Come To The Table

When you are in bondage to sin, it is quite possible to be oblivious of your chains. You may not even recognize the given behavior as a sin, or you might not be willing to admit that it is controlling you. In this teaching, Pastor Mark reminds us that Christ came to set us free. He didn’t come to condemn or enslave us. He purchased our freedom. Still, it is your choice to accept His invitation int...

We have grown desensitized to sin in our world. The things we consider normal would have shocked people a mere fifteen or twenty years ago. The Bible tells us that if our right hand causes us to sin, we should cut it off. That is a harsh teaching. In this message, Pastor Mark will warn us to take a more serious view of our sin, as Jesus Himself does. Whatever steps must be taken to ensure freedom—...

God desires for all of us to be free from sin. He went to great lengths to break the bonds the enemy places on us. Sadly, many people, Christians included, remain in bondage to sin. In this teaching, Pastor Mark assures us that true freedom is possible. Sometimes, freedom from certain sins comes instantly when you place your faith in Christ, but oftentimes, freedom takes time. When sin has its gri...

The world holds many allures: fame, wealth, power, and pleasure, just to name a few. They all appeal to our God-given senses, but as Pastor Mark points out in this teaching, everything outside of God is fleeting. Without Christ, all of us are empty vessels, incomplete and dissatisfied with our lives, no matter how appealing they may seem from the outside.

Our world has seemingly infinite paths you can take. If you ask people about who Jesus is and how we get to heaven, you will get a lot of vague and less than satisfying answers. Jesus, however, left no room for error when He claimed to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life. As Pastor Mark will explain in this teaching, we desperately need light in our spiritual lives. The enemy loves to keep us in t...

As Jesus confronted the men aiming their stones at the adulteress woman, He spoke with astounding authority. According to their culture and the Law, these men held the right to take her life, but Jesus spoke the truth in power and opened their eyes to their own sinfulness. In this teaching, Pastor Mark reminds us that Jesus is not standing over you in condemnation but is actually standing up for y...

In this teaching, Pastor Mark leads us through the story of a woman caught in the act of adultery. Adultery is not a minor sin; it was punishable by death in those days. Many of us would have been among the stone-throwers. Humans are quick to judge others without considering their own faults. Jesus did not come to condemn, however. He came to save. He alone held the right to throw the first stone,...

When Jesus enters your heart, you’ll know it, and so will people around you. As His love frees you and transforms your sinful nature to be more like His, you will begin to move upriver against the current of our culture. In this teaching, Pastor Mark will continue His study through John by reminding us that we are set apart in Christ. Jesus’ message was countercultural in His day, so much so that...

Our culture has strayed far from Christianity, but there is still a large portion of society who identify themselves as Christians, regardless of whether or not they have a personal relationship with Jesus. Many of them assume that by simply being “good enough” they will be accepted by God. In this teaching, Pastor Mark will address what taking the name of Christian means. Salvation only happens t...

Have you ever been asked the question: “Who are you to tell me Jesus is the only way?” We face this kind of skepticism often in our world. The world seems to be tolerant of everything but Christianity. A better question would be: “Who are we to question the Word of God?” The Creator of the Universe Himself called Jesus His Son and said that He was the only way to salvation. While the gospel is oft...

All of us have struggles in following Jesus. While you may intend to die to your sinful nature after you get saved, in practice, you will find that dying to yourself is a process, not an instant transformation. In God’s eyes, you have been made perfect, but your daily life will still be riddled with human temptation. In this teaching, Pastor Mark will discuss the times when we are called to loving...

Following Jesus is no popularity contest. Not that your goal should be to alienate yourself, but oftentimes, that is a natural byproduct of following the countercultural commands of our Savior. Your choice to follow Him will rub many people the wrong way. In this teaching, Pastor Mark challenges us to get off the fence when it comes to our spiritual commitment. It is natural to hesitate and hold b...

Are you afraid to put all your weight on God? You may look like you are trusting Him, but in reality, you are holding yourself up a bit. If this is the case, you will be challenged by this teaching to place yourself wholly in the hands of God. You can rest in the confidence that His plan is perfect and good for you.

