April 12th, 2026

“A Word of Encouragement”

Acts 13:13-25

Rev. Tyler Dirks

Sermon Audio

Sermon Outline:

1. During Real Life
2. Diving Into Relationship Stuff
3. Riveting Redemption

Reflection Questions:

1. What specific and substantial way has God’s Word recently resonated with you amidst REALLIFE? What REALLIFE stuff are you navigating these days?
2. Do you dive-in to real/deep relationship stuff with your parents, spouse, children, and close friends; or are you hyper selective about what you say; and/or do you strategically avoid and dodge certain ‘sensitive topics’?
3. How do you feel about all the sundry sensitive information God shares about people in the Bible?
4. When was a time that you were truly shocked, startled, surprised, and overjoyed by God’s riveting agenda for redemption in Scripture (and in your personal life)?

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April 5th, 2026

“What Does It Mean?”

Acts 13:1-12

Rev. Tyler Dirks

Sermon Audio

Sermon Outline:

1. Eclectic Cast Of Characters
2. Era Of The Holy Spirit
3. Experiential

Reflection Questions:

1. How has the power and paradox of the resurrected King personally and practically impacted your life?
2. How have you experienced the resurrected King’s determination to put you together with people who are very different than you?
3. How do you feel about the fact that the resurrected King decides to leave earth, and – instead of physically being with us – He sends an invisible Helper to be with us?
4. How have you personally and practically experienced the help of the invisible Helper (specifically as He helps you to know the power of the resurrection, and share in the sufferings of Jesus of Nazareth)?

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March 29th, 2026

“Hearing The Truth”

Acts 12:12-25

Rev. Tyler Dirks

Sermon Audio

Sermon Outline:

1. Truth Based On Status?
2. Truth Based on Sight?
3. Truth Based On What People Say?

Reflection Questions:

1. When was a time you gave your attention to someone (and received what they said) simply because they had terrestrial and temporal popularity/status?
2. What are your Top 3 favorite stories, prophecies, poems, parables, and/or passages of Scripture that emphatically talk about God thwarting and sabotaging terrestrial and temporal status?
3. What are your Top 3 favorite scenes in Scripture where God reveals the truth through someone, or something, that is visually unremarkable?

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March 22nd, 2026

“The Builder and His Stones”

1 Peter 2:1-12

Rev. Juan Rodriguez

Sermon Audio

Sermon Outline:

Reflection Questions:

1. The sermon’s main idea was: “Because Jesus Christ changes you, live like you’ve been changed.” Where do you most clearly see evidence of Christ changing someone’s life (either in your own life or someone else’s)? Where do you still struggle to live like that change is real?
2. Peter compares Christians to newborn babies who crave spiritual milk. What does it look like in a practical way to “long for” or “feast on” God’s Word in everyday life? What tends to keep us from doing that?
3. The passage describes believers as “living stones” being built into a spiritual house. How does this challenge the idea that Christianity is just “me and Jesus”? What role do you think community and the church play in spiritual growth?
4. Peter urges believers to live honorable lives so that others may see their good deeds and glorify God. What might this look like in your everyday contexts (work, school, neighborhood, friendships)?

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March 15th, 2026

“Politics”

Acts 12:1-11

Rev. Tyler Dirks

Sermon Audio

Sermon Outline:

1. Schemers
2. Sheep
3. Satire

Reflection Questions:

1. Do you care about politics? How so?
2. How much do you obsess about being seen? Do you care about how people are perceiving you? Do you care about getting credit with, or approval from, people (and being popular )?
3. Have you ever participated in “performative harassment”?
4. How do you pile up security measures? (think specifically about self-protection and self-preservation tactics you use).
5. How do you feel about God’s political agenda (i.e. His style of governing)? Read Genesis 50:20, and Matthew 10:16.
6. When you read stories like Esther, or Shadrach, or the parables about seeds and how they are like the Kingdom of Heaven …what do such stories do for your confidence and joy and hope?

The post Politics appeared first on East Charlotte Pres.

