How do we view David and Goliath? Our modern church today with social media influencers and feel-good sermons alike has done damage to this historical event. unfortunately in chasing a "self-centered and feel good" approach the truth and beauty of David and Goliath are lost in most places. My heart is to bring to light the doctrinal and Christ-centered realities of the account to challenge us to see where our faith is truly at! Is it in what we get from God or in simply who God is? 

Key Doctrines:

The doctrine of Imputed Righteousness – This is the reality that outside of Jesus, we are dead in our sins and unholy, unrighteous, and completely separated from God’s presence. Yet, when we repent and believe into Jesus Christ as LORD and SAVIOR, we are given the righteousness of Christ. Instantaneously we are made justified in the eyes of God.

The doctrine of Imparted Righteousness- This is the premise that once we are justified, now God is working through the Holy Spirit to sanctify us. This is the daily living righteousness that is the fruit of the righteousness given to us by Jesus at salvation. Whereas once we would do good for our own sake or based on loose cultural morals. We now can live rightly with God in actual accordance with His commands, out of love and not fear!

Points:

1. Genuine faith is built on who Jesus is, not all the things we think He can do for us.

2. Genuine faith will stand when our emotions and experiences fail us.

3. Your salvation is secure! We now live in the victory of Christ. Stop fighting battles He has already claimed.

Questions:

1. How do we view faith? Is it a golden ticket to gain rewards from God in life? or is it because you realized outside of Jesus we deserve nothing?

2. When approaching situations, do we just leap in head first? Or do we seek where and how Jesus commands us to approach them?

3. Seeing David and goliath where Jesus is David and not you, how does that change your view of the story and the points it makes?

Moses and the Red Sea... As I studied  this passage and historical account God continues to wreck my heart for how we need to preach Christ and Him crucified. Within this sermon my prayer is that you see the gorgeous truths of Who God is and let that lead you into the experiences of God. we must always remember to seek first Who before we get to the rest of God. Ultimately we see through this story the gorgeous truth that Jesus was always there and always will be, we just have to LOOK UP! 

Doctrine of Christophany/ theophany – This is the doctrine that is used to explain certain realities and characters within the OT that seem to pop up outside of the normal flow. We have now seen the Angel of the Lord and God connected, along with the Pillar of fire and smoke being associated with both as well. Why is this important? It is the premise that God has been interacting within the realm of creation from the beginning. For we are told that no one can handle the full glory of God in our present state. So, these human and creation placeholders were a beacon towards the promised messiah who would be God with them, Jesus!

The Tower of Babel and Jesus Christ have connections? This latest installment on our Sunday School Series we hit the Tower narrative and how God works in and through humanity, even when we are messing up in sin. Often we can get trapped in the simplicity of some bible accounts that we forget to see just what God is doing. I pray this message is encouraging and impactful for Christ. 

Key Doctrines:

Doctrine of Idolatry – This is the premise that man is created for relationship with God. yet, in our sin we try to fill that void and chasm with earthly and false things. Where God should reign, we let little “g” gods take the seat and bring us confusion and temporal pleasure. We see it played out today in false religions that bring salvation into the hands of man by works. Or in practices that make us simply gods, or good enough that God doesn’t have to change us. Idols are the item, thing or thought that holds us captive over Jesus. Things inherently bad obviously are easy to see as idols like drugs, false religion, self. Things neutral can becomes idols such as sports, friends, status and jobs when they trump God.

Doctrine of Grace – God’s grace is the premise that even in our dreadful and dead state God penetrated through and providentially intervenes in creation for us. Either dead in sin or alive in Jesus God’s grace is working on us constantly. Grace in its simplest definition is that “God gives us what we really do not deserve.” In common grace God is holding up all creation and fallen man with it. In irresistible grace God is calling forth to those who will surrender their lives to Christ. Yet, while we were still sinner Christ Jesus died for us to create a way for redemption. That is grace in the most simplistic and powerful means!

Points:

1. Follow Jesus, not your heart.

a. Unity with the world is separation from Jesus.

