Expounding the Word

What’s your immediate reaction to a story like that? Maybe you have more faith than I, but I tend to be skeptical. My initial thought is that I’d like proof. The story may or may not be real, but do I believe it could be true? Do you believe it’s possible that God could or would have done that kind of miracle? As Pastor Chris will challenge us in today’s message, if we believe God’s Word is true a...

Wouldn’t it be nice if all we had to do was say a specific phrase and God would heal us from sickness or meet whatever need we’re facing? Where would we place our faith? If all that mattered was saying the correct words, those words would become the source of power. As Pastor Chris continues our study in the book of 1st Corinthians, he’ll explain why God isn’t held to a certain formula or pattern...

Have you ever experienced that? Whether you were the one sharing or the one receiving a word of knowledge, it’s a beautiful moment. It’s a reminder that our God is all-knowing, and He loves to use us to demonstrate that trait. As Pastor Chris will challenge us in today’s message, when we feel pressed by the Holy Spirit to share something with someone, we should step into it with bold humility. Eve...

Wisdom can come through experiencing a trial and coming out on the other side with a better understanding of that struggle. It can also come through studying God’s Word or the experience of your fellow believers, bringing understanding without the personal hardship. As Pastor Chris will point out in today’s message, wisdom can also be given miraculously. We saw this with Solomon, as God gave Him w...

When a sports team spirals, it usually starts with their coach and how much they care. Coaches get fired when they lose their locker room’s trust and can’t get their players to listen to them. In today’s message, Pastor Chris says if you’re a leader, you must lead with integrity and steward the gift God’s given you. People must know that you believe in them and that you care. If this is your gifti...

Have you ever talked to someone, and they advised you on something you didn’t ask for advice on? It always feels the worst when people share their thoughts, and you don’t agree with what they’re sharing! Today, Pastor Chris says when you give advice, you must make sure that it’s scripture-based. The Bible says that all scripture is good for training, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteous...

In high school, I had a teacher who was able to take complex things about anatomy and make them simple so I could understand them better. She was one of the best teachers I had! In today’s message, Pastor Chris says you know you have the gift of teaching if you can do just that! Have you been able to take a complex idea and make it understandable to someone? If so, you may be gifted in teaching! Y...

When I was younger, I was a bad kid and got in trouble often. My parents would take away the toys and privileges they gave me to teach me a lesson. In today’s message, Pastor Chris says God chose your gifting and was intentional in it. The difference between God and my parents is that God doesn’t take away his gift to you! You were chosen by Him to serve in ways that only you can. Live with confid...

Jesus has called everyone to ministry, even if it’s not vocational! You may be called to be the best evangelizer at your office, or maybe it’s to random people on the street! But God’s called everyone to honor Him however they can! In today’s message, Pastor Chris says you must ask God where He’s gifted you! Allow Him to speak into your life so you can know exactly where you’re best suited. Be a l...

It would be weird if someone gave us a gift and we just chose to ignore it. Yet, we do that all the time to God! In today’s message, Pastor Chris says we must not forget the gifts that God has given us! He’s made you unique and given you unique giftings! In this journey of life, you’ll find out what your best fit is by testing the waters and seeing where you feel the most comfortable. The key step...

Knowing ourselves is one of the hardest things to do. We don’t like to do self-reflection because it can bring out some things we don’t want to think about. In today’s message, Pastor Chris says when you go to communion, you must do self-introspection, but not on your own. You must ask God to reveal to you the places in which you’re not honoring Him. One of the best ways to be more like Jesus is t...

When a group of people watches sports together, we would say the statement “there’s a group of people watching the game.” Even if it’s 3 or 4 people, we would still call them a group! In today’s message, Pastor Chris reminds us that no matter how many people are gathered, if they’re worshipping the Lord, they’re the church. See, the church isn’t a building, it’s a people. Even if your church is on...

God’s not alone in heaven. We often think of God, Jesus, and the Spirit—but Scripture points to something more: a vast host of angels. Present before creation, they’ve been watching what God has been doing from the very beginning. And they’re still watching. In today’s message, Pastor Chris invites you to consider this often-overlooked reality—and what it means for how you live right now. Because...

