Sermons

2018 Theme – A Space for Grace


Apr 15, 2018
Q&A: How Do We Know Revelation Belongs in the New Testament – Part B
By: Ben Cook
Series: A Space for Grace
Last week we looked at the broad picture: the concept of inspiration, and the internal support for New Testament inspiration, along with a 'big picture' on canonization. Tonight, we will zoom in on two books: Revelation, which is typically accepted as inspired, and the Gospel of Thomas which though recently discovered, has been typically rejected.
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  • Apr 15, 2018Q&A: How Do We Know Revelation Belongs in the New Testament – Part B
    Apr 15, 2018
    Q&A: How Do We Know Revelation Belongs in the New Testament – Part B
    By: Ben Cook
    Series: A Space for Grace
    Last week we looked at the broad picture: the concept of inspiration, and the internal support for New Testament inspiration, along with a 'big picture' on canonization. Tonight, we will zoom in on two books: Revelation, which is typically accepted as inspired, and the Gospel of Thomas which though recently discovered, has been typically rejected.
  • Apr 15, 2018And So We Came To Rome
    Apr 15, 2018
    And So We Came To Rome
    By: Dennis Baker
    Series: A Space for Grace
    Acts 28:14-27
    Accomplishments in the Kingdom of God are significant. People once separated from God and from one another, join together and become salt and light in a world of decay and confusion. We know what it is to be lost and found. The Apostle Paul’s ministry led him to Rome. Would this trip mark the end of his work; would he go down in defeat? Or was this the beginning of something new?
  • Apr 8, 2018Q&A: How Do We Know Revelation Belongs in the New Testament – Part A
    Apr 8, 2018
    Q&A: How Do We Know Revelation Belongs in the New Testament – Part A
    By: Ben Cook
    Series: A Space for Grace
    This belongs to a bigger question that I often get asked - the process of canonization. Which books belong in the "New Testament Canon." Sometimes it's asked, "How do we know which books are inspired?" Tonight we will spend some time unpacking the idea of canonization. And Revelation.
  • Apr 8, 2018Ethiopia
    Apr 8, 2018
    Ethiopia
    By: Bahailu Endeshaw
    Series: A Space for Grace
  • Apr 1, 2018Q&A: First Century Church Communion
    Apr 1, 2018
    Q&A: First Century Church Communion
    By: Ben Cook
    Series: A Space for Grace
    We will begin an evening series answering your Bible questions. Tonight we will tackle the following question: Why did the first century church use wine for the Lord’s Supper but we use Welch’s or whatever is on sale? This is a great question! And I learned a few things preparing to answer it!
  • Apr 1, 2018Increase Our Faith
    Apr 1, 2018
    Increase Our Faith
    By: Dennis Baker
    Series: A Space for Grace
    Luke 17:1-10
    We know a good thing when we see it. We know a good person when we meet them. We know a good deal when it is offered to us. We just don’t always know how to model what is good. Jesus tells His disciples that what you seek you will imitate.
  • Mar 25, 2018Alien Chronicles
    Mar 25, 2018
    Alien Chronicles
    By: Dennis Baker
    Series: A Space for Grace
    1 Peter 2:1-12
     

    Jesus never promised us a rose garden. In fact, He told us to be ready for harsh treatment from those outside the church. He, in His great prayer recorded in John 17, recognized that we are in the world, but we should not be of it. We should not fit in. We are from another realm and we are temporary in this world.

  • Mar 25, 2018What Is Truth?
    Mar 25, 2018
    What Is Truth?
    By: Dennis Baker
    Series: A Space for Grace
    John 18:33-38
    Christianity makes specific truth claims and based on these claims, calls it’s individual members to commitment. When a person considers becoming a Christian, or when a Christian is moving through a season of doubt, they ask the question, What is Truth? As Pilate directly encounters Jesus, he asks the same question. His answer becomes the defining decision of his life. The fate of humanity hangs in the balance.
  • Mar 18, 2018World Bible School
    Mar 18, 2018
    World Bible School
    By: Paul Renganathan
    Series: A Space for Grace
    Brother Paul Renganathan is joining us from Chennai, India. Paul founded the World Bible School preacher training school there a little over 30 years ago, and the ministry has expanded to include medical care, job training, water wells and other outreach to the diverse populations of south Asia. Their students currently serve in many other countries, and have planted well over 1000 churches. We will be sharing an ice cream social after Brother Paul speaks to us this evening. Come listen, talk, and maybe imagine ways to outreach to our own community!
  • Mar 18, 2018Grace Has Appeared
    Mar 18, 2018
    Grace Has Appeared
    By: Dennis Baker
    Series: A Space for Grace
    Titus 2:11-3:5a
    We agree with John Newton, acknowledging that God’s grace is amazing! God’s action in history demonstrates His kindness and mercy. He knows that sin has brought with it a culture of death and violence, in this environment, people feel out of place. When we realize our lost we are, God’s grace appears to us.
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2017 Theme – Our Identity in Christ


Dec 31, 2017
On the Verge of Bigger
By: Dennis Baker
Series: Our Identity in Christ
2 Timothy 1:6-12

Many churches, like many people, never experience their full potential. Full potential is defined as, more than we can ask or imagine. This is a vision of success that God puts before us. It’s a vision that is not achievable by human means alone. It’s something that God hopes for and directs the course of those who want it for themselves. If your vision for the future is achievable through your skill and ability, it is not big enough.

