Sermons on Spiritual Growth
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: When the Fire Fell (Acts 2:1-13)
In Acts 2, everything changes. A small group of believers—waiting, praying, and unsure of what comes next—suddenly experience the unstoppable शक्ति of God. Wind. Fire. Languages. And a movement is born that will change the world forever. But not everyone responds the same way. Some are amazed. Some are curious. Some… explain it away. And that raises the question for us today: What do you do when God moves? In this message from Preaching Minister Gordon Dabbs, Ph.D., we explore…
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…
Strong Foundation
At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 7, Jesus talks about two builders. Two houses: one house stood… the other collapsed. Matthew 7.24 (ESV) Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. A life built on Jesus and the words of Jesus is built to last. A life can look strong and still be fragile. Successful and still be hollow.…
Mary: The Lord’s Servant
Christmas is not primarily about how we find God—it’s about how God finds us. In this Advent message by Preaching Minister Gordon Dabbs, Ph.D., we step into the story of Mary, a young woman from an unremarkable town who became part of the greatest story ever told. Through humor, Scripture, and thoughtful reflection, this sermon explores how God works through ordinary lives, unlikely circumstances, and simple obedience. Mary didn’t have impressive credentials—but she had a willing heart. And when she…
Anna – No Expiration Date on Faith
What do you do when waiting becomes a way of life? In this Advent message from Preaching Minister Gordon Dabbs, Ph.D., we meet Anna—an elderly widow whose quiet, faithful devotion placed her at the exact moment God revealed the Messiah. After decades of waiting, praying, and worshiping, Anna shows us that faith doesn’t retire, hope doesn’t expire, and God is still at work in the hidden seasons of life. This sermon explores: If you’ve ever felt overlooked, worn down by…