Tragically, the reason so few are willing to accept leadership roles in the Church is because so few are willing to live out the characteristics of leaders.
Tragically, the reason so few are willing to accept leadership roles in the Church is because so few are willing to live out the characteristics of leaders.
You know what the Church needs today? The same thing it has always needed. Leaders who are more concerned with following the commands of God than the traditions of men.
You know what the Church needs today? The same thing it has always needed. Leaders who are more concerned with following the commands of God than the traditions of men.
If you were on a church board looking to hire a new pastor, what questions would you ask the interviewees? What qualities would you most want to see? Paul has given Titus the weighty responsibility of anointing new elders in Crete, and his checklist may surprise you.
If you were on a church board looking to hire a new pastor, what questions would you ask the interviewees? What qualities would you most want to see? Paul has given Titus the weighty responsibility of anointing new elders in Crete, and his checklist may surprise you.
What does a man of integrity look like? How does he think, speak, and act both in the public eye and behind closed doors? In this convicting message, Stephen deals with that question as he expounds Paul's command to Titus to find men who are "above reproach."
What does a man of integrity look like? How does he think, speak, and act both in the public eye and behind closed doors? In this convicting message, Stephen deals with that question as he expounds Paul's command to Titus to find men who are "above reproach."
Imagine a stranger walking into your church and announcing that he is going to make wholesale changes. He then proceeds to anoint new pastors and deacons, while delivering instructions on worship and teaching. Crazy, right? Well that is exactly what Paul is commanding Titus to do in Titus 1:5! As we'll learn from this passage, obedience to God might ruffle a few feathers.
Imagine a stranger walking into your church and announcing that he is going to make wholesale changes. He then proceeds to anoint new pastors and deacons, while delivering instructions on worship and teaching. Crazy, right? Well that is exactly what Paul is commanding Titus to do in Titus 1:5! As we'll learn from this passage, obedience to God might ruffle a few feathers.
In Extravagant Grace, Part 3 (Philippians 4:6–7), Stephen Davey teaches believers how to conquer anxiety through prayer and trust in God. He compares worry to a deadly anaconda that strangles faith, urging Christians to “be anxious for nothing.” Instead of allowing fear to consume them, they are to replace worry with prayer—bringing every concern to God with gratitude. Davey explains that worry pulls believers apart, while thankful prayer realigns their hearts toward God’s power and presence. The result is a supernatural peace that “guards hearts and minds in Christ Jesus,” a peace flowing directly from God’s own character. This peace doesn’t come from understanding circumstances but from trusting the God who controls them all. Through continual, thankful prayer, believers display the extravagant grace of God by living free from fear and full of peace.
In Extravagant Grace, Part 2 (Philippians 4:4–5), Stephen Davey teaches that believers are called to display grace in a disappointed and self-centered world through two qualities—a resolution to be joyful and a reputation for gentleness. Joy, he explains, is not dependent on circumstances but flows from the Holy Spirit, the gospel, and trust in God’s sovereignty—even in suffering. Gentleness, often misunderstood as weakness, is strength under control—a willingness to yield, be courteous, and respond to hostility with grace. Using vivid examples from history, culture, and personal experience, Davey challenges believers to demonstrate joy and gentleness as living testimonies of Christ’s presence. Because “the Lord is near,” Christians can embody supernatural calm and kindness, showing a frustrated world the reality of God’s transforming grace.
In his sermon on Ecclesiastes 12:1–8, Stephen Davey explains Solomon’s urgent call to “remember your Creator” while young, because ignoring God early in life leads to confusion in youth, misery in old age, and regret at death. Solomon describes aging with vivid imagery—failing eyesight, shaking hands, trembling legs, sleepless nights, fading voices, and diminishing desire—reminding listeners that physical strength inevitably declines. Davey emphasizes that these poetic pictures are not meant to discourage but to motivate believers to build a foundation of trust and obedience long before the hardships of aging arrive. Solomon then depicts death as sudden and certain, when the body returns to dust and the spirit returns to God for judgment. Davey concludes that life is fleeting, but remembering your Creator—walking with Him now—prepares you for every season of life and for the final awakening after death.
Stephen Davey’s sermon “Reconcilable Differences” (Philippians 4:2–3) explains that real church and family life are messy, which is exactly where extravagant grace must be practiced. Using humorous and honest stories, he shows that grace is more than a doctrine we receive from God—it’s a costly, deliberate way of stooping low in attitude and action toward difficult people. Paul’s appeal to Euodia and Syntyche models gracious confrontation: he names them, refuses to take sides, reminds them of their shared labor in the gospel, and urges them to “live in harmony in the Lord,” enlisting a trusted “true companion” to help them reconcile. Stephen Davey draws out principles that disagreements are inevitable, even mature believers don’t always disagree agreeably, and small conflicts—if unchecked—can damage an entire church. Instead of taking sides, spiritually mature believers should step in to untangle issues and protect the unity of the body, remembering that everyone’s name is written in the book of life. He concludes with the example of a Christian bus driver whose daily, practical kindness creates a community of grace, urging believers to let that same grace characterize their relationships in the church.
In Father Abraham, Part I (Romans 4:1–3), Stephen Davey introduces Abraham as Paul’s prime example of justification by faith, not works. He explains that Abraham lived 2,000 years before Paul, proving that salvation by faith is not new but has always been God’s plan. Abraham, the forefather of Israel and “friend of God,” was revered for righteousness, yet Scripture reveals his flaws—fear, deceit, and unbelief—showing that his justification came by faith alone. Davey warns against relying on human reasoning or cultural religion, urging believers to ask, “What does the Bible say?” Like Abraham, sinners are declared righteous not by merit but by trusting God’s promise of redemption through Christ. God credited righteousness to Abraham’s account by grace, illustrating the same salvation available to every believer today.
