In this Senior Sunday message, we explore what it means to trust God with the next chapter of life and live with lasting influence. Instead of chasing success, recognition, or control, believers are called to walk closely with Jesus and stay faithful in the everyday moments.

This message encourages listeners to stop trying to write their own story and instead trust the Author holding the pen. No matter your age or season of life, God can use your faithfulness today to make an eternal impact.

Key Insights:

• Trusting God’s presence matters more than trying to control every future decision.
• Spiritual influence is built through daily faithfulness, not just big moments.
• Chasing purpose without staying close to God leads to emptiness and burnout.
• Living intentionally today matters more than constantly waiting for the next season.
• Christian community and accountability help believers remain faithful through every chapter of life.

Speaker: Chip Paul
Series: Senior Sunday 2026
Location: Burnt Hickory Baptist Church

Connect with us:
° Watch this sermon on YouTube
° Follow us on Facebook
° Follow us on Instagram
° Visit our website

In Acts 28, Paul finally reaches Rome after years of obedience, hardship, and waiting. Even while under house arrest, he continues to welcome people, share the gospel, and teach about Jesus without hesitation.

This message focuses on what it means to live on mission in everyday life. It challenges us to use our influence, recognize open doors, and move beyond simply knowing about Jesus to inviting others to follow Him.

Key Insights:

• A godly reputation creates opportunities to influence others for Christ.
• Every season of life holds opportunities to share the gospel, even when circumstances are not ideal.
• Living on mission requires intentional awareness of the people and moments around us.
• Sharing truth should include both clear explanation and a direct invitation to respond.
• The mission of the gospel continues through each believer and is not limited to a specific time or place.

Scripture Focus: Acts 28

Speaker: Matt Petty
Series: To the Ends of the Earth
Location: Burnt Hickory Baptist Church

Connect with us:
° Watch this sermon on YouTube
° Follow us on Facebook
° Follow us on Instagram
° Visit our website

In Acts 21 through 26, Paul faces intense opposition, arrest, and pressure from every direction. Yet instead of retreating, he continues to obey God, trust His promises, and share the gospel.

This message explores how believers can walk in God’s power during difficult seasons. It reminds us that trials are not the end of the story and that even in hardship, God is present, working, and using every moment for His purpose.

Key Insights:

• Obedience to God matters more than the opinions or warnings of others.
• God’s promises remain true even when circumstances feel uncertain or overwhelming.
• Trials can become opportunities to share faith and point others to Jesus.
• Trusting God in difficult seasons strengthens spiritual endurance and perspective.
• Living with integrity and a clear conscience reflects a life grounded in faith.

Scripture Focus Acts 22

Speaker: Matt Petty
Series: To the Ends of the Earth
Location: Burnt Hickory Baptist Church

Connect with us:
° Watch this sermon on YouTube
° Follow us on Facebook
° Follow us on Instagram
° Visit our website

In Acts 20, Paul reflects on his life and gives a clear picture of what mattered most. Faithfulness to God’s calling. Proclaiming the gospel. Living with humility. Finishing strong.

This message invites listeners to examine their own lives through those same questions. It is not about perfection. It is about direction. Are we living in a way that points people to Jesus and reflects a life fully surrendered to Him.

Key Insights:

• Faithfulness is not about doing everything. It is about doing what God has specifically called you to do.
• Sharing the gospel is a responsibility for every believer, not just a select few.
• A life that points to Jesus requires humility and a shift away from self-focus.
• Finishing strong is built through daily obedience, not one-time decisions.
• A meaningful life is marked by giving, serving, and adding value to others rather than taking.

Scripture Focus: Acts 20:7

Speaker: Matt Petty
Series: To the Ends of the Earth
Location: Burnt Hickory Baptist Church

Connect with us:
° Watch this sermon on YouTube
° Follow us on Facebook
° Follow us on Instagram
° Visit our website

In this Palm Sunday message from Mark 11, we look at the different groups of people surrounding Jesus during Passion Week. Some wanted something from Him. Some trusted themselves more than Him. Some showed up but stayed distant. And a few fully surrendered.

This message challenges us to honestly evaluate our relationship with Jesus and consider what it means to follow Him as Lord, not just in words but in our lives.

Key Insights:

• Following Jesus for what He can do leads to unstable faith that shifts with circumstances.
• Trusting personal understanding over God’s truth keeps people from fully surrendering.
• Religious activity without surrender can create distance instead of relationship.
• True discipleship begins with recognizing Jesus as Lord, not just helper.
• Honest self-evaluation is necessary to move from casual belief to full commitment.

Scripture Focus: Mark 11:1

Speaker: Matt Petty
Location: Burnt Hickory Baptist Church

Connect with us:
° Watch this sermon on YouTube
° Follow us on Facebook
° Follow us on Instagram
° Visit our website

In this message from John 21, we witness Jesus appear to His disciples on the shores of Galilee after His resurrection. Rather than rebuking them for going back to fishing, He prepares them breakfast—a powerful invitation to return, be restored, and walk forward in faith. This sermon explores how spiritual failure often pushes