study the bible

We celebrate vulnerable children’s day this Sunday by learning about a new mission partnership and diving into scripture. We learn that God has a special place in His heart for kids, especially vulnerable kids. Rescuing hurting kids is not just a charity for us to support, it’s a rescue mission for all the church. Our compassion is what leads us to action, and because we are no longer slaves, we are adopted sons and daughters, we should be rescuing the hurting and vulnerable around us. Our prayer today is for God to point out the places in our personal purity that we need to offer up to Him, to give us a personal sense of responsibility to serve and show us how we are to be used in the process of rescuing a child. We ask that God push our church to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves and rise up on behalf of the fatherless. Join us in the mission of rescuing vulnerable children by visiting our site, or take the next step in your faith journey by visiting burnthickory.com/next. Special Guest: Tasha Whitener.

We wrap up an amazing Disciple Now Student weekend by hearing from our Kenya Mission Partner, Peter Abungu. He leads us through scripture as we look at the difference between being conformed and transformed. We see that transformation belongs to believers because the unbeliever can’t break the world’s control over them without Christ. Believers are promised that the Spirit who lives in them is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. God’s indwelling Spirit enables us to resist the world’s pressure to conform to its ways. Our sinful nature wants us to do evil, which is the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what our sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, which causes us to not have the freedom to carry out our good intentions. As always, if you’ve got questions, we’d love to connect with you, answer the questions you’ve got, and take time to pray with you – so reach out today. Or you can take the next step in your faith journey by visiting burnthickory.com/next. Special Guest: Peter Abungu.

Today, we celebrate believers’ baptism. We see from scripture that baptism doesn’t save us, its purely a symbol of the change that has already happened in the heart of a believer. An outward public declaration that through Jesus’ saving work, you know have spiritual life as His follower. But even though it’s a symbol, we cannot be indifferent to baptism, we should follow Jesus in this proclamation. We proclaim that we are taking hold of salvation by letting go of our former life. We realize that we are no longer slaves to sin but are free in Jesus. And we are telling the world that our faith in Jesus has changed us. We’d love to answer any questions you’ve got about Jesus and believers’ baptism, so reach out today. You can always take the next step and sign up to partake in believers’ baptism by visiting burnthickory.com/baptism.

What is a biblical marriage? Did Covid bring forward some issues in your marriage you and your spouse are still struggling with today? How do you resolve conflict without hurting your spouse? How do you maintain a healthy marriage and still focus on your own mental health? Today, we dive into a focus on healthy marriages and how we as Christ followers should approach our relationships and home life. We get to hear from Mark and Mary Ann, a couple who leads in marriage mentoring as well as our pastor for counseling, Brian Foster on topics that most married people are dealing with today. You’ll also find out ways to take the next step building a healthy marriage through workshops, classes, activities, and counseling intensive opportunities.

We conclude our sermon series throughout Galatians called Freedom in Christ by studying chapter 6. We learn that to experience Holy Spirit power, we must live lives constantly pointing to the gospel, and when we try to seek glory from anything but the gift of the gospel, we will stay empty. Walking in the spirit requires healthy and loving responsibilities and relationships within the body of Christ. Through studying the scripture, we see that church, specifically here, Burnt Hickory is not just an event to attend, it’s a family to belong to, because as Christ followers, we do not have to carry our burdens alone. The ministry of burden bearing is for all believers. Do you seek glory from anything other than the gift of the gospel? Are you bearing the burdens of your fellow believers? Do you have a church to belong to that helps you bear those burdens and build relationships? We’d love to answer any questions you’ve got and take time to pray with you, so reach out today! As always, you can take the next step by visiting burnthikcory.com/next.

As we continue our sermon series through Galatians, we look to chapter five this week for our Freedom in Christ. We learn that God’s desire is for our heart to be so in love with Him, that the commands to love, experience, and submit to God feel like freedom because it is who we truly are and what we joyfully desire. You cannot simply experience the gospel, justification, adoption, and the infusion of the Holy Spirit inro your soul and not be a free person that overflows with God’s love. As we walk through the fruits of the Spirit, we see that it’s only by first walking in the Spirit that we avoid producing the fruits of the flesh, and true spiritual fruit is produced through deep spiritual roots. Do you have and experience freedom in Christ? Are you walking in the fruits of the Spirit and not of flesh? Have you encountered the love of God and been set free? If you’ve got questions or want to know more about Jesus, then reach out today. We would love to connect with you, answer any questions you have, and take time to pray with you. As always, you can take the next step in your faith journey by visiting burnthickory.com/next.

