Our Goal Is Love

Message from Major Dalton on June 8, 2025

I have two questions to ask you. It's very important to answer both honestly. The first will be easy, very easy in fact. But the second will likely be much more difficult.Question 1: Would you choose Heaven over Hell?Question 2: Would you choose Heaven over Earth?Of course, we have no issue preferring Heaven over Hell. But most of us, if we are honest, sometimes wrestle with preferring Heaven over Earth. This is a problem, the Bible doesn’t leave room for divided hearts. Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Paul instructed us to set our minds “on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2). And the writer of Hebrews reminded believers that they were “looking forward to a better country—a heavenly one” (Hebrews 11:16).When we left Lot last week, he and his family were being led out by the two Angels sent to destroy the city—the hands of judgment are also the hands of deliverance. His reluctance to leave revealed that he suffered with the same struggle, even though he knew that the city's fate was sealed.In the New Testament, followers of Christ are told to live as sojourners on Earth. And while we are traveling through this life, we know we must serve, but can never settle, here.Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.1 Peter 2:11-12As we conclude our series looking at the life of Lot, we will once again turn to the Gospel message to discover insights for living in a world we are leaving.

In the next part of our Vexed series, we step into one of the most disturbing moments in Lot’s life. Genesis 19:1–11 paints a picture of a culture steeped in sexual immorality and abuse. Lot didn’t endorse it—but he didn’t stand against it either. Instead, he compromised. He concealed. And it cost him dearly. Peter tells us that Lot’s soul was tormented by what he saw and heard. He was righteous, but he was worn down. Sound familiar? God cares deeply about this part of the story—not just because of what happened then, but because of what’s happening now. The good news? The gospel doesn’t just expose the darkness—it shines a light that points a compassionate and uncompromising path forward. You don’t want to miss this. See you tomorrow.

This Sunday, we'll begin by talking about the distress of prosperity. Both Lot and Abraham lived in a time of opportunity and abundance—but they approached it very differently. One sought more. The other trusted more. And the contrast between them has everything to teach us about living faithfully today. Join us this Sunday as we step into the story—and discover how to live with trust, not anxiety, in a world pulling us in every direction.

Message from Major Dalton on April 20, 2025

Message from Major Dalton on April 13, 2025

If Jesus really rose from the dead, it changes everything!That’s exactly what Peter declared on the day of Pentecost. Standing before a crowd in Jerusalem, he didn't offer vague encouragement or a call to be more religious. He pointed to one fact that changed history: "God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it" (Acts 2:24).The resurrection wasn't an afterthought or some comeback story. It was the proof that Jesus is who He claimed to be—and that God’s plan was unfolding all along. Athanasius, writing in the third century, spoke of its impact on the Christians of his age:“Before the divine sojourn of the Savior, even the holiest of men were afraid of death, and mourned the dead as those who perish. But now that the Savior has raised His body, death is no longer terrible, but all those who believe in Christ tread it underfoot as nothing, and prefer to die rather than deny their faith in Christ.”The resurrection truly changed everything for them! And it still has that power today.Join us over the next three weeks as we celebrate the resurrection, and along the way, discover the reason we believe it, the reason God did it, and the reason it still matters today.

So far in our current Sunday morning series, we have learned that God guides us into his will by his Word and by life’s circumstances. But sometimes, God seems to speak to us more directly, through a still small voice, a gentle leading, or an unshakable sense of conviction. Every day, we’re surrounded by voices—opinions, expectations, emotions, fears. Some voices come from the outside. Others whisper from within. And in the middle of all that noise, we long to hear one voice above all. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth (John 16:13). But how do we recognize that guidance when so many other voices compete for our attention? How can we know we’re following the Spirit, not just our own thoughts or someone else’s plan? Our decisions matter; and we want to make the right ones. This Sunday, as we continue our Trip to Troas series, we’ll look at how God guided Paul—not through a step-by-step roadmap, but through the Spirit’s gentle direction. Sometimes that looked like a closed door. Sometimes it meant an unexpected redirection. But it was never random. Join us this Sunday and learn how to walk with confidence!

Message from Major Dalton on March 16, 2025

Message from Cary Borkert on March 9, 2025