firstChristian Norfolk | Sunday Messages

Tim DeFor | What does it really look like to love God and your neighbor in a way that leads to the best life? Jesus answers with a shocking story where the most unlikely person becomes the hero and anyone with a heart to listen can't help but be confronted.

Tim DeFor | What happens when someone wrongs you so deeply that reconciliation seems impossible? Jacob cheated his brother Esau out of everything—so how could forgiveness ever be part of their story? Their reunion isn't just surprising, it shows us a powerful glimpse of what forgiveness can really do—even when it's the last thing we expect.

Randall Coffin | Life is filled with mountain top experiences. What happens when we enter the valley? Can we take a bold step of faith in the low moments of our lives?

Tim DeFor | What does Jesus' ability and willingness to heal the deadliest of diseases say about him? Why would Jesus honor the request of a non-Jewish soldier to heal a servant from a distance? What kind of faith does Jesus say is the best? What does this tell us about Jesus? The answer isn't what you expect.

Tim DeFor | God does great things when His people obey and take bold steps of faith. But what happens when we don't move when he commands? The Israelites learn that what they feared is nothing compared to the consequences of faithless delay.

Tony Burke | Have you ever wondered what someone really believes? Maybe they say one thing, but their words and actions don't quite match. What about you—do the people in your life know that you love Jesus? Or would they be surprised to find that out? How would you feel if they knew exactly what you believe about Him? And how do you think Jesus feels about that?

Tim DeFor | Sometimes life is like walking through a dense fog, not being able to see what the next step might bring - scary! Is it possible to walk boldly despite potential dangers and no guarantees that today and tomorrow will be trouble free? The testimonies of faith shout "YES!" and even tell us how.

Tim DeFor | Could you pass this ultimate test of faith? Abraham is challenged to take a giant step of faith and discover what's on the other side of deepest surrender. What he learns becomes the cornerstone of faith around the world.

Tim DeFor | Do you ever wonder at the bold steps of faith that amazing people in the Bible took in their lives? They weren't perfect, but they made history and are written about for eternity. It took incredible courage, perseverance, discipline and trust. But what if their way of living out faith is not meant to be the exception for Christ followers, but the norm? Sometimes it seems impossible, bu...

Kiah Jackson | Jesus' table is big enough for everyone. The question is who are you inviting, or not.

Randall Coffin | Do you love a good comeback story? Today we will see that no matter how dark things may seem, there is always hope and opportunity for a comeback in our lives.

Tim DeFor | Jesus' resurrection from the dead is such an extraordinary claim, that many would say doubting it happened is reasonable. But what if it is reasonable to believe? What does the early evidence tell us? What difference does it make anyway?

Tim DeFor | Skepticism has its advantages. It can protect you from being taken advantage of or being made a fool. No one wants to be gullible and pay the price. But could it be that too much skepticism can lead you to miss out on some of the best things? 

Tim DeFor | Jesus promised an expanding never ending kingdom of peace, but when the King died, how could his kingdom possibly survive, let alone thrive? The answer 2,000 years ago is still the answer today. And the answer has made all the difference.

Randall Coffin | We all know what it's like to stand strong one minute and totally blow it the next. What if your greatest failure was the starting point of God's greatest work? 

Tim DeFor | Traditions like fireworks on July 4, flowers on graves on Memorial Day, and giving presents at Christmas help us remember important events from the past. How would you feel if someone took a deeply beloved hundreds-of-years-long tradition and made it all about himself? That's exactly what Jesus did. 

Tim DeFor | How could one extravagant gift would be so controversial? After all, whose business is it anyway? After all, isn't it the thought that counts? This week's story reveals how far people would go to accomplish their hearts' desire. It may surprise you how much you can relate.

Randall Coffin | Jesus talks about future events to bring hope in present times. We can take comfort in knowing that when life gets hard, there is hope to carry us through each moment.

Tim DeFor | Leaders can bring hope and healing. They can also bring pain and destructive when abusive. Abuse of any kind by someone in authority is sinful and destructive, and spiritual abuse by church leaders can be especially insidious. How can God's people recognize abusive spiritual leaders before it is too late?

Tim DeFor | Celebrating God's faithfulness and recognizing the bold steps of faith of those who have gone before encourages followers of Jesus to step into the future with confidence and hope. Take a look at the history of firstChristian of Norfolk from its beginning over 130 years ago through today, and look to God as he leads us to take bold steps of faith to transform the future.

Tony Burke | Life, in general, is rarely easy and is often hard. Work, financial pressures, relationships, busy kids and their busier schedules all add to the weight on our shoulders. Christians are not immune to these difficulties and can sometimes feel even more discouraged because of the weight of our calling to love like Jesus while we grow to be more like him amid a world broken by sin. Thank...

Tim DeFor | People of Jesus live differently, and it is beautiful. When our weird and wonderful lives will attract attention from others are we ready? You can be.

Tim DeFor | Power abuse is everywhere. You may think that eliminating it from politics and big business by force is how to change the world. But the real answer starts a lot closer to home.

Tim DeFor | "Live free or die!" Jesus freed us from false religion so we can have true life in him. But when the useless rules and restrictions of religion are rejected, does that mean we can do whatever we want? If not, how can we learn to live free?

Tim DeFor | Everyone wants to live life to the fullest. For Christians, this included living in the freedom Jesus came to bring. Rituals and rules can provide structure and guidelines, but too often religion steals rather than strengthens life. How can Christians keep religion from robbing them of the real freedom found in Jesus that leads to a full life?