Faith Methodist Church Richmond

Pastor David continues his series on the people surrounding Jesus from the Last Supper to Easter morning by focusing on John the Apostle, whom he calls "John the Faithful." While other disciples like Thomas, Judas, Peter, and even James had abandoned Jesus during His darkest hour, John remained steadfast at the cross. Pastor David provides background on John as one of the youngest discip...

Pastor David continues the Lenten series "The Cast of the Cross" by focusing on Pontius Pilate, providing extensive historical context about this Roman Prefect who governed Judea from AD 26-36. He emphasizes how archaeological discoveries, including the 1961 Pilate Stone inscription, and multiple historical sources confirm both Pilate's existence and the crucifixion as documented his...

In this installment of "The Cast of the Cross" series, Pastor Leo explores the life of Caiphas, the High Priest during Jesus' time. Pastor Leo believes Caiphas likely started with good intentions, genuinely loving God and wanting the best for his nation, but fear became his driving force. Living under Roman occupation and managing political tensions, Caiphas feared losing control and...

In this sermon from the "Cast of the Cross" Lent series, Pastor David examines Peter the Failure, describing him as "so many of us" because his story reveals the gap between good intentions and actual follow-through. Peter was a married fisherman from Capernaum who became one of Jesus's leading disciples and eventually died by crucifixion upside down for his faith. Despite...

Today in our Lenten series, "The Cast of the Cross", Pastor David profiles Judas Iscariot, the treasurer among Jesus' disciples who came from Kerioth in southern Judea. Drawing from John 12:4-6, Pastor David reveals that Judas was a thief who embezzled from the ministry funds, demonstrating a character Marked by selfishness and greed. He explains that Judas likely expected Jesus to b...

Pastor David launches a new sermon series called "The Cast of the Cross" that will examine real people around the cross from The Last Supper to the Resurrection. Tonight's focus is on Thomas, whom Pastor David reframes not as "Doubting Thomas" but as "Thomas the Seeker" - a bold, inquisitive disciple who wasn't afraid to ask the hard questions. When Jesus spok...

Pastor David brings his 7-week "Reclaiming Faith" series to a close by focusing on Jesus' Great Commission in Matthew 28:16-20, asking the urgent question: "Are you more like Jesus today than you were at the start of this year?" He emphasizes that following Christ requires actual discipline and serious examination of one's faith, referencing 2 Corinthians 13:5: "Ex...

Pastor David delivers a convicting message about the necessity of regularly reading God's Word, drawing primarily from Psalm 119 where David expresses his deep love and longing for Scripture. He begins by noting that David had access to only the Torah and his own inspired Psalms, yet demonstrated such hunger for God's Word, while modern Christians have access to all 66 books but often negl...

In week 5 of the "Reclaiming Faith" series, Pastor David addresses why many Christians struggle with weak, ineffective prayer lives despite years in church. He argues that our comfort and self-sufficiency keep us from the desperate reliance on God that makes prayer powerful. Drawing from Luke 11:1-13, Pastor David breaks down Jesus' teaching on prayer, emphasizing five key elements: praying to the...

In this sermon from the "Reclaiming Faith" series, Pastor David addresses the urgent need for Christians to mature in their faith and recognize their mission-critical role in God's Kingdom. He references Matthew 24:14 about the gospel being preached to all nations before the end comes, emphasizing that the mission field often exists in our everyday lives - our homes, workplaces, and communities. U...

In this message titled "Created for Community," Pastor Leo addresses the question of whether we're truly ready to meet Jesus—not just as individuals, but as a unified church body. He begins by challenging the notion that Christianity is simply about showing up on Sundays, referencing John 10:10 where Jesus promises abundant life. Pastor Leo emphasizes that Jesus didn't die for ju...

In this sermon from the "Reclaiming Faith" series, Pastor RaMona challenges the congregation to move beyond mere belief to authentic faith. She begins by noting how easily we can recite creeds like the Apostles' Creed without truly taking to heart what we're professing. Drawing from dictionary definitions and Hebrews 11:1, she explains that while belief is simply accepting that s...