March 8th, 2026

“Not Safe, But Good”

Acts 11:19-30

Rev. Tyler Dirks

Sermon Audio

Sermon Outline:

1. Polarizing
2. Patronage
3. Philanthropy

Reflection Questions:

1. Why do people feel threatened by you admitting that YOU are a substantially wretched & wicked person?
2. Why do people react with such volatility and violence when YOU opt to pursue paths that make you extremely aware of the fact that you are small?
3. Who is someone in your life who jubilantly and authoritatively works with you to successfully enjoy and glorify Jesus of Nazareth (someone who thoroughly and masterfully helps you to interpret and apply the true emphasis and priorities of Jesus of Nazareth in your everyday life)?
4. Who do you regularly LOOK TO – to see what living the Not Safe, But Good life of following Jesus actually looks like?
5. When was a time you did something that was NOT SAFE, but it was very good!?
6. When was a time you served others, and you honestly, really, really enjoyed it!?

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March 1st, 2026

“Dealing With Pedants”

Acts 11:1-18

Rev. Tyler Dirks

Sermon Audio

Sermon Outline:

1. Pedants
2. Patience
3. Priority

Reflection Questions:

1. Are you pedantic? How so? How do you feel about pedants?
2. In what ways do you placate, and put on pedestals, people who display impressive academic knowledge, and/or expertise in the realm of rules?
3. How do you feel about how the apostle Paul labels the circumcision party in his letters? e.g. Gal. 5:12; Phil. 3:2
4. When was a time you were unfairly criticized and accused? How did you respond?
5. When was a time you attacked and/or criticized someone, and they responded with patience and a willingness to talk through specifics with you?
6. Why is it critical to differentiate between empathizing and endorsing?
7. How do you feel about Jesus prioritizing vulnerability, and the unpredictable and ungovernable nature of the Holy Spirit in John 3?
8. How do you feel about the priority/emphasis Scripture places on YOU repenting?

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February 22nd, 2026

“What You Gotta Know”

Acts 10:34-48

Rev. Tyler Dirks

Sermon Audio

Sermon Outline:

1. No Partiality
2. Death
3. Dwelling With God

Reflection Questions:

1. In what ways are you prone to partiality? How do you specifically ignore or disparage people, details, or facts that you simply don’t like? In what ways do you cultivate an excessively positive view of things you prefer?
2. When was a time that being honest felt like dying?
3. In what ways (in the Gospel accounts, and/or in your own personal experience) has God dismantled the “us” vs. “them” mentality?
4. How have you personally experienced the phenomenon of John 12:24?
5. How do you feel about the fact that God is so adamant about – not just dying for you, but – dwelling with you?

The post What You Gotta Know appeared first on East Charlotte Pres.

February 15th, 2026

“What You Gotta Know”

Acts 10:34-48

Rev. Tyler Dirks

Sermon Audio

Sermon Outline:

1. No Partiality
2. Death
3. Dwelling With God

Reflection Questions:

1. In what ways are you prone to partiality? How do you specifically ignore or disparage people, details, or facts that you simply don’t like? In what ways do you cultivate an excessively positive view of things you prefer?
2. When was a time that being honest felt like dying?
3. In what ways (in the Gospel accounts, and/or in your own personal experience) has God dismantled the “us” vs. “them” mentality?
4. How have you personally experienced the phenomenon of John 12:24?
5. How do you feel about the fact that God is so adamant about – not just dying for you, but – dwelling with you?

The post What You Gotta Know appeared first on East Charlotte Pres.

February 8th, 2026

“The Surprising Path of Spiritual Maturity”

Acts 10: 21-33

Rev. Tyler Dirks

Sermon Audio

Sermon Outline:

1. Still Perplexed
2. Social Perspective & Priorities
3. Spirit Of The Law

Reflection Questions:

1. Read your Bible later today and see how long it takes for you to arrive at a story (or a statement) that perplexes you?
2. Have a conversation with a family member later today and find something about them that mystifies and fascinates you?
3. Do your social perspectives and priorities align with the social perspectives and priorities of Jesus of Nazareth?

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