Has God ever halted your plans? What should we do when he tells us to 'stop?' Closed doors in our Christian lives are painful. Take courage in the fact that the same God who orders our steps also orders our stops.
Disagreements are a part of life. The question is not how do we avoid them, but rather how do we deal with them when they occur? In this lesson, Stephen addresses conflict and resolution.
The dividing line between truth and error is the cry of the reformation: "Sola Scriptura!" The Bible alone tells us what is sufficient for faith and practice.
What do the scriptures say? That question could settle most debates when Christians disagree. Dividing God's truth from man's opinion was the cry of the reformation. The scriptures alone answer the question, "What must I do to be saved?"
An effective church will always be birthing new ministries and at the same time reproducing itself around the world. That's what the early church did, and this lesson teaches you why they were so successful.
Paul's missionary journeys often resulted in opposition -- whether it was from government officials, townspeople, or nature itself. But Paul was less concerned about his trials and more concerned about how great his God is. What's your concern?
God tells us that "from out of the heart a man speaks." Every time Paul opened his mouth, the gospel came pouring out. Rehearse the message of the gospel in this lesson.
One of Satan's strategies is to dilute the Gospel just enough so that it loses its transforming power. Sharing about God's love and neglecting to discuss God's wrath dilutes the gospel.
Jesus spoke about Hell almost twice as much as He spoke about Heaven. Maybe we would talk about it a lot more, too, if we took Christ's words seriously.
Sometimes expecting the worst may prevent us from experiencing God's best. In this message Stephen reminds us why our faith in God should be a little more optimistic.
In this sermon, Stephen Davey recounts how Katharina Luther’s courageous escape from a convent and marriage to Martin Luther helped reshape the church’s view of marriage during the Reformation. Transformed by the truth of justification by faith alone in Romans 1:17, she entered a union that modeled commitment over compatibility, humility over self-interest, and ministry partnership over isolation. Despite public slander, hardship, and relentless labor, Katharina managed their home, finances, hospitality, and farm, enabling Luther’s preaching and teaching ministry to flourish. Their marriage demonstrated that the home could serve as a living testimony of the gospel and an extension of ministry. Davey concludes that Katharina’s quiet perseverance and sacrificial faithfulness became a revolutionary legacy of light for generations to follow.
In this sermon, Stephen Davey recounts how God sustained William Cowper through lifelong battles with severe depression and despair while using him to leave a lasting legacy of gospel truth. Though Cowper repeatedly wrestled with feelings of abandonment and even attempted suicide, God anchored his soul in the doctrine of Christ’s propitiation, especially through Romans 3:24–25. Davey explains that Cowper’s suffering did not signal God’s rejection but became the soil from which some of the church’s richest hymns of grace were written. Through faithful friends, Scripture, service, and God’s providence, Cowper continued to testify of salvation by grace alone. Davey concludes that powerful faith does not eliminate suffering, but it carries believers safely through it, proving that God’s mercy shines brightest in the darkest valleys.
In this sermon, Stephen Davey traces how God used Amy Carmichael’s strong will, suffering, and obedience to build a lasting legacy of eternal impact. From childhood determination to missionary service in India, Amy chose costly sacrifice over comfort, guided by her life verse about building with gold, silver, and precious stones. God redirected her ministry to rescue children trapped in temple prostitution, leading her to found the Dohnavur Fellowship, where hundreds of children found physical safety and spiritual life. Though misunderstood, criticized, and bedridden for her final twenty years, Amy continued to serve through writing and prayer. Davey concludes that God values the quality of faithful obedience over public success, and a life surrendered to Christ will shine long after it ends.
In this sermon, Stephen Davey traces how God used Hudson Taylor’s deep trust in the finished work of Christ to shape a life of radical faith, humility, and endurance. Converted as a teenager through meditating on Jesus’ words “It is finished,” Taylor learned early to rely on God alone for provision, direction, and strength. Davey highlights Taylor’s willingness to suffer loss, poverty, misunderstanding, and criticism in order to reach China’s interior with the gospel. By identifying with Chinese culture and trusting God through relentless trials, Taylor helped establish hundreds of mission stations and the China Inland Mission, which transformed an entire nation for Christ. Davey concludes that Taylor’s enduring legacy was not strategy or success, but childlike faith in an illustrious Master who accomplishes His work through willing, surrendered servants.
In this sermon, Stephen Davey traces how God used Oswald Chambers’ surrendered life to leave a lasting spiritual legacy far beyond his brief lifetime. Converted as a teenager, Chambers pursued ministry marked by humility, doctrinal depth, joyful faith, and an unwavering dependence on the Holy Spirit rather than methods or popularity. Serving as a YMCA chaplain during World War I, his Bible teaching and prayer ministry brought revival among soldiers facing death and despair. Though Chambers died at just forty-three, God multiplied his influence through the faithful work of his wife, Biddy, whose preservation of his sermons led to writings that continue to shape millions of believers worldwide. Davey concludes that a life fully surrendered to God may appear obscure for a time, but faithfulness empowered by the Spirit produces eternal fruit beyond imagination.
