Your life speaks with a kingdom accent. In Put Off, Put On from the In Christ series, Mark Medley opens Ephesians 4:25–32 and gets specific about how a new life in Jesus shows up in ordinary choices—truth-telling, anger, work, words, and forgiveness. But he refuses to treat Paul’s commands like a cold checklist. Grace comes first. Before a single “do this,” God has made us alive, adopted us, forgiven us, and sealed us by the Holy Spirit. That order matters, because you can’t bully your heart into holiness. Real transformation begins when a heart is softened by mercy and rebuilt from the inside out.

From there, Mark shows how Christian ethics are love-in-action within community. We speak truth “for we are members of one another,” because trust is the foundation of healthy relationships. We deal with anger quickly—be angry and do not sin—so resentment doesn’t take root and the devil gets no foothold. We move from taking to giving, repurposing our effort into honest work so we have something to share with anyone in need. And we treat words as gifts. No corrupting talk, but speech that fits the moment and gives grace to those who hear. Our tongues carry death and life, and careless, bitter, profane, or backbiting talk can even grieve the Holy Spirit who has sealed us for the day of redemption.

Mark underscores that in the kingdom of God, relationships—not mere rule-keeping—are the point. Truth protects trust. Quick reconciliation shuts the door on bitterness. Generosity frees us from a life of taking. Life-giving words build up people and strengthen church unity. He offers the THINK filter for everyday conversations—Is it True, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary, Kind?—and calls us to speak with a mind toward eternity.

With a vivid picture of “kingdom clothing,” Mark reminds us that habits are like garments we put on daily. What we consistently “wear” reveals our devotion and shapes our destination. The passage ends where it began: with grace. Be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Forgiven people become forgiving people; loved people become loving people.

What do you need to put off, and what do you need to put on as a new habit of love this week? If this message helps you rebuild healthy patterns In Christ, share it with someone who’s ready to start fresh.

We are Trinity Community Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
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Continuing In Christ, Derrick Overholt opens Ephesians 4:17–24 with a striking picture: the story of Hetty Green, a woman of immense wealth who chose to live like she had nothing. It becomes a mirror for the soul—why live like you’re spiritually poor when Christ has given you everything? New Clothes calls us to stop dragging yesterday’s mindset into today’s faith and to walk out of what Paul calls “the futility of the mind”—a life that looks busy but stays empty.

Derrick slows down in the text and makes it practical. He shows how Paul diagnoses the inner life: darkened understanding, alienation from God, and a calloused heart that keeps circling back to the same habits. He cautions against chasing “purpose” in Ephesians 4–6 without first embracing the identity of Ephesians 1–3. Purpose flows out of who we are In Christ, not out of self-improvement or moral striving.

A key turning point is the difference between learning about Jesus and learning Jesus. Drawing from the Greek idea of manthano, Derrick explains that biblical learning reshapes the student. This isn’t trivia for the brain; it’s transformation by the Spirit. He shares clear, real-life “consequence learning” moments—like finally grasping how debt works or coming to see the weight of life-and-death issues—that mark true repentance and a new direction. The Holy Spirit brings conviction, opens our eyes, and empowers change so that truth moves from theory to obedience.

From there, Derrick unpacks Paul’s clothing metaphor: put off the old self and put on the new. In the ancient world clothing was precious and only discarded when it was beyond repair. So it is with the old life—we don’t scrub it cleaner with moralism; we discard it. In Christ, we receive a new self “created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness,” like the prodigal clothed with a robe and welcomed home by grace.

With a vivid light-and-darkness illustration, Derrick challenges the idea of keeping a “small” hidden corner while claiming to walk in the light. He confronts the modern false gospel that makes peace with compromise and reminds us that real life in the Spirit bears real fruit—repentance, kindness, love, and generosity—rooted in good soil. If you’re fasting, praying, or simply hungry for renewal, let this message help you name the old clothes and throw them away for good. Watch and invite a friend who’s ready to stop living like they have nothing and start living fully In Christ.

We are Trinity Community Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
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In “Why Prayer And Fasting,” Pastors Tyler Lynde and Ebenezer Asiamah go straight to Jesus’ words in Matthew 6 to answer a question many of us feel but rarely voice: why build prayer and fasting into everyday life? Tyler begins with the purpose behind it all—God created us for fellowship, not mere belief—and names one of our deepest challenges: distraction. A calendar can be full and a soul still be empty. From Jesus’ repeated “when you pray” and “when you fast,” Tyler underscores that these aren’t occasional religious stunts but normal rhythms for people who want real intimacy with the Father in the secret place. Prayer is not performance; it’s a two-way, ongoing conversation with a Father who already knows our needs.

