Today is Good Friday—a day where we remember the weight of the cross, the silence of the tomb, and the moment it all seemed over.

And yet… the story wasn’t finished.

This Sunday we celebrate Easter.

A group of women come to the tomb expecting one thing … and encounter something completely different.  A simple question is asked—one that still speaks today.

Before Sunday, take a moment to reflect:
Where might I be searching for life in the wrong places?
What does the Holy Spirit need me to recognize about Jesus?

The tomb is empty—and that changes everything. He has risen!

See you Sunday,

Ben

This Sunday we step into Palm Sunday—the celebration, the cheers, the expectations.

Luke 19:28–44: Jesus enters Jerusalem and is received as a king. But He is not the king that is expected. And He has come to do what is needed, not what is wanted. Oftentimes our image of Jesus can be shaped by the expectations we place on Him. But Jesus is in the business of turning our expectations inside out.

Before Sunday, ask yourself:

Am I following Jesus for who He is—or for what I want Him to do?

Where might my expectations of Him be off?

The road to Jerusalem leads to the cross—and Jesus rides it anyway.

See you Sunday,

Ben

Luke 12:22-34: Jesus stops on the road and tells his disciples the truth: You're carrying too much.  Anxiety about tomorrow.  Treasure you're clinging to.  Weight that's slowing you down.

"Do not worry ... You cannot take it with you ... Where your treasure is, there your heart will be."

Before Sunday, ask yourself:

• What am I anxious about that reveals I'm trusting something other than God?
• If I died today, what happens to all the stuff I've been accumulating?
• Am I traveling through this life like a pilgrim, or settling in like this is home?

You can't walk the road to Jerusalem carrying the weight of worry and treasure. The journey demands you travel light.

See you Sunday,

Ben

This Sunday we discover what sustains us on the hard road towards Jerusalem.

Luke 11:1-13: The disciples see Jesus pray and ask, "Lord, teach us to pray."

He doesn't give them a formula. He gives them a conversation.

Before Sunday, ask yourself:

• Am I treating prayer like a transaction or a relationship?
• What have I stopped praying about because I gave up too soon?
• What would change if I actually talked to God like he's my Father?

You can't stockpile strength for this journey. You need daily bread. Daily grace. Daily conversation with the one who sustains you.

See you Sunday,

Ben

This Sunday, three travelers take the same road. All three see the same desperate need.

Only one stops.

Luke 10:25-37: Someone asks Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?"

Jesus answers with a story so uncomfortable, so boundary-breaking, that it turns everything upside down.

Before Sunday, ask yourself:

• Who am I most afraid to help?
• When's the last time love actually cost me something real?
• What if the person I've been taught to avoid is the one Jesus is calling me to love?

The road to Jerusalem is full of people who need help. You can't follow Jesus and keep walking past them.

See you Sunday,

Ben

This Sunday we start a journey. Not a comfortable one.

Luke 9:51-62: Jesus sets his face toward Jerusalem. He knows where the road leads.

And he invites others to follow. All of them face the same question: What are you willing to give up to follow him?

Dust and Glory begins Sunday—a 5-week series walking the road to the cross.

Before Sunday, consider:

• Whose expectations shape my life more—Jesus' or everyone else's?
• Am I following Jesus from a safe distance—close enough to believe, but far enough that it doesn't cost me much?
• What am I gripping so tightly that I can't fully grab hold of Him?

This road costs something. But it's the only one that leads to real life.

See you Sunday.

Ben

This Sunday is a commissioning—but not just for a new pastor. For all of us.

In 2 Timothy 4:1-5, Paul charges Timothy: preach the word, in season and out. Endure suffering. Finish well.

That charge belongs to every believer.

For 2,000 years, faithful people have passed the baton. This Sunday, it's in our hands.

A few questions as you head into Sunday:

• Am I willing to receive God's word even when it challenges me?
• Who in my life needs to hear the gospel from me?
• What ministry has God entrusted to me—and am I fulfilling it?

See you Sunday,

Ben

As we prepare for worship this Sunday, I want to invite you into a message titled “Four Quick Questions.” These are the questions I’ve been prayerfully reflecting on as I step into a new season of ministry and as Sarah and I prepare to walk with you in a different way.

We’ll talk about where God is leading us, what I’ve learned, what I’ll remember most, and—most importantly—what Sarah and I will keep praying for FFC long after I’m no longer in this pulpit. My hope is that this message will encourage you, strengthen you, and remind you of the faithful God who continues to lead His church.

As you prepare your heart for Sunday, would you take a moment to reflect on this simple but powerful verse?

“So we have not stopped praying for you…” — Colossians 1:9

Let that truth settle in: you are being prayed for. God uses those prayers to shape us, strengthen us, and root us more deeply in His will.

I look forward to worshiping with you.

