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By Pastor Chad Protestant evangelicals are ardent and adamant believers in a Reformation mantra known as sola fide, which is Latin for “faith alone.” The idea is that one is saved not by human effort or work, but by faith alone. Thus, we rightly declare one is saved not by following a set of religious regulations or standards, we are saved by faith. For the most part, the term “faith” is just assumed. In other words, in our evangelistic opportunities, we just assume people un

By Pastor Chad There are some places in the world where you would be arrested for reading and professing what is to follow. Today, Christians are being persecuted–including being killed–because they profess Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. In Nigeria, Christians are being slaughtered by radical Islamic extremists. Hundreds of churches have been burned down, homes have been destroyed, and Christians have been kidnapped and tortured (Open Doors Project). We are blessed in

By Pastor Chad Our knowledge of who God is only comes through what He has revealed to us. The most unique and intimate form of revelation is through Sacred Scripture. It is in passages, such as Hebrews 10:30-31, that we learn our God is a just God. The preacher of the book of Hebrews states, “For we know him who said, ‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay.’ And again, ‘The Lord will judge his people.’ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Though it may b

By Pastor Chad The Christian life is a blessed life. It is a holy life. It is a flourishing life. But it is not always an easy life. In fact, sometimes it is downright hard. It can be difficult to follow the Lord as we are commanded. And it isn’t always easy to walk in the light while living in a dark world. Scripture is clear, however, we are to stand firm (Ephesians 6:14). Yet, we are not called to stand on our own. We are given some weapons to battle the sin that so easily

By Pastor Chad There is only one authentic way to get vitamin B12: in animal-sourced protein. According to Healthline.com, B12 is an “essential nutrient that’s almost exclusively found in animal-sourced foods, such as fish, meat, dairy products, and eggs.” Though there are synthetic supplements on the market, nothing can supply B12 like animal-source meat. Those who maintain a vegan diet are susceptible to various health complications if certain measures are not followed. Thu

By Pastor Chad Christ’s death on the cross wasn’t a mere symbol or public protest. It wasn’t an empty, pointless gesture. Christ’s death has real-life spiritual, practical implications. It did something. It still is doing something. It has an impact on lives to this very day. It may have taken place at one time–it was a once-for-all act–but its influence is eternal. In Hebrews 10, the author is completing his lengthy argument on the significance of Christ’s death and resurr

By Pastor Chad The gospel is, at the very least, the good news of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I don’t think we ever graduate beyond the gospel; in fact, it is good to be consistently reminded of the transformative power of the sacrifice of Christ. Though all Christians understand the basics of the gospel, none can fully comprehend its depth and beauty. It is a mystery saints of old have pondered and studied, yet no one has ever grasped the complete impact of t

By Pastor Chad The universe was created to be a tabernacle of worship. The very purpose of the heavens and earth was to be a domain in which God was consistently and perpetually worshiped. You—a creature created in His image—were created to worship God. This truth is evident throughout all of Scripture, and is woven into the very fabric of our existence. Let me explain. In the ancient Jewish faith, the tabernacle or temple was the center of the Jewish worship. The tabernacle

By Pastor Chad Does blood sometimes make you queasy? The Bible talks a lot about blood. In fact, Jesus mediated the new covenant by the shedding of His blood, which cleanses all who are called. Blood, however, was also part of the old covenant. The author of Hebrews references the inauguration and confirmation of the old covenant by quoting Exodus 24 . There we read that when the Mosaic covenant was confirmed, “Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of th

By Pastor Chad In the very first Christian sermon ever preached, Peter makes the death and resurrection of Jesus the main focus of the message ( Acts 2:22-32 ). We cannot overstate the impact of the resurrection. It is the culmination of all human history. And it is the greatest miracle to ever take place since creation came into existence. The resurrection changes everything about why we exist and how we live. If you believe in the resurrection – I mean truly believe – then

