Highlands Community Church of the C&MA

This Sunday we are excited to have Rev. Shawn Wallace with us as a guest Speaker. As he continues the summer series we look at Genesis 25:19-34. The conversation covers the journey of Shawn and his family to South Sudan, the preaching of promises of God, and the understanding of participation in God's plan. It also delves into the concept of God's providence, responsibility, and roles of God and man. The discussion concludes with a focus on communion and God's love.

Takeaways

• God's promises are fulfilled through participation and providence
• Understanding the roles of God and man in fulfilling God's promises
• The concept of God's providence and responsibility in the journey of faith

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Church Health
• 03:01 The Journey to South Sudan
• 05:12 Preaching and Promises of God
• 08:07 Three Points: Promise, Participation, and Providence
• 13:23 Participation in God's Plan
• 23:03 Understanding God's Providence
• 30:05 Responsibility and God's Sovereignty
• 32:15 Roles of God and Man
• 35:59 Communion and God's Love

In this sermon, Pastor Andrew explores Genesis 24 and the journey of Abraham’s servant to find a wife for Isaac. Comparing spiritual growth to the slow, physical process of hand-whisking and emulsifying a Caesar salad dressing, he highlights how God's blessing takes patience, trial, and endurance to fully integrate into our lives.

Ultimately, we recognize God's blessing in our own lives when it begins to ripple outward, impacting our friends, neighbors, and future generations. Learn what it means to step out of your comfort zone and live a "people-driven" life for the sake of others even when it is highly inconvenient.

In this episode, we continue our journey through Genesis by looking at the intense and climactic story of Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah (Genesis 22). We challenge the modern cultural idea of "blessing" and explore the real reasons God places obstacles in our paths. Through a fascinating analogy about Sicilian farmers and wild pigs, we discover that God’s tests are never meant to punish us. Instead, they are designed to protect us, purify us like silver in a furnace, and prepare us for the blessings we aren't quite mature enough to handle yet.

In this episode, we continue our summer study in Genesis (21:8-21) to explore the messy tension between Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar. Through Hagar’s journey into the desert, we discover a profound truth: God meets us in our most desperate, isolated places. If you feel unseen, pushed to the margins, or forced to wait in a "wilderness" season, join us as we learn to trust the God who never needs a Plan B to bless our lives.

This sermon is continuation of the summer series: The Blessing. Pastor Andrew speaks on Genesis 18:1-15 and it explores Abraham and Sarah’s story and the reminder that nothing is too hard for the Lord. If you’ve been stuck in doubt, this episode will challenge you to trust God’s promises and make room for what He wants to do.

Continuing the new series called "The Blessing"

In the second week of "The Blessing" series, guest speaker Aaron unpacks the chaotic story of Noah in Genesis 6–9. Often, we only hear this story as a sanitized children's tale, but Aaron explores what it actually reveals about God's response to human corruption. He asks a challenging question: Is God the main character of your story, or are you just asking Him to bless the plans you’ve already made?

Key Scripture: Genesis 6:9–9:1

We are kicking off a brand-new summer sermon series called "The Blessing", where we will be exploring the theme of God’s blessing through the book of Genesis. In this opening message, we look at the very first story of Scripture to see how God’s nature as a blessing, creating, and intentional Father establishes the foundation for our faith. Even when our world feels formless, empty, or chaotic, we can find peace in knowing that God is in complete control with a deliberate, perfect plan for our lives. He never needs a Plan B.

Key Scripture: Genesis 1

In week four of our "We Believe" series, we reach the pivotal turning point of the Apostles' Creed: "I believe in the Holy Spirit." Pastor Andrew unpacks how the Holy Spirit is often the most misunderstood or overlooked person of the Trinity. We explore the profound truth that God didn't just leave us with a set of beliefs to follow on our own; He gave us His very presence to dwell inside us, empowering us to live out our faith and transforming our daily lives from the inside out.

In week three of our "We Believe" series, we focus on the very center of the Apostles' Creed: "And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord." Pastor Andrew unpacks why Jesus cannot simply be viewed as a good moral teacher or an inspiring historical figure. We explore the profound weight of His true identity and what it practically means to stop managing our own lives and fully surrender our control, our messes, and our futures to His ultimate authority.