Sermons from St. Andrew's ~ Mt. Pleasant

St Andrew's ~ Mt. Pleasant
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Sermons from St. Andrew's Church in Mt Pleasant, South Carolina. St. Andrew's ~ Mt. Pleasant is the home church of The Most Rev'd Stephen D. Wood, Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church in North America.

  1. 6d ago

    Randy Forrester :: Getting Connected to the Presence & Power of Jesus Christ

    Bible Study Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon: . Sermon Notes Core Purpose Statement: "To connect people to the presence and power of Jesus Christ." 1. Introduction & Historical Context Local History: St. Andrew's roots date back to 1834 ($250 lot purchase in Old Village, Mount Pleasant) and its growth through 1858 (Historic Church on Whilden Street).The Legacy: Nearly 200 years of faithful worship, keeping Christ at the center through life's milestones and hardships.The Question: Why do we exist as a church today, and where are we going?2. First Element: "Jesus Christ" Christ-Centered Anchor: Everything at St. Andrew's centers on Jesus, avoiding vague or trend-based spirituality.Exclusive Authority: Jesus is the only Savior and source of life (Acts 4; John 14:6).Loving Mission: Pointing people to Jesus—the source of abundant life—is the kindest and most loving thing the church can do.3. Second Element: "Presence and Power" Presence (Living Person): Because Jesus rose from the dead, believers can experience a real, living relationship and friendship with Him today (Emmanuel, "God with us").Power (Life-Changing Action): The power that raised Jesus from the dead works in believers by:Awakening faith in those who are spiritually dead.Overcoming sin, destructive habits, and addiction.Equipping believers for ministry, service, and daily work.4. Third Element: "Connect People" The Agent of Connection: The Holy Spirit sovereignly, creatively, and personally connects individuals to Jesus.Four Primary Channels of Connection:Scripture: Engaging the inspired Word of God.Spiritual Gifts: Exercising gifts (prophetic words, healing, teaching, serving, generous giving) for the good of others.Prayer: Engaging in persistent, practical Kingdom business.Fellowship: Living out faith together ("y'all") through Life Groups, as well as Children's and Youth Ministries.Target Audience ("People"): All people—regardless of age, background, status, or spiritual starting point—because everyone shares the same need for salvation and grace.5. Conclusion Call to Action: Participate in the ongoing mission by serving, leading Life Groups, and investing in the next generation.Future Vision: A prayer that 200 years from now, faithful believers will still gather in this place to connect all people to Jesus.Discussion Questions 1. What was your first impression of St. Andrew's when you visited (whether on a Sunday or a ministry event)? 2. Why might it be offensive to some to focus on the exclusivity of Jesus Christ? As a church, how can we be both sensitive to various viewpoints while also bold in proclaiming the offer of life found only in Jesus? 3. How have you experienced the presence and power of Jesus? 4. In what ways does the Holy Spirit connect us to Jesus? Questions? Do you have a question about today’s sermon? Email Randy Forrester ( ).