By Pastor Chad When I was a kid, I always hated being picked last during team selection. In the end, I found being picked last was a motivator for me to work harder and get better, but–at the time–it made me feel small and insignificant. No one wants to be the worst player on the team. No one wants to be picked last. Even as an adult, who wants to be the least valuable employee? Or who wants to be the neighbor no one ever talks to? In Christianity, we claim all human beings

By Pastor Chad We have been discussing some very difficult and complex passages over the last several weeks. If you have hung in there with us, good job! I am sometimes asked why I preach through the Bible like I do. Why don’t I skip over hard, complex passages? Why spend weeks and months explicating dense passages about which most don’t care? Such an inquiry affords me an opportunity to share with you why I preach like I do. Admittedly, some consider such a preaching method

By Pastor Chad There are quite a few mysterious and unknown features within Scripture. Few are as mysterious and unique, however, as the enigmatic figure Melchizedek. Who is Melchizedek? And what in the world does he have to do with Jesus? You all likely know that Abraham, the great patriarch of the Hebrew people, had a nephew named Lot. Abraham’s shepherds and Lot’s shepherds couldn’t get along. So, Abraham offered a piece of land around Sodom for Lot to dwell. In Genesis 1

By Pastor Chad Life is not easy. The world can be a scary place. It is natural to seek some sort of security in life. Many anchor their lives to (what is perceived to be) a reliable earthly foundation–financial stability, a secure job, or a diversified investment portfolio. What if it all vanished? What is your anchor? Where is your ultimate hope? On Sunday morning, I argued that the only sure and steadfast anchor upon which we can hope is Jesus. Why? Why should Jesus be our

By Pastor Chad Our walk with the Lord is fueled by, sustained by, and perpetually infused by the grace of God. Without His grace, we would neither be able to come to Him nor continue in the call He has placed upon our lives. This is not to overlook, however, the pressing passages that impose a standard upon those who follow Christ. Again, the same grace that saves us is the same grace that sustains us, but we are commanded to “mature” in our faith ( Hebrews 6:1 ). Thus, there

By Pastor Chad As a parent, one of my jobs is to raise my kids to be healthy, responsible adults. Though I would love if they stayed young forever, that isn’t the way things are supposed to be. In fact, if our children never did grow up, we know something would be wrong. We are all designed to grow and develop as we get older. In a similar way, as Christians, it would be unhealthy if we never matured. We are supposed to grow–that is God’s intention. I am struck by the bluntn

By Pastor Chad What is required to save your soul? What does it take to forgive your sins? What did God do so that you can be saved? The simple answer is: God sent His Son to die so that you can be saved. As we discussed on Sunday morning, Hebrews 5:8–9 says, “Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him…” Did you catch that? The source of eternal salvation is Jesus,

By Pastor Chad Sometimes reading through the Old Testament may seem laborious, but there is an important reason it is included in the Christian canon. The Old Testament points to Christ. Even what may be considered as small details and nuances of the Old Testament law and institutions, points to the redemptive work God would do through Jesus. God, in His sovereign providence, chose to use the Hebrew people to bring about His redemption to the world. And He used the culture an

By Pastor Chad Christians have many distinct and integral beliefs that make Christianity unique from all of world religions. One belief, however, that connects with the human condition is the personal nature of God. This personability of God is emphasized in the incarnation. Jesus, the Son of God, did not simply walk among us, He became one of us. And in so doing, He assumed all our human frailties and overcame our human depravity. He did this by resisting the very temptation

By Pastor Chad On Sunday morning, we highlighted that Scripture is living, active, piercingly sharp, and discerns the human heart ( Hebrews 4:12-13 ). Given the divine power infused within the script of God’s Word, it is imperative that we find ways to cultivate it into our daily lives. One such way in doing that is to have a daily devotional time. Below are some great devotions that are not only easy to use, but helpful in one’s walk with the Lord. If you would like for the