Brought Near

Ben Foust

Ephesians 2:11-20

As Paul details the incredible blessings we have in Christ, he reminds his audience how Jews and Gentiles were reconciled together by God. God can overcome any human divisions, and both the ?far off? and the ?near? can be reconciled to God together into one new man.

Living in Unity

Chris Hearty

Romans 15:1-13

Living in unity requires the encouragement of Scripture in order to have the endurance needed to place our hope in God's promises. God's plan has always been for those who believe in him to demonstrate outwardly what is true about them inwardly. The world is going to judge the validity of Christianity by what they observe in the behavior of Christians.

Living Stones

Ben Foust

1 Peter 2:4-10

Peter uses the metaphor of the temple to describe the proper functioning of the church. The stones represent individual believers, each with their own role, but also working together toward the purpose of proclaiming the excellencies of Christ to the world. The cornerstone is Christ, whom the whole building is built around, but who is also a stumbling block for those who disbelieve.\r\n

God and Government

James Rochford

Romans 13:1-7

Paul tells believers to be subject to earthly government because it is ordained by God. This doesn't mean, however, that governments are perfect or that God approves of corruption or misuse of power. Christians can and should form informed opinions about politics, but the Gospel must always be of supreme importance and we must conduct ourselves in a way that is respectful and does not bring shame to the name of Christ, and we must never harbor contempt for those with whom we disagree.

Finding Your Place in God's Spiritual Community

Conrad Hilario

Romans 12:3-8

Paul compares the church to a human body, containing both unity and diversity and the various parts each having an important role to play. Entering and thriving in God's community requires humility.

Making the Most of the Early Stages of Marriage

Joey Francisco

Lauren Francisco

Romans 12:3-8

Marriage is about oneness and life long commitment, but what we see in our culture is marriage in a deep decline while divorce rates are rising. How do we fight against this cultural trend and have a successful, Christ-centered marriage? We will look at what habits are good to form in the early stages of marriage to lead to success.

The Call to Unity in a Divided Culture

Mike Woods

Romans 12:3-8

We live in a time where our culture is deeply divided. Politically, ethnically, and economically our culture is in constant conflict - even at a deep interpersonal level, close relationships and community are in a sharp decline. How can the Church find unity in such a divided landscape? We will look at what insight the Bible provides into how the Body of Christ can remain unified and interdependent even in this cultural climate.

Directions for an Immature Church

James Rochford

1 Corinthians 16:1-24

The church in Corinth was struggling with greed, factions, and immaturity. The apostle Paul addresses these issues encouraging them to take up a collection for others with guidelines about grace-based giving. He urges them to work together, not favoring one leader over another and giving them principles of coming under authority. And he ends urging them to grow in their faith and love.

Good Friends Are Hard to Find

Patrice McCormac

1 Samuel 23

Our culture is plagued with loneliness. Part of the problem is that we are often more concerned about whether people are being good friends to us than if we ourselves are being a good friend! As we examine the biblical story of David and Jonathan's friendship however, we see several key elements of good friendship. To be a good friend, we must warn our friends of danger even when it may be risky for us. We should speak and wish well of them, encourage, and initiate choosing to commit to the friendship. As we move away from our own selfish tendencies and toward these habits, we move toward becoming a good friend to others.