Let's not long for the good-ol'-days but let's be wise to recognize that there are some things that churches cannot do without. Don't make the mistake of glamorizing the early church. We often think if we could travel back in time and be a part of the first-century church then we would be content. Just remember that it didn't take long before numerous challenges and dangers arose among those early Christians. Having said that, the idea of going back to the first-few-months church has some appeal. In those embryonic moments of the first assembly of believers, there are some core components that modern churches do well to attain. Sound teaching, committed community, spiritual power and healthy numerical growth were all taking place among Christians who had little organization and no ministry structure. This message helps us revisit what can be easily lost in our modern era.
Becoming the Church
Acts 2:42-47
March 23, 2014 • Jeff Lyle
Love, Tell, Help Nations
June 8, 2014 • Jeff Lyle
Getting the gospel of Jesus Christ out to other people groups is part of the mission of the Church. After our conversion we begin to minister to those in our peer group, our family and our community. This message takes a panoramic look at why engaging in missions is essential to the history and future of the Church.
When Policy Undercuts Purpose
June 1, 2014 • Jeff Lyle
One day, Jesus Christ caused a scene in a synagogue, threw the order of service out the window, never finished his sermon and set a woman free from nearly two decades of spiritual and physical slavery. Sounds exciting, but the people in charge had a fit about it and the interaction between them and Jesus reveals that the Son of God did not come to earth to preserve religious preferences. Jesus came to transform people. This message gives you the opportunity to discover whether his or her own personal policies are undercutting the purposes of God in our generation.
Reaching the Elite
May 25, 2014 • Jeff Lyle
In 1990, billionaire Ted Turner received the Humanist of the Year Award from a group of atheists. The primary reason was because he had commented earlier that year to a group of reporters that “Christianity is a religion for losers.” We may be tempted to believe that the educated, successful wealthy people around us are not interested in spiritual truth. What is the Church of Jesus Christ doing to reach the elite?