Sermons on Christian Living
Think Again: Why Are We Here (Psalm 8)
Why are we here? Is our existence simply an extraordinary accident, or is there a deeper purpose behind our lives? In this second message of our Think Again series, Preaching Minister Gordon Dabbs, Ph.D., explores some of life’s biggest questions: Why does the universe exist? What does the remarkable order of creation tell us? And what makes human life so valuable? Drawing from Genesis 1, Psalm 8, and Acts 17, we’ll discover how the Christian worldview offers compelling answers about…
Think Again: What’s your story? (Acts 17:22–31)
Everybody is living inside a story. But what if the story you’ve been telling yourself about life isn’t the whole story—or even the right one? In this opening message of our new Think Again series, Preaching Minister Gordon Dabbs, Ph.D., explores why the Christian worldview offers a compelling explanation for life’s biggest questions: Why are we here? What’s gone wrong with the world? Is there hope for things to be made right? And where is history ultimately headed? Drawing from…
Faith IRL: Faith for the Long Haul (James 5:7-20)
Starting is exciting. Finishing takes endurance. But what does faith look like when the road gets long, prayers seem unanswered, and life doesn’t go according to plan? In this final message of our Faith IRL series, Gordon Dabbs explores James 5:7–20 and the kind of faith that keeps going—even when life gets hard. Discover what it means to wait patiently, trust God’s faithfulness, pray through every season, and pursue those who have wandered from the faith. The good news? Faith…
Faith IRL: Living With Open Hands (James 4:13-17)
We make plans, set goals, and try to control what comes next. But the truth is, we have far less control over our lives than we think. In James 4:13–17, we’re reminded that life is fleeting, tomorrow is never guaranteed, and our future ultimately belongs to God. So what does it look like to live with open hands—surrendering our plans, trusting God’s wisdom, and following the leading of the Holy Spirit? In this message, Bryan Borden challenges us to examine…
Faith IRL: The War Behind the Words (James 4:1-10)
Why do we fight? Whether it’s tension in our families, disagreements at church, or conflicts in our everyday relationships, the real battle often goes much deeper than the words we exchange. In this message from our IRL (In Real Life) series, Paul Conway explores James 4:1–10 and reveals how our outward conflicts often expose an inward struggle. James challenges us to examine our desires, confront our divided hearts, and discover the transforming power of God’s grace. The fight you can…
Faith IRL: Wisdom Made Visible (James 3:13-18)
We live in a world that puts enormous energy into appearances—the right image, the right angle, the right filter. But according to James, real wisdom isn’t about looking impressive. It’s about the kind of life we produce. In “Wisdom Made Visible, Preaching Minister Gordon Dabbs, Ph.D., explores James 3:13–18 and the difference between wisdom that merely sounds good and the wisdom that comes from above. Godly wisdom is humble, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy, and visible in…
Faith IRL: Tongue Tied (James 3:1-12)
“Watch your mouth.” Turns out, our moms were onto something. James reminds us that something as small as the tongue can steer a life, start a fire, heal a wound—or create one. Our words carry enormous power, whether they’re spoken face-to-face, sent in a text, or posted online. But James takes us deeper than simply learning to have a better filter. What comes out of our mouths reveals what’s happening in our hearts. Jesus didn’t come merely to make rude…
Faith IRL: Faith That Works (James 2:14-26)
What does real faith actually look like? James 2 gives us a challenging answer: living faith doesn’t just believe—it moves. It serves. It obeys. It gets its hands dirty. In this message by Preaching Minister Gordon Dabbs, Ph.D., from our IRL: In Real Life series, we explore one of the most debated passages in the New Testament: “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” Are we saved by faith or by works? And how do James…
Faith IRL: No Favorites (James 2:1-13)
We live in a world that is constantly ranking people—by success, appearance, wealth, influence, background, and even how easy they are to like. But James says the church should be different. In James 2:1–13, we’re confronted with a challenging truth: favoritism isn’t just a manners problem—it’s a gospel problem. Grace changes the way we see people. When we remember how much mercy we’ve received from Jesus, we become people who are eager to extend that same mercy to others. In…
Church on Fire: Waiting for Power (Acts 1:1-11)
In this opening message from Preaching Minister Gordon Dabbs, Ph.D., in our Witnesses: Stories from the Book of Acts series, we step into Acts 1 and discover a powerful truth: Jesus didn’t just finish His work… He began it. And that work continues through His people—even now. Before the Spirit falls in Acts 2, there’s a moment we don’t always talk about: waiting. Waiting for the promise. Waiting for power. Waiting on the kingdom. But this isn’t passive waiting. It’s…
The True Vine
Why does life feel so busy… but still a little hollow? In this message from John 15, Jesus’ final “I AM” statement—“I am the vine; you are the branches”—speaks straight to one of our deepest needs: connection. We chase identity through success, schedules, and self-improvement, but Jesus says real life is found only when we stay connected to Him. In this sermon by Preaching Minister Gordon Dabbs, Ph.D., we explore:
True Wealth
Money. Worry. Greed. Family fights over inheritance. Sound familiar? Jesus told a story 2,000 years ago that still lands like a punch in the gut today. In this message, Gordon Dabbs unpacks the Parable of the Rich Fool and shows why our value isn’t tied to our valuables—and why barns and bank accounts can’t buy eternal life. Instead of chasing temporary treasure, Jesus calls us to be rich toward God. 📖 Scripture: Luke 12:13–21, Hebrews 4:12, 1 Timothy 6:17–19 About…
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