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Triumphing Over Temptation the Jesus Way
How well do we fair when we encounter temptation? Satan tempted even Jesus in an effort to defeat Him before He could fulfill His calling. This is the bottom line of all temptation--to keep us from fulfilling all that God has for us to do. We see in the account of one of Jesus' temptations that He was able to overcome even at His weakest, most vulnerable state, to show us that we also can overcome. From that account in Luke 4:1 - 13, Pastor Chris points out five aspects of temptation and shows how, following Christ's example, we can overcome also.
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- Oct 2, 2022Triumphing Over Temptation the Jesus Way
Triumphing Over Temptation the Jesus WayHow well do we fair when we encounter temptation? Satan tempted even Jesus in an effort to defeat Him before He could fulfill His calling. This is the bottom line of all temptation--to keep us from fulfilling all that God has for us to do. We see in the account of one of Jesus' temptations that He was able to overcome even at His weakest, most vulnerable state, to show us that we also can overcome. From that account in Luke 4:1 - 13, Pastor Chris points out five aspects of temptation and shows how, following Christ's example, we can overcome also.
- Sep 25, 2022Getting Past Your Giants
Getting Past Your GiantsAs the Israelites approached the Promised Land, twelve spies were sent in to survey it. All twelve saw the same things on their mission, but two of the twelve came back with a radically different conclusion, based on their faith in God. In this message, Pastor Chris looks at this account in Numbers 13:30 - 14:4 of the spies expedition. He breaks down the different conclusions of those spies and how we can live our lives with the Caleb and Joshua attitude, the attitude of faith in God. Having great faith does not mean that life will be a cake-walk, but it does mean that as we walk with God, we will be overcomers. Pastor Chris lays out five points on how to practically apply slaying the "giants" in our life. But first, we hear from Jonathan and Alisa Lade, Chi Alpha missionaries to Ivy Tech. You can find out more about them here.
- Sep 11, 2022The Three Faces of Discipleship
The Three Faces of DiscipleshipWhat exactly does it mean to be a "Christian"? In our increasingly humanistic culture, believers have had to add qualifiers to the phrase "I am a Christian", muddying the waters of all that entails. We need to come back to the basics of being a follower of Jesus--being a disciple. In this message, Pastor Chris does just that; he points out the three facets of being a true disciple based on Jesus' own words in Mark 12:28 - 31.
- Sep 4, 2022The Hillary Step
The Hillary Step“It’s not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.” –Sir Edmund Hillary. The greatest obstacle we will overcome in our spiritual walk is ourselves. As Paul admonishes us in 1 Corinthians 9:24 - 27, we must be mindful of our conduct and behavior so as not to lose the race. Pastor Chris highlights this passage to encourage us to maintain a circumspective attitude in our own lives so that we may obtain that great and glorious imperishable crown and hear the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
- Aug 28, 2022Kicking the Worry Habit
Kicking the Worry HabitWorry is constantly going between doubt and faith. Worry is being consumed with stuff that is of less importance than the eternal. Worry will choke, strangle and neutralize our faith if we do not break the habit. In this message, Pastor Chris gives three steps to breaking the worry habit, based on a portion of Jesus' sermon on the mount, found in Matthew 6:19 - 34. He encourages us to learn to cast ALL our care upon Jesus because He cares for us. In doing this, we will live truly free, unburdened lives for the glory and honor of Christ.
- Aug 14, 2022Rise & Be Healed
Rise & Be HealedWe serve a God of healing. In fact, one of His covenant Names with the Israelites, found in Exodus, is Jehovah Rapha, the Lord Who Heals. Throughout the Old and New Testament, we can find powerful promises of God's healing work in the lives of His people. In this continuation of "Breakthrough" messages, Pastor Chris looks at breakthrough in our health and body, referencing Jesus' encounter with the paralytic in Matthew 9:1 - 8. Pastor Chris lays out three points from this passage that highlight how we experience healing in our lives.