Grace to you,

pastor jamie

February 6, 2026

As we prepare our hearts for worship this Sunday, I want to invite you to reflect on a powerful passage from 2 Kings 3:9-20 and the message titled “The Valley of Waiting.”

Waiting seasons can feel dry, uncertain, and exhausting.  In this passage, three kings find themselves in a actual valley – out of water, out of options, and at the end of themselves.  One king panics, while another asks the question that changes: “Is there a word from the Lord?”

What unfolds next reminds us that God often speaks in the waiting, calls us to obedience before we see results, and fills what has been prepared in faith – sometimes quietly, but always faithfully.

As you look toward Sunday, prayerfully consider:

• Where am I currently experiencing a season of waiting?
• What steps of obedience might God be asking me to take while I wait?
• What “ditch” might He be calling me to dig in faith before I see the rain?

Come this Sunday with an open heart – ready to listen, trust, and make room for what God desires to do.

I'm looking forward to worshiping together.

Grace and peace,

pastor jamie

January 30, 2026

Hey everyone,

This Sunday we're asking a question Jesus asked His disciples 2,000 years ago—a question that still demands an answer from us today: "Who do you say I am?"

It's easy to know what other people think about Jesus. We've all heard the theories and opinions. But Jesus isn't asking about everyone else. He's asking about you.

Before we gather, take a moment to reflect:

• Who do I say Jesus is? Not what I've heard others say—who do I say He is based on my own encounter with Him?
• Does my life actually reflect that answer?

Your answer to this question doesn't just impact you—it changes everything around you.

Come ready to answer honestly.

See you Sunday,
Ben

January 23, 2026

As we prepare our hearts for worship this Sunday, I want to invite you to spend a little time reflecting on a powerful passage from 2 Kings 3:9-20 and a message titled “The Valley of Waiting.”

Waiting seasons often feel dry, uncertain, and exhausting.  In this passage, three kings find themselves in a literal valley – out of water, out of options, and at the end of themselves.  One panics, while another asks a life-changing question: “Is there a word from the Lord?”

What follows reminds us that God often speaks in the waiting, calls us to faithful obedience before we see results, and fills what has been prepared in faith – even when the provision comes quietly.

As you prepare for Sunday, prayerfully consider:

• Where am I experiencing a season of waiting right now?
• What might God be asking me to do in obedience while I wait?
• What “ditch” might He be calling me to dig in faith before I see the rain?

Come this Sunday with an open heart, ready to listen, trust, and prepare space for what God desires to do.

Looking forward to worshiping together,

Grace and peace,

pastor jamie

January 16, 2026

Hey Faith Family,

This Sunday we're continuing our conversation about priorities—but we're going deeper. Last week we asked where our lives are pointed. This week we're asking why they drift.

We'll explore three things that derail us from seeking God's kingdom: comparison, control, and fear. And we'll look at how each one doesn't just distract us—it blocks our ability to discern what God is actually calling us to.

Before we gather, take a few moments to reflect:

• When do I find myself most tempted to compare my life to someone else's? What does that reveal?
• Where am I gripping too tightly, trying to control outcomes instead of trusting God?
• What familiar patterns or places do I run back to when I'm afraid—even though they bind me rather than free me?

Here's the truth: recognizing what derails us isn't about shame. It's about freedom. God isn't pointing these things out to condemn you—He's inviting you to let go so you can finally see clearly.

See you Sunday,

Ben
 

January 9, 2026

Hey Faith Family,

This Sunday we're diving into a topic I think will resonate with a lot of us: what happens when life gets so full that we lose sight of what actually matters most?

We'll be looking at the story of Martha and Mary in Luke 10, along with Jesus' words in Matthew 6:33 about seeking first the kingdom of God. Martha wasn't doing anything wrong—she was busy with good things.  But somewhere in all the activity, she missed the better thing right in front of her.

Before we gather, take some time this week to sit with these questions:

• When do I feel most at peace?  When do I feel most anxious?  What does that reveal about what I'm trusting in?
• What would it look like to bring God into the everyday decisions I'm facing this week—not just the "spiritual" ones?
• If I could only focus on three things this year, what would they be?  Are those three things currently getting my best attention?

I'm looking forward to exploring this together, and I'm so excited to officially be at Faith Family.  Come ready to be honest with yourself—and know that Jesus always meets us with grace.

See you Sunday,

Ben

January 2, 2026

As we prepare to gather for worship this Sunday, I want to invite you to begin praying with one simple phrase in mind: Take a Look.

Our message will come from Mark 10:46–52, the story of blind Bartimaeus sitting by the roadside as Jesus passes by.  Though Bartimaeus could not see, he heard that Jesus was near – and that changed everything.  He cried out.  Jesus stopped.  A life was transformed.

