Today, Christ encounters people, and their lives change. Jesus has a one-on-one encounter with a leading citizen of Jericho. He was very wealthy but very lost, until he met Jesus.
When Christ encountered people, they’re lives changed. One-on-one, Jesus was God’s Force for good in the lives of everyone He encountered. Is it possible for us to have the same impact on others? It’s not only possible, it’s inevitable!
The Church of the Laodiceans is in big trouble from within. An overinflated view of themselves has disconnected them from the source of all that is good. The church of a lost letter finds itself lost from the sustaining word of God and in need of a heavenly wake up call. The final letter to the seven churches ends with a glorious promise worth hearing.
Jesus has words for the “city of brotherly love” that teach them the will of God, guide them through the trial of God, and promise the reward of God. Sunday will reveal an inspiring message about facing God’s challenges while knowing that God’s will is perfect, and His reward is worth the trial of a lifetime.
Over the last 50 years, many of us have watched the death of powerful, mega-church ministries, while other smaller churches continued to live and thrive. Does a successful church take more than a large property, big crowds, full bankrolls, powers speakers and talented music? Let’s explore why some churches die while others thrive.
Jesus Rebukes a Church for Tolerating the Intolerable
The Church of Thyatira was being pressured by outward forces and yet attacked from within by (the prophecies of) a certain influencer. This tolerant voice played a pivotal role between the hard realities of the pagan culture and the core truths of their faith. Is all tolerance sinful? Not necessarily. But Jesus reveals that some forms of tolerance are completely intolerable to Him. In a time when "tolerance" has been all the buzz, what should we tolerate and not tolerate as Christians?
Jesus has unflinching words for his enemies and empowers his followers to go on the offensive and conquer the enemies of the kingdom. Sunday’s teaching will reveal a hidden source of unfailing power and a new identity for all of God’s beloved children.
We all want to be faithful to God, especially if things get worse for the Church in America. God has given us the Christians in Smyrna as our examples. Let’s take a deeper dive into their faith.
Churches can be great places for teaching, missions, worship and ministry, but without loving Jesus as the foremost priority, we will most certainly drift away.
In this jarring picture of Jesus, He reveals Himself as prophet, priest and king. He reveals Himself to John in order to comfort, alert, and give a fuller understanding of his message to the churches. A picture like this not only makes sense of His message to the churches in revelation, but helps us to more fully understand who He was prophesied to be, truly is right now, and will be in the near future when He comes again. Let's become all that we were meant to be in light of who we understand Him to be!
God is sovereign! So, why would a good God allow evil? That’s a very good question, and asked by many in our world today. Let’s take a Sunday to explore the answer.
We live in a chaotic world full of threats and uncertainties, and if anyone should be calm in the storms of life, it should be the born-again, Bible-believing Christian. Why? Because we believe in the Sovereignty of God. But what exactly does that mean?
Rest appeals to every human being on the planet, and our planet was created to be restful. But nature cannot provide the rest we long for. True rest is found in nature’s Creator.
Mankind was born to walk his creator in the cool of the evening. We are born with an ache to communicate with the divine. This Sunday we will explore three prayers that model effective communication with our God.
An “Epitaph” is a life summarized into a simple phrase usually written on a tombstone. Both King Saul and King David were given epitaphs. Someday we will receive one, too. As we look back on this past year, what major lessons can we take away from 1 Samuel?
Throughout Scripture, we find the worst of circumstances brings out the best in God’s people. God uses the worst possible circumstances to bring out the best in David’s Mighty Men. God is committed to bring out the best in us, too!
Sorrow. We do everything to avoid it. Ironically, it’s the instrument God uses to make us most Christlike. As we explore 1 Samuel 29-30, we discover how sorrow prepared David to be a king.
Lies are told all the time and everywhere. Lies will be far more deceptive as we approach the end times. Can we identify a lie, and can we counter it with the Truth of Scripture? Let’s take a special Sunday and explore the nature of a lie, its consequences and effective ways to identify and defend the Truth.
Saul is at a loss to make a decision and performs all the acts of Christian living with none of the true meaning of obedience. The prophet Samuel makes an otherworldly appearance and a witch is shocked to learn that her charade is over. Sunday will explore what it takes to hear the voice of the Lord in your life.
In 1 Samuel 27, David is in “the pits!” He’s tired of fighting. He’s tired of running, and seeks relief from the heartbreak and pain. He runs away from God’s people. He runs from his calling. But no matter how far he runs, he can’t run from God and His amazing grace!
