Grateful for Salvation

A lot of times our lives, in our Christian walk, we begin to get so ahead that when it comes to thinking we are in His kingdom, that we are not going back to pull others to join us. - Pastor Miguel Alban

It’s About Time

“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” - Mark 1:15
- Pastor Chris Lockemy

Life Lessons of War

Hacksaw Ridge is a 2016 biographical war film that focuses on the World War II experiences of Desmond Doss, an American pacifist combat medic who, as a Seventh-day Adventist Christian, refused to carry or use a firearm or weapon of any kind. Doss became the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of Honor, for service above and beyond the call of duty during the Battle of Okinawa.In short, it’s the story of a man who loves God first, and wants to honor him with his life in one of the most unforgiving circumstances. War.Have you ever been in a situation like that? Maybe not war, but something so difficult you didn’t know how you could possibly get through it and honor God at the same time? - Pastor Ryan Martinez

The Apostle Paul’s Valediction Part 4

Paul warned the Romans, he warned Timothy, he warned another one of his protégés Titus to watch out for these kinds of people. There always have been these kinds of people, and there always will be these kinds of people. This is why it’s so important that you and I become students of the Word of God. This is another reason we must know what it says. - Pastor Ryan Martinez

The Apostle Paul’s Valediction Part 3

God said this to his people who were in exile in a country far away from their own. And the prosperity He’s talking about isn’t physical. It’s not material, it’s not financial… It’s completely spiritual prosperity in which no matter the circumstances, God remains their rock, their king, their guide. That’s the kind of prosperity Paul is talking about. - Pastor Ryan Martinez

The Apostle Paul’s Valediction Part 2

God has uniquely gifted you to minister in your own sphere of influence. You’re an introvert? Great! God is still calling you and gifting you to minister. You’re a super extrovert? Awesome! God is calling you and gifting you to minister. Do you really like praying? God has gifted you to minister. You like hosting people and making them feel like they’re family? Amazing! God has gifted you to minister. Understanding the spiritual gifts God has given you will help you understand the calling He’s placed on you. – Pastor Ryan Martinez

The Apostle Paul’s Valediction Part 1

Could you imagine how different everything would be if we made the decision to not just serve, but to live a life of servant-hood? Everything would be completely different. We would quickly begin to look more and more like Jesus. There are many who believe that they could never be like Jesus… Start living a life of servant-hood and you’ll see how much like Jesus you can actually be. Pastor Ryan Martinez

The Stumbling Block Principle

If there’s anything in my life that can cause you to stumble and fall away from the Lord, I shouldn’t do it. If there’s anything in your life that can cause someone else to stumble in their faith and fall away from the Lord, you shouldn’t do it. And this is what I want to talk about today. The Stumbling Block Principle. - Pastor Ryan Martinez

When Grace Met Truth

If you want to know what Jesus meant when Jesus said “Love one another” watch how Jesus loved. There it is. Grace and Truth and that’s messy. It’s inconsistent. It’s unfair. It’s confusing. But it’s life-giving and it points to our Heavenly Father. This is difficult and we just don’t know what to do with the tension sometimes but we dare not let go of either. Because the church is to be the dispenser of both. So let’s be a church of Grace, let’s be a church of truth, and let’s pray that God will continue to help us manage the tension of this so that every person from every walk of life will know the Glory of God. Remember God says “You have sinned! And I have paid for it. And I don’t condemn you… and I love you. And if you can’t see this by reading words on a page, you’ll be able to see it when you look at my bride… The Church.” - Pastor Ryan Martinez

Showing Up

God didn’t strategically move me here… My job moved me here. If it wasn’t for the Air Force, I would be somewhere else completely.” If my company hadn’t of relocated me because I got a promotion, I would have never thought to come to Delaware. Or you could possibly come at it from the other angle… “Pastor Ryan, I was born here. My Parents were born here… My grandparents lived here there entire lives. God didn’t strategically place me here, We just never moved!” And Jesus is saying no. It may seem random to you, but you are a strategically placed light. You are exactly where I want you to be. - Pastor Ryan Martinez

Insiders & Outsiders

The difference between “Christian” and “Disciple” is that being a Christian is all about what a person believes but being a disciple is about what a person does. If you’re a church person, and you consider yourself to be a follower of Jesus, it’s crucial to understand that non-church people, non-faith people look at us and expect more of us than we expect of ourselves. And while many people hide behind the label “I’m a Christian! I’m a Christian! I’m a Christian!” people on the outside are looking at us and saying “Yeah, but you don’t look like Jesus! You don’t look like Jesus! You don’t look like Jesus!” And so there’s a tension. There’s a conflict. It’s why so many people aren’t involved in a local church. The attitude is like “Forget ‘Christian’. Why don’t you look more like Jesus?” - Pastor Ryan Martinez

Quitters

Can you imagine if suddenly we decided to quit being christians for 6 months, what would happen? People would get around us and they would say “I don’t feel coerced… I feel drawn”. And living like this would make non-Jesus followers question the way they live their own lives because they’ve never seen such honesty. See, this is how most of us came to faith. We saw people like this and we were drawn in. This isn’t rocket science. “Oh Pastor Ryan, I’ve never heard this before”. It's been in there for 2,000 years. Our problem is that we’ve settled for being Christians and we’ve settled for the brand “Christianity” and we gave up something good. – Pastor Ryan Martinez

Brand Recognition

Jesus wants you to love each other in such a way that people on the outside peer in and are drawn to me because they look at you and say “Wow! Look at how they love.” And I want you to create a community that’s defined and characterized by that kind of amazingly generous, unconditional, compassionate, ridiculous, “WHO WOULD DO THAT”-kind of love. Can you imagine if we got this one thing right? If we got this one thing right in our homes, if we got this one thing right in our church, if we got this one thing right in our workplaces, if we got this one thing right in our schools? If we got this one thing right in our neighborhood? Could you imagine?

The Community of Christ

Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. - Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

He is Risen - Easter Sunday

Today is Easter Sunday 2023 and today is about celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus; the perfect sacrifice made on our behalf, good forever. This is the foundation of our faith. This is the basis of everything we believe to be true about God. And it started 2,000 years ago today! We should celebrate! We should take time to dwell on this and praise God for such an incredible gift. But what does it all actually mean for us?

Welcoming Jesus - Palm Sunday

Jesus makes what many people call his Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. Greeted by people shouting praises and recognizing his Kingship. This Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem on a young colt was a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy found in Zechariah 9:9 His triumphal entry into Jerusalem riding a donkey was also foreshadowing his death 5 days later. See, in Genesis the story of Abraham being asked by God to sacrifice his son Isaac, as they are making their journey up the mountain for Abraham to sacrifice Isaac,(the sacrifice) was riding a… donkey

Beyond Your Means - Part 2

“Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” - 2 Corinthians 9:6

Beyond Your Means - Part 1

God's not after your money, God is after your heart. I’m not interested in you giving more and more, I’m interested in you being obedient to the one you call “Lord”. Again, this is not about what I want from you… This is 100% about what I want for you. - Pastor Ryan Martinez

Response to Urgency

So the Apostle Paul spent the first 11 chapters of Romans laying out the doctrinal foundation of our faith. Righteousness comes by faith and faith alone from start to finish, humanity is trapped in a downward spiral of sin and wickedness, Justification, sanctification, we are loved by God beyond measure, the law is good, Mercy,
- Pastor Ryan Martinez

All Authority Comes from God

If we’re going to follow Jesus, it’s about learning how to make peace with others and surrender to Gods will our first response. What if we knew more about peace than politics? What if we prayed before we posted? - Pastor Adam Erwin