Central Baptist Church, Portsmouth, Virginia

The gospel in the early church impacted the lives of people in unexpected ways everywhere it went. In this sermon, we see the gospel's unbelievable impact on the most unlikely of people.

Have you ever been taken out of your comfort zone? We've reached a turning point in our study of Acts. The church is moving from where she was established in Jerusalem and is now being scattered throughout all Judea and Samaria. The catalyst that pushed Christianity beyond Jerusalem's borders was persecution. What does it take to get us to step outside our comfort zone?

The church in every generation has experienced persecution. That persecution has led to the martyrdom of millions of men, women, and children who were killed simply because they believed in Jesus. In fact, there were more Christians murdered in the 20th century than any other century in history and the 21st century may be even bloodier. This week we will look at the very first martyr in the church. Stephen's story is sure to encourage you.

Think about the most difficult challenges you've ever had to face. Chances are those challenges came from within your own family. The church has already faced persecution from the world, but now a new challenge will emerge - a challenge from within. We will see how a healthy church responds to challenges.

Have you ever thought about what you are really devoted to? Maybe your spouse, your kids? Maybe an exercise routine, or a diet? Maybe your craft? I can't wait for Sunday, as we see what God designed the church to be devoted to. This message will help you cut through the fog of life to focus on that which is truly important.

Last week we started our Blueprints of a Healthy Church series by looking at Acts 1. This week we'll see some more marks of a healthy church. You may hear a couple of old preacher jokes to help illustrate the importance of living lives empowered by the Holy Spirit. You may laugh, you may cringe, but you'll surely be challenged.

God has given the church the most transformational, impactful mission on the planet. This message is sure to be thought provoking, encouraging, and challenging.

When storms like Hurricane Florence hit or even when we encounter the storms of life, people often have questions about the nature of God. We will open up to the book of Job and join many who have gone before us in asking the same questions. This is such an important message for the church as we encounter our own issues and counsel others who experience times when God seems silent in a loud world.

We've watched this beautiful story of love and redemption as we've made our way through the book of Ruth. There was brokenness, heartache, hunger, and then joy, excitement, and satisfaction. This week as we wrap up our series on "What Happens When A Fairy Tale Comes True," the focus of the story takes another unexpected turn. At the end of any good fairy tale you anticipate the words "and they lived happily every after, the end," but when this fairy tale comes true the final words change a bit. This heart-warming story has quite the dramatic conclusion. It can be your story too.

We watched Boaz and Ruth whisper their love for one another on the threshing floor at midnight. The plot thickened and we discovered there was another prince who had the legal right to this damsel in distress. This week we'll watch as Boaz wins his bride. The shoe fits in this real life fairy tale and we'll consider the lessons of joy!

Do you remember how you got engaged? Or do you have any dreams of what that day will be like? We left Ruth and Boaz hoping that love is in the air, but unsure of their future. As the clock strikes midnight, they will meet again and maybe wedding bells will be in their future after all.

We've followed Ruth from Moab to Bethlehem. This week we will watch as she continues to glean in the fields of grace. We will ask the question - how does grace work? What Ruth receives from Boaz is just a fraction of what we receive from our God.

We are to that part in the story where your heart races because Prince Charming is introduced. Do you have a favorite Disney prince or a song from one of those movies? Listen up and you may hear it crafted into the sermon. You'll be sure to smile as we discover together how the true love expressed in this story is greater than anything our fairy tales can offer.

This week we will examine the choices of not one damsel in distress but three. We will see the boldness of new found faith and the beginnings of redemption being orchestrated by the one true God. We hope you will find yourself in the story as we learn how the choices we make during difficult times reveal a lot about our faith.

Everyone loves a good story. Prepare to have your imagination ignited and to feel a tug on your heart as we follow the story of Ruth. Like with any good fairy tale there are many twists and turns in the life of this poor widow. We will follow her through the shadows of despair and run with her through fields of grace. All while getting a better view of the love of our redeemer. Watch as the sovereign hand of God is revealed when a fairy tale comes true.