We all tend to get discouraged and lose heart, especially when you’re serving God. However, discouragement can be a good thing if we react to it according to the Word. Let’s watch how David reacted to it 1 Samuel 27. His reaction might surprise you!
All of us desire more faith. Ironically, it’s often produced by unanswered prayer, or “things not (yet) seen.” King David, like most Christians, are on a quest to know God’s will, but ironically, the knowledge of His will remain elusive at times. Let’s explore divine irony in 1 Samuel 26.
Justice is from God, while revenge is from the flesh, and often a very thin line separates the two. King David wrestles with both, justice and revenge, in a set of circumstances, if understood, fosters both wisdom and Christlikeness.
Jesus once took his disciples up on a hillside to sit in the grass surrounded by oak trees in order to teach them the secret to unending happiness and fruitfulness in their lives. This Sunday we sit near a hillside, surrounded by oak trees to hear eight beatitudes that teach us how our attitude should be.
Something deeply transformative was happening inside of David during his stronghold experiences and what better way for God to touch his heart than through three different mothers: His own mother, his great grandmother, and a spiritual mother-in-law in his family line. This Mother's Day, come hear how important motherhood can be to our walks of faith and how it can have a ripple effect of faith and faithfulness for many generations. Consider how your role as a mother, spiritual mother, grandmother, or mother-in-law can have a lasting effect on God's Kingdom.
Life is risky, especially as a Christ follower, because Christ followers are trained to love others even as Jesus loved. And Jesus loved even though He knew it would hurt.
Life can be hurtful. Hurt can drive us to live behind walls. Like David on the run, we feel safe in strongholds. But God won’t let us stay there for long. Let’s study how God dealt with David, and prepared him to be Israel’s greatest king.
In his moment of lowest grief David pens psalms of highest praise. Sunday will explore the grief of David, the rage of Saul, and the never failing goodness of a God who hears the cry of his beloved children.
Life is short. God designed it that way. Life is also fragile with no guarantees that things will turn out the way we plan them. Ultimately, we must depend on God for all things. David was taught dependence upon God early in his preparation for greatness.
Circumstances in life can quickly change. One minute you are adored by everyone, the next, you are cast aside as a deplorable. It happened to David, and it can happen to you. But one thing is for certain- You can trust God and know that He is with you no matter what circumstances convey.
Harvard University researcher, Peter Gibbon wrote an article, The End of Admiration, concluding that America’s greatest need today is someone to admire, an American hero. In 1 Samuel 18, David became Israel’s hero. He was admired for all the right reasons. What were the reasons? Let’s find out as we explore 1 Samuel 18.
The timeless story of David, Goliath, and five smooth stones. An enduring story that has touched generations, a story of the patient purposeful refining power of a life of faith that equips the faithful to protect a flock, serve a nation, and slay a giant.
God… music… and demons - how are all three connected, and how do they relate to our lives today? Come find out as we take a deep dive into 1 Samuel 16.
It says that God chose David not for any outer appearances that man could see with his eyes, but for reasons only God could see in his heart. We often wonder, "what were the character traits God saw in David?" Why did God want those traits in a king? What do the people God chooses have in common? What characteristics would God be pleased to see in us? Let's find out in this intriguing passage, 1 Samuel 16:1-13.
If you’ve been a Christian for a while, chances are, you either experienced and heard of the failure of a Christian leader. Is it possible to spot a bad leader or to see the failure coming? 1 Samuel 15 gives us great insights on this topic, and the keys to good leadership.
King Saul has swollen with a spirit of pride which causes him to make a disastrous decision. Pride filled decisions have and always will cause damage to those we love the most. This Sunday we learn some timeless lessons from Saul’s mistakes, Jonathan’s leadership, and the Israelites' grace.
What does it mean to have, “a heart after God”? What does that look like? How does a “heart after God” impact the world around it? The answer to these questions will become clear as we study 1 Samuel 14.
The Lord seeks a man after his own heart for He wants us to remain faithful even in our desperate times. He will not forsake us, for His great names sake.
On December 27, 1998, God birthed a church that was a part of something far bigger than itself. Join us as we journey through 25 years of American Christianity and the imperative role community churches like Heritage played in furthering the kingdom of God.
Samuel gathers the people of Israel together, along with their king, and delivers four immutable truths before stepping away as their prophet. These truths are as relevant today as they were then.
Israel faces an outside threat that causes them to unite behind Saul. God delivers a great victory, and Israel makes themselves a Kingdom. Sunday will explore a threat, a response, and a victory that is a model for Christian life today.
Like Saul, many Christians begin strong, live in favorable conditions and have a positive encounter with God, only to fall away. Why is this? It’s common, isn’t it? Let’s examine this phenomenon as we dig deeper into the life of Saul, king of Israel.
