In this sermon, Pastor David addresses one of faith's most pressing questions: "How can I know God's will for my life?" He begins by establishing God's general will for all believers through Micah 6:8, which calls us to "act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." This universal calling includes defending the weak and oppressed (Psalm 82:3-4), practicing mercy even when undeserved, and maintaining a humble daily walk with God.
Pastor David then distinguishes between decisions where God gives us free will to choose and situations where God has a specific plan. For discerning God's specific will, he offers a practical checklist: dedicated prayer, Scripture study, seeking wise counsel (Proverbs 12:15), and sometimes asking for a sign as Gideon did with the fleece (Judges 6:36-40). Ultimately, discovering God's will requires surrender, as Paul writes in Romans 12:1-2, transforming our minds and submitting ourselves fully to God so that "he will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6).
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In this sermon, Pastor David addresses the challenging question of why hypocrites fill the church. He begins by acknowledging his own hypocrisy—times when his actions don't align with his preaching—and suggests most Christians share this struggle. The problem, Pastor David explains, isn't that Christians sometimes fail to live up to their beliefs, but rather when they refuse to recognize this failure.
Jesus reserved His harshest words for religious leaders who maintained a righteous appearance while harboring corrupt hearts, as seen in Matthew 23 where He repeatedly calls them "hypocrites" and "whitewashed tombs." Pastor David reminds us that "the church isn't filled with perfect people but people being made perfect," and offers the "Jesus Prayer" as a humble acknowledgment of our need for mercy: "Lord Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner."
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In this inspiring service, Pastor David Dorn tackles the pivotal question of whether Jesus is the only way to God, using relatable anecdotes from tech brand loyalties to highlight how we often become convinced our preferences are supreme, yet Jesus stands as the ultimate exclusive truth. Drawing from scriptures like John 14:6, he emphasizes Jesus as the way, truth, and life, the gate to salvation, and urges believers to live with conviction, loving enemies amid societal divisions and actively inviting others to the narrow path. Through worship songs celebrating God's victories and goodness, announcements about community events like Harvest Fest, and a call to evangelism, the message challenges us to be fully sold out for Christ, partnering with the Holy Spirit to guide others to Him, all while reminding us that God fights our battles and desires all to choose Him.We invite you to connect with us: https://linktr.ee/faithmcrichmondtx
In this sermon, Pastor David tackles one of faith's most challenging questions: "Why does God allow suffering?" As part of a 10-week series addressing common spiritual questions, Pastor David shares how his understanding of suffering has evolved through his own painful experiences. He identifies four sources of suffering: our own choices, harm inflicted by others, spiritual oppression, and natural disasters.Using the story of Job as his primary text, Pastor David emphasizes that Job was blameless yet God allowed Satan to test him. This illustrates an important distinction - God didn't cause Job's suffering but permitted it. Drawing from 1 Peter 1:6-7, Pastor David explains that suffering tests and proves the genuineness of our faith, which is "of greater worth than gold." He concludes that suffering shapes us profoundly, and our response to it - maintaining faith or abandoning it - determines whether we emerge better or bitter from our trials.We invite you to connect with us: https://linktr.ee/faithmcrichmondtx
In the concluding sermon of our "Try Faith" series, Pastor RaMona examines Hebrews 11:1, reframing faith as trusting in what we hope for and cannot see. She acknowledges that everyone—even the most faithful—experiences seasons of doubt, fear, or rebellion. Through three powerful Biblical examples, she illustrates this universal struggle: Manasseh who rebelled against God after his father's death (2 Chronicles 33:3-6), Peter who denied Jesus three times out of fear (Matthew 16:17-20), and the Prodigal Son who walked away from his father's house (Luke 15:17-24).The heart of Pastor RaMona's message is that God's redemptive love remains constant despite our wavering faith. She vulnerably shares her own season of walking away from faith, when she wouldn't speak Jesus' name because she felt unworthy. Her encouraging conclusion reminds us that just as Jesus restored Peter three times after his three denials, God continually restores us to faith because "God is greater than all our sin" and nothing can separate us from His love. For those not "all in" with their faith, Pastor RaMona extends a warm invitation to "try faith again," assuring us that God is waiting to celebrate our return.We invite you to connect with us: https://linktr.ee/faithmcrichmondtx
In this sermon from the "Try Faith" series, Pastor David explores the nature of faith using the definition from Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." He illustrates this concept with a children's shape sorter toy, showing how we often try to force things to happen our way instead of trusting God's timing and methods.
