In this installment of his ongoing Bible study series on Genesis chapter 3, Michael examines verses 11-16, delving into God's confrontation with Adam and Eve after their disobedience, their attempts to shift blame onto one another and the serpent, and the subsequent divine judgments. He emphasizes the importance of true repentance and full ownership of sin rather than deflection, contrasts Satan's immediate condemnation with humanity's opportunity for redemption, and highlights the protoevangelium in verse 15—the first gospel promise of the seed of the woman crushing the serpent's head, foreshadowing Christ's victory over Satan. Michael connects these events to broader themes of human brokenness, the consequences of the Fall (including multiplied pain in childbirth and marital dynamics), the reality of spiritual warfare, and God's sovereign grace that shines even amid curses, ultimately framing the tragedy of paradise lost within the hopeful context of redemption through Jesus Christ.

In the second message of our series called Even Though, Pastor Mel further surveys the question, "What is hope?" by exploring the Old Testament book of Habakkuk. Defining hope as the joyful anticipation of good, he contrasts the prophet's honest complaints about suffering and injustice with God's powerful responses, highlighting key verses like Habakkuk 2:2-3 (write the vision and wait for it) and 2:4 (the righteous shall live by faith). Building to the climax in chapter 3, Mel emphasizes Habakkuk's resolve to rejoice in the Lord and find strength in God "even though" every circumstance fails—no blossoms, no fruit, no food, no herds—pointing to God's past mighty acts of salvation and His promise to revive His work with mercy amid wrath. The message closes with a stirring call to live with this same "yet" faith: trembling at God's power but quietly waiting and rejoicing in Him as the God of our salvation, no matter what comes.

In the first message of our series called Even Though, Pastor Mel explored Psalm 23:4, emphasizing that biblical hope is a joyful anticipation of good rooted in God's external promises rather than mere wishful thinking. Drawing parallels between faith—which often relates to past, present, and relational trust in Jesus—and future-oriented hope, he focused on the verse's powerful declaration: even while walking through the valley of deep darkness or the shadow of death, believers need not fear evil because the Lord, as the Good Shepherd, is personally present with them. Mel highlighted the comforting role of the shepherd's rod and staff as tools of protection and guidance, connected God's provision and protection in verses 1-4 to Jesus fulfilling Old Testament promises in John 10, and wove in the Christmas story from Luke 2 and Matthew 1, where angels repeatedly proclaim "fear not" because Immanuel—"God with us"—has come to bring peace and great joy. Ultimately, he acknowledged the honest struggle that even though we know God is with us, fear can still arise, yet the presence of the Shepherd remains our source of unshakable comfort and hope.

In his sermon "Called to the Wall" from Nehemiah 2:17-18, Pastor Jim powerfully challenges the church to hear and respond to the desperate cry of "Someone help us!" that echoes from broken lives all around—from persecuted believers and unreached tribes to struggling neighbors and those battling illness or identity confusion. Drawing from Nehemiah’s example, he shows how a holy calling begins not with strategy or resources, but with tears and sorrow over people living in disgrace because the protective "walls" of God’s presence and purpose lie in ruins. Pastor Jim urges believers to let those tears soften their hearts, reject anger and blame, and say a resolute "Let us rise up and build!"—knowing that opposition will come the moment gaps begin to close, yet God’s covenant promises and prospering power far outweigh every mocking voice. Ultimately, the sermon is a stirring call for every person in the room to return to the wall, take their assigned place alongside their family, and partner with Jesus in rebuilding lives so that disgrace is replaced with the salvation, praise, and restored dwelling place only God’s grace can bring.

Michael teaches from Genesis 3:6-10, tracing Eve’s fatal glance at the forbidden fruit, her eating, and Adam’s silent participation. He asks: Why did the fruit suddenly seem no different from any other—have you ever “generalized” a sin until God’s clear command disappeared? What makes forbidden things feel uniquely desirable, and how does Satan still twist the promise of wisdom into rebellion against the One who is Wisdom? Michael walks through the chilling steps of sin—coveting with the eyes, taking with the hands, consuming, then recruiting another—and presses listeners: At which step could Eve have turned back, and where do you still have time today? Amid the sudden shame, nakedness, and hiding, he lingers on God’s gentle question, “Where are you?" When you hear the Lord walking toward you in the cool of the day, do you run to Him or hide? Ultimately, the episode points to Christ, the Second Adam who covers our shame, leaving listeners with the haunting hope: Will you let the Accuser keep you naked and afraid, or will you let the Good Shepherd clothe you and bring you home?