Sunday will focus on the well evidenced fact that Jesus Christ was who the old Testament said he would be, is who he said he was, and is everything you need him to be this Christmas. Let’s look at a sampling (there are hundreds) of the many prophecies about Jesus from the old testament, and get excited for the predictions made in the New Testament about who he can be in your life.
Does God care about the small, incidental things in my life? Does He care where I sit, what I eat, read, watch or where I sleep at night? Absolutely! In fact, ALL things are filtered through God’s hands.
What has brought our world to a place of looming darkness? And what is certain to bring forth God’s amazing LIGHT? We will explore the Scripture with a discussion-based teaching.
In Psalm 139 we find out that God not only knows us more than we could ever know ourselves, but also loves us more than anyone ever could. What is the Psalmist's response? What should ours be? Find out why it matters that God knows us more than we ever knew.
To paraphrase Psalm 119:105 is to say, “God’s Word helps me to navigate my life, and further, to keep me stable.” The world is full of chaos, and God’s people are full of stability. The difference? “Thy Word…”. Chaos or stability, the choice is ours.
The return of a symbol of God’s presence leads to a moment of clear choice, a thunderous victory, and a lifelong pattern of obedience. The choice is ours on Sunday to acknowledge that thus far God has helped us, and he is willing to help us forever.
We often see the fear of God as something negative, but in reality, the fear of God is healthy for the human soul; preserves churches, communities and whole nations. As we journey through Samuel, let’s explore the fear of God and the good it eventually brings to God’s people.
The obedience to speak God’s Truth in our beloved country today is more critical than ever. Join Pastor Tom as he breaks down the call of Samuel, who spoke God’s Truth to a lost nation.
As we honor God’s Word, He blesses our lives. But we can reject His Word and reap the consequences if we choose to. Let’s study 1 Samuel 2, and discover how the members of one household were the recipients of blessing and consequences due to their choices.
Some may conclude, “If 1 Samuel was a movie, King David would be the main character.” But I don’t think so. I believe God is the main character, manifesting Himself in the lives of people. Certainly, you’ve heard of King David, and perhaps, Saul Jonathan or Abagail. But have you heard of Ichabod, Agag, Doeg, Achish, Nabal and many others? These are different lives, but they all encounter the same unchanging God.
13 sermons covered a variety of topics. Love, faithfulness, humility, rest, worship, dependence. What else could be said of Christlikeness, of living like Christ? We close the series by exploring the idea that to live like Christ is to acknowledge that you are a member of his kingdom, and that he is the unchanging king.
What you think about God regulates your “worldview”- your morals, your thoughts toward others, current behavior, and most importantly, your future. A few of us discuss a survey, “The State of Theology,” given to Evangelical Christians.
We all want to be faithful. But left to our own efforts, we often grow weary and discouraged. Faithfulness is a fruit of the Spirit taught to us by God. Let’s explore the subject as we conclude our series on Christlikeness.
Whether you are a new Christian or a seasoned saint, temptation is never too far away. Jesus was tempted, and you will be also. But temptation is designed for your growth, to make you more like Jesus.
Jesus displays his immense love for us in four distinct ways in the story of the resurrection of Lazarus. His affection for Mary, Martha, Lazarus, and his disciples are distinct and give compelling insight into the love of God.
Pure-hearted worship, birthed from a holy fear of God, fosters life for individuals and nations. If we desire to live like Jesus, then let’s understand its significance.
Faithfulness, like patience, remains unseen until it’s brought to its end. Only after being brought to the depths of discouragement does faithfulness shine, and the strength of God maintains us.
Have you ever wondered what humbleness is? Why is it so important? What effect does it have on us and others? How do we become more humble? In this message, we will see how Christ displayed true humility unlike the world had ever known, and different than the world defines it now. We should desire to develop humility as it paves the way for us to be like Christ in His other character traits. By following His lead we will develop a foundational character quality that He has always possessed and that we so often overlook.
esus taught simple truth, and His disciples were simple men. But “simple” does not mean, “ignorant, ill-equipped or unimaginative.” They lived their lives free of the clutter and encumbrances of the world.
Jesus said, “Come unto Me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Could Jesus rest in the middle of a storm? Sounds impossible, but it’s true.
Throughout all of human history, no one changed the world more than the disciples of Jesus. Their influences, however, were not due to who they were, but Who they were with. They were CHRISTLIKE- They emulated Jesus.
Paul closes his opus by remembering many small acts of kindness from his friends. This focus on the actions of people serves as a fitting end to his book on theology. Hear the importance of people, unity, and the strength of Christ.
