- Oct 10, 2021WTDASCC Part 8: Strategic Missions (Revelation 5:1-10)
WTDASCC Part 8: Strategic Missions (Revelation 5:1-10)Every Christian is called to the ministry of taking the Gospel to the ends of the Earth. Even if you feel call to stay in the states, you must figure out how to be actively involved in the sending of people you trust to take the greatest message of all time to those who have never heard it! How are you doing this?
- Oct 3, 2021WTDASCC Part 7: Relational Outreach (Matthew 5:16)
WTDASCC Part 7: Relational Outreach (Matthew 5:16)We must reach our world (our neighbors, our community, and our targeted foreign mission fields) with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For centuries the American Church has tried to take short cuts to reach people. Either through quick exchanges or through simple church invites, many of us have abdicated our responsibilities of fishing for men and outsourced it to others. If we are to be obedient to our Lord's commission we must actually reach people the way Jesus and the Bible models it; relational outreach. The process is simple, yet lengthy and hard. First, we must look for opportunities to care for people's needs. Secondly, we must meet those needs sacrificially. Thirdly, we must take advantage of the care we've given to them and use that to form a relationship with them. In time, if formed correctly, that relationship will lead to an opportunity to share the Gospel in a manner that is natural and well received! If you want to reach people with the Gospel, you must give a care and you must be there!
- Sep 26, 2021WTDASCC Part 6: Familial Fellowship (Hebrews 14:24-25)
WTDASCC Part 6: Familial Fellowship (Hebrews 14:24-25)Church was never meant to be something you came to on Sunday mornings for an hour or two. Church is meant to be a family of people who love one another as though they were their blood brothers and sisters. True fellowship means family. When we learn how to become the faith family that God has designed for us to be, we will truly change the world the way God has called us to.
- Sep 12, 2021WTDASCC Part 4: Christ Focused Ordinances (1Corinthians 11:17-34, Romans 6:1-5)
WTDASCC Part 4: Christ Focused Ordinances (1Corinthians 11:17-34, Romans 6:1-5)The ordinances of the church are opportunities to focus on Christ! In communion we remember the work of Christ for us. In Baptism we profess the work of Christ in us!
- Sep 5, 2021WTDASCC Part 3: Authentic Worship (Romans 12:1-2)
WTDASCC Part 3: Authentic Worship (Romans 12:1-2)When God speaks it demands a response and the way we respond to God as believers is what we call worship. In the Old Testament followers of God would worship God predominantly through the act of sacrifice. Their whole system of worship revolved around the killing of animals and the spilling of their blood for the remission of sins. Thank God, Christ came to be the final sacrifice doing away with that system, but today we are still called to sacrificial worship. Romans 12:1-2 tells us that we are to be "living sacrifices." That means that who we are as authentic disciples of Christ is who we are in our worship. We are authentic worshipers when we live everyday as living sacrifices for Christ. For us at Stone Creek Church we say that authentic worship is a lifestyle of joyful obedience, not reluctant observance. Be real, be the church, worship Jesus. Be set apart, seek God's will, and live sacrificially in response to Christ's sacrifice.
- Aug 29, 2021WTDASCC Part 2: Biblical Teaching and Preaching (2 Timothy 4:2-4)
WTDASCC Part 2: Biblical Teaching and Preaching (2 Timothy 4:2-4)Depending on Christ we will reach our world with the Gospel to see lives completely transformed. One of the ways we depend upon Christ is through our first core value; a reliance on the Word of God. It is the responsibility of every believer to have a reliance upon the Word as the absolute standard of truth. They must read it, meditate on it, memorize it, and share it. The church's responsibility is to encourage the individual believer to engage with the Bible but we cannot make anyone actually do it. What we can do is teach and preach the entirety of the Bible. Biblical teaching and preaching is what the deal is at Stone Creek Church. Whether it's popular or not, whether it is in season or not, we must preach the Word of God unfiltered.
- Aug 22, 2021WTDASCC Part 1: Gospel Centered Vision (Mt 28:18-20, Acts 2:42-47)
WTDASCC Part 1: Gospel Centered Vision (Mt 28:18-20, Acts 2:42-47)
We may have changed our location, we may have changed our name, but the same spiritual blood we had at our birth in 1914 still flows in our veins. Therefore it is our responsibility to reclaim the vision, to a lesser extent, for the sake of the legacy of Third Avenue Church, and to a greater extent, for the sake of God's Glory! When we look back at what our church was able to accomplish for the kingdom 80 years ago we may be tempted to think, there's no way God can use us like that again... but this morning I'm here to tell you, if we reclaim God's vision for the Church, the best days are not behind us but yet to come. Let me say that again, if we reclaim God's vision for this church... the best days for Stone Creek Church are not behind us but in front of us.
