From the Pulpit

In 1 Samuel 8, Israel asks for a king “like all the nations,” revealing a temptation that still confronts us today: to trust what we can see rather than the God we cannot. The people were drawn to human leadership—Samuel’s aging authority, the failures of his sons, the stability and power of surrounding nations—because it promised security, predictability, and control. Yet human rulers are fallible: they take, they exploit, and they fail. Even the best leaders eventually show cracks, and every system built on human strength alone will disappoint.This passage challenges us to see the difference between visible, fragile leadership that takes and the invisible, faithful rule of God, who provides, sustains, and defends His people. It calls us to walk by faith, not by sight, and to learn to trust in the unseen King rather than the rulers we can measure and manage.

Sermon from October 26th, 2025 service. Godsgrace Agu preaching.

We live in a world that doesn’t like kings. We prefer freedom, autonomy, and the right to rule ourselves. We want control—over our choices, our image, our future. But deep down, every one of us serves something. It might be ambition, comfort, fear, or the approval of others, but none of us is truly throne-less. Someone—or something—reigns in our hearts. The question is, who?Israel wrestled with that same question long ago. They had all the signs of religion, all the rituals of devotion, yet they lived as if God’s throne were empty. And it cost them dearly. But then, in one remarkable chapter, everything began to change. First Samuel 7 describes a people learning again what it means to live under the rule of the Almighty—and what happens when they finally let God reign.

If the “fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 9:10), then we must admit: sometimes we act like fools. Many believers treat God with frivolity and approach him casually. We prefer a God who feels approachable, familiar, and even manageable. We like his love, his mercy, and his patience. But his holiness? His untameable majesty? His uncompromising purity? That feels too invasive and too judgmental. So, we smooth the edges, softening God and tailoring him to our preferences and sensitivities.The result is a tepid Christianity that speaks easily of grace but trembles not at glory, a Christianity in which reverence is rare, and awe is replaced by ease. But the God of the Bible will not be domesticated, manipulated, or disregarded. He is sovereign. He is holy. And the only right response is to bow before him.

Sermon from October 05, 2025 service. Cliff Donaldson preaching.

Imagine carrying a golden box, believing it alone could guarantee your victory. Silly, right? Yet in 1 Samuel 4, Israel treated the ark of the covenant like a divine good-luck charm, hoping to force God’s hand and wield his power—and the cost was catastrophic. Thousands died, the priesthood collapsed, and the glory of God departed from their midst. This story isn’t just ancient history—it’s a warning to us. We can be quick to use God’s name, pray the right prayers, check the right boxes, or follow the right rituals, assuming his blessing will automatically follow. Today, we’ll see the danger of presumption, the heartbreak of God stepping back, and the hope of his invitation: to pursue him with humility, obedience, and wholehearted trust. The question is urgent: will we seek intimacy with God—or merely use him for utility?

Intimacy requires communication. On one hand, words need to be offered. If friends don’t talk, if families don’t share, and if spouses stop discussing—those relationships will weaken, fade, and eventually fail. On the other hand, words need to be received. If students can’t understand their teachers, if athletes tune out their coaches, and if children ignore their parents—those relationships will suffer too.Intimacy requires communication. And we serve a God who communicates truthfully, powerfully, and clearly. He reveals himself rightly and sufficiently. He guides us wisely and effectively. The Creator of all things has always been speaking (Heb. 1:1–2). God wants us to know him—his character, his expectations, his purposes. He wants us to be saved by him, to abide in him, to live lives that reflect him, and to become more and more like him. God wants intimacy with us. So—he speaks. The question is: Are we listening?

Before the monarchy was established, Israel was surrounded by threats to its national prosperity, integrity, and identity. Foreign nations advanced, false gods enticed, and hostile alliances formed. Yet, as real as these external dangers were, the greatest threat came from within. The priesthood had become a law-ignoring, self-serving, and people-abusing institution—modelling and promoting religious apathy and disobedience instead of faith in God and service to God. With such covenant unfaithfulness in leadership, it’s no surprise that Israel was enduring such dark days. Those who oppose the Lord will find the Lord opposing them.And yet, as He always does, God offered His wayward people an undeserved silver lining of hope: a road to reconciliation, a path to forgiveness, a picture of faithfulness, and an invitation to acceptance.

First and Second Samuel are epic narratives, rich with fascinating characters and familiar stories. From Hannah’s miraculous pregnancy to Samuel’s king-making ministry, from the theft of the ark to the fall of a giant, from Saul’s tragic reign to David’s paradigmatic throne—these inspired books have it all. Themes of friendship and betrayal, scandal and war, witchcraft and heartbreak, human redemption and divine intervention weave through every chapter. But beyond their dramatic appeal, these accounts also deliver foundational theology. They reveal a God who rules over nations, installs and removes kings, and remains faithful to a faithless people. Studying these texts unveils God’s unmatched power, uncompromising holiness, and astounding grace—a grace first glimpsed in the supernatural satisfaction granted to those who suffer in humble submission to the God who hears.

Sermon from August 31, 2025 service. Josiah Boyd preaching.

Sermon from August 24, 2025 service. Josiah Boyd preaching.

Sermon from August 17, 2025 service. Cliff Donaldson preaching.

Sermon from August 10, 2025 service. Brian Hartnett preaching.

Sermon from August 03, 2025 service. Stephen Hawkins preaching.

Sermon from July 27, 2025 service. Jim Rennie preaching.

Sermon from July 20, 2025 service. Jim Rennie preaching.

Sermon from July 13, 2025 service. Jim Rennie preaching.

Sermon from July 6, 2025 service. Stephen Hawkins preaching.

Sermon from June 29, 2025 service. Andrew Longmire preaching.

Sermon from June 15, 2025 service. Godsgrace Agu preaching.