Sermons
Living with Purpose and Perseverance
Hook Good morning, church! My name is Conrad, and I’m one of the pastors here. If you need a Bible throw your hand in the air and our of our Serve Team members will make sure you get one. Go ahead and turn to the book of Hebrews. And while you’re finding the book of... Read More →
Godly Sorrow vs Worldly Sorrow
[INTRO YOURSELF] [ANNOUNCEMENT: ONE SERVICE NEXT SUNDAY] [HAND OUT BIBLES] HOOK It might surprise you to learn that I was not a very good student in high school… that probably why I ended up in Bible College rather than a real school. Anyway, one class stood out above the others in my grade school career.... Read More →
The Advent of Grace
HOOK [Introduce yourself, get a Bible, turn to Titus, Pastor Joel is sick] In 2005, a small, neglected painting was put up for auction in New Orleans. It was a modest piece—darkened with age, overpainted to the point of obscurity, and regarded as little more than an above-average attempt to copy of one of the... Read More →
Devotionals
Losing My Religion
Revelation 3:1-6 delivers a stark warning to the church in Sardis. Though they had a reputation for being alive, they were spiritually dead. Jesus exhorts them to wake up, strengthen what remains, and repent—or risk losing what little they have left. This passage, among others, raises an age-old question: Can salvation be lost? Christians have... Read More →
Building on Faith
“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith excellence, to excellence, knowledge; to knowledge, self-control; to self-control, perseverance; to perseverance, godliness; to godliness, brotherly affection; to brotherly affection, unselfish love.” — 2 Peter 1:5-7 (NET) Faith is the cornerstone of the Christian life. It’s where our journey begins—a trust in Jesus... Read More →
A Greater Priesthood
In Hebrews 7, the author pauses to unpack the story of Melchizedek, a mysterious figure from Genesis. At first glance, Melchizedek’s brief appearance as “king of Salem” and “priest of God Most High” might seem like a random historical footnote, but there’s so much more going on. The writer of Hebrews uses Melchizedek to show... Read More →
All Kinds of Evil
“For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, in reaching for it, have strayed from the faith and stabbed themselves with many pains.” (1 Timothy 6:10, NET) Paul’s words to Timothy cut straight to the heart of humanity’s struggles. Money itself isn’t the problem; it’s the love of money that... Read More →
Want God’s Help? Get Serious
James 1:2-8“My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything. But if anyone is deficient in wisdom,... Read More →
Christian Shrewdness
The events of Acts 22-23 provide a compelling example of Paul’s remarkable shrewdness. After being arrested in Jerusalem, Paul navigates a labyrinth of danger and intrigue with wisdom and calculated action. Despite his willingness to suffer for Christ, Paul does not recklessly throw himself into harm’s way. Instead, he uses every legal, social, and strategic... Read More →
Embracing Contentment: When God Says No
Paul’s thorn in the flesh, as described in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, is a powerful reminder that God’s answers to prayer aren’t always what we want, but they are always what we need. Paul begged God three times to remove his thorn, but instead of removing it, God offered a profound assurance: “My grace is enough for you,... Read More →
What is Faith?
Faith is at the heart of salvation, as Paul makes clear in Romans 2–4. Abraham was justified by faith, not by works, so that salvation would be a gift of grace and not something earned (Romans 4:2–3). The picture Paul paints is that of absolute dependence on God, where even the smallest notion of taking... Read More →
Death is Defeated
The resurrection chapter, 1 Corinthians 15, gives us one of the most vivid pictures of our future hope in Christ. Paul addresses the finality of death, not as something to fear, but as a defeated foe. “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55, NET). In Christ, death no longer... Read More →