Scripture Text: John 6:66-69 NIV

Our passage today is preceded by a monumental miracle in Jesus’ ministry. John 6 begins, so famously, with the feeding of the Five thousand. After the miracle of feeding, Jesus withdraws from this kind of thing because He knows they have the wrong intentions, mistaken motives when the follow Him. They see Him as their baker and not Savior. Thus, He begins speaking also of things spiritual. He wants them to pay more attention to the life to come than they do to this life. As we consider how we should respond to the stresses and struggles we face living these days, Pastor Wallace notes three things about this interaction: first, we should note Jesus’ question; second, we should note Peter’s understanding of his options; and third, we should note Peter’s answer. Thus, we will be better prepared to answer the question “to whom do you go?” Better, yet, “where else would we want to go?” Living these days are difficult and disappointing, but our hope is in Jesus Christ! Amen. If you have been blessed from hearing this message, please consider sowing into our ministry by visiting our webpage at www.indycovenant.org. Thanks

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Scripture Text: 1 Kings 19:7-13 NRSV

As Pastor Wallace continues our sermon series: “Discerning the Voice of God,” let us be mindful of what Richard Foster noted in his book, that “God speaks to people not because they have special abilities, but because they are willing to listen.” As followers of Christ, our goal is to obey the voice of God, to discern what kind of life He desires for us and heed His commands. As we will see in this text, God’s voice is, at times, a whisper in the storm. Although our story notes that Elijah was hiding in a cave from Jezebel; yet the story suggests a way forward in the following ways: 1) eat and drink of God’s life-giving sustenance; 2) return to the bedrock of faith; and 3) listen to God’s still (quiet) small voice. Here’s the Good News for today – God speaks to us in the ways that are beset for us. God deals with us where we are in life. Amen. If you have been blessed from hearing this message, please consider sowing a love offering into this ministry by visiting our webpage at www.indycovenant.org.

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Scripture Text: Acts 16:6-12 NIV

The second half of Acts is a recording of how Paul discerned the voice of the Holy Spirit. This is critical to us – how to know when God is speaking. The issue is not what God calls Paul to do but how Paul hears from God. How does God speak to us – guide our footsteps? In today’s message, Pastor Wallace highlights ways the Apostle Paul had to discern the voice of God, particularly when doors close…and when doors open. Paul was “kept,” from going west into Asia, and then prompted by the Holy Spirit to go towards the region of Macedonia. So, he took the gospel into Greede instead of Asia Minor. We should be glad Paul paid attention to God’s closed and opened doors. Thus, from this teaching, we can learn the following: first, God will guide you if you trust Him; second, don’t be disappointed by closed doors, third, be active as you look for God’s open door, and fourth, don’t depend on “doors” alone to find God’s will. Amen. If you have been blessed from hearing this message, please consider sowing into our ministry via our webpage:www.indycovenant.org and click to give.

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On Pentecost Sunday, we tend to think of as a celebration of the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the birthday of the New Testament Church. However, it is much more! Theologian, Theodore Hiebert notes that Pentecost is “the church’s charter.” That means it is a definition of what the church is and what the church is to become whether we realize it or not. In today’s message, Pastor Wallace challenges us to think about whether we are a Pentecostal Church – not based on denominational affiliation, but an experience and way of living. The Holy Spirit came upon the church at Pentecost, and he suggests two signs that the Spirit is working today in the church: Affirmation of Diversity, and Unified Diversity. Pastor Wallace believes Covenant is a Pentecost Church – a church filled with the Spirit of God. Please worship with us! If you have been blessed from hearing this message, please sow a financial seed into this ministry by visiting our website. Amen.

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Today, we begin a new sermon series: “Discerning the Voice of God,” with a subtitle: “How to Recognize When God is Speaking.” It is important that we as Christians learn to discern and heed the voice of God. In Richard Foster’s book Celebration of Discipline,” he aptly notes that “God speaks to people not because they have special abilities, but because they are willing to listen.” Thus, in today’s message, Pastor Wallace draws insights from our biblical text in 1 Samuel 3, and highlights what might be hindering you from hearing the voice of God. First, God speaks primarily to those whose heart is right; second, Samuel struggles to hear the voice of God; and finally, we may struggle in hearing the voice of God because we do not want to hear what God has to say. Notwithstanding, here’s the good news: God not only speaks personally to us, He speaks repeatedly. AMEN. If you are blessed from hearing this message, please visit our webpage and sow a seed into this ministry.

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Sunday, May 18, 2025 – Covenant Community Church

Scripture Text: Jeremiah 29:10-14 NRSV

Jeremiah 29 gives attention to those in exile, those who had been taken away, captured, kidnapped, deported from their homeland in Judah – and carried away to Babylon. A person can find themselves in exile while being geographically at home or at church. Perhaps many of you feel like those ancient Israelites felt. Perhaps you, too, feel like you’re not where you need to be. In today’s message we learn that God sent Jeremiah to remind the people that God planned to restore them – to give them hope for the future. And Christians today have that same hope. As we worship God and listen for His guidance, He will lead us to our destiny. And even when difficult days come, and they will, we can always live with hope because the Lord walks with us each day. Amen. If you are blessed from hearing this message, please visit our us at www.indycovenant.org and sow a seed into this ministry. Please leave a comment. Thanks

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Sunday, April 27, 2025 – Covenant Community Church

Are you running a hope deficit? Financial pressures. Family drama. Failing health. Political disenfranchisement. Will things get better? The way you imagine your future is crucial. It reveals whether or not you have hope. And it reveals where your hope lies. Misplaced hope isn’t hope at all. Hope is necessary for our well-being. In 1 Peter, we find hope that endures through every trial and can’t be taken away. It’s the hope that lies at the center of Christian faith and life; hope that transforms the way we live today. Our hope is in a future inheritance hat is founded on God’s mercy, secured through Christ’s resurrection and kept by God’s power. Peter stated that the only goal that cannot be crushed by this fallen world is the living hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. Pastor Wallace lays out the ways a believer can find unspeakable joy in this kind of hope. Amen. If you are blessed after hearing this message, please seed into our ministry by visiting us at www.indycovenant.org

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Sunday, April 20, 2025 – Covenant Community Church

Happy Easter! In today’s message we visit Mary Magdalene, the most devoted of Jesus’ followers at His tomb, grieving her catastrophic loss, three days after His horrific death. Her heartache was inconsolable. Death had taken from Mary the most important person in her life; the person she had loved. She thought she would be visiting the place where Jesus’ lifeless body lay at rest. But the wonder, the mystery, the miracle of Easter is that it wasn’t there. The tomb was empty! The Easter story dares us to believe that a dead man didn’t stay dead, but instead, by the power and love of God, He was released from the tomb. And more than that, Easter declares that Jesus is still alive and present in the world even today and that Jesus always will be alive. And that Jesus wants us to live forever and ever with Him. Amen. If you are blessed after hearing this message, please seed into our ministry by visiting us at www.indycovenant.org.

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