Chapelwood Sanctuary Podcast

One of the powerful ways the Church can make a difference in the world is to help the world understand the “heart of the law” of God. In Matthew 5:21-48, Jesus gives us six examples of how the church helps us get to the heart of the law. In these practical, ethical issues, often called the “six oppositions” or the “six antitheses” (which are not helpful because they are not either this or that), J...

Contemporary worship February 5, 2017

In order for any vision from God to inspire the Church to move forward, we must see the future as an opportunity. The wide door is deeply connected to the vision – it represents the possibilities and opportunities we are invited to enter. What is on the other side of the door is a mystery. While we have a sense of the image of what’s on the other side, we step in through faith not knowing every de...

First Sunday of Stewardship of Gifts, 2017

According to Luke, all we know about the baptism of Jesus is that it was with “all the people” who were filled with expectation — but maybe that is what the church has sometimes forgotten. Jesus presented himself for baptism as an act of solidarity with an expectant nation and world of sinners. Jesus simply got in line with everyone who had been broken by the “wear and tear” of this selfish world...

Wesley Covenant Service 2017

All Sanctuary worship services are combined into one joyful Christmas celebration at 10:00 a.m. Join us to celebrate on this Christmas Day in a service that combines features of both traditional and contemporary worship. Celebrate the birth of our Savior as we come together in praise and worship.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Third Sunday of Advent

Second Sunday in Advent

First Sunday of Advent

The King of Reversal. Celebrating the Good Gifts of God

A Word of Comfort - Contemporary

All Saints Day 2016: I Do Not Cease to Give Thanks for You

The Essentials: The Way of the Kingdom: Wesley employed the scriptural text of this sermon, “The kingdom of God is at hand: repent . . . and believe the gospel” (Mark 1: 15), “one hundred and ninety times” in a nearly fifty-year span. He specifically linked this text to the fruit of his evangelistic labors since 1738 in noting with its use among the poor of England “the word of God ran as fire amo...

The Essentials: Scriptural Christianity: Defining scriptural Christianity as “heart religion” and “the religion of love” that is ever associated with the Holy Spirit, Wesley was intent in 1744 upon applying the same pointed questioning to his Oxford congregation that Spangenberg had employed earlier with respect to him so effectively in Georgia. After a number of pointed and embarrassing accusatio...

The Almost Christian - Contemporary

The Essentials: The Spirit of a Christian: Considering the two grand hindrances that stand in the way of those who genuinely love God, namely, that they don't all think or walk alike, Wesley proposed that fellowship should remain, even thrive, since all may love alike. In other words, here as in his sermon “On Zeal,” Wesley focused on the holy love that is at the heart of it all the goal of all tr...

The Essentials: Draw Near with Faith: Viewing the Lord’s Supper as an outward sign of an inward grace, Wesley urged the Methodists to take up the practice of the ancient church and to commune frequently. Since Wesley considered this means of grace as a “converting ordinance,” whereby God would communicate prevenient, justifying, and sanctifying grace to recipients as needed, the only requirement t...

The Athenians liked to spend their time doing nothing but telling or hearing something new. Sounds like Washington D.C. This is a highlight of Paul's missionary journeys. He stands before the Areopagus in Athens and is allowed to engage in theological discussion. Paul attracts a great deal of attention in the marketplace. He uses the contextual tools at his disposal by invoking the statues and the...

Acts 10 is the story of Peter's vision from God to go forth and proclaim the Gospel to the gentile Cornelius. Peter was told to do something that ran counter to an established set of beliefs and values which he firmly held to be true - and not just true in human valuation, but divinely ordained as absolutely and eternally true...yet, he trusted that the voice was the voice of God. And that voice m...

The Way of Unity: Walking Through Valleys of Disagrement: Philip's Purple State Strategy: The spread of Christianity started, in part, because of the persecution of the church. Philip is taking the message of the Gospel to the Samaritans...just like Jesus did. (2 Kings 17:24-34 shows a negative image of Samaritans). Philip breaks the barriers of religion and race in his mission to Samaria. God's m...

The Way of Unity: Walking Through Valleys of Disagrement: A Caucus of Caring: The Christian community was becoming more complex. There are apostles, disciples, Hebrews, Hellenists. As the community grew, the diversity grew. The Hellenist widows were being shortchanged the allotment of food, probably because they were outsiders and the Hebrews were in charge of the distribution. Notice how no blame...