As you prepare your heart, I encourage you to prayerfully consider:

• What do you see when you take a fresh look at Jesus?
• Where might you find yourself in this story – the roadside, the crowd, or walking with Him?
• Is there something Jesus may be calling you to leave behind in order to follow Him more fully?

Join us this Sunday with an open heart, expectant faith, and a willingness to respond when Jesus calls.  I believe God has something meaningful in store for each of us.

Looking forward to worshiping together,

pastor jamie

December 26, 2025

As we prepare for Sunday, I want to remind you of one powerful promise heading into the new year:

He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion. (Philippians 1:6)

God never abandons what He starts.  He doesn’t walk away halfway through the project, and He isn’t frustrated with your pace or progress.

Like a home remodel, God’s work in us often involves noise, dust, and disruption.  There are seasons of demolition and seasons of rebuilding – but every moment is part of His master plan to make us more like Jesus.

So, if you feel a little “unfinished” right now, take heart: God is still working, still shaping, and still building.  And He will not stop until His work in you is beautifully complete.

I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday as we celebrate this hope together.

Because He’s faithful,

pastor jamie

December 19, 2025

This Sunday, we’ll hear the timeless message behind the Christmas carol God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.

Did you know that line, “To save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray,” isn’t just a quaint lyric?  It’s a declaration of war and a promise of freedom.

Christmas is more than a baby in a manger – it’s the story of a Savior stepping onto the battlefield.  Jesus came not just to comfort us, but to liberate us.  Every healing, every act of forgiveness, and ultimately the cross itself, broke the power of the enemy.

The question isn’t whether Jesus has won – it’s whether we’re living in the freedom He purchased.  This Christmas, we don’t have to carry old fears, guilt, or chains Christ already shattered.

Join us this Sunday as we worship with joy and freedom, standing in the truth that Jesus Christ has come – and the darkness cannot overcome Him.

With joy,

pastor jamie

December 5, 2025

WOW!  What an exciting time for the Faith Family congregation! Please be in prayer for all concerned as God moves us forward in ministry during this wonderful Christmas season!

It will be my joy to share with you some thoughts on the Christmas carol "What Child is This?" during the sermon time on Sunday morning.  In my mind that is the single most important question we will ever ask ourselves in this lifetime!  I love this season of the year and consider it a great honor to be a part of this preaching series.

Pastor Dan Faust

November 28, 2025

We are now stepping into Advent — a season filled with lights, songs, and celebration — but at its core, Advent is about longing.  Holy longing.  The kind of deep desire that keeps us praying, keeps us hoping, and keeps us looking to God when nothing seems to be happening.

This Sunday, we’re going to look at a man named Simeon, whose entire life was shaped by one longing:  waiting to see the Messiah.  Luke describes him with three powerful words — righteous, devout, and eagerly waiting.  In many ways, Simeon stands as a picture of every believer who has ever waited on God to move, speak, heal, restore, or guide.

The truth is, many of us are waiting right now.  Waiting on answers.  Waiting on clarity.  Waiting on God to do what only He can do.

The good news?  God does some of His deepest work in the waiting.  And just like Simeon, we don’t wait alone — the Holy Spirit sustains, strengthens, and guides us while we wait.

This Sunday we will explore what holy longing looks like, why God uses it, and how the arrival of Jesus meets us right at the point of our deepest ache.

As you prepare your heart for worship, let me encourage you to reflect on one simple question:  What am I longing for God to do in my life this season?

Bring that longing with you on Sunday.  I believe the Lord wants to meet you in a fresh and personal way.

Looking forward to a powerful morning together.

With hope,

pastor jamie

November 21, 2025

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to miss the beauty right in front of us?  Just like someone with poor eyesight can walk through a bright world without truly seeing it, so too are many walking through life blinded to the glory of God.

This Sunday, we’ll explore 2 Corinthians 4:4 and uncover a startling truth:  Satan works to keep people in spiritual darkness, but the gospel shines the light of Christ into believing hearts.

Join us as we look at:

• Why spiritual blindness is real
• How the enemy targets our minds
• The power of the gospel to bring light and focus
• Our role in pointing others to Jesus

Don’t miss this opportunity to see God’s light in a fresh way—and be equipped to help others see it too.

Let’s shine the light together.

pastor jamie

November 14, 2025

This Sunday, we’ll look at one of the most sobering warnings in all of Scripture—Paul’s words in Galatians 1:6–9: I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel…

In a world filled with “spiritual” messages that sound good but distort the truth, Paul’s concern is as relevant today as ever. There’s a growing movement that calls itself “Progressive Christianity”—it uses Christian language but denies the very foundations of our faith.

In this message, we’ll examine how this “different gospel” seeks to redefine four essential truths of Christianity:

• The Bible – from revelation to reflection
• The Cross – from atonement to example
• The Resurrection – from history to metaphor
• Eternity – from judgment to universalism

But more importantly, we’ll celebrate the true Gospel—the one that reveals God’s Word, redeems us through the cross, assures us through the resurrection, and secures our eternity through Christ alone.

