May 17, 2026 • Chris Cannon • Psalm 19:1–6, Romans 1:18–24
God reveals Himself to all people through creation. Psalm 19 describes the heavens continually declaring God’s glory, power, and greatness without words, leaving evidence of Him everywhere on earth. Romans 1 teaches that people suppress this truth, rejecting both creation’s testimony and the Gospel. The sermon warns that unbelief leads to spiritual darkness and idolatry—worshiping created things instead of the Creator—and calls people to acknowledge God and respond to Him in faith.
Losing Heart – part 3
May 15, 2026 • Dr. Kathy Wood
Today we will look at some additional verses on losing heart and some examples of people in the Bible who lost heart. What situations were those people facing? How did God help them through those times when all they really wanted to do was give up?
A Faithful Mother
May 10, 2026 • Chris Cannon • 1 Samuel 1
Losing Heart – part 2
May 8, 2026 • Dr. Kathy Wood
In our last podcast, we looked at several verses dealing with loss of heart and a few of the causes of this condition. God encourages us to look at our circumstances from His point of view and not to respond to those circumstances like the world would. God has a different perspective – that is not surprising! Now we will take a look at Hebrews chapter 12 and see what God says about endurance and where our eyes need to be fixed and even the value of hard times that might cause us to lose heart.
Spiritual Gifts Recap
May 3, 2026 • Chris Cannon • 1 Corinthians 4:2
This message reminds believers that every Christian has been entrusted with a role in God’s kingdom. One day, we will answer for how we used what He gave us, so our goal is to faithfully serve and please Him. God is looking for faithfulness. Each person is uniquely designed with spiritual gifts, given through the Holy Spirit, to serve others and build up the church. When we use these gifts, it reveals God’s presence and strengthens faith in those around us. Our gifts are directly connected to our God-given purpose. Discovering and using them is essential for living effectively on mission. Tools like a spiritual gifts inventory can help believers step into their calling.
Losing Heart – part 1
April 27, 2026 • Dr. Kathy Wood
Losing heart – what exactly does this mean? Almost everyone goes through loss of heart at one time or another. It can be caused by a variety of things like extreme grief or situations that are so hard that we do not know how to get out of them or heavy disappointments, just to name a few. The Bible actually has a lot to say about losing heart – what causes it and how to recover from it. In this podcast we will look at some warnings attached to losing heart.
Ministry of Gifts in the Growing Church
April 26, 2026 • Chris Cannon • Acts 6:1–7
This sermon from Acts 6:1–7 highlights how church growth created new needs, revealing the importance of spiritual gifts in action. Every role—spiritual leadership and practical service—is vital. When gifted believers step into their roles, needs are met, unity is preserved, and the church flourishes. The passage emphasizes that shared ministry and faithful use of gifts lead to continued growth and the spread of God’s Word.
Discover God’s gifts as a key to unlocking your purpose: 1 Peter 4:10
April 19, 2026 • Chris Cannon • 1 Peter 4:10
This sermon emphasizes that every believer has been given a spiritual gift by God and is called to actively use it to serve others. Based on 1 Peter 4:10, Christians are responsible for putting their gifts into action rather than simply understanding them. Jesus modeled servant-hearted living, showing that true greatness comes through serving others. Each gift plays a vital role in building and strengthening the church. As the church grows, new needs create opportunities for every gift to be used. Ultimately, believers are encouraged to pray, get involved, stay attentive to needs, and willingly step into service.
Discover God's Gifts as a Key to Unlocking Your Purpose – Part 7
April 12, 2026 • Chris Cannon • Ephesians 4:11–16
This sermon explains that Jesus gives every believer spiritual gifts through His finished work on the cross, resurrection, and ascension . In Ephesians 4:11–16, four foundational gifts—apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teachers—are highlighted as people given to the church to equip believers. Apostles establish and build churches, prophets proclaim God’s truth to strengthen and encourage, evangelists share the gospel with the lost, and pastor-teachers shepherd and instruct believers. These gifts are not meant to do all ministry but to prepare every Christian for service. As believers are equipped, the church grows in unity, maturity, and truth, becoming stable in faith and actively living out God’s Word in love as the body of Christ.
