Waynesville Community Church

As the early church continued to take the gospel to the ends of the earth, they encountered challenges and opposition. Some disciples had not yet heard all of the truth about Jesus, and did not understand how God’s redeeming work on the cross. As a result, the church had to encourage godly leaders in the full understanding of the gospel, correct those who were in ignorance and error, and promote C...

Pastor Ned covers one of the most difficult tenants of Christianity to apply to our own lives: Forgiveness. Do we apply the same forgiveness to others that God has given us?

Matthew 22:29-40 reminds us that everything begins and ends with love. Jesus tells us the greatest commandment is to love God fully and love others as ourselves. During Advent, we see this love lived out as God comes near in Jesus. God’s love did not stay distant; it entered our world so we could know Him and learn how to love. Advent invites us to receive that love and reflect it to those around...

Joy enters the world in a manger, not with fanfare, but with the simple cry of a newborn Savior. The angels’ song declares that true joy doesn’t come from our circumstances but from God’s presence breaking into our lives. In this Advent season, we remember that the gift of Jesus brings a joy that is steady, hopeful, and available right where we are. As we wait, worship, and prepare our hearts, may...

Luke 2:8-14 reminds us that God’s peace isn’t something we have to earn; it’s something He brings to us. In the quiet of an ordinary field, to ordinary shepherds, heaven broke through with extraordinary news: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace…” God’s peace arrived wrapped in a person, Jesus. This peace isn’t the absence of problems but the presence of a Savior who steps into our wor...

God initiated a series of events in the lives of Peter (a Jewish Christian) and Cornelius (a Gentile, soon-to-be Christian) that would result in a colossal paradigm shift for the early church’s mindset and conduct. Ten years after Christ’s commission, the gospel spread throughout Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria. But now it was time for the truth about Christ to reach the nations. The mystery of the...

Back in Acts 7, Luke recorded the account of the first Christian martyr, Stephen. Saul was there to witness the execution, and persecution would only increase as the early church grew. But the Lord was not shocked by this persecution; He was still ruling and reigning over all. He had a plan and a mission to spread the gospel beyond Jerusalem's borders. The Lord would use this persecution to fu...

In the book of Acts, the first part primarily focuses on the apostle Peter, and all God did through His ministry to propel the gospel to the ends of the earth. After a quick detour to demonstrate the power of God through the conversion of Paul, Luke turns his attention back to Peter, here in Acts 9, for a few more episodes before he pivots completely toward the telling of the ministry of Paul.

Persecution of the early church was increasing in the book of Acts. The leaders in the early church had been imprisoned, beaten, and threatened with murder, but so far none of them had been put to death. However, all of the opposition boiled over in Acts 6–7. The religious leaders took extreme measures to stop the spread of the gospel. Stephen’s account teaches us that even through suffering, God...

The book of Acts describes the growth of the church from Jerusalem out toward the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). But as the disciples preached, the religious leaders opposed God’s will for the gospel to go forth. In Acts 5, these leaders thought they could keep the apostles from preaching by throwing them in jail. However, an angel of the Lord opened the jail so they could escape and continue the p...

After Peter’s preaching and the group’s prayer for God to work miraculously, they showed a unity perhaps never seen before. One of their first actions was to give generously to meet the needs of fellow believers in Christ. No one claimed ownership of anything; instead, everything belonged to God. Through the indwelling Holy Spirit, these believers were transformed from the hypocrisy of the Jewish...

Peter and John boldly declared that salvation is found in Jesus alone, even when threatened to stay silent. Their courage came from conviction, not pride. The early church shows us that standing firm means holding to truth with boldness and grace—refusing to compromise the gospel no matter the pressure.

As we continue in the book of Acts, we notice brokenness entered the story quickly. The first Christians had been together—sharing their resources and possessions with one another as any had need (Acts 2:42-47). They now moved out into the world, and there they met a man who had been lame from birth. Through this story, we will see how the faith and generosity that marked the people of God in the...

