Sermons by Rod Bunton
To Equip the Saints
Ephesians 4:11-12 Many people attend church as spectators, unsure of their purpose or role within it — but God designed the church as an active, every-member body with a specific plan and mission. In this message, Pastor Rod Bunton explores why Christ gives shepherd-teachers to the local church, how their primary job is to equip believers rather than do all the work themselves, and what it means for every Christian to be called into a life of service.
Following Orders: The Church’s Call to the Word and Prayer
Acts 6:1–7 Every church faces the temptation to trade its highest calling for good causes that feel urgent — and that tension is as old as the church itself. In this message, Pastor Rod Bunton explores how the early church navigated internal conflict and cultural friction, showing why keeping the preaching of the Word as the central priority is what allows Christ to build His church.
The Passing of the Evangelist
Ephesians 4:11 The office of evangelist — like the apostles and prophets before them — was a foundational gift to the early church, purposefully temporary and never meant to carry into every age. In this message, Pastor Rod Bunton traces why these offices passed from the scene when the New Testament was complete, and calls every believer to embrace what remains: the daily, lifelong responsibility to proclaim the gospel to a world in need of repentance.
Are Apostles and Prophets Still Here? What the Bible Actually Says
Ephesians 4:11 This message explains how God established apostles and prophets to lay the church’s foundation and to deliver authoritative teaching and revelation. Pastor Rod Bunton emphasizes that this foundational revelation is complete, calling believers to rely on the apostles’ teaching in Scripture rather than seeking new revelation today.
Miraculous Gifts
Ephesians 4:11 Spiritual gifts are given by God’s grace so believers can serve one another and strengthen unity in the local church. Pastor Rod Bunton teaches that while God still works miraculously, the specific miraculous gifts tied to apostles and prophets have ceased, and Christ gives ongoing gifts like pastors and teachers to build up the church.
Unity is Not Uniformity
Ephesians 4:7-10 The passage explains how a healthy church maintains unity while functioning with diverse spiritual gifts given by Christ for the good of the whole body. Pastor Rod Bunton emphasizes that unity is not uniformity, that Christ distributes gifts by grace for mutual service, and that Christ’s victory in the descent and ascension is the basis for those gifts.
One God and Father of All
Ephesians 4:6 God unites Jewish and Gentile believers through the Spirit, guiding how they handle disagreements and “gray areas” with faith and love. Pastor Rod Bunton emphasizes that there is one God and Father of the redeemed who is sovereign over all, works through believers, and dwells in them.
One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism
Ephesians 4:5 Paul teaches the unity and exclusive allegiance that marks Christians: one Lord, one shared faith, and one baptism. Pastor Rod Bunton emphasizes that Jesus Christ alone is Lord, that “the faith” is the common doctrine of salvation, and that baptism signifies belonging to Christ and calls believers to obedience.
The Basis for Unity
Ephesians 4:4 Paul tells us that Christian unity is grounded in the shared realities believers have in Christ: one body, one Spirit, and one certain hope. Pastor Rod Bunton emphasized how this oneness centers on the Trinity and is lived out through the worldwide church as one body, the Spirit’s uniting work in salvation and sanctification, and confidence in Christ’s return.
The First Christian Sermon
Acts 2:22-41 Acts 2:22–41 records Peter’s Pentecost sermon, proclaiming Jesus’ death and resurrection as God’s promised plan and calling hearers to repent and believe. Pastor Rod Bunton highlighted how Peter grounds the message in fulfilled prophecy, eyewitness testimony, and Jesus’ exaltation as Lord and Christ, then presses the response of repentance that led to about three thousand being saved.
Attitudes for Unity
Ephesians 4:2-3 Ephesians 4:2–3 calls the church to maintain the unity of the Spirit through humility, gentleness, patience, and bearing with one another in love. In this sermon, Pastor Rod Bunton emphasized that unity is not something Christians create but something they must actively maintain and make visible by cultivating those attitudes together.
Unity in the Body of Christ
Ephesians 4:2 The apostle Paul instructs believers to live with humility, gentleness, patience, and love as they preserve the unity of the Spirit within the body of Christ. Pastor Rod Bunton emphasizes that true unity in the church requires the right disposition and virtues, warning that pride is the greatest enemy of this unity and that believers must adopt a humble attitude that puts others above themselves.