11-9-2025
The message emphasizes gratitude and the call for followers of Jesus to share God's love and faithfulness with others, especially during the season of Thanksgiving. Drawing from Psalm 105 and 1 John 4:19-20, Will Dyer highlights the importance of remembering God's blessings and faithfulness throughout history and in personal lives. This gratitude should inspire Christians to give, serve, and pray for their community and missional partners, demonstrating God's love to the world. The church is committed to supporting various local and international initiatives, such as providing food, medical care, education, and shelter to vulnerable populations. The congregation is encouraged to respond by committing to these efforts through financial contributions, volunteering, and prayer, as a tangible expression of their faith and gratitude for God's love.
11-2-2025
Will Dyer reflects on the parable of the talents from Matthew 25:14-30, emphasizing its relevance to the present rather than the afterlife. They highlight the generosity of God and the responsibility of individuals and the church to use their gifts to serve others and further God's kingdom. Will Dyer critiques the tendency to hoard blessings and calls for a shift from scarcity to generosity, urging the congregation to actively share their resources, talents, and love to address spiritual and physical needs in the community. They celebrate the church's recent achievements, including becoming debt-free and allocating funds for missions, while encouraging personal reflection on how each individual can contribute to multiplying God's blessings. The message concludes with a prayer for boldness, gratitude, and a commitment to living with a heart of thanksgiving and service.
In this sermon, Mark, a young adult leader at First Baptist Church of Augusta, concludes the eight-week series "Practicing the Way," which focuses on being with Jesus, becoming like Him, and doing as He did. He emphasizes the importance of living out these principles within a church community, drawing inspiration from the early church as described in Acts 2:42-47. Mark highlights the church as a people united by Christ's resurrection, devoted to learning, fellowship, breaking bread, prayer, and serving others. He acknowledges the challenges and messiness of community but underscores its transformative power in fostering spiritual growth, mutual care, and outreach to the broader world. Mark encourages the congregation to embrace intentional relationships, live sacrificially, and be a visible representation of Christ's kingdom, creating a community that inspires awe and brings others to know Jesus.
10-19-2025The message emphasizes the importance of living an intentional Christian life by adopting a "rule of life," which is a structured set of daily, weekly, and monthly practices that help individuals stay connected to Jesus, the "vine," and bear spiritual fruit as His "branches." It highlights the Christian life as a journey of being with Jesus, becoming like Him, and doing as He did, rather than merely seeking salvation after death. Will Dyer encourages gratitude for life as a gift from God and challenges listeners to reflect on how they spend their time, urging them to cultivate habits such as prayer, scripture reading, Sabbath, fasting, community, and witness. By building a "trellis" of spiritual practices, believers can remain rooted in Christ, experience joy, and live lives that glorify God.
Romans 8:35-39
The message emphasizes the theme of being spiritually lost and the assurance of God's unwavering love and presence. Using personal anecdotes, scripture from Romans 8:35-39, and the poem "He Loves Me," the Rodger Murchison highlights that nothing can separate us from God's love, though we may sometimes feel distant due to sin or life's challenges. The sermon encourages self-reflection on one's spiritual direction, the importance of confession, and the need to follow Jesus' teachings as a way to heal from sin and live a better life. It concludes with the comforting reminder that, like a loving parent, God is always seeking us, ready to guide us home if we allow Him. The call to action is to embrace Jesus as the way, truth, and life, and to practice living in alignment with His example.
10-5-2025
The message emphasizes the inevitability of pain and suffering in life and the importance of confronting it with faith rather than avoiding it through denial, detachment, or numbing distractions. Using Psalm 23 as a guide, Will Dyer highlights how King David, despite his profound grief and failures, remained faithful to God and found comfort in His presence during dark times. The message encourages individuals to name their pain and grief, trust God to work through it, and allow it to transform them into fuller, more compassionate people. It underscores that suffering, when entrusted to God, can lead to spiritual growth and deeper connection with Him. The act of communion serves as a reminder of Christ's suffering and victory over death, offering hope that pain does not have the final word.
