Bethlehem Church

In this message, guest speaker Pastor Phil Hopper from Abundant Life Church joins Bethlehem Church to walk through Joshua 3. Standing at the edge of the Jordan River, the Israelites faced a crucial choice: stay in the comfortable wilderness or step into the promises of God. Through this powerful story, Pastor Phil exposes the trap of being an "unbelieving believer" and reveals why true spiritual breakthroughs require more than partial commitments—they require full consecration. Discover how dying to self opens the door to experiencing the resurrection power of Jesus in your life, marriage, and everyday walk. 💡 Key Takeaways: Unbelieving Believers: It is possible to have enough faith to get out of Egypt (be saved), but not enough faith to step into the Promised Land (walk in abundant life). Consecration vs. Commitment: God doesn't call us to make another casual commitment in an overcommitted life. He calls us to consecrate ourselves—taking up a cross and dying to self. Crucifixion Precedes Resurrection: You cannot experience the resurrection power of Christ without first going through a personal crucifixion—surrendering your rights, habits, and pride. Faith in Action Puts God in Motion: God didn't part the Jordan River while the Israelites waited on the bank; the priests had to set foot in the water first. Submission Over Suppression: Managing or suppressing sin never works long-term. True freedom comes when you stop trying harder and start submitting daily to Jesus. ✝️ Scripture References: Joshua 3:1–17 John 10:10 Luke 9:23 Romans 12:1 Titus 3:5 📌 Timestamps: 00:00 - Welcome / Night of Worship & Baptism Announcement 02:14 - Introducing Guest Speaker Pastor Phil Hopper 04:42 - Joshua 3: The Context of Crossing the Jordan 06:58 - The Danger of Being an "Unbelieving Believer" 10:49 - Why Joshua Leads the Way, Not Moses (Jesus vs. the Law) 11:45 - The Significance of the Three-Day Wait 15:49 - Dying to the Wilderness Experience 18:05 - Embracing the Cross We Carry Daily 21:37 - Consecration vs. Commitment 25:51 - Pastor Phil’s Story: The Prodigal Coming Home 30:03 - Why the Flesh Must Be Crucified, Not Contained 33:47 - Faith in Action: Stepping into the Water First 36:55 - How Surrender Saved Pastor Phil’s Marriage 41:47 - Crossing Between the Dead City and the Dead Sea 43:04 - The 1989 Funeral That Changed Everything 46:08 - Prayer, Gospel Invitation & Call to Respond 📲 Download the new Bethlehem Church App to stay connected, access resources, and take your next step with us today! 🔗 Connect With Us: First Time? We'd love to know more about you. Click this link to let us know you’re watching! https://wearebethlehem.churchcenter.com/people/forms/1284381 If you want to take your next step with Jesus, please click here: https://wearebethlehem.churchcenter.com/people/forms/376703 We’d be honored to pray for you! Visit https://bethlehemchurch.us/prayer-wall/ to post your prayer request. Give Online: Support the ministry of Bethlehem Church at https://bethlehemchurch.us/give/ 🗓️ Stay Up-To-Date: Website: https://bethlehemchurch.us/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bethlehemchurchga/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethlehem_churchga/ #BethlehemChurch #PastorPhilHopper #Joshua3 #FaithInAction #Conscration #CrucifixionAndResurrection #PromisedLand #Sermon2026 #ChurchOnline

In Week 6 of the Good News series, Pastor Jason Britt unpacks 1 Corinthians 9 to address a silent trap in a culture obsessed with personal freedom and total autonomy: aimlessness. Freedom without direction leads to running in circles, expending energy without making real progress. Whether you are feeling exhausted, going through the motions, or chasing goals that leave you empty, discover how shifting your mindset from temporary crowns to an eternal prize changes the way you live, train, and run your daily race. 