Harman Memorial Baptist Church

Who will carry the Gospel to the next generation? And who are you preparing to follow Christ after you're gone?

Across America, churches and pastors are growing older, but are we intentionally preparing the next generation to carry on the work of Jesus Christ?

In Part 5 of our State of the Church series, we examine the powerful relationship between the Apostle Paul and Timothy. Paul understood that his earthly ministry would eventually end, but the Gospel must continue. Rather than simply focusing on what he could accomplish, Paul invested his life in preparing Timothy to faithfully serve Christ and teach others.

In this message, we explore:

Recognizing Potential: Why mature Christians must identify, encourage, and invest in younger believers.

Discipleship Through Relationships: Why passing on our faith requires more than teaching information. It requires modeling a life surrendered to Christ.

Preparing Future Leaders: Why churches must give younger generations opportunities to grow, serve, and lead.

Passing on Biblical Truth: Why our goal is not to preserve personal preferences or traditions but to faithfully proclaim the unchanging Gospel.

Leaving a Spiritual Legacy: How every Christian can help ensure that the Gospel continues long after their earthly life ends.

Two challenging questions for every Christian:

Who am I intentionally investing in spiritually?

If everyone in my church served, shared Christ, and participated exactly as I do today, would our church continue to reach another generation?

The future of the church is not simply about attracting younger people. It is about older and younger believers serving together, combining spiritual maturity with fresh energy, and remaining firmly grounded in God's Word.

Paul had his Timothy. Who is yours?

Join us at Harman Memorial Baptist Church as we consider our responsibility to make disciples who will make disciples.

📖 "And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also." 2 Timothy 2:2 (ESV)

🌐 www.harmanbaptist.com

#StateOfTheChurch #HarmanMemorialBaptistChurch #ChristianDiscipleship #NextGeneration #SpiritualLegacy #BiblePreaching #MakingDisciples #2Timothy #ChurchGrowth #FaithfulGenerations

Can a person believe they are saved and yet have never truly surrendered their life to Jesus Christ? Can someone attend church, pray a prayer, be baptized, and still misunderstand what it means to follow Him?

In Part Two of our Shallow Faith series, we examine the sobering encounter between Jesus and the rich young ruler. This young man was religious, respectful, and interested in eternal life. Yet when Jesus confronted what truly controlled his heart, he walked away sorrowful.

His story raises an important question for every one of us: Do we want Jesus as our Savior while refusing to acknowledge Him as Lord?

In this message, we explore the dangers of superficial biblical knowledge, false assurance of salvation, and a shallow understanding of sin. We also consider how today's culture often attempts to redefine sin rather than submit to the authority of God's Word.

Most importantly, we discover that salvation is not earned through good works, religious activities, or perfect obedience. It is a gift of God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ. But genuine saving faith produces a changed heart and a growing desire to follow Him.

This message is not intended to discourage sincere believers who struggle with sin, but to challenge false confidence and point every heart toward the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

Jesus does not simply invite us to add Him to the lives we already control. He calls us to repent, believe, and follow Him.

The question is not simply, "Have you made a profession of faith?" but "Are you truly trusting and following Jesus Christ?"

Join us at Harman Memorial Baptist Church as we open God's Word and examine what it means to have a genuine, life-changing relationship with Christ.

📖 Key Scriptures: Mark 10:17–31; Matthew 7:21–23; Luke 9:23; 2 Timothy 3:16–17; Ephesians 2:8–10; 2 Corinthians 13:5

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#ShallowFaith #JesusIsLord #TrueSalvation #RichYoungRuler #BiblicalTruth #ChristianDiscipleship #HarmanMemorialBaptistChurch #ExpositoryPreaching

Have you ever started your day with a simple plan, only to discover that nothing went the way you expected? What if God was working through those unexpected circumstances to accomplish something you couldn't yet see?

In this message from our study through 1 Samuel, we follow Saul as he sets out on an ordinary assignment to find his father's missing donkeys. What begins as a frustrating search becomes an unexpected encounter with the prophet Samuel and God's

Are we becoming more biblically informed—or merely more religiously entertained?

With Bible apps, sermon clips, and Christian reels everywhere, access to Scripture has never been easier. But knowing a few verses is different from understanding God’s Word and allowing it to transform our lives.

In this message, Pastor Shea Shrader explores the dangers of spiritual shallowness and why biblical familiarity must never replace biblical understanding. From Satan’s misuse of Scripture to religious leaders who studied the Scriptures yet rejected Christ, we discover why context, discernment, humility, and obedience matter.

