Expectation Church

Three Questions

The Ins And Outs Of Becoming Christian Part 2

The Ins And Outs Of Becoming Christian Part 1

The Church Unbeatable

The Real Jesus

The Present Of Presence

Check Yo Self Before You Wreck Yo Self

Father's Day

The Premise Of The Promise

All of God’s promises come down to one simple yet so complex thing and ya gotta have it.

Expectation Church

Nah, I'm Good...

We've all heard the adages, you know, "change is just a part of life"... "everything is bound to change"... "change is the only constant"... and yet, while those may be true, change can wear many masks -- exciting, frightening, frustrating, heartbreaking, or sometimes, they can fill your heart with joy. We may not always have a choice about the changes that interrupt our lives, but we will always have a choice in how we respond to those changes.

Get Out Your Feelings

Feelings are such a powerful indicator of where our heart lies. They're an excellent indicator of growth, but they can also hinder growth. We're told so often that our feelings are important, and they are. But when we get in our feelings, sometimes we can't move forward. What do we do when it's not the obstacle but our feelings that stand in our way?

Attitude Adjustment

Perplexed

Are you fighting internally and never seeming to get a breakthrough? Come find out more about the perplexity of the human condition and the response of Jesus Christ.

My Beloved Friend, Judas...

That's Not Fair

If you've got kids, chances are you've heard the phrase "That's not fair" more than you can count. Isn't it interesting that the idea of fairness isn't something we need to introduce our children to. It's implanted in us from birth and if we're honest, most of us don't grow out of it. However, not only is life not fair, God isn't fair either...and that's a good thing.

Freedom From The Burden Of Guilt

The King Is Coming

This simple statement carries the weight of the world, the triumph of victory and the motivation for service.  No matter what is happening in your life, Palm Sunday truth is significant truth.

Roofless Faith

It's important in life to make sure we're staying on top of our task manager and meeting all of our due dates. Home projects. Work projects. School projects. There is something so fulfilling about completing any of these. We must be careful not to carry this mentality over towards people though. While projects can be managed, people must be loved and doing so can often require a roofless faith.

I Doubt It

When the unshakeable gets a little shaky, when the foundation starts to crack, or when the "sure thing" turns out to be "not a chance", it's natural to question -- to doubt. Our circumstances can either proliferate our doubts and allow us to become cynical and bitter -- or, it can be a catalyst for our faith to finding joy, comfort, and peace on the other side of the fog of uncertainty. Just like John the Baptist, God wants us to ask him "Why" not because we question his judgement, but so he...

Heart & Head

Wisdom is a word that we often equate with fortune cookies, owls, and Tweet-able quotes. But what is it really? We often pray for wisdom when facing a situation. We'll ask for wisdom when we're not sure what to do. BUT what are we actually asking for? Wisdom isn't just what's in your head but it connects with what's in your heart.

Lookout

From the right position, you can see everything around you and gain a new perspective. It makes it easier to focus on what's most important. When was the last time you saw the world from a lookout position?

Expect The Unexpected

Google, Alexa, and Siri are helpful assistants, but one thing none of them can do is predict the future. Sure, they can tell you about future events and forecasted weather, but ultimately they have no idea what tomorrow will bring… and neither do you. So what do you do when you prayed, planned, & prepared for everything except for… the unexpected?

Pauseabilities

Conflict, arguments, and accusations seem to dominate our news feeds, social media posts, and even our day to day conversations. It can be overwhelming, and sometimes it brings out the worst in us. Many times these situations arise because along the way we forgot that age-old saying our moms and dads used to tell us, "think before you speak." Jesus shows us exactly how we can redeem these divisive problems laced with grudges and judgment and turn them into solutions seasoned with grace and l...

Stirred But Not Shaken

When facing heartbreak, anxiety, or frustration you might hear somebody say, "Have faith! Trust in God." Finding the strength to look up and remain confident in God sounds easy, but how can we practically do this? It starts with a reminder from King David about how we push through when it seems like everything is falling apart. We're going to identify how to push through when your heart is stirred without your spirit being shaken.

Called Out

Are we winning? The church is called out to fulfill Christ's purposes and reach the world for Him. How do we win in a time of transition? What are the steps we need to follow?

Expect Grate Things

Did you know that there is a wealth of untapped potential inside of you? Better than any hidden treasure you could find on this planet, there is a resource that God has made available to all of us. I am fully convinced that if you could tap into the power of it, even just partially, it will revolutionize the way you live your life. You’ll experience more joy, peace, and blessings than you’ll know what to do with.

Elements

A blanket of snow over an open field is beautiful, but snow over a major highway is dangerous. Rain over a parched land is refreshing, but too much in a short amount of time can be catastrophic. In every element of nature beauty can be found, but in an instant, it can become dangerous. Many days will start with a beautiful sunrise and end with an even more stunning sunset... but the journey between the two can hold an unexpected storm. When the sudden storms roll into your life, how will you...

