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Welcome to Mitchell Berean Church Online! Sunday Worship Service | 10:00 AM (MT) Sermon Snippet: What does it really mean to be free from sin? For many of us, the Christian life can feel like an endless battle against the same struggles, temptations, and failures. We know that Jesus died to forgive our sins, but sometimes we live as though sin still has the final say over our lives. In Romans 6:1–14, Paul reminds us that the gospel is about more than forgiveness. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we have been united with Him in His death and resurrection. Our old self has been crucified with Christ, and we have been raised to walk in newness of life. The grace that saves us doesn't give us permission to continue in sin; it gives us an entirely new relationship with sin. Because we have died with Christ, sin no longer has the authority to rule over us. That doesn't mean we will never struggle with temptation or fall into sin, but it does mean that sin is no longer our master. Jesus has broken its dominion, and we are no longer obligated to obey its demands. Too often, we continue living as though we are chained to the very things Christ has already freed us from. Paul calls us to recognize who we now are in Jesus, to consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God, and to stop surrendering our lives to a defeated master. Our freedom isn't found in trying harder to become someone new, but in trusting what Christ has already accomplished for us. The question before us is simple: Are we living in the freedom that Jesus died and rose again to give us? God has not called us merely to avoid sin, but to offer our lives to Him as instruments of righteousness. Every thought, every decision, every relationship, and every part of our lives can now be surrendered to the One who has made us alive. Whether you have spent years struggling against the same sin or have never experienced the freedom that comes through faith in Jesus, the invitation of the gospel is the same: stop looking to yourself for the power to change and turn to the Savior who makes all things new. In Christ, sin no longer has to define you, control you, or determine your future. You have been made alive with Him. Now walk in the newness of life He has given you. - Pastor Ben For this week's Scripture and notes: https://bible.com/events/49672856

Welcome to Mitchell Berean Church Online! Sunday Worship Service | 10:00 AM (MT) Sermon Snippet: The reality of sin is far more serious than we often want to admit. We tend to measure our standing before God by the things we have done or haven't done. We compare ourselves to others, convince ourselves that we're doing pretty well, and hope that somehow our good will outweigh our bad. But Paul reminds us that our problem goes much deeper than our behavior. We were born into a humanity broken by sin, under the reign of death, and unable to rescue ourselves. No amount of good works, religious activity, or personal improvement can undo what Adam's disobedience brought into this world. And that's why we don't just need someone to show us how to live better. We need a Savior who can give us life. And that is exactly what Jesus Christ has done! Where Adam brought condemnation, Jesus brings justification. Where Adam brought death, Jesus brings life. And where sin increased, grace increased all the more! Think about what that means for you today. There is no amount of sin in your past that is greater than the grace available to you in Jesus Christ. You may have spent years running from God, trying to earn His approval, or carrying the weight of failures you cannot undo. But the good news of the gospel is that Jesus has already accomplished what you never could. The invitation isn't to work harder to overcome what Adam did. It's to trust completely in what Jesus has done. His righteousness, not yours, is the basis of your salvation. So the question this morning is simple: Who is reigning in your life? Are you still living under the condemnation of sin, trying to make yourself right with God? Or have you received the abundant gift of grace that is found in Jesus Christ? Scripture tells us that those who receive His grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through Him. And one day, because of His victory, death itself will be swallowed up forever. That hope can be yours today. Not because you've earned it, not because you deserve it, but because Jesus has made a way. If you've never placed your faith in Christ, I want to invite you to surrender to Him today. And if you already belong to Him, stop living as though sin and death still have the final word over your life. In Adam, death reigned. But in Christ, grace reigns—and grace has the final word. Join us this Sunday at 10am as we continue through Romans! - Pastor Ben For this week's Scripture and notes: http://bible.com/events/49672854

