Doctrine

What's so new about the New Covenant, and what role does it play in creating, establishing and uniting the Church? Having seen us through 10 weeks of doctrine, we will now turn back to Paul's words to the church of Corinth in order to help us consider His Word to ours in Fredericksburg. Is the church following more closely after cultural trends, or the Truth of Christ? Does the Body of Christ in our neck of the woods look more like a group of people in cohabitation, or the covenant love of marriage God designed between His Son and His bride, the Church? How about you personally? Are you a part of the Body of Christ? Could it be that the real answer to that question is the same as this one: Are you committed to the well being and spiritual health of a smaller local body of believers? Are you a member of a church family? Join us today as we look to God's Word to direct our lives together, living on mission, and growing in Truth!

Any time we're presented with something "new" there's an opportunity to make some changes. We tend to apply what is deemed valuable, while denying what isn't. So, are these doctrines that we've been examining in the Scriptures important to you? Have they caused you to reconsider your life, your love, your dedication to Christ, your knowledge and pursuit of Him? How have you responded to what you've learned and where will it lead you for all eternity? What is your response to the Truth of the Gospel? In whom, what or where is your eternal destiny? Join us today for our tenth and final doctrine: The Doctrine of Response and Eternal Destiny.

How much time do you spend thinking about the second coming of Christ? Probably not enough! Think of all the time we spend preparing for what excites and thrills us most. Whether it's a wedding around the corner or a big game at the end of the week, we pour hours of prep time into readying ourselves for what we love and look forward to. Insert the grace and glory to come at the return of Christ! Jesus is coming, Church. And one thing is certain: we are 2,000+ years closer than the apostles who persuaded the Church to purify herself in preparation. This doctrine has the potential to be one of the most encouraging in the series. Nothing readies like love! Where else can you find the power to stay your faith through present trials and storms? Nowhere better than upon the future grace and glory to come when Christ returns. Just a little longer, Church. Just a little longer!

Having spent seven weeks searching the Scripture and seeking to understand the foundations of our faith, we turn now to applying what we've learned to the practice of our faith. Reverse the order and we have a righteousness by works rather than by faith. So, this doctrine rightly sits in the eighth spot of our top ten. What difference should God's Word make to our lives? Are our lives a living testimony to the power and hope of God in Jesus Christ? Has the Word and the Spirit of the Lord changed our perception of worship, of human sanctity, of sacrificial service? Does the Scripture determine how we handle our finances, where we find our hope, how we witness? Applied Truth ought to change our lives. Is Jesus our Lord and Master, or do we prefer to just call Him "savior"? What has He saved us from if not from wretched lives of self and sin. What has He saved us to if not to Himself, to living with Christ, to Christian living? Today we'll be scanning a slew of Scriptures to begin laying the ground work for Chri

For all that's wrong with her, one thing is certain: her Husband is amazing! She is so very loved with a special, enormous, eternal, covenant love, the love of God, the same Trinitarian love shared and enjoyed by Father, Son and Spirit. Yes, she is a work in process. Yes, her background is pretty filthy. But, No! He is not finished with her yet. From beginning in deadness and darkness, God's tremendous grace--one Day soon--will have her wearing white, washed clean by the blood of the Lamb. O Church, know yourself! But don't look for long. Rather, behold your Beloved, your Husband to be. He looked on you in your pitiful estate, before the foundation of the world, and covenanted to love you into a spotless, wrinkle-free beauty that He will proudly present to Himself in holiness! Needing some hope? Grab of copy of God's Word and join us as we peek into the mystery of marriage, the Church's beginnings, and her Husband, the Son of God, the Son of Man.