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  • Dec 31, 2017On the Verge of Bigger
    Dec 31, 2017
    On the Verge of Bigger
    By: Dennis Baker
    Series: Our Identity in Christ
    2 Timothy 1:6-12

    Many churches, like many people, never experience their full potential. Full potential is defined as, more than we can ask or imagine. This is a vision of success that God puts before us. It’s a vision that is not achievable by human means alone. It’s something that God hopes for and directs the course of those who want it for themselves. If your vision for the future is achievable through your skill and ability, it is not big enough.

  • Dec 24, 2017Key People in the Story
    Dec 24, 2017
    Key People in the Story
    By: Dennis Baker
    Series: Our Identity in Christ
    Luke 1:26-38
    When we think about the story of the Messiah, His life and His mission, we may identify better with one or more of the people involved. This is normal because the experiences we have may remind us of the people in the story. To which person in the story of Christ do you more closely connect?
  • Dec 17, 2017Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?
    Dec 17, 2017
    Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?
    By: Ben Cook
    Series: Our Identity in Christ

    This year I've had 4 different people ask this question. As you can imagine, some believe with great conviction that the answer is no while others don't even know that there's a question to ask. There are good reasons why many believers abstain completely from this holiday, and likewise, many reasons why families participate with their neighborhoods. There are also good reasons why we, as a church, actually put on a Trunk or Treat. Tonight we will open our Bibles and take a good, Biblical, look at this together. Some of this may even spill over to how we think about Christmas and yoga.

  • Dec 17, 2017Careless Worship
    Dec 17, 2017
    Careless Worship
    By: Ben Cook
    Series: Our Identity in Christ
    Malachi 1:6-8

    Every relationship in your life requires an investment from you, including your relationship with God. It is important for us to develop habits of spiritual discipline - reading, fasting, praying, and assembling; habits. By themselves, these activities become hollow and meaningless. Malachi brings our attention directly to this problem in ancient Israel: people who worshiped God but didn't actually care about God. He surely has something to say to us today in the busy, frenetic pace of the Holiday season.

  • Dec 10, 2017The ABCs Of Maintaining Boundaries In Families
    Dec 10, 2017
    The ABCs Of Maintaining Boundaries In Families
    By: Dennis Baker
    Series: Our Identity in Christ
  • Dec 10, 2017The Shepherd Protects
    Dec 10, 2017
    The Shepherd Protects
    By: Dennis Baker
    Series: Our Identity in Christ
    Ephesians 6:1-4

    What happens when sheep don’t have a shepherd? Literally, they will die. They are not clever or bright, and when threatened, their only defense is to run; off a cliff, into a river, toward danger. All they can do instinctually is eat. If they are to remain useful for their wool, milk and as a food source, they must be guided and protected.

  • Dec 3, 2017He Saw the Wind
    Dec 3, 2017
    He Saw the Wind
    By: Ben Cook
    Series: Our Identity in Christ
    Matthew 14:22-33
    What shifted inside Peter? Only a few lines separate his request for Jesus to call him out of the boat, from his fixation on the wind. His swing from great faith to great doubt should break a record in anyone's book. Maybe it gives us comfort to know that this happens. Too often we believe that faith is a linear thing - it just builds and never looks back, but there are many things that can shake our faith. The truth is we often swing - wildly - from faith to doubt, and at every turn, Jesus is still there to lift us up. He is faithful even in your doubt.
  • Nov 26, 2017The Shepherd Leads
    Nov 26, 2017
    The Shepherd Leads
    By: Dennis Baker
    Series: Our Identity in Christ
  • Nov 19, 2017The Shepherd Knows
    Nov 19, 2017
    The Shepherd Knows
    By: Dennis Baker
    Series: Our Identity in Christ
    John 1:1-14
    To know just doesn’t mean acquiring knowledge. It includes how to conduct yourself according to that knowledge. Shepherd leaders get to know the flock, and they have a unique way of gathering information.
  • Nov 12, 2017Shepherding: A Model for the Home
    Nov 12, 2017
    Shepherding: A Model for the Home
    By: Dennis Baker
    Series: Our Identity in Christ
    John 10:1-10
    Shepherding is usually defined in terms of church leadership. The Shepherd (pastor/elder) is charged to lead the flock (church). A closer look reveals that effective leadership in the home is a pre-requisite for leadership in the Family of God (see 1 Timothy 3:4-5). Anyone who leads should consider the 4 principles of biblical shepherding: knowing, leading, protecting and providing.
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2016 Theme – A Work in Progress


