My current sermon series is “Speaking the Truth.”

The title comes from Paul’s admonition that believers “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15).

Speaking the truth in love will mean that we will ”grow up in every way into him in all things, who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love” (Ephesians 4: 15-16).

I want to build up the body of Christ in love.

By the way, God obviously desires that Christians grow in Christ and that the lost are saved and added to the church. This is the will and plan of God.

When Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke went on the second missionary journey (Acts 15:36-18:22), the result was that “the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily” (Acts 16:5). This, too, shows the will of God for the church.

The remainder of the sermon series will seek to answer these questions:

Today, August 24-25, “What is Being Crucified with Christ?”

August 30-31, “What is Being Baptized with the Spirit?”

September 7-8, “What is Being Filled with the Spirit?”

September 14-15, “What is Praying in Jesus Name?”

My hope and prayer is these Biblical concepts will fuel your growth in Christ and will build up the body of Christ.