Messages

Pastor’s Message

One thing you can be certain about in 2026 is that you cannot be certain about what is ahead. This is a great blessing, because we do not need to know.  To know what is ahead and the details of what will happen would be too great a burden to carry and too great a responsibility to bear.

There’s an important word for you and me to remember as we start the new year – “endurance.”

Nothing is more essential to success in the Christian life than endurance.  Faith gets you started; endurance keeps you going.  I recently saw this quote, “No one can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending” (Author unknown).  Think about what that statement is saying – we don’t start over; but we can begin again right where we are, making things better in our lives.

There’s a verse in Isaiah 43:2 (NLT) which we need to always remember: “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.”  In that verse, God was talking to His people, the Israelites, as they began a journey.  After years in captivity, they rejoiced at the freedom to return to their homeland.  But to get there, they would have to travel a long distance.  Though you and I may not come upon an actual river, we will likely encounter something this year that seems overwhelming.  Notice what the verse says, “When you go through deep waters … When you go through rivers of difficulty … When you walk through the fire of oppression.“ When.  Not if.

The nation of Israel was guaranteed to encounter all of these on their journey, and I think we can count on it too. The goal in this race of faith is not perfection, but progress!!!  The prize is not given to the first one who finishes the race, nor to the fastest or the strongest, but it is given to the one who endures to the end. 

As we look ahead to 2026, none of us know what the year will bring, but you can be sure of this, God is faithful.  He is Immanuel (“God with us”).  And though things and people around us change, our God never changes.  Start each day with a commitment to endure, to keep on keeping on for the Lord! 

I hope to see you and your family in church this coming Sunday.  Don’t forget to let your light shine for Jesus!

Pastor Rick

Message From Andy (Student Minister)

“I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.”
– Philippians 3:12

January 2026 marks the beginning of a new year and the halfway point of the 2025-2026 school year. Back in August, our youth set a goal to look at this school year as a “9-Month Mission Trip” into our schools.

Here is our focus for January 2026:

  • Prayer: Pray that God would give us a renewed spirit to reach lost people in 2026!
  • Care: Encourage people to make a new year’s resolution to be in church in 2026!
  • Share: Invite someone to join us at church!

As we enter 2026, will you join us on this mission trip?  Look at wherever God has you to go each day as your mission field!  It could be your workplace, it could be Walmart or Food City, or it could even be your home.  Now as ever, people need to hear The Gospel of Jesus Christ!

As Paul reminds us in Philippians 3:12, let us “press on” in 2026 to GROW GOD’S GARDEN TOGETHER!

Andy