  2. Aug 9

    Tim Winkler: The Bread of Life

    Sermon Outline Big Idea: We naturally hunger for more than mere existence. Jesus declares that He alone is the Bread of Life who satisfies our deepest hunger and gives eternal, abundant life.Key Verse: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” — John 6:35 I. We Hunger for More Than Mere Existence Central question: Where can that life be found? II. Bread Meant Life To understand John 6, we need to appreciate the significance of bread in the ancient world.Bread represented: Sustenance — wheat and barley bread were staples of everyday life.Provision — “bread” could represent food and physical necessities generally.Fellowship — breaking bread communicated hospitality, acceptance, friendship, and peace.Sacred memory — Passover bread recalled the Exodus; manna recalled God's provision in the wilderness.Throughout Scripture, therefore, bread points beyond itself to God as the One who provides life for His people.This background makes Jesus' declaration extraordinarily powerful: “I am the bread of life.”Jesus does not merely give the bread we ultimately need. Jesus is the Bread. III. The Crowd Wanted the Bread but Missed the Savior John 6:25–29 IV. Jesus Is Greater Than Moses John 6:30–34 V. Jesus Is the Bread of Life John 6:35 VI. Zoe Does Not Mean an Easy Life Jesus' promise of abundant life does not mean: our problems disappear,suffering ends,life becomes easy,Christians never experience sorrow.Jesus Himself says:“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” — John 16:33 Sermon Application There are two responses to Jesus' words. For those who do not yet follow Christ: Do not make the mistake of the Galilean crowd—wanting what Jesus can provide while missing Jesus Himself. The Bread of Life is offered freely. Come to Christ, trust Him, repent, and receive the life only He can give. For followers of Christ: We can belong to Jesus while still clinging tightly to areas of our lives we refuse to surrender. Yet we cannot experience the fullness of life in Christ while deliberately withholding parts of ourselves from Him.The question becomes: What am I still trying to control that Christ is asking me to surrender? Sermon Questions What do you think people today most commonly pursue in an attempt to experience a meaningful and fulfilling life? How does Jesus' promise of zoe differ?Why is the cultural and biblical significance of bread important for understanding Jesus' statement, “I am the bread of life”?The crowd wanted what Jesus could give them without recognizing who He was. In what ways are we tempted to do the same thing today?What is the significance of Jesus contrasting the manna given in Moses' day with Himself as the “true bread from heaven”? What does this reveal about Jesus' identity?Jesus promises abundant life but does not promise an easy life. What area of your life might Christ be asking you to trust Him with or surrender more completely to Him?Resources Consulted Carson, D. A., R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, and G. J. Wenham, eds. New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994.Gaebelein, Frank E., ed. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Vol. 8. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1981.Got Questions Ministries. “What Can We Learn from Jesus’ Feeding of the 5,000?”Keller, Timothy. “The Feeding.” Gospel in Life. YouTube.Milne, Bruce. The Message of John: Here Is Your King! The Bible Speaks Today. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993.Ryle, J. C. Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John. Various editions.Wesley, John. John Wesley’s Notes on the Whole Bible. Various editions.Questions? Do you have a question about today's sermon? Email Tim Winkler ( ).

  3. Aug 2

    Joanne Ellison: Scarcity Mentality

    Guest Preacher: Joanne Ellison Joanne Ellison, a long-time member of St. Andrew’s, is the founder of through which women are equipped to draw near to God and experience the power of a life-changing community. She has reached tens of thousands of women through Christian radio, television, blogging, weekly Bible teachings, speaking events, books, and more. Bible Study Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon: . Sermon Notes God's sufficiency in compassion, love and power is more than enough. Three elements found in this Gospel text: Love and compassion fuels miracles.God's power, not our inadequacy fuels miracles.More than enough mentality fuels miracles.Jesus was moved with compassion when He saw the multitudes so He miraculously healed and fed them. His love overruled His need for rest. God's power is our adequacy. A scarcity mentality prohibits our moving in faith. Discussion Questions When you are exhausted and see someone in need, what is your response?In what ways do you make space to stay filled with the Presence of God so when unexpected needs arise you have margin and peace to deal with them?Do you have an attitude of more than enough, or do you find yourself identifying more with a scarcity mentality (never enough)?What steps are you willing to take to open your eyes to every-day miracles?Questions? Do you have a question about today's sermon? Email the church office ( ).

  4. Jul 26

    Thad Barnum: Remember Lot's Wife

    Guest Preacher: The Rt. Rev'd Thad Barnum Bishop Barnum serves as Assisting Bishop to the Anglican Diocese of the Carolinas. His primary work recently has been to disciple and care for pastors in the Anglican Church of North America and beyond. During their nearly 39 years of marriage, Thad and his late wife, Erilynne, planted two churches and devoted themselves fully to the gospel work of "presenting everyone mature in Christ." (Col 1:28) It is this work of discipleship that brings people to saving faith, grows them in godly character, and empowers them in the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of Jesus. As Erilynne once said, "the strongest witness to a dying world is a transformed life." It is this work that Thad carries on through this ministry of . Bible Study Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon: Questions? Do you have a question about today's sermon? Email the church office ( ).

