Biblical belief is full confidence in the person and work of Christ, and it is anything but passive. It impacts the head, heart, and hands. In Acts 4, we see what biblical belief produces in the life of a sold out follower of Christ.

After thousands receive the Word and were baptized in Acts 1-2, the focus shifts to one man: a disabled beggar at the temple gate. Acts 3 shows the continuation of Jesus' ministry of word and deed, which was about far more than just signs and wonders.

The book of Acts picks up where the gospels leave off. Where the gospels tells us about the life and ministry of Jesus, Acts tells us about the continuation of Jesus' work through his apostles (sent ones). In these first two chapters, Jesus goes up, the Holy Spirit comes down, the gospel goes out, and the disciples come together. The Spirit births the Church and begins the spread of the gospel thr...

The Lord is the Chief Shepherd, His people are the sheep. The Church is the flock of God, and the Church needs order and leadership. To finish up our series, we consider three things the flock needs.

The second of two offices in the New Testament church is Deacon. The role of Deacons is so vital to the health of the church, yet it is a position that is often misunderstood in modern churches. Acts 6 gives us the clearest picture of how Deacons are meant to function within the body.

The Chief Shepherd, Jesus, is head of the body, the church. But he designates human leaders, under-shepherds called Elders, to feed & lead His flock. Who exactly are Elders and what are they called to do?

It has been said that everything rises and falls on leadership. This rings true in the church, which God has designed with purpose and structure. He has given leadership roles and responsibilities to the church in order to accomplish His plans through her.. And it all starts at the very top: Himself.

On the first day of 2023, we set the tone for The Year of Mission by looking at Paul's words in Colossians 1:28-29.

The coming of Jesus was the longing of God's people for generations. Yet history is still marching toward the coming of Jesus - the second time. And He is the only One who can perfectly fulfill the desire of every longing heart. At Christmas, and until He returns, we long for the arrival of Jesus.

The story of God comes full circle in the book of Revelation. God had a goal in mind from the very beginning, and He will bring it to pass in the end.

One of the primary themes of the Advent season is love. The greatest expression of love the world has ever known was God sending His Son into the world to die for us. Today we consider the words of the Apostle John as he instructs us on gospel-motivated love. This is the kind of love that counts.

It's easy to start something, but not always so easy to finish strong. As the Apostle Paul approached the end of his life, he spoke about the things that were important to him. Looking to his example, we want to focus on finishing well as we pursue gospel endurance.

The story of Jesus' earthly live, from the cradle to the cross to the crown, was one of unimaginable humility. Paul points to Christ's example in Philippians 2, and He is the source of our unity, humility, and worship.

Ephesians, which is all about the gospel, is one of the most important books in our Bible. In chapter 2, Paul reminds us of what the Lord has done in our life through Christ. God, who loves to redeem and restore, has made us alive in Christ. This is truth to be thankful for!

As the gospel spreads throughout the book of Acts, we see a pattern of God moving and Satan countering. Many people come to salvation in Christ, then opposition surfaces. Paul's efforts to spread the gospel are always met with persecution. How did Paul deal with persecution? How might we respond if faced with persecution?

As the New Testament Church continues to expand and multiply, the proclamation of the gospel is at the heart of it all. But sharing the gospel didn't end with the early church; evangelism is something to which every follower of Jesus is called. So what does this look like for us, in our day?

In Romans 6, Paul reminds the Christians in Rome of their identity in Christ, and how to live in light of this truth. In our everyday lives, it's important that we know the truth so we can live it out.

Paul writes another letter to the Corinthians to help them grown in spiritual maturity. One of the issues he addresses is their lack of generosity. So to combat this lack of desire, Paul gave them a deeper motivation than law or command: he gave them the gospel.

In chapter 9 of Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, Paul gives his take on winning at life. It has nothing to do with selfish desires or personal benefit. Rather, it all flows out of a gospel-centered life that prioritizes the good news of God's grace.

Because the Corinthian church was littered with division, the Apostle Paul writes to call them to unity. This unity is not uniformity, but a shared conviction about the importance and centrality of the gospel. But what exactly is the gospel, and what do we do with it?

The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the Galatians to not only defend the gospel, but to help the believers live in step with the truth of the gospel. In Galatians 5, he helps them to understand how to walk in obedience and fruitfulness. As followers of Jesus in the 21st century, we also need this biblical instruction in order to walk in victory.

The early church faced many trials as Jesus was building His church through them. We too, as followers of Jesus in the 21st century, also deal with our fair share of trials in life. It's normal and inevitable. One of the early church leaders, James, gives helpful instruction on how to deal with difficulty that comes our way.

Following the ascension of Jesus, the promised Holy Spirit comes at Pentecost and Peter preaches a sermon focused on Christ. The result is a harvest of souls who receive the gospel, leading to the establishment and expansion of the Church of Jesus Christ.

God graciously included the story of Simon Peter in His Word. Peter was a prominent disciple, but not a perfect one. In fact, he is well known for his boldness to tell Jesus he would never deny Him, only to have Him correctly predict he would indeed deny Him three times. But after his death and resurrection, we see the forgiving, healing love of Christ toward His friend and follower. And so, in al...

In order to remove the threat of Jesus, the Jewish religious leaders put him before the Roman governor, Pilate. As he dealt with the chief priests, questioned Jesus, and interacted with the crowd, he had a monumental choice to make. It revolved around his question, "What shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" This was a powerfully important question in that moment, but it's also the most imp...