The Apostle Paul had a plan. I have a plan. I think we all make plans for our future. But plans change, too. Why? Various reasons. But in our changing world, we can be assured, “A man’s heart plans his ways but the LORD directs his steps.” Come this Sunday and let’s glean from the life of Paul and his example of God’s divine guidance.
Satan torments people; chains them in dark places, and leaves them hopeless. But we bear the light of hope; the gospel of forgiveness and the saving grace of Jesus. Our message reflects our titles, “Ambassadors of Hope.”
We were so blessed to have, theologian and apologist, Finney Premkumar speak to us on Sunday. It was a powerful message of Christ’s love, influence and transformation.
Trouble is no stranger to a thriving church. Forces of darkness attempt to stumble, mislead or distract believers. But as we discover in Romans 14, Paul nurtures the unity of the faith on unshakable foundations.
Romans 13 began by giving us vertical advice and telling us how to live under the authority of God appointed leaders, and ends by giving us horizontal advice by telling us how to fulfill the law by loving one another, walking properly, and wearing the attributes of Jesus himself.
Life is full of challenges. But for the Christian, there is the hope of knowing he is not alone. God helps him in his “mortal body,” and more, fills Him with Resurrection Life.
One definition of, “Passion” is, “Suffer, or to have sorrow.” Jesus is our Comforter and further, our Example when it comes to the sorrows of life. Pastor Tom drives into Passion Week, the Character of Jesus and the model we are to follow.
A look at the authority of God reveals that God has, is, and always will be in perfect control of the affairs of his beloved children.Eric explores this idea throughout the old and new testaments, and conclude that God wants what is best for us after all.
The world is full of evil, you agree? But evil fades in the presence of good, just as darkness fades in the presence of light. “Being about your Father’s business,” is letting your light shine in dark places.
The person placed in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is the most revered soldier in America. He had to meet three requirements: He was militarily trained. He gave his life in battle. He never made a name for himself. Sounds like a lot of Christians I’ve known.
God keeps many things a mystery, but one thing He makes crystal clear- His unlimited mercy upon all those with humble, contrite hearts. Pastor Tom explores the “Mercy Mystery” and concludes Romans 11.
Old branches find new roots as a remnant of the faithful are predetermined for salvation and sanctification. A throwback story of a hairy hero at his lowest moment, and the integration of the Gentile world into the faith of Christ.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the English language is made up of 171,146 different words, and the use of words can bring forth death or life; evil things and good treasure. Romans 10 speaks of the “Good Treasure”.
God works all things for “the good,” or some say, “our good.” But what is the good he works all things for? Why would He alter realities to make them turn out good for us? If “God works everything out” why do so many things not seem very worked out? So what does this passage truly mean anyway? Tyson Vincent will share key parts of his testimony and draw from truths in this beautifully mysterious and challenging, sometimes unbelievable, other times offensive, but often quoted passage.
The natural default of man is to go the way of his own self-destruction, but God, Who is rich in mercy, plants the seeds of revival to turn him back to his Creator. Simple faith in the power of the Gospel keeps a man in perfect peace as he contemplates the future.
God draws people to Himself, but sometimes those whom He draws don’t look or act the way we think they should. If God was to bring revival, would we be ready to receive the broken and disenfranchised of this world? Paul speaks wisdom to his fellow Jews that needs to be heard today.
God uses His church to repair the lives of those breached and broken by this world. As a body of believers, we introduce people to Jesus and watch Him restore what has been broken down. With unity, purpose and focus, let’s ponder our mission as we consider the fruit of 2022 and the vision for 2023.
Perhaps the most hotly contested, apparently complicated topic in the Bible can actually be viewed as a simple choice. Romans 9 offers an earth shattering, simple question for Christians at any point in their faith. Come Sunday to hear that The Past is irrelevant, The present is important, and The future is determined.
Greek philosopher, Epictetus once said, “You become what you give your attention to.” There exists no greater way to improve your life and the lives of those around you than to give your full attention to Jesus.
Traditionally, many Americans begin a new year with a resolution, a promise, if kept, helps them live a better life. Are you planning to make a “New Year’s Resolution”? Do you want some counsel from Scripture?
Our Kiwi missionary friends from New Zealand, Todd Funk and Donna Funk, will be with us Sunday. Join us and hear both what God is doing in New Zealand and a word of encouragement for the church family.
Jesus was the ultimate outsider. He came against popular people and ideas, and ultimately, was crucified for it. Jesus also taught, “If they persecute Me, they will also persecute you.” Are you okay with that?
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