Catch The Fire Church Raleigh

This week, Aaron preached from a place of vulnerability and passion urging us as the Temple of God to tend to the Altar Fire of our hearts. Jesus is calling out to His bride, inviting them to return to their first love as His beloved. This message was a significant r, challenging us to rekindle our love for Christ and live as living sacrifices, continually offering ourselves in worship, prayer, and surrender.

Jess Ninaber closed out our Ephesians sermon series with an unforgettable message on the armor of God. Our true battle is not against one another but against the spiritual forces of darkness that oppose God's plan. Drawing on Isaiah 59, Paul calls us to stand firm against those powers by putting on the armor of God. As we engage in prayer and intercession, we are fighting not only for ourselves but for the collective unity of the body of Christ. As we conclude this series, let's continue to pray for unity in the body and actively clothe ourselves in Christ so we can walk in our new nature.

This week, Aaron Ninaber continued our Ephesians series with a powerful message on the new creation reality we can live by because of Christ! In Ephesians 5 + 6, Paul calls us to a higher standard of living that reflects the light and love of Christ. As followers of Jesus, we are invited to step out of old ways and into a new kingdom reality, marked by unity, love, and godly relationships. Paul challenges us to walk in love, honor one another, and model our lives after Christ's example. Whether it’s in our marriages, families, or everyday interactions, we are called to live in a way that mirrors God's heart and His purpose for unity.

Duncan Smith continued in our Ephesians sermon series this week, diving into Ephesians 4 and exploring the five-fold ministry (Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher) as Christ's gifts to His body. These roles are designed to equip the saints, ensuring the healthy building up of the church under the Lordship of Jesus. The ultimate goal is to bring the body of Christ into unity, maturity, and the fullness of Christ’s stature, moving us from the old man’s ways to a new life marked by righteousness, holiness, and truth. This is a call to walk worthy of our calling, reflecting Christ's image in every aspect of our lives.

This week, Jess Ninaber continued our sermon series on Ephesians with a powerful message on grace! In Ephesians 2, Paul tells us that it is by grace that we have been saved. Salvation and grace are given freely to us, but as believers, we respond with our trust and total surrender which leads us to living lives worthy of that gift. Because we’ve been saved, we are now fellow citizens and members of the household of God. We can rest in the assurance of God’s grace knowing that we did nothing to earn it and live with our faith in action!

We were so blessed to hear from Trevor Bien this past Sunday. He shared on the significance of the Lord's Prayer and its timeless relevance for us today. Prayer is more than a ritual- it is a daily practice that reorients our priorities and strengthens our relationship with God. The Lord's Prayer is presented as a model that encapsulates five key principles: recognizing God's holiness, seeking His kingdom and will, depending on Him for daily provision, embracing forgiveness, and relying on His guidance and protection. It's important that we make these principles a part of our daily spiritual discipline to stay aligned with God's mission and purpose.

This past week, Jess Ninaber shared a powerful message on "Dwelling Place." An altar symbolizes God's presence with us and we must be willing to create a space for Him, like the tabernacle and the temple. The Holy Spirit's presence is God's greatest gift, allowing us to have a deeper, more intimate relationship with Christ. The invitation is for us to move from visitation moments with God to habitation moments.

Duncan Smith brought a timely word this week centered around the wisdom of winning souls, inspired by Proverbs 11:30. We are called to devote our lives to spreading the gospel and living an exciting, purpose-filled life as described in Matthew 28:18-20. Our effectiveness as witnesses for Christ comes not from wise and persuasive words, but from relying on the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Through the examples of Elisha in 1 Kings 19:14-21 and 2 Kings 2:9-14, we learn the importance of faithfulness, humility, and tenacity in our spiritual journey. Let us carry the soul winner, Jesus Christ, boldly and courageously.

This week we had the privilege of receiving the word from Max Thomas. Max and his family live overseas and are doing significant work in the Middle East among refugees. Max reminded us of the nearness of God and how God is a God that comes into our mess and our sin, He's not far, He's near.