In Matthew 16:18, Jesus declares, "...I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." What is the nature and character of the church Jesus founded? The New Testament offers three pictures of the church in order to grasp the depth of what Jesus intended to build: the...
In the fall of 1976, God moved in the lives of two couples from the local college community to launch Williamsburg Community Fellowship. The church met in a small home, the children’s ministry in a neighboring house. Each Sunday morning, folding chairs replaced furniture. Each Sunday afternoon...
In the middle of the first century there was a man named Saul who lived out a radically transformed life. He was the chief persecutor of the church who became the chief architect for the proliferation of the church. He sought righteousness through his own good works, yet began to teach that...
We began our annual focus on the Gospel in the fall with a study of Romans, examining Paul’s clear presentation of the Gospel, that Jesus died so we might live (Romans 3:21-24). In this series, we will return to Romans to see the practical applications of the Gospel for daily living. The...
Luke 9:51-19:27 shows Jesus’ journey with His disciples from His ministry in Galilee to the focal point of His mission, His death and resurrection in Jerusalem. In this section of Luke, known as the Travel Narrative, we see Jesus slow down and prepare His followers for what is to come by telling...
We have been studying the Gospel which leads to a right relationship with God, but there’s more to the story. The Gospel leads to a right relationship with God AND right relationships with people. Yet we know there are speed bumps and road blocks on the path to right relationships with others...
In the first two chapters of Luke, we find four reactions to the news of the Gospel. These reactions are not if/then statements of logic, but rather poetic expressions in song. Sung by Mary, Zechariah, a host of angels, and Simeon, these songs witness to the birth of Jesus, representing the...
“‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!’” (Mark 1:15) When Jesus spoke these words, He made it clear they were rooted in redemptive history (“The time …”), He made it clear something was about to happen (“… is near …”), He made it clear...
Genesis means “beginnings.” This title is derived from the opening line of the book, which is the opening statement of the whole Bible: “In the beginning…”
The mission statement of our church comes directly from Matthew 28:18, where Jesus calls us to “make disciples.” In the context that Jesus first uttered this command, it was a radical statement. No one made disciples.