In the eighth message of our series called Feasts, Pastor Stef taught that the Sabbath is not merely a rule to obey but a profound gift from God designed to expose and heal our areas of distrust. Drawing from the Israelites’ grumbling in Exodus 16, she showed how their complaints about hunger revealed a deeper lack of trust in God’s provision, and how God responded by giving the Sabbath—with double manna on the sixth day—as a weekly opportunity to practice dependence on Him. The Sabbath, Stef emphasized, declares our trust in God’s care when we deliberately cease work, rest, and play, reminding us that we are loved not for what we produce but for who we are. Ultimately, as Jesus declared in Mark 2, the Sabbath was made for our good, inviting us to stop striving, renew our minds, and experience transformation by living in the reality that the Son of Man is Lord even over the Sabbath.

In his sermon on the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), Pastor Mel teaches that this joyful seven-day biblical festival, celebrated each fall after the harvest, was designed by God to remind Israel of His faithful provision during the wilderness years when they lived in temporary shelters, while also pointing forward to greater spiritual realities fulfilled in Christ. Drawing from Leviticus 23, he highlights the command to dwell in booths, rejoice with branches, and rest on the first and eighth days, noting how Jesus Himself attended this feast and, on its climactic last day, stood in the Temple and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink,” promising rivers of living water—the Holy Spirit—who would later be poured out at Pentecost and, as Joel prophesied and Peter confirmed, continues to be poured out upon all flesh in the last days. Mel connects the temporary tents of Sukkot to Paul’s imagery of our earthly bodies as tents awaiting an eternal house from God, encouraging the congregation to live in joyful expectation of the ultimate ingathering when Christ returns and we tabernacle forever with Him.

Mel, Michael, and Joel discuss how to properly preach difficult passages of scripture like those found in Leviticus. How does understanding these texts transform the way you understand the rest of scripture? Next they talk about the Marriage Encounter which featured special guest Debra Fileta. What made this event so impactful? The conversation finishes with the connection between postmillennial eschatology and authoritarian dystopia. Why does this view lend itself to Christian autocracy? Are these abstract ideas even relevant to us?

In the sixth message of our series called Feasts, Mel teaches about the Feast of Atonement (Yom Kippur). This message centers on the profound significance of atonement as described in Leviticus 16 and its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Drawing from Leviticus 23:26-32, Mel explains the ancient rituals of Yom Kippur, where the high priest, Aaron, entered the Most Holy Place to offer sacrifices for the sins of Israel, including the scapegoat that symbolically carried the people's sins into the wilderness. He highlights the gravity of approaching God’s presence, referencing the deaths of Aaron’s sons and the massive veil separating the Holy of Holies. Mel connects these Old Testament practices to the New Testament, emphasizing Hebrews 9:11-15 and 10:19-22, which portray Jesus as the ultimate High Priest and Lamb of God, whose sacrifice tore the veil and opened direct access to God’s presence. He underscores that Christ’s blood, unlike the temporary animal sacrifices, provides eternal redemption, inscribing believers’ names in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Revelation 3:5), inviting all into a reconciled relationship with God through faith.

Mel, Michael, and Joel discuss what to do if you experience trials which leave you feeling like less of a person. Can we be certain God will make us better as we walk through difficult seasons? What if God doesn't restore to us what was lost? Next they discuss the maturation required of men if they want to succeed in marriage. What is the biblical difference between a boy and a man? They also touch on the connection between exhaustion and moral failure. What part of exhaustion lends itself to moral failure? They finish the conversation trying to find the balance between fatalism and a messiah-complex, as well as discussing the heresy of memorialism.

Michael continues working through Genesis by opening chapter three. This chapter represents the first inflection point in the biblical narrative. This is the moment when the serpent deceives Eve and initiates the fall of man. Expect to learn how the story of Adam and Eve losing paradise lays the groundwork for the gospel of Jesus Christ. How are Adam and Jesus connected? This study examines the character of Satan to see what patterns are shaped by his deceptions. What should you look for? If we have common ancestry in Adam and Eve, what can we do to be certain we don't succumb to similar temptations?

In the fifth message of our series called Feast, Pastor Mel explains the Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah), a biblical holy day outlined in Leviticus 23:23-25 and Numbers 29:1-6, emphasizing its significance as a time of solemn rest, remembrance, and spiritual renewal, marked by the sounding of the shofar (ram’s horn). He highlights its role as Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, initiating the 10 Days of Awe for introspection and repentance, and explores its multifaceted biblical symbolism—calling Israel to renewal, obedience, gathering, war, submission, worship, and repentance, as seen in scriptures like Exodus 19:16-20, Numbers 10:1-4, Joel 2:1, and others. Mel connects the feast to New Testament eschatology, particularly in 1 Corinthians 15:50-55 and 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18, where the trumpet blast signifies the transformation and gathering of believers at Christ’s return, portraying Yom Teruah as both a historical observance and a prophetic foreshadowing of God’s ultimate redemption and judgment.

