Messages that Build a Christ Connection
40 Days of Purpose
No matter who you are: rich or poor; famous or not; woman or man; single or married; child, teen, or adult; preacher or lay person – everyone one of us wants to know “Why am I alive? Does my life matter? Is there a purpose in my life? And where do I find the answers to these questions?”
Our church is going through “40 Days of Purpose” using Rick Warren’s book “Purpose Driven Life” (click here for reading schedule). We are exploring what the Bible has to say, for it is our owner’s manual from the One that created us and loves us.
Come join us!
September 8 “What on Earth am I Here For?” Audio Text
September 15 “You Were Planned for God’s Pleasure” Audio Text
September 22 “You Were Formed for God’s Family” (delivered by Myra Wheeler due to illness) Audio Text
September 29 “You Were Created to Become Like Christ” Audio Text
October 6 “You Were Shaped for Serving God” Audio Text
October 13 “You Were Made for a Mission” Audio Text
October 20 “Living a Purpose Driven Life” Audio Text
A Study of the Book of Revelation
What are you scared of? What frightens you?
Spiders? Snakes? Bats? Dark rooms? Loud noises? Thunderstorms?
Revelation?
There are a bunch of people afraid of the Book of Revelation. It’s frightening. It’s confusing. It’s dire. Best just to stay away from it.
But the Book of Revelation is the only book in the Bible that promises a blessing to those who read and obey it’s message.
We looked at the Book of Revelation from a Wesleyan perspective and found the praise, predictions, and purpose in the book, then strengthen for the days ahead.
June 9 “I Can’t Understand It: An Introduction” Audio Text
June 16 “Christ Has Conquered” Audio Text
June 23 “Christ’s Message to the Churches” Audio Text
July 7 “Worship in Heaven” Audio Text
July 14 “The Lamb Who Was Slain” Audio Text
July 21 “The Judgments Come – Part 1” Audio Text
July 28 “The Judgments Come – Part 2” Audio Text
August 11 “Where Are We?” Audio Text
August 18 “Evil Personified” Audio Text
August 25 “The Final Battle” Audio Text
September 1 “The End and the Beginning” Audio Text
“Spiritual Metamorphosis”
Kathy Kitchel shared a message from Ephesians 2:4-9.
August 4 “Spiritual Metamorphosis” Audio
Beloved of God
Many Christians read their Bible, and when they find a verse that really speaks to them, they will underline or highlight the verse, in part as a marker of Scriptural truth, as well as a reminder of God’s revelation to them. John 3:16 – oh, yeah, that’s underlined, and a host of others.
Read the book of 1 John, and you will find a host of Scriptures that speak straight to the heart of the believer. And why? These are words to the Beloved of God.
We studied this short, but incredible book, to discover who we are in God’s eyes, and what we must do in response.
May 5 “Finally Seeing the Truth” Audio Text
May 12 “Truths for the Beloved” Audio Text
May 19 “The DNA of the Beloved” Audio Text
June 2 “Characteristics of the Beloved” Audio Text
The Disciples’ Journey to Easter
With our personal self-denial and repentance during Lent, we are on a journey towards the Cross and the Resurrection. We do this as we reflect on the events nearly 2,000 years ago.
But there was a group of people at actually walk that path towards that fateful Friday and glorious Sunday. They were the disciples. And though they really didn’t understand what was going on at the time, it was a completely life-changing experience.
We joined the journey with the followers of Jesus during our series “The Disciples’ Journey to Easter.” We examined each of the disciples to discover that Jesus is teaching us through them.
March 10 “Matthew and James the Less” Audio Text
March 17 “Thaddeus, Simon, and Nathaniel” Audio Text
March 24 “The Women Who Followed Jesus – Part 1” Audio Text
March 31 “The Women Who Followed Jesus – Part 2” Audio Text
April 7 “James and John” Audio Text
April 7 “Branches” Lenten Service message Audio Text
April 14 “Philip and Andrew” Audio Text
April 18 “Judas” Audio Text
Growing
I don’t know about you, but I want to grow: grow mentally for myself, relationally with my wife, and spiritually with God. I want to be that child of God for whom is said when I die, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” And that takes commitment.
For two weeks, we committed ourselves to the spiritual topic of “Growing.” We spent time getting serious about our spiritual growth as we approached the season of Lent.
February 17 “The Benefits of the Blessed” Audio Text
February 24 “It Starts with Faith, but it doesn’t Stop There” Audio Text
March 9 “While There is Still Time” Audio Text
Fishin’ with Jesus
We looked at how things change when we go fishin’ with Jesus as Peter, Andrews, James and John did in Luke 5.
February 10 “Fishin’ with Jesus” Audio
Becoming God’s New for You
It’s a New Year, and often the New Year helps us think about what changes we want to see in our lives, our habits, our hobbies, and our future. The New Year helps us focus on what’s more important than what we have allowed to rule our life in the past.