The Holy Spirit came to the first followers of Jesus. They then had the power they needed to take the gospel to the nations (Acts 1:8). This work began with Peter, who boldly and clearly proclaimed the good news about Jesus to the people gathered for the Pentecost celebration. God’s power through the Holy Spirit was on display, both in the message Peter proclaimed and in the response of those who...

For ten days following Christ’s ascension to heaven, the disciples had been in Jerusalem. They were waiting for the Father’s promise of the Holy Spirit, which would empower them to be Christ’s witnesses to the whole world. During this time, they dedicated themselves to prayer and prepared for the next phase of their ministry by filling Judas’s apostolic vacancy with Matthias. Finally, the day arri...

After Jesus explained to the disciples that they would bear witness from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth, Jesus ascended to heaven. As the disciples watched where Jesus had gone, two angels appeared and assured them of Christ’s return. All of this led to today’s text, where we see the disciples obeying Christ’s command to wait as they prepared for the ministry that would follow when the Holy Sp...

Acts picks up where the Gospel of Luke ends. After Jesus’s resurrection, He spent forty days with His disciples, teaching them about the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). He did this to prepare them for life and ministry in His physical absence. The disciples were nervous and anxious about the next phase of their lives and ministry, but Jesus gathered them, commissioned them, and assured them of the prom...

Hebrews 10:23-25 calls us to keep meeting together, encouraging one another, and spurring each other on toward love and good works. That’s what happens in life groups and discipleship groups. They give us a place to be real, to share struggles and victories, and to remind each other that we’re not walking this faith journey alone. Every time we invest in one another through community, we’re invest...

In John 13, Jesus, knowing He had all authority, knelt to wash His disciples’ feet. He showed that true greatness is found in humble service. When we follow His example, serving others in love, we’re not just meeting needs we’re investing in forever with an impact that lasts into eternity.

In 2 Timothy 2:1-2, Paul urges Timothy to be strong in the grace of Christ and to entrust the gospel to faithful people who will teach others in turn. This is the essence of Investing in Forever: multiplying disciples who will carry the good news far beyond our own lifetime. Discipleship isn’t just receiving truth; it’s passing it on so that the impact ripples through generations. When we pour int...

Ephesians 2:17-22 shows that in Christ, we’re no longer outsiders but members of God’s household, joined together to become His dwelling place. Church membership reflects this truth; it’s a way of saying, “I belong here.” It’s not just about attendance, but also a commitment to grow, serve, and live out our faith as part of God’s family.

In 2 Corinthians 9:6-15, Paul reminds us that generosity leads to lasting impact, meeting needs, stirring gratitude, and bringing glory to God. He encourages us to give cheerfully and trust that God will provide all we need so we can continue to bless others. As we begin our new series Investing in Forever on August 3, we’re invited to see giving not as an obligation, but as a way to be part of so...

Bitterness poisons our hearts and relationships, but the Good News offers a better way. Ephesians 4:29-32 shows us the remedy: speak life, show kindness, and forgive freely. Just as God forgave us through Christ, we’re called to let go of anger and choose grace. The gospel softens hard hearts and helps us trade bitterness for compassion, because healed people become healing people.

In Ephesians 4:20-24, Paul reminds us that knowing Christ means putting off our old ways of thinking and being renewed in the attitude of our minds. A Good News Thought Life begins with renewing our minds daily, rejecting lies, negativity, and selfish desires, and choosing instead to think on truth, hope, and righteousness. When we fix our thoughts on Jesus and who we are in Him, we start to live...

In Romans 13:1-7, Paul urges believers to submit to governing authorities, reminding us that all authority is established by God. As Good News Citizens, we reflect the Gospel not only in our personal lives but also in how we live publicly—by respecting leaders, obeying laws, and contributing to the good of our communities. Doing what is right, paying what is owed, and showing honor demonstrates bo...