Flee from Sexual Immorality!
Flee from Sexual Immorality! Part 5 in the series, Building His Church: The Called-Out (Ekklesia) Wall We typically come at this subject as a negative first, without the positive side. Before you ask, ‘Is there sexual immorality?’ you need to ask the question, ‘Is there sexual morality?’ There is! That’s the part the church sometimes really struggles with. BILLY ARNOLD Download the sermon notes (adult version) Download the sermon notes (kid version)
The Erosion of Unholy Behavior
The Erosion of Unholy Behavior Part 4 in the series, Building His Church: The Called-Out (Ekklesia) Wall Is there a line in the sand? Is there a place where we say, ‘Whatever you do, don’t cross that line’? I believe there is. You know what I think it is? It’s idolatry. It’s having ‘any other god before Me’. BILLY ARNOLD Download the sermon notes (adult version) Download the sermon notes (kid version)
The Shallowness of Prestigious Christianity
The Shallowness of Prestigious Christianity Part 3 in the series, Building His Church: The Called-Out (Ekklesia) Wall Is it a crime to be young in the faith? No! … [but] what is a shame within the Body is [when] we leave that unchecked, because that shallowness will erode a congregation. The Ekklesia, the Body of Christ, will become a worthless and useless part of God’s delivery of his holy message to an unholy world. BILLY ARNOLD Download the sermon notes (adult…
Don’t Be Such a Baby!
DON’T BE SUCH A BABY! Part 2 in the series, Building His Church: The Called-Out (Ekklesia) Wall You are an individual, and Christ saves YOU, not the group. But individualism lived out this way is dangerous, deadly, and is not what the Ekklesia is. … Living selfishly—living as a child—in the Ekklesia is toxic. It’s ultimately idolatrous. Next week, in the continuation of this message, we’re going to talk about how we really grow up. Today I give you the warnings.…
Ekklesia—Called-Out Ones
Ekklesia—Called-Out Ones Part 1 in the series, Building His Church: The Called-Out (Ekklesia) Wall Why in the heck did God put his Body in this place at this time? It’s not just to have a 10:00 church service. It’s to be the Body of Christ in a garbage-dump world that is desperately in need of a savior. We’re going to learn how to do that together. … We’ll go to class together as we learn how to be the called-out ones…
Worthy of the Gospel
Worthy of the Gospel Part 5 in the series, Building His Church: The Community (Koinonia) Wall It is very possible that Christ will not return this year. But it is also very possible that this is the year he will return. And as believers, this is how we should live. It is very possible that next year in 2023, in the very first Sunday, we are not here—you are not here, I am not here—because our Christ has returned! If he…
A Christmas Weekend Message
‘I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’ That’s what Jesus said. This is our message. Jesus is our life. BILLY ARNOLD Join us for a special (snowed in!) Christmas weekend worship service, featuring music, a message from Pastor Billy, and holiday greetings from LifeWay families. View the full service above, or click on the audio link to listen. You can also View or listen to the abridged service: A…
What Child is This?
What Child is This? (A Christmas Message) The bottom line is you have to trust in Immanuel—because ‘God is with us.’ And who is that? Not just a happy, Christmas-holiday, cheerful cry, but it is literally Christ, the Son of God, who gave all things for us. … What child IS this? Who is this baby Jesus? It’s God with us. And that’s why this entire Bible is the book of Jesus. My prayer is that you’re trusting in this…
Dependent Prayer
Dependent Prayer Part 4 in the series, Building His Church: The Community (Koinonia) Wall Download the sermon notes (adult version) Download the sermon notes (kid version)
A Seat at the Table
A Seat at the Table Part 3 in the series, Building His Church: The Community (Koinonia) Wall ‘A seat at the table’ means a seat at the table of faith—because the Word of God is at the center. … To be a fully functioning follower of Christ, you sit at the table. BILLY ARNOLD Download the sermon notes (adult version) Download the sermon notes (kid version)
Devotion to the Word of God
Devotion to the Word of God Part 2 in the series, Building His Church: The Community (Koinonia) Wall Let’s make sure we raise up the value of the Word of God. … When the Koinonia [church fellowship] family took place, what did they do? The first line in [Acts 2:42-47] says they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the Word. It’s the centerpiece of the table. It is the centerpiece of our lives. BILLY ARNOLD Download the sermon notes…
The Koinonia (Κοινωνία) Wall
The Koinonia (ΚΟΙΝΩΝΊΑ) Wall Part 1 in the series, Building His Church: The Community (Koinonia) Wall Koinonia, in its simplest form…is often translated as fellowship. But it is much deeper than ‘potluck.’ … The building of this church is really about you, about me. It’s not about ‘the orator’—it’s about us. It’s about the family of faith, who are willing to commit to God’s plan, in God’s way, in all of this. BILLY ARNOLD Download the sermon notes (adult version) Download…
We are Ambassadors
