Church Together

Speaker: Pastor Andy Searles Sermon Series: Reboot Scripture Focus: Nehemiah 2:1-10 Sermon notes are as follows:  Patience to Define Opportunity (1-4)    • We must know how to weep and pray, but we must also learn how to wait and pray    • Waiting time is rarely wasted time    • World leaders are only God’s servants whether they realize it or not Power in Designing Solutions (5-8)    • Because faith is a daring confidence in God’s grace, the Gospel answers all fears    • Months of prayer prepared Nehemiah life’s with crucial minutes Planning to Align Resources (9-11)    • Nehemiah believed in dependent prayer and deliberate planning!    • Favor doesn’t come from people; it comes FROM God and THROUGH people.

Speaker: Pastor Andy Searles Scripture Focus: Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 Sermon notes are as follows: What time is it? (1-9) • Every season in our life – even the tough ones –  are chapters in the adventurous story of our lives that reveals a  brilliant and loving author. • Understanding the season of life we are in, and its purpose, is one  of the greatest tasks of self-awareness we can reflect upon. What’s the purpose in it? (9-10) • Finding meaning in our lives comes from God, not us. • To find meaning in our struggles and successes is the way to make  life meaningful. If we fail to see the purpose in our struggles or  successes, life quickly becomes pointless. The point of struggle and  success is to find and glorify God. Where’s the beauty in it? (11-15) • Amid time, he has created a longing for eternity.

Speaker: Omar Bohler Scripture Focus: Matthew 23:11, Galatians 5:13-14

Speaker: Bryan Ruby Scripture Focus: Luke 15:11-32 Sermon notes are as follows: Give your children roots, and then give them wings. Welcome your children back with open arms. Love and appreciate the ones who have been with you the entire time.

Speaker: Pastor Andy Searles Series: Forever Young Scripture Focus & Sermon Notes Matthew 18:1-6 (HCSB) At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Then He called a child to Him and had him stand  among them. “I assure you,” He said, “unless you are converted and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child—this one is the  greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one child like this in My name welcomes Me. “But whoever causes the downfall of one of these little ones who believe in Me—it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea! Spiritual Benjamin Buttons Stay Young by Turning & Becoming (1-3) • Competition causes people to start counting accomplishments, comparing achievements & condemning others.   • The entry way to heaven is way too small for ego to get through.

Speaker: Pastor Andy Searles Scripture Focus: James 5:13-20 Sermon notes are as follows: Lift Up Your Voices (13-15) • The promise of God is not that He will take us out of difficulty, but that he will take us through difficulties. • Suffering is often the gym for our spiritual growth. • Being mature in faith doesn’t necessarily mean that we know what God is going to do, but that we know that God is going to do what He’s going to do! • It is not fervency or frequency of prayer that renders it effective – it’s the faith in and behind it! Open Up Vulnerably (16-18) • Confession is a vital practice of a vulnerable life. • The God who acted then also acts now! Help Up The Wanderer (19-20) • Our knowledge of a wanderer comes with a responsibility to help the wanderer return. • We must combine the right belief with the right practice.

Pastor Andy continues our "Nuts & Bolts" series with a scripture focus from James 4:1-12. Sermon notes are as follows: Adjust & Align Expectations (1-3)  •   Don’t use prayer for selfish pleasures, but instead for Godly purposes. Don’t Dance With the Devil (4-5)  •   The desire for pleasures of the world always threaten our spiritual lives.  •   It gets hard to dedicate yourself to God when you continually dedicate yourself to material things. Receive Grace With Humility (6-10)  •   When the heart is humble, there is more room for the things of God.  •   Nearness brings likeness. The nearer we are to God, the more like him we become. Improve Your Attitude (11-12)  •   Time we spend judging people is time we waste when we could be loving people.

