God called Abraham to leave his country and go to a land He would show him. There was only one problem: Abraham didn't know where he was going.

Then God promised to make a great nation through Abraham and Sarah. There was another problem: they had no children, and years continued to pass.

In Week 2 of The Story, John Gunter follows Abraham's journey from uncertainty and impatience to a growing trust in the faithfulness of God. Abraham asks questions. Abraham and Sarah try to help God's plan along through Hagar. Yet God remains faithful to what He promised.

By Genesis 22, Abraham has learned something through those years of waiting. When asked to offer Isaac, the son through whom God promised to build a nation, Abraham still doesn't understand what God is doing. But now he trusts that God can accomplish what seems impossible.

His answer is simple: “God will provide.”

Faith does not require us to know the how, when, or why. It calls us to trust the God who has proven Himself faithful and take the next step He places before us.

Scripture: Genesis 12–35; Hebrews 11:8, 17-19
Series: The Story
Week 2: Trusting God When You Can't See the Way

Eagle Community Church of Christ
Mont Belvieu, Texas

Loving God. Loving People. Following Jesus. 

The Story begins where everything begins: “In the beginning, God.”

In Week 1 of our journey through The Story, John Gunter explores creation, the fall, Cain and Abel, and Noah. God creates humanity in His image and provides everything they need, yet humanity chooses its own wisdom instead of trusting Him. Sin enters the world and quickly spreads, bringing shame, brokenness, violence, and death.

But underneath the Lower Story of human failure, something bigger is happening. In the Upper Story, God continues working. He does not abandon the people He created. He pursues relationship, provides a way forward, and establishes His covenant with Noah.

From the opening chapters of Genesis, we begin to see the heart of the entire biblical story: even when humanity walks away from God, God continues working to bring humanity back to Himself.

The question Adam and Eve faced is still ours today: Will we trust God's wisdom, or will we choose our own way?

Scripture: Genesis 1–9
Series: The Story
Week 1: In the Beginning, God

Eagle Community Church of Christ
Mont Belvieu, Texas

Loving God. Loving People. Following Jesus. 

What do you expect to happen when you encounter the Word of God?

As Eagle Community Church prepares to begin a 31-week journey through The Story, John Gunter challenges us to approach Scripture as more than information to consume or another spiritual task to complete.

Isaiah 55 reminds us that God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His ways higher than ours. We see only part of the story, but God sees the whole. And He promises that when His Word goes out, it will not return empty.

That means our goal isn't simply to finish each week's reading. We want to encounter God, discover what He is revealing about Himself, see what He is showing us about our own lives, and allow His Word to transform us.

God's work in us may sometimes happen slowly, like rain bringing life from the ground. We may not immediately see the growth. But we can faithfully put ourselves in a position to encounter His Word and trust God to do what only He can do.

Key Scriptures:
Isaiah 55:8-11
2 Timothy 3:14-17

Eagle Community Church of Christ
Mont Belvieu, Texas

Loving God. Loving People. Following Jesus.

What does life look like after someone responds to the gospel?

Acts 2 tells us that after 3,000 people came to Christ at Pentecost, the new believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer. Their faith wasn't limited to a weekly gathering. They began sharing life.

In the final message of The Invitation series, John Gunter explores the importance of Christian community and the relationships that form when believers intentionally spend time together, encourage one another, meet needs, and pursue God together.

This kind of community also changes the way we think about evangelism. We don't need the perfect program or all the answers. We can simply live faithfully, invite others into what God is doing, and trust Him with the results.

We plant. We water. God gives the growth.

Key Scriptures:
Acts 2:42-47
Hebrews 10:23-25
1 Corinthians 3:5-7

Eagle Community Church of Christ
Mont Belvieu, Texas

Loving God. Loving People. Following Jesus.

Jesus never promised that following Him would be easy. Instead, He invited people to honestly consider what discipleship would require.

In this message from The Invitation series, John Gunter walks through Luke 14, where Jesus challenges His followers to count the cost before committing their lives to Him. Through practical examples and biblical teaching, we're reminded that discipleship is not about adding Jesus to an already full schedule. It's about making Him the highest priority from which every other decision flows.

Following Christ costs something, but nothing compares to the surpassing worth of knowing Him.

Key Themes:

•  Following Jesus requires reordered priorities. 
•  Small daily decisions shape our spiritual lives. 
•  Discipleship is intentional, not accidental. 
•  Every area of life should be surrendered to God. 
•  Christ is worth every sacrifice. 

Key Scriptures:

•  Luke 14:25-35 
•  Matthew 16:24-26 
•  Philippians 3:7-11 
•  Romans 12:1-2 

Eagle Community Church of Christ
Mont Belvieu, Texas

Loving God. Loving People. Following Jesus.