We are Ambassadors Part 4 of the series, oBEdient [God] calls us to go anywhere that Jesus isn’t already known. Whether you go across the street or across the world, it is going to take effort. It is going to take time. And it’s probably going to be uncomfortable. There will be a cost—but we have to go. That’s what ambassadors are. HEATHER ALTHOFF Download the sermon notes (adult version)
We are Witnesses
We are Witnesses Part 3 of the series, oBEdient We are witnesses—so we share what we’ve experienced. We have no other choice. We do it because that’s who we are. We do it because we’re called in a long line of witnesses empowered by the Holy Spirit. And we do it despite the barriers that we experience. HEATHER ALTHOFF Download the sermon notes (adult version) Download the sermon notes (kid version)
We are Servants
We are Servants Part 2 of the series, oBEdient We are Christ’s servants—we serve God as we serve the world. BILLY ARNOLD Download the sermon notes (adult version) Download the sermon notes (kid version)
We are a New Creation
We are a New Creation Part 1 of the series, oBEdient If we insist on Jesus helping us fulfill our agenda, we will inevitably tame him into our mascot. But what would happen —ask yourself the question—what would happen if you volunteered to be part of HIS program? What if you said to him, ‘Wherever you send me, I will go’? I’m absolutely convinced that over the next few weeks, God is going to tap some of you on the…
The Kingdom Church at War
The Kingdom Church at War Part 5 in the series, Building His Church: The Kingdom Wall As we’re building this wall, we’ve got to understand what real soldiers are—because there are soldiers in the Kingdom of God. We’ve got to understand what the real battles are—because we do face battles when we build the Kingdom Wall of His Church. And we’ve got to understand what the real enemy is—because I want you to know, the enemy is here. BILLY ARNOLD Download…
The Kingdom Treasure
The Kingdom Treasure Part 4 in the series, Building His Church: The Kingdom Wall The Kingdom Wall of this church is built by Holy Spirit-empowered citizens who freely share God’s treasure with all those who would receive it. BILLY ARNOLD Download the sermon notes (adult version) Download the sermon notes (kid version)
The Kingdom of God Wall is Built by Kingdom of God Citizens
THE KINGDOM OF GOD WALL IS BUILT BY KINGDOM OF GOD CITIZENS Part 3 in the series, Building His Church: The Kingdom Wall This wall is not built by great designers, or construction engineers, concrete workers, or skilled plumbers and electricians. This Kingdom wall is not built by highly religious people, incredible theologians who have been to seminary, high-ranking officials and the well-studied and educated, or those that have amazing human lineage. But instead, it is built out of those…
The Kingdom Wall to His Church is Built Through Those Led by the Holy Spirit
THE KINGDOM WALL TO HIS CHURCH IS BUILT THROUGH THOSE LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT Part 2 in the series, Building His Church: The Kingdom Wall The Kingdom wall is not built by your design or my design. It does not come out of your plans or my plans. … This wall is built by those who open their hearts to the total leading of God’s Holy Spirit. We are His Body—and each of you is part of it. The…
The Kingdom Wall
The Kingdom Wall Part 1 in the series, Building His Church: The Kingdom Wall Due to a technical error, no recording is available for this sermon. Download the sermon notes (adult version) Download the sermon notes (kid version)
“Upon This Rock I Will Build My Church!”
“Upon This Rock I Will Build My Church!” Continued introduction to the series, Building His Church: The Kingdom Wall The greatest job on the planet is not being a pastor. Hear me out. It’s being the janitor of the church body. What do I mean by that? It means [being] servants who stand with each other and make sure you’re ready to do what’s God commissioned [as] your part in the Body of Christ to do. … There is nothing…
Building His Church: A Prelude
Building His Church: A Prelude An introduction to the series, Building His Church We need to understand what the Body [of Christ] is about, what we do—how does the Body work, how is it all put together, how is it organized? We’re going to talk about all those things throughout this year. We’re going to learn how to deal with the successes and failures as well as the pitfalls of a church … and the places and things that we…
My Life and the Word of God (Proverbs, Part 12)
If I had one thing that I could ask of our church family, [it would be] to learn how to be a student of the word of God. Don’t be three miles wide and an inch deep! … Bottom line: Let the word of God speak to you—privately, quietly, in a group, sitting in your living room chair in the early morning, or late at night, or on a lunch break—but never, never stray from the word of God. BILLY…
Wisdom in “Iron Sharpens Iron”
Wisdom in “Iron Sharpens Iron” Part 11 of the series, Proverbs: Merging God’s Wisdom with Real Life When we read Proverbs 27:17 that says, “Iron sharpens iron,” it’s not just like, “Man, I want to be a better me.” I want to be a tool used in the toolbox of the Almighty God, for the purposes of God for this generation. BILLY ARNOLD Download the sermon notes (adult version) Download the sermon notes (KidVenture version)