2. God will accomplish His will, there is more peace in submission than resisting!

3. If we are in Jesus, there is grace even in the pruning and chastising.

Questions:

1. Can you think of a time where you sought unity with people around secular things? How did it go?

a. What about when you sought unity with people around godly things? How did it go?

2. Seeing how God, even in punishment, will accomplish His will. How do we now view things we know we are called to, but might not like?

a. For example witnessing to people we might not know well, sharing your testimony..

3. Seeing that in Christ we are brought into the presence of God, the holy of holies. Does this bring us to a reality of conviction or condemnation?

What a Special night come join us as we discuss with Pastor Mitch and Jessica about their lives, ministry, theology and more! (Might have to turn up the volume in some areas!)

We had our first Serve Night that we are doing at the end of each month while we go through our Sunday School Stories series this fall. In this serve night we held a Q&A, wrote letters to our fellow members who are either shut in or unable to come to church in person, then finished the night with fellowship over bingo, games and books! 

Welcome back to the series called Sunday School Stories! We ventured into the realm of Noah's Ark and the worldwide flood! I personally was so convicted and challenged in preparing this message! I pray it impacts you. And as always is included our doctrinal points from the account, points and questions.

IF you would like to reach out my email is: [email protected]

Doctrines:

Doctrine of perseverance of the saints – This Doctrine is also known as the eternal security! We see a typology and image of this in the Genesis 7 verse where God closes the ark. This doctrine teaches that when we surrender our lives to Jesus and are born again we are a new creation and we are sealed in the Holy Spirit. This means that you and I cannot and will never save ourselves, so if we have no part in the saving we can not do enough to become unsaved! Just as Noah was the one who walked on the ark, it was God who sealed Him in. just as we surrender to Christ, it is the trinity’s work that justifies, sanctifies and glorifies us! (Roman 9) God promises those who are in the faith that He will carry them through and that we are His forever (Roman 8)

Doctrine of Covenants – This one is a little less known or truly understood. Yet it is the simple reality of the inner workings of how a Holy God can be in relationship with a sinful people! The story of redemption is progressive just like the story of humanity is. As we have seen from Adam and Eve to now with the flood and ultimately with Jesus, it has always been by grace through faith that we are saved! This starts with the original covenantal promise given in the garden (Genesis 3:15). And then we see worked out through the ages via God’s justice and faithfulness overpowering humanities stupidity and sin. God’s grace in Adam and eve with their kids, Abel’s blood crying out, Noah’s faith was counted as righteous and by grace he was sealed in the ark and brought along. It has never been that God ordained multiple means of salvation or works versus faith, rather God’s sovereign will and intimate relation to His creation is displayed in His providence that leads us ultimately to the cross, the ultimate ark for our souls which is Jesus Christ!

Points:

1. Focus on God working in and through you, instead of sin that all around you!

2. Rest in the fact that God is in control!

3. Our sins have effects on more than ourselves, beware of abusing grace!

Questions:

1. Seeing how God’s sovereignty and our responsibility is so perfectly balanced in scripture. How does this affect our mindsets towards living and serving Him daily?

2. Which seems easier: focusing on the drama and negativity of this world? Or on what God is doing in and through you?

3. Do you have the peace beyond understanding that comes from knowing that your soul is eternal secure in Him?

Welcome back for the second "story" aka account we are covering in this series! Cain and Abel is such a wide known story and so many have a vast view on how it relates law and Gospel. My prayer is that as you listen to this message you find yourself being challenged to seek the balance that God Himself wants us to have as we approach His word and truth especially on the Law and Gospel! 

Reach out at: [email protected]

Key Doctrines:

Doctrine of God’s Sovereignty – This is the doctrine and reality that God being creator and ruler of all things is fully in control of all the inner and outer workings of His creation! The hard balance comes to us when we try to fully comprehend or take control of this reality, we will fail horribly. We are His creation and we call Him Father, that means as earthly parents are way wiser and smarter than us children, we heed their instruction and involvement since they are greater than we are in sense of life and lesson. God’s sovereignty means that what He wills and wants will ultimately take place and come to pass around us, in us, and through us!