Sep 25, 2016
Where is God?
By: Dennis Baker
Series: A Work in Progress
John 16:31-33
“I have told you these things to keep you from stumbling.” (John 1:16) Challenges to faith come from everywhere. Many young people have gone to college as strong believers, only to be weakened or crushed by the climate of skepticism, anti-theism and pluralism. Tonight we will blitz the scriptures to give a realistic answer to the question, “Where Is God?"
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  • Sep 25, 2016Where is God?
    Sep 25, 2016
    Where is God?
    By: Dennis Baker
    Series: A Work in Progress
    John 16:31-33
    “I have told you these things to keep you from stumbling.” (John 1:16) Challenges to faith come from everywhere. Many young people have gone to college as strong believers, only to be weakened or crushed by the climate of skepticism, anti-theism and pluralism. Tonight we will blitz the scriptures to give a realistic answer to the question, “Where Is God?"
  • Sep 25, 2016From Vow to Wow
    Sep 25, 2016
    From Vow to Wow
    By: Dennis Baker
    Series: A Work in Progress
    Ephesians 5:22-33
    The union of a man and a woman is the crown of Creation. It is no wonder that Satan’s first salvo in the attack on God’s realm was an attack on the man and the woman. Divide them and chaos will ensue. It is for this reason that the Church of Christ must be a place where the chaos of the fall is corrected by straight talk as a way to restore harmony.
  • Sep 18, 2016Q & A: Where is a woman’s place in the church?
    Sep 18, 2016
    Q & A: Where is a woman’s place in the church?
    By: Ben Cook
    Series: A Work in Progress
    1 Timothy 2:11-12
    This verse has come up in conversation with some friends. Where is a woman’s place in the church? What about women who are not naturally quiet? (one of whom I will gladly admit I am) Are we sinning?
  • Sep 18, 2016Enjoy the Futility of Life
    Sep 18, 2016
    Enjoy the Futility of Life
    By: Ben Cook
    Series: A Work in Progress
    Ecclesiastes 1:1-9
    If there were two books in the Bible that preachers would rather do without, it's Song of Solomon, and Ecclesiastes. Song of Solomon gets read privately, just not discussed. Ecclesiastes confuses and frustrates people, so they typically ignore it. This morning we will explore the message of Ecclesiastes. Be sure to do your light therapy and take vitamin D.
  • Sep 11, 2016Traditions and Taco Tuesday
    Sep 11, 2016
    Traditions and Taco Tuesday
    By: Ben Cook
    Series: A Work in Progress
    Joshua 4:20-24
    Most of us have traditions in our lives. It's just the ebb and flow of how we live. But those traditions say a lot about who we are - and, surprisingly, they become guardrails for who your kids become! Family legacies often rest in family traditions. What is yours? (this is a tough question for newlyweds!) Are you doing your family traditions on purpose? Let's explore this some more this morning.
  • Sep 4, 2016Q & A: Soul/Spirit
    Sep 4, 2016
    Q & A: Soul/Spirit
    By: Ben Cook
    Series: A Work in Progress
    Two weeks ago, after discussing the resurrection, several approached me to ask the same follow-up question: "What happens to my soul/spirit between the time it leaves my body at death and the second coming of Christ? Thanks." I do have a few other questions, but tackling this one on the heels of last time is most appropriate.
  • Sep 4, 2016Strong People Don’t Put Others Down
    Sep 4, 2016
    Strong People Don’t Put Others Down
    By: Dennis Baker
    Series: A Work in Progress
    Matthew 12:22-28
    We have a world of people that seems to be at war with each other. There is division everywhere you go. Don’t think this isn’t a scheme of the enemy. Keeping us fighting each other will keep us from fighting him. What is worse, others who need to hear the gospel, may never get the chance.
  • Aug 28, 2016Guest Speaker: Don Huddleson
    Aug 28, 2016
    Guest Speaker: Don Huddleson
    By: Don Huddleson
    Series: A Work in Progress
    Don is from Ponca City, Oklahoma
  • Aug 28, 2016A Line In the Sand
    Aug 28, 2016
    A Line In the Sand
    By: Dennis Baker
    Series: A Work in Progress
    2 Corinthians 10:1-6
     
    Living a life of godliness can rub people the wrong way. Paul had to deal with many people who wanted to be somebody in the church, but didn’t want to live lives of godliness. It is because they had a “form of godliness” but remained unchanged by the power of God. But Paul did not become discouraged. Instead, he taught us how to draw that proverbial line in the sand.
     
  • Aug 21, 2016Q & A: Asleep
    Aug 21, 2016
    Q & A: Asleep
    By: Ben Cook
    Series: A Work in Progress
    1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
     
    Tonight we will tackle one question: "Can I get some background on 1 Thess. 4:13-18? What does Paul mean by saying “asleep”? What does “The dead in Christ will rise first” mean?" This is one of the clearest teachings of the resurrection in Scripture. A doctrine that most Christians do not understand, believe, or teach. So we will unpack the idea of the resurrection together - both what it is, and what it is not.
    If you've got questions for us to tackle, feel free to pass them on to me - Facebook,
    email
    , or even just a note after church!
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