Christ Church Evangelical Covenant

Support the Work (Pastor Vann Trapp)

“Important task.” That doesn’t sound so spiritual. Doing miracles. Spiritual warfare. Teaching the truths of God’s Word. Sharing the gospel. Those sound spiritual. But often, getting to the spiritual work requires supporting that work with the necessary “important tasks.” That’s what the early church discovered when some of those who needed food the most weren’t getting the attention they needed. Ends up that things like setting up rooms, cleaning up messes, setting calendars, planning events, serving on teams, giving time, giving money, and even waiting on tables may not sound or feel all that spiritual, but they are the important tasks that provide essential support to the work of the kingdom. So, what are some of the important tasks to which God is calling us? Let’s talk about it this Sunday.

Do the Work (Pastor Vann Trapp)

So, again, what is the church? It is the group of people who have been called together as God’s people by God’s Spirit to do the work of God’s kingdom. So, what is the work of the kingdom? What are the things that are so important that God feels that He needs to call His people together so that they will get done? Well, engaging God’s Word so that it can change us. Caring for each other. Honoring Jesus in worship. Praying together. And, of course, going out into the world to show and tell others about Jesus. He says that when we do these five things, we shake the heavens and change the world. So, let’s not just talk about it. Let’s do the work!

What Makes us the Church? (Pastor Vann Trapp)

So, if the church is more than a building, a program, or even a group of people who believe the same things, what makes us a church? We are a church when we gather to do the business of God’s kingdom. But we are only able to do His business when His Spirit leads us and empowers us to do things that are way beyond our own abilities and understanding. The church is the gathering of those reborn in the Spirit, filled with the Spirit, led by the Spirit, and following the Spirit as He trains us to be partners with God in transforming the world.

Who is the Church (Pastor Vann Trapp)

Last week, we asked, “What is the Church?” This week, we are asking, “Who is the Church?” How do I become a citizen of God’s realm? And once I do, what is my part in doing the business of His kingdom in this world? Because, as the Church, we are called, reborn, transformed, equipped, and empowered to do the work of heaven.

Ekklesia (Pastor Vann Trapp)

God’s Church. It’s more than just a building or a place. It’s more than just a bunch of people who believe the same things. It’s more than just coffee and a sermon on Sunday. The Church is the group of people that God calls together in various places and various arrangements to figure out and do the business of the kingdom of heaven together. He has called us, equipped us, and brought us together for that purpose. So, what does it look like for us to be the Church?

Ambassadors of Grace (Ken Bell)

How might the story of the Magi help us understand God's grace and our response? The gifts they present to Jesus symbolize his kingship, as well as our worship and the mission that God has asked us to fulfill. How are we, as Christ Church, a part of that mission?

Love - The Embodiment of Victory (Pastor Vann Trapp)

Love. Sometimes, it doesn’t look so big and strong. But sometimes, it’s the small things that make the biggest difference. When God talks about His kingdom breaking in, He talks about mustard seeds, hidden yeast, and little children. And when He demonstrates it, He comes as a newborn baby. But that baby was God’s greatest victory. It would just take some time for us to see it. But that’s usually how God works.

The Expression of Victory (Pastor Cheryl Lavornia)

Do you ever feel disconnected from the "joy" that is supposed to be part of the Christmas season? Where does that disconnect come from? Pastor Cheryl shares what it takes to find that sense of joy again.

The Evidence of Victory (Pastor Vann Trapp)

Peace. We look for it. We hope for it. We pray for it. No one wants to live in a war zone, whether that war is outside your home. or within it. But it ends up that peace doesn’t just happen in a broken, fearful, selfish world. You have to work for it, build it, and even fight for it at times. But that sounds like a contradiction: fight for peace. That depends on how and who you’re fighting. But make no mistake, peace is the evidence of victory in a hard-fought battle to gain it. God fought that battle for us. Jesus is His victory. Peace is now ours in Him. And we go into this world to continue that same mission of peace.

The Expectation of Victory (Pastor Vann Trapp)

Hope. It’s an essential part of our lives because hope is all about the promise of something better than what we see. And who doesn’t long for something better than what we see? But hope is also about the ability of the one who promises it to pull off what has been promised. At Christmas, God brought His promised victory into this world. Some missed it because of the wrapping God’s victory gift came in. (How can a baby save the world?) But those who know the rest of the story understand that Jesus was God’s greatest sign of victory… and promise of an even greater future hope.