Growing Faith Church Sermons

The Reason for Growing Faith: 2 Peter 1:3-11

Series: "Cultivate: Grace, Growth & the Life of a Disciple"
Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC
March 29, 2026
1. Growing Faith Trades Corruption for Godliness Through Jesus' Power (vv. 3-4)
2. Growing Faith Validates Jesus' Sacrifice (vv. 5-9)
3. Growing Faith Confirms Our Salvation (vv. 10-11)
Many people call themselves Christians but show little evidence of spiritual transformation. Second Peter 1:3-11 reveals that genuine faith should produce dramatic life change over time. Through God's divine power and precious promises, believers can trade worldly corruption for participation in God's nature. Peter outlines eight qualities that should increase in growing Christians: faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. Spiritual growth serves three vital purposes: it allows us to participate in God's nature, honors Jesus' sacrificial work, and confirms our salvation. Without growth, our faith becomes ineffective and unfruitful, like severe nearsightedness that blinds us to God's bigger picture.

The Cost of Discipleship: Mark 8:34-37

Series: Cultivate: Grace, Growth & the Life of a Disciple
Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC
March 22, 2026
1. Disciples of Jesus Must Surrender Their Ambitions for His Plan (v. 34a)
2. Disciples of Jesus Must be Ready to Endure Suffering and Death Like Him (v. 34b)
3. Disciples of Jesus Must Follow Him Above All Other Desires (v. 34c)
4. Disciples of Jesus Give Up This Life to Gain the Greatest Possible Reward (v. 35-37)
In this sermon from the Cultivate series, Growing Faith Church explores the radical call of Jesus found in Mark 8:34-37. Drawing inspiration from the life of martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the message challenges the idea of "cheap grace"—the desire for forgiveness without repentance or commitment.
The core of the message focuses on three specific costs every follower of Christ must be willing to pay:
Surrender Your Ambitions: Discipleship requires "denying yourself," which means handing the "pen" of your life's story back to God and trusting His plan over your own dreams.
Endure Suffering: Taking up a cross was a symbol of shame and execution; following Jesus means being ready for ridicule, persecution, or even the sacrifice of one's literal life.
Follow Him Above All: True discipleship moves Jesus from the "co-pilot" position to the driver's seat, prioritizing His lead over personal comfort or consumeristic desi
While the cost is high, the reward is incomparable. As missionary Jim Elliot famously said, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose". By losing our temporary lives to Christ, we gain our eternal souls.

The Pathway of Discipleship: Matt. 28:18-20, Phil. 3:12-14, Phil. 2:12-13

Series: Cultivate: Grace, Growth & the Life of a Disciple
Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty NC
March 15, 2026
1. The Church Prepares the Way for Sanctification (Matt. 28:18-20)
2. The Disciple Pursues the Prize of Sanctification (Phil. 3:12-14)
3. God Provides the Power for Sanctification (Phil. 2:12-13)
Spiritual maturity doesn't happen by accident - it requires intentional steps and commitment. The Bible outlines three key players in this process: the church prepares the way by providing resources and community, disciples pursue growth with single-minded focus while letting go of past failures and successes, and God provides the power for transformation. True spiritual growth combines divine power with human responsibility, requiring us to actively pursue Christ while trusting God to work in us.

The Way to a Prosperous Life: Ps. 1, Acts 2:42-47, Col. 2:6-7

Series: Cultivate: Grace, Growth, & the Life of a Disciple
Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC
March 8, 2026
1. The Prosperous Life is Determined by Where We Find Our Delight (Ps. 1)
2. The Prosperous Life is Committed to Growing in Discipleship (Acts 2:42-47)
3. The Prosperous Life is Powered by God's Grace Through Faith (Col. 2:6-7)
True biblical prosperity isn't about material wealth but about being spiritually planted in the right place. Psalm 1 describes the prosperous person as a tree planted by streams of water, finding delight in God's Word rather than worldly pursuits. The early church in Acts 2 demonstrates six key marks of spiritual maturity: being rooted in God's Word and community, growing in prayer and worship, and reaching out through service and evangelism. This growth doesn't come through self-effort but through God's grace received by faith, like a sailboat catching wind in its sails.

Growing to Maturity: Heb. 5:11-6:1

Series: Cultivate: Grace, Growth, & the Life of a Disciple
Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC
March 1, 2026
1. Maturity Requires Personal Effort (v. 11)
2. Maturity Prepares You for the Mission (v. 12a)
3. Maturity Brings Greater Joy and Deeper Satisfaction in Jesus (vv. 12b-14)
4. Maturity Takes Consistent Training (v. 14)
5. Maturity Protects Us from Evil (vv. 13-14)
6. Maturity Means Learning Deeper Truths About God (Heb. 6:1)
Many Christians remain spiritually immature after salvation, missing out on the abundant life Jesus offers. According to Hebrews 5:11-6:1, spiritual maturity requires personal effort, prepares us for God's mission, brings deeper joy, demands consistent training, protects us from evil, and leads to greater understanding of God. Just as physical growth requires intentional effort, spiritual growth demands daily practice through prayer, Bible study, and spiritual disciplines. Mature believers can teach others, discern truth from error, and participate effectively in God's mission. The church should equip believers through systematic training, but personal commitment to growth is essential for moving beyond spiritual infancy.

