Risen Church Nc

We Believe that Redemptions leads to a Relationship, and that leads to our Renewal and Restoration. As we continue our "We Believe" series, we dive into the New Life that is available to us in Christ. We take a look at an Old Testament story of a great man who had a major, devastating secret and see how his healing is a picture of God's power at work in our lives. That story of renewal and restoration points to how we come to new, abundant life in Christ, and fully realize what it means to bear the image of God. We learn what it means to put off the old life and put on the new. Designed, prepared, and directed by God - in Christ, we can be renewed unto true life. If we've been redeemed by God... If we're in a real relationship with Jesus... we will experience renewal and restoration.

In his explanation of the Spiritual Gifts and different ways that we all can serve in the church, Paul expressed concern over the contention and judgement that may settle upon the church in this area. He knew that the church was prone to go the way of religion, and allow each members' aspiration for holiness create within them a sense of self-righteousness and arrogance. He warns the Corinthians that they not forget that before they discovered their giftedness as Christians and before they made strides in their devotion, they were saved by grace and that same grace sustained them still. And so, Paul leads them in understanding a More Excellent Way, which is the only way that *every* Christian is required to perfect. In this message, we discuss this Most Excellent Way - the Way of Jesus - the Way of Love. Listen as we realize that this one thing is what makes the difference in our devotion to God and service to His Church. No matter how gifted we may be and no matter how devoted we may become, if we fail to

We believe that redemption leads us into a relationship. In week two of our "We Believe" series, we discuss what comes after salvation and forgiveness of sin. While this is our foundation, the Bible makes it clear that in tandem with our redemption comes a real relationship with God. Everyone who sees their sin washed away in Christ, also receives a new heart and the very Spirit of God within them. When the Gospel of John introduces Jesus as the Lamb of God, we immediately begin to hear Jesus' invitation that we "follow" Him and that we "come and see" what God can do in our lives. All throughout the Gospels, we see that Jesus always encouraged people passed simple faith, inviting them to walk and truly fellowship with Him so that God might transform their lives with His power. Listen as talk all about what it means to have a personal relationship with God through Christ. Has believing in Jesus changed your life? Has He become the center that all of your life revolves around? If we've been redeemed, we s

Chapter 12 is really the heart of Paul's letter to the Corinthian Church, wherein he reveals why he's stressed unity and accountability in the preceding chapters. In this text we see Paul's high and sacred view of Church membership come into full light, as he defines and details what it means to say that we are the Body of Christ. In this message, we discuss all of this and more - focusing in on our identification and representation as Christ's Body. With a clear understanding of how the church embodies Christ, both literally and spiritually, we are equipped with a better idea of how serious our membership and participation within the church is. It turns out, each members' care for and support of one another is essential in our living up to our name and true identity as the people of God.

There was a time when the core, foundational beliefs of any given local church were practically impossible to miss. They were apparent in how the church conducted and promoted itself. As faith and culture have blended, and all sorts of opinions and agendas began to have greater influence, it became a lot harder to identify these key beliefs. However, it's not hard at all to figure out what the church should be all about. If we stay true to the source material, it becomes very clear. For the sake of every church's clarity, community, and convictions, it is a necessity that we keep front and center what were primary from the very beginning. In our first message in this series, "We Believe", we discover what the Bible tells us should be of most importance for every church. We listen to the both Paul and John explain how Jesus and His atoning work should always be The Main Thing on every Christian's mind. Listen as we discuss the heart of the Gospel and the source of our salvation. Jesus came and died for a

Paul has established that being saved means all of us are being transformed by the Spirit of God. With this new nature, comes new desires and new opportunities in life. As the natural body breathes and moves, the Spirit-filled body will seek to do and participate in Spiritual things. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul introduces us the gifts of the Spirit, which every Christian can receive and experience in their service to God. Paul's approach in this chapter, in line with his overall agenda in the entire letter, is to teach the Corinthian believers how their gifts are meant to be in service to the whole Body of Christ. In this message, we break down all the Spiritual Gifts and discuss how they play a whole in edifying and supporting the work of every local church. While they may not all show up in a church service, they all play a vital role in serving the church. Listen and learn how these gifts function and how they may be more accessible to you than you realize.