- The premise of God’s sovereignty is directly related to the doctrine of God’s Providence.

Doctrine of God’s Providence – “Clear thinking about God’s involvement in the world process and in the acts of rational creatures requires complimentary sets of statements, thus: a person takes action, or an event is triggered by natural causes, or Satan shows his hand – Yet, God overrules!” (Book of Esther) – J.I. Packer

Points:

1. The heart behind your actions will always speak louder than your actions.

2. The sinner saved by grace will have impact and peace even in death, but the sinner dead in sin will have no peace even in life!

3. Rest in God’s sovereignty and providential hands! When we simply are faith to God and His word, the rest will fall in place!

Questions:

1. Which is better: A lot of works with a self-centered heart, or fewer works but with a heart giving God full glory for them?

2. Seeing how gracious God is when Cain ran, how does this impact how we treat those who reject us or treat us bad?

3. Does God being sovereign bring us rest or restlessness in life?

Welcome to our Fall Series Sunday School Stories! I am so excited to dive into the top 12-13 bible stories that are taught in and through churches to Sunday school classes! Ranging from Adam and Eve to the Cross. In this episode I take some extra time to explain my heart behind why we are diving into these stories from a young adults perspective. with each "story" we are going to have applicable points but also I want to give us some doctrines as we go to help you form foundations for your faith. 

Key doctrines that we can use as takeaways from this account:

doctrine of the Trinity - God being spoken of in the third person singular is quoted talking to multiple with him, yet all those actions were fulfilled by the singular. making us realize that there is a community within God. this is ultimately played out to be the Father, son and Holy Ghost. Even in the OT we see trinity talk!

Doctrine of total depravity - Humanity in listening to Satan and willingly choosing to disobey God in the Garden entered a state of existence to which we are now totally deprived of the goodness and sinless community we are meant to have with God! not that we are no longer “free”. But just as how we had freedom in the covenant given to Adam, we are now free under the broken will bent to sin.

Doctrine of Salvation - God came towards humanity when humanity fell and entered into the realm of sin and shame. While Humanity is not dead and separated from God, through Christ God the father moved first out of unmerited love towards sinners!

Points:

Questions:

This is the last sermon from our Refine Night Series! the follow week will be a multi-young adult ministry worship night, and then after that we are going to start a three month journey through the 12 most taught Sunday School lessons from an young adult perspective! So stay tune for those and be praying with us over that.

The front part of this message is the Gospel, why? Well i explain it all in the sermon, please enjoy and reach out if you ever want to talk at 

[email protected]

Points:

Questions:

(Disclaimer: the second part of the sermon did not record well, so we rerecorded it and I pray it still shine truth and makes an impact!)

This is Part four of our Refine night series, and we hit on Frameworks. The premise of what the world is trying to teach and push versus the Word of God. And how we as Christians need to view secular and fake ideologies in light of the truth of God and His word. 

And especially with this topic, if you need to talk or want to interact with the sermon, email me at [email protected]

Points:

- The only way to spot a false claim of Christianity or a secular ideology, is to first know

the truth that is Jesus!

- Never can we allow society to twist our view of scripture, scripture should change how

we see society!

- In a world of confusion, cling to Jesus who is the WAY, the TRUTH, and LIFE!

Questions:

- What is your foundation of truth?

- Do we seek scripture to give us our opinion on society or seek society for our opinion on

scripture?

- Have you ever witnessed people twisting scripture to justify a sinful reality in the name

of the “greater good”?

Tonight was a special night for us in the Refinery, We had our Senior Pastor Jeff join us! 

I asked Pastor Jeff to share a message that he would have wanted to hear in his 20's. So, This message was the heart of Pastor Jeff towards our ministry as Young Adults. Partially his testimony and also a question and answer time with him. I pray this encourages you as you walk either towards a relationship with Jesus or as you venture through life with Him already.

We are still slowly working our way through the Refine Night series and in two weeks we will be back at it with "Frameworks - CRT, intersectionality and more".