Author of Read the Bible For Life and our LIFEstory Reading Guide, we are so pleased to welcome Dr. George Guthrie of Union University in Tennessee.  As he shares a message from the book of Hebrews, one of Dr. Guthrie’s areas of expertise, you will be inspired and encouraged with a look into the dynamics of community.

On this Missions Sunday we have the privilege of hearing from one of our overseas missionaries.  No video of this message will be posted because of the sensitive nature of his ministry and location.

Former Faith Bible Church elder and 6-time cancer survivor John Sustek gives his inspiring testimony of how God has used his medical challenges to transform his life and fill him with joy that he can’t explain, but can’t stop sharing with others.

The dark night of Friday… through the silent Saturday, bursts into the glorious light of Sunday Morning.  The tomb is empty and Jesus is alive.  He is Risen!  He is Risen Indeed! Looking through the lens of Romans 8 we see that the Resurrection of Jesus kills the monster of hopelessness by drowning it in LIFE.

Balancing sorrow and joy, we come to the darkest night of the year.  As we remember all that the Lord Jesus did for us on the cross, purchasing our salvation, we look at a 700 year old prophecy from Isaiah.  In it we see the premiere statement about the coming Messiah, the Suffering Servant, the Sacrifice and King.

At the beginning of Passion Week, we take a look at Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on that Sunday so long ago.  The Gospel of John helps us see the event in all of its significance and splendor.

Dr. Larry Moyer, Founder and CEO of EvanTell, answers the question: “What kind of a person do you need to be to lead someone to Jesus Christ?”

Special message for Missions Sunday by Greg Parsons, Global Director, US Center for World Mission

Servant. There are two words in the New Testament used over 300 times to express this Biblical truth. Diakoneo, which means “to minister,” is where we get the word deacon, and Douleo, which means “slave or to serve, to submit or to obey.” Douleo is what Paul calls himself in relation to Christ. Christ displays His servant heart in the Upper Room when He washed the disciples feet. Paul calls us to serve others. What does being a servant look like today?

Each year, just before the beginning of the school year, we pause for a Sunday and focus our corporate services and message on the vision God has given our church family, with specific attention on the steps we will take in the next year to realize this great vision.  So for many months our pastoral team has been prayerfully working towards a clear picture of the emphasis God has for us this year, something we call our strategy.  Our eight core values define who we are and they never change.  Our vision describes where we are headed.  Our strategy determines how we get there.

In this sermon we find a fresh response to the same values and vision God has given us for many decades now.  We want to sing our “new song” in a way that echoes God’s leading to focus on discipleship and mission in this new year.

In a stand-alone message, Teaching Pastor Scot Pollok walks through one of King David’s most memorable and passionate songs, Psalm 103.  In it we find a magnificent God, a realistic look at our broken heart and a powerful reminder of how we overcome through Christ.

On our Missions Sunday, Dr. David Mabry leads our time in God’s Word with a comparison of common attitudes we take towards God’s gentle yet consistent call for us to go, trust, adventure, serve and love.

One of our beloved missionaries, Jim Adams, Rector of Seteca Seminary in Guatemala City, Guatemala, brings us a refreshing message from Ephesians chapter two.

We are so pleased and excited to hear a special message from our student pastor Mark Cornelison, former contestant on The Biggest Loser.  As Mark relates his experiences on the show through the lens of Jesus’ words in Matthew 6, we get to hear just some of the amazing stories of what God did in Mark’s life and what God did through Mark while on the ranch.  This seven month adventure was much more than just weight loss.  It was life change, ministry, reformation and the joy of being used by a very Big God.

Our new friend Buddy Shuh, community pastor from Wayne, Michigan, and his family joined our family for a weekend of interaction over the latest season of The Biggest Loser.  Buddy and his brother joined our youth pastor Mark Cornelison and his son Chism on the show, Buddy and Mark surviving until near the end.  All three join a packed house for a time of some “behind the scenes” and “off camera” stories that will inspire and amaze you.  Buddy begins our evening by sharing a bit of his personal story.

What does the resurrection of Christ truly offer the world?  We see in the brief but powerful words of Paul that the resurrection both validates all that Jesus said and did in his earthly ministry. What is more, as we identify with Christ in his death we find that we are also raised with Christ to a brand new life. To illustrate we take a common symbol of religion and flip it on its head.

Using the temple as a guide, Teaching pastor Scot Polok takes us through a solemn reflection of what Jesus Christ endured, offered and accomplished on that dark and glorious Friday.

In this special sermon, Teaching Pastor Scot takes us from Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Sunday all the way to the intimate and ultimate Passover meal with his best friends on Thursday night.  As we experience that “last supper” together as a family, we work hard to place ourselves there in the room that evening – perhaps even leaning back on the chest of Jesus as John did.

In this second sermon in our Sharing Our Hope equipping time, Teaching Pastor Scot Pollok studies Paul’s statement about the simple Gospel.  It is beautiful in its simplicity and heavy in its cost.  Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried and rose on the third day according to the Scriptures.  We can have eternal life and forgiveness of sins by trusting in Him.  That’s it.  One condition: faith.  Our job is to present that simple message without complication, without adding or taking away and in the role of “witness.”

Adult Pastor Gavin Carrier brings the first of a two-part pause in our study of the book of Acts in order to focus on evangelism.  In this message Gavin focuses in on the messenger – you and I.  With a great look at 1 Thessalonians 2, we see how extremely important our heart and perspective are in the great and joyous task of evangelism.

Executive Pastor, Dr. Bill Yarger leads us through 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.  He shares how Christianity stands alone from all other major world “religions” with a simple, yet profound truth – grace.  Be encouraged as we affirm that what the world calls weakness, God transforms into strength through our humility and dependence on Him.

In short, the world says: Deny your weakness. Avoid your weakness. Overcome your weakness. Fix your weakness.

Jesus says: Welcome your weakness, let it humble you. Bring your weakness to me in prayer. The weaker you are, the greater the demonstration of My power. Acknowledge your weakness, embrace it, tell others about it. Quit trying to be strong, get used to being
weak.

One of our old friends and one of the most loved professors at Dallas Theological Seminary, Dr. Scott Horrell shares a heart-felt message from Luke 10.  Drawing from his many years as a missionary in South America and countless experiences sharing the gospel and loving people before and since, Dr. Horrell challenges us with the words of Christ himself.  If we go…we will grow…others will experience Jesus…and God will be glorified.

In Exodus 12, at the first Passover, God instructed Israel that the new meal He was about to institute among them was not only to be a consistent and annual memorial throughout their generations, but it was also supposed to rearrange their calendar.  This month would become the FIRST month for them.  It was that important.  What better way to begin a new year than to remember and celebrate God’s glorious revelation from first Passover to Passover in the time of Jesus, and from Last Supper to the Lord’s Supper in the early church.  We begin our new year with a memorable meal – the most important meal.

On this special Christmas Day service, Teaching Pastor Scot Pollok takes a look at the familiar story of Luke 2…but after the familiar section.  We focus in on the shepherds in the fields around Bethlehem: the unclean, forgotten outcasts of religious society that were likely caring for the special group of lambs that were raised for Passover sacrifice.  These humble men were the first worshippers of the infant Jesus and the first missionaries of His incarnation.

After this service, over 300 members of the Faith Bible Family sacrificed special time with their family to go and GIVE Christmas away, visiting fire stations, emergency rooms, elderly and independent living facilities and shut in families.  It was a sight to behold: humble sinners giving of themselves because a humble Savior first Gave Himself.