BRAVE Church

"May I have your attention, please?" This question may perk our interest but often times we are simply reminded of a truth we already understand. Therefore, at times when we are warned we simply do not pay attention to the warning. This can be very true for us in our relationship with God. Sometimes when we read or hear warning passages read, we think this is a passage for someone else because "I...

Angels are spiritual beings created by God for the purpose of serving and worshipping Him. They were used of God to bring the law to the Jews and are seen throughout Scripture as powerful messengers and worshippers of God. The author of Hebrews through the wisdom of the Holy Spirit wants us to know that Jesus Christ is greater than the angels because of what He possesses. Throughout this message w...

In the first three verses of Hebrews seven attributes of our Lord and Savior are listed. Each of these attributes are extremely powerful and exclusive. Just a casual reading of the book of Hebrews causes the reader to pause and understand that Jesus Christ is the premier prophet, priest and king. When understood properly the book continues to ask the reader, "How are you going to respond to the gr...

This week we discussed the three critical confessions that God desires every person to make. Understanding and living these confessions changes a believer by faith. You see, a confession is made by faith through agreement with the Word of God. When your lips confess what the inerrant Word of God reveals your life begins to change by faith. These three clear confessions will help the believer towar...

The primary ministry of the Holy Spirit is to magnify the resurrected Christ. When Jesus Christ was on the earth the Holy Spirit descending upon Him at His baptism and remained upon Him for ministry. After Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven the Holy Spirit was dispensed upon His disciples so that their personal ministry would glorify the resurrected Christ. What the Spirit accomplis...

While it is clear from the Scriptures that we are given the person of the Holy Spirit to indwell us when we believe, the Scriptures also make clear the need for us to continue to be filled with Him. This means that we received ALL of the Holy Spirit when we believed, but the Holy Spirit may not still have all of us. Today we were asked to pray daily for the filling of the Holy Spirit so that we ca...

God's design for every believer is to be transformed and conformed to the image of Christ. Using 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 as a foundation we discussed four truths for experiencing total transformation. Allowing God's Word to shape you will help you grow into all that God has designed for you. God's love for you is so great that He will accept you right where you are, but not allow you stay there. Und...

Once we are saved that we are disciples of Christ who are called to grow into His likeness. The reality is that Jesus wants YOU! God the Father demonstrated His love to the world by sending His only begotten so that whoever believed would not perish but have Eternal Life. Jesus Christ paid the penalty for all the sins of humanity on the cross for everyone who believes. This free gift is received b...

Before we are saved we are in a spiritual battle with the devil but have yet to realize that fact. Once we are saved, we learn that the devil, the world and our sinful selves attempt to limit us from God's best. The Scriptures teach that when we are on mission for Him that we are the most satisfied and He is the most glorified. We live in a world that is hostile to Jesus Christ, churches that are...

Just as there are skill sets to grow in relationships, finances, marriage, and parenting, God has provided a means for us to grow in godliness. A growing devotion and reverence for Christ is not automatic and requires a rejection of certain errors so that we can move forward. While these challenges from God's Word are often difficult to hear, they are necessary for understanding how God works to g...

Speaker: Jeff Schwarzentraub

God loves the church and has appointed leadership in His Church so that the kingdom of God can be advanced on the planet. God loves those who lead for Him and He desires His Church to love and honor those leaders as well. As we learn about the different types of leaders in the church, it is also important to understand how to respond to leadership in a way that honors God. Following God's Word on...

When a person is born again they are placed into the Body of Christ. Since every believer now shares the same Heavenly Father we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. In other words, Christians are now a spiritual family. Therefore, God gives clear instruction for his children to relate to one another in His Church. These instructions not only teach us how to have a great love for one another bu...

Learning about a prophet can help one understand if he is called to be a prophet and also help those listening to see if they are truly hearing God. In a world where we have experienced lies, it is imperative to discern if we are indeed listening to the truth. Understanding the five marks of a prophet helps us in our ability to hear, believe, grow, trust and hope in the Gospel. Speaker: Jeff Schwa...

In this message Pastor Jeff discusses how we as believers in Christ can have consistently good service to our Lord and to other people. Four lessons emerged from the text that are important for every believer to understand for their personal growth. If we will listen to God's Word and apply His truth into our lives we can live as good servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. Some of these lessons are di...

"How can I inherit eternal life?" Human beings were created differently than anything else in God's creation. We were created in His image, which is why asking the question about life after death is essential to what it means to be human. The truth is that God wants you to know how to have a relationship with Him and wants you to be in relationship with Him. My encouragement to you is to listen to...

Character and conduct are the bedrock for solid Christian service. Sometimes, service can be considered to be a work for someone else so that we can receive a benefit from them. At other times we do indeed serve but miss out on the blessings of serving because we are only serving in order to be noticed. Pride can easily creep into our minds if we do not allow the Spirit of God to shape us. The tru...

It is essential to understand that God created both men and women with equal value but has distinct roles for each gender within His kingdom. God has designed the heart of a man to be a protector and a provider and to live with courage and integrity. As the Holy Spirit lays out the requirements for an overseer, it is imperative that every man understand that these are the character qualities He wa...

Since God has established His church to reflect the values of the kingdom on planet earth it would benefit us to honor His Word in every way. As we study gender we understand that God is creator of human beings and the designer of male and female as the only two genders. Men and women are completely different but of equal value in the sight of the Lord. Understanding and applying God's Word will h...

Praying for the lost to hear and experience a witness of the Gospel is of primary importance in the local church. Sometimes as believers we set up fences between ourselves and believers and instead of praying for them to hear the Gospel we fight them on the ground of principles. Paul instructs Timothy that the primary witness in a church should be that all of God's people are praying for everybody...

Although we only looked at three verses they provided insight into how we can continue forward in our relationship with the Lord. As the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy we hear His heart for being bold and resolute in His ministry for Christ even though it will be opposed. God not only saved you to bring you to heaven but so that you could be His enlisted soldier for the Gospel. Speaker: Jeff Schwar...

While many people hold onto politics, money, prestige and influence the Word of God instructs us to trust Jesus Christ and His gospel. The gospel is not simply a set of beliefs to get a person into heaven. The gospel is a profound mystery of Christ in us, the hope of glory. When a person trusts the good news of the gospel, Jesus Christ completely forgives them and comes to dwell inside of them thr...

In the same way it's important for us to check God's Word so that we understand all that God intends for His church rather than relying simply on our opinions and preferences. A Biblical understanding of the church is foundational for us because Jesus Christ established the church for His disciples to experience the kingdom of God on the earth. As His ambassadors, the gathered church is His Kingdo...

This week we launched our ministry calendar and spent time considering where the Lord is leading BRAVE Church this year. Using Hebrews 11:1&6 as our main text, we discussed ways that we should take the next step of faith as a church and as individuals. Not only did we talk about depending upon the Lord, but also discussed that without faith it is impossible to please God. Therefore, if we want to...

Speaker: Jon Gaus