Many of us learned the Bible in Flannelgraph fashion. Memorable stories carefully arranged to depict iconic moments. They’re layered with elements of heroism, strength, and persistence to create a perfect image. But the reality is there is more to these stories we’ve been told. They’re actually stories of power struggles, weakness, and turmoil. They involve high drama and imperfect people who needed great faith in God. When we look closely, we see these stories don’t provide heroes, after all, but instead, they each point to the one true hero we desperately need.
We love watching stories. These brief moments allow us to share in the experiences of our friends, family, and celebrities. They can make us laugh, cry, and even give us a little hope… But in the midst of viewing from the lens of others, sometimes we can forget that our story is still being written, and the next chapter could be the most meaningful one yet.
To some, 21 days can appear like an insignificant amount of time… But 21 days can make a huge difference. 21 days can change your work. 21 days can change your school. 21 days can change your family. 21 days can change your outlook. 21 days can change your marriage. 21 days can change your community. 21 days can change everything.
A collection of past standalone and special event messages.
It’s a great time to be a part of Biltmore Church. God has used your efforts and resources to see thousands saved and baptized, many churches planted, campuses birthed, college students mentored, ministry partners supported, orphans and widows cared for, prisoners ministered to, and much, much more. We are seeing God’s glory.
It would be easy to ride the current wave of momentum, but that is not who we are. We’ve never been a church that is content with the status quo, plays it safe, or thinks small. Instead, we will always strive to reach higher, deeper, and further than we ever have before. The Reach initiative embodies this mindset. While facilities are not the mission, they help facilitate the mission. Each of our campuses should always be seen as equipping centers that equip disciples to reach out to all who do not yet know the Gospel, both in our local communities and around the world.
Jesus gave a simple, but challenging call to His initial apprentices: “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” It was a call to do life with Jesus and grow more and more like Him in both character and conduct. It was, and is, full of adventure and victory, difficulty and pain, risk and impact. So, the question is, are you ready for the challenge... of following?
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. - Luke 2:8-11
Christ-followers have the ultimate blessing: the gift of the Gospel. Because of that gift, all who know Him should bless others by being generous, serving and proclaiming the love they have found. That’s how to live the life God blesses.
Our community, nation, and world seem more divided than ever.
Each day there are new headlines that show a seemingly ever-expanding gap between us. God has called a people to help reconcile this divide. This diverse group of people is called the Church. When the Church unites, amazing change can happen. In a time of great division, we can stand United.
What is God really like? How we answer that question can define us. We often answer from the vantage point of our experiences, religious background, or family history. Over the next few weeks, we will look at one of the most important and neglected passages in the Bible. Amazingly, God actually tells us what He’s like – and it’s even better than we can imagine. It just takes the right perspective.