Ebenezer offers a clear definition of biblical fasting—voluntarily abstaining from food for a set time for spiritual purposes—and shows why it must be joined to prayer or it’s just dieting. He captures the heart with a simple line: we do not fast to get God’s attention; we fast to get our attention on God. From there he lays out the spiritual benefits found across Scripture: fasting helps set our attention on God (Psalm 42; Matthew 5:6), resets disordered affections (Job 23:12), cultivates humility that fuels revival (2 Chronicles 7:14; Joel 2), and brings clarity and direction in weighty decisions (Acts 9; Proverbs 19:14). You’ll hear biblical and personal stories about guidance, protection on difficult journeys (Ezra 8), and circumstances God has shifted as His people sought Him, all while emphasizing that fasting aligns us to God’s will rather than manipulating outcomes.

The message also highlights spiritual freedom. Tyler and Ebenezer revisit Jesus’ teaching that some resistance only breaks through prayer and fasting (Mark 9:29), offering hope for those facing anxiety, oppression, addiction, and persistent battles. They look to Jesus as our example in the wilderness (Matthew 4), reminding us that we live not by bread alone but by every word from God’s mouth.

Practical help runs throughout: choose a sacrificial fast that costs something, schedule time with God during normal meal windows, consider laying down media and noise, approach food wisely (avoid turning “one meal a day” into indulgence), taper in rather than binge beforehand, and consult a medical professional when needed. Tyler closes with an invitation into a focused 21-day season with intentional prayer gatherings and a simple planning framework so the fast is purposeful, not vague.

If you’re longing for renewed intimacy, clearer direction, a reset of what you love most, and real spiritual power, lean in and begin.

We are Trinity Community Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
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One day you'll stand before Jesus and give an account of what you did with what He gave you. The question isn't whether that day is coming — it's whether you'll be ready for it.

In this final session of the Foundations class, Pastor Mark Medley brings the series to a practical and personal close by talking about stewardship — the understanding that because we've been bought with a price, everything we have belongs to God, and we're called to manage it well for His glory and the good of others.

Pastor Mark walks through five areas of stewardship that touch every part of life. First, your time — drawing from Psalm 90 and the prayer "teach us to number our days," he shows how getting your days right is the key to getting your life right, and how understanding your season is connected to knowing God's will. Second, your talent — your unique combination of spiritual gifts, personality, experiences, and calling that no one else on earth shares. Third, your treasure — with an honest look at generosity, tithing, and the difference between living with the tight fists of an orphan and the open hands of a son or daughter who trusts their Father. Fourth, your temple — your physical body, and why taking care of it through proper nutrition, rest, and movement is a matter of stewardship, not vanity. And finally, your story — because your testimony doesn't require a theology degree. It just requires three things: this is who I was, this is who I am, and Jesus is the difference.

The session ends with a simple challenge: open your heart, open your ears, and open your mouth. You have something to give that no one else can.

This is part of the Foundations class at Trinity Community Church, taught by Pastor Kelly Kinder and Pastor Mark Medley.

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Here's a truth that can be hard to accept: you cannot live the Christian life alone. Faith in Christ is personal, but it was never meant to be private.

In this session, Pastor Kelly Kinder explains why fellowship with other believers isn't optional — it's essential to how God designed the Christian life to work. The faith that connects us to Christ also connects us to one another, and the New Testament uses rich metaphors to describe what that looks like: the church as a field, a building, a body, a bride, a family, a house, and a temple. Each picture reveals something different about how believers are meant to function together.

Pastor Kelly gives special attention to the metaphor of the body, drawing from Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 to show that every member is necessary, every member is unique, and every member has gifts that the rest of the body needs. He walks through seven spiritual gifts — prophecy, serving, teaching, exhortation, giving, leadership, and mercy — and challenges listeners to use what God has given them rather than comparing themselves to others or trying to go it alone. The phrase "one another" appears more than fifty times in the New Testament, and Pastor Kelly makes the case that those commands can only be lived out when we're in real, consistent relationship with other believers — especially in smaller group settings.

