Sermons on Local 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.
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.
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.
The Test of a True Church – Part 2
Matthew 18:15-20 Church discipline is clearly laid out by Jesus in Matthew 18 and faithfully following these steps is one of the tests of a true church. Pastor Rod Bunton carefully describes each step and the goal of properly executing them.
The Test of a True Church – Part 1
Matthew 18:15-20 Early church reformer, Martin Luther, laid out three things that serve as criteria for a true church. Pastor Rod Bunton draws our attention to one of those: the practice of church discipline.
Shepherd the Flock of God, Part 3
1 Peter 5:1-4 Pastor Rod Bunton continues to look at this passage, digging even deeper into the text.
Shepherd the Flock of God, Part 2
1 Peter 5:1-2 After presenting the survey about leadership within the church, Pastor Rod Bunton returns to examine this passage from Peter in more detail.
Shepherd the Flock of God
1 Peter 5:1-4 In this final chapter of his first epistle, Peter addresses the leadership of the church. Pastor Rod Bunton surveys the Bible on the topic of leadership to help us understand what God’s word says about the proper approach.
Why Grace Church Matters
On the occasion of Grace Church’s annual congregational meeting, Pastor Rod Bunton takes the opportunity to look at why the local church is a priority to God and why Grace Church exists.
Why We Gather, Part 3
We gather in the local church because God has commanded it. We gather because it helps us grow spiritually. Pastor Rod Bunton concludes this series by reminding us that there is another reason: we must go out from the church into the world to carry out our mission for the kingdom.
Why We Gather, Part 2
The church is imperfect, many wrong things have been done in the name of the church, and it seems there are hypocrites everywhere. Pastor Rod Bunton answers the question, “Is it even necessary to go to church?”
- 1
- 2