Getting kids to eat their vegetables is usually a difficult task unless, of course, they have an appetite for veggies. In the same way, the gospel cannot be forced down people’s throats. They are given free will to choose what to believe. Some will be receptive; others will completely reject it. In this teaching, we are reminded that although we constantly change, the truth remains the same. Jesus...

Jesus didn’t come so He could meet all our personal needs. He came to save the lost. In this teaching, we’ll learn about people grumbling against Jesus for not behaving according to their desires. Pastor Mark will ask us to examine our own walk with God to see if we are guilty of having that same attitude.

Sin is inevitable. No matter how hard you try, you will fall into sin and temptation. Thankfully, it is the Lord who washes you clean through His death on the cross. He will take your broken pieces and make them whole. In this teaching, Pastor Mark will remind you to examine your heart. Are your motives in the right place? Being a follower of Christ is so much more than listening to teachings and...

What are your motives in following after Jesus? Do you truly desire to be in a relationship with Him or are you seeking signs and wonders? In this study, Jesus challenges the crowds as to why they are seeking Him. They sought after greater miracles, desiring to fill their stomachs, not know the Lord. Pastor Mark will challenge you to put aside your temporary desires in order to seek Jesus for who...

When you face a storm in life, are you quick to try and weather it alone? There is only so much we can do in our own strength. In this teaching, Pastor Mark reminds us that although we may not see or feel the Lord, we can rest knowing that He sees us and is ready to rescue us when we call upon His name. Just as Jesus came walking on the water when the disciples faced a storm, so He will come to yo...

Do you learn the hard way? Maybe as a child, your parents warned you to avoid a certain situation or behavior, but your curiosity led you straight to it. You probably realized your parents were right pretty quickly. The Bible tells us that the Lord allows us to weather storms in order to teach us something from them. In this teaching, Pastor Mark reminds us that we are not alone in the storm. Jesu...

The Bible is filled with metaphors that help us understand Biblical truths. As we look at the feeding of the five thousand, we can see Jesus using physical hunger to illustrate a spiritual need. Without proper nourishment, growth will not happen, whether physical or spiritual. In this teaching, Pastor Mark asks us to slow down enough to receive manna from heaven. He reminds us that without spiritu...

Are you currently facing a storm? You might feel like it’s too late to find healing, but no one is ever too far gone for God to bring restoration. It’s not too late to turn your heart back to Jesus. In this teaching, Pastor Mark teaches on the feeding of the five thousand. He explains that nothing is too big for God to handle. The timing may not be what you hoped for, but the Lord’s timing is far...

Are you more concerned with the opinion of your peers or the opinion of God? Oftentimes, it’s easier to focus on the here and now when it comes to the viewpoints of our friends and family and how they might perceive us. In this teaching, Pastor Mark will remind us to prioritize God’s opinion, instead of the opinion of those around us. As he continues his teaching on the four witnesses of Jesus, we...

What does it mean to be a witness for Christ? It’s a simple word, but it carries a lot of responsibility. God wants us to see and experience Him and then share and bear witness to the rest of the world. In this teaching, Pastor Mark will point out four witnesses of Jesus Christ and will remind us that the Lord does not need validation, as the Father in Heaven validates Him. Even so, we are called...

It's mind-boggling to fathom that Jesus is both fully human and fully God, not to mention the amount of love and grace He has for us. In today's message, Pastor Mark will teach us about the coming judgment when Jesus will judge the living and the dead. We will all stand before Him, but what will our judgment be? Let's find out as Pastor Mark explains how our choices impact our coming judgment.

This life isn't a free for all, even though our anything-goes society might beg to differ! Yet despite the chaos in our world, as followers of Christ, we're commanded to submit to His authority and not to the whim of our flesh. Jesus said whoever hears the Word and believes the Father sent Him, will not come into judgment, but into everlasting life. That's just some of what we'll learn as Pastor M...