Pastor Dirk's Sermons Pastor Dirk Rodgers

Change, especially religious change, is never easy.  The tensions between faithfulness and innovation are immediately evident as the new church expands into unfamiliar territory.  God therefore works to make His will clear in that day and in ours.

When God calls His servants into a challenging mission, He does not abandon them.  His Spirit remains present, to ensure results that human efforts by themselves cannot produce.

History too often records conflict and tragedy when diverse religious traditions try to share the same space at the same time.  If the new community of Jesus is truly to bring these traditions together, then the main thing must remain the main thing.

For God to change a community, He begins by changing people.  Peter’s relationship with Jesus redefines his identity, and, as this relationship grows deeper, it changes his reason for living.  His experience of Jesus can inspire us to reconsider who defines us and what inspires our purpose.

God’s new directions are not self-evident.  He must inspire people spiritually to work outside of their comfort zones.  In this story from the early church, He stretches the boundaries of His people by calling His servants into new levels of service.

Good visions must provide a compelling reason for change.  Through two powerful visions to two different men, God forges a new path forward for those who choose to follow Jesus.