God has a new you in mind. That’s right. God has a new you in mind, a you that looks more and more like His Son Jesus. And we know how much God loves the Son.
As we began 2019, we focused our message series on this: Becoming God’s New for You.
January 6 “What to Get Rid Of” Audio Text
January 27 “What to Take On” Audio Text
February 3 “Essentials of Becoming God’s New for You” Audio Text
It’s a Boy
The birth announcement. What wonderful news. A new life has come into this world. Who will she be? What will he do? What will her gifts be? What will people love about him?
Endless possibilities. Renewed hope in the future. Someone new to love.
The coming of the Messiah, the Christ child, was announced by prophets of old and anticipated by an entire nation. Everyone knew He would be a “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)
But for two parents, three Magi, and some shepherds, His coming was even more magical than thought to be possible.
We will explore this wonderful announcement to the Lord: “For unto us a child is born; unto us a son is given.”
Come join us!
December 2 The Signs Audio Text
December 9 The Messenger Audio Text
December 16 The Announcement Audio Text
December 23 The Acknowledgement Audio Text
In God We Trust
It is on our money: “In God We Trust.” Since 1957, it has been there. It’s funny that we have that phrase on our money, especially today in our materialistic society. For so many, the phrase couldn’t be more false. Many believe “In Government We Trust”, or “In Fame We Trust”, or “In Fortune We Trust”, not “In God We Trust”.
That same could be said sometimes in the church. Though it’s clearly required in Scripture, less than a majority of church members actually tithe. Instead, offerings to God are left to the “if we have anything left over” category.
During our stewardship series, we are learning what it truly means to say “In God We Trust” and what it says about us to not only believe it, but practice it.
November 4 “In God – Part 1: What does the Bible say about Giving?” Audio Text
November 11 “In God – Part 2: What does the Act of Giving say about Our Ideas of God?” Audio Text
November 18 “We Trust – Part 1: What does the Act of Giving say about Our Obedience?” Audio Text
November 25 “We Trust – Part 2: What does the Act of Giving say about Our Faith?” Audio Text
God’s Top Hits: A Study in Psalms
Music is a wonderful thing. It touches our heart with emotions of joy, longing, and love. We can remember the tune and lyrics of a song 10, 20, 30, and more years old long after we have forgotten the events of those same days.
During our message series “God’s Top Hits”, we looked at the songbook, the hymnal, of the Bible. We did a short study of the Psalms, and were amazed at what the Psalms tell us about having a relationship with the Lord and how we are to walk in His ways.
October 7 “The Psalms: Singing Our Relationship with God” Audio Text
October 14 “Who Am I?” Audio Only
October 21 “Lord, Where Are You?” Audio Text
October 28 “God is My Refuge and Strength” Audio Text
From Stressed to Rest
It is the affliction that haunts everyone at some point in their lives. We all deal with it the best we came, but it keeps coming back, over and over again. And according to health experts, it’s killing us.
Stress. There are many causes and many “cures”. Many reliefs and many relapses. What can we do to permanently turn the tide?
In our series “From Stressed to Rest” we exploreed biblical keys to dealing and relieving stress in our lives from one of Jesus’ most famous quotes.
September 16 “Take” Audio Text
September 23 “Learn” Audio Text
September 30 “Easy and Light” Audio Text
How Do I Pray?
There are many aspects of the Christian life that most of us wish we were better at: read and understand our Bible, gave more, served more, witnessed more, etc. And most Christians wish they had a better and more effective prayer life.
Prayer is THE essential spiritual discipline. For when we can do nothing else for God, we can still pray.
During our series “How Do I Pray?”, we explored the keys to a powerful, meaningful, and effective prayer life.
August 12 “5 P’s of Prayer” Audio Text
August 19 “Kinds of Prayer” Audio Text
August 26 “Hindrances To Prayer” Audio Text
September 2 “Persistence Of Prayer” Audio Text
Guest Preacher: Kathy Kitchel
August 5 “Whatever It Takes” Audio
Ruth: A Story of Redemption
Imagine it: you are a widow, a refuge from your homeland racked by famine, with no support system. You have two daughter-in-laws who are looking to you for answers, and the only thing you know to do is go home and hope for the best. One of your daughter-in-laws vow to remain with you no matter what. You return to a place where you once knew happiness, but now the only thing you feel is fear.
Imagine it: you are a young widow who loves her mother-in-law, and she wants to go back home. You can’t leave her alone, but the future seems so uncertain. Yet, you decide to go with her, accept her life, community, and faith. But what will become of the two of you?
The Old Testament story of Ruth is a story of redemption, where mourning is turned to joy, poverty turn to abundance, loneliness turned to love, and vulnerability turn to redemption. And through it all, we see the story of Jesus, who would redeem us.
We discovered the truths of Ruth and redemption.
