Bible Teaching Ministries

Resting in Jesus doesn't seem to quite fit with the recent topics of the messages in this series. But there is indeed a vital correlation between warfare and peace. Have you ever wondered what Jesus meant when He said that He would give us rest? Pastor Welch takes us through chapters 11 and 21 of Joshua as he illustrates how God gave peace and rest to Israel even as they faced further conquest of Canaan.

What you'll learn in this 23 minute message:
How resting in Christ keeps us from discouragement
Why we must trust in God for the true victory
Correlating promises in the OT pointing to the NT

You're fighting a battle against a determined foe. Would you ever think of asking for more time on the battlefield? Joshua had the big picture in mind when he asked the Lord for more time in order to effect a complete victory. Do you believe that prayer is a necessary key to victory? Joshua certainly did. Listen carefully later in the message for the advice concerning the 'kings in the cave.'

What you'll learn in this 19 minute message:
The identity of the 'kings in the cave'
The requirement for victory against the enemy
Joshua's example in full obedience

We've reached the remarkable account of the battle between the people of Israel and the assembled confederation of Canaanite armies, a conflict brought on by the agreement between Joshua and the Gibeonites. In this first message we'll look at the dangerous predicament experienced by the people of Gibeon and how God disarmed the hostile armies. This is a powerful story of God's direct, divine intervention on behalf of His chosen people.

What You'll learn in this 23 minute message:
Joshua's strategy for conquering Canaan
The dangerous predicament of the Gibeonites
God's miraculous use of the elements

At this point in our story, we've seen the destructiveness of carnal thinking and the sin that can come into our lives when we fail to inquire of the Lord. Now that we understand the problem, what is the solution? How can we steer clear of committing the same sins? Pastor Welch reminds us that we can save ourselves a lot of pain by staying focused on the Lord in the first place. We begin the message this week by looking back at the life of Saul; a leader caught up in carnal thinking that led to his ultimate demise.

What You'll Learn in this 22 minute message:
How God can turn curses into blessings
The importance of inquiring of the Lord
How living the Christian life is one of continual repentance

Ever been duped? Fooled? Or just plain lied to? The Israelites got a full dose of deception from some current inhabitants of Canaan called the Gibeonites. But why was it so easy for these people to deceive Joshua and the people? It was an elaborate story that would have been easily checked. Lest we think we would have a better response, Pastor Welch reminds us that we too can be fooled if we fail to keep the Lord at the center of all that we do.

What You'll Learn in this 24 minute message:
An account from recent history of lies and deception
The importance of not trusting in human discernment
Two types of carnal 'Christians'

Returning to right relationship with the Lord after a encounter with serious sin can be challenging. Joshua and the people faced a difficult situation with Achan and the ensuing failure at Ai. What is the right response to corporate and personal sin? What does Scripture say about repentance and confession of sin? Don't miss the end of the message where Pastor Welch recounts 10 things that we have through the course of the particular story.

What You'll Learn in this 25 minute message:
The importance of hearing and following God's Word
Joshua's response to victory at Ai
Ten applications to take from this account

Coming back after an encounter with serious sin is a difficult endeavor. But we have an encouraging story in Joshua 8 about how the Lord restored victory to the nation of Israel in their ongoing conquest of Canaan. What is your response after dealing with sin or a major sin habit? Do you return to the Lord first?

What You'll Learn in this 20 minute message:
Joshua's unusual response to victory at Ai
The importance of listening the Lord
God's faithfulness to us even in our sin

While we do understand that not all trials or troubles are a result of sin, the story of Achan is a painful reminder of how one man’s error led to great trouble for many. In Part 2 of All For One and One for All, Pastor Welch shows us that sins of omission can be just as problematic as sins of deliberate disobedience. Listen carefully at the conclusion of the message for 4 applications we can take away from this story.

What you'll learn in this 24 minute message:
Commission vs. Omission & their consequences
The problem of prayerlessness
Four ways we can keep from Achan's sin

Secret sin will find you out. That might be a good alternate title for this message. Achan's sin in chapter 7 of Joshua turned out to be much more than he bargained for. Does our private sin affect the church in the same way that his sin affected the nation of Israel? Pastor Welch endeavors to show us the destructiveness of sin behind closed doors and why we should strive to have integrity in all that we do; both for our sakes and for the name of the Gospel.

What you'll learn in this 25 minute message:
The value of waiting patiently for God's best
How your personal sin can affect the larger community
The importance of following God's commands

What does it mean when we say we have victory in the Christian life? It's the victory that's been won on our behalf against death through Christ's sacrifice on the cross. But there is something that we are called to do as part of our sanctification to claim that victory here on earth. We begin our message by asking the question; what is the significance of baptism and the Lord's Supper for the Christian?

