The Truth Church

Bishop Riggen preaches from Luke 24:1-7 on Resurrection Sunday, focusing on the significance of Christ's resurrection. He establishes that Christianity is unique among world religions because Jesus was born of a virgin, lived without sin, and—most critically—rose from the dead by His own power. Unlike other religious leaders whose tombs hold their remains, Jesus' tomb is empty; He raised Himself, as He declared in John 2:19-21. Bishop Riggen cites multiple witnesses: the four Gospel accounts, the Apostle Paul's testimony of over 500 eyewitnesses, and even the non-Christian Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, who recorded that Jesus appeared alive on the third day. The resurrection is the most important event in history, for without it, faith is vain. But because Christ rose as the firstfruits, believers have the hope of their own resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15 promises that the dead in Christ will rise, and we shall be changed. This hope removes the sting of death. However, this promise is conditional: Romans 8:11 teaches that only those in whom the Spirit of God dwells will be quickened. The way to receive that Spirit is through repentance, baptism in Jesus' name, and receiving the Holy Ghost, as Peter preached in Acts 2:38. Bishop Riggen concludes with an illustration from Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book: the owl says death steps aside for no one, but death stepped aside for Jesus. Because He lives, death will also step aside for believers when the trumpet sounds.

Reverend Jr preached from Hebrews 11:6, emphasizing that without faith it is impossible to please God. He stressed that faith is not passive but a conscious decision to believe God is who He says He is and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him. This faith is like a title deed, giving assurance of things hoped for, based on God's unchanging Word. Reverend Jr illustrated from Matthew 9 how friends brought a paralytic to Jesus, and Jesus saw their faith and healed the man, showing that our faith can help others receive from God. He also highlighted the woman with the issue of blood who determined before she reached Jesus that touching His garment would make her whole, and Jesus commended her faith. The Canaanite woman persisted in faith even when Jesus seemed not to answer, and He called her faith great. Reverend Jr warned that unbelief hinders God's work and that we must choose to believe, not doubt. He urged the congregation to come to Jesus with active, expectant faith for their own needs and for others, trusting that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever and is present to heal, deliver, and fill with the Holy Ghost.

Bishop Riggen opens with Haggai 1:1-5, emphasizing the precise dating of Haggai’s prophecy—the second year of Darius—marking it as a post-exilic message for a people returned from 70 years of captivity. He reviews the first chapter: God’s call to complete the temple that the people abandoned, focusing on their own houses while the Lord’s house lay waste. He warns that the church can similarly become comfortable, waiting for revival but failing to act. The second chapter’s first message (verses 1-9) is a call to courage: though the rebuilt temple seems insignificant compared to Solomon’s gold-overlaid glory, God promises greater glory—fulfilled when Jesus, the incarnate glory, walked in Herod’s temple. Bishop Riggen insists God’s greatness keeps exceeding itself, and the best days of Truth Church are ahead. The second message (verses 10-19) is a call to cleansing: holiness is not contagious, but defilement is; the sin of the people was not idolatry but failure to do what God commanded. Inactivity is sin. He then reveals the astonishing precision of prophecy—exactly 25,200 days from Nebuchadnezzar’s attack to the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month of Darius’s second year, when Haggai declares, “From this day will I bless you.” Judgment ends; blessing begins. The final message (verses 20-23) is to the chosen leader, Zerubbabel: God will overthrow enemy kingdoms and make him as a signet ring, a symbol of authority. Bishop Riggen applies this to the incoming pastor, promising that God will empower him to crush strongholds and lead revival. He urges the congregation to expect a difference from this day forward, to believe God is turning things up a notch.

Pastor Hilton preaches from 2 Timothy 3:1-5, warning that in the last days many will have a form of godliness but deny its power. He emphasizes that true godliness is not about outward displays of righteousness, expensive suits, or religious performance—it is about possessing real, life-changing power from God. The preacher warns against the dangers of pragmatism, secularism, and compromise that have caused movements like Methodism to lose their identity and spiritual power. He uses the analogy of a concrete foundation: the prophets and apostles set up the forms and ties (outlines and precepts), but Jesus Christ is the cornerstone. The forms can be removed, but the ties (essential truths like holiness, separation, and obedience) must remain. The true measure of godliness is not prosperity or outward righteousness, but the power of God that verifies it. Pastor Hilton urges believers to hunger and thirst after righteousness, to flee from the trends of this untoward generation, and to pursue godliness with diligence. He cites 2 Peter 1:3-10, showing that God's divine power gives us everything we need for life and godliness, and that adding faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity ensures we shall never fall. The message calls the church to seek authentic, power-filled godliness that changes lives and destinies, refusing to compromise in a world of desperation.