In Luke 14, Jesus tells the parable of a great banquet where the invited guests are too busy to attend. Rather than canceling the celebration, the master sends his servants back out again and again because there is still room at the table.

In this message, John Gunter explores how ordinary distractions can keep us from responding to God's invitation and how the church is called to reflect God's heart by welcoming everyone who comes through its doors.

The gospel isn't reserved for people who have everything together. God's kingdom has room for people from every background, every story, and every stage of faith.

Key Themes:

•  Ordinary excuses can crowd out eternal priorities. 
•  God's invitation is for everyone. 
•  The church should welcome people the way Christ welcomed us. 
•  There is always room at God's table. 
•  Our mission is to invite, welcome, and point people to Jesus. 

Key Scriptures:

•  Luke 14:15-24 
•  Isaiah 55:1-3 
•  Romans 15:7 
•  James 2:1-9 

Eagle Community Church of Christ
Mont Belvieu, Texas

Loving God. Loving People. Following Jesus.

When the Samaritan woman encountered Jesus, everything changed.

She didn't become a Bible scholar overnight. She didn't suddenly have all the answers. She simply left her water jar behind, ran into town, and invited others to meet the One who had changed her life.

In this message from The Invitation series, John Gunter explores one of Scripture's greatest examples of personal evangelism. Through the story of the Samaritan woman, we're reminded that God often chooses the people we least expect to accomplish His greatest work.

Sharing our faith isn't about having a perfect past or perfect knowledge. It's about introducing people to the perfect Savior.

Key Themes:

•  God uses imperfect people. 
•  Your testimony matters. 
•  Don't let your past silence your witness. 
•  Jesus calls us to invite, not convince. 
•  The harvest is ready today. 

Key Scriptures:

•  John 4:27-42 
•  Mark 5:18-20 

Eagle Community Church of Christ
Mont Belvieu, Texas

Loving God. Loving People. Following Jesus.

Before Jesus told His disciples to go into the harvest, He first taught them how to see.

In Matthew 9, Jesus looked at the crowds with compassion because they were "harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." Rather than viewing people as interruptions or labels, He saw individuals who desperately needed hope, healing, and a Savior.

In this second message of The Invitation series, John Gunter challenges believers to slow down, notice the people God has already placed around them, and begin praying for opportunities to simply invite others to encounter Christ.

Sharing our faith doesn't begin with having all the answers. It begins with having the eyes of Jesus.

Key Themes:

•  Seeing people through the eyes of Christ 
•  Compassion before invitation 
•  The harvest is people, not projects 
•  Prayer prepares our hearts to reach others 
•  God provides the growth while we faithfully invite 

Key Scriptures:

•  Matthew 9:35-38 
•  1 Samuel 16:7 
•  Romans 15:7 
•  1 Corinthians 3:6-7 

Eagle Community Church of Christ
Mont Belvieu, Texas

Loving God. Loving People. Following Jesus.

Every follower of Jesus has a story that began with an invitation.

In the opening chapter of John's Gospel, we see a simple pattern repeated again and again. Someone encounters Jesus, and then they invite someone else. John the Baptist points to Christ. Andrew brings Peter. Philip invites Nathanael. None of them have every answer. They simply say, "Come and see."

In this message, John Gunter challenges us to think about the people God has placed in our lives and asks one important question:

Who is your Simon?

As we prepare to begin The Story together as a church family, this sermon reminds us that sharing our faith is not about having perfect answers. It is about introducing people to the One who changes lives.

Key Scriptures:

•  John 1:35-51 
•  Psalm 34:8 
•  1 Corinthians 3:6-7 
•  John 6:66-69 

Eagle Community Church of Christ
Mont Belvieu, Texas

Loving God. Loving People. Following Jesus.

What are you building today that you may never fully enjoy?

In this Father's Day message, John Gunter examines the story of Nehemiah and the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls. Through opposition, weariness, and discouragement, God's people discovered that the wall itself was never the ultimate goal. The goal was renewal, worship, and preparing a future they might never fully experience.

This sermon reminds us that faithful people build with future generations in mind. They persevere through ordinary days, trust God through difficult seasons, and keep moving forward even when they feel tired.

Key Themes:

•  Building for future generations 
•  Persevering when you feel worn out 
•  Why discouragement isn't defeat 
•  The importance of ordinary faithfulness 
•  Remembering that the Lord is great and awesome 

📖 Scriptures: Nehemiah 2:17-18; 4:10-14; 6:15-16; 8:1-12; 12:43

Eagle Community Church of Christ
Mont Belvieu, Texas

Loving God. Loving People. Following Jesus.