Sermons

Purity is not regarded today as a highly sought quality. So it was in the church in Crete. The churches throughout Crete were lacking in the area of purity from its members to even those given the platform to teach. The culture was polluting and contaminating the church. The church was lacking purity of doctrine and purity in living. Such purity is needed from the leaders of the church and throughout the church.

In Paul's letter written to Titus one sees life. In fact, a sacred and holy life for a different kind of people, the church. The mission of the church is to be about making things right in a world that is wrong. Things need to be set in order. This week Paul tells Titus to start at the top. Leadership is everything. With Christ as the head leadership is crucial to the church. We need godly influence in the church. This week we will see what that influence is to look like. We all need this model and must follow it.

If you were to sit back and look at your life, what would need to be set in order? What is not right? What is lacking? Those who are in Christ are new. Their mission in life is to be about making things right and to straighten things out according to the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. We pray that God would make all things new today!

In Paul's letter written to Titus one sees life. In fact, a sacred and holy life for a different kind of people, the church. Titus finds himself in Crete. The churches which he is charged with giving oversight find themselves in an evil culture that is lost, chaotic and confused. The influence of the outside culture is impacting the church. Paul calls Titus to get things in order. We must do this in our own lives. It is time to call a time out and set things in order. Let’s look at our individual lives, our family, our home and our relationships and set things in order. We need to see what is lacking and ask the Lord to fill us up. We need to stop living in confusion and chaos allowing the Lord to bring truth and peace to our lives. We need to live the life we were created for and called to as God’s people. We are to be different and to stand out from the culture and this world that we live in. Too many times we do not. I pray that as we dive into this timely letter that we as God’s people would be drenched under the waterfall of God’s Word and live in the overflow of the godly life which He produces in us impacting the different spheres of influence in our lives.

Today's teacher is Dale Howe. Dale and Karen returned to Carrollton in 2004, after serving as a pastor in Minnesota and as a church leadership trainer in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Haiti. Dale and Karen have two adult sons who are both married and two grandsons. They will celebrate their 37th wedding anniversary in September. Dale currently serves as a Communication Professional with the Law Firm of Campbell & Chadwick. Dale will teach Psalm 29, a psalm of David that takes us from heaven to earth as God demonstrates that His power subdues the enemy and gives peace to His people.

Matt McKinney is our teacher today. He is married to Lindsay and will be celebrating their five year Anniversary in August. Together they have one daughter, Riley who will celebrate her first birthday July 22nd. Lindsay is originally from Texas whereas Matt is from North Carolina but moved to Texas soon after they met. They have been living in the Dallas area for over five years and joined The Ridge around three years ago. Matt serves as an elder here at The Ridge and a Biblical Counselor at Hope For The Heart in Dallas where he continues to work on his license as a Professional Counselor. Lindsay serves as a pediatric Nurse at Children's Medical Center in downtown Dallas. As we continue our Sacred Psalms Series today, Psalm 46 will challenge and encourage us with a new perspective on how we view God and ourselves in times of trouble, regardless of our fears or circumstances.

Coleman Ford is our teacher today. He has been married to his beautiful and talented wife, Alex, since 2008. He currently attends Dallas Theological Seminary where he is working towards a Masters in Theology. He likes oatmeal raisin cookies and good coffee, preferably at the same time. He will be teaching from Psalm 119.129-136. Do you hunger after God's word? Are you amazed by His commands? In a day when the Bible is reduced to myth and mere fables, do you view Scripture as the very breath of God? The writer of Psalm 119 reveals to us how deep our love for His Word should be, and the sacred wonder of God's glorious commands.

Scott Berthel is our teacher today. He is married to Sally and looking forward to celebrating their 22nd anniversary this summer. Together they have two daughters, Isabella and Elleanna. As a family, they enjoy traveling, cooking, reading, and playing together. They have lived in Carrollton for four years after moving from Michigan, and joined The Ridge Church three years ago. Scott serves as the Assistant Head of the Middle School at Trinity Christian Academy in Addison. He will be starting our Sacred Psalms series by teaching Psalm 115 and challenging us to consider the way all of the 150 Psalms can help to shape our worldview. Psalm 115 is an excellent example of a Psalm that offers important components of a God-centered worldview as it helps us understand more about who God is, the purpose He gives us in this world, and our human tendency to create idols as a mistaken form of response to God and His gifts.

On this Father's Day we will see that the fountain head of the culture in the home is the father. He is the head of his wife and family. He is to be a servant leader in his home. As the head he should fear the Lord and walk in His ways. Such a man will be blessed in all of the contexts of his life (marriage, parenting, work and the community).

Each family is designed to be a culture with a languauge, customs, traditions and many unspoken assumptions. God has made the world in such a way that children who grow up in the culture of the family are to be shaped and molded by it. So what is shaping your children? Is the culture of the home shaping them or is the outside culture influences taken primacy when it comes to shaping your children? This week we will be encouraged to shape our children according to the standards of God's Word.