David Swineheart guest preaches for us. He provides insight into the character of Saul, the man called directly by Christ to be His apostle to the Gentiles. Acts 9, 10 is our Scripture focus.

Pastor Ryan uses the dramatic account of Stephen's martyrdom to convey God's use of suffering to help further the Gospel, suffering's consequence, its opportunity, and its catalytic results. The American Baptist Foreign Mission Society's symbol states, be "ready for either", "Ready to be harnessed to the plow to serve. Ready to be offered up to God on that altar as a sacrifice." Acts 7 and 8 is the Scriptural focus for today.

We learn of the great meaning of Pentecost, its reversing of the curse of Babel, and of the work of the Holy Spirit, as He calls all people to repentance and salvation in Jesus Christ, and the creation of a new Community that Pentecost issued in. Acts 2 is our focal scripture for today.

Pastor Ryan shares from Acts 1:1-12, Ephesions 1: 19-21 and Hebrews 4:14-16 (among other passages) about the great Ascension of our Christ; its facts (He ascended as One of us, He ascended to the rIght hand of God the Father) and its promises: Jesus IS in control, Jesus IS interceding for us, and He IS filling the whole earth with His presence! What a King!

We begin the book of Acts! Pastor Ryan discusses, at depth, those critical blessings that Jesus gave us to empower us in the Great Commission, including the ascent and the blessing of the Holy Spirit, all found in our study of Acts 1.

Exercising the citizenship of the Kingdom of God: that is our message for today. Pastor Ryan instructs us on being "priests" for our neighborhood, being intentional about presence, to go out and compel the love of Jesus among your neighbors and be vigilant about inviting others into your homes. Passages from I Peter, John 20 and Hebrews 13 are studied.

Pastor Rick follows on the heels of Godly citizenship from last week, delivering a sobering message on battling on and standing obdurately for the Lord's will, especially concentrating on the need for spiritual purity and strength in the family. I Chronicles 12 is our Biblical emphasis for today.

"Resurrected citizenship" is the crucial topic for today - how to be a citizen of the Kingdom of God, yet navigate the precarious, sometimes ungodly designs of secular law and order. How do we properly honor our responsibilities to local and national government AND bring honor and witness to the Lord? I Peter 1 and 2 are the Biblical focus for today.

Paul shares in I Corinthians 15 that "our labor is not in vain" because God gives us victory in Jesus Christ, thanks be to His resurrection power! Pastor Ryan uses this and Ephesions 6:5-9 to instruct us as to how to put our work in its proper place: in Him!

He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!! Pastor Ryan uses Easter to inaugurate a short but exciting cycle of messages based on I Corinthians 15, delving into the power of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus and the eternal hope and promise this has for us. Today we here of the firstfruits of God's new creation in Jesus' Resurrection glory, and of the certainty of God's future and hence, our future in Him, the shape of this Future, and our calling into God's present.