1 John 1:1-5

It is perfectly reasonable to have doubts and questions about Christianity. One of the most common concerns is the reliability of the Bible. People have all sorts of reasons for doubting its veracity. This week as we kick off our series, "Asking for a Friend", we will look at some common reasons people have for not trusting the Bible and give some reasonable answers.

We love competition. Or at least some of us do.

We compete to win, to get ahead, and sometimes simply to prove that we matter. But Romans 12 gives us a surprising, even strange kind of competition: “Outdo one another in showing honor.”

What if, instead of competing to be noticed, we became people who noticed, valued, and lifted up others? In this sermon, we’ll explore the next brushstroke in this portrait of God’s extraordinary grace: Humble Honor. We’ll see how Jesus, who humbled himself to lift us up, frees us from the need to prove ourselves so that we can freely honor others.

Have you ever noticed how addicted we are to the spectacular, the impressive, and the perfectly curated life? That pressure can make ordinary faithfulness feel small. But Romans 12 gives us a better imagination for the Christian life: ordinary people transformed by extraordinary grace.

In the next nine sermons, we will explore the brushstrokes of this gospel-shaped life found in Romans 12:9–21 and then turn to the Gospels to see them embodied in Jesus.

Instead of chasing the spectacular, we offer God the ordinary life we actually have, trusting that under the hand of the Master, faithful obedience becomes a portrait of his grace.

Might we dare to become extraordinarily ordinary 

as we follow Jesus in real life.

Do you hear it? 

Every day, creation is proclaiming the glory of God. The heavens preach without words, and the whole world points beyond itself to its Creator. But creation can only take us so far.

In Psalm 19, David leads us from the wordless speech of creation to the life-giving words of Scripture, words that revive the soul, make wise the simple, and are “more precious than gold” and “sweeter than honey.”

Listen in to how we discovered Scripture leading us further still, to the God who has not merely spoken to us.

He has come to us. 

What do you really want when you pray? Relief? Answers? A change in circumstances? Psalm 63 takes us into the wilderness with David, where his deepest longing is not simply for rescue, but for God himself.

As we continue our Rhythms of Grace series, we will discover that prayer is more than bringing God a list of needs. It is the rhythm by which thirsty people seek the only One who can truly satisfy the deepest longings of the heart. 

Join us as Psalm 63 teaches us to seek God not merely for what he gives, but for who he is!

As we continue our Rhythms of Grace series through the Psalms, we’re delighted to welcome our guest preacher, Dr. Steve Brown, who will be preaching from Psalm 62 on finding our rest and trust in God.

Along with being considered part of the OCC family, Steve is a broadcaster, author, and founder of Key Life Network. He previously served as a pastor and seminary professor for more than 25 years and now devotes much of his time to the radio programs Key Life and Steve Brown, Etc.

Steve is the author of numerous books, including Talk the Walk, Three Free Sins, and When Being Good Isn’t Good Enough. His newest book, God’s Not Mad at You: Confronting the Lies of Guilt, Shame, Fear, and Regret, will be released on September 14, 2026.

Born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina, Steve earned a B.A. in Philosophy and Religion from High Point College and an S.T.B. from Boston University School of Theology.

We’re grateful to have had Steve with us this Sunday and enjoyed hearing how God uses him to encourage our church through His Word.

We were made to worship. The question isn't whether we worship, but what we worship. In Psalm 96, we'll discover that worship is more than singing on Sunday. It is a grace filled rhythm that forms our hearts, reminds us of God's presence, and teaches us to delight in the beauty of God's character.

Life pulls our hearts in a hundred different directions. The Psalms call us back to God. In this five-week series, we’ll discover a grace-shaped way of life: not religious practices to perform, but gifts God gives to draw us into a deeper relationship with him. How do we listen to God? Adore him in worship? Trust him and rest? Seek him in prayer? Delight in his Word? These rhythms meet us in real life, in our fears, our work, our waiting. They help us keep step with God’s grace, deepening our communion with Christ as we follow him each day.

Together, let’s learn the unforced rhythms of grace.

Have you ever felt like giving up? Like you’ve been faithfully serving, praying, working, or loving, but you’re simply running out of strength? Paul’s final words to the Thessalonians are a timely encouragement for every weary believer: “Do not grow weary in doing good.” Listen in to the conclusion of our series, Good News for the End of the World, and discover how the certainty of Christ’s return gives us strength to keep doing good, receive His peace, and rest in His grace. Because Jesus has already secured the ending, we can faithfully follow Him today.

What does waiting for Jesus have to do with Monday morning? Apparently, everything. As Paul moves toward the close of his second letter to the Thessalonians, he addresses believers who had become so preoccupied with the future that they had stopped faithfully engaging the present. Instead of quiet faithfulness, their lives had become marked by idleness, disorder, and disruption. In this message, continuing our series Good News for the End of the World, we’ll discover how the hope of Christ’s return calls us not to withdraw from ordinary life, but to faithfully embrace the work God has placed before us today.