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Join Pastor Allen Bonnell for week two of our series, 40 Days of Ancient Ways. In this message, we dive into the life of Hannah from 1 Samuel 1, a woman who was desperate in her longing and tired of settling for "filler" when God had so much more for her soul.

The sermon explores the reality of living in a broken world and how to navigate deep emotional distress:

- Brokenness and Culture: Hannah lived in a world of rivalry and cultural pressure, where her value was often tied to her ability to have children. Today, our culture is just as oppressive, dictating value based on careers, appearance, or income.

- The Choice in Our Pain: Brokenness either drives us toward God or deeper into brokenness. Hannah reached a point where she "rose"—a Hebrew idiom meaning she was done with the social pressures and decided to go to the only Person who could truly heal her heart.

- Approaching the Lord of Hosts: Hannah cried out to the "Lord of Hosts," the all-powerful God of armies, yet she knew she could come to Him as a daughter. Like a child playing under a father’s desk during important meetings, we are always welcome in the presence of God.

- Peace Before the Promise: Perhaps the most critical part of Hannah's story is that she found peace before her petition was granted. She realized that what she truly needed wasn't just a child, but a relationship with God that anchored her soul.

If you are carrying a heavy burden or feeling empty despite your achievements, this message is an invitation to bring those burdens to the Father. Stop going back to broken cisterns and come to the well of living water.

Join Pastor Allen Bonnell as we launch into the “40 Days of Ancient Ways,” a spiritual journey designed to help us step off the exhausting “hamster wheel” of modern life. In this message, drawn from Jeremiah 6:16, we explore the timeless invitation to stand at the crossroads, look for the ancient paths, and find true rest for our souls.

The sermon focuses on moving from cultural Christianity to spiritual vitality through three ancient disciplines:

- The Rhythm of Sabbath: We explore why God gave us the gift of rest—not because He was tired, but to set a pattern for our well-being. Learn how to “cease, rest, delight, and worship” to break the cycle of endless striving and find fulfillment in Christ alone.

- The Discipline of Fasting: Pastor Allen calls the church to a communal fast, declaring that our deepest need is not to be filled by the world, but to be formed by God. We discuss how fasting shows the Father our desperation for Him and invites His power into our lives.

- The Power of Scripture Memory: Over the next 40 days, our church will memorize Romans 12. Discover how writing God’s Word on the “tablet of your heart” provides the mental and spiritual strength needed to navigate life’s crossroads.

The message concludes with a warning from Jeremiah’s time: many heard the invitation to rest but chose to continue in their own rebellion. Don’t let that be your story. Respond to the gentle and lowly heart of Jesus today and begin walking the path that leads to life.

Join Pastor Allen Bonnell as we begin 2026 with a message titled "Ancient Ways." Drawing from Acts 28 and Psalm 100, this sermon explores how to step off the "hamster wheel" of modern stress and religious performance to find true rest in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

The sermon highlights three key areas of spiritual focus:

- The Source of Living Water: We are invited to stop digging "broken cisterns"—temporary fixes like materialism or consumerism—and return to Jesus, the only source of living water that truly satisfies the soul.

- The Heart of God: Discover the only place in Scripture where Jesus describes His own heart: as "gentle and lowly." This approachable Savior invites the weary to find rest that the world cannot provide.

- A Posture of Thanksgiving: Using Psalm 100, Pastor Allen encourages us to find our identity in the fact that we belong to God as the sheep of His pasture.

The message concludes with a celebration of God’s faithfulness—including 161 baptisms in the past year—and a challenge to commit to a new journey of unwrapping God's gifts of mercy and grace.

Join Pastor Jon Barron for the powerful conclusion of our study in the book of Acts. In this message, "The Unfinished Story," we follow the Apostle Paul on his long-awaited journey to Rome. Though he arrives in chains, the Gospel remains unhindered, showing us that God’s mission is never stopped by our circumstances.

The sermon explores three key takeaways from Acts chapter 28:

- Hope, Not Rebellion: Paul emphasizes that the Gospel is not a political threat but the fulfillment of the Hope of Israel. He identifies as a "prisoner of Christ," choosing to submit to God's lordship regardless of his physical bonds.

- The Softening of Hearts: Even in his exhaustion, Paul spends days expounding the scriptures to anyone who would listen. While some reject the message, the Gospel continues to soften hardened hearts and produce belief in those who truly perceive the truth.