- Aug 15, 2021Flawed Heroes Part 5: Samson The Passionate Prodigal
Flawed Heroes Part 5: Samson The Passionate ProdigalSamson, a man blessed with many gifts from God, set apart for the Glory of God, lives a life completely in pursuit of his own passions. In the process of living for himself, Samson manages to break every one of the tenets of the Nazarite Vow; stay away from dead things, stay away from alcohol, and do not cut your hair. In doing so, Samson shows himself to be in complete rebellion and opposition to God. Yet, God continues to spare him discipline or punishment and blesses him and makes him judge of Israel for 20 years. Eventually God must get Samson's attention but even then there is redemption. The story of Samson isn't about a strong hero who conquerors in God's name. It's the story of a deeply sinful prodigal who receives the grace and mercy of a good, loving, and patient God. No matter how far you fall, you're never to far from the redemption of God.
- Aug 1, 2021Flawed Heroes Part 4: Abimelech The Betrayer
Flawed Heroes Part 4: Abimelech The Betrayer
Abimelech conspires with his mother to kill 70 of his brothers and take over as leader of Israel. He makes and alliance with the pagan city state of Shechem and then with their approval kills all 70 of his brothers by beheading them all on one stone. Can you imagine what kind of evil must be in one's heart to behead 70 of your brothers. Brothers who you grew up with, played with, and at one point loved. And in doing so he unashamedly betrays the legacy of his father Gideon. Abimelech is clearly willing to do whatever it takes to be the ruler. Selfish ambition is willing to do whatever it takes... even very evil things.
So why does God use this evil man? Because God is always in control and his plan is always to free his people! No other Judge illustrates our main theme more than Abimelech... God uses flawed people to free people. God even uses evil people. Why? Because God is sovereign over evil. Psalm 103:19 tells us that the Lord has established and rules over all. Proverbs 19:21 reminds us that man has plans but the lord will stand. And of course Romans 8:28 gives us the promise that God works all things together for the good of his people and his will. God takes evil people and evil intentions and somehow supernaturally uses it to accomplish his will. And so again we look at the words of Joseph in Genesis 50:20 what you meant it for evil God meant it for good. Abimelech, what you meant for evil... God meant for good! It truly is amazing... One of the greatest miracles is the fact that God takes our selfish ambition and sinful actions and uses them to achieve his sovereign plan.
- Jul 25, 2021Flawed Heroes Part 3: Gideon The Sign Seeker
Flawed Heroes Part 3: Gideon The Sign SeekerJesus said that only an evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign. Is asking God for a sign wrong? In a sense. If you already have enough evidence to believe what you should already believe and yet keep demanding that God prove to you again his faithfulness, you clearly have a lack of faith. A desire for a sign only shows a lack of faith in what you should already believe. Some things should be so abundantly clear that we don't need a sign from God to prove it; namely, God is the one true God, God will go with us, and God will help us overcome our trials and temptations. Are you trusting in God or seeking a sign like Gideon?
- Jul 18, 2021Flawed Heroes Part 2: Deborah The Real Wonder Woman
Flawed Heroes Part 2: Deborah The Real Wonder WomanThe only limiting factor on what a woman can be is the measure of her faith in our God. In this message we discuss Deborah's example as the leader of Israel and how that impacts the conversation about when women can preach and where they can lead.
- Jul 11, 2021Flawed Heroes Part 1: Ehud The King Slayer
Flawed Heroes Part 1: Ehud The King SlayerEvery hero has their flaws. That may come as a surprise or a shock. Many of us don't like seeing the chink in the armor of those we look up to. But, perhaps it is an encouragement. When we see that all heroes, including those in the Bible, have flaws, then we realize that we too, with all of our flaws, can be heroes. God has a plan to use our flaws and weaknesses for his glory and to build his kingdom. He used Ehud, a disabled and dishonored man, to deliver his people and bring revival to the land... he can surely use us. God uses flawed people to free people.
- Jul 4, 2021James Part 15: Prayer / Power
James Part 15: Prayer / PowerWe will never have more power than when we pray!
- Jun 13, 2021James Part 12: Greed / Indulgence
James Part 12: Greed / IndulgenceIt is not a sin to have wealth, it is a sin to love wealth. As a believer we cannot serve both money and God, we can't love the world and Christ. Therefore we need to know how to combat greed and indulgence in order to put our faith into action. Like a calf fattened for slaughter, when we indulge in our riches we butcher our soul.
- Jun 6, 2021James Part 11: Concede / Control
James Part 11: Concede / ControlYou life will never be what it was meant to be... what it could be... until you concede control of your life over to the one who is actually in control. Until you concede your life over to God in Christ Jesus, life will consistently disappoint you and will be a waste. Stop ignoring God's will for your life. Stop boasting as if what you have and what you've done is your doing. Instead, recognize that God is in control and that you don't need to be. Life is so much more worth living when we let go and let God.
