​The book of Acts chronicles the birth of the church. In Acts 2:42, we read specifically what they did when they came together—a model we strive to follow to this day:

“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

These core practices remain central: studying the Word, fellowship, communion, and prayer.

These are not a holy to-do list that we check off every week. These are things we strive to do out of hearts overflowing with love and appreciation for our Lord. It might not seem like much, but it’s all we really need.

Notice how they went about these core components: steadfastly. These believers were resolutely firm and unwavering in these things. Should we be any less steadfastly committed to developing daily Godly disciplines?

Read your Bible. Talk to God. Enjoy fellowship with other believers. Partake of communion together. But not to score points with God, but because you really love Him.

​On the 1,500th Feast of Pentecost, God poured out His promised Holy Spirit upon believers in Jerusalem. After the Apostle Peter preached Christ and Him crucified, around 3,000 souls were added to the church on that day.

Saved, sealed, and filled with the Holy Spirit, there were a few core components for these brand-new Spirit-filled believers: the Word of God, fellowship, prayer, and communion.

These simple core components have been the foundation for the church since then. Not because we want to earn points with God, but because we truly love Him. Watch our study in Acts 2 as we consider the first works of our first love.

In his second letter to Timothy, Paul tells him three ways to build his life on the Rock of Jesus Christ to withstand life's storms.

First is discipleship (2 Timothy 3:10-11). Paul reminded Timothy how he handled hardship. We must follow Christ’s example, but having a resolute earthly example helps us stay committed to Jesus’ teaching.  

Second, cultivate and guard your desire to live a godly life (2 Timothy 3:12). We lose this desire when we love ourselves, lifestyle, or laziness more than God. Unless you fuel and protect your passion for Jesus, you will fall away.

Third is diligence in studying, proclaiming, and obeying God’s Word (2 Timothy 3:13-17). Your only hope to withstand the coming waves is to know, live, love, and obey the whole counsel of God’s word.

Is your life built on the sand? You need to build your house on The Rock now by doing what Jesus said to do, which includes being born again (see John 3:1-15). Surrender your life to Jesus, then be discipled,  desire to follow Jesus, and be diligent in obeying the whole counsel of God’s word.

Then you will be like the wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain descended, the floods came, the winds blew and beat on that house, and it did not fall for it was founded on The Rock!

​In Matthew 24:12, Jesus warns us that because of the increase of wickedness in the last days, the love of most will grow cold (Matthew 24:12). There is a slow-moving, seemingly unstoppable wave of what the Bible calls wickedness. The only way to withstand this flood of wickedness is to have your life firmly founded on the rock of Jesus Christ. Otherwise, you too will be swept up and carried away without even realizing it's happening. Watch our study on 2 Timothy 3-4 for encouragement from Paul's words to Timothy.

​God is a sacrificial giver. When He gives us His grace, we are transformed and become more like Him. His gift of sacrificial giving prompts us to do the same, which itself is a gift of God’s grace. The money is never an issue. The issue is your heart. God doesn’t need your money. He wants your heart and to bless you with the grace of giving. This foundation leads us to how we approach our giving. 

Building on this, God longs to show you that the tithe—our regular, planned, proportional, responsive act of worship—results in a great blessing: a heart that is deeply connected to His. Tithing is giving our heart to Him first after every increase. 

An offering is in addition to the tithe—above and beyond, out of the overflow of a heart that has already regularly given to Him. 

Our giving, whether tithe or offering, is always to be freely willing, never by commandment or compulsion. We see this in the life of Jesus, from whom we have learned how to sacrificially give. He gave Himself for us to show us the grace of giving.

We have exciting news to share regarding our Building Capital Campaign!

​You’ve probably heard someone say at some point that God calls us to give tithes and offerings. They are often coupled together in our vernacular, but in scripture, they are unique—each serving a particular purpose.

Tithes are our regular, planned, proportional, and responsive giving, echoing back to God a portion of what He gives us. This kind of giving is a regular act of worship. Offerings are above and beyond our tithes. This is sacrificial giving or a particular purpose.

Watch our study from 2 Corinthians 8:1-12 as we consider the difference between these two ways of worshiping the Lord through our giving.

​We often think that reforming someone’s life or behavior is a worthy goal. After all, getting someone’s life clean and in order would be helpful, wouldn’t it? We may endeavor to clean up their act and get their house in order, but if nothing inhabits that house, old sins come flooding back with a vengeance.

Imagine this scenario: the worst person with the worst sinful behavior who is inhabited by the worst demons is delivered. The demons are cast out, their behavior changes, and they reform their ways. But Jesus tells us that without something (or Someone) else inhabiting their heart, all that’s been accomplished is cleaning up the house to invite even more demons, more sin, and more problems.

This is why it’s so important to make a distinction between reformation and regeneration. You may have heard it said that Jesus did not come to make bad men good. He came to give dead men life. You must be born again so that your heart may be inhabited by the Holy Spirit so that God may make His home there (see John 14:23 and Ephesians 3:14-17).

This won’t happen after getting your life in order. This only happens the moment you surrender your life and heart to God, inviting Him in to rule and reign. Only then will the Strongest Man make His home in your heart.