Come ready to be grounded again in what is true, eternal, and life-changing.

Let’s not trade the truth for something that only sounds like it.

See you Sunday,
pastor jamie

November 7, 2025

Is the Bible true? A short four-word question that is complex and oh so controversial. Down through the ages, people including the Apostles Peter and Paul, and later William Tyndale, John Wycliffe, and many others willingly gave up their lives in some of the most horrific ways for what is written in this book that we call the Bible. But why? What makes the contents of this book so special?

I hope that you will join us on Sunday as we seek to answer this question. We will look at how we can trust that what we have is what was originally written, as well as why the contents of the Bible can be considered true. However, beyond academic considerations, I want us to see the Bible through a relational perspective. How do we know that anything is really true? We try it out, and that is the ultimate invitation in the Bible – our Creator inviting us to come and see, try it out, see how faithful, loving, holy, and righteous He is. Far beyond information, the Bible is about relationship – an invitation to eternal relationship with the God who loved us enough to die for us to make that relationship possible.

Please consider these verses for our time together on Sunday: John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Psalm 119:105; Psalm 119:89; Hebrews 4:12; John 6:66-69; and John 5:39-40.

Growing in Christ with you,
Tiger

October 31, 2025

This Sunday, we’ll continue our series Jesus: The True and Better by looking at one of the most powerful pictures of salvation in all of Scripture – Noah’s Ark.

In a world filled with storms, chaos, and uncertainty, God has provided a place of safety – a refuge from judgment and a promise of new beginnings.  Just as the ark was the only way to survive the flood, Jesus is the only way to be saved.

Come discover how the Ark points us to the grace, security, and hope we have in Christ.

Don’t wait for the rain – come experience the peace of being safely in Him.

With love and expectation,
pastor jamie

October 24, 2025

Have you ever noticed how the story of Joseph in the Old Testament points us straight to Jesus?  Joseph was betrayed, falsely accused, and forgotten – yet God used his suffering to bring salvation to others.  In the same way, Jesus endured betrayal and suffering so that we could be saved and set free.

This Sunday, we’ll explore what it means that Jesus is the True and Better Joseph – the One who was rejected so we could be accepted, who was humbled so we could be lifted up, and who forgives those who wronged Him.

If you’ve ever wondered how God can bring purpose out of pain, or redemption out of betrayal, this message will remind you that His plan is always bigger than our perspective.

I can’t wait to worship and open God’s Word with you this Sunday!

With love and anticipation,
pastor jamie

October 17, 2025

As we gather this Sunday, we’ll look at one of the most fascinating and inspiring stories in Scripture – the story of Esther.  It’s a story full of courage, risk, and divine providence.  But beyond the royal intrigue and brave decisions lies a deeper truth:  Esther’s story points us to Jesus.

In her courage, we see a reflection of His sacrifice.  In her intercession, we glimpse His mercy, and in her deliverance of her people, we find a foreshadowing of the salvation Jesus secured for us on the cross.

Before Sunday, I’d love for you to take a few minutes to read Esther 4:16 and Isaiah 53:3–5.  Together, these passages remind us that true courage is rooted in surrender, and true salvation comes through the One who was “pierced for our transgressions” and “crushed for our iniquities.”

Come ready to worship, reflect, and celebrate our Savior – the True and Better Esther – who left His throne, identified with us in our weakness, and gave His life to set us free.  I can’t wait to see you Sunday!

Remember our Fall Festival on Sunday evening from 5 pm until 8 pm.  In addition to dinner, which is being provided by FFC, we’ll also have hayrides, square dancing, a cornhole tournament, and games and crafts for our kids.

Plan to bring a dessert and your lawn chairs.  It’s going to be a GREAT evening of fellowship and fun.  If you have a cornhole board we can use, please bring it and get it to Luke Knoble.

Grace and peace,
pastor jamie

October 10, 2025

I am very excited to continue our series "The True and Better..." this Sunday.  We will explore one of the more profound and prophetic moments in all of Scripture — the story of Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah.  At first glance, it’s a test of faith and obedience between a father and his son.  But when we dig deeper, we discover it’s so much more: a divine look into the future of the ultimate sacrifice that would come through God the Father and His only Son, Jesus.

Join us this Sunday as we unpack the divine parallels between Isaac and Jesus — from the willing son carrying wood to be used in preparing a sacrifice, to the father’s heart in the face of tremendous loss — and see how this ancient story points us to the gospel with life-changing clarity.  Jesus is the true and better Isaac, who not only walked up the hill, but became the Perfect Sacrifice provided for us all.

Don't miss this powerful message of love, obedience, and redemption.

Grateful,
Pastor Brandon