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By Pastor Chad Salvation brings about a radical transformation in one’s life. Meeting Jesus tends to upend the way one lives. One goes from being dead to alive. There isn’t just a spiritual change, however, (as amazing as that is); there is also a change in one’s status. Salvation means one becomes part of a “chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession…” (1 Peter 2:9). What does it mean to be a part of a holy nation and a royal priesthood?

By Pastor Chad Though the vine and branches analogy is a popular metaphor, it is rarely seen as a picture of the church. But that’s exactly what it is. All who are connected to the vine, Jesus, are part of the Church. The vine sustains, nourishes, and cultivates the branches—as long as the branches stay connected. Jesus is the lifeblood of the Church. In fact, without Him, there is no Church. The analogy carries with it certain meanings. One important emphasis is those conn

By Pastor Chad I once read a social media post that maligned anyone who considered himself a sheep; such a depiction, the author of the post bemoaned, means one is weak and a slave. To the charges as credited, I say: guilty! I am weak and in need of someone other than myself to guide me along the path of righteousness. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you are part of the flock of Christ. What does that mean? What implications follow from such a position? One of the mos

By Pastor Chad Our bodies are created to work a certain way. They are designed to function in a particular manner. If one part of the body doesn’t work correctly, that impacts other parts of the body. For example, if the left foot doesn’t move the way it is designed, it impedes the function of the body. Or, if a thumb is severed from the hand, the hand suffers and the thumb dies. All of these realities help emphasize the analogy of the church Paul uses in 1 Corinthians 12:12-

By Pastor Chad Last week, we began our fall sermon series “Ecclesia: A Biblical Picture of the Church.” We are looking at the biblical descriptions and pictures given to us about the church so that we can better understand the church's nature, function, and purpose. One of my goals with this series is that we will have a better understanding of what the local church is all about, a better understanding of the purpose of the local church, and a greater love for what it is God

By Pastor Chad By its very nature, faith is a quality that is demonstrated within the life of the believer. One cannot keep true faith contained. It pours out like a waterfall of grace flowing from an infinite divine source. Though never perfected in this life, faith is displayed in a variety of ways. Some of the greatest examples of a properly expressed faith can be found in the lives of the Old Testament saints. On Sunday morning, we looked at one of those saints discussed

by Pastor Chad A flourishing faith trusts the sovereignty of God even when His plans are contrary to our human understanding and out of our control. As Christians, we believe God is sovereign over all the universe. What we mean by that is God is in control of everything. God maintains and orchestrates His will in all things. He plans, designs, and ordains all of creation for His purpose and desire. Nothing can thwart His will, and nothing can change His plan. In Hebrews 11:

by Pastor Chad Many stories and statements within Scripture have been bandied about and discussed in both the secular and religious worlds. One episode, however, that has garnered the attention of philosophers, religious scholars, historians, and observant readers is the perplexing story of Abraham being commanded by God to offer his promised son, Isaac, as a sacrifice to the Lord. Why would God, who has never demanded a human sacrifice, and in fact forbids it in Sacred Scri

by Pastor Chad One of the most difficult, most arduous sporting competitions in existence is ultramarathon racing. An ultramarathon is any race that exceeds the length of a marathon (which is 26.2 miles). In each ultra, there are aid stations strategically and mercifully located throughout the race course. These aid stations provide respite, help, nourishment, and medical services. So, for example, if someone is running a 100 mile ultramarathon, there will be aid stations set

by Pastor Chad If your faith doesn’t manifest itself in an obedient life, then you do not have a biblical faith. Such a claim may shock you–maybe even offend you–but it is true. For too long we in the evangelical world have watered down the call of Christ to simply a magical incantation: simply walk an aisle and say a prayer, then you are saved. Such a false description of biblical salvation has damned thousands of souls–if not more. Where is such a picture given in Scripture

by Pastor Chad Hard work is an American virtue. To accomplish anything great, hard work is required. This notion is immensely valuable in any job or academic pursuit. Furthermore, such a mindset is a Christian virtue. To defend such a statement, there are passages like Proverbs 14:23, “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.” Being a hard worker, in other words, is a good character quality. Yet, there is a spiritual danger such a mindset may produce.

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