July 8 “Tragedy and Loyalty” Audio Text
July 22 “It’s Not What You Think” Audio Text
July 29 “New Life, New Hope” Audio Text
Dare2Share
Very few Christians would choose one of the Ten Commandments to drop and suggest it was no longer necessary. They are set in stone (literally and figuratively).
Christians also know to follow the Great Commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your… Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:29-31) It may be hard, but we know we are to strive towards fulfilling it.
God’s calling and commission is also clear and binding: “Go and make disciples…” (Matthew 28:19) This one, um, we often ignore.
In a world increasingly anti-Christian, where violence in schools and profanity on the airways rears its ugly heads on a weekly basis, has the Church’s inactivity led to the decline in our influence and the decay of the moral fabric? Are we failing to follow all of God’s commands?
During the month of June, we are challenging ourselves to “Dare2Share”, a series to look at the call and the tools of evangelism.
Come join us!
June 3 “What would it be like if Jesus Lived in Your House” Audio Text
June 10 “Everyone Loves Andrew” Audio Text
June 17 “Going Out” Text
June 24 “Get out of the Pews” by Guest Preacher Zach Holler
No Power Shortage
And while he was in a Roman prison, the reports of the continued growth of the church must have been a great encouragement to Paul. He wrote, “I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.” And when Paul says he is praying, he means it.
How cool would it be to know that the Apostle Paul was praying for your church! But what did he pray?
During this single message, we looked at the three things Paul prayed for the Ephesian church, and these are the same prayers we should pray for our spiritual lives and growth individually and corporately.
May 27 “No Power Shortage” Audio Text
The Greatest of These is Love
Listen to the radio and you will hear one emotion and topic repeated over and over again: love. It’s what the world needs now and it’s all you need. We can’t help falling into it, we call to say it, and it is a crazy thing.
We sing a lot about love. But for all the songs about love, all the novels, the paintings, the poems, none describes love more fully, more clearly, than one single chapter in the Bible.
For several weeks, we will look at the Love Chapter, 1 Corinthians 13, as we learn “The Greatest of These is Love”.
Come join us!
April 29 “The Greatest of These…” Audio Text
May 6 “The Character of Love” Audio Text
May 13 “This is What Should Last” Audio Text
May 20 “It’s Time To Bring Back Love As The Church’s Brand” Text
We Have Seen Jesus
Imagine yourself one of Jesus’ original disciples. It is the weekend of the crucifixion. Your hopes and dreams of what you understood of the coming of the Messiah are destroyed. Jesus seemed to be the anointed one, the Christ. Now He’s dead and in a borrowed tomb. Could it get any worse.
Then on Sunday, you begin to hear rumors that Jesus is alive, resurrected. People begin reporting sightings and personal encounters.
This is almost more than you can comprehend. Any expectations you might have had about Jesus have now been entirely exceeded. Alive! Risen!
For a few weeks, we look at the stories of the encounters with Jesus after the resurrection and discover that our exceptions for our lives can be entirely exceeded if we are willing to encounter the risen Christ.
Come join us!
April 8 “On the Road to Emmaus” Audio Text
April 15 “On the Shore of the Sea of Galilee” Audio
April 22 “On the Mount of Olives” Audio Text
He said, “I Am”
All of us have had to introduce ourselves to someone else. And sometimes, we’ve had to go beyond the “Hi, my name is…” introduction to something more in-depth. Most of us have also had to complete a resume, listing our educational, training, and employment history. Some have had to write a short bio of yourself, maybe for a newsletter or a web page. You write something that would be interesting to the reader without boring them. A few have gone to the ultimate: writing some kind of autobiography to tell the stories of your life.
During the season of Lent, we are looking at what Jesus said about Himself, 8 phrases of Jesus that changed the world. “He said, ‘I am…’” will transform your thinking about Jesus.
Come join us!
Feb 18 He said, “I Am” Audio Text
Feb 25 The Way, the Truth, and the Life Text
March 4 The Light of the World Audio Text
March 11 The Bread of Life Audio Text
March 18 The Good Shepherd Audio Text
March 25 The Messiah Audio Text
April 1 The Resurrection and the Life Audio Text
The Great Invitation: What happens when we take our call seriously
What is our calling as followers of Christ? To sit and watch the world go by on its way to ultimate judgment? To hope that someone comes along side us towards heaven?
No! We have a specific calling from Christ Himself, and it starts with an invitation. “Come and see the Messiah…” is what we should be saying to those around us who don’t know the Jesus we know.
We looked at two occasions in the New Testament that tell us who we are and what we are to do.
February 4 “F.R.A.N.” Audio Text
February 11 “Our Calling” Audio Text
Guest Preachers
For a couple of weeks, we had guest preachers:
January 21 Rev. Jim Jennings: “Life with God – Working It Out” Audio
January 28 Kathy Kitchel: “We’re Just Like Jonah” Audio
The Right Foot: Starting the New Year
A look at the five things that are essential as we begin a New Year.