Consider The Context | EXILED
It’s one of the most popular and most searched Bible verses on the Internet, and yet most misused. Do you know what verse? It’s Jeremiah 29:11, and it’s found in the passage of Scripture that we will study this Sunday as we continue our series. I hope you make plans to join us online or in person as we look at Jeremiah 29:11 in its context to discover what it meant for the original hearers and how it applies to us today.
Living As Exiles | EXILED
The year is 586 BC. God’s city (Jerusalem) is captured, God’s house (the temple) is destroyed, and God’s people (the Jews) are exiled. How did this happen? Why did it happen? And why does something that happened in 586 BC matter to us in 2020? It matters because when we look back, we discover warnings to heed, promises to remember, hope to cling to, and actions to follow that will help us live as “exiles” in today’s culture.
Hope | Heart of a Healthy Church
Have you ever been around people who live from their future? They aren’t clinging to their glory days as a high school athlete, or to the good ole days when life seemed simpler and safer, or to a carpe diem "seize the day" approach to life. People who live with their future in mind don’t live from their past or from their present; they instead focus on a hope that awaits them in heaven.
Your Mind is a Garden
The information, ideas, and thoughts planted in our minds influence our lives. As believers, we want to cultivate good information, ideas, and thoughts, so that our lives may be lived generously.
Racism | Hot Summer Topics 2020
Racism, it’s been called our country’s “original sin,” and the tragic death of George Floyd has again elevated tensions regarding race and racism. The non-stop discussions and debates on social media, and in arenas like politics, sports, and education, make this one of our society’s hot topics. It’s a problem the church shouldn’t avoid or overlook, so let’s equip ourselves to engage in the conversation.
God Won’t Abandon What He Starts | His Word, My Story 2020
Many of you have a favorite sport, restaurant, or book. Do you also have a favorite Scripture? Although all Scripture is important, sometimes there is one that becomes especially important. Maybe through a life changing event or challenging circumstance, that Scripture gripped you like a baseball player grips a bat. Over the next few weeks, several TBC pastors will share a Scripture that is significant to them. Our hope through this sermon series "His Word, My Story" is that we, like David, see God’s word as a treasure and bury it in our hearts.
The Main Thing | Known Everywhere
A good friend and I used to eat at Chili’s once or twice a month. A couple years ago I noticed the restaurant’s effort to reduce the menu options by 40%. The CFO stated, “While we were chasing new platforms, we were losing our credibility on what built us, our burgers, ribs, and fajitas.” Chasing but losing; that sounds exhausting. The restaurant forgot what one leader has said, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” As a church, and a follower of Jesus, keeping the main thing the main thing can sometimes be a challenge.
Contagious Faith | Known Everywhere
It’s around this time of year when students of all ages receive their school yearbook. Looking at my kids’ yearbook this year reminded me of my own yearbooks. My yearbooks are like an open window for my kids to catch a glimpse of my younger days (and just maybe I’ll share a few of my throwback pictures on Sunday). In a similar way, the New Testament book of 1 Thessalonians is an open window to one of the first churches ever begun, and what a church it was! Imagine the faith of TBC being so contagious that it spread and became known beyond Parker County. Well, that’s the story of the church of the Thessalonians, so make plans to join us for a new sermon series – Known Everywhere.
All Rise | Faith in the Dark
Apparently, you and I have a thing for justice. According to Nielsen, the self-proclaimed “arbiter of truth” of the media industry, 9 of the 10 most popular television shows involve bringing people to justice (think NCIS) or people being judged (think The Voice). But as we have seen in the book of Habakkuk, we are not alone when it comes to our desire for justice. How God will judge the godless Chaldeans, oh and us, too!
Trust, Don’t Turn | Faith in the Dark
If you saw the name “Habakkuk” you might think it’s a word to unscramble or a character from Star Wars. But, actually, Habakkuk is a prophet who wrote a small, often overlooked book in the Old Testament that bears his name. Shockingly, Habakkuk begins his book questioning God, and wondering where He is during a dark time in Israel’s history. Although small and overlooked, Habakkuk is a timely picture of what faith in the dark looks like for God’s people. So, if you’ve questioned God, doubted God, been frustrated with God, then you don’t want to miss out as we begin our study in Habakkuk.