Pastor Andy continues our "Nuts & Bolts" sermon series with a scripture focus from James 3:1-12. Sermon notes are as follows: A slender portion of flesh contains the whole word of iniquity. – Calvin  Words Shape People (1-3)    • Your words shape people – they can build or destroy, they can point in the right way or the wrong way, they can bless or curse.    • Abstention from anything is never a complete substitute for control of something. We must, as God, tame our tongue. Words Ignite Situations (4-6)    • Are you going to use your words to ignite good things that build, or bad things that destroy?    • Speak less that you know and have more than you show. - Shakespeare Words Reveal Inconsistency (7-11)    • We should not use any word that reduces anyone to anything less than full stature as God’s created beings.    • When it comes to words, what comes out reflects what’s inside of you.

Pastor Andy continues our "Nuts & Bolts" series with a scripture focus from James 2:1-13. Sermon notes are as follows: Immature people talk about their beliefs. Mature people live out their faith. Lift Up All Faces (1-4)  •   How we behave towards people indicates what we believe about God. Affirm Your New Identity (5-6) •   The beauty of the Gospel is that God values what the world regards as valueless. •   When we decide to follow Jesus was a re-invoking of His name over our identity. Distribute Love & Mercy (7-13) •   We only believe as much of Bible as we practice. •   To slander the poor is to slander God. •   People can tangibly see God’s mercy when they see us living mercifully.

Pastor Andy continues our "Nuts & Bolts" series with a scripture focus from James 1:2-18. Sermon notes are as follows: Rise With Wisdom (5-8)    • When we need wisdom, we get to go to the source of it! Climb by Humility (9-11) Escalate with Endurance (12-15)    • Don’t let testing on the outside become a temptation on the inside.  Cling Tightly to Grace (16-18)    • There are no shadows within the Father of Light.

Pastor Andy kicks off a new sermon series entitled, "Nuts & Bolts", which focuses on living out a transcendent faith in extremely practical ways. Sermon notes are as follows: An Example to Set (19-21)    • The best way to listen with humility is not to hear yourself in the conversation.    • Be quick to listen and slow to speak – do not get the verbs confused!    • Integrity says that we can’t accomplish the right thing in the wrong way. A Task to Grasp (22-25)    • Obedience is the mother of the true knowledge of "God”. – Calvin    • Hold the "man in the mirror" to God’s standards.    • What is found in the holy place must be lived in the market place. A People to Reach (26-27)    • People are the task.    • Obedience in action is a litmus test to faith.    • The combination of a purity of heart with a purity of action determines how we influence the world.

Speaker: Darryl Coppenhaver Scripture Focus: Acts 6:1-7 Sermon Notes Acts 6:1-2 Even at a time of church growth, there will be some nuts or bolts that we just do not see. We need the eyes of someone on the outside or a margin of the group to show us what we do not see because we are focused 100% on what is working already! Acts 6:3-6 When we are shown the loose nuts and bolts in the church or our personal mission for the Kingdom of God, we must act on what God has revealed and act! Remember that not all actions require dropping what we are focused on currently. Most likely, it is adding what we never focused or lost focus on! Acts 6:7 Results! When we have all the parts working together as God has planned for the Church, no one is left behind. People that once were only a detractor of the church see the true Kingdom of God in action, and finally see and know that all are welcomed, including them! “It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, foolin

Speaker: Pastor Andy Searles Scripture Focus: John 21:1-23 Sermon notes are as follows: A Past Recollected (1-6) • To get back on track means to recollect the last time when you were on track, before you got off track, and start from there • It’s better to fail at the right thing than succeed at the wrong thing. A Relationship Reconnected (7-14) • Jesus often invites us to come – to come and see, come and drink, come and dine – because it’s when people come together that relationships are reconnected. • Often, we need to care for the physical before we can tend to the spiritual. A Responsibility Reinstated (15-19) • “Do you love me more than (insert your blank)” is the foundation of what it means to follow Jesus.

