We believe in teaching the Word of God.

We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God, and value the reading, teaching, and preaching of the Word in order to understand God, the world, others, and ourselves. Life is complex and often heartbreaking; we believe the answers to life's big questions are found in knowing and following Jesus Christ. Studying His teachings is one of the best ways for us to get closer to Him.

2021 MESSAGE ARCHIVE

First Methodist archives the weekly messages taught in our services via our YouTube channel. Stream any of these teachings below.

Message: The Blessing of Home by Pastor Tony Gatter, 12/26/21. Guest speaker Pastor Tony Gatter shares a message from Luke about what it means to be blessed. “Some people go their entire lives and never realize that God has already given them the gift they have always wanted—that they have always needed—that will satisfy them in their souls,” says Pastor Tony. “Because we have received Jesus, we are blessed.”

Message: Calm and Bright - Part 3 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 12/24/21. In his Christmas Eve message, Pastor Chris concludes the Calm and Bright series with a reminder that having peace is not dependent upon everything in our lives being "perfect."

Message: Calm and Bright - Part 2 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 12/19/21. “I’m going to tell you about a peace for when things aren’t peaceful,” says Pastor Chris. “We live in a world bent for conflict, but Jesus bends us toward peace.”

Message: Celebrate The Season 2021 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 12/12/21. Pastor Chris shares a message of hope, love, joy, and peace as he reminds us that Jesus was sent to restore us through the inner transformation of being born again.

Message: Calm and Bright - Part 1 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 12/5/21. In this message beginning a new series for Advent, Pastor Chris preaches on finding peace with God, teaching through the words of Isaiah to show how Jesus came in fulfillment of prophecy as the Prince of Peace.

Message: Established in Jesus - Part 3 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 11/28/21. In this message concluding the Established In Jesus series, Pastor Chris again looks to Colossians for a roadmap to navigate an increasingly bewildering world.

Message: WE Before ME by Tim Brinkman, 11/21/21. In this message based on Proverbs 17:17 and fleshed out through Romans 12, Tim Brinkman teaches on what it means to consider the needs of other before our ourselves and to engage in true "koinonia" fellowship through participation and contribution.

Message: Established in Jesus - Part 2 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 11/14/21. Continuing this message series in Colossians, Pastor Chris teaches about the sufficiency of Jesus. “Is Jesus sufficient for salvation, or is it ‘Jesus-plus’?” asks Pastor Chris. “It's all about a sufficient Christ who has offered Himself for me. I have no other plea before a holy God and no other plea is needed. Christ is enough."

Message: Established in Jesus - Part 1 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 11/7/21. “Who is Jesus to you?” asks Pastor Chris in this message opening a series in the book of Colossians. Outlining fifteen life-changing truths about Jesus found in the first chapter of Colossians, Pastor Chris teaches about the supremacy of Jesus Christ in all aspects of our life.

Message: One Conversation at a Time by Conner Brinson, 11/1/21. In this message from John 4, Conner Brinson shares the conversation Jesus had with the woman at the well to illustrate how we can have insightful, Spirit-led conversations with people that open doors, challenge and encourage them, and create opportunities to share the love of Jesus.

Message: All In - Part 4 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 10/24/21. In the final message in the All In series, Pastor Chris preaches about stewardship, challenging us to replace our me-centered mindset with one that puts Christ at the center of our lives. “Here's a different way to live your life: Jesus Christ is the center,” Pastor Chris says.

Message: All In - Part 3 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 10/17/21. “God’s an ‘All In’ kind of God,” Pastor Chris declares at the opening of this message about serving drawn from Romans 12. “God is looking for someone to go all in… Half-hearted devotion leads to misery. Surrender leads to Jesus.”

Message: All In - Part 2 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 10/10/21. Pastor Chris teaches on giving with a message from 2 Corinthians 8. “There are a lot of reasons people might give,” explains Pastor Chris. “Some give as a tax write-off… some give because they want to be recognized for their giving… some people might give because they think they might earn ‘brownie points’ with God… but giving is supposed to be a response to the grace of God.”

Message: All In - Part 1 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 10/3/21. Beginning a new message series entitled All In, Pastor Chris teaches about the fundamental importance of prayer, challenging us to a greater commitment as a church and as individual believers to a rich prayer life. "Jesus didn't say 'my house will be a house of preaching,'" teaches Pastor Chris. "He didn't say 'my house will be a house of singing.' He said, first and foremost, 'my house will be a house of prayer.'"

Message: Trip of a Lifetime - Part 4 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 9/26/21.

In this final message in the Trip of a Lifetime series, Pastor Chris teaches about our essential need for relationships. "You don't have to get very in the Bible to realize that we are made for relationships," Pastor Chris shares. "Genesis chapter one is the 'good chapter.' God makes the light and says 'it is good.' God separates the land from the waters, 'it is good.' God flings the galaxies into place, 'it is good.' The first time we encounter 'not good' is in Genesis chapter two when God looks down at Adam and says 'it is not good that man would be alone.'“

Message: Trip of a Lifetime - Part 3 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 9/19/21. With a message subtitled "Relationship Detox," Pastor Chris continues tohe Trip of a Lifetime series by preaching from Colossians 3. "Whatever we tolerate, we perpetuate," he explains as he challenges us to allow God to break cycles of dysfunction we've allowed to infiltrate our marriages, friendships, and relationships. "Pray for that person who has offended you. Pray God's blessings upon them. Forgive as Christ has forgiven you."