The session closes with an honest acknowledgment: it would be easier to follow God without having to deal with other people. But a community of believers learning to love each other in the power of the gospel brings more glory to God than any one person could on their own.

This is part of the Foundations class at Trinity Community Church, taught by Pastor Kelly Kinder and Pastor Mark Medley.

We are Trinity Community Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
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Why does the church baptize people? And what's really happening when we take the bread and the cup together? These aren't just religious traditions — they're practices that Jesus Himself commanded and established for the life of His church.

In this session, Pastor Kelly Kinder walks through the meaning and significance of two foundational practices in the Christian faith: water baptism and the Lord's Supper. Starting with the Great Commission in Matthew 28, he explains that both are acts of obedience that carry deep spiritual meaning — not as rituals that save us, but as powerful expressions of what God has already done inside us.

Baptism, Pastor Kelly explains, is an outward picture of an inward reality. Like a wedding ring doesn't make you married but declares that you are, baptism doesn't produce the new birth — it proclaims it. Going under the water pictures death and burial with Christ; coming up out of the water pictures resurrection into new life. That's why Scripture points to baptism by immersion, and why watching someone get baptized is one of the most encouraging moments in the life of a church.

The Lord's Supper, instituted by Jesus on the night before His crucifixion, is an invitation to remember His sacrifice and to be spiritually nourished by Him. It's a covenant meal — what the early church called a love feast — and it's meant to be received with seriousness, self-examination, and an awareness of the community of believers around us.

This is part of the Foundations class at Trinity Community Church, taught by Pastor Kelly Kinder and Pastor Mark Medley.

We are Trinity Community Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
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If Jesus saved you from the penalty of sin, why does sin still seem to have power in your life? That's the question at the heart of this session — and the answer changed everything for Pastor Mark Medley.

Drawing from his own story of coming to faith out of a life of drugs, broken relationships, and bondage, Pastor Mark shares how some chains broke immediately when he met Jesus, while others held on. It wasn't until a mentor challenged him to memorize all of Romans chapter 6 that the truth began to sink in: the work of Jesus on the cross didn't just deal with the penalty of sin — it broke the power of sin over his life too.

This session walks through Romans chapters 5 through 8, tracing Paul's argument from justification and grace all the way to freedom and life in the Spirit. You'll encounter Paul's repeated phrase "how much more" — the idea that wherever sin reached, the grace of God reached further. You'll hear the raw honesty of Romans 7, where Paul describes the inner war of wanting to do right but doing wrong. And you'll arrive at the triumphant declaration of Romans 8: there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Pastor Mark ties it all together with a vivid illustration — just as the law of aerodynamic lift overcomes the law of gravity and gets a 747 off the ground, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus overcomes the law of sin and death. You don't have to stay pulled down. There's a greater law at work.

This is part of the Foundations class at Trinity Community Church, taught by Pastor Kelly Kinder and Pastor Mark Medley.

We are Trinity Community Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
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Prayer isn't a religious obligation — it's an invitation. An invitation to the throne of grace, into relationship with your Father, and into the very heart and mission of God.

In this session, Pastor Mark Medley builds on the previous lesson about the Word of God by showing how Scripture and prayer are deeply linked. He starts with a powerful idea: to pray is to change. Real prayer reorders our loves and priorities, and it's impossible to genuinely encounter God without being transformed by it. Through a story about visiting an African village chief — where access required an invitation, a gift, and an intermediary — Pastor Mark illustrates what makes Christian prayer so remarkable. God has already opened the door. Jesus is our intermediary. And we're told to come boldly.

The session walks through several dimensions of prayer: the prayer of consecration and submission, the prayer of faith, the prayer of agreement with other believers, praying in the Spirit for personal edification, the prayer of supplication in spiritual warfare, and the prayer that replaces anxiety with peace. Along the way, Pastor Mark addresses the honest questions — why don't we pray more, why prayers sometimes seem unanswered, and how prayer is something we learn over time rather than master overnight.

The session closes with a live demonstration of praying the Scriptures, turning Paul's prayer from Ephesians into a prayer over everyone listening — showing just how simple and powerful it is to let God's Word give us the words to speak back to Him.

This is part of the Foundations class at Trinity Community Church, taught by Pastor Kelly Kinder and Pastor Mark Medley.

We are Trinity Community Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Subscribe to our Podcast & YouTube channel to find past sermons, classes, interviews, and more!
Find us on Facebook & Instagram