Plains Church Sermons

Community doesn't happen by accident. It tales intentional practices to build true community in a church. The early church gives us a model for how to build community in Acts 2.

We tend to mostly associate worship with music, but worship is so much more than music! Worship is rooted in offering our whole lives to God as a sacrifice.

What is worship for? Many times we are tempted to come to worship seeking some sort of spiritual experience, but this misses the point of worship. Worship is about praising God whether we feel like it or not, and whether we feel anything or not.

Sometimes we wonder what God is waiting for in our lives... Why does he take so long to answer our prayers or to move in our hearts? The Christmas story teaches us that God's timing is always perfect. He always shows up exactly when he means to.

Jeremiah--the Weeping Prophet--literally wrote the book on lament, a small book in the Old Testament called Lamentations. Jeremiah's lament focuses on the sin and brokenness in our world. Jeremiah's story teaches us that lament takes us to a messy middle where we both condemn the sin in our culture and identify with and love our people.

Almost no character in the Bible laments to God as much as David does. In the Psalms, David teaches us how to lament our enemies--both those who hurt us and ourselves when we are our own worst enemies. Through lament, David gives his enemies to God so he can see them as God does.

David cried. Job Cried. Jeremiah cried. Jesus wept. This month, we are looking at lament--one of the most overlooked and underappreciated parts of our Bible. As we encounter these characters in their authentic tears, we will see how their honesty allowed them to give their grief to God and receive his grace.

What should the Christian life look like? James points us to some simple ideas, such as being quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. He also explains that real religion brings Christian morality and Christian justice together.

After telling us to count all trials as joy, James looks at different types of trials from different angles, since not all trials are created equally. We also learn the difference between trials and temptations.

James begins his letter by going straight to thing on most of our minds--our trials. Not all trials come from God, but God can use all trials for our good and his glory.

We live in a world overflowing with stuff. Our culture promises that having more stuff will make us happy, but Jesus invites us to a lifestyle of intentional simplicity.

God made us to rest. We are made in his image, and he rested. The Sabbath is his gift to us so we can rest too. Sabbath connects us to God and is an act of resistance against the world.

When our lives are as full of noise and distraction as ours are, we lose the ability to be present to God, others, and ourselves. In his life, Jesus prioritized quiet times and quiet places (silence and solitude). He made everything else fit around his time with God rather than making his time with God fit around everything else.

A life of hurry is incompatible with a deepening spiritual life. And yet we live in a hurried, busy world, full of noise, clutter, and distractions. In this series, we come to Jesus, take his easy yoke, and learn his patterns of life that lead us to health and rest for our souls.

In John 14, Jesus introduces the Holy Spirit to his followers. As we begin to dig into what Jesus teaches us about the Holy Spirit, we begin by learning that he is a person, he is given to those who keep God's commands, and he comes to give us peace.

God's commands in the Bible are an expression of his love for us. They are there for our good and safety, and when we obey them, we experience his love. His love fills us and empowers us to love others like he did, at great personal cost to ourselves.

Thomas gets a bad rap for doubting the resurrection, but he was really asking for evidence of what he was being asked to put his faith in. And Jesus gave him evidence! In fact, Jesus wants our faith to be built on evidence.

Thomas gets a bad rap for doubting the resurrection, but he was really asking for evidence of what he was being asked to put his faith in. And Jesus gave him evidence! In fact, Jesus wants our faith to be built on evidence.

Jesus is the only way to the Father, and this is better news than we could ever imagine. We don't have to find a way to God. The Way has come to find us!

Jesus is the only way to the Father, and this is better news than we could ever imagine. We don't have to find a way to God. The Way has come to find us!

When Jesus washed his disciples' feet, it was an uncomfortable reminder of what it looks like to follow him--humility, service, and loving those who may not love you back.

When Jesus washed his disciples' feet, it was an uncomfortable reminder of what it looks like to follow him--humility, service, and loving those who may not love you back.

We all experience anxiety from many sources. The Bible talks about anxiety that comes from need, while our modern age sees more and more anxiety that comes from excess. In all cases, prayer and Biblical wisdom can help us begin to address the anxieties in our lives.

We all experience anxiety from many sources. The Bible talks about anxiety that comes from need, while our modern age sees more and more anxiety that comes from excess. In all cases, prayer and Biblical wisdom can help us begin to address the anxieties in our lives.

Anger is a normal human emotion, but if you do not learn to control your anger, it will control you. We live in an angry age, and even many Christians seem to cherish anger. However, the Bible directs us to be slow to anger and to use anger to heal.