- A Bold and Unhindered Witness: The book of Acts ends abruptly with Paul proclaiming the Kingdom of God with all boldness. This "unfinished" ending serves as a handoff to us—the church today—to continue writing the story of the Gospel's advance in our own communities.

As we look toward 2026, Pastor Jon challenges us to move from being "a mile wide and an inch deep" to resting deeply in the Lord and living with a responsive heart. Whether you are wrestling with a hardened heart or looking for your next step in faith, this message is a call to be an obedient ambassador for Christ.

Join Pastor Allen Bonnell for a powerful study of Acts chapter 26, where the Apostle Paul stands before King Agrippa and Festus to deliver his final defense. In this message, titled "Almost Persuaded," we witness a brilliant "apologetic"—a rational defense of faith—that challenges every listener to move from religious knowledge to a transformed life.

The sermon explores three critical themes from Paul’s testimony:

- Radical Grace vs. Religious Achievement: Paul shares his background as a legalistic Pharisee who once persecuted the church, proving that salvation is not earned through strict rules but received through the promise of the resurrection.

- Transformation, Not Just Information: Recounting his Damascus Road encounter, Paul explains that the Gospel's aim is to open eyes and turn people "from darkness to light" and "from the power of Satan to God."

- The Tragedy of Being "Almost Persuaded": Despite hearing the rational truth, King Agrippa remains unmoved, highlighting the danger of being close to the truth without surrendering to it.

Paul argues that Christianity, while supernatural, is entirely rational and is the fulfillment of ancient promises. Don't remain a prisoner to empty pursuits—experience the freedom of the light today.

Join Pastor Allen Bonnell for a powerful look at Acts chapter 22 in a message titled “The Greatest Story Ever Told.” Returning to Jerusalem after his third missionary journey, the Apostle Paul stands before a diverse and hostile crowd of over two million people to deliver his personal defense and testimony.

The sermon explores four major themes in Paul’s story that apply to every believer today:

Compassion—God’s Extravagant Love: Paul opens with respect, addressing the crowd in Hebrew and sharing his elite background as a student of Gamaliel. He openly confesses his past as a murderer of “the Way,” proving that God’s grace is greater than any past and that He pays the penalty for our sins once and for all.

Conversion—A Life Redirected by Christ: Paul recounts the Damascus Road encounter where Jesus personally intervened. This reminds us that God is the initiator of salvation, coming to seek and save the lost right where they are—whether in a church, a tree, or on a road.

Confirmation—Evidence of Change: Through the healing of his blindness and the witness of Ananias, Paul’s life shows the immediate and undeniable power of God. The promise remains: everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Calling—Sent with Purpose: Paul reveals his specific mission to go “far to the Gentiles.” This fulfills the ancient promise that God’s people would be a blessing to all nations, breaking down every cultural and socio-economic barrier.

The greatest story ever told is not just Paul’s—it is the story of the day Jesus came to you. We invite you to surrender to His grace and find your new purpose in Him.

Join Pastor Allen Bonnell in Acts chapter 20 for a profound message on “Leadership in the Church of God,” focusing on Paul’s emotional farewell to the elders of the Church at Ephesus. Recognizing that the apostolic age is passing, Paul delivers a critical “baton handoff” to the next generation of leaders (elders, overseers, and shepherds).

The sermon outlines the key responsibilities and character required of Christian leaders and applies these characteristics to all believers:

- The Character of a Christian (Acts 20:18-27): Paul modeled integrity, serving the Lord with all humility and tears, enduring trials, and demonstrating that sacrificial living is greater than playing it safe by declaring: “I do not account my life of any value.” He declared the whole counsel of God, refusing to “cherry pick” parts of Scripture.

- The Heart of a Shepherd (Acts 20:28-35): The shepherd’s duty is to protect the flock from “fierce wolves” who twist the truth, to care for them with the Word of God, and to give/help the weak, living out Jesus’ words, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” The good shepherd searches for the one lost sheep, just as Jesus left heaven to seek and save the lost.

The message is a powerful reminder that all believers are called to be on mission, sacrificing their comfort, and that Jesus, the Good Shepherd, loves, seeks, and forgives.

Join Pastor Scott Cannon for a message titled "Calling the Huddle," as he delves into Acts chapters 18 and 19, exploring the diverse responses to the Gospel encountered during Paul's ministry in Ephesus. The sermon calls the church to lean in and listen to the "play God is calling" for their lives, emphasizing how believers should respond to different people in ministry.