- Aug 7, 2022The Basics of Breakthrough
The Basics of BreakthroughThere are times in our lives when we experience unbelievable victory and breakthrough. But there are also times when we must work through and persevere to the next breakthrough. We must work through the process God has for us to see that next breakthrough and we must understand that as we begin to step into what God has for us, the enemy will raise up a level of resistance. How do we handle that resistance? In this message, Pastor Chris highlights strategies from 2 Samuel 5:17 - 25, from the life of King David, that we can employ to be victorious and experience our breakthroughs.
- Jul 31, 2022Identity – Who You Are In Christ
Identity – Who You Are In ChristIn this message, we hear from guest ministers Wade and Connie Urban of Restoration Ministries. Teaching from Mark 10:46 - 52, Wade looks at the encounter Bartimaeus had with Jesus. Bartimaeus knew the covenant promises but they were not operating in his life and he lost hope, until he began hearing about Jesus. Just as Bartimaeus' eyes were opened, ours need to be opened to what we have in the here and now, through Jesus Christ. We do not have to wait for the "sweet by and by" to walk in all that Jesus accomplished for us through the cross and His resurrection.
- Jul 24, 2022Sowing and Reaping
Sowing and ReapingWhen God created the universe, He established laws by which to govern it. These laws are fixed, absolute and predictable. In this message, Pastor Chris looks at one of the most important of those laws in Galatians 6:7 - 9--the law of sowing and reaping. From these verses, he highlights five basic principles of the law of sowing and reaping.
- Jul 17, 2022When Christ Returns
When Christ ReturnsThe New Testament contains more than 300 prophecies regarding the second coming of Jesus Christ. That means 1 out of every 25 verses reassures us of His return. In those prophecies, much is shrouded in mystery and sealed up for the very end. But there is one clear fact: Jesus IS going to return visibly, literally and victoriously! In this timely message, Pastor Chris encourages us from 1 Thessalonians 4:14 - 5:11 regarding the rapture of the Church. Whether or not we agree on the timeline of events, we can agree on the surety of Christ's return and we need to recapture the understanding, as the early Church had, that Jesus could return at any moment and we need to be ready and hold on to this "blessed hope".
Audio Message Series
James: A How-To Guide to Christian Maturity
Speaking In Tongues?
Interestingly, to show the evidence of Holy Spirit's infilling, God chose to use the tongue--a member of the body that is described in James 3:5 as capable of defiling the whole body. Although, in and of ourselves, we are unable to control the tongue, God uses it as this evidence to show our dependence on Him to reign in its capabilities. In this message, Pastor Chris lays out three points from James 3:1 - 12 that will guide us in our journey to control the tongue and use it for good rather than evil.
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- May 22, 2022Speaking In Tongues?
Speaking In Tongues?Interestingly, to show the evidence of Holy Spirit's infilling, God chose to use the tongue--a member of the body that is described in James 3:5 as capable of defiling the whole body. Although, in and of ourselves, we are unable to control the tongue, God uses it as this evidence to show our dependence on Him to reign in its capabilities. In this message, Pastor Chris lays out three points from James 3:1 - 12 that will guide us in our journey to control the tongue and use it for good rather than evil.
- May 1, 2022Working Out
Working OutWe really only have control over two things in our life--our attitude and our effort. Although we are saved by grace, true salvation is evidenced in our works. In this message, Pastor Chris continues the journey through James with James 2:14 - 26 and discusses how the ideas of "saved by grace" and "faith without works is dead" are not contradictory, but rather, complimentary.
- Apr 24, 2022Beating Bias
Beating BiasDiscrimination can have all sorts of faces. But, in the Kingdom of God, we all stand on the same foundation and the Gospel is a "whosoever" Gospel. In this message, Pastor Chris continues teaching through the book James and come to James 2:1 - 13. He exhorts us to be diligent in our witness by remembering that how we treat others really determines our level of maturity as Believers.
