Back Creek Church | Charlotte, NC

What does it mean for the Church to be the Family of God?It means the Gospel shapes our identity (as children of God)It means the Gospel shapes our lives (as those who do our Father's will)It means the Gospel shapes our relationships (as brothers and sisters in Christ)

The Church is the flock of God and Jesus is our Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd calls the flock (and we must respond).The Good Shepherd leads the flock (and we must follow).The Good Shepherd keeps the flock (and we must rest).

Jesus is building his church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

What is the church? The Body of Christ - many members, one body. As the Body of Christ:Our connection is intimateOur connection is interdependentOur connection is indispensableOur connection is intentional

What is the church? We are. The Called (by God's mercies). The Committed (offering our bodies as living sacrifices and our minds for renewal). The Connected (one body and members of one another).

The Christian faith is objective reality and ultimate relationship.

If the resurrection of Jesus is reality, it's time to change our expectations. If resurrection is reality, the last will be first. If resurrection is reality, the dead will be alive.If resurrection is reality, the world will be changed.

Salvation, transformation, proclamation - we're all in this together! We are the Church.In these final greetings, Paul models and commends at least seven characteristics of a church growing more deeply rooted in Christ:AffectionAffirmationReconciliationCommunicationHospitalityUnityService

Gospel transformation brings Gospel proclamation by changing our posture (inward focus to outward focus) and our participation in God's mission - we prepare with prayer, walk with wisdom, and speak with saltiness.

We need all of Christ for all of life.He is our Savior and the Lord of all our relationships, roles, and responsibilities:As husbands and wivesAs children and parentsAs workers and bosses

The root of the Gospel is Christ. The fruit of the Gospel in change. In Colossians 3:5-17, the Apostle Paul calls us to seek transformation by killing sin and living Christ.

We are naturally inclined and oriented to this world and the things in it. But they can't bear the weight of glory. We need a reorientation of our glory (our identity, our honor, our pursuit, our satisfaction) to that which is actually glorious. Being rooted in Christ reorients our glory. The Apostle Paul teaches us to reorient our glory by dwelling on our past, our present, and our future in Christ.

If we are rooted in Christ, we can walk in victory...victory over the worldvictory over the fleshvictory over the devil

We are called to fight for community by- struggling for one another's encouragement- struggling for one another's belonging- struggling for one another's assurance- struggling for one another's good

We have a mission. Three essential parts of our mission: The cost of our mission: a ministry of suffering and stewardshipThe content of our mission: a mystery of riches to be revealedThe culmination of our mission: a maturity in wisdom and work

What is the hope of the Gospel? The One who is above everything (Jesus) has done everything so you can have everything and overcome everything.

The Apostle Paul prays for the local church in Colossae and provides a model for us to pray for our church (to grow). Pray for your church to grow full of wisdom (1:9)Pray for your church to grow fruitful in works (1:10)Pray for your church to grow fortified for the walk (1:11-12)

Thank God for the root and the fruit of the Gospel. The root of the Gospel is Christ, as we receive and rest in him alone.The fruit of the Gospel is change, as we are transformed by grace and bear fruit of faith, hope, and love.

Are you rooted in Christ? In this first message on Paul's letter to the Colossians, we unearth the essence of being firmly planted in faith. As we navigate Colossians 2:6-7, we see the deep connection Paul fostered with the Colossian believers through Epaphras's ministry, and we confront the allure of the "Jesus plus" gospel that threatened their spiritual stability. We share insights on why having a foundation in Christ alone is not just necessary, but life-changing. This passage reminds us to resist adding to the gospel, steering us instead toward the freeing truth found in Christ's sufficiency.Moving beyond intellectual agreement, this message challenges you to reflect: Is your relationship with Jesus just intellectual agreement with the facts? Or is it a transformative, life-enveloping faith? We discuss what it means to truly receive Jesus, emphasizing the difference between knowing about Him and personally knowing Him. This isn't just about salvation; it's about enriching the fabric of our daily lives with a genuine, relational faith. As we delve into this introduction to the series, we invite listeners to ask three simple but important questions of their own faith as a “root check” of their walk with God. Prepare to reassess your spiritual life with a heart open to embracing Jesus in every step you take.

"whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father."- Jesus

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. - Jesus

Jesus promises that in this world we will have tribulation, but we can have a conquering peace because he has overcome the world.

Those who are in Christ are loved forever and will live forever.

The story of Ruth is about how God is at work in the circumstances and lives of ordinary people to restore what is broken - to bring rest to the weary, fullness to the empty, hope to the hurting. He is making all things new.But the beginning of this story is one of weariness, tragedy, and loss. We see in chapter 1 that our weariness comes from circumstances beyond our power and decisions within our power. But rest comes from the God of all power.

Death is our enemy, but a defeated enemy because of the incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. He has the keys.He is risen! He is risen, indeed!

In this series, we want to learn from Jesus and his apostles about how to engage our disciple-making mission with one very simple but powerful strategy: the invite.In this passage, Jesus provides a model for how to invite others into your life through intentionality ("the next day again..."), curiosity ("what are you seeking?), and hospitality ("come and you will see"). 35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.John 1:35-39

"Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain." Living without The Lord looks like seizing control of my life - my work, my world, through my worry - and with it vanity and anxiety.Living with The Lord looks like surrendering control of my life - and receiving meaning and purpose, rest and peace.

Because The Lord has done great things for us, we have the experience of his past faithfulness, the encouragement of his present faithfulness, and the expectation of his future faithfulness.

Those who trust in the Lord are secure in the Lord, surrounded by the Lord, and saved by the Lord. We express our trust through prayer for provision, protection, and peace.

Pilgrim Songs #5: If It Had Not Been The Lord (Psalm 124)

Pilgrim Songs #4: Have Mercy Upon Us, O Lord! (Psalm 123)

Pilgrim Songs #3: Let Us Go to the House of The Lord (Psalm 122)

Pilgrim Songs #2: My Help Comes from The Lord (Psalm 121)

Pilgrim Songs #1: I Called to The Lord (Psalm 120)

Starting Point #5: The Church (Romans 12:1-21)

Starting Point #4: The Standards (Acts 15:1-35)

Starting Point: The Christian Life (Galatians 5:13-26)

Starting Point #2: The Bible (2 Timothy 3:14-17)

Starting Point #1: The GospelStarting Point is our class for those exploring membership with Back Creek Church. In this series, we take a deeper dive into that content as a helpful refresh for our members and to help our guests know better who we are and why we exist. It all starts with the Gospel.

On the morning of the resurrection of Jesus, the women at the tomb (and through them, we) receive three invitations:Come and see! Come and worship! Go and tell!