Sunday
SEPTEMBER 20

Dear Church Family,
What a blessing it was to gather together this past Sunday. The presence of God was evident among us, and we trust that the Word spoken continues to work in your hearts throughout the week.

JOY THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING

You do not have to wait until circumstances change to walk in that joy.  You can fight with your words, declare the goodness of God, and choose to praise Him even when it is hard.  Joy is, as one great Christian writer put it, the serious business of heaven!

Takeaways:

• _{The joy of the Lord is something we must actively pursue and protect. Just as Philip preached in Samaria and great joy filled that city as people were set free, we too must guard our minds against the subtle suggestions of the enemy that would rob us of that joy. Examining our thoughts and measuring them against the truth of God's Word is a daily discipline that keeps us walking in freedom.}
• _{Faith in God is of greater worth than gold, as described in 1 Peter 1:7, where the proven genuineness of faith is said to result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Our faith gets God's attention and moves him to action in ways that no amount of money or human effort ever could. We are called to believe what the Bible says, speak what the Bible says, and live from the position of victory that Christ has already won for us.}
• _{Practicing praise and thanksgiving, even when we do not feel like it, is one of the most powerful weapons available to us. What might feel like a "fake laugh" is better understood as a faith laugh, a deliberate act of trust in a good God. When we declare the goodness of God, recite who we are in Christ, and give him thanks regardless of our circumstances, we stir up the joy within us and become a witness of that joy to everyone around us, our families, our coworkers, and the people God places in our path every single day.}

Sunday
SEPTEMBER 6

Dear Church Family,
What a powerful time we had together this past Sunday. The Spirit of God moved in a remarkable way, and we trust that the Word spoken is continuing to work in each of your hearts. We wanted to share a brief recap of the message so you can carry it with you throughout the week.

BORN AGAIN AND RENEWED

The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to you today. Feed on the Word. Surround yourself with people who speak life. And trust the One who said, "I have come that you might have life."

Takeaways:

• _{Being born again is not about church membership or mental agreement with doctrine. It is a genuine, heart-level decision to receive Jesus Christ as Savior, and it results in your spirit becoming alive to God.}
• _{God will never force his will on you. He influences, he draws, he provides every resource -- but the choice to receive and walk with him is always yours.}
• _{Your body and your mind do not automatically change when you are born again. You must actively offer your body to God and intentionally renew your mind through his Word.}
• _{The old self -- with all its patterns of thinking, harmful habits, and broken relationships -- was crucified with Christ. That is not just a poetic idea; it is a spiritual reality you can speak over your life and draw strength from daily.}
• _{Who and what you allow to influence your thinking matters enormously. The people you spend time with, the content you consume, and the words you meditate on will either feed the life of God in you or work against it.}
• _{God confirms his Word. He is still a healer, still a deliverer, and still a miracle worker for those who believe and expect to receive.}

Sunday
AUGUST 23, 2026

Dear Friends and Family,
This past Sunday, we were reminded of one of the most foundational truths of our faith: God is not our oppressor. He is our deliverer. Whether you were with us in person or joining us from home, we pray this recap encourages your heart and strengthens your walk with the Lord!

GOD'S GOT YOU!

Takeaways:

• _{God is not the source of your oppression. One of the enemy's greatest strategies is to convince believers that God is punishing them or has abandoned them. Scripture and the testimony of the Holy Spirit both affirm the opposite: God is a liberator, not an oppressor, and His unfailing love sustains us even when our footing feels uncertain.}
• _{The Holy Spirit is your ever-present helper. Jesus interceded on our behalf so that the Father would send the Holy Spirit to dwell within every born-again believer. Learning to quiet ourselves and listen to that inward witness, rather than relying solely on our natural reasoning, is one of the most important disciplines of the Christian life.}
• _{God raises up deliverers for His people. Just as He anointed David to free Israel, just as He reached down to an eleven-year-old boy named Mike Evans in a moment of desperate crisis, and just as He broke through Jan Crouch's depression with a dream of the laughing Christ, God is faithful to bring rescue in His own way and in His own time. Do not give up on Him. He has not given up on you.}