Lenexa Baptist Church

In its fourth line, the Apostles’ Creed states an essential truth, “I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary.” Amid early church heresy and false teachings, the authors of this creed determined this truth to be essential and fundamental to our faith. Why? This week we will spend some time affirming and examining the essential nature of the virgin birth of Christ by looking to an Old Testament prophecy about Christ. We will also examine the fulfillment of this prophecy in Matthew’s gospel.

We also have some special guests with us this weekend. One of our longtime missionary partners will be with us as we will have the opportunity to present them with a special gift. It is going to be a special weekend of worship. Make plans today to join us!

In Christ,

Pastor Chad

Over the past several weeks, we have been looking at the promises and prophesies of the coming Christ. We have seen the promise made to Adam and Eve, Abraham, Judah, and David. This week we look at Psalm 2. Psalm 2 is a coronation psalm. It speaks of the coronation of a King, a descendant of David who rules from Jerusalem. It is apparent however, that no earthly king can fulfill the words of this Psalm. Whoever this King is, He is greater than David and Solomon. The words of this psalm are incredibly practical and relevant for our day. They describe our world and remind us of the security that we find in God’s Messiah.

I pray that you will join us. It is going to be a very special weekend. Saturday we have performances of Kansas City Christmas at 1 and 5 pm. The 5 pm service will replace our normal Saturday night service. We will have another performance Sunday night at 5 pm. I pray that you will join us for worship as we look to the King of kings and Lord of all lords and invite men and women to know the peace, joy, and forgiveness that only He can bring.

In Christ,

Pastor Chad

God is great! Those words are easy to say when the skies are blue, and things are going our way. But what happens when the skies are dark and the circumstances are less than ideal? It is easy to find ourselves in situations that can cause us to question the goodness and greatness of God.

In 1 Peter 1, Peter is writing to a group of people who were experiencing extreme trials. They had trusted in Christ, and life got worse. They were facing immense persecution. Yet, as Peter begins his letter, he states, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!” In other words, God is great! That’s a bold statement considering the circumstances they were facing. In fact, you can imagine how those words might have fallen on deaf ears. What Paul puts forward, however, is what undergirds our ability to say, “God is great,” no matter the circumstances.

On this Thanksgiving weekend, I pray that you will join us as we praise and celebrate the greatness of our God. He is the God who has accomplished salvation for us and fills us with a heart of gratitude in Christ that overwhelms even the darkest circumstances of life. Make the decision today to worship with us this weekend as we celebrate the greatness of God.

In Christ,

Pastor Chad

If I were to ask you to list the top 10 most important chapters in the Bible, what chapters would you include? Surely some would include Genesis 3, Isaiah 53, John 1, John 3, Romans 8, 1 Corinthians 15, or Revelation 21. But how many of you would include 2 Samuel 7?

Back when I was researching this passage for our study in Samuel, it became clear that most commentators agree that 2 Samuel 7 is one of the most vitally important chapters in all of God’s Word. This chapter is not just important for your understanding of 1 and 2 Samuel, your understanding of David’s life, or even of the Old Testament. This chapter is vitally important to the story of God in salvation history. For this reason, we better understand it. We better know it.

I hope and pray you will make plans to join us this weekend as we continue to trace the thread of God’s redemptive purposes and promises in the Old Testament. We will take a deeper look at 2 Samuel 7 and the Covenant that God made with David. What God promised to David is relevant for our lives today.

Remember, weekend worship is a Friday decision. Make the decision today and invite a friend to join us as we worship our Savior, the seed of the woman, the seed of Abraham, the root of David: Jesus Christ.

In Christ,

Pastor Chad

As Jacob nears the end of his life in Genesis 49, he calls in his children for his final words of blessing. He offers to each son not only his dying words, but also divine words. The words that he pronounces to each son are prophecy concerning that son and his family. They each receive a blessing because they are all part of the nation that God is producing through them. At the same time, there had to be a question at the back of their minds. Which son will be the son of preeminence? Which of these sons will receive the Messianic blessing? God’s sovereign choice will continue to narrow the focus and teach us more about the character of God and the nature of the salvation that He has provided.

I pray that you will join us this weekend as we continue to trace the thread of God’s salvation promises and purposes in the Old Testament. We worship every Saturday night at 5 pm and Sunday morning at both 9:30 and 11:00 am.

I encourage you to invite a friend, a neighbor or a co-worker. Experience and statistics tell us that most people would attend church if they were invited. Be a bringer! Come to church and bring someone with you as we worship our Savior through song and the study of His Word.