We dive into Galatians Chapter 3 in today’s sermon and discover that salvation is not just a change of attitude or thinking, it’s a literal transformation of our core identity, our desires, our purpose, and our future. Paul is reiterating to the church of Galatia that our justification makes us right before God the Judge, but the gift of adoption into God’s family shows us that we are deeply and eternally love by God the Father. We know that we are adopted as sons and daughters because of our belief in Jesus and His finished work on the cross for our redemption, that’s what gives us the position in the family of God. And because God the Father sent His Son to the cross and gave us His Spirit, we might have the privileges of sonship in that family. Has God redeemed you and filled you with His Spirit? Are you a child of God who can approach Him in complete intimacy? Are you an heir who is guaranteed blessings from God? If not, we’d love to talk to you about Jesus, answer any questions you’ve got, and take the time to share the gospel with you. You can always take the next step in your faith journey by visiting burnthickory.com/next.

As we continue our study through the book of Galatians, we learn that as we grow in Christ, it’s through the same way we began our walk, by focusing on the finished work of Christ. If you first received the Holy Spirit by faith, then why would you think that you grow in the Holy Spirit any other way? As we continually renew our faith in the finished work of Jesus, the power and clarity of the Holy Spirit is continually released in us. Our key direction and focus of life are laid out through God’s law, but the law does not have the power to propel us forward without the Holy Spirit. The law shows us how far we are from God, but Jesus shows us how close we can now and forever be to Him. Have you accepted Jesus as your savior? Do you believe in His finished work on the cross on your behalf? Is the Holy Spirit leading you forward in your faith? If you’ve got questions, we’d love to connect with you, pray with you, and take time to answer them. Reach out today! You can always take the next step in your faith journey by visiting burnthickory.com/next.

The gospel, the good news of Jesus, is not just the ticket that gets you into God’s kingdom. The gospel is the fuel, the power, and the map that enables you to live the Christian life out. As we continue through the book of Galatians in the bible, we learn that we are justified through our faith in Jesus, which means that God’s grace is given freely to us to forgive us, pardon us, and make us right before Him. If you are a Christian, you have been made eternally alive through Jesus through your faith in what He has done. Justification is a universal need of all mankind, and we rejoice that God has made a way for us as sinners to be forgiven and brough into right standing considering His holiness. Have you been forgiven and made alive in Jesus? Do you care enough about the gospel to defend it? How are you living out your justification? If you’ve got questions, we’d love to connect with you and take the time to answer those questions, pray with you, and celebrate your next step in your faith journey. Reach out today or take the next step here – burnthickory.com/next.

We begin our new sermon series through the chapter of Galatians where we explore the tension of the law and freedom in Christ. Today, we define what the gospel means. It’s the good news that Jesus, the perfect Son of God; died for our sins, rose again, conquered sin, and now gives eternal life to those who believe, repent, and trust in Him as their Savior and Lord. Some truths we discover about the gospel is that it’s founded on the grace of God and secured by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. It’s unchangeable by anyone or anything at any time, and the gospel is the only way to have an eternally meaningful life. The opposition to the good news of the gospel is driven by Satan and his kingdom, but when we put our faith in what Jesus did on behalf of us through dying for our sins, we can truly celebrate the good news. Have you experienced the gospel? Have you believed, trusted, and repented? Do you need to accept Jesus today? We’d love to connect with you, answer any questions you’ve got, and take time to pray with you. We’d love to know about your salvation story and if you’ve decided to trust Jesus as Lord. Feel free to reach out. You can always take the next step in your faith journey by visiting burnthickory.com/next.

Just because we don’t clearly see God’s plan in this moment, it does not mean that He does not moving in an amazing way to save us. Sometimes, even when we don’t see God, He still wants us to stand for Him. We continue our sermon series called God’s Not Done With You, and we read from scripture about Esther. What we learn is that God is always working to position and prepare us to make a stand for Him, and He places wise people in our lives to show us His compassion and His plan. God see and blesses every act of obedience, and we are never out of His sight. Do you trust in God’s plan? Are there times when you feel like you are completely alone, and God is not with you? Do you have questions or need someone to pray with? Feel free to reach out, we’d love to answer any questions and take time to pray with you. You can take the next step in your faith journey by visiting burnthickory.com/next.

As we continue our sermon series called God’s not done with you, we dive into the story of Jonah. We learn that the discipline of God comes from His heart of love to draw us back to him, not to push us away. Sin starts with small decisions but ends with major disasters because it starts with us saying no to God and yes to our own desires. We also see that sin causes us to live as people we swore we would never be and our sin effects everyone around us. But the good news is that God loves us enough to provide a solution to our sin problem through His forgiveness and love. As you learn about Jonah’s sin in scripture, what takeaways resonate with you? How does your sin affect you and others around you? Have you placed your trust in Jesus to forgive you? As always, we’d love to connect with you, take time to pray and answer any questions you have. You can take the next step in your faith journey by visiting burnthickory.com/next.

