We would like to highlight the connection between faith and works by drawing from the New Testament book of James. James 2:14 says, "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?" James 1:19-21 says, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedne

James 1:19-27 says, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. For the wrath of the man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore, lay aside all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, and receive the meekness, the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the world and not a doer, he is like a man obser

Have you ever wondered what it truly means to become a part of the church? It’s more than just joining a club or attending a weekend service; it’s about a beautiful, life-changing journey guided by God Himself. When we look to the Bible, we see a clear and encouraging pattern of how we can enter into a relationship with Him and find our place in His family. While these are often called the "steps to salvation," they are really milestones of a growing heart, reflecting the sam

Last Tuesday, I woke up to the news that a high school classmate of mine had passed away. This makes two that I have lost in the last five years or so. It made me think. Travis came from a loving family. Both his parents and brothers are faithful members of the Lord’s church. He grew up with me at Mobile Christian, and we were both in the youth group together. We played football together. On paper, he had everything one would think to live a full, faithful and productive life

In the corporate world, quarterly audits are non-negotiable. Businesses scrutinize their ledgers, pivot their strategies, and trim the fat to ensure they haven't drifted from their mission statement. Yet, when it comes to the most vital enterprise of human existence—our relationship with the Divine—we often settle for a vague, unexamined "religiousness." We must ask ourselves: Is our faith a living organism or merely a historical monument? The Paradox of the Hollow Tree True

Recently, I listened to one of my dad’s sermons entitled “Courage to Answer the Call.“ In it he said something that has stayed with me: “Do not look to your courage to find your identity in Christ. Look to your identity in Christ, to find your courage.” That sentence speaks to a struggle many of us face. We often think, “If I can just feel brave enough, then I’ll do what I know I need to do.” We wait for courage before we obey. We wait until we feel confident to serve. We wa

Sunday morning I preached on Ephesians 4:11-16 and discussed the need to grow in Christ. In our Sunday evening men's class we discussed the roles of apostles and prophets, mentioned in the first part of this text. This discussion included the " miracles and wonders and signs " that were preformed by Jesus and the apostles ( Acts 2:22, John 2:11 ). While supernatural spiritual gifts could be given to any believer at any time, these roles represent people who were themselves "

What a wonderful and powerful weekend EYC was. There’s something special about being surrounded by thousands of believers, singing together, hearing God’s Word preached, and watching hearts respond. Events like that can give us a real spiritual high—our faith feels strong, our focus feels clear, and we come home fired up to live differently. But if we’re honest, that fire can start to fade once we get back into normal life. School starts back. Work piles up. The routine retur

This year I’ll be directing my sermons and classes to help us focus on spiritual growth. Last year we focused on getting back to the Bible. What’s next? We need to move on to spiritual maturity. Think about your role in the body of Christ, the Lord’s church. Ephesians 4:11-16 emphasizes that we are not an organization but a healthy organism that naturally develops. What do we need to grow in Christ? There are three key concepts that can help us grow in Christ: empower, equi

Hello. My name is Ray Reynolds and I suffer from A.C.S. This is commonly known as “After Christmas Syndrome.” The gifts have been unwrapped. My trash cans are full. The leftovers are gone. The tree is down. The lights and ornaments have been put away. Our friends and family have stopped calling, sending cards, and visiting for the holidays. Another Christmas has come and gone. I wonder how many of you are suffering from the post-holiday blues?!? What do we do now th

Hello. My name is Ray Reynolds and I suffer from A.C.S. This is commonly known as “After Christmas Syndrome.” The gifts have been unwrapped. My trash cans are full. The leftovers are gone. The tree is down. The lights and ornaments have been put away. Our friends and family have stopped calling, sending cards, and visiting for the holidays. Another Christmas has come and gone. I wonder how many of you are suffering from the post-holiday blues?!? What do we do now th

The Christmas story, often painted with cozy scenes of manger, shepherds, and a star, would be incomplete without the arrival of the Magi. These enigmatic figures, traditionally known as the Three Wise Men, bring an element of intrigue, prophecy, and profound significance to the nativity narrative. But who were they really? And what can we learn from their journey? The Gospel of Matthew is the sole biblical account of the Magi, yet it offers surprisingly few details. It speak

This time of year, we hear the phrase “peace on earth” everywhere. It’s printed on signs, sung in songs, and spoken in greetings. But if we’re honest, the world doesn’t feel very peaceful. Many families are stressed, schedules are packed, and hearts are heavy. So what does “peace on earth” really mean? The Bible reminds us that true peace isn’t found in perfect circumstances—it’s found in a perfect Savior. When the angels announced Jesus’ coming, they proclaimed peace because

On Sunday, December 7, we discussed the word “peace” and focused on how to bring a revival of peace in our world today. I spoke to the church family at Summerdale about a few areas where Christians are called to live in peace, drawing from specific Bible verses. The overarching theme was the importance of unity, forgiveness, and love in all relationships. However, I feel like I may have rushed through the last point, so I feel sure we could all benefit from a deeper look into

We live in a world that is desperately searching for answers. People are asking big questions about life, identity, purpose, and eternity—but they’re getting a hundred different answers depending on where they look. We hear phrases like “live your truth” or “truth is whatever you make it,” but that’s not truth at all—it’s confusion. The question Pilate asked Jesus in John 18:38 still echoes today: “What is truth?” And the answer hasn’t changed. Truth is not a feeling. It’s no

In the age of the #MeToo and #ChurchToo movement there seems to be a greater need for counseling, coaching, mentoring and ministry for women in the church. Rachel Rosser (LPC-S), carefully blends theology and grounded psychology in this article entitled: Counseling Broken Yet Bold Women. Rachel has many years of experience in ministry, along with her husband Doug, at The Parks Church in McKinney, TX. One reason why I have been drawn toward her work is because she seeks to con

The annals of early Christian history are filled with tales of profound faith and courageous witness. One such story is told of Telemachus, an obscure monk dwelling in a 4th-century monastery. Driven by a compelling spiritual calling to engage with the broader world, he left the solitude of his cloister. Gathering his few meager possessions into a sack, he undertook the journey to the heart of the Western world: Rome. Upon his arrival, the city was in a state of feverish exci

This time of year, much of the world turns its attention—at least briefly—to the birth of Jesus. While there’s no biblical evidence that Jesus was born in December, we as Christians should embrace this season as an opportunity to talk about the greatest gift mankind has ever received: Christ Himself. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…” God didn’t send Jesus to earth just to be celebrated as a baby in a manger. He sent Him to be our

Five reasons why Lads to Leaders is different… B.I.B.L.E. IN LADS TO LEADERS WE OFFER…. Biblical Consistency - Biblical soundness is upheld in everything we do at L2L. The truth is the same no matter where you are in the world. L2L is also the same no matter where you are in the world. No matter what McDonald's you visit, the fries are the same. No matter which convention site you attend, the spiritual soundness is the same! We believe the Bible. And we emphasize Biblical so

With Thanksgiving this past week, many of us are thinking about the people who bless our lives—family, friends, mentors, and those who’ve walked with us through highs and lows. But one of the greatest blessings we sometimes overlook is our church family. In Philippians 1:3–5, Paul writes, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you… because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” Paul loved the church in Philippi, not just because they supported him,