Welcome to Mitchell Berean Church Online! Sunday Worship Service | 10:00 AM (MT) Sermon Snippet: What is the most important part of a house? You might be inclined to say the living room, your bedroom, the kitchen, or maybe even your man cave or she-shed. All of these spaces are important and are often vital to our everyday lives, but the most important part of any house is the foundation. Without a strong foundation, any house, no matter how beautiful or well built the rest of it may be, will eventually crumble. A strong foundation is the only way a home will weather the storm. Our lives are not much different! Scripture promises that we will face persecution, and in fact, we are called to rejoice when we do. We serve a God who is sovereign over all things, and as Romans will show us this week, He can take any suffering and turn it for His glory and our growth. So the question becomes: how strong is your foundation? Are you ready to weather the storms? It is not a matter of if they come, but when. Come join us this Sunday at 10 AM as we continue our series in Romans and see how Paul has torn down the old structure and is now laying the foundation for the new one we are building in Christ. Whatever you are walking through, there is a place for you here. Bring a friend, and let's build together! - Pastor Brandon For this week's Scripture and notes: http://bible.com/events/49652097

Could it really be that simple? After everything we’ve done, everything we’ve failed to do, and everything we know about ourselves, could being made right with God really come down to faith? Surely there must be something we have to accomplish, prove, clean up, or earn. But when Paul anticipates that question in Romans 4, he doesn’t give us a complicated theological argument—he points us to a man every Jewish believer knew: Abraham. And Abraham’s story tells us something remarkable: long before he could point to religious achievement, Abraham simply believed God, and God credited it to him as righteousness. But Abraham’s faith wasn’t easy or blind. God made him a promise that, from a human perspective, seemed impossible. His body was as good as dead. Sarah could not have children. The circumstances screamed that God’s promise could never happen. Yet Abraham chose to trust not in his ability to make the promise happen, but in the ability of the One who made it. And Paul says Abraham’s story wasn’t written only for Abraham—it was written for us. So what if you’ve been trying to earn something God only gives? What if your confidence has quietly rested in your morality, your church attendance, your religious background, or your ability to get your life together? And what happens when God asks you to trust Him when everything you can see tells you there is no reason for hope? Abraham’s faith ultimately points beyond an old man staring at an impossible promise to an empty tomb—and to the God who still brings life out of death. This Sunday, we’ll discover what it really means to have The Faith of Abraham. - Pastor Ben For this week's Scripture and notes: https://bible.com/events/49652096

For three chapters, Paul has been building a case against us. We may compare ourselves to others, point to the good we’ve done, or lean on our religious background—but eventually every defense collapses. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” No exceptions. No loopholes. No amount of effort can undo what sin has done. If righteousness is the standard, then on our own, every one of us stands condemned. But then Romans 3 gives us two of the most hope-filled words in Scripture: “But now…” God has made a way for guilty people to be declared righteous—not because we finally became good enough, but because Jesus was. Justification is offered freely to us, but it was anything but cheap. Our forgiveness was purchased by the blood of Christ. The Judge did not ignore our guilt; He placed its penalty upon His Son. Salvation is free to us, but it cost Jesus everything. And that leaves us with an uncomfortable question: What are you trusting in? Your morality? Your church attendance? Your reputation? The fact that you’re better than you used to be—or perhaps better than the person sitting next to you? Paul strips every one of those things away until we are left with nothing to boast about except Jesus. This Sunday, we’ll discover why the worst news about us makes the good news of the gospel so breathtaking: the guilty can be justified—not by works, but by faith. REMEMBER: This is our LAST WEEK WITH 2 SERVICES! Join us at 8am or 11am this week, and then October 4th we will be moving to one service at 10am! -Pastor Ben For this week's Scripture and notes: https://bible.com/events/49652095

We are remarkably good at defending ourselves. We compare ourselves to others, point to the good we’ve done, lean on what we know, and find ways to explain away the places where we fall short. But what happens when every defense is taken away? In Romans 3:1–20, Paul brings the opening argument of Romans to its sobering conclusion: whether religious or irreligious, Jew or Gentile, knowledgeable or ignorant—“there is no one righteous, not even one.” Yet in the middle of humanity’s failure, something remains absolutely certain: God is faithful. Our unfaithfulness does not change His character, and our sin does not make Him any less true or just. The problem is that His perfect faithfulness leaves us face-to-face with the reality of our own guilt. The Law cannot rescue us; it can only reveal just how desperately we need to be rescued. This Sunday, we’ll come to the moment when every mouth is silenced and every excuse runs out. It is a difficult verdict—but it is also the verdict we must understand before we can grasp just how good the good news really is. Join us as we continue through Romans and discover why recognizing that we cannot save ourselves may be the very thing that prepares us to see the hope God has provided. - Pastor Ben For this week's Scripture and notes: https://bible.com/events/49652094