What you'll learn in this 19 minute message:
The importance of the sacraments
The key to victory in the Christian life
How we can grow in sanctification

We all know the story of Jericho and the battle that took place as the Israelites conquered this important and imposing city by the hand of God. What are some practical lessons we can take from this remarkable account as we fight a spiritual war in our day? Pastor Welch calls to our attention six things that God commanded the Israelites to do as they sought the victory over Jericho.

What you'll learn in this 20 minute message:
Answer to the question: Is the victory already won?
The importance of communication (prayer)
Two ordinances instituted for our benefit

Shofars, marching, and finally shouts. It's an odd way to conquer a city but not when you have God Almighty on your side. In our daily struggles and difficulties, it may feel like there is no hope. Yet God has provided an amazing arsenal of weapons to use against the enemy and our own sinful hearts. If faith is the victory, then we must have faith! You can follow along in Joshua chapter 6 as Pastor Welch demonstrates the importance of faith in fighting the constant battles we face as Christians.

What you'll learn in this 23 minute message:

4 principles of spiritual warfare from the battle of Jericho
How to take hold of the victory already given to us
6 weapons to use in strengthening our faith for the battle

You’ve been waiting for a long time for a certain obstacle to go away. Or possibly a relationship that has yet to be resolved. Whatever it might be, God often asks us to wait in faith until He changes the situation. Joshua and the people of Israel are waging both an internal battle of the mind and an external battle against Jericho as they wait for God to bring His promise to pass.

What you'll learn in this 23 minute episode:
Why we must learn to wait in faith
The importance of taking the high ground
Possessing the possession

It's more than likely that you face obstacles in the path of life on a regular basis, just like most of us do. How should we face them and how does God want us to go about overcoming hindrances? Pastor Welch takes us through phase 2 of overcoming obstacles and even how we should respond if the obstacle does not move. There's a reason why we called this series 'Faith Forges The Victory;' this message will help you understand the reason that this title is important.

What you'll learn in this 22 minute message:
How walking in faith is the only way to move obstacles
The importance of standing on the promises
Asking the question: What needs attention in your life?
What if God doesn't move the obstacle?

If you’ve been listening to this series from the beginning, it might seem that God is holding back the people of Israel from gaining their promised inheritance and keeping them from entering the land. But if God works all things together for good, there must be good reason for Him to take them on this particular path. Have you ever faced a seemingly insurmountable obstacle? One that kept you from achieving what you felt was best? Pastor Welch draws from his personal life experience as we learn the importance of true confession and repentance as a part of clearing the way for God's best in life.

What you'll learn in this 22 minute podcast:

Three factors to consider in overcoming obstacles
The difficulties and rewards of repenting of sin

We've examined two of the three unchanging factors contained in this lesson. God's written word and his power are 1 and 2 on our list. What do you think the third unchanging factor is? You'll have to listen and find out. It's part 2 of "Unchanging Factors."

What you'll learn in this 25 minute message:

The third unchanging factor
A review of the 3 factors
Answers to questions you might have about these truths

We'd like to think that there are some things that will remain unchanged in our shifting, changing world. Yet it seems much of our culture continues to move in the wrong direction and change is becoming the norm. There was a need in Joshua's day as well for some unchanging factors and in this message, we hear about two of the three factors upon which we can put our sure and certain trust. It's "Unchanging Factors - Part 1."

In this 20 minute message, you'll learn about:

The relevance and authority of God's Word

God's total and complete power over all things

Sometimes waiting involves doing something different in the interim. God had a specific set of commands for the people of Israel as they waited on the very doorstep of Canaan to begin taking hold of the promise. What is the best way to 'wait on the Lord?' In what ways can we wait and still be productive with our time? In this almost 26 minute message, you'll hear answers to these questions as well the answer to why we should wait upon Him.

Waiting. In our speed obsessed culture, waiting for an answer or for something to happen is normally not a very attractive option. But God has purpose in all things that He commands us to do and this is well recorded in the story of the three days before entering the land of Canaan. God had a specific role for someone to play in the story of Redemption and we have the privilege of looking back on this special story in part 1 of 'Waiting on the Lord.'

We learned last week about the promises given for those who follow the Lord with a whole heart and the blessings that come with obedience. Do you truly believe that God's grace can empower great change in your life? What about the impact of mediation on Scripture? Don't miss this message as we continue to see God's hand at work in the life of Joshua.