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God has given every believer a spiritual gift. But have you ever stopped to ask why? In this message from 1 Corinthians 12, we continue our study of spiritual gifts, exploring seven biblical principles that help us understand where our gifts come from, how they differ from natural talents, and why God has given them to us. We also explore some important questions: Does having a spiritual gift mean you're spiritually mature? Can someone else give you a spiritual gift? What's the difference between spiritual gifts and the fruit of the Spirit? Why doesn't God give every Christian the same gifts? What happens when we fail to use our gifts in the church? The message is clear: Your gifts are not just for you. They are given to build up the body of Christ. As the sermon reminds us, "We need you, and you need us."

What if one of the most important people in the church is someone most people never notice? At the end of Paul's letter to the Ephesians, we're introduced to a man named Tychicus. He wasn't the most famous preacher or the most recognized leader, but God used his faithfulness to bring encouragement to an entire church. In this message, Special Delivery, we discover that the importance of our service isn't measured by how visible our role is.

Does every Christian have a spiritual gift? And who decides which gifts we receive? In this opening message of our series on spiritual gifts, we discover the connection between God's grace and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Looking at Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter 4, we learn that spiritual gifts are not something we earn or something a pastor can give us. They are gifts of God's grace, distributed by the Holy Spirit according to His will. But having a spiritual gift is only part of the story. Scripture also teaches us how those gifts should be understood and used to build up the church. This message also reminds us that even a church full of spiritually gifted people needs grace, patience, and love for one another.

What do we really have to be thankful for? Psalm 100 calls us to enter God’s presence with thanksgiving—not simply because everything in life is easy, but because the Lord is good, His love endures forever, and His faithfulness continues through every generation. In this message, we’re reminded to thank God for our salvation, His faithfulness, His goodness and love, and His constant care for us. We also discover an important distinction: we praise God for who He is, and we thank Him for what He has done. Even when we haven’t seen the answer yet, we can still give thanks because God remains faithful to His promises.

Spiritual warfare is real—but God has not left His people defenseless. In Ephesians 6:17–20, Paul introduces the sword of the Spirit, the one offensive weapon in the armor of God. But having a Bible nearby is not the same thing as being ready to use it. In this message, “Armed and Ready,” we look at what it means to know God’s Word well enough to use it in the moment, why reading, meditating on, and memorizing Scripture matters, and why prayer is essential to standing firm when the battle comes.

You have an enemy you cannot see—and you cannot face a supernatural enemy with natural strength. In Ephesians 6:14–17, Paul tells believers to put on the full armor of God: truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the Word of God. But these aren't disconnected pieces of spiritual equipment. They bring together everything Paul has been teaching throughout Ephesians about who we are in Christ and how we are called to live. In this message, “Dressed for Battle,” we look at what each piece of armor means, how it protects us, and why God never intended Christians to stand in the battle alone.

There is a battle happening that you cannot see. In Ephesians 6:10–13, Paul reminds us that our struggle is not ultimately against flesh and blood. We face a supernatural enemy—and a supernatural enemy requires supernatural strength and supernatural protection. But spiritual warfare isn't about being afraid of the devil or seeing a demon behind every problem. It's about recognizing the enemy's schemes, standing in the strength God provides, and refusing to be moved. In this message, “Stand Firm,” we look at what spiritual warfare really is, how Satan works through schemes and deception, and what it means to stand when the battle comes.

What if being a Christian changes not only what you believe on Sunday, but how you work on Monday? In Ephesians 6:5–9, Paul speaks directly to slaves and masters in the Roman world. The passage raises difficult questions about slavery, but it also reveals something powerful about work, leadership, integrity, and who ultimately has authority over us. In this message, Pastor Shola Akognon explores the historical context of slavery in the Bible and then asks three practical questions: How does a Christian employee serve? How does a Christian employer lead? And who are they both really serving? Whether you manage people, work for someone else, run a business, stay home with children, teach, drive, repair, serve, or lead—your work matters to God. Because ultimately, Christ is the Boss.

What does it actually mean for children to honor their parents? And what responsibility has God given parents in raising their children? In Ephesians 6:1–4, Paul brings the gospel directly into the relationship between parents and children. Children are called to obey and honor their parents, while parents are called to raise their children without provoking them to anger—training and instructing them in the Lord. In this message, “Honor Starts at Home,” we look at obedience, honoring imperfect parents, the dangers of both over-discipline and under-discipline, and why Christian parenting is about much more than correcting behavior. The goal isn’t simply to raise well-behaved kids. It is to raise children who know what God says, understand the gospel, and are prepared to live lives that honor Christ.

Marriage can look great in public while struggling behind closed doors. But what does the “kitchen” of our homes actually look like? In Ephesians 5:21–33, Paul gives husbands and wives a picture of marriage that is radically shaped by Jesus Christ. Biblical submission is not inferiority, and biblical leadership is not domination. The wife is called to willingly respect and submit to her husband, while the husband is called to love his wife with the sacrificial love Christ demonstrated for His church. In this message, Cross-Shaped Marriage, we look at what it means for a husband to die for, disciple, and cherish his wife, why both husbands and wives need the filling of the Holy Spirit, and how Christian marriage is ultimately meant to put the gospel on display. The question isn't simply, “What does our marriage look like at church?” The question is: What does the kitchen look like?

What do you do when worry starts taking over? In Matthew 6:25–34, Jesus speaks directly to people facing real uncertainty and tells them, “Do not worry.” But that doesn't mean Christians never experience concern. The question is: What do we do with it? In this message, we look at what worry reveals about our trust, the difference between carrying our worries and casting them on God, and Jesus' command to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.

In “I Wanna Be Like God,” Pastor Shola Akognon teaches from Ephesians 5:1–21, where Paul calls believers to imitate God as dearly loved children. What does that actually look like in everyday life? Paul gives us three practical instructions: walk in love, walk in light, and walk in wisdom. Through the love of Christ, the transforming power of living as children of light, and the wisdom that recognizes our opportunities are limited, we learn that becoming more like God isn’t simply about trying harder. God has given us His Holy Spirit—and a community of believers—to help us live the life He has called us to live.

The old life no longer fits. In Ephesians 4:17–32, Paul calls believers to take off the old self, renew their minds, and put on the new life God has created for them. Learn what conversion changes and five practical ways Christians should now live. Live like the person you have become.

Village Baptist Church exists to win people to Christ and develop them into active disciples: equipping them to serve as ministers in the church, community, and around the world, leading them to worship God in spirit and truth.

Who is Jesus? Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that Jesus is not Almighty God, that He previously existed as Michael the archangel, and that He was raised from the dead only as a spirit. But do those teachings agree with Scripture? In this message, we examine what the Bible says about the identity of Jesus Christ. Hebrews declares that the Son is superior to every angel. John teaches that all things were created through Him. Jesus receives worship, shares the Father’s glory, and identifies Himself with the divine name: “Before Abraham was born, I am.” Jesus is not “a god,” a created angel, or merely a perfect man. He is the eternal Son of God, worthy of honor, glory, praise, and worship. This message also equips Christians to speak truthfully and lovingly with Jehovah’s Witness friends, relatives, neighbors, and coworkers.