It’s easy to look like we have it all together. We can know the right things, say the right things, show up at the right places, and even help others follow God—while something very different is happening within us. In Romans 2, Paul turns his attention to people who knew God’s Word and took their faith seriously, yet had begun trusting in what they could see on the outside rather than what God was doing in their hearts. That same temptation is still with us today. We can measure our faith by our witness—what others see, and our walk—how we actually live. Both matter. But God goes even deeper. He looks within—at what only He can see. And no amount of religious activity can accomplish what only the Spirit of God can do in the human heart. This Sunday, we’ll continue our journey through Romans with “Religion Isn’t Enough” from Romans 2:17–29. Whether church has been part of your life for decades, you’re just beginning to explore faith, or you’re somewhere in between, you’re invited to come discover the kind of transformation Jesus offers—one that doesn’t simply change how we look on the outside, but changes us from the inside out. -Pastor Ben For this week's Scripture and notes: https://bible.com/events/49642705

It’s easy to think of church as something we do. We go to church. We attend a service. We sing, listen, serve, volunteer, and then head back into another week. But what if Jesus intended His Church to be far more than something we attend or add to our schedules? What if church isn’t primarily something we do, but something we are? This Sunday, we’ll look at Ephesians 4:1–6 and what it means to live as people who have been called together by Jesus. In a world that seems increasingly divided, the Church has an opportunity to show something radically different—a community marked by humility, love, peace, and a unity that goes deeper than simply gathering in the same room. Join us this Sunday at 8am for “Do” vs. “Be” as we discover what it looks like not just to go to church, but to be the Church. REMEMBER: We only have ONE SERVICE this week! Join us at Mitchell Berean at 8am, and then at Five Rocks Amphitheater for the Horizon Community Church Service at 11am. - Pastor Ben For this week's Scripture and notes: https://bible.com/events/49642704

Self-righteousness is dangerous because it convinces us that the real problem is always somewhere else. It blinds our eyes to our own sin while making us experts at recognizing the failures of others. It hardens our hearts so that, rather than allowing God's kindness to lead us to repentance, we become stubborn and convinced that we are doing just fine. And eventually, self-righteousness gives us a false sense of security. We begin trusting in what we know, what we've done, or how we compare to others rather than honestly seeing ourselves before God. Romans 2:1–16 strips away that confidence. God doesn't judge us by comparison, appearances, religious knowledge, or the sins we've managed to avoid. He sees the heart—even the things no one else sees. The Gospel confronts our self-righteousness by showing us that none of us can stand before God on our own goodness. We don't need to prove that we're better than someone else; we need the righteousness that only Jesus can give. Join us this weekend as we continue our walk through Romans! - Pastor Ben For this week's Scripture and notes: https://bible.com/events/49642703

Romans 1 begins with the incredible announcement that the Gospel is the power of God that brings salvation. But then Paul turns our attention to a difficult question: If the truth about God is available to us, why do we so often choose something else? In Romans 1:18–32, Paul describes a progression that is as relevant today as it was in Rome—we can know the truth, ignore the truth, and eventually suppress the truth. And somewhere along the way, an exchange takes place. We trade the glory of the Creator for things He created. We look to success, relationships, possessions, pleasure, approval—even good things—to give us what only God can provide. This Sunday, as we continue our journey through Romans, we’ll confront the idols we may not even realize we’ve built and consider what happens when we exchange the God who made us for something that can never satisfy us. Join us Sunday at 8am or 11am for Romans: The Gospel Changes Everything as we look at Romans 1:18–32 and When We Exchange God for Idols. - Pastor Ben Key Verse - Romans 1:21 (NIV) - For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. For this week's Scripture and notes: https://bible.com/events/49642702

