In Galatians 1, Paul defended his apostleship and the gospel, warning against distortions of the truth—emphasizing that the gospel is from God, not man. In this message, Skip Heitzig highlights the importance of preserving the truth of the gospel and guarding against false teachings.

Pastor Nate Heitzig takes us through Romans 12:1–8, exploring Paul's encouragement for believers to respond to God’s mercy by offering their lives as a living sacrifice—holy, pleasing, and set apart for His purposes. Each believer has unique gifts, but we form one body in Christ. Every role matters and we're called to use our gifts with purpose in the church, our communities, and in our everyday lives.

I. The Identity of Your Purpose

II. The Impairment to Your Purpose

III. The Importance of Your Purpose

Talk with God: Evaluate your daily habits and ask the Lord how you can take practical steps “not [to] be conformed to this world” (v. 2).

Talk with others: How can you use your gifts to serve your family, friends, or community?

Talk with kids: In what ways was Jesus’ trial unfair?

In order to discover what Jesus intended for the church He came to establish (remember He said, “I will build My church”), we need to examine carefully the prototype—the first church in the book of Acts. In combing through this text the last few weeks, we have been able to get a sense of the style, structure, and service of the early church. Today we notice their generous hearts toward one another and in the cause of Christ. Because they were openhearted, they were also openhanded.

When God works in a person’s life, there is profound change. When God’s people see that change, it produces a sense of awe and wonder. It also provides encouragement that God will do it again and again. When we gather together and hear one another’s stories and witness one another’s victories, we are inspired. Today we consider the power of God working not just through a sermon or through a worship service, but through the individual lives of all God’s people.

The term worship comes from an older English word, worth-ship, which means to give something worth or to attribute value to something or someone. In its purest form, worship acknowledges who God is, gives Him the glory that He alone deserves, and honors Him with our lips and lives. In the Old and New Testaments, worship was both personal and a community activity. Let’s peek at the very first church to gain insights on what worshiping together in the room looks like.

There is an epidemic of loneliness in our society as people long for a place to feel safe and belong. The truth is, we were not built for isolation—and that's why God created the church and community. In this message, Nate Heitzig shares what happens when you get in the room with God's people.