💡 Key Takeaways: Aimlessness Is Activity Without Direction: The biggest threat in a culture of maximum freedom isn't always laziness—it's staying constantly busy without clear spiritual direction. Redefining True Freedom: Freedom isn't satisfying every appetite; it's the capacity to choose strict training, saying no to things you don't have to, and yes to habits that build long-term endurance. The Maturity Question: Immaturity constantly asks, "Is this wrong?" or "Am I allowed to do this?" Spiritual maturity asks, "Where is this decision taking me?" Preparation Beats Performance: The moments nobody celebrates (private prayer, boundary setting, quiet faithfulness) prepare you for the moments nobody can carry you through. Grace Sustains to the Finish: God’s grace is not opposed to effort; it is opposed to earning. The same grace that pardons you at the starting line equips and sustains you all the way to the end. ✝️ Scripture References: 1 Corinthians 9:24–27 Titus 2:11–13 Matthew 6:19–20 2 Timothy 4:7 📌 Timestamps: 00:00 - Community Event Recap: Moms & Motors Care Day 02:17 - Outdoor Baptisms Announcement 03:22 - Cultural Metaphors: How We Talk About Success 05:04 - Context of Corinth: Freedom, Status & Upward Mobility 06:58 - 1 Corinthians 9:24–27 & The Isthmian Games 10:15 - The Hidden Consequence of Maximum Freedom: Aimlessness 11:58 - What Is Aimlessness? (Activity Without Direction) 15:15 - Chariots of Fire: Eric Liddell vs. Harold Abrahams 19:04 - You Become What Your Current Choices Train You to Become 21:49 - The Deeper Freedom: Voluntary Restrictions 24:36 - Redefining Discipline (Uphill Dreams vs. Downhill Habits) 28:26 - The Maturity Shift: "Where Is This Taking Me?" 29:44 - The Moments Nobody Celebrates Prepare You 37:35 - Grace That Saves Is the Grace That Sustains (Titus 2:11–13) 42:31 - The Story of Cliff Young: Running Through the Dark 47:07 - Gospel Invitation & Salvation Prayer 50:38 - Blessing & Pastoral Prayer 📲 Download the new Bethlehem Church App to stay connected, access resources, and take your next step with us today! 🔗 Connect With Us: First Time? We'd love to know more about you. Click this link to let us know you’re watching! https://wearebethlehem.churchcenter.com/people/forms/1284381 If you want to take your next step with Jesus, please click here: https://wearebethlehem.churchcenter.com/people/forms/376703 We’d be honored to pray for you! Visit https://bethlehemchurch.us/prayer-wall/ to post your prayer request. Give Online: Support the ministry of Bethlehem Church at https://bethlehemchurch.us/give/ 🗓️ Stay Up-To-Date: Website: https://bethlehemchurch.us/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bethlehemchurchga/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethlehem_churchga/ #BethlehemChurch #GoodNewsSeries #1Corinthians9 #JasonBritt #WhatRaceAreYouRunning #OvercomingAimlessness #SpiritualDiscipline #Grace #Sermon2026 #ChurchOnline

In Week 5 of the Good News series, Pastor Jason Britt walks through 1 Corinthians 7 to tackle four major questions surrounding marriage and singleness. Whether you are married, single, widowed, or divorced, your relationship status may describe your season, but it does not define your life. Discover how shifting your central life question from "What's best for me?" to "What honors God?" reshapes your identity, covenant commitment, and daily calling. 💡 Key Takeaways: What Honors God > What's Best for Me: Living as a follower of Jesus means trusting that what honors God is ultimately what is best for your life. Covenant Over Compatibility: Marriage is not built on "soulmate" language or ideal feelings, but on a covenant promise that holds steady through fluctuating seasons. Singleness Is Not a Waiting Room: Neither Jesus nor Paul was married, yet neither lived an incomplete life. In Christ, your life does not begin when someone else chooses you—you are already chosen. Contentment in Your Assignment: Contentment isn't pretending you wouldn't choose a different circumstance. It is remaining faithful right where God has placed you. 