  5. Jul 19

    Seb Cummings :: The Weeds Among the Wheat

    Guest Preacher The Rev'd Seb Cummings serves as the Lead Pastor at . Sermon Notes The question: if the Kingdom has come, why does evil persist? It is John the Baptist’s question from a prison cell (Matthew 11). It is ours, most days. The Kingdom is sought (a posture, not a project): It is the King ruling through his words and actions and it is here, in this world - inaugurated, and still coming. So the field is not the church. "The field is the world" (v. 38). Yes, a judgment is coming. No, it will not be now. How we live in the tension between the now and the then is of the utmost importance. 1. Don’t uproot — judgment is divine • The servants want to rip up the weeds. So do we. Every group in that crowd had a version of the same plan.• Discernment: yes. Naming evil and injustice: yes (Amos 5:24). The final verdict: not ours.• Our polarised age teaches us to sort each other. The Perception Gap research: those most certain they can tell wheat from weeds are the worst at it.• Volf: only from a comfortable distance can you afford a God who does not judge. We are released from the burden of retribution — handed to the One who will not miss. 2. Don’t withdraw — engage with the moment • The master’s "no" refuses two things: the purge, and the retreat.• Ours is not an age of unbelief but of rampant belief (Smith; Gray). The field is full of people, and none of them are empty.• The question is not "do you believe?" but "can what you believe carry the full weight of your life?” 3. Because the field is his and the harvest is coming • "An enemy has done this." The weeds were sown on top of the good seed. Evil is an intrusion, not a design feature - which is exactly why it can be taken out and the crop still stands. Otherwise there would be no harvest, only a bonfire.• The parable does not end with the furnace. It ends with the righteous shining like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father (v. 43). No explanation for the weeds — but a vision of justice, redemption, and life with him (Revelation 21). Discussion Questions Opening 1. Before hearing Jesus’ explanation, what did you assume the parable meant? Did the explanation surprise you anywhere?2. John the Baptist promised a fire that would come immediately (Matthew 3:12). By Matthew 11 he is in prison, asking whether Jesus is really the one. Where have you asked a version of John’s question? Don’t uproot 3. "Shall we go and pull them up?" is the most natural religious instinct there is. Where do you see it in yourself? Try to be specific — a person, a group, a platform.4. The master’s reason for waiting is that you would damage the wheat. Have you ever been damaged by someone else’s certainty about who the weeds were? Have you ever done the damaging?5. The research says the people most confident they can spot the weeds are the worst at it. Where might that be true of you — and what would it change?6. "We are released from the burden of retribution." Is that a relief or a frustration? What does it look like, practically, to hand a verdict up rather than carry it? Don’t withdraw 7. Jesus says the field is the world, not the church. What changes if you take that literally? 8. Where are you tempted to retreat — to keep your life among people who already agree with you? Name one relationship you would find it easier not to have. What would staying in it require this month? Because the field is his 9. "An enemy has done this." Does it help to know that the weeds are not the sower’s design? Where do you need to hear that?10. The parable gives no explanation for the weeds — only a promise about them. Is that enough? Be honest.11. Verse 43: the righteous will shine like the sun. Does that land as comfort, as pressure, or as nothing much? Why?12. Who would you find hardest to believe God is being patient with? Sit with that one before you answer. Questions? Do you have a question about today’s sermon? Email Seb Cummings ( ).

  6. Jul 12

    Anthony Kowbeidu :: The Prodigal Father

    Bible StudyDon't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon: Romans 5:6-11; Luke 15:11-32 Sermon NotesFour elements of repentance found in the gospel text:1. Reflection 2. Resolution 3. Recognition of guilt 4. Return Discussion Questions1. What "far country" patterns, habits, or desires are we currently entertaining? 2. What would it look like this week to "come home" to the Father in a specific area in our lives? 3 Where do we need to trust God's welcome and grace more deeply this week? 4. Which son do we naturally identify with right now: the younger or the older? 5. is there somebody we have written off whom God is calling us to receive with joy? 6. How can we reflect the Father's grace to someone this week? Questions?Do you have a question about today’s sermon? Email Anthony Kowbeidu (AKowbeidu@StAndrews.Church).Audio & VideoYou can listen to the sermon by using the player below or via the St Andrew's Sermon Podcast on iTunes and Spotify.