In Christ,

Pastor Chad

This weekend we dig into one of the most fascinating stories in Scripture: the directive from God for Abraham to sacrifice his son, Issac. Genesis 22 isn’t just a story about Abraham’s faith being tested. It’s a moment where God’s heart is revealed. It was on that mountain that God painted a picture of what’s to come, showing us that He Himself would one day provide the ultimate sacrifice. What Abraham experienced in shadow, we now see in full light through Jesus. He is the Lamb who was given so we could live.

Discover the first promise of salvation in human history found in Genesis 3:15. This biblical prophecy reveals God's incredible plan of redemption that began in the Garden of Eden and culminated in Jesus Christ. Learn about the fall of man, Satan's deception tactics, and how sin brought brokenness into the world. Explore the immediate consequences Adam and Eve faced after their disobedience and how God responded with mercy instead of abandonment. Understand the significance of the protoevangelium - the first gospel promise - and how it points directly to Christ's victory over Satan through the cross.

This message examines the spiritual warfare between good and evil, the lineage leading to the Messiah, and why sacrifice was necessary for salvation. Perfect for anyone seeking to understand biblical prophecy, the problem of sin, God's plan of salvation, or how Old Testament promises connect to New Testament fulfillment. Whether you're studying Genesis, exploring messianic prophecies, or looking for hope in difficult times, this content provides biblical answers about God's love, mercy, and provision for humanity's greatest need.

Topics covered include the nature of temptation, consequences of disobedience, God's pursuit of sinners, the promise of a coming Savior, and practical application for modern believers seeking redemption and restoration.

This weekend we come to the end of our exposition in Romans. It has taken us 50 sermons to work our way through Paul’s letter to the Romans. I pray that you will give a little grace this weekend if I appear a little sad or even little emotional. This study has shaped my heart and impacted my life in profound ways. I will never be the same. Thank you for being such a wonderfully patient and encouraging fellowship of believers as God continues to work on me to round off the rough edges and conform me to the image of Christ. I often hear from many of you in response to a sermon, “Pastor, that message stepped on my toes.” Just remember that before it ran over your toes, it more than likely took a hammer to my heart. God is so good and gracious.

Paul concludes Romans with a complex doxology. It is the longest of all the New Testament doxologies. And yet while it is lengthy and complex, it is profoundly simple. “Now to Him….to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever.” We end where we started: with the glory of God. These verses are a marvelous summary of Paul’s purpose in this letter. His focus and purpose have been to destroy all self-sufficiency and to fix our eyes on the sufficiency, glory, majesty, and wisdom of the great God who in Christ Jesus has brought about such a great and glorious salvation.

Please make plans to join us for this conclusion in Romans. I pray that the gospel would go forth in simplicity and power. This would be a great weekend to invite a friend, neighbor, or co-worker. Be a bringer! Bring someone with you as we worship together. Prayerfully, whomever you bring will catch a glimpse of the glory of God and be drawn to Christ. See you this weekend!

In Christ,

Pastor Chad McDonald

Paul has spent 16 chapters outlining the grace of God in the gospel of Christ. He clearly knows that he is at the end of the letter. But then, out of left field, he gives a stern warning. At first glance, it appears to be out of place and a very puzzling way to conclude the letter. Yet for Paul, it appears there has been a concern for the Roman believers that has been lingering underneath the surface and explodes here at the end.

Paul has a deep pastoral concern that false teachers might defraud them spiritually. The specific nature and teaching of these false teachers is not clear. Paul, however, does set forth some clear principles that are incredibly important for us as we seek to protect ourselves from the dangers of false teachers who might seek to defraud us of our spiritual birthright. These are incredibly practical verses for our lives and for our church.

We only have two more weeks in Romans. I pray you will make every effort as we run to the finish in the study of this Romans. I hope to see you this weekend.

In Christ,

Pastor Chad McDonald

At the end of Romans 15, Paul offers four short verses on the need for prayer. In a section on the priesthood of the believer and worldwide missions, it would only make sense for Paul to conclude on prayer. Prayer is how the work of God is done. Just because God tells us to do something does not mean that we can accomplish it on our own. The command and call of God drive us to our knees where God supernaturally provides us with the strength and resources to do what we cannot do on our own.

Christianity is going into a world system that is dominated by the prince of the power of the air. Christianity calls us to a people who are spoken of as deaf and dead and enemies of Christ. Do we really think that we are going to cognitively talk them out of their lostness and into the Lordship of Christ? Unless we have a means of calling on the sovereign God of all the universe, we will not accomplish anything.

I pray you will join us this weekend as we inch closer to the end of Romans and discover the ability to tap into the power of God through prayer. We will also have the opportunity to participate in the ordinance of communion. I pray that you will make plans today to join us.

In Christ,

Pastor Chad McDonald