When we think about authority, most of us recognize it right away—bosses, laws, people in charge. But there’s another kind of authority too, the kind that comes from trust, wisdom, and relationship. We all live under both, whether we realize it or not. Today, Pastor Chris invites you to look deeper at what authority really means and who truly holds it. Because no matter what authority shapes your...

The compass was truly a revolutionary invention. Before its use, seafarers had to use landmarks and celestial bodies to direct them on the waters. But with a compass, navigation became far more accurate, regardless of weather conditions, time of day, or visibility. Today, Pastor Chris uses the compass as a simile to describe what your life should be like as a Christian. Just like a compass, your l...

Have you ever made a ceramic pot? There are so many ways to shape clay—building it by hand, stacking coils, or using a pottery wheel. Once that clay is fired in a kiln, it becomes as hard as a rock and is then ready for various uses. Today, Pastor Chris shares a powerful truth: if you’re a Christian, you are a ceramic pot. God’s glory dwells right inside of you, and He has specific purposes for yo...

Today, Pastor Chris speaks about a topic often misunderstood in the Scriptures: demons. He explains that they are evil. They are sometimes the driving force behind what may seem neutral, so you must be on guard. If there’s something you know you ought to avoid, you'd better do it. Evil is out to destroy and devour you, and it will use any means possible because you’re an image of God. But the good...

When we think of "worshipping other things," we often imagine ancient statues or golden calves, but modern-day "idolatry" is usually much more subtle. It’s anything that takes the primary place in your heart—the thing you rely on for your identity, security, or happiness instead of God. It’s what you think you can’t live without or what you think of first thing when you wake up. Today, Pastor Chri...

Have you ever heard someone talking loudly on a speaker phone at the grocery store? You wonder why that person thinks they’re entitled to share their conversation with strangers! Entitlement means you think you’re owed something, that you inherently deserve privileges or special treatment regardless of the circumstances. Today, Pastor Chris reminds you that as a Christian, there’s no entitlement....

We’ve all been there—taking the "shortcut" that ends up taking twice as long because we didn't just do it right the first time. Doing something halfway often creates a false sense of progress while leaving a mess for our future self to clean up. Today, Pastor Christ tells you that Jesus didn’t take a shortcut. It’s not like He was tortured a little, and then partly died and partly rose again. He w...

The war between will and weakness constantly rolls through our heads. We desire, and are even willing to do things, but we just don’t do them. It could be going to the gym, or reading consistently, eating healthy, or spending time with God. We let our procrastination get in the way of our willingness to accomplish things in our lives. Today, Pastor Chris will show you that willingness isn’t enough...

How often do you use your creative bone nowadays? With the busyness of the world, you sometimes lose that creative spirit. The more you go with the motions of everyday life, the less creative you become. What if I told you that doesn’t have to be the reality, and YOU could be creative every day!? In today’s message, Pastor Chris shares that the message of the Gospel remains the same, but how YOU s...

When we do something “good”, we tend to expect some type of reward. It could be a simple “thank you” for holding the door open for someone, finding a lost wallet and returning it, or even helping someone in need. When we think of doing good, we subconsciously want a reward, but are you willing to do the right thing and get nothing in return? In today’s message, Pastor Chris shows you, through Paul...

Have you ever had a calling you were drawn to, but stopped pursuing? Could it be because you were nervous about the backlash you would receive? Could it be because someone talked you out of it, or because you were worried about failing? The heckling from yourself or others is just a distraction to keep you from being obedient to the call that God has placed on your heart. Today, Pastor Chris sheds...

Have you ever gotten into a heated argument over something small, only to realize later it really didn’t matter? Maybe it was the thermostat, what movie to watch, or where to eat. Today, Pastor Chris reminds you that those kinds of things aren’t worth the conflict—especially with a fellow believer. Not every disagreement needs to become a battle. Sometimes the wiser, stronger choice is to let it g...