Message: Trip of a Lifetime - Part 2 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 9/12/21. In part two of the Trip of a Lifetime message series, Pastor Chris teaches about how our wounds can either build up our relationships or destroy them. “Whatever is in our hearts will come out in our words,” says Pastor Chris. “Words either speak life or death.”

Message: Trip of a Lifetime - Part 1 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 9/5/21. “The Bible points us toward something called covenant friendships,” says Pastor Chris as he opens this new message series. “And the first thing we see about covenant relationships is a spiritual component.”

Message: The Marks of Discipleship by Pastor Bob Phillips, 8/29/21. Guest speaker Pastor Bob Phillips preaches a message drawn from Mark 1:16-20 about the defining marks of those who follow Jesus as a disciple.

Message: WEIRD. by Tim Brinkman, 8/22/21. "Have you ever been called weird?" asks Tim Brinkman at the opening of this message drawn from 1 Peter 2. "In order for us to live out the highest calling we have on our lives from Jesus Himself, it requires that we're going to be weird. How weird are you willing to be in order to pursue the call of Jesus on your life?"

Message: Grace Under Pressure - Part 5 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 8/15/21. Concluding this message series, Pastor Chris teaches through Psalm 3, which was written by David after his kingdom and family were thrown into utter turmoil. “In a crisis, the main emotion we probably feel is overwhelmed,” says Pastor Chris. “In a crisis, I need clarity on what I see, what I believe, and what I pray.”

Message: Grace Under Pressure - Part 4 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 8/8/21. Teaching through Psalm 51, Pastor Chris shares a message about what we ought to do when we have failed. “You could almost draw the conclusion that David’s problems come from other people, and sometimes it's nice to think about all our problems being created by others,” says Pastor Chris. “But here’s one thing I’ve noticed: I’ve audited all the relationship disasters in my life, all the financial disasters, all the moral disasters in my life and there’s only one common denominator: me.”

Message: Grace Under Pressure - Part 3 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 8/1/21. In the third part of this message series, Pastor Chris teaches Psalm 57, which was written by David as he hid in a cave with his life threatened by King Saul.

Message: Grace Under Pressure - Part 2 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 7/25/21. In part two of this series, Pastor Chris explores further the link between the difficulties of David’s life and the psalms he wrote during those specific circumstances. Psalm 52 exemplifies David at his rawest and most transparent as he reacts to betrayal by pouring out his heart to God.

Message: Grace Under Pressure - Part 1 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 7/18/21. Pastor Chris launches a new series with a message based upon Psalm 59 about David’s struggles and how he sought God’s help in desperate times. “This is like a peek inside David’s prayer journal,” says Pastor Chris as he speaks on how God delivered David from, out of, and through the difficulties in our lives–and how we can depend on that same faithfulness from Him in our own lives.

Message: Rest by Gerald Aloran, 7/11/21. Pastor Gerald Aloran brings a message about the antidote to our overworked, overstuffed, and overstressed lives: God’s promise of divine, soul-renewing rest.

Message: True Freedom by Pastor Chris Ritter, 7/4/21. Preaching on Independence Day, Pastor Chris brings a message on the biblical definition of true freedom as found in Galatians 5. “Freedom is not the right to do what you want,” says Pastor Chris. “It is the power to do what you ought.”

Message: He Is My Shepherd by Conner Brinson, 6/27/21. In this message drawn from Psalm 23, Conner Brinson illustrates how completely and sacrificially God loves us—even when we are completely lost in sins that weigh us down and blind us.

Message: Rebuild, Revive, Refocus - Part 6 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 6/20/21. Concluding the Rebuild, Revive, Refocus message series, Pastor Chris teaches from Nehemiah 8, saying, "God is a rebuilding God and He has given us this amazing book to remind us of it.”

Message: Rebuild, Revive, Refocus - Part 5 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 6/13/21. Teaching from Nehemiah 6, Pastor Chris continues the Rebuild, Revive, Refocus series with a message about how to handle distractions and opposition—especially when engaged in the work of God.

Message: Rebuild, Revive, Refocus - Part 4 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 6/6/21. “There are always threats from outside, but the most dangerous attacks are the ones that come from within,” teaches Pastor Chris as he opens this message from the book of Nehemiah continuing the Rebuild, Revive, Refocus series. “For all the churches that fail because of what goes on around them, many more fail because of what happens within.

Message: Rebuild, Revive, Refocus - Part 3 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 5/30/21. Part 3 of the “Rebuild, Revive, Refocus” message series zeroes in on the opposition to God’s work depicted in Nehemiah 4.

Message: Rebuild, Revive, Refocus - Part 2 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 5/23/21. In part 2 of this message series from the book of Nehemiah, Pastor Chris highlights how God used Nehemiah—who didn’t fit the typical Old Testament mold of greatness—to accomplish amazing things. “Was Nehemiah a prophet, priest, or king?” asks Pastor Chris. “Nehemiah was none of these; he was just an ordinary guy who God used to do extraordinary things."