The Holy Spirit. Perhaps one of the most divisive doctrines in the Church. Ironically, however, He was given by God to unite the Church in the Spirit and Truth of Christ. Is the Holy Spirit the cause of people flopping in the pews, barking like dogs? Or perhaps He is... well, not; as in, not with us any more? Or, is He still alive, but powerless to overcome our sin and lawlessness? One thing is for certain, what we believe, determines our behavior and our lives. That could explain some things, huh? O for the presence of the Holy Spirit to clothe the Church in power here in our community! ...to reveal our sin, point us to Jesus, and bring about the holiness that is rooted in genuine love for Christ. Revive us, oh Lord, with Your presence among us. Stay the course, dear family of faith. Be not discouraged, He is at work! If He is to visit us with revival again, before the return of Christ, it will most certainly be through those who kept the faith, who, by grace, continued tilling the soil, planting the seeds,

A dear friend once said, "We live in a microwave culture with a crock-pot God." It's so right and good for us to search for the Lord, to hunger and thirst for greater nearness. But, what when if don't find it? Or worse, what if the concert-high wears off in a few days? You might feel like your power and efficacy are based on your performance, but one thing is for certain: God's power and efficacy aren't! At any time He can do anything He wants. Aren't you grateful?! How else would can we explain how He overcame our blind unbelief? Are you plagued by a wavering-faith? This doctrine may be just what the Doctor ordered. In it we discover the basis for rock-solid, never-wavering, Christ-honoring, God-glorifying, joy-granting faith. Perhaps you've been looking for love in all the wrong "spiritual" places and didn't even know it. Well "X" marks the spot! Grab a copy of God's Word and join us today for The Doctrine of The Work of Christ.

Who is Jesus? As simple a question as it might sound, there have been a myriad of answers provided through the years. In the name of (false) "unity," we often over-simplify what we mean by "belief in Jesus." Jesus who? Which one? The Muslim's Jesus? The Mormon's Jesus? Maybe Madonna's "homeboy" Jesus? Needless to say, this has the potential to be one of the most important Doctrines we'll cover in this series. No one unites or divides like Jesus. At His incarnation the angels sang, "Peace on earth!" Yet, of Himself, He said, "I did not come to bring peace, but a sword!" Well, which is it? The Lord has provided us with nearly a hundred verses to consider in this sermon as we seek Him for the identity of His Son. But honestly, a hundred is just a drop in the bucket to what's available in God's Meta Narrative: The Grand Story of the Son, The Holy Bible! The Father loves to brag on His Boy! There is no one like Him. No one! So, grab a copy of His Holy Word and join us for The Doctrine of Jesus Christ!

During our first week of the doctrinal series we took a good look at our glorious God who exists in an eternal, loving, Trinitarian community. From the overflow of their love for each other, our Creator made us in His image. Last week we considered the the glorious means God has provided for relationship with Him: His Holy Word. Upon the backdrop of such glory, this week we take a humbling dive into the depravity of man with the Doctrine of The Human Condition. Such a look into our fallenness may not prove much fun, but, as CSLewis points out, until we've been brought to the reality of the war we are in against God, we will never look to Him for our only solution, the Son He has provided. So, the depths of death we must dive that we might see the glory of Christ, and live!

We spent our time together last week examining the Doctrine of God. But how do we know who is He is? The Bible says that God has revealed Himself through what scholars call "General Revelation." This to say, certain attributes of God can be observed through what He has made. But what He has made is no more Him than a house is the architect or builder who designed or constructed it. We may learn a lot about Him through what He has made, but certainly what He has made isn't Him. There is also "Special Revelation" wherein God has especially revealed Himself in certain ways and words to certain people in history. Inspired by God's Holy Spirit, they have written and passed on His Words and their experiences. The most primary, collective source of special revelation today is God's Holy Word. Do you desire to honor the Lord? Do you want to do His will? How do you know what His will is? Consider the answer Jesus provides in John's Gospel: "I only do what the Father tells Me to do." As with Jesus, all the more with Hi

Who is God? Our lives attest to our answer everyday, all day long through the way that we live and love... or don't. There can be no more important question to answer. So rightly this is where we will begin our series on The Doctrines. Do you know God? What could be more important? We live the way we do because of our perception of who and how He is. That explains a lot, doesn't it? In a world clearly clueless, all signs point to our relational starvation with Holy and Most High God. Need the fog lifted from your faith? Join us for some soul-exposure to the Light of God's Word.