Together, we consider:

• How Scripture can be quoted correctly but applied deceptively.

• Why shallow understanding leaves us vulnerable to false teaching.

• How selective reading can distort our understanding of God.

• The difference between religious confidence and genuine faith in Christ.

• Practical steps toward studying, understanding, and living God’s Word.

The goal is more than knowing Bible facts. It is knowing Jesus Christ and being transformed by His truth.

Primary Scriptures: 2 Timothy 3:14–17; 4:1–4

Supporting passages: Matthew 4:1–11; John 5:39–40; Acts 17:11; Hebrews 5:11–14; James 1:22

When God’s Word challenges what you believe, are you willing to let Him change you?

Harman Memorial Baptist Church | Grundy, Virginia

www.harmanbaptist.com

#BibleStudy #BiblicalDiscernment #SpiritualGrowth #StateOfTheChurch #HarmanBaptist

Are we seeking God’s will—or asking Him to approve plans we have already made?

In 1 Samuel 8, Israel faces a genuine leadership problem, but their demand for a king reveals a deeper issue: they are rejecting God’s rule and seeking security in someone they can see. Despite Samuel’s warnings, they insist on being like the nations around them.

Join Pastor Shea Shrader at Harman Memorial Baptist Church as we explore this challenging passage and consider what it means to trust God with our decisions, disappointments, and future.

In this message, we examine:

• Remaining faithful in ordinary seasons.

• Following God’s Word when the crowd pulls another direction.

• Praying before reacting to disappointment.

• Recognizing the cost of insisting on our own way.

• Placing our ultimate hope in Jesus rather than earthly leaders.

Samuel warned about a king who would take from his people. Jesus came to serve and give His life to save His people. He is the King we truly need.

Are you asking Jesus to bless your plans—or submitting your plans to His rule?

📖 Scripture: 1 Samuel 8

📍 Harman Memorial Baptist Church | Grundy, Virginia

🌐 www.harmanbaptist.com

#1Samuel8 #TrustGod #BiblicalPreaching #GodsWill #HarmanBaptist

Have sports taken a place in our hearts that belongs to God alone?

In “The god of Sports,” part of our State of the Church series, Pastor Shea Shrader explores how good gifts can become idols—and how we can enjoy sports while keeping Jesus Christ first.

Grounded in 1 Corinthians 10:31 and Ezekiel 14, this message challenges players, parents, coaches, and fans to examine their priorities. What do our thoughts, conversations, emotions, spending, and schedules reveal about what we truly worship?

Discover how sports can become opportunities to grow in humility, self-control, integrity, and love for others. Whether your greatest temptation is sports, work, entertainment, or personal success, the question remains: Is Christ truly first?

Championships fade, but the eternal prize found in Christ lasts forever. Our accomplishments cannot save us. Forgiveness and eternal life come through repentance and faith in Jesus, who died for our sins and rose again.

Enjoy the game. Develop the gift. Honor the Giver.

Key Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 10:14–31; Ezekiel 14:3; Romans 1:25; Matthew 6:21, 33; Galatians 5:22–23; 1 Corinthians 9:24–27; Mark 8:36.

Harman Memorial Baptist Church | Pastor Shea Shrader

#SportsAndFaith #Idolatry #StateOfTheChurch #KeepChristFirst #HarmanBaptist

We take 1 Samul chapter 7 and use it as a guide for praying for revival.

Christianity is personal, but God never intended it to be private.

We live in a time when we have more Christian content available than ever before. We can stream sermons, listen to worship music, watch church online, and find biblical teaching with the touch of a screen.

But the church is a body, not a broadcast.

When we disconnect from biblical community, we aren't simply missing a sermon. We're missing people God designed us to need, and people whom God designed to need us.

In this message, we look at five reasons biblical community matters:

• Biblical community reflects God's design for us.

• Biblical community produces spiritual growth.

• Biblical community provides support when life falls apart.

• Biblical community provides accountability for our decisions.

• Biblical community becomes a witness to the world.

We also examine the danger of counterfeit community. You can have friends, belong to clubs, participate in sports, enjoy hobbies, and constantly be surrounded by people while still lacking genuine Christian community.

There is a tremendous difference between having company and having Christian community.

Hebrews 10:24–25 calls believers not to neglect gathering together, but to stir one another up to love and good works. The question shouldn't simply be, “What did I get out of church?”

A better question is:

“What did God put in me that somebody else needed today?”

Spiritual disconnection rarely happens overnight. One busy weekend becomes another. One tournament, one trip, one overtime shift, one Sunday when everyone is tired. Eventually, what was once unusual becomes normal.