- Apr 3, 2022Five-Legged Dogs
Five-Legged Dogs"You can call a tail a leg if you want to. But a dog will still only have four legs." -Abraham Lincoln. We are living in a time when people are trying to redefine right and wrong. In this message, Pastor Chris comes to James 1:26 - 27 in his walk through the book of James. He reminds us that it is not just what we believe that makes the difference; but how that belief affects our behavior, our living. He highlights three points from the passage that will enable us to live out "pure and undefiled religion".
- Mar 20, 2022Don’t Just Hear…DO
Don’t Just Hear…DODreams do not work unless we do. To truly make an impact with our life, we cannot just be listeners; we must transition to doers and put feet to our faith. We must come to the point where we put into practice what we have been hearing, because what we do not respond to we will lose. In his continuation of the journey through James, Pastor Chris digs into James 1:22 - 25 and exhorts us to embrace a life of doing.
- Feb 20, 2022Deconstructing the Holy Life
Deconstructing the Holy LifeAs people of the Word, we are to pursue holiness. In fact, without it we cannot see God (Hebrews 12:14). So, biblically, what does holiness look like? Is it a list of do's and don'ts, a particular dress code, a prohibition of where or with whom we can hang out? In this message, Pastor Chris lays out what a holy life looks likes, according to James 1:19 - 21, and exhorts us to live our lives by Holy Spirit and not by flesh.
- Feb 13, 2022The Goodness of God
The Goodness of GodEveryone, at some point in life, will have to walk tough roads and will have tough questions that need answers. In those moments, we will be tempted to question God's goodness. We will be tempted to believe what we feel about the situation or what we have heard someone say about the situation. In this message, Pastor Chris lays out the strategy, referencing James 1:16 - 18, for standing in faith and believing what God says about the situation. Pastor Chris reminds us that God is our Source to meet any and every need we have.
- Feb 6, 2022L.S.D.
L.S.D.Evangelist R. G. Lee once said, "Sin will always take your farther than you want to go; it will always cost you more that you want to pay; and it will always keep you longer than you want to stay." No one is exempt from temptation and being tempted is not sinning. Acting on the the temptation is where the sin lies. In this message, Pastor Chris teaches from James 1:12 - 15, laying out the deathly progression: lust → sin → death. He reminds us though, that enduring through the crucible of temptation brings the crown of reward.
- Jan 16, 2022Christian Counterculture
Christian CountercultureIs there a solution to the problem of poverty? As Pastor Chris looks at James 1:9 - 11, he digs into this question, reminding us that God has blessed us to be a blessing. God has no problem with people having things; but He does have a problem with those things not being used to help others. The antithesis to poverty is not material prosperity; the antithesis to poverty is enough. The Church must not get swept into the mainstream thought of collecting things just to have the most things. We must see our blessings as a means to bless the less fortunate.
- Jan 9, 2022Wonderful Wisdom
Wonderful WisdomWe live in a time of escalating availability and accessibility of knowledge. But, there is a world of difference between knowledge and wisdom. In this message, Pastor Chris teaches from James 1:5 - 8 the difference between knowledge and wisdom. He encourages us, as we see the world around us devolve despite the prevalence of knowledge, to have the prayer readily available on our lips, "God, give me wisdom!"
Conquering Emotional Battles Series
A Discussion About Depression
Looking at 2 Corinthians 7:2 - 16 as a jumping-off point, Pastor Chris leads a discussion regarding depression. Several ideas are discussed to answer questions such as "why do people get depressed?" and "what can be done when we are depressed?".
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- Dec 11, 2019A Discussion About Depression
A Discussion About DepressionLooking at 2 Corinthians 7:2 - 16 as a jumping-off point, Pastor Chris leads a discussion regarding depression. Several ideas are discussed to answer questions such as "why do people get depressed?" and "what can be done when we are depressed?".
