Chris Sheppard

Building from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, the sermon gives a topical testimony of thankfulness for salvation, the church, and the work God is doing among His people. It calls believers to carry joy and gratitude beyond Thanksgiving into

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 calls believers to rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in every circumstance. The sermon teaches that joy and thankfulness should mark Christians and the whole church beyond the Thanksgiving holiday.

Prayer

Hebrews 7:1-10 returns to Melchizedek to show that his priesthood was greater than Levi's and pointed beyond itself to Christ. The sermon presents Melchizedek as a type of Christ while urging sinners to come to the greater priest and live.

Acts 2:1-13 begins the account of the Holy Spirit's outpouring on the waiting believers at Pentecost. The sermon explains the event as Christ's promised empowering for unfinished Great Commission work and presses the need for Spirit-filled

Great Commission

1 Timothy 2:1-5 directs the church's response to political change toward prayer for rulers and all in authority. The sermon urges believers to pray for salvation, good governance, and peaceful, godly lives while obeying God above man when

Acts 1:12-26 shows the replacement of Judas as preparation for the unfinished work of the Great Commission. The sermon presents the early church waiting, praying, and completing what was needed before the Spirit's outpouring in Acts 2.

Great Commission

1 Corinthians 4:1-5 calls believers and church leaders to see themselves as servants of Christ and stewards of God's mysteries. The sermon presses the church to pursue faithfulness and trustworthiness as God's standard for ministry.

The closing conference message calls the church to walk through the open door of ministry God has placed before it. It gathers the week's emphases on preaching the Word, small group ministry, Spirit-empowered service, and faithful

1 Corinthians 4 calls the church to faithfulness as servants of Christ and stewards of the gospel. The sermon argues that a church full of trustworthy servants is the true path to healthy, renewed church life.

Ephesians 5:18 and 1 Corinthians 2 connect the Spirit-filled life with Spirit-empowered ministry. The sermon teaches that ordinary church service, from teaching to serving needs, must flow from the filling and power of the Holy Spirit.