We don't always decide to disconnect. Sometimes we simply develop habits that disconnect us.

THE CHALLENGE

I will gather unless providentially hindered.

I will come to give, not merely receive.

I will allow myself to be known.

I will notice who is missing and reach out.

Because church isn't an event I attend. It is a people to whom I belong.

📖 Key Scriptures: Hebrews 10:24–25 | Acts 2:42–47 | 1 Corinthians 12:14–20 | Galatians 6:2 | Proverbs 27:17 | John 17:21

Harman Memorial Baptist Church

Grundy, Virginia

#MissingMoreThanASunday #BiblicalCommunity #ChurchAttendance #ChristianFellowship #Hebrews10 #Acts2 #ChurchFamily #Discipleship #ChristianSermon #HarmanMemorialBaptist

Israel lost the battle. The Ark of the Covenant was captured. To everyone watching, it may have looked as though Israel’s God had been defeated.

But Israel’s defeat was not God’s defeat.

In 1 Samuel 5–6, the Philistines place the Ark beside their false god Dagon, only to discover very quickly who is truly in control. Dagon falls, God’s hand reaches throughout the land of the Philistines, and eventually the Ark is returned to Israel without an Israelite army having to rescue it.

The message is simple but powerful:

God never loses.

God is not struggling with Satan for control. He does not need us to defend His throne, protect His power, or rescue His plans. Even when circumstances appear chaotic, God remains completely sovereign.

In this message we examine six truths:

• God’s judgment does not mean God has lost.

• God will not share His glory with our idols.

• God’s hand reaches where false gods cannot.

• Recognizing God’s power is not the same as surrendering to Him.

• God can accomplish His purpose without our control.

• God’s holiness must be honored by His own people too.

The question is not whether God will remain sovereign. He will.

The question is whether we will surrender to Him.

What have you placed beside God in your life? Are you seeking relief from consequences, or genuine repentance? Have you become comfortable around the things of God while becoming careless about obedience to God?

At the cross, Jesus bore the judgment sinners deserve. In His resurrection, He conquered death. You do not have to make yourself worthy before coming to Him. Turn from your sin and trust the Savior.

“The God who never loses is calling you to stop resisting Him and start trusting Him.”

Primary Text: 1 Samuel 5–6

Background: 1 Samuel 4

Harman Memorial Baptist Church

Grundy, Virginia

#GodNeverLoses #1Samuel #SovereigntyOfGod #JesusChrist #BiblePreaching #ChristianSermon #HarmanMemorialBaptistChurch

What is one of the greatest threats facing the church today?

It may not be that people stop worshiping. It may be that we continue worshiping while slowly replacing God with ourselves.

In Week 1 of our five-week State of the Church series, Pastor Shea Shrader examines the danger of self-centered Christianity and asks a deeply personal question:

WHO IS SITTING ON THE THRONE?

Romans 1 shows what happens when humanity stops glorifying God as God. Worship doesn't disappear. It simply changes direction. Instead of looking upward toward our Creator, our hearts begin bending inward toward ourselves.

Scripture gives us sobering examples:

Saul couldn't celebrate another man's success.

Haman couldn't get past one man's disrespect.

The Pharisee needed someone beneath him.

The rich fool believed every blessing existed for himself.

The disciples turned Kingdom work into a competition.

Diotrephes simply had to be first.

Different people. Different circumstances. Different centuries.

Same throne: SELF.

And self-worship can enter the church. It can carry a Bible, sing a hymn, serve on a committee, preach a sermon, and sit in the same pew for decades while still asking, “What about me?”

But Isaiah 6 gives us the cure: a bigger vision of God.

When Isaiah saw the Lord “high and lifted up,” his attention shifted from himself to the holiness and glory of God. When God becomes enormous in our vision, self gets smaller.

This message challenges each of us to examine our hearts:

When Jesus disagrees with me, who has to change?

State of the Church begins with the state of my heart.

When self is on the throne: “What about me?”

When God is on the throne: “Here am I! Send me.”

📖 Key Scriptures: Romans 1:18–25 | Isaiah 6:1–8 | Romans 12:1 | Matthew 16:24 | Philippians 2:9–11 | John 3:30

STATE OF THE CHURCH | 5-WEEK SERIES

Week 1 – When Self Takes the Throne

“He must increase, but I must decrease.” — John 3:30

#StateOfTheChurch #WhenSelfTakesTheThrone #ChristianSermon #ExpositoryPreaching #Worship #JesusIsLord #Romans1 #Isaiah6 #Church #ChristianLiving #BiblePreaching #Surrender