God loves you, and He wants to give you peace, power, deliverance and hope. As we study Elijah’s story today in scripture, we see a road map to despair paved with emptiness, opposition, fearfulness, and loneliness. But also, we see in the bible that God will always provide just what we need, right when we need it. Our role as Christ followers is to trust in God’s provision and listen to Him. God gives us assurance of His power, presence, and love, and that is what defeats despair. Are you dealing with the battle of darkness? Do you feel like Elijah sometimes – in the pit of despair? Do you need to trust in God’s provision? Do you have questions about Jesus? We’d love to connect with you, answer any questions you have, and take time to pray with you over what you are going through in life. Reach out today! Also, you can always take the next step in your faith journey by visiting burnthickory.com/next

No matter the circumstance we find ourselves in today, God will be faithful. He is always working for our eternal good and his glory; therefore, we should boldly live with an eternal focus, not a sin-stained, limited, earthly perspective. As we continue our sermon series called God’s Not Done With You, we look in Genesis at the story of Joseph. What we can learn from this scripture is that even if it seems that all others have rejected you, even family, God hasn’t, and God is enough. Our true character is revealed in the choices we make under pressure, and when other believe the worst about you, it’s God that stand with and for you. Do you feel abandoned or betrayed by people? Are you putting your trust in the one who has your back? Do you need to ask Jesus to be your savior to be assured that you have ultimate victory? Then reach out today, we’d love to answer any questions you have and take time to pray with you. Take the next step in your faith journey by visiting burnthickory.com/next

When you are feeling like the world has ended, that things you’re striving for are falling apart, when it seems like all hope is lost, God’s not done with you. We look in scripture through this sermon series at the lives of people who have not been defined by their past, but God has shown that even in their failures, He’s not done in their lives. Today we look at Moses and see that God was not done with him, and that every person that is greatly used by God has had an encounter when they have had to listen to God. God speaks when we are humble and ready to listen to Him, and one simple word from God can literally change our whole life. As we listen and begin to trust God, we see that God can ensure our future no matter what our past looks like. Are you listening to God? Do you trust Him? Do you have questions about who God is? We’d love to connect with you and answer any questions you’ve got and spend time praying with you. Take the next step today by visiting burnthickory.com/next.

As we conclude our sermon series through Ephesians, we look at chapter 6 and the idea that our work matters to God. What we do for a vocation is ordained by God at creation before the fall – to work in relationship with each other, to meet needs, and to be fruitful and multiply. In modern times, we have separated the sacred from the secular, keeping work and Christina life distinct, when in reality, our vocation is our calling from God. As we seek God’s approval, we get to serve others through our interactions at work. Your eternal rewards are given by God based on your work here on earth, so your work matters to him. How are you using your job as your calling? Who do you do your job for? What’s your next step to wrap the secular into the sacred at work? If you’ve got questions, we’d love to connect with you, answer any questions you might have, and take time to pray with you – so reach out today. You can take the next step in your faith journey by visiting burnthickory.com/next.

In Ephesians chapter 5, we see the picture of what a family looks like that’s been changed by the gospel. Just as Christ saved us from darkness, we are to live as children of light in Him. When we read that wives should submit to their husbands, we know that it does not mean that a wife is not equal to her husband, or that she has to always agree with her husband. What it does imply is that a biblical marriage has honor for the husband’s Godly leadership and cooperate in helping through her gifts. When we see that husbands are to love their wives with a sacrificial, serving, faithful, caring, and sanctifying love. For those of us who are married, we know that having a healthy marriage takes work and patience. If you are struggling a little in your relationship, or are in a full-blown crisis, sign up for our marriage mentoring program - https://www.burnthickory.com/marriagementoring. If you have questions or want to take the next step in your faith journey, then reach out today – burnthickory.com/next.

We continue in our summer sermon series through Ephesians by looking at chapter 4 this week. We see that in discerning spiritual gifts that God has given us, we need to consider our affinity, ability, and the affirmation from others. Our gifts are the means in which we share the gospel. Because we have been changed through the gospel, we live with renewed minds, hearts, and souls for Christ. Charles Stanley puts it this way – “God's plan for enlarging His kingdom is so simple - one person telling another about the Savior. Yet we're busy and full of excuses. Just remember, someone's eternal destiny is at stake. The joy you'll have when you meet that person in heaven will far exceed any discomfort you felt in sharing the gospel.”

This week, we continue our sermon series through Ephesians as we look to chapter 3 verses 14-21. We know that an active prayer life is an essential part of Christian living, and Paul gives us a model prayer to follow and learn from in his letter to the Ephesians. We should pray with humility through gratitude of God’s provision and with confidence in him. We need to seek through prayer the fullness of God’s power and love and pray with great expectations for what He has and is doing. The passage ends with the benediction: now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. As always, we’d love to connect with you and answer any questions you have about faith and Jesus as well as pray with you. Reach out today or take the next step by visiting burnthickory.com/next.