9-28-2025
The message emphasizes that the ultimate goal of following Jesus is to become a person of love, reflecting His character through compassion, generosity, forgiveness, and grace. Spiritual practices like prayer, reading Scripture, practicing Sabbath, and solitude are not ends in themselves but tools to shape believers into people who embody Christ's love. Will Dyer challenges listeners to evaluate whether their daily rhythms and faith practices are making them more loving, urging repentance and a renewed commitment to love if they fall short. The example of George Mueller, who transformed lives through his love-driven actions, illustrates how practicing the way of Jesus can lead to profound impact. Ultimately, the call is to align one's life with the greatest commandments: loving God and loving others.
9-14-2025
The message emphasizes the importance of intentional spiritual formation, urging individuals to reflect on how their environments, habits, and daily routines shape their character and faith. Drawing from Romans 12:1-2, it challenges listeners not to conform to the patterns of the world but to be transformed by renewing their minds through practices like prayer and Scripture reading. The speaker highlights how external influences, such as technology and societal norms, can unconsciously shape us, and stresses the need for deliberate habits that align with Jesus's teachings. Ultimately, the message calls for self-examination, asking "Who are you becoming?" and encourages reliance on Jesus's presence and guidance to foster transformation into people of peace, joy, and love.
9-7-2025
The speaker introduces an eight-week church-wide study called "Practicing the Way," based on John Mark Comer's teachings, emphasizing the transformative call of Jesus to "Come, follow me." Rooted in historical context, the speaker explains the significance of rabbis in ancient Israel and the rigorous educational journey leading to discipleship, highlighting how Jesus' invitation to fishermen like Peter and Andrew was revolutionary, as it extended to those deemed "not good enough." The call to follow Jesus is presented as an opportunity for personal formation—being with Jesus, becoming like Him, and doing as He did—rather than merely holding Christian beliefs. The speaker challenges listeners to move from identifying as Christians to becoming apprentices of Christ, urging them to carve out time to be with Jesus daily and embrace His call to discipleship for a deeper, transformative faith.
The message emphasizes the importance of finding one's identity in Christ rather than in work, achievements, relationships, or societal expectations. Using Paul's letter to the Corinthians as a foundation, it highlights how the church at Corinth lost its way by defining themselves through divisions, quarrels, and worldly measures. Will Dyer reflects on the human tendency to root identity in transient things like careers, appearances, or roles, which can lead to instability and dissatisfaction. Instead, the message calls for embracing the unshakable identity found in being a child of God, redeemed through Christ. Through this lens, believers are reminded that "all things are yours because you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God," encouraging them to live with confidence, purpose, and a deeper connection to God's grace.
8-17-2025
The message emphasizes the church's role in engaging with and transforming the city rather than retreating from it, even in a post-Christian culture. Using Jeremiah's call to seek the welfare of the city and examples from early Christianity, Will Dyer highlights how the church can address challenges like poverty, education, and social division through small acts of love and service. The church is called to be a community that plants roots, prays for the city, partners with organizations, and welcomes all people, demonstrating God's grace and glory. By doing small things with great love, the church can foster restoration and hope, ultimately sharing the gospel and transforming lives in the city.
8-10-2025
The message emphasizes the importance of unity within the church, centered on Jesus Christ. It contrasts unity with uniformity, explaining that unity is not about agreeing on every doctrinal detail but about being united in faith in Jesus as Lord. Will Dyer highlights the revolutionary nature of this unity, both in the early church and in today's fractured world, and stresses that the church's unity reflects God's love and serves as a witness to the world. Despite historical divisions and denominational differences, the church is called to focus on the essentials—faith in Jesus—while allowing liberty in non-essentials and practicing love in all things. The message concludes with a call for the church to embody this unity, offering grace and generosity of spirit, and to be a community that reflects the love and goodness of God.