Pastor David examines Abraham's story as a powerful example of faith during waiting. Though Abraham waited 25 years for God to fulfill His promise of a son, Romans 4:18-21 celebrates his unwavering faith. However, Pastor David notes that Abraham had moments of weakness when he tried taking control back from God—most notably having a child with Hagar, which created family conflict and eventually led to divisions that still impact our world today. The sermon concludes with an encouragement to maintain what Eugene Peterson called "long obedience in the same direction," trusting God's timing rather than forcing our own solutions.
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As we continue with our "Try Faith" sermon series, in his sermon "Faith Under Pressure," Pastor Leo examines what faith looks like when life doesn't go according to plan. Using Hebrews 11:1 and the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from Daniel 3, he illustrates how pressure can either break us or prove us—and faith determines which outcome we experience. The three Jewish men demonstrated remarkable faith through their dual declaration: first, their confidence that God could save them, and second, their commitment to remain faithful "even if He doesn't."Pastor Leo shares his personal journey through divorce, revealing how the truth that "God is good even when my circumstances are not" anchored him through his darkest moments. He emphasizes that we don't face life's furnaces alone—God is present in our trials, and we're supported by community. As Jesus promised in John 16:33, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." True faith under pressure doesn't just survive—it stands, stays, and shines, knowing that the God who is able is also the God who is with us.We invite you to connect with us: https://linktr.ee/faithmcrichmondtx
In Pastor David's third sermon in the series "Try Faith", he explores the nature of faith through the analogy of stepping onto ice and the Biblical account of Peter walking on water in Matthew 14:22-33. He explains that faith isn't about how passionate we are, but rather about the trustworthiness of Jesus—like thick ice that holds you regardless of how nervous you feel stepping onto it.
Pastor David describes "hinge moments" where small acts of faith lead to dramatic life changes, sharing his own experience of choosing to leave a comfortable but unhealthy ministry position. The key, he emphasizes, is keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus amid life's storms rather than focusing on our circumstances. When Peter looked at Jesus, he walked on water; when he focused on the waves, he began to sink. Pastor David concludes with a challenge to take risky steps of faith toward Jesus, reminding us that even when we feel like we're drowning, Jesus is only an arm's length away when we pray, "Lord, save me!"
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Continuing in the "Try Faith" series, Pastor David revisits the definition of faith from Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." He emphasizes that faith isn't merely a momentary action but an outlook on life that relies on Jesus showing up in our circumstances, making "good things out of hard things."
Pastor David examines Matthew 4:18-22, where Jesus calls His first disciples, suggesting that rather than strangers immediately dropping everything to follow Jesus, they likely had established relationships with Him already. This relationship foundation made it possible for them to leave behind comfort and security when Jesus called. He reminds us that following Jesus isn't always easy, referencing Matthew 20:22-23 where Jesus asks James and John, "Are you able to take the suffering that I am about to take?" Despite the cost, they still chose to follow Him. Pastor David challenges us to cultivate our relationship with Jesus through prayer, incorporating His teachings into our daily lives, participating in communion, and sharing our struggles with Him—preparing us for when He calls us to step out in faith.
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In this first sermon of the series "Try Faith", Pastor David unpacks what it means to have faith, starting with the definition from Hebrews 11:1: "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." He explains that faith is fundamentally about confidence in Jesus to bring hope to seemingly hopeless situations, even when we can't see the outcome. Pastor David observes that many Christians have "manufactured our end results" rather than living a truly Christ-reliant life, which is why we "say we believe, but we never see the power of God."
Pastor David uses Abraham and Sarah's story as a powerful example of faith in action. At ages 75 and 65, they were called by God to leave their home and family to follow Him into the unknown, with the promise of becoming a great nation despite their childlessness. Their willingness to step out in faith—despite the difficulty and their own imperfections—changed the world. Pastor David challenges us to move beyond auto-pilot and predictability, to take risks in response to God's leading, and to "try faith" both by engaging with church activities and by living with daily dependence on God.
