high-stress world of Pediatric Surgery. We all wish him & his family well & prayed for them. Today Faith in Christ Church met in person for the first time since the shelter in place order.
Pastor Sam reviewed the Ester story so far. The 3 main players, Haman, Mordecai & Esther are living in their own worlds, or “palaces”. Which one is living in the right palace? Our palace is the ‘lower’ story, while God has an ‘upper’ story. Let’s be sure that we are living in the right palace!
This Sunday we are still under the COV19 isolation, so FICF used “Zoom” application to hold services ‘On-Line.’ Some of the comments herein may refer to meeting in the Zoom teleconference
Pastor Steve continues the series on the book of Esther. Esther tells King about Haman & arranges to save the Jews who were under the threat of being slaughtered. Steve discusses 5 points about the book of Esther: 1. God has a plan for your life 2. We are given divine moments to alter circumstances 3. Always stand with courage 4. Fasting and prayer bring hope 5. Obedience to God This Sunday we are still under the COV19 isolation, so FICF used “Zoom” application to hold services ‘On-Line.’ Some of the
Pastor Sam Continues in the book of Esther. A palace and a prison can seem like two totally opposite places. Mordecai & the Jews are living on death row because they are to be destroyed—young and old, women and children—on a single day. But God has a plan for them, not destruction. Similarities to us living in this pandemic: Living in a world where we feel vulnerable, fearful, threatened and hopeless. God has a plan for us on the other side of this as well. (The church is meeting using Zoom, so some comment
Pastor Steve continues the series on the book of Esther. He discusses 5 points about the book of Esther. Queen Vashti did not obey the command of King Xerxes, so she was dethroned and Esther was chosen as queen. This Sunday we are still under the COV19 isolation, so FICF used “Zoom” application to hold services ‘On-Line.’ Some of the comments herein may refer to meeting in the Zoom teleconference
Pastor Sam continues the series on the book of Ester. This week we consider the Luxurious banquets given by the King of Persia – displaying his Abundant wealth and flamboyance. We compare Xerxes’ rule compared to Jesus. Xerxes obtains obedience by force & power, Jesus by love & our free will. This Sunday we are still under the COV19 isolation, so FICF used “Zoom” application to hold services ‘On-Line.’ Some of the comments herein may refer to meeting in the Zoom teleconference
Pastor Steve begins a series on the book of Ester. In the book of Ester, the Jewish people were faced with extinction. God told Saul to eliminate the Amalekites, but Saul and the people spared Agag, who was the ancestor of Haman. How does this apply to our lives?? This Sunday we are still under the COV19 isolation, so FICF used “Zoom” application to hold services ‘On-Line.’ Some of the comments herein refer to meeting in the Zoom teleconference
Good Friday to Resurrection Sunday, the most important events in a Christian's Life! Jesus shared the Passover meal with His disciples. He died on the cross, saying :"Tetelestai”…”It is finished” That doesn’t mean “it’s over” but “I’ve accomplished exactly what I’ve intended". The resurrection changed everything - the beginning of a new reality. Note: Sam refers to a video, but it is not necessary to see it, but to listen to it.
Psalm 91:9-10 9 Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, 10 No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling Keeping the proper & profitable state of mind during this crisis Scripture verses to keep in mind 5 Recommendations for our mental health
This Sunday, due to the Coronovirus, Faith in Christ is not having a public gathering. This will continue until further notice. No slides were shown. Sam announces measures being taken. We should resist the temptation to become inwardly focused, but remain Christ-like. We should keep in mind the hope that we have in Christ.
President Trump declared Sunday, March 15, 2020 to be a National Day of Prayer for the Coronovirus Situation. FIC is responding to this. Dr Brad Feltis also gave a brief synopsis. Steve Swanson focused on 5 prayer focus & solicited prayer from the congregation. Apologies for the poor sound quality; many people were not close to the microphones. Kingdom of God sermon was not given today.
Continuing the Kingdom of God Series. What’s in your yeast? Where are you putting it? Jesus’ parable of the Yeast & unleavened bread. What does yeast do? How does this relate to our lives? Why did Jesus use parables instead of speaking plainly?
Continuing the Series on the Kingdom of God – This week on “Wheat” Focus on Jesus’ parable of the sower of the seed in Mark 4. What is the significance of the sower, the seed, the harvest? What can we learn from this parable?
Continuing with the Series on the Lord’s Prayer, the Kingdom of God & Thy Will be done. Why did all the workers in the Vineyard receive the same wage, even though some only worked 1 hour and others the whole day?? How does the Kingdom of God operate? What is our challenge in the Kingdom of God?
Continuing the Lord’s Prayer series with “Kingdom of God” What’s the difference between “Lord” and “King?” What are the rights/privileges for us in the Kingdom of God? What are the 3 strategies for living in the Kingdom of God?
Josh Mitchell is guest speaker from Christ Church (Sorry for poor sound quality. This was a snow day; normal sound people were not available; recording has very high echo) Kingdom of God is at hand and we need a new perspective - repentance/turn from sin & start new. (Josh did not have any slides with his sermon)
Hidden Treasure; What do you want? How much do you want it? You get the Kingdom of God because you want it. (Kingdom of God is the same thing as Kingdom of Heaven) Condition: how much do you want it?
The Lord’s Prayer – Deliver us from Evil & Lead us not into temptation. “Tempt” can be translated as “test”. Satan is personified evil. Yet God leads us into testing/temptation, not into sin. Abraham, Job and Jesus were tested…ultimately for God’s glory
In the ‘Our Father’ Prayer, our Daily Bread is a statement about Dependency God created us dependent; Our culture teaches us that we must become independent. Relationship with others- As we mature we become interdependent with others. Relationship with God - Constant dependence on the goodness of God.
A study on the meaning of ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ More accurately called the Disciples Prayer, it is a template, a pattern for prayer. Although Matthew 6:9-13 is the common verses for the Lord’s prayer, Luke 11:1-4 gives us another similar version. Part of the Sermon on the Mount. One could discern 23 elements of the Lord’s Prayer.
We are starting off 2020 with a month of Prayer & Fasting. Jesus said “..when you pray.. “ not “if” He instructed us to pray the “Our Father” prayer. What did He mean by ‘our father?’
12 Foundation Stones, discussing Grace What is “Grace?” (from charis = a grace gift!) What makes it so amazing? Grace in simple terms is God's unmerited favor and supernatural enablement and empowerment for salvation and for daily sanctification. Grace is everything for nothing to those who don't deserve anything. Grace is what everyone needs, what none can earn and what God Alone can and does freely give . Grace addresses mankinds's sin. The gift of grace makes people fit for salvation, miraculously
Joy – what is it? We are actually commanded to be joyful. How do we obtain Joy? What robs us of Joy? How can we keep that from happening? What sabotages joy? Comparison, Competition, Complaining, Controlling & Criticism.
Advent Series – the 3 Loves. Love means different things, but in English, we only have one word for it. Agape & Agapao are action words for Love, meaning seeking the well-being of others without expecting any compensation. Love the world, neighbor & your enemies; a very challenging command from Jesus
What is “Peace” in this life? Jesus said ‘...my peace I leave with you...’ Peace is often taken to mean ‘stability in life, with me in control’ True Peace comes from a deep, personal relationship with Jesus. We are to be Peace makers
Opening up the Advent season this week with Hope. Advent is derived from “Coming” and is linked to Faith & diligence in life. Is our hope like crossing our fingers or more expectant than that? We need to preach to our own souls to build Faith