📌 Timestamps: 00:00 - Welcome & Labor Day Weekend 00:43 - Recap: You Are Bought at a Price (1 Corinthians 6) 02:47 - How Do We Make Decisions? ("What's Best for Me?" vs. "What Honors God?") 04:44 - 2 Corinthians 5: No Longer Living for Ourselves 07:17 - Intro to 1 Corinthians 7: Marriage, Singleness & Relationship Status 09:47 - Contentment & Calling in Every Situation 14:00 - Question 1: “What if (my) marriage isn't what I thought it would be?” 20:38 - Question 2: “What if my spouse does not follow Jesus?” 25:32 - Question 3: “What if I'm single—is something wrong with me?” 31:11 - Question 4: “What am I supposed to do with this season (of singleness)?” 36:28 - What Does Faithfulness Look Like in Your Season? 39:19 - Salvation Prayer & Prayer over Singles and Married Couples ✝️ Key Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 2 Corinthians 5:14–15 1 Corinthians 7:1 1 Corinthians 7:17, 19-20, 24 1 Corinthians 7:12–14 1 Corinthians 7:8 1 Corinthians 7:32–35 Matthew 22:30 📲 Download the new Bethlehem Church App to stay connected, access resources, and take your next step with us today! 🔗 Connect With Us: First Time? We'd love to know more about you. Click this link to let us know you’re watching! https://wearebethlehem.churchcenter.com/people/forms/1284381 If you want to take your next step with Jesus, please click here: https://wearebethlehem.churchcenter.com/people/forms/376703 We’d be honored to pray for you! Visit https://bethlehemchurch.us/prayer-wall/ to post your prayer request. Give Online: Support the ministry of Bethlehem Church at https://bethlehemchurch.us/give/ 🗓️ Stay Up-To-Date: Website: https://bethlehemchurch.us/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bethlehemchurchga/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethlehem_churchga/ #BethlehemChurch #GoodNewsSeries #1Corinthians #PastorJasonBritt #RelationshipStatus #Marriage #Singleness #Contentment #Sermon2026 #ChurchOnline

In Week 4 of our Good News series, Pastor Jason Britt dives into 1 Corinthians 5 and 6 to address biblical sexual ethics and identity in Christ. Comparing and contrasting ancient Corinth and modern culture, the sermon exposes the flawed belief that bodily actions carry no spiritual weight. Rather than approaching the topic with shame or behavior modification, the message delivers gospel clarity: our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, bought with an unthinkable price, and designed to honor God. 💡 Key Takeaways: Identity Precedes Behavior: God doesn't call us to moral “white-knuckling”; He reminds us of who we are, Whose we are, and Who dwells within us. Sex Is More Than Physical: Because we are a unity of body and spirit, sexual intimacy creates a profound spiritual "one-flesh" bond that directly impacts our soul. Boundaries Create True Freedom: Just as a train is most free when running on its tracks, operating within God's boundaries leads to freedom rather than collateral damage. Secrecy Sustains Sin: Lasting freedom from sexual temptation and pornography requires stepping out of silence and into community and accountability. Grace Leaves a Price Tag: God’s call to purity isn't driven by anger or a sledgehammer, but by the high price Jesus paid to redeem us as His prized treasure. 📌 Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro: Musical Crowd-Pleasers 03:28 – Three Non-Crowd-Pleasing Topics 05:44 – Corinth vs. Modern Culture 08:19 – The Problem Defined 09:48 – Preaching to the Church 14:06 – Refuting Bodily Dualism 15:17 – The Body Belongs to the Lord 18:23 – God's Original Intent in Genesis 20:32 – The Principle: Identity Precedes Behavior 26:14 – Fleeing Sexual Immorality 27:08 – Why Sex Is More Than Physical 32:03 – The Path: Flee, Honor & Community 38:59 – Washed, Sanctified, Justified 40:36 – The 4-Part Gospel Pattern 41:55 – Closing Prayer ✝️ Key Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 5:1-2, 9-10, 12-13 1 Corinthians 6:11, 13-20 Genesis 1 & 2 Matthew 5:27–28 📲 Download the New Bethlehem Church App to stay connected, access resources, and take your next step with us today! 