The sermon identifies four types of people encountered:

- Some will need clarity and completeness: Like Apollos, a passionate but partially taught believer, some sincerely know about Jesus (John's baptism) but lack the full understanding of Christ's redemptive work and the Holy Spirit. We must be like Priscilla and Aquila, offering patient instruction and clarity, not public condemnation.

- Some will need to be called out and need consistency: Paul encountered twelve disciples who only knew John's baptism, moving them from religious activity to spiritual vitality. In contrast, others in the synagogue became obstinate and publicly maligned the Gospel, showing inconsistency between their profession and practice. An authentic Christian life requires surrender to biblical authority, not just knowledge.

- Some will need Christ and His character: When the seven sons of Sceva tried to use Jesus' name as a magical formula for exorcism, the evil spirit responded: "Jesus I know, Paul I know, but who are you?". This exposes that power comes only from a union and relationship with Jesus, not imitated spiritual power.

- Some will need confrontation and courage: The public riot in Ephesus, stirred by the silversmith Demetrius, shows that resistance to the Gospel often comes because it threatens an idol—in this case, the economic engine of the Temple of Artemis.

Pastor Scott concludes by urging listeners to seek deeper clarity, authentic witness, and the courage to dethrone idols by making Jesus Lord of their identity and priorities.

Join Pastor Allen Bonnell for a message titled "The Power of God," drawn from Acts chapter 16, detailing the beginning of the Gospel's spread into Europe in the privileged Roman colony of Philippi. Paul's second missionary journey faced unexpected resistance and clear divine direction from the Holy Spirit.

The sermon focuses on how God works through unexpected means:

1. The Presence of God Leads Us: Paul's plans to go east were forbidden by the Holy Spirit (closed doors), and a vision of the Man of Macedonia redirected him west across the Aegean Sea—the first step of the Gospel into Europe. The sermon affirms that God directs the steps of the righteous, using "no's" to lead us to His will.

2. The Purpose of God Fulfills Us: Paul finds a place of prayer, not a synagogue, and ministers to women. The first convert in Europe is Lydia, a successful businesswoman and "God-fearer." God used an unmarried, successful businesswoman to start the church in Europe, demonstrating that He cares less about our past brokenness and more about where we're going.

3. The Power of God Delivers Us: Paul and Silas deliver a slave girl from demonic possession, leading to their brutal beating and imprisonment. Despite being thrown into the inner prison, they are found praying and singing hymns at midnight. This praise leads to a miraculous earthquake that frees them and leads to the dramatic conversion of the Philippian Jailer and his entire household. The sermon emphasizes that only the finished work of Christ is needed for salvation: "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved."

The message concludes with the powerful testimony of Horatio Spafford, who, after immense tragedy, wrote the hymn, "It Is Well With My Soul," reminding us to glare at God, not at our problems.

Join Pastor Allen Bonnell for an in-depth theological defense of the Gospel of Grace in a message centered on the Jerusalem Council in Acts chapter 15. While often considered a "business meeting," this chapter is a crucial "safeguard for the story of grace," addressing the first major conflict in the early church. The issue at stake: Did Gentile converts need to be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses to be saved?

Pastor Allen uses the council's decision to affirm six points:

1. Conflict arises when convictions become conditions : Adding anything (like circumcision or moralistic behavior) to Jesus plus nothing equals nothing. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone.

2. Healthy churches create space for hard conversations : Disagreements are inevitable, but unity is paramount, often requiring grace and concession.

3. There's grace for all: The Council decided that the law was an unbearable yoke that no one—not even Moses—could bear; Christ is sufficient and salvation is for Jews and Gentiles alike.

4. This was all about unity, not uniformity : The four non-salvation prohibitions given to Gentiles were concessions to avoid being a stumbling block to Jews and to ensure new converts truly left behind pagan worship and sexual immorality.

5. Spiritual authority is not about control, but about alignment.

6. Gospel clarity doesn't eliminate human intention : Even Paul and Barnabas had a "sharp disagreement" over John Mark and separated, but the Gospel ultimately redeems and reconciles.

Pastor Allen closes by condemning "repressive religion" that shames, reminding listeners that God sees them as a fully restored "new rose" and beloved child, welcoming all to receive His free and finished grace.