Discover God's Gifts as a Key to Unlocking Your Purpose – Part 6
April 5, 2026 • Chris Cannon • Ephesians 4
Ephesians 4 marks a shift from what believers are in Christ to how they should live. Paul calls the church to unity marked by humility, patience, and love, reminding us that every believer has a place in Christ’s body. Yet within this unity, each person is uniquely gifted. Jesus gives spiritual gifts to every believer according to His wisdom and purpose. These gifts are connected to Christ’s victory—through His death, resurrection, and ascension, He conquered sin, death, and Satan. As the victorious King who ascended on high, Jesus distributes gifts to His people so they can serve and build up the church. Because we share in His victory, we are called to faithfully use our gifts for His glory.
Discover God's Gifts as a Key to Unlocking Your Purpose – Part 5
March 29, 2026 • Chris Cannon • 1 Corinthians 12
This sermon from 1 Corinthians teaches that spiritual gifts reveal God’s purpose for believers and build up the church. Gifts like wisdom and knowledge help Christians understand and apply God’s Word, while faith inspires confident trust in His plans. Discernment enables believers to distinguish truth from error in a world of deception. The message also explains that miraculous gifts—such as healing, miracles, and tongues—served a specific purpose in the early church: to authenticate the Gospel and its messengers. Ultimately, every gift points believers toward obedience, unity, and glorifying God.
Discover God's Gifts as a Key to Unlocking Your Purpose – Part 4
March 22, 2026 • Chris Cannon
This message continues defining spiritual gifts by focusing on giving, leadership, administration, and mercy. The gift of giving is marked by sincere, joyful generosity that seeks God’s glory and the good of others. Leadership is then explored in two complementary forms: administration, which organizes people and resources to accomplish ministry effectively, and leadership, which provides vision, direction, and diligent, shepherd-like oversight. Both gifts work together. Finally, the gift of mercy reflects God’s heart through compassion, gentleness, and cheerful care for those in need, expecting nothing in return. Together, these gifts reveal a Spirit-empowered church where generosity, guidance, and compassion work in harmony to fulfill God’s purposes.
Discover God's Gifts as a Key to Unlocking Your Purpose – Part 3
March 15, 2026 • Chris Cannon
Scripture highlights several foundational spiritual gifts that build up the church. Prophecy in the Bible primarily meant declaring God’s revealed truth. Today this is seen in faithfully proclaiming Scripture. The gift of service/helps works behind the scenes, meeting practical needs with humility and love. Teaching is the Spirit-empowered ability to understand and clearly explain God’s Word so believers grow in maturity. Exhortation/encouragement comes alongside others to comfort, challenge, and motivate them to live out truth. Together, these (along with the other spiritual gifts that we'll cover in the messages to come) ensure God’s people are instructed, supported, and strengthened to follow Him faithfully.
Discover God's Gifts as a Key to Unlocking Your Purpose – part 2
March 8, 2026 • Chris Cannon • 1 Corinthians 12:1–11
God has given every believer spiritual gifts—divine abilities empowered by the Holy Spirit for effective ministry. Like an unopened gift, these abilities must be discovered and used. Spiritual gifts are part of God’s design for each believer and are meant to serve others and strengthen the church. The journey with our gifts follows three phases: discovery, development, and deployment. We begin by learning from Scripture what gifts are and how God distributes them. Then we develop them through practice, learning, and service. Finally, we deploy them to bless others and advance God’s kingdom. Scripture teaches that gifts differ but come from the same Spirit, are empowered by God, and are given for the benefit of all. As each believer faithfully uses their gift, the church grows and God is glorified.