Message: Rebuild, Revive, Refocus - Part 1 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 5/16/21. Pastor Chris launches a new message series teaching from the book of Nehemiah. “Sometimes our tears are the nursery for ministry,” says Pastor Chris. “A lot of times great things begin with a broken heart. What breaks your heart?”

Message: Honor Your Mother by Pastor Chris Ritter, 5/9/21. In this Mother's Day message, Pastor Chris affirms the importance of mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters, and all women in instilling our faith in God.

Message: Troubled! by Pastor Tony Hawkins, 5/2/21. Pastor Tony Hawkins shares a bold challenge for the church to stand against racism and bigotry as he teaches from the Gospel of Luke.

Message: High Hopes – Part 3 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 4/25/21.

Concluding the High Hopes series, Pastor Chris answers questions about heaven submitted from our church family as he teaches from Revelation 21 on what he calls the “conquest by heaven.”

Message: High Hopes – Part 2 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 4/18/21. Teaching through the beginning of John 14, Pastor Chris continues this message series on what the Bible says about heaven.

Message: High Hopes - Part 1 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 4/11/21. Pastor Chris begins a new message series exploring what the Bible teaches us about heaven, beginning in the book of Daniel. “I’m going to give you a working definition of heaven,” says Pastor Chris. “Heaven is a home with the Father, opened prepared for us by Jesus, revealed to us by the Holy Spirit as a place of blessedness for the redeemed as we move together toward the ultimate triumphs of God’s grace.”

Message: This Changes Everything - Part 19 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 4/4/21. In this Easter Sunday message, Pastor Chris takes us through Luke’s account of Jesus’ miraculous resurrection from the dead. “It’s not that Jesus was missing,” says Pastor Chris, “it’s that Jesus was hunting. He came looking for his followers. And what I want you to know on this Easter is Jesus is hunting for you."

Message: This Changes Everything - Part 18 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 3/28/21. In this Palm Sunday message, Pastor Chris teaches through Luke 19 as we read about Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem and His lament for those who fail to respond to His call on their lives.

Message: This Changes Everything - Part 17 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 3/21/21. Pastor Chris teaches through Luke 13 with a message about putting our trust in God as we overcome our fears.

Message: This Changes Everything - Part 16 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 3/14/21. Pastor Chris teaches through Luke 11 where Jesus boldly called out the church leaders of His day about their emphasis on the external while they neglected their hearts.

Message: This Changes Everything - Part 15 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 3/7/21. In this message, Pastor Chris gives what he calls "truths to travel on" as he teaches through Luke 9 and shares Jesus' words on what it costs to follow Him.

Message: This Changes Everything - Part 14 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 2/28/21. Teaching through Luke 15 and what he calls "perhaps the most famous story ever told," Pastor Chris challenges us with Jesus' parable of the prodigal son. "What would it look like if we were at Luke 15 church?" he asks. "A win is when a prodigal comes home. A win is when someone says 'I will arise and go to my Father's house.' That is the most beautiful thing in the world."

Message: This Changes Everything - Part 13 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 2/21/21. In this message focused on the Prayer Parables of Jesus, Pastor Chris looks into Luke 18 and challenges us to "keep on seeking, keep on asking, keep on knocking" as we approach God and ask Him to provide peace, justice, and blessing.

Message: This Changes Everything - Part 12 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 2/14/21. Delivering a message on Valentine’s Day, Pastor Chris preaches on love—God’s astonishing, divine love, and how we are to share that love with others.

Message: This Changes Everything - Part 11 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 2/7/21. Pastor Chris begins a new section of this extended message series with a look into the parables of Jesus beginning with Luke 16:19​-31: the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.

Message: This Changes Everything - Part 10 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 1/31/21. Pastor Chris shares two amazing accounts of divine healing found in Luke 5:12​-26: the healing of a man with leprosy and a paralyzed man told by Jesus to “get up and walk” as he is filled with miraculous strength.

Message: This Changes Everything - Part 9 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 1/24/21. Continuing this message series through the Gospel of Luke, Pastor Chris teaches on Luke 4:16-30—Jesus’ first recorded sermon. Here we find one of the first instances of Jesus coming into conflict with His own people as He declares salvation is available to all people and not just God’s “chosen few.”

Message: This Changes Everything - Part 8 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 1/17/21. Pastor Chris teaches from Luke 3 and 4 and reveals insight on how solitude and temptation can affect our spiritual life. “You know what Jesus does every time Satan tempts Him?” asks Pastor Chris. “He quotes scripture... We need to have the Word of God in our hearts, not just on a shelf somewhere.

Message: This Changes Everything - Part 7 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 1/10/21. Pastor Chris teaches through Luke 1:1-18 and uses the ministry of John the Baptist, who preached a radical call to repentance, to challenge us to examine our own lives.

Message: This Changes Everything - Part 6 by Pastor Chris Ritter, 1/3/21. Teaching through the end of Luke 2, Pastor Chris begins a new chapter in this extended message series.