In this message from our “How to Be a Healthy Church” series, we explore 1 Timothy 2 and Paul’s call to pray without anger or disputing. Although Christians may disagree on difficult issues—including the role of women in the church—our goal is not to win arguments but to live peaceful, godly lives that point people to Jesus. Healthy churches approach one another with open hands, clothe themselves with good deeds, and keep the gospel at the center of every conversation.

In the opening message of our “How to Be a Healthy Church” series, we explore 1 Timothy 1 and Paul’s call to guard the truth of the gospel. As trust in churches and pastors declines, Scripture reminds us that healthy churches value character over influence, test what they hear, and remain anchored in sound doctrine. The gospel is not “Jesus plus” something else—it is the good news that Jesus came to save sinners and patiently transform us through His grace.

At the Movies week 4

Through the story of Les Misérables, we explore the contrast between grace and law through the lives of Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert. One allows grace to transform his identity and begin a new story, while the other cannot accept it. God’s grace has the power not only to save us, but to free us from our past and completely change our future.

This week's At the Movies takes on Wicked, the story of Glinda and Elphaba and how a friendship gets tested when one of them decides truth matters more than popularity. It's the same choice believers in Thessalonica faced in Acts 17, and the same one we face today: do we accept what we're told, or do we test it for ourselves like the Bereans did? We're unpacking Paul's charge in 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22 to "test everything, hold fast to what is good," and what spiritual discernment actually looks like in practice. Because what we don't know can hurt us, and it's never too late to see the truth.

This week's At the Movies takes on Wicked, the story of Glinda and Elphaba and how a friendship gets tested when one of them decides truth matters more than popularity. It's the same choice believers in Thessalonica faced in Acts 17, and the same one we face today: do we accept what we're told, or do we test it for ourselves like the Bereans did? We're unpacking Paul's charge in 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22 to "test everything, hold fast to what is good," and what spiritual discernment actually looks like in practice. Because what we don't know can hurt us, and it's never too late to see the truth.

It's Family Worship Sunday at Maury Hills as Russ is joined by special guest Luke Chapman, a third grader from Maury Hills, for a unique message in our At the Movies series. Using The Lion King as a backdrop, they explore the difference between fear and identity, discovering that our greatest confidence comes from remembering who we are in Christ. Through scenes from the movie and passages from Scripture, this message reminds us not to be consumed by worry, to embrace our identity as children of God, and to face life's fears with the confidence that comes from walking with the King.

For generations, Christians have debated the rapture, the tribulation, and the millennial kingdom. But what does the book of Revelation actually say? In the final message of our Revelation series, we'll separate popular ideas from biblical teaching, explore the three major views of Revelation 20, and discover why this book wasn't written to fill us with fear about the future, but with hope and faithfulness in the present.

(Revelation 20-22)

Revelation 4–19 contains some of the most mysterious and debated imagery in all of Scripture, but its central message is clearer than many people realize. In this message, we explore the four major approaches Christians have used to interpret Revelation—the Futurist, Preterist, Historicist, and Idealist views—and discover that faithful believers have disagreed on these chapters for centuries. Rather than focusing on predicting dates or decoding every symbol, we examine what all Christians can affirm: God is on the throne, the Lamb is victorious, judgment is coming, and followers of Jesus are called to remain faithful no matter the cost. Whether you see Revelation as future prophecy, first-century history, timeless spiritual truth, or some combination of the three, the book ultimately points us to the same hope—God reigns, Jesus wins, evil loses, and the church must endure in faith until the end. (Rev 4:1-19:21)

(Revelation 2:1-3-22)