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

For those who truly desire to live for Christ, these final two chapters of Romans are incredibly significant. Paul has absolute clarity and vision when it comes to his purpose and mission. When you know your purpose and mission, it clarifies almost everything else in your life. Paul knew the specific work God had set before him in Christ Jesus. Do you know what your mission is in Christ? Do you have a burden for missions and evangelism? Have you ever prayed, “Lord, where do I take the gospel next?”

We have spent a lot of time in Romans over this past year looking into the greatness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. But let us not forget Paul’s purpose in expounding this gospel. His purpose was not so that we would simply sit back and soak in the glorious gospel of Christ, but so that we embrace the gospel mission and get caught up in the same missionary zeal that we would find demonstrated in the heart of Paul.

Many have asked me recently, “What are we going to do when we finish Romans?” The most immediate response should be “missions and evangelism.” If the answer is not missions and evangelism, we have missed the reason Paul wrote Romans.

I pray that you will join us this weekend as we continue this study in Romans. It is going to be a special weekend as we also announce a new mission partnership and work right here in our local community. You won’t want to miss this weekend!

In Christ,

Pastor Chad McDonald

Back when I was in high school, I had a pastor who was also the FCA leader for a few schools in the Tulsa area. This pastor began to meet with me and several of my buddies. He would gather us occasionally at Pizza Hut or Mazzio’s. He bought us pizza and poured into us, and then he challenged us to invite some of our friends who didn’t know Christ. He would share the gospel and then he would have us share the gospel. It was discipleship. I didn’t know what discipleship was, but that is what we were doing.

In those meetings and in sharing the gospel and pouring into friends, I discovered an incredible joy. I knew the joy of knowing Christ personally, but I did not know that I got to participate in sharing Christ with others. Sure, I had heard sermons about evangelism, but I had never experienced it for myself. The great joy of being a Christian is not only in receiving Christ but also in helping others come to know Him. It is what we call the priesthood of the believer, and Paul talks about this in the latter portion of Romans 15. Paul’s master passion was not just found in knowing Christ but in sharing Christ. Paul never got over this. He never lost a sense of awe and wonder at the grace of God that saved him and invited him into a mission and a purpose that was bigger than he was.

I pray that you will join us as we gather to worship this weekend. I pray that you would come with an open heart to receive from Christ’s Word and a heart to give and serve others. We all need Christ, and we all need each other. I hope to see you this weekend.

In Christ,

Pastor Chad McDonald

This weekend is Back to Church Sunday. What a great opportunity to invite a friend, co-worker or neighbor to church. God is at work in our country. Now is the time. Today is the day. Let’s not be fearful. Paul says in 2 Timothy 1:7, “God has not given us a spirit of fear or timidity but of sound mind and good judgment.” Let’s be bold for Christ. Step out in faith and invite someone. Step out in faith and tell someone about the difference that Christ has made in your life. God can do more than we ever thought possible. God can do more in a moment than we can do in a lifetime. Let’s take our lives, lay them down into His hands and ask Him to use us for His glory.

I look forward to seeing all of you this weekend. Make the decision today. Remember, weekend worship is a Friday decision.

In Christ,

Pastor Chad McDonald