Join us for Easter worship as we continue our "Capturing Comebacks" series with a scripture focus from John 20:1-23. Sermon notes are as follows: Turn around to see belief (1-10) As the first disciples arrive at the tomb, John uses three different words to describe how the disciples "see" what is happening – John "glances,"  Peter "observes." Then they "perceive with intelligent comprehension."  Christian maturity means moving from glancing at God to comprehending  His presence with us. Turn your glance to a gaze! The evidence of the resurrection invites us to turn from doubt and to turn towards belief! Turn around to embrace hope (11-18) The disciples' behavior had caused them to lose hope. Mary's despair caused her to lose hers. Jesus' resurrection reveals that neither our despair  nor our behavior need to be reasons to lose hope. Turn around to discover purpose (19-23) Sometimes we think that locking the door to the world will bring peace, but it's when we open our heart to Christ that

Pastor Andy continues our "Capturing Comebacks" sermon series with a scripture focus from John 18:1-11. Sermon notes are as follows: Proceed Prayerfully (1-2) ● Jesus teaches us to proceed into our purpose prayerfully. Submit Meekly (3-4) ● Jesus wasn’t running and he wasn’t hiding. He was ready to stare evil in the face and defeat it. Why? For one reason – He loves you. Embrace Courage (7-11) ● We don’t fight spiritual battles with human resources. It is the way of sacrifice and love that defeats greed and hate. ● We can hijack the plans of God when we don’t do things in the way of God.

Pastor Andy begins a new sermon series entitled, "Capturing Comebacks", with a scripture focus from John 16:1-24. Notes from the sermon are as follows: Things will get worse before they get better (1-4)    ‣ As we consider cancelling things, we must be careful that we don’t cancel an opportunity for God to work redemptively. There will be times you’ll feel alone, but you’re not (5-11)    ‣ Always ask, never assume.    ‣ The Holy Spirit will show us the wrong thing, the right thing, and the consequences of those things. There’s more to understand than we currently do (12-15)    ‣ The Holy Spirit provides insight from the team meetings among the Holy Trinity! There will be something beautiful birthed from the pain (20b-22)    ‣ God doesn’t replace, He redeems. He doesn’t transfer, He transforms. He doesn’t cancel, He corrects. This is the beauty of the Gospel.

Speaker: Adeemir Dacenay Scripture Reference: Exodus 14 Sermon Notes are listed below: The How  ‣ Acknowledge that we need to be with others in difficult times ‣ We only have the power to walk through when we see where the power comes from ‣ You’ve got to listen and respond to what God says ‣ Recognize that you are part of the answer, but not the whole thing The Why  ‣ Gives God an opportunity to work with you  ‣ It creates a testimony that changes others

Pastor Andy continues our "Walking With" sermon series with a scripture focus from Exodus 18:1-27. The notes from the sermon can be found below: Care About What Is Going on (1-9)      • "People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care” - Roosevelt Empathize With the Highs and Lows (9-12)      • Affirming trust confirms faith. Faith says, “I know”. Trust says, “I know for sure”.  Ask Questions No One Else Is Asking (13-18)      • We must have people in our lives who are asking the questions that no one else is asking, so we can discover the answers that no one else is finding.  Set Others up for Success (19-23)      • To grow in your influence, you have to stop doing it and become better at delegating it.

Pastor Andy continues our "Walking With" sermon series with a scripture focus from Ephesians 4:1-16. Sermon Notes Your calling is unique, but it will involve people! Sustain Character (2-3) - As a lack of character always erodes, authentic character always strengthens. Seek Unity (4-10) - Real unity is not uniformity – it needs your uniqueness! Stay In Your Lane (11-13) - God brings people into our lives to equip us – to bring us to a condition of spiritual fitness. Steadily Mature (13-16) - As immaturity is characterized by instability, maturity rests upon stability.

Pastor Andy continues our "Walking With" sermon series with a scripture focus from Luke 24:13-35.   Sermon Notes   Curiosity Explored (13-16)   • Whenever we talk about issues of the heart, issues of that matter to  the heart of God arise.   Confusion Addressed (17-24)   • When there is a confusion of why and what we would be wise to quickly bring clarity to these vital issues. Clarity Attained (25-27)   • On the road to Emmaus, the greatest teacher explains the greatest book that brings greatest blessings. The Holy Spirit does the same thing on  your journey today.   Change Confirmed (28-32)   • Jesus can often use the ordinary to do the extra ordinary and the common to do the unusual. That which seems boring could well become your  biggest blessing.