8-3-2025
The message emphasizes that the church is not merely a place or an activity but a community of people radically committed to the way of Jesus Christ. It challenges misconceptions about the church, urging believers to understand their identity as a holy, set-apart people called to reflect God's goodness in the world. Holiness, defined as being set apart to bless others, is presented as the fundamental attribute of the church. Will Dyer encourages the congregation to embrace their role as royal ambassadors, living as an outpost of God's kingdom and demonstrating generosity, grace, and forgiveness in a broken world. The ultimate goal is to transform lives and communities by embodying the light and love of Christ, reminding believers of their calling to be holy and to share God's virtuous deeds with others.
Genesis Chapter 12
7-27-2025
The sermon reflects on the story of Abram and Sarah, emphasizing the power of faith and trust in God's promises, even when they seem impossible. It recounts how Abraham and Sarah waited 24 years for God's promise of a son, despite their old age and doubts. Sarah laughed in disbelief, but God fulfilled His promise, demonstrating that nothing is too wonderful or impossible for Him. The sermon connects this story to broader themes in Scripture, including God's transformative work in the world, the birth of Jesus, and the salvation of humanity. It encourages believers to trust God's purposes, even during the "faith time" of waiting, and reminds them that God's promises are always good and extraordinary. Through faith and obedience, believers participate in God's plan to bring light, joy, and salvation to the world.
7-20-2025
The message centers on the story of Zacchaeus, emphasizing the transformative power of Jesus' grace and love. Zacchaeus, a despised chief tax collector, encounters Jesus, who defies societal expectations by showing him kindness and visiting his home. This act of grace inspires Zacchaeus to repent and change his life, demonstrating the profound impact of encountering Jesus. Will Dyer contrasts childish faith, which oversimplifies biblical stories, with childlike faith, which embraces wonder and deeper understanding. The story serves as a reminder that Jesus loves and forgives everyone, even those deemed unworthy, and calls us to extend the same grace to others. Ultimately, it invites reflection on how we respond to Jesus' love and live in light of his wondrous grace.
7-13-2025
Will Dyer reflects on the story of the rich young ruler in Luke 18:15-27, emphasizing its relevance to modern life. The ruler's question, "What must I do to inherit the life of the age to come?" is reframed not as a query about eternal life after death, but about living well in the present, aligned with God's kingdom values. Jesus challenges the ruler to prioritize God above all else, asking him to sell his possessions and follow Him, highlighting the deeper issue of misplaced priorities. Will Dyer contrasts this teaching with cultural messages like "follow your heart" or "you do you," which often lead to superficial fulfillment. Instead, Jesus calls for a radical reordering of love and priorities, urging followers to seek God's kingdom first. The sermon concludes with a call to self-reflection, repentance, and commitment to putting Jesus at the center of life, as His way leads to abundant and joyful living.
7-6-2025
The sermon reflects on the story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery from John 8:1-11, emphasizing Jesus' wisdom, grace, and transformative love. It explores the cultural and religious context of the story, highlighting how Jesus exposed the hypocrisy of the religious leaders who sought to trap him and used religion for judgment rather than compassion. By asking, "Which of you is without sin?" Jesus redirected the focus from condemnation to self-reflection, ultimately offering forgiveness and inviting the woman to "go and sin no more." The message challenges listeners to examine their own lives, leave behind judgment, hypocrisy, and sin, and embrace the transformative love and grace of Christ to live into the fullness of who God created them to be. It concludes with a call to reflect on what needs to be left behind and to seek new life through Jesus' forgiveness and love.
Psalm 84
Will Dyer reflects on the significance of worship, emphasizing its dual nature as both a communal celebration and a way of life. Drawing from Psalm 84, they highlight worship as a glimpse of eternity, where heaven and earth intersect, and a celebration of God's goodness. He recount their experience at Camp Kid Jam, observing the joyful worship of children, and connect this exuberance to the ancient Israelites' pilgrimage to the temple, where they encountered God's presence. Worship, he argue, is not a mundane routine but a foretaste of the joy and celebration of God's kingdom, as described in Revelation and Jesus' parables. The act of communion is presented as a powerful reminder of God's abundant love and grace, inviting everyone to partake in the celebration of His goodness. Worship, ultimately, is an invitation to experience eternity and the boundless love of God.