Pastor David opens his sermon with a provocative question: "What if Jesus came back in 2026?" Drawing from Mark 13:32-37, he reminds his congregation that while no one knows the day or hour of Christ's return, Christians should be ready. He believes that Faith Methodist Church, like many American churches, has grown complacent and isn't prepared for Jesus' return. This concern launches a new sermo...

Pastor Leo teaches that there are moments in life that change everything, and Christmas represents the culmination of God's redemptive plan that began in the Garden of Eden. After Adam and Eve's fall in Genesis 3, God promised that a son would come to "strike the head" of the serpent (Genesis 3:15). This promise continued through Abraham, where God declared that "all the fam...

In his Christmas Eve sermon "Better Days," Pastor David paints a realistic picture of Mary and Joseph's difficult journey to Bethlehem—a week-long, 90-mile trek while Mary was nine months pregnant, all to pay taxes to Caesar. He emphasizes that we've over-romanticized the nativity story, forgetting the real hardships they faced, including community scrutiny and having no place to...

In this Advent sermon, Pastor RaMona explores the profound truth that God has always wanted to be in relationship with humanity. Using John 1:1-14 as her foundation, she explains that the Word (logos) was not just a message from God but God Himself, who has existed from the beginning and through whom all things were made. She traces God's consistent desire for relationship from the Garden of Eden,...

In this sermon, Pastor David explores the encounter between Mary and Elizabeth in Luke 1:39-56, where Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, joyfully confirms Mary's news of carrying the Messiah. Pastor David vulnerably shares his own Christmas pain from 2014 when he and his wife experienced their second miscarriage during Advent, highlighting how difficult holiday celebrations can be amid pe...

In this Advent sermon, Pastor David examines Mary's encounter with the angel Gabriel, highlighting three often-overlooked aspects of this familiar Christmas story. First, Mary was troubled not by the angel's appearance but by his words that she was "highly favored," suggesting many of us struggle to believe we're worthy of God's favor. Pastor David notes that God's fa...

In "The Weary World Rejoices," Pastor David examines how Christmas, despite its wonder, often leaves us exhausted—a weariness that echoes the experience of God's people 700 years before Christ's birth. Through Isaiah 9:1-7, we see a prophecy of hope given to people walking in darkness, promising that "a child is born" who will bring light and peace. Pastor David explain...

In this sermon, Pastor David tackles the faith-breaking question: "Why is the World so Broken if God is Good?" He explains that God originally created everything "good" (Genesis 1:31), but sin entered through human choice when Adam and Eve disobeyed God. This disobedience introduced metaphysical effects—entropy and disorder—into the world, leading to cancer, natural disasters,...

In this sermon, Pastor Leo confronts the question "How can a loving God send people to hell?" by challenging our cultural understanding of both God and Hell. He argues that many Christians have absorbed unbiblical views of God from sources like Jonathan Edwards' "Sinners in the hands of an angry God" rather than seeing God as Jesus revealed Him. Using Colossians 1:15 and He...

In this sermon, Pastor David addresses the common experience of God feeling distant during difficult times. Using Psalm 13 as his foundation, he shares how David's lament resonated with him during his own struggles after Hurricane Katrina disrupted his college education. Pastor David introduces John Ortberg's concept of "the dark night of the soul" – periods when God seems absent...

In this sermon, Pastor David tackles the question "Can I Lose My Salvation?" by first establishing that salvation comes "by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). While nothing external can separate us from God's love as Romans 8:38-39 affirms, Pastor David ex...

In this sermon, Pastor David tackles the practical question "Does God care about my mental health?" by acknowledging how many people struggle with depression, anxiety, fear, and other mental health challenges. He shares his personal experience with generalized anxiety disorder, explaining how for years he prayed for relief before receiving a medical diagnosis and treatment. Pastor David...

In her sermon, Pastor RaMona tackles one of faith's toughest questions: "How do I forgive someone who hurt me?" Beginning with the remarkable story of Eric Lomax, who forgave his Japanese torturer fifty years after World War II, she establishes that forgiveness, while difficult, is necessary for our spiritual and emotional wellbeing. She explains that unforgiveness leads to bitternes...