There's no way to talk about the life of a Christian without discussing the Spirit of God. We are literally products of His Resurrection power. The same power with which Jesus arose from the grave lives in the heart of every believer. This means that we are now supernaturally transformed, given a new nature and new desires. This also means that our lives are being guided in a new direction. In chapter 12 of 1 Corinthians, Paul talks to the Church about their new Spiritual nature and introduces some of the many gifts that God wants to bless His people with. It's tempting to think of these gifts as mere tools we pick up from time to time, but they are better understood as spiritual encounters a believer has with God as they daily pursue Him. Just as our natural bodies breath and have muscles and organs that serve specific functions, our Spiritual nature introduces us to new, Spiritual traits that can become natural. From gifts of wisdom and insight to wonderful, glorifying experiences with God - God invites

Did you know that the man known for his wisdom, power, fame, and success is also known for his tremendous regret? King Solomon was the envy of his day, yet in his own reflections on his life, he spoke of shame and disappointment. In this message, we conclude our series on our Souls and how we should give priority to them, by listening to the words of Solomon. He contrasts a life well-lived with a life wasted on vanity, and points us in the direction that both honors God and preserves our souls. What may seem instinctual turns out to be contrary to what our souls need the most. Solomon sums up the whole duty of man in a simple, yet convicting way - and thanks to Jesus, it becomes all the more clear to us what is the path to a fulfilled, purposeful life.

1 Corinthians' thesis is that the Church is the Body of Christ, detailing how we should love each other and why we truly need one another. In chapter 11, Paul teaches how we share in His Body through worship and fellowship. He highlights how celebrating the Lord's Supper particularly emphasizes the importance of our joint participation in Christ and our partnership together in Him. Listen as we discuss all of this and more!

Building off of Jesus' most thought-provoking question about the value and importance of our souls, we take a look at the story of Ruth. Her story turns out to be a reflection of all of our stories, having come from our family which was far from God, she received an opportunity to step into His story. There were all sorts of reasons as to why Ruth shouldn't have been so committed to staying with her mother-in-law and relocating to Judea, but after weighing her options, she knew what she had to do. In this message, we consider the Ruth's story and dive into the details of her family history to discover how unlikely it was that she found herself at the crossroads of faith. Ruth makes a great exchange, embracing God's invitation to her and we realize that this same invitation has been given to each of us.

Amidst all the resolutions we may make and work towards in 2023, it's important that we consider what goals we should make for our souls. After all, our souls are us *with or without* the material statuses or possessions of this world. Our soul is our inner self, the seat of our emotions, and the center of our personality and conscience. Needless to say, our soul is the most valuable part of us. When Jesus came on the scene, He promised and offered to change lives for the better. People came to Him seeking healing and provisions, and He provided again and again. Until one day, however, His message shifted and He began calling people to tend to a greater need. In this message, we look at one of the most pivotal moments in the Gospels, where Jesus notices that none of the hundreds of people following after Him were seeking Him with concern for their souls or a desire that He would help reconcile their hearts to God. Most of them, didn't even acknowledge that there was any sort of need within their souls - w

We return to our study in 1 Corinthians and once again hear Paul talk about the importance of considering the greater good of Christ's Body over our own interests and desires. He reminds us of the way of Christ, which is an others-first lifestyle. Being members of Him, we now understand that to glorify God, we must make decisions that edify His Body. From there, Paul launches into addressing a more specific issue, concerning gender identity and gender roles within the Body of Christ. He offers a unique, sacred perspective on how Biblical manhood and womanhood is as tied into our spiritual attributes as they are our physical distinctions. To disregard God's spiritual design of men and women is as concerning as disregarding our physical differences and callings. Ultimately, this all ties into what properly edifies His Body and what best reflects His image to our world. Listen to this message and more of our study in 1 Corinthians for a deep dive into how we all called into the Body of Christ and made to fu

Every new year presents an opportunity for renewal and rededication. It also lends itself to setting goals and making resolutions. In this first message of our new year, we set out to pursue the goodness of God and make the most of every day that He gives us. He promises to make Himself known, if we simply seek Him and desire Him above all else. Regardless of what has happened or may happen, we can have confidence that God can be found and His goodness felt in the Land of the Living.