Discover God's Gifts as a Key to Unlocking Your Purpose – part 1
March 1, 2026 • Chris Cannon • Psalm 139:13–16
God has uniquely designed each believer with a divine purpose and specific spiritual gifts to invest in His kingdom. We are created in His image—our personality, temperament, and abilities are intentional, not accidental—and God equips each of us with spiritual gifts at the moment we trust Christ as Savior. These gifts are supernatural graces given by the Holy Spirit to build up the body of Christ, not for personal glory but for service, unity, and advancing God’s redemptive work. Every gift reflects God’s sovereign design and calls us to embrace how He made us, thank Him for our identity, and seek how to use our gifts faithfully. As stewards of this spiritual capital, we answer to God for how we invest what He’s given us.
The Importance of Being Faithful
February 22, 2026 • Chris Cannon • Matthew 25:14–30
The Parable of the Talents teaches that God entrusts every believer with unique gifts, abilities, and resources according to His wisdom. These gifts are not marks of personal value but tools for faithful service in His kingdom. God will one day ask each of us, “What did you do with what I gave you?” The faithful servants immediately invested and multiplied what they were given, demonstrating urgency and obedience. In contrast, the servant who buried his talent acted with laziness and in fear, and was judged unfaithful. Jesus calls us to steward our gifts with faith and diligence, using them to serve Him and others. Faithfulness now leads to reward and joy in His presence.
Fellowship: The Transforming Power of the Body Gathered
February 15, 2026 • Chris Cannon • Hebrews 10:24–25
In Hebrews 10:24–25, believers are urged not to neglect gathering together, because fellowship is God’s design for spiritual transformation. Like a gym produces physical change through consistent commitment, the church is where believers grow through shared life in Christ. According to 1 John, our fellowship is first with God through Jesus, then with one another. Jesus prayed for our unity in John 17, and 1 Corinthians 12 shows we are one body with diverse, interdependent members. The early church in Acts 2 modeled worship, generosity, and shared life. Through gathering, we spur one another toward Christlike love and beautiful good works, growing together in faith and joy.
The Heart of Worship
February 8, 2026 • Chris Cannon • Romans 12:1
This sermon explains that true worship is a joyful, humble response to God’s immeasurable worth. Scripture shows that when people encounter God, they respond with reverence, service, and praise. Worship begins by understanding who God is—both transcendent, exalted above creation, and immanent, intimately involved with His people through Christ. Because worship reflects God’s worthiness, the heart of the worshiper matters most. Genuine worship flows from obedience, repentance, and wholehearted devotion rather than empty rituals, as illustrated by Cain and Abel and Jesus’ teaching on worshiping in spirit and truth. Believers are called to present their lives as living sacrifices, offering daily obedience. Worship is expressed through personal and corporate praise, focusing our attention, love, and loyalty on God alone.
The Priority of Prayer, part 2
February 1, 2026 • Chris Cannon • Philippians 4:6–7
Growth 101: Getting the Basics Right focuses on the how-to of prayer, not just the idea of praying. Prayer can feel confusing if no one shows us how. While spontaneous prayer is good, Scripture calls us to consistent, focused prayer, modeled by Daniel. This sermon introduces the ACTS model as a simple, biblical framework for prayer: Adoration (praising God for who He is), Confession (agreeing with God about our sin to restore fellowship), Thanksgiving (cultivating gratitude and humility), and Supplication (bringing requests to God for His glory and our good). Using Scripture to guide each part helps believers pray confidently, consistently, and in the Spirit as they grow in their relationship with God.
The Priority of Prayer, part 1
January 18, 2026 • Chris Cannon • Ephesians 6:18
Prayer is making requests of God from faith, seeking His glory and the greatest good. Growth in prayer begins by praying in the Spirit, which requires new birth in Christ and growing maturity through God’s Word. The Spirit gives God’s perspective, shaping our motives and desires so we ask rightly. We pray with confidence because Jesus opened the way to God’s throne of grace, where mercy and grace await us, not condemnation. Our confidence rests in Christ, not ourselves. Prayer must also be consistent, a daily priority like Daniel’s faithful example (Dan 6:10). Finally, we pray biblically, letting God’s Word guide our requests so they align with His will. As we abide in Christ and His Word, this makes prayers fruitful, God-centered, effective.