This Sunday, we begin a brand-new journey through one of the most powerful books in all of Scripture: Romans. This in depth look into the Gospel is an intense study. Not because of scholarly skills needed, but because of how intently it digs to the very core of our faith. Paul opens his letter with a message that had already turned his own life upside down—and would eventually shake the Roman world. He calls it the Gospel. But what if the Gospel isn't simply a message you hear once, believe, and then move beyond? What if it is the power of God that continues to reshape who we are, how we live, how we see others, and what we hope in? Whether this Sunday will be the first time you've truly heard the Gospel or what feels like the 500th time, you need this good news. Join us as we open Romans 1:1–17 and begin our new series, Romans: The Gospel Changes Everything. - Pastor Ben Key Verses: Romans 1:16-17 (NIV) - For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” For this week's Scripture and notes: http://bible.com/events/49642701

Life can feel so overwhelming. There are so many twists and turns throughout life that it can be difficult to navigate them all. The question becomes, What anchors us? What becomes our foundation, our solid ground, our safe place to return to in times of trouble? The Sunday school answer is... Jesus! Throughout Psalm 119, the psalmist has been on a roller coaster of emotions. He is up, he is down. He feels safe, then finds himself in turmoil. Yet through it all, he remains focused on and anchored in God's Word. This week, I hope to return to an idea we introduced at the beginning of this series: How do we anchor ourselves in Scripture and in the God who inspired it? What does it look like to surrender everything to Him? Our finances, our minds, our jobs, our hopes, our future—everything. What does it mean to rest in God and in His Word, no matter what is happening around us? Join us this Sunday at 8:00 or 11:00 AM as we recap our journey through Psalm 119 and conclude by looking ahead to a life marked by complete dependence on God's Word. - Pastor Brandon For this week's Scripture and notes: http://bible.com/events/49633498

Some prayers don't come wrapped in polished words. They come through tears, sleepless nights, and whispered cries of, "God, where are You?" Psalm 119:145–168 reminds us that faith isn't pretending everything is okay—it's choosing to cry out to the One who hears, to keep seeking Him when the answers seem delayed, and to discover a peace that can settle the soul even before the situation changes. This Sunday, we'll walk through one of the most heartfelt sections of Psalm 119 as we explore crying out, seeking God's deliverance, and finding peace in His presence. Whether you're carrying heavy burdens, waiting on God, or simply longing to hear His voice again, this message is an invitation to come honestly, expectantly, and together. We'd love to have you with us. Join us Sunday at 8am or 11am for one of our worship services! -Pastor Ben Key Verse - Psalm 119:145-146 - "I call with all my heart; answer me, Lord and I will obey your decrees. I call out to you; save me and I will keep your statutes." For this week's Scripture and notes: http://bible.com/events/49633497

Have you ever tried to give a child directions? Maybe they're learning how to clean their room for the first time, or perhaps they're supposed to remember to take out the trash. Whatever the task may be, one thing is certain—you'll probably have to remind them...again and again. The truth is, children aren't the only ones who forget. We all do. We forget responsibilities, conversations, commitments, and even the lessons God has faithfully taught us. Throughout Scripture, we see this pattern repeatedly. The people of Israel were continually reminded of God's faithfulness because they were so quick to forget all He had done for them. In many ways, we are no different. As we've journeyed through Psalm 119, you've probably noticed how often the psalmist repeats himself. He continually returns to the beauty, greatness, and power of God's Word. He speaks again and again of his love for Scripture, his delight in it, and his commitment to obey it. At first, it can seem repetitive—but that's exactly the point. The psalmist knows that God's Word is so precious and so life-giving that it deserves our constant attention.  The question for us is this: Has that truth taken root in our hearts? Are we seeing God and His Word with the same delight as the psalmist? Or have these truths become so familiar that we've stopped listening? Join us this weekend at 8:00 or 11:00 AM as we continue our journey through Psalm 119. Together, we'll be reminded once again of the beauty of God's Word, the righteousness of our God, and why these timeless truths are worth hearing again and again. - Pastor Brandon For this week's Scripture and notes: http://bible.com/events/49627414

What a joy it was to welcome so many kids to our VBS this week! As they built, crafted, and explored together, they discovered an even greater truth from Ephesians 2:10—that each one of us has been intentionally crafted by Christ for His purposes. Throughout the week, they learned the story of Scripture: God created us to be with Him, sin separated us from Him, we could never fix that separation on our own, but Jesus came to do what we never could by dying and rising again to restore us to God. - Pastor Ben Key Verse: Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) - "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." For this week's Scripture and notes: http://bible.com/events/49627413