"The Generous Church"

Pastor’s Note

The Joy of Giving

2 Corinthians 9:6-12

This Sunday we are taking a few weeks break from our study on Acts and beginning a new sermon series called “The Generous Church.” Over the next three weeks, we’ll discover together that generosity is more than what we do with our wallets; it is a way of life. It shapes how we treat one another, how we see the world, and how we recognize the blessings God has placed in our lives.

Our first message, “The Joy of Giving,” is ba

...

The Gospel For All People

Pastor’s Note

The Gospel for All People

Acts 10:34-43

        This week we are studying a very powerful passage in the book of Acts, Acts 10:34-43. In this passage, Peter proclaims what John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, so beautifully described as the “way of salvation.” Peter reminds us that God shows no partiality; His grace is for all who believe. The message is simple, yet life-changing: we acknowledge our sin and need for a Savior. The real problem is n

...

The First Martyr: Faith That Stands

Pastor’s Note

The First Martyr: Faith That Stands

Acts 7:54-8:3

Dear Church Family,

            This week, we turn to one of the most powerful and sobering passages in the book of Acts, the stoning of Stephen, the first martyr of the Christian faith. Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, proclaimed the truth of Jesus Christ even as opposition rose against him. His words cut to the heart of the Jewish ruling council, and in their anger, they dragged him out and took his life. Y

...

Called To Serve

Pastor’s Note

Called to Serve

In Acts 6:1–7, the early church faced a real challenge, that is some widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. The apostles realized that while preaching and teaching were vital, meeting practical needs was just as important. So, they appointed seven faithful men to take on this ministry of service. What’s remarkable is that their willingness to serve in what seemed like a simple task, making sure everyone had food, became

...

"Devoted to God, Formed in Community"

Pastor’s Note

Devoted Community

Acts 2:42-47

            At the end of Acts 2, we are given a beautiful glimpse of the early church in its most vibrant form. The early church was simply devoted to four things: to the Word of God, to fellowship, to shared meals, and to prayer. This devotion was not casual or occasional, but a way of life rooted in Christ that led to amazing results. One thing that is important to note about the early church was that they were not devoted to re

...

Empowered To Witness

Pastor’s Note

Empowered to Witness

This Sunday marks the beginning of our brand-new sermon series, “Acts: Church on the Move.” The Acts of the Apostles is the New Testament’s historical account of how the early Christian church began and spread after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. Particularly, Acts is important because it is the Bible’s blueprint for how God grows His church and guides His people into new territory. Acts starts right after Jesus’ ascension, with the dis

...

God Rarely Calls Us To Be Comfortable!

Pastor’s Note:   Comfort

            Comfort is the condition of being safe, undisturbed, and in control, free from pain, risk, or challenge. Really, it is the natural human preference for safety, stability, and satisfaction. Like all the other temptations we have studied so far, our American culture sells us comfort constantly. We have memory foam mattresses and luxury coffee makers. We have heated car seats and even heated steering wheels. We even have a new style of clot

...

“Faith Isn’t Convenient—And That’s the Point”

Pastor’s Note: Convenience

            Convenience is the state of being able to proceed with something with little effort or difficulty. Sadly, convenience is a core American value. Convenience culture refers to how modern society is increasingly geared towards ease and instant gratification.  America can be described as a "now" culture and we are accustomed to living a convenient lifestyle, where most necessities are easily accessible at all times. We have things like fas

...

“Worthy Without Comparison: The Freedom Christ Gives”

Pastor Marge’s Note: Comparison

     Have you ever compared yourself to someone else? I know I have! According to some studies, as much as ten percent of our thoughts involve comparisons of some sort. It’s almost like our culture has hard-wired us to constantly compare. We compare ourselves to others all the time, whether it’s our looks, how much we make, how big our houses are, the grades we make in school, how often we go to the gym, etc.  We even compare our religiosity

...

Trading Control for Confidence in Christ

Pastor’s Note: Control

     We are in our third week of our summer sermon series titled, "The Seven Sins of Suburbia." In this series, we are diving into seven common temptations that face the modern Western Christian. The first week we looked at the temptation of consumerism, which is the belief that that things of this world can fully and finally satisfy us. Last week Pastor Dennis preached on conceit, better known as pride. This week we are going to explore the temptatio

...

True Freedom

Pastor’s Note: True Freedom     

             As we celebrate the Fourth of July this week, we give thanks for the freedoms we enjoy in this country, freedoms hard-won through sacrifice and courage. Yet as followers of Jesus Christ, we know that there is a deeper, eternal freedom that no earthly power can give or take away.

The apostle Paul writes, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free” (Galatians 5:1). Through Jesus, we are set free, not only from the chains of sin

...

“Only One Thing Satisfies: A Wake-Up Call from Ecclesiastes”

Pastor's Note:     The Seven Sins of Suburbia: Consumerism

     What does it profit a person to gain the entire world, yet forfeit their soul? Would you really be successful if you gained everything that this world has to offer yet the consequence would be the death of your soul? Our culture’s definition of success and power is very different from God’s definition. Imagine if you woke up every day and were walking in step with the reason why you are here on this Earth, whic

...

Paul: From Resume to Redemption

Pastor’s Note: Paul

                  For seven weeks, we have studied some amazing heroes in the Bible, both men and women. We have looked at Noah, Esther, Elijah, Deborah, Joshua, Daniel, and the final hero we will look at is the man who wrote half of the New Testament, the apostle Paul. We first meet Paul as Saul of Tarsus and Saul looked more like a religious terrorist than a devout follower of Jesus Christ. For over three decades, Saul tried to systematically wipe out

...

- Daniel: A Hero Who Refused to Bow

Pastor’s Note: Daniel

We are in our sixth week of our sermon series called, “Heroes,” in which we have been looking at some inspiring heroes in the Bible, both men and women, who faced what seemed like impossible circumstances, yet they found courage, strength, and most importantly faith in God, who helped them conquer whatever mountain they faced. This week we are studying Daniel, who lived a life for God, and he lived it without compromise. Daniel showed us how to live fo

...

Come, Holy Spirit, Come!

Pastor’s Note: Come, Holy Spirit, Come 

Pentecost Sunday occurs fifty days after Easter, and it is the fulfillment of Christ’s promise of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost signals that we as Christ-followers have a new power for ministry and that is the power of the Holy Spirit living and dwelling in us. While the Holy Spirit serves many roles in our lives as believers, including helping us, convicting us, changing us from the inside out, bringing us everlasting peace, and teachin

...