Sermons | Local Church in Wabash, Indiana | Bachelor Creek

Conflict is all around us. We see wars between countries and fighting in politics, marriages, and even in churches. It’s become so commonplace that many just accept that it’s a way of life. The book of James gets to source of why we fight in the first place, the devastating consequences of fighting, and most importantly, how we can get to a place of peace with God and one another. What conflict ki...

We’ve all heard it before, and most of us have probably said it: “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” It sounds good, but the problem is it’s not true. Words hurt. James says that words have incredible power to both bless and curse. Words are like rudders that dictate the direction of our lives. We can’t tame our tongue on our own. In fact, we need the Holy Spirit t...

Jesus searched out the un- in society. And it made all the difference. He searched out the un-wealthy. He searched out the un-desirable. He searched out the un-acceptable. Jesus took the un-wealthy and made them rich towards God. He took the un-desirable and made them beautiful in the eyes of heaven. He took the un-acceptable and welcomed them into His arms.

To be human is to be tempted. Every one of us faces temptation in our lives. In James 1:13–18, James tells us where temptation comes from, what makes it so enticing, and what happens when we give in to temptation. But he doesn’t stop there. Most importantly, James teaches us how we can overcome temptation. Because every good and perfect gift coms from above, every temptation is an opportunity to c...

Trials. Nobody likes them yet everyone faces them. Trials are like death and taxes; they’re just a fact of life. The book of James teaches us to reframe the way view trials and tests. Instead of dwelling on what happens to us we should seek to see what God is doing through us. Trials develop us to persevere, mature, and ultimately prepare us for the blessed promise of what’s to come.

We often move on too quickly in life, failing to thank God for what He has done and discerning what He wants us to learn. On Celebration Sunday, we look back at the victories and blessings of God through Bachelor Creek in 2023. We also take time to look at the challenges and obstacles we’ve faced and how we’re overcoming those. Ultimately, we look ahead to the new year in anticipation of what God...

Can you imagine a world without Christmas? On that first Christmas night, the town of Bethlehem was large oblivious that the Messiah was in their midst. The lowly shepherds, though, we open to the angelic proclamation. But the biggest surprise of all were the wise men who were looking. Today, many people still live unaware of God’s work in our world. The challenge for us this Christmas is to be op...

Our society increasingly longs for more control: We want more control of our work, schedule, diet, relationships, you name it. In the Christmas story, Herod exhibits a desire to control the events surrounding Jesus’ birth. He serves as a cautionary tale reminding us that the pursuit of control leads to emptiness and despair. Mary, though, shows us the fulfillment found in surrendering to God’s pla...

If there’s one thing we almost all struggle with, it’s waiting. We don’t like waiting for food, waiting in traffic, waiting on people getting ready, or waiting for answers. We don’t wait well, but the Christmas story highlights several people in seasons of waiting. In this message, we will explore Zechariah, Elizabeth, and Mary to see how they waited and how we can capture that same spirit. To sta...

At Bachelor Creek, we are FOR Wabash and Beyond. The story of Jesus’ encounter with Zacchaeus teaches us to “See the Tree,” to see the unseen and pursue the outcast so that they can experience the transformative power of Jesus. Our call to make and grow disciples of Jesus compels us to engage and love our community, both locally and globally. Why? Because we are FOR what God is FOR, and God is FOR...

At Bachelor Creek, we pursue excellence for God’s glory. Excellence isn't about extravagance or perfectionism but a mindset rooted in faithfulness, stewardship, and a heart devoted to God. Through biblical examples like Solomon in the Old Testament and Paul’s writings in the New Testament, the Bible encourages us to "Grip the Plow," diligently working, stewarding gifts, and maintaining consistency...

The church has a responsibility to pass the torch of faith and leadership to the next generation. Of all the activities a church engages in, perhaps nothing is more important than raising up the next generation, because we’re always one generation away from extinction. If we don’t pass on the stories of God’s love and faithfulness, who will? Psalm 78:4 instructs to “tell the next generation the pr...