Anger is a normal human emotion, but if you do not learn to control your anger, it will control you. We live in an angry age, and even many Christians seem to cherish anger. However, the Bible directs us to be slow to anger and to use anger to heal.

We cannot be spiritually mature without becoming emotionally mature. In this series, we are looking at 4 big emotions that can control us if we don't learn to control them. We begin with fear. Whether fear is rooted in shame, in our own inadequacies, or in giants around us, we take control of fear by looking for Jesus.

We cannot be spiritually mature without becoming emotionally mature. In this series, we are looking at 4 big emotions that can control us if we don't learn to control them. We begin with fear. Whether fear is rooted in shame, in our own inadequacies, or in giants around us, we take control of fear by looking for Jesus.

In the incarnation, we meet God face to face. Jesus shows us what God really like. We no longer have to know God from a distance.

John 1 reveals to us the mystery of how our eternal God became human, just like us. He does not come to us unopposed, however. As he brings his light into the world, the darkness tries to overcome him because it cannot understand him. But darkness can never overcome light.

Hebrews ends with a list of unlikely faith heroes and questionable faith events. From this list, we learn an important truth--faith is not measured by our world's standards of success. Faith is measured by the depth of our relationship with God.

Hebrews ends with a list of unlikely faith heroes and questionable faith events. From this list, we learn an important truth--faith is not measured by our world's standards of success. Faith is measured by the depth of our relationship with God.

We live in an instant, impatient age and faith is not for the impatient. Moses shows us how to take a long view of faith that allows God to do his work in us and through us in his timing. A long view of faith also gives us faith beyond this life.

We live in an instant, impatient age and faith is not for the impatient. Moses shows us how to take a long view of faith that allows God to do his work in us and through us in his timing. A long view of faith also gives us faith beyond this life.

Faith is never just a personal thing. It is always passed from person to person and from generation to generation. Today we look at how to pass on our faith to our children, grandchildren, and spiritual family.

Sometimes God takes us through dark, confusing, or lonely times that test our faith in his presence or his plan. These tests of faith are meant to teach us something about who God is so that our faith in God grows. Our faith will not grow without tests.

Abraham is one of the best examples of a life lived by faith. As Abraham follows God's call on his life, he displayed his faith through his obedience, sacrifice, and trust.

Noah's example of faith is one of shining light in a dark time. As we think about how to live out our faith in the modern world, Noah has much to teach us about standing firm and shining God's light into darkness.

Our journey of faith begins at the very beginning of the story as we encounter a God who creates everything from nothing with only a word. He also creates us in his image so that we can share in his creative work.

Our journey of faith begins at the very beginning of the story as we encounter a God who creates everything from nothing with only a word. He also creates us in his image so that we can share in his creative work.

Faith is belief lived out in real life. We begin our study of faith by defining what the word means in real life settings. Faith requires action, faith grows through doubt, and faith plays a long game.

Faith is belief lived out in real life. We begin our study of faith by defining what the word means in real life settings. Faith requires action, faith grows through doubt, and faith plays a long game.

Jesus calls his Church to go and be active. From beginning with prayer to engaging our communities, a church is healthy when it exercises. No pew potatoes!

Jesus calls his Church to go and be active. From beginning with prayer to engaging our communities, a church is healthy when it exercises. No pew potatoes!

In order to be a healthy church, we need to have a healthy diet. In this sermon we talk about the practices we can implement in our individual lives and in our church so that we continue to grow up in Christ.

In order to be a healthy church, we need to have a healthy diet. In this sermon we talk about the practices we can implement in our individual lives and in our church so that we continue to grow up in Christ.

In America, we are taught to value what is big, and so we naturally assume that small churches are unhealthy churches. Many small churches (and small church Christians) develop inferiority complexes as we look at the big problems around us. Before we can be healthy small churches, we must know that God loves small churches and that his glory shines most brightly when someone small trusts God to do something big!

In America, we are taught to value what is big, and so we naturally assume that small churches are unhealthy churches. Many small churches (and small church Christians) develop inferiority complexes as we look at the big problems around us. Before we can be healthy small churches, we must know that God loves small churches and that his glory shines most brightly when someone small trusts God to do something big!

What does it look like when a local church begins to focus on God's Kingdom more than on its own existence? It looks like a river! A Kingdom-minded church exists to pass on the power and blessings of God to the world rather than bottling everything up inside.

What does it look like when a local church begins to focus on God's Kingdom more than on its own existence? It looks like a river! A Kingdom-minded church exists to pass on the power and blessings of God to the world rather than bottling everything up inside.

Most of us probably feel like we never have enough time, and yet time is one of the most precious resources that we can offer to God. Seeking God first with our time means placing every aspect of our lives at God's service with flexibility and intentionality.