Prepared and Promised

Unexpected things happen. One minute it seems like things are going great and then out of the blue comes what you least expect. That's why it's so important to be prepared and remember the promises God has made over your life.

Get Ready - Part 2

As the story told in the Book of Joshua begins, the people of God are poised to enter the land of promise. They were told to GET READY. And their experience can help us prepare for our compelling future.

Get Ready - Part 1

During a recent drive to Florida with three of my grandsons in the back seats, I heard these words many times: 'ARE WE THERE YET?' To which I was tempted to reply, 'DO I NEED TO PULL THIS CAR OVER?' But eventually we arrived at our destination. Life is about the JOURNEY and the DESTINATION. And we can learn much about BOTH from some of our spiritual ancestors as we begin our own journey through the fascinating Book of Joshua, and the new series titled--you guessed it--'ARE WE THERE YET?'

Take His Word For It

Jesus once said “Out of the overflow of the heart the fingers tweet.” …...Ok, maybe He didn’t say it exactly like that, but He did warn us about the way in which we use our words. Words are extremely powerful and if mishandled can cause much more harm than any amount of sticks or stones ever could. It’s no secret 2018 has been a rough year, so let’s not just start the new year out on the right foot, but more importantly with the right words.

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

A Christmas Hero

He seems to be almost a bystander--an 'extra' in familiar Nativity scenes. We don't really know what to make of him--or do with him. And the fact that we have no 'words' from him doesn't help. But it turns out that Joseph, though a silent witness, is a real CHRISTMAS HERO.

The Marvelous Miss Mariam

Her name was a variant of the Hebrew name MIRIAM. The Aramaic rendering (from which our Anglicized form comes)is MARIAM. We know her as MARY. Or do we?

The Christmas Therapist

This is a season of joy, but for many that joy is tempered with complicated feelings of sorrow. It's complicated.

The Case For Christmas

As we move into the final month of the year, Pastor Stokes will share a message this Sunday titled: 'THE CASE FOR CHRISTMAS.' Each message this monthly will highlight specific aspects of the Biblical narrative surrounding the advent.

Communion

The Good Soldier

One hundred years ago this weekend - November 11, 1918 - the guns of an August four years earlier collapsed into sudden silence. It was the end of THE GREAT WAR, referred to back then as 'the war to end all wars.' Of course, we know that it didn't actually end all wars. In fact, the fragile peace became fertile soil for horrific conflicts to come. Today, we know this day as VETERANS DAY. It's a time to remember. It's a time for honor.

Remembering God's Servants

President John F. Kennedy said, 'A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces but also by the men it honors, the men it remembers.' The same can be certainly said of the men and women equipped and sent out by the Body of Christ for the work of the Kingdom of God. This month at EXPECTATION CHURCH we REMEMBER. And we begin with REMEMBER GOD'S SERVANTS.

We Will Not Take This For Granted

A GRATEFUL life is a GREAT-FULL life. Without gratitude everything spirals out of control. Yes, it's THAT important.

We Teach To Fish

Ministry is not a spectator sport. But far too many people see it that way. Jesus left this planet and empowered others to take up the task of reaching the world with the good news. That plan is still operative and relevant all these centuries later.

We Can Do More by Doing Less

Human beings have a tendency to over-complicate things. Whether it's governmental bureaucracy, which grows exponentially, or even churches. Bigger is not always better. It's important to realize that we need to keep our priorities straight and our methods simple.

We Are A Team Built On Honor

The Eiffel Tower, the Sistine Chapel, The Washington Monument -- all three of these iconic landmarks have one thing in common. A solid foundation. This week we will go through another piece of the DNA that forms Expectation Church and one that is at the heart of it's foundation -- Honor.

We Have A Heart For The House

The late Evangelist Vance Havner said,'Christians, like snowflakes, are frail, but when they stick together they can stop traffic.' Biblical unity is not uniformity, nor is it unanimity, but it is vital.

We Expect Great As We Attempt Great

As we mark an important milestone in our ministry, it's appropriate that the value we'll explore is part of our church's very name. WE EXPECT GREAT AS WE ATTEMPT GREAT: It's About Active Faith.

We Learn, Seek & Adapt

As we come to the second of the eight values we'll be discussing in the 'I LOVE MY CHURCH' series, we're going to tackle an elephant that lurks in many rooms: GROWTH & CHANGE. We can't have one without the other--personally and collectively.

It's Only Ever Always About Jesus

The seven words that will kill any organization are, 'we never did it that way before.' That's why we are so clear about how at Expectation Church 'the message never changes, but the methods do.' As we begin a new series called, 'I LOVE MY CHURCH,' we start with the ultimate focus. 'IT'S ONLY EVER ALWAYS ABOUT JESUS!'

Days Of Purim

The Victor Mentality

When VICTIMS become VICTORS it can be a cause for rejoicing. But it's also important to remind ourselves that snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, while awesome, can also bring its own complications and sorrows. So we need the right VICTOR MENTALITY.