Live Oak Church

Acts 2 paints a picture of the early church members’ devotion to Jesus through the practices of discipleship.  They were devoted to Teaching, Fellowship, Sharing meals, Prayer, Generosity, Service & hospitality, and as they followed these, they experienced “a deep sense of awe” Acts 2:43. And these practices are essential for knowing Jesus, but they are not the main goal: Following Jesus is mo...

Do you know to tell your own faith story? Can you explain how following Jesus has changed your life?  Just weeks after the night Peter when denied Jesus three times, he spoke a powerful sermons that resulted in 3,000 new believers coming to faith.   Peter’s great sermon in Acts 2:14-41 explained that Jesus is truly the Messiah and called the crowds to repent of their sin and turn to God.  Listen t...

You can’t live the Christian life by your own power and strength: The Christian life requires the power of the Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is the source of growth, transformation, peace and power for all who believe in Jesus. This week we continued our study on the Book of Acts and learned about the arrival of the Holy Spirit and the power the Spirit brought to Jesus’ disciples.  Listen to learn more...

How does God give us direction?  He has given us the Scripture and the Spirit (the still small voice of wisdom), and can reveal direction through dreams & visions, wise counsel, teachers, prophecy, life circumstances; nature, wisdom and experience.  Often, it is when we take one step of faith that the next step will be become clear.  Listen to this week’s message To learn more about hearing Go...

Whose job is it to share Jesus?  Does this responsibility rest on church staff and leaders, or is it for each of us who believe in Him?  This week we began studying the book of Acts and learned how Jesus’ disciples continued to carry out His mission after His ascent to Heaven.  Before He left, Jesus promised the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, and charged them to be His witnesses, telling p...

The journey of following Jesus begins with a single step of faith. Each step of faith that we take grows us in spiritual maturity.  Part of our spiritual growth is to consider trusting God with our finances. Have you considered that God views our generosity differently than we do?  Today we conclude our Generosity series with a powerful message on stewarding our resources with a generous heart tha...

A generous life is a part of following Jesus. In light of God’s generosity we have a responsibility to be good stewards.  We are called to incorporate Jesus’s teachings into each part of our daily life. If we don’t manage what we have well, we will struggle at any amount! This week we dig into what Scripture teaches on stewardship and learn practical ways to follow Jesus with what we have.   Liste...

Can you relate to getting something you really wanted … Only to want something else once the newness wore off? This is because more money or newer stuff CANNOT satisfy our deepest desires for life!  In Luke 12, Jesus said, “Watch Out - Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” In today’s sermon we learn how greed affects all of us, and how to guard against it as...

A generous life is a part of following the way of Jesus. This week we learn what Scripture teaches about having a generous perspective. Listen to this week's sermon to learn more!

How does your eternal life in Christ change your daily life, here and now? This week we gathered to celebrate the Risen Savior and learn how the same power that raised Christ from the grave is at work in the lives of all who trust in Him. Listen to this week's sermon to learn more!

During the Passover Meal, Jesus taught his disciples what it means to abide in the vine, saying, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing” John 15:5. Following Jesus is empty if we are not experiencing the presence of Jesus. We have one job: to stick close to Christ. That’s where we experience lo...

Jesus was the greatest leader to ever live, and he showed us what it means to lead well by humbly serving others. After Jesus finished washing his disciples’ feet, he told them, “I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you,” John 13:15. Listen to this week’s sermon to learn more about Jesus’ powerful example of servant leadership.

Ever since Bible times, people have been looking for answers about the End Times.  During Holy Week, Jesus spoke to his disciples about the end of time. Some of his teaching was very clear, but other parts are more vague. So vague, in fact, that they’ve been debated by wise scholars ever since.  This week we looked at what Jesus taught his disciples about the end of time.  What do you actually bel...

What does Jesus’ authority have to do with the way we live each day? On Tuesday of Holy Week, Jesus returned to the Temple, where the religious leaders challenged his authority, teaching and loyalty. These leaders did not believe Jesus had the authority to say the things he said. If you believe Jesus is Lord, and trust in Him for salvation, have you also given Him the authority over your life toda...

On Monday of Holy Week, Jesus cursed a barren fig tree on his way to cleanse the temple and shut down the commercial operation it had become. The story of Jesus clearing the temple is a famous demonstration of righteous anger. Why was this so significant?  Today’s sermon explains the significance of these actions, the difference between righteous and unrighteous anger, and 2 reasons you might not...

The story of Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday, with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem riding on a donkey’s colt.  There was a lot more going on in this situation than palm branches and praises. This week’s sermon explains the underlying tensions that were in place as Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies and began his journey to the cross. Listen to learn more! 

The church calendar has been a guide for the Church for centuries. It organizes the year around events in the life of Christ and the work of the church.  The seasons of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends the day before Easter on Holy Saturday. This is a time of prayer, fasting, repentance in preparation for Easter.    Listen to today’s sermon to learn more about the why and how of the Lent seas...

You weren’t designed to follow Jesus alone: Spiritual formation is a relational process. We need to be connected to community to practice the way of Jesus, and not only on Sunday mornings. Today’s sermon covers the levels of community we all need, and the levels of relationship that produce true friendship and lasting life change. Listen to learn more!

Everyone has a certain way of life. A way that you approach the daily details of living, relate to others, spend time and money … are you intentional in the way you live? Or unaware?  Creating a rule of life is the practical process of turning your vision of spiritual formation into reality.  It’s not about doing more - it’s about creating space in your life for the things that make you more like...

If you’re trying to follow Jesus without dealing with the damage of sin in your life, you won’t get very far, and it won’t be a good experience.  Sin is essentially rebellion against God and His authority. Jesus likened sin to a disease, and himself to a healer. He wants to free you from the damage of sin.  Healing from sin is an important step in our discipleship to Jesus. Listen to this week’s m...

Jesus told his followers in John 15, “In this world you will have trouble.” Following Jesus does not mean a life without pain and suffering. But it does mean He invites us to meet Him right in the middle of our pain and suffering.  We usually want to run from the pain. But rather than denying or fighting it, His invitation is to bring our pain and suffering right to him. This is where transformati...

Spiritual practices are not about doing MORE, but about saying no to things that don’t lead to Christlikeness in order to make room for things that DO.  Making room for God to transform you requires intentional choices to slow down and follow His ways, rather than keeping busy with the fast paced way of the world around us.  The practices of Jesus are essential for spiritual formation. They are ho...

One of God’s primary visions for your life is that you become like Jesus: a person who walks in love. As you grow older, are you becoming more like Jesus, or more like the world around you?  Being formed in the image of Christ will not happen by accident. If we are not intentional to pursue spiritual formation, we will conform to the world around us. When we approach our spiritual formation using...

Are you on the path to becoming the person you want to be? The things you do each day can either lead you to conform more to the world, or to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ. How are your habits forming your character? Take responsibility for your formation. Learn to live in proactive pursuit of becoming more like Him each day.

The modern church is facing a crisis of discipleship. It’s not that we don’t want to follow Jesus. It’s not for lack of effort. It’s that we need a clear path to follow. This week we began our new series on practicing the way, with a message on how to practice following Jesus and become more like him.