The parable of the sower (Matthew 13, Mark 4, Luke 8) explains five faith-killers: Affliction Persecution Worry Greed and money issues Things and the desire for them The first two attack your persistence; the remaining three attack your focus. All five of them are intended to prevent the promise you’re standing on from being effective. […]

My message on Fear and Faith that I gave at Jesus People Church of Asheville on 7/9/2017. (For All Saints people – this is a slightly expanded version of the message I gave at All Saints on 6/25). My notes are posted in the comments. Fear and Faith (Matt 10), 7/9/2017 Doug

I had the pleasure of preaching on healing at New Covenant Church of Atlanta on 7/7/2017 and at Jesus People Church of Asheville on 7/8/2017. I gave the same message (an expanded version of my message from 3/26 from the Lectionary) at both churches, but my audio came out better for this service. In both […]

In the beginning of Matthew 10, Jesus commissioned the disciples to go and do what he had done – preach the Good News of the Kingdom, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out demons. But as part of that same commission, he told them not everyone would like their message. […]

Two Sundays after Pentecost, our church – along with other churches – celebrates Corpus Christi, a celebration of the body and blood of Christ. Maundy Thursday is usually seen as a solemn event, Corpus Christi is a celebration. In this message I connected our reading in John 6, the last supper in Matthew 26, and […]

As I’ve noted before, John 3:16 is one of the most-loved verses in the Bible (although The Lord’s Prayer and the 23rd Psalm come close). This message touches on the background (Numbers 21) and then talks about how God and Jesus demonstrated their love for us. John 3:16 (John 3), 6/11/2017 Doug

Not just the apostles, but “ordinary people” – like Stephen, Phillip, and others – made a big difference in the Kingdom. Ordinary people still do. We don’t have to have an ordination, and we don’t have to be perfect. Ordinary People (Acts 8), 5/21/2017 Doug

In the beginning of John 14, Jesus tells us Don’t let your heart be troubled Trust that Jesus is preparing a place We will be with Him He will show us the way A Place for Us (John 14), 5/14/2017 Doug

When Jesus rose, he gave instructions to go to Galilee, north of Jerusalem. Instead, some were headed west to Emmaus, and most stayed in Jerusalem. They believed in Jesus, yet they didn’t believe. We also see that Thomas actively chose not to believe the testimony that Jesus was risen. When Jesus’ words are real to […]

Through the course of Holy Week, I addressed some “reasons behind the sacrifice” – reasons for Jesus’ shed blood and reasons for his beaten body. I summarized those then focused in today’s message on the reasons for Jesus’ resurrection. Reasons for the Resurrection (John 20), 4/16/2017 Doug