Mel, Michael, and Joel discuss how authoritative commands given by God were part of the pre-Fall perfected order and therefore should be considered altruistically good today. God's commands do not make us less than we could be. Why do some people resist relationship with Jesus Christ because they're afraid of restrictions? Are restrictions even bad? Next they talk about the role of holy fear in Christianity. What does it look like to fear the Lord? The conversation finishes with a proposition that egalitarianism doesn't scale entirely from church policy to household familial dynamics.

Michael continues working through Genesis by finishing chapter two. In this study we’ll see God make His first ever covenant with humanity when He prohibits Adam from eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God determined it was not good for Adam to be alone, so He made Eve from the bone of Adam. The man and woman are joined in a union which represents the very first human marriage. What does it mean to be awake to your own vulnerabilities? What does the dynamic between Adam and Eve teach us about how men and women should treat each other? What can the perfection of Adam's circumstances in the garden teach us about how we consider our own families today?

In the fourth message of our series called Feasts, Pastor Mel explains the Jewish "Shavuot" which means "Weeks". God instituted the feasts so the people of Israel would celebrate His provision, memorialize significant events, and foreshadow things to come. The Feast of Weeks celebrates the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, as well as the wheat harvest in the land of Israel. Pentecost is the Greek name for the Feast of Weeks which occurs 50 days after the Feast of Firstfruits. God orchestrated the feast schedule so that a crowd of Jews from various nations were gathered into one place when the Holy Spirit was poured out on them. Robert Baer said, "Bethlehem was God with us, Calvary was God for us, and Pentecost is God in us."

In the third message of our series called Feasts, Pastor Mel explains the timeless biblical principles represented by the Hebrew feast of firstfruits. In scripture the Jewish feasts are instituted to celebrate God's provision, remember significant events, and foreshadow things to come. The feast of firstfruits represents the biblical principle of "firsts" which points to the reality of God's own preeminence. God is first whether we believe He is or not. Putting God first in our lives will facilitate a proper affection for everything else which is important to us. Like Abel in Genesis chapter 4, we must give our first and our best to God because we are our best selves when we put God first.

Mel, Michael, and Joel discuss the value of large Christian conferences. What can a conference provide which normal church services or discipleship cannot? What happens to a person whose Christianity is limited to attending conferences? Next they discuss what your prayers should be like in the midst of terminal illness. How can we stand behind the nobility of asking God to use our deaths to glorify Himself when we really don't want to die? The conversation finishes with a possible misapprehension about God's calling you somewhere. If God wants to move you on to new or different things, won't he just do it? Shouldn't we be focused on being faithful and obedient right where we are?

In part two of our series called Feasts, Pastor Mel explains the feast of unleavened bread. Jewish feasts were instituted to celebrate God's provision, remember significant events, and foreshadow things to come. Preaching through Exodus chapter 12, Mel shows how the feast of unleavened bread represented the Hebrews' separation from the sin of Egypt. Today we understand the doctrine of unleavened bread as a call to holiness. Paul elaborates on this call in 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 when he says, "Don’t you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old 'yeast' by removing this wicked person from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are. Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us. So let us celebrate the festival, not with the old bread of wickedness and evil, but with the new bread of sincerity and truth."

Mel, Michael, and Joel discuss the role of stoicism in the Christian faith. Should Christians aspire to live a life of stable equilibrium as opposed to manic highs and despairing lows? What's the difference between stoicism and self-control? Next they talk about infertility. If children are conceived by the sovereign will of God, does that mean infertility is God's will? How should you counsel couples who are struggling with infertility? How should Christians view artificial methods like IVF or surrogacy? The conversation finishes on the topic of exchanging your soul for worldly gain. Why would anyone do this? What does it feel like to lose your soul?

Michael opens the second chapter of Genesis with a closer look at the creation of Adam and Eve. This passage represents the opening of what is called the Yahwist account of creation. These verses mark the first place in scripture where God is titled Jehovah-Elohim, a compound name emphasizing His character as "all-powerful creator of perfection." Expect to learn why the breath of God is central to the value for human life. This passage presents a view of the paradisal Garden of Eden and reveals humanity's very first covenant with God. Is the fear of losing what we love really enough deterrant to restrain us from sin?