  7. Jul 5

    Sam Fornecker :: As Easy as Tying Your Shoe

    Bible Study Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon: Sermon Outline Jesus our messengerJesus our mediatorJesus our masterSermon Questions The Priority of Delight over Discipline: Delight is not the consequence of doctrine and discipline, but rather their foundation. Think of a craft or hobby you enjoy—like knitting, blacksmithing, or birdwatching. How does your delight in that activity naturally lead you to practice its "disciplines"? How might shifting your focus from "doing chores for God" to "delighting in God" change your spiritual life?The "Inarticulate" vs. the "Articulate": Jesus contrasts the "articulate" religious leaders—who are crafty—with the "inarticulate" who receive the kingdom. Why is it that those who think they have it all sorted out often miss the message, while those who have a "hard time tying their shoes" are able to receive Jesus?Discipleship as Apprenticeship: Following Jesus is apprenticeship to a Master who gets down on our level to show us how to live. In your life, how have you tried to follow a formula rather than "weaving together perception and movement" through a relationship with Jesus?The Yoke and the Cross: We often think of a "yoke" only as a burden of service, but Matthew links is both a nuptial embrace (a spouse) and the cross. How does viewing the cross as the "plough that upturns the soil of the soul" help you understand Jesus' invitation to "come to me" when you are weary and heavy-burdened?Resources Consulted John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Saint Matthew (NPNF i.10, Homily 38)Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis, Fire of Mercy, Heart of the Word: Meditations on the Gospel according to St. Matthew, Volume One (Ignatius Press, 1996)W.D. Davies and D.C. Allison, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to Saint Matthew, Volume Two: Commentary on Matthew VIII–XVIII (T&T Clark,1991)Tim Ingold, “Of String Bags and Birds’ Nests: Skill and the Construction of Artefacts,” in The Perception of the Environment: Essays on Livelihood, Dwelling and Skill (Routledge, 2022), 439–455Brendan McInerny, “Unless You Become Like This Child Deification as Trinitarian Adoption,” in The Trinitarian Theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar: An Introduction (Notre Dame, 2020), 85–124.Paul Tyson, Returning to Reality: Christian Platonism for Our Times (Wipf & Stock, 2013), chs. 1–2Rowan Williams, Looking East in Winter: Contemporary Thought and the Eastern Christian Tradition (Bloomsbury, 2021), ch.1.Questions? Do you have a question about today's sermon? Email Sam Fornecker (SFornecker@standrews.church).

  8. Jun 28

    Randy Forrester :: God's Grace - Simple & Profound

    Bible Study Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon: . Sermon Notes Jesus Defines His Mission "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." (Luke 5:32) Jesus Did Not Come to Call the Righteous The spiritually self-sufficient do not hear the Gospel call.Christianity is not for people who think they have it all together.The Pharisees believed they could be righteous apart from Jesus.Grace begins when we recognize our need.Jesus Came to Call Sinners Jesus called Levi, a tax collector, to follow Him.No one is beyond the reach of God's grace.Those who know their need are ready to hear His call.Jesus welcomes broken people into relationship with Himself.Jesus Calls Sinners to Repentance Repentance means a change of mind and direction.It is part of God's gracious gift.Repentance leads to life, freedom, and flourishing.Following Jesus means leaving behind the old way of life.Discussion Questions 1. Does everyone need forgiveness of sins to be saved? Are there any truly righteous people? 2. If someone is not convinced of their need for forgiveness of sins (perhaps they don't identify as a sinner), how might you help them understand the gospel? 3. Define repentance. 4. In what way is repentance still part of God's gift of grace? Questions? Do you have a question about today’s sermon? Email Randy Forrester ( ).

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Sermons from St. Andrew's Church in Mt Pleasant, South Carolina. St. Andrew's ~ Mt. Pleasant is the home church of The Most Rev'd Stephen D. Wood, Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church in North America.

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