- Dec 4, 2019Facing Fear
Facing FearAs Pastor Chris begins with Genesis 3:1 - 10, he points out that the first consequence of the fall was fear. Satan does not want us doing anything productive for God's kingdom and fear is one of his most potent weapons used to keep us immobile. We must learn to answer with faith when fear is knocking at our door and remember that as God has taken care of our past with His grace and mercy, He will also take care of our future.
- Nov 20, 2019Weathering Worry
Weathering WorryNowhere in Scripture do we read where God says that to show how much we care, we need to worry. In fact, as Pastor Chris shows from Matthew 6:25 - 34 and Philippians 4:4 - 7, the exact opposite is true. He points out that the antidote to worry is prayer. And it is our job to do everything in our power and leave the deficit for God to make up.
- Nov 13, 2019Surviving Stress
Surviving StressHow can we heed the exhortation found in James 1:2 - 8 to "count it all joy" as we find ourselves in the midst of life's stresses? Pastor Chris takes us through this passage and gives us three tips on how to successfully walk through life's stressful seasons.
Readying for Revival Series
Readying for Revival – Part 3
In his continuation of discussing differing reactions during revival, Pastor Chris reminds us that we should not minimize one's reaction to the glory of God. But, we also cannot make those manifestations the litmus test for determining whether or not God has moved. In this message, Pastor Chris discusses the manifestation of the travail, as referenced in Romans 8:26 - 27.
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- Mar 4, 2020Readying for Revival – Part 3
Readying for Revival – Part 3In his continuation of discussing differing reactions during revival, Pastor Chris reminds us that we should not minimize one's reaction to the glory of God. But, we also cannot make those manifestations the litmus test for determining whether or not God has moved. In this message, Pastor Chris discusses the manifestation of the travail, as referenced in Romans 8:26 - 27.
- Feb 26, 2020Readying for Revival – Part 2
Readying for Revival – Part 2In his continuation of "Readying for Revival", Pastor Chris highlights documented accounts of people's response to God's glory. He also looks as Daniel's encounter in Daniel 10:1 - 8 and reminds us that when we, as natural people, encounter the supernatural God, there is only so much we can take before there is an outward response to His glory. Ultimately, our goal is not the manifestations, but rather, an encounter with God (Daniel 10:6).
- Feb 19, 2020Readying for Revival – Part 1
Readying for Revival – Part 1Do you know that you can prepare and plan for a revival? In this message, Pastor Chris expounds on the idea that "revival is not a fluke", taken from Charles Finney's book "Lectures on Revivals of Religion". It always comes in direct response to the prayers of the saints. Pastor Chris also begins to walk through some manifestations that might occur when God begins to move.
Hit the Ground Running
Hit the Ground Running – Part 4
This is Part 4 of our "Hit the Ground Running" series. In this message, Bishop Phil Russell gives us four points for maturing in compassion and faith.
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- Sep 5, 2021Hit the Ground Running – Part 4
Hit the Ground Running – Part 4This is Part 4 of our "Hit the Ground Running" series. In this message, Bishop Phil Russell gives us four points for maturing in compassion and faith.
- Sep 3, 2021Hit the Ground Running – Part 3
Hit the Ground Running – Part 3This is Part 3 of our "Hit the Ground Running" series. In this message, Linda Long discusses how we can run our race effectively.
- Sep 2, 2021Hit the Ground Running – Part 2
Hit the Ground Running – Part 2This is Part 2 of our "Hit the Ground Running" series. In this message, Wade Urban, of Restoration Ministries, reminds us of our identity in Christ and how to be effective ministers of the Gospel.
- Sep 1, 2021Hit the Ground Running – Part 1
Hit the Ground Running – Part 1This is Part 1 of our "Hit the Ground Running" series. This powerful, hard-hitting message was preached by Pastor Richard Ware of Higher Praise Worship Center in Connersville, IN.
