Living Stones

Ben Foust

1 Peter 2:4-10

As living stones in God's spiritual temple, we are a part of what God is doing in the world. As living stones we are different, serve together, and have purpose.

God's Sovereignty

Ben Foust

Romans 9:1-24

Paul mourns for Israel and emphasizes God's sovereign decision to now work through the believers of Christ and not the nation of Israel, because they have rejected the Messiah. \r\n

Church Discipline

Ryan Lowery

1 Corinthians 5:1-13

Paul calls the Corinthian church to discipline a specific member out of the church, with the hopes of future redemption. Explained in this passage, church discipline should be used rarely and only in response to serious, unrepentant sin committed by believing Christians.

Biblical Confrontation

Ryan Lowery

1 Corinthians 3:1-6

Paul admonishes the corinthians on the basis of his love for them. While they are forming factions within the church, Paul points them back to unity under God.

Six Ways to Lead a Tough Church

James Rochford

1 Timothy 4:1-16

Paul gives Timothy six ways to lead a tough church undergoing attack by false teachers who promote doctrines of demons. Timothy is directed: to stay well-fed by the Word, to work hard, to become what he wants to see, to lead with his Bible, to exploit the spiritual gift in him, and to trust that God will use him. God is not a harsh task-master. He will work on one area needing improvement at a time. What is one area you need to grow in?

Mission Drift

Mike Sullivan

John 20:19-21

In a culture of heated debate it's easy for Christians to drift away from the main mission of the the church: to share the good news of forgiveness through Jesus' death on the cross, and to persuade people to consider it. Mission drift can easily happen during certain times, including when in "survival mode," when in great wealth, and when we focus only on doing good works. It's important to acknowledge the tendency to drift, and continually focus on our identity--"in Christ"--and the true mission of sharing Christ with a world in need.

God's Building Project

Scott Risley

1 Peter 2:4-10

Peter calls his audience to commit themselves to the Christian community that God is building, that is the church. The church is not a place or an edifice built by human hands but is the people of God coming together in in living, breathing community. The only way to join this church is to believe in the one God sent to save us from our sin, his son Jesus Christ. The purpose of this body of believers is to tell everyone all that God has done through his son Jesus.

Living Stones

Dennis McCallum

1 Peter 2:4-9

Neither the temple not the tabernacle were ever believed to actually be where God resided. It was meant to be a way to teach the people of God's plan to rescue them though a substitutionary sacrifice. Now that Jesus has come and made that sacrifice for us, we have become the temple where God does reside. Each believer is a unique living stone fitted in just the right position to build the "wall." As each stone fulfills its role in resting on the foundation stone of Jesus and supporting other stones above it, the spiritual community of stones working together declares to the world the awesomeness of God.

Three Myths about Church

James Rochford

1 Peter 2:4-10

Three myths about church are: the church is a beautiful or boring building, to become a Christians I need to join a church, and the purpose of the church is to sing songs. The church is not a building or a place but it is it's people. Joining a church membership roll does not make one a Christian. The church is the community of people who have placed their faith in Jesus to forgive their sins. The primary purpose of the church is not to sing songs but to share Jesus' message with a hurting world.