Message Us!

Is there a difference between hearing God's Word and truly listening to it? This powerful message explores Acts 13:13-52, revealing how our engagement with Scripture determines its impact on our lives.

Pastor Chris begins by challenging us to examine our tendency to passively hear rather than actively listen, using Abraham Lincoln's wisdom that listening carefully trumps speaking eloquently. Through Paul's sermon at Antioch in Pisidia, we discover three crucial elements required for transformative listening: remembrance, recognition, and response.

When we remember that history has divine purpose—that God actively worked through Israel's story from the patriarchs through King David—we understand that events aren't random but divinely directed. Every moment in history points toward Jesus, giving our own stories profound meaning within God's redemptive narrative.

True listening also requires recognizing Jesus as the promised Messiah. Paul demonstrates how Christ fulfilled hundreds of detailed prophecies—an astronomical mathematical impossibility unless Jesus truly is who He claimed to be. The resurrection stands as the cornerstone of this truth, with eyewitness testimony that changed the course of history.

Most critically, genuine listening demands response. The gospel offers forgiveness that the law could never provide, but it also brings warning—you can love Christ and follow Him joyfully, or reject Him and face judgment, but neutrality is impossible. The contrasting reactions of Jews and Gentiles in Antioch demonstrate these stark alternatives.

This message strikes at the heart of superficial Christianity. Do we walk away from sermons nodding in agreement but unchanged? Or does our encounter with God's Word lead to transformation that lasts beyond Sunday morning? The gospel welcomes everyone—regardless of background, ethnicity, or past—but it requires more than passive acknowledgment.

Whether you're questioning faith or have heard sermons for decades, today is the day to truly listen. The eternal King invites your response. What will yours be?

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Message Us!

The people we surround ourselves with shape who we become. Pastor Ben takes us through Acts 13:4-12, exploring the powerful confrontation between Paul and Bar-Jesus, a false prophet who opposed the gospel message despite his impressive-sounding credentials.

Drawing from the timeless wisdom that "show me your friends and I'll show you your future," this message examines how the influences in our lives—whether people, media, or entertainment—can either draw us closer to Christ or pull us away. Through personal stories and biblical insights, Pastor Ben challenges us to evaluate whether what we allow into our lives is moving us toward spiritual growth or hindering our journey.

Are you surrounding yourself with people and influences that make you more like Christ? Join us as we explore how to build a life centered on godly influences and become life-giving influences for others.

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Message Us!

Discover the transformative spiritual practice that's hiding in plain sight throughout Scripture yet rarely discussed in modern churches. Fasting—mentioned over 60 times in the Bible and practiced by Jesus himself—has largely disappeared from our spiritual conversations despite its profound impact on our relationship with God.

What makes this ancient discipline so powerful? Unlike other spiritual practices, fasting uniquely demonstrates our desire for God above all else by temporarily setting aside His good gifts (typically food) to focus more fully on Him. As Augustine wrote, fasting is "for Christians what exercise is for the athlete," strengthening us for life's battles and sharpening our spiritual sight.

Our journey through Acts 13 reveals how the early church at Antioch was "worshiping the Lord and fasting" when the Holy Spirit directed them to commission Paul and Barnabas for missionary work. This pivotal moment in church history—the launching of the first missionary journey—emerged directly from a time of corporate fasting. The text mentions fasting twice in just three verses, highlighting its significance in hearing God's voice with clarity.

Will you accept the challenge to rediscover what generations of faithful believers have known? Your spiritual journey might be transformed by what you discover when you fast.

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