Sacrificial giving lies at the center of God’s story. John 3:16 says that “God so loved the world that he GAVE.” At Bachelor Creek, our third core value is “We Give Sacrificially.” We give because He first gave all. Matthew 26:6-13 highlights the story of an extraordinary woman who poured out her most precious possession in an act of unwavering devotion. She “emptied the jar,” giving us a powerful...

The Bible warns us of the dangers of isolation. Contrary to the popular pursuit of independence, God has designed us to be interdependent. We are better together. At Bachelor Creek, our #2 core value is “We Connect Relationally.” When we connect with others in small groups and over meals, we find that our walk with Jesus grows. It’s smarter, safer, and more supportive than going at it alone.

In this brand new series “This is Us, we dive into our church’s core values, beginning with value #1: “We Stand on Biblical Truth.” In a world of constant change, we need an unchanging foundation. The Bible serves as the solid anchor for our lives. Join us as we unpack the significance of carrying the sword of the Spirit, exploring the power, guidance, and transformative potential of God's Word. D...

The Gospel is not something to be kept to ourselves; it’s to be shared freely with others. For many Christians, sharing the Gospel is intimidating and overwhelming, but it shouldn’t be. We’ve made it more complicated than God ever intended. Sharing your faith is simply one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread. When you’re able to identify what made the Gospel good news to you then you...

1 Peter 2:9–12 highlights the profound connection between our identity in Christ and our actions. Our new identity in Christ shapes our behavior, emphasizing that we don’t earn our identity; it is given to us. Because we’ve been made different, we’re called to live differently among unbelievers so that they can see the beauty of the Gospel and be transformed by its power. Are your actions pointing...

The New Testament knows no such thing of a churchless Christian. God created us to live in community because other people can see what we can see and can speak the truth of the gospel into areas of our life when we need it the most. The early church understood this and devoted themselves to one another. They realized that we grow most when we go together.

We are in a war; an invisible war; a spiritual battle. Satan is our enemy and he attacks us with lies, accusations, and temptations. What lies are you believing? It doesn’t have to be that way. God has not left us defenseless.. We combat Satan’s lies with God’s truth by remembering what God has done in the Gospel and using the armor God has given us.

What do you love more than anything else? Take a look at the actions you take and the decisions you make; they demonstrate what you really love. Jesus teaches that what we love comes from our heart. So any lasting change requires a change of heart. When we realize God’s love for us in the Gospel, it changes us and causes us to love God in return. And because it’s easy for our love to grow cold, we...

Every person on the planet lives under a dominant story which shapes how they view the world, make decisions, and find meaning. Many of us settle for lesser stories that ultimately let us down. The Gospel is the true and better story. When we live under God’s story, all of life’s biggest questions are answered in a way that gives us purpose and significance. Only the Gospel satisfactorily answers...

Many of us have been in cross-cultural environments where people spoke a language we didn’t understand because we weren’t fluent. The same thing happens with the Gospel. We think we’re sharing the Gospel, but people aren’t hearing it as good news. In this series, we’re going to discover how to become Gospel Fluent: speaking the truths of Jesus into the everyday stuff of live. The Gospel isn’t just...

Jesus concludes the Sermon on the Mount with a story about two builders. By looking closely at story, we see similarities and differences between the two men that help us understand what Jesus is saying. All of us are builders. We’re building a life; and no matter our foundation, storms will come. But a firm foundation ensures that when the rain falls you won’t fall apart. The question is, are you...

Life is full of choices, some easy and some hard. Some choices seem inconsequential and some have lasting consequences. In Matthew 7:13–23, Jesus presents us with a series of choices: between the narrow road and the wide road, between good fruit and bad fruit, and between true disciples and false disciples. Each of these choices require us to answer who Jesus is and what we will then do as a resul...

When it comes to prayer, many of us fall short. We stop praying because we don’t think God will answer or we get discouraged or we don’t think God cares. Jesus, though, teaches us to persist in prayer. A persistent prayer life shows that we trust and depend on God because He is a good Father who gives good gifts to His children. What answers to prayer have you never received because you gave up to...