As another year comes to an end, we consider the brevity of this life and seek to put in proper perspective our time on earth, under God's rule and care. This leads us into an even more serious conversation about the general purpose of all of our lives, and how we might seek to complete our God-given tasks here on earth in an honorable way. In this message, we pray for God to fix our eyes on His coming Kingdom as the passage of time signifies an important milestone in our journey towards Him. Listen as we search the Scriptures to better understand the greatness, graciousness, and goodness of our God, and learn how we might finish our coarse well.

A Christmas reflection on the gifts of love and life exclusively found in Jesus.

Christmas is just a single day, yet it dominates an entire part of every year. Its spirit is felt early and it lingers well passed the 25th of December. No doubt, Christmas is such a beloved and anticipated time of year because of the comforting and joyous atmosphere it brings into our world. This comfort and joy, of course, is a direct result of the promise of Christmas - that none of us are too far from, because God came into our world to save everyone. Christmas is the day that God erred on the side of grace, by stepping into the world that had rebelled against Him, and loving it anyway. Jesus is God's light sent to our dark world. Jesus is God's love fleshed out and poured out for us. Jesus is the fullness of God made fully known, so that we might be fully loved and wholly belong to Him. Christmas is the permanent, eternal record of what God is like and what He thinks about us, because Christmas gave us Jesus - and He's the gift that keeps on giving. He is God and in Him we are loved, chosen, and sa

The backstory of Christmas is full of miracles, from Zechariah's encounter in the Temple, Elizabeth's pregnancy, and Mary's conception. So many miracles, yet none of them actually measure up to the miracles on display in Luke 2 where we see the world change in real time. Luke 2 presents a world overran by darkness - from the empire that ruled to the laws that controlled. It was against that backdrop that God placed the brightest of lights in the night sky. In this message, we talk about the miracle that is God's desire to enter our world and the many ways that He turned things upside down when He stepped into our midst. Needless to say, nothing has been the same since that starry night and we are all forever blessed because of it.

The Bible teaches that our present age is bookended by the first coming and second coming of Christ. It invites us to take hold of our inheritance as believers, and see our lives transformed now and our hearts set on eternity. The season of Advent is all about discovering these gifts and unwrapping them. Christmas promises that God is with us and brings these gifts to our hearts. Perhaps the gift that we fail to take full advantage of and that speaks to our greatest weakness is JOY. Isaiah 61 gives us the Messiah’s long-decided mission statement and at the heart of it is bringing God’s Spirit to us and filling us a lasting joy. On the night of Jesus birth, the angels declared that God was providing a gift that would bring "Great joy to all people". All throughout Jesus' ministry He invited people to come and follow Him and be filled with an endless source of joy. This same invitation has been given to us. However, in our weak and deceived vessels, we often settle for things that may briefly make us happy

As we continue our Advent journey, we come to yet another promise of Christmas: Peace. Perhaps the best way to understand peace, and truly appreciate it, is through a discussion of the absence of peace. This is a reality that we are all too familiar with, on so many different levels. In this message we talk about the reason for the absence of peace in our world - all the tension, animosity and conflict we experience. We trace all of this back to humanity's fall from God and being separated from His presence. Lacking His peace, we descended into a life of conflict and created a world ladened with animosity and tension. Once again, the Good News of Christmas finds us in our distress and offers us an incredible gift. Whereas humanity crafted a world where division was expected, where the flames of conflict were fanned - God went to work to redeem the world, to make peace with those who rebelled against Him, to reconcile us all back to Him. Without our cooperation whatsoever, God went to the most extreme mea

Christmas is such a tradition and its themes are so ingrained into our lives that it's easy to take for granted just how great of an effect it's had on the world. Every December as the world is immersed in a cold darkness, the bright and brilliant lights of Christmas put the miraculous power of God on display. Where there was once disconnect from God, there is now His presence. Where there was once silence from God, there is now His Gospel. Where there was once darkness, there is now light. Where there was once dread, there is now hope. In this special series, we look at how the stage was set for the first Christmas, and how the world fell into such a dire place to begin with. Yet, we hear God promise to send a Messiah into the mess, and observe a small remnant of believers who held on to these promises long after most had given up. In this season, may we all be renewed in our confidence in God and may we all experience a breakthrough of His miracle-working power in our lives. We don't have to come befor