🔗 Connect With Us: First Time? We'd love to know more about you. Click this link to let us know you’re watching! https://wearebethlehem.churchcenter.com/people/forms/1284381 If you want to take your next step with Jesus, please click here: https://wearebethlehem.churchcenter.com/people/forms/376703 We’d be honored to pray for you! Visit https://bethlehemchurch.us/prayer-wall/ to post your prayer request. Give Online: Support the ministry of Bethlehem Church at https://bethlehemchurch.us/give/ 🗓️ Stay Up-To-Date: Website: https://bethlehemchurch.us/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bethlehemchurchga/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethlehem_churchga/ #BethlehemChurch #JasonBritt #GoodNews #1Corinthians #BiblicalSexuality #IdentityInChrist #FreedomInGrace #Sermon2026 #ChurchOnline

What if doing whatever you want isn't actually freedom? In this message, Pastor Matt Piland dives into 1 Corinthians 5 & 6 to address a major tension in both ancient Corinth and modern society: the difference between cultural freedom and gospel freedom. Discover why obedience is a response to grace, how good desires can become subtle masters, and how the cross gives us the power to lay down our rights for the sake of love. 💡 Key Takeaways: Powerless to Refuse: Sometimes what begins as something you are free to choose can become something you feel powerless to refuse. Grace & Obedience: Obedience is not something we do so that God will love us; obedience is our response to the love and grace He has already given us. Mastered by Desires: Freedom isn't just about whether you are allowed to do something, but whether that thing has become your master and controls your life. Pride vs. Shame: The gospel simultaneously destroys our pride ("look what I've done") and our shame ("look what you did") by placing our identity entirely in what Christ accomplished on the cross. Rights vs. Love: True Christian freedom isn't self-indulgence or demanding our rights—it's having the freedom to lay our rights down to serve others in love. 📌 Timestamps: 00:00 – Generosity & Answers to Prayer: The Longs’ Testimony 03:58 – Welcome & Summer Sabbatical Reflections 05:27 – The Family Cruise Story & The Power of "It Is Included" 09:45 – The Tension: Just Because You Can Doesn't Mean You Should 10:48 – Context of Corinth: Secular Values Infiltrating the Sacred 12:42 – Divorcing Holiness from Grace 15:02 – The Problem: What If Doing Whatever I Want Isn't Freedom? 16:25 – The 1983 Toyota Supra: License, Freedom, and Boundaries 18:00 – 1 Corinthians 6:12 (Mastered by Anything) 19:04 – A Better Question: Is It Becoming Your Master? 22:25 – How Good Things Can Become Ruling Things 25:22 – Confronting Sin & Pride in the Church (1 Corinthians 5:2) 27:26 – Choosing Sin vs. Defending Sin 29:54 – The Path: You Do Not Belong to Yourself 31:55 – The Gospel Destroys Both Pride and Shame 34:50 – Disputes & Lawsuits: The Need to Win 38:55 – Called to Live in Freedom to Serve 39:39 – The Principle: Freedom to Lay Down Our Rights 41:00 – Viewing Grace vs. Viewing a Cruise 44:31 – Closing Prayer & Response ✝️ Key Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 6:12 1 Corinthians 5:2 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 1 Corinthians 6:7-8 Galatians 5:13–14 📲 Download the New Bethlehem Church App to stay connected, access resources, and take your next step with us today! 🔗 Connect With Us: First Time? We'd love to know more about you. Click this link to let us know you’re watching! https://wearebethlehem.churchcenter.com/people/forms/1284381 If you want to take your next step with Jesus, please click here: https://wearebethlehem.churchcenter.com/people/forms/376703 We’d love to pray for you! Visit https://bethlehemchurch.us/prayer-wall/ to post your prayer request. Give Online: Support the ministry of Bethlehem Church at https://bethlehemchurch.us/give/ 🗓️ Stay Up-To-Date: Website: https://bethlehemchurch.us/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bethlehemchurchga/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethlehem_churchga/ #BethlehemChurch #GoodNews #1Corinthians #Freedom #MattPiland #Grace #Sermon2026 #ChurchOnline