A Call to Transformation: Matt. 4:12-25

Series: Radical Kingdom: Hidden Majesty
Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC 
February 22, 2026
1. The Light of Jesus Calls Us Out of Darkness (vv. 12-17)
2. The Purpose of Jesus Calls Us Out of the Meaningless (vv. 18-22)
3. The Power of Jesus Calls Us Out of Brokenness (vv. 23-25)
Jesus extends three powerful calls to every person that demand a response and promise transformation. First, He calls us out of darkness into His marvelous light through repentance - changing our minds about who controls our lives. Second, He calls us out of meaninglessness into eternal purpose, just as He transformed ordinary fishermen into world-changing disciples who would fish for souls rather than fish. Third, He calls us out of brokenness into wholeness, welcoming all who are diseased, afflicted, and broken with His healing power. Jesus isn't intimidated by our mess or darkness - He specializes in transforming lives completely when we surrender everything to follow Him.
 

The Temptation of Jesus: Matt. 4:1-11

Series: Radical Kingdom: Hidden Majesty
Guest Preacher: Ron Pierce
Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC
February 15, 2026
Jesus' 40-day temptation in the desert reveals a profound truth about spiritual strength that goes beyond simply knowing Scripture. While Satan tested Jesus with three specific temptations - providing for himself, forcing God to prove Himself, and worshipping something other than God - Jesus resisted not just by quoting verses, but through the deep relationship He had cultivated with the Father during those 40 days. The real power behind Scripture comes from intimate communion with God, not just memorizing words. Many believers struggle with temptation because they're trying to fight spiritual battles without first developing that foundational relationship with God that provides true spiritual strength.

Are You Ready? Matt. 3

Series: Radical Kingdom: Hidden Majesty
Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC
February 8, 2026
John the Baptist's message after 400 years of prophetic silence was clear: repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. True repentance involves three components: a change of mind, heart, and life. It's not about cleaning ourselves up before coming to God, but rather an invitation to turn from sin toward His grace. The religious leaders of John's time appeared righteous but lacked genuine repentance, while authentic faith requires honesty about our struggles. Jesus' baptism demonstrates the gospel - He identified with sinners and took our curse so we could receive the Father's blessing. Repentance is urgent because time is limited, and it separates authentic Christians from those merely going through religious motions.
1. Repentance is the Way that We Prepare to Encounter Jesus. (vv. 1-3)
2. Repentance Begins with the Realization that We are Filthy. (vv. 4-6)
3. True Repentance is Demonstrated by Life Change (vv. 7-9)
4. We Need to Repent Now Because Time is Running Out (vv. 10-12)
5. Jesus Makes Our Repentance Effective for Salvation (vv. 13-17)
 

A Door of Faith: Acts 14:21-28

Preached at Pleasant Garden Baptist Church, Pleasant Garden, NC
January 30, 2026
Pastor Brian preaches at Pleasant Garden Baptist Church, the sending church for Growing Faith, at a special Friday night service on January 30, 2026.
1. The Mission is Making Disciples (v. 21)
2. Encouragement is Necessary for the Hard Days (v. 22, 26)
3. The Mission Calls for More and More Leaders (v. 23)
4. The Mission Never Rests (vv. 24-25)
5. God is Opening a Door (v. 27)

Seeking After Jesus: Matt. 2:1-12

Series: Radical Kingdom: Hidden Majesty
Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC
January 11, 2026
1. God Reveals Himself So All Kinds of People Will Seek Him (vv. 1-2)
2. "Religious" People Often Stop Seeking Jesus (vv. 3-8)
3. True Joy Comes From Seeking Jesus (vv. 9-10)
4. Seeking Jesus Results in Worship and Surrender (vv. 11-12)
The wise men's journey to find Jesus reveals a powerful contrast between those who actively seek Him and those who have grown comfortable in their religious knowledge. While foreign astrologers traveled great distances following God's star, the religious leaders in Jerusalem knew the prophecies but couldn't be bothered to make the five-mile journey to Bethlehem. True joy comes not from reaching a spiritual destination, but from actively seeking Jesus daily. When we pursue a deeper relationship with Him, we experience the same overwhelming joy the wise men felt when they realized God was leading their journey. The question we must ask ourselves is whether we're still genuinely seeking to know Jesus better, or if we've settled into religious routine and comfort.