Breaking Free
Breaking Free: It’s a New Day
The word "new" fills Scripture with the understanding of the synonymousness of God's grace and power that is constantly bringing freshness to our lives. We need to avoid spiritual staleness and not allow our faith to become moldy. In this final message of the "Breaking Free" series, Pastor Chris encourages us from Isaiah 52:1 & 2, with five things that God is saying on how we can avoid the attitude of "oldness" and shake off the "weight...which so easily ensnares us".
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- Aug 29, 2021Breaking Free: It’s a New Day
Breaking Free: It’s a New DayThe word "new" fills Scripture with the understanding of the synonymousness of God's grace and power that is constantly bringing freshness to our lives. We need to avoid spiritual staleness and not allow our faith to become moldy. In this final message of the "Breaking Free" series, Pastor Chris encourages us from Isaiah 52:1 & 2, with five things that God is saying on how we can avoid the attitude of "oldness" and shake off the "weight...which so easily ensnares us".
- Aug 22, 2021Breaking Free From Shame
Breaking Free From ShameShame--that acute sense of failure, unworthiness, embarrassment, the emotional residue of sin. It can be overwhelming. In this message, Pastor Chris gives us hope from 1 John 3:19 & 20 and reminds us that Jesus came and gave His life to set us free from the residue of sin. And that there is deliverance from the shame of the past.
- Aug 15, 2021Breaking Free From Poverty
Breaking Free From PovertyJesus came to liberate all of us from the bondage of poverty--spiritual, emotional, social, and financial poverty. According to Luke 4:16 - 19, Jesus came to make us whole, completely free, not just save us from hell fire. Pastor Chris shows us that the spirit of prosperity begins with generosity and a trust in God as our Provider. And he reminds us that the reason for God's blessing on our lives is so that we can be a blessing to those around us.
- Aug 8, 2021Breaking Free From Strongholds
Breaking Free From StrongholdsThe faith life we live is a spiritual war; we are in a fight with a real enemy. Paul tells us to "fight the good fight of faith". If we are to fight and be victorious, we must learn to demolish strongholds. In this message, Pastor Chris references 2 Corinthians 10:3 - 5 and shows us five way in which we can demolish strongholds and live a victorious, though not necessarily easy, life.
- Aug 1, 2021Breaking Free From the Mundane
Breaking Free From the MundaneWe are living in an hour when people are needing and actively searching for divine direction, even if it does not come from God. Therefore, there is greater need than ever before for believers in the Church to move into the realms of the gifts. In this message, Pastor Chris, in referencing Revelation 2 and 3, urges us to have ears to hear what Spirit is saying, so that we can be the desperately needed prophetic voices, speaking God's life and wisdom into a lost and hurting world.
- Jul 25, 2021Breaking Free From Generational Curses
Breaking Free From Generational CursesIs it inevitable that we are cursed because of what someone in our family did in a previous generation? Is it possible to rise above familial or even national disfunction? In this uplifting message, Pastor Chris shows that we do not have to be bound by where we came from or by what someone else did in another time and place. Where we start does not determine where we end because of Jesus Christ and who we are in Him.
- Jul 18, 2021Breaking Free From Fear
Breaking Free From FearEveryone encounters moments in their life when fear comes and tries to take over. Pastor Chris reminds us of the powerful verse in 2 Timothy 1:7 that we can memorize and use to combat this. He also enumerates, from the parable in Matthew 25:14 - 30, what fear does and how we can overcome it to be effective for God's Kingdom.*Editor's Note: The volume may need to be turned up more than normal as there was a hardware malfunction that resulted in a lower grade recording.
- Jul 11, 2021Breaking Free From Bondage
Breaking Free From BondageLife without liberty is truly not worth living. But there are times in which we find ourselves in bondage, whether it be spiritually, emotionally, or physically. Jesus Christ came to bring us salvation, which means deliverance and freedom. In this message, Pastor Chris looks at three people from the account in Luke 13:10 - 17 and points out each one's response toward a certain bondage. He reminds us that as Believers, our mission in this world is to empower people toward freedom as Jesus demonstrated.
