This weekend, we are looking at the church in Ephesus. Jesus brings a serious charge against them: they have lost their first love. They were checking all the right boxes but for all the wrong reasons. The problem for them wasn’t an external behavior but an internal reality. The title of this weekend’s message is “CHURCH-AUTOPSY: HEARTSICK”.
This weekend, I will be preaching a special message as we head into the new year. In the book of Matthew, Jesus gives his sermon on the mount and talks about what people can expect in life. Contrary to some people’s opinion, the Christian life is not one free of troubles or worries. Rather, a life that is fully surrendered to Jesus puts worries in their proper place. The title of this weekend’s message is “TODAY.”
This weekend, we are continuing to examine the pictures for evangelism that Jesus gives his listeners. Jesus refers to himself as a shepherd and extends that metaphor to evangelism by talking about bringing sheep into the fold. What are we doing to reach the lost and bring them to our shepherd, Jesus Christ? The title of this weekend’s message is “SHEEPFOLD.”
In the weeks leading up to Easter, we will begin new series focused on the cross and what Jesus has accomplished for us. Most believers have a very incomplete understanding of the cross. The concepts of salvation, justification, and atonement, however, are central to our faith. We will gain a better understanding of Christ’s work on the cross through this series titled “JUSTIFICATION.”
This weekend, we are continuing our study of the canon of Scripture. There are many religions that either add to the canon of books that the church has traditionally considered inspired or mishandle the ones we do consider to be Scripture. How does understanding the canon of Scripture help us to better see which religions are inaccurate, even if they appear close in their beliefs? The title of this weekend’s message is “SACRED”.
If you remember from last weekend, we are going to spend several weeks looking at the Bible and how we should handle God’s Word. This weekend, we are comparing the Bible to the holy books and sacred texts of other religions. Is the Bible different or is it just another religious text like any other? What puts the Bible in a class of its own? The title of this weekend’s message is “REVELATION”.
This weekend, we will take a look at something that is regarded by many as a mystery: salvation. We talk about it a lot, sing about it, and even pray for it. But do we understand what is actually happening in the process of salvation? What does it truly mean for a person to “be saved”? The title of this weekend’s message is “THE ANATOMY OF SALVATION”.
This weekend, we will begin chapter 2 of 1 Peter. Having talked about the importance of love as a response to being born again, Peter goes on to instruct his readers that they must continue to grow in their understanding of the Word, laying aside earthly, sinful behaviors. The title of this weekend’s message is “NEW BEGINNING”.
This weekend, we are beginning a brand new series focused on Christmas, titled “GREATER.” Through this series, we will focus on the society and political structure during the time of Jesus’ birth. Even though times change, people, situations, and politics remain the same. In this first message, we will take a look at the Roman Empire and how it was affected by Jesus’ birth. The title of this weekend’s message is “GREATER THAN ROME.”
This weekend, our focus is on Paul’s command to the Philippians to be unified, pursuing God’s will together as a body of believers. Paul warned against division and encouraged his readers to be like-minded by pursuing the mind of Christ. The gospel is what keeps believers focused and moving toward a common goal. The title of this weekend’s message is “SINGLE-MINDED.”
This weekend, we turn our attention to the parable of the parable of the workers in the vineyard. The owner of the vineyard hired the workers at different times, but still gave each a generous reward for their work. It wasn’t based on the hours they labored, but rather on the grace of the owner. The title of this weekend’s message is “REWARD.”
Our plans may fail. Our plans may get disrupted. Our plans may have to be revised. But, God’s Gospel Plan does not fail, will not get disrupted, and it’s not open to revision. The Plan of Salvation is the only hope for every man, woman, boy, or girl. Today it can happen for you and change your life forever.Which plan are you trusting in for your salvation? Your Plan? The Church Plan? The Denomination Plan? The wrong plan of salvation will cost you your soul. Are you truly saved? Repent, Believe, and Follow Jesus Christ.
This weekend, we come to the final message in this series. God has blessed us tremendously, but without question, His greatest gift is salvation. God rescued us while we were still sinners and provided a way to return us into relationship with Him. The title of this weekend’s message is “THANKFUL FOR SALVATION.”
This weekend, we will be taking a look at something we all know to be part of the Christian but many struggle with: evangelism. We have heard the commands in Scripture to go out and spread the gospel, but have a difficult time putting them into practice. Scripture does not call us to be the prosecution or defense attorneys in God’s courtroom. Nor are we supposed to be the judge of jury. We are witnesses to Christ and what He has done. The title of this weekend’s message is “THE WITNESS STAND.”
This weekend, we turn our attention to the response to the gospel. It is not enough to merely hear the truth; we must respond to the gospel. Our response must be made up of both repentance and belief. They are two sides to the same coin. The call of the gospel is to turn from sin and to believe in Christ as your savior. This weekend’s message is titled “REPENT AND BELIEVE.”
This weekend, we are starting a brand new series. Before you can be a disciple, you must believe in Jesus and trust Him for salvation. At the heart of everything that a disciple does, there must be a desire to see the lost come to faith. Over the next few weeks, we will be talking about salvation and recapturing a desire to see the lost around us believe for the first time. This series is titled “FIRST, BELIEVE.”
Here are some key points to remember from the message Encounters 4
Here are the followup questions to today's message ENCOUNTERS 1