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Pastor David concludes the series on Ecclesiastes, where Solomon poetically urges readers to "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come" (Ecclesiastes 12:1).
The sermon explores Jesus' parables from Matthew 25 - the Parable of the Talents and the Parable of the Sheep and Goats - interpreting them as teachings about what we do with our souls. Pastor David explains that our souls are unique gifts from God that enable us to connect with Him, and life's true meaning is found not in worldly achievements but in how we invest our souls by loving others, especially "the least of these." He concludes with Solomon's final words that "God will bring every deed into judgment" (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14), urging us to invest in what truly matters while there's still time.
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In this fifth sermon of our series on Ecclesiastes, Pastor David examines Solomon's observations about injustice and oppression in the world. Using the parable Nathan told to King David about a rich man taking a poor man's beloved lamb, the sermon illustrates how envy drives injustice. Solomon, who was the son of David and Bathsheba, grew up understanding the destructive power of envy in his own family story.
The sermon highlights Ecclesiastes 4:1-4, where Solomon observes that "all toil and all achievement spring from one person's envy of another." Pastor David connects this ancient wisdom to modern examples, including Lex Luthor's envy of Superman, and Jesus' parable in Matthew 20:15-16 about workers in the vineyard. The message concludes by challenging us to examine our hearts for envy, recognizing that it harms our souls and our relationship with God.
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This sermon examines the wisdom found in Ecclesiastes, particularly chapter 3, where Solomon reflects on the seasons of life. The pastor begins by sharing how his difficult early marriage years during seminary—though filled with financial struggles and tears—became some of his family's most cherished memories. He connects this personal experience to Solomon's observation that everything is meaningless apart from who we become with God.
The core message centers on Ecclesiastes 3:1-14, where Solomon writes that there is "a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens." Pastor David emphasizes that while we cannot control which seasons we experience—whether raising children, caregiving for aging parents, struggling in marriage, or facing health challenges—we do control who we become through them. God makes "everything beautiful in its time" and has "set eternity in the human heart," inviting us to consider how our souls are being shaped through both difficult and joyful seasons, and whether we'll grow closer to Jesus or pull away.
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In week three of a sermon series on Ecclesiastes, Pastor David examines Solomon's wisdom regarding work. Solomon, the wisest and wealthiest man of his time, concluded that work is ultimately meaningless because everything we toil for will eventually be left to others who may not appreciate or manage it well. As Ecclesiastes 2:17-26 reveals, Solomon "hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me."
Pastor David reminds us that while work is necessary to pay bills and sustain life, it shouldn't be our ultimate purpose. Quoting Dallas Willard, he emphasizes, "The most important thing in your life is not what you do, it's who you become." The sermon concludes with the powerful story of Steve, a businessman who learned to use his position to serve God by helping a homeless man, illustrating how we can work for God's kingdom in whatever profession we find ourselves, as instructed in Colossians 3:23-24.
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In this sermon on Ecclesiastes, Pastor David explores how Solomon laments that wisdom brings heaviness and sorrow (Ecclesiastes 1:18), yet attempts to find meaning through pleasure ultimately prove futile. Drawing from Ecclesiastes 2:1-11, we see Solomon—the richest man alive—indulging in every pleasure imaginable only to conclude it was all "meaningless, a chasing after the wind." Pastor David illustrates this principle through personal experiences with cruise vacations, demonstrating how overindulgence leads to diminishing returns and emptiness.
The sermon concludes by emphasizing that soul health should be our priority, not pleasure-seeking. When our souls are healthy, overindulgence isn't a problem, but when our souls are prideful or depressed, we're tempted to mask pain or celebrate success with destructive pleasures. What matters most is not what we do but who we become in relationship with God, as Jesus taught in Matthew 6:33 to "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness."
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In this sermon, Pastor David begins a six-week series on Ecclesiastes by confronting us with Solomon's jarring wisdom: everything is meaningless. Our jobs, possessions, worries, and achievements are all temporary—"vapor" that's here and gone in a flash. Drawing from Ecclesiastes 1:1-11, he emphasizes that nothing is new under the sun, and generations come and go while the earth remains.Pastor David connects this ancient wisdom to Jesus's teaching in Matthew 6:25-34 about not worrying about tomorrow. He shares the profound insight found in this chapter: the only thing that truly lasts is your soul. Therefore, what matters most isn't what you accomplish but who you become. Referencing John Ortberg's "Soul Keeping," he also describes how our souls are "sticky," picking up habits, attitudes, and sins from our surroundings that may not align with God. This sermon challenges us to focus on soul-formation, because everything else—while seemingly important now—is ultimately meaningless unless it impacts eternal souls.We invite you to connect with us: https://linktr.ee/faithmcrichmondtx
In the final message of his sermon series “Drought: Experiencing the Fruit of the Spirit in Dry Seasons,” Pastor David explores self-control as the most personally challenging spiritual fruit because it requires self-denial rather than outward action toward others. Using Paul's athletic metaphor in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, he explains that spiritual discipline often requires enduring discomfort to achieve greater goals—striking a blow to our bodies to make them slaves to Christ's purposes rather than our own desires.
Pastor David emphasizes that "everything is spiritual" and that "self-control is a physical solution to a spiritual problem." He challenges us to identify areas needing control—what goes into our mouths (consumption), what comes out of our mouths (words), how we spend time and money, or our overall emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual health. He references Jesus' teaching in Matthew 15:18-19 about how what comes out of the mouth reflects the heart.
For those not seeing the Fruit of the Spirit developing in their lives, Pastor David offers practical steps: reading the Bible daily, praying throughout the day, attending church weekly, and refusing to let other activities become idols that take priority over God. He encourages us to "choose to break the patterns of the past," assuring us that while developing self-control may require discomfort or even pain, the Holy Spirit will help us if we are willing to try as we aim toward hearing Christ's "well done good and faithful servant."
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In this sermon, Pastor David Dorn explores the contrast between anger and gentleness through his personal journey beginning with Hurricane Katrina. As a 19-year-old college student, he discovered that anger temporarily relieved his anxiety and helped him function amid devastating loss. However, God confronted him about this anger, teaching him that while anger might produce immediate results, it leaves destructive marks.Pastor David anchors his message in Proverbs 15:1, "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger," and points to Jesus' self-description in Matthew 11:28-29 as "gentle and humble in heart." Though our culture often portrays gentleness as weakness, Pastor David emphasizes that Jesus chose gentleness as His defining characteristic. The sermon concludes with the powerful truth that "anger leaves its mark... but gentleness leaves a legacy," challenging us to consider which attribute others will learn from us.We invite you to connect with us: https://linktr.ee/faithmcrichmondtx
In this sermon, Dr. Paul Spellman delves into the Methodist tradition of asking ordinands if they're "going on to perfection." He explains that this question isn't about achieving sinlessness, but rather about understanding our relationship with God on our faith journey. Dr. Spellman then explores the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23, describing them as recurring Markers along our spiritual path rather than checkboxes to complete.The sermon emphasizes that we all experience different seasons in our faith journey, with times of abundance and drought. Dr. Spellman provides examples of how people experience the Holy Spirit, including the dramatic Pentecost event (Acts 2:1-13), John Wesley's "strangely warmed" heart, and Paul's reflection on fighting the good fight (2 Timothy 4:7). He concludes by reassuring us that wherever we are in their faith journey, God has us right where He wants us to be.We invite you to connect with us: https://linktr.ee/faithmcrichmondtx
In this sermon, Pastor David explores the concept of goodness as one of the Fruits of the Spirit. He begins with the starfish story, illustrating how even small acts of kindness can make a meaningful difference in someone's life. He emphasizes that goodness is not merely an attitude but must be expressed through action, benefiting others around us.
Drawing from his Boy Scout experience, Pastor David encourages believers to adopt a lifestyle of doing good daily. He stresses that goodness should be practical, making those around us emotionally secure, physically safe, and loved. He also addresses the challenge of maintaining goodness during spiritually dry seasons, reminding us that expressing goodness to others can be like finding an oasis in a desert.
Pastor David concludes with a powerful quote from Mother Teresa about the challenge of loving those close to us. He applies this concept to goodness, encouraging believers to show kindness not only to those far away but also to family members and fellow believers who may test our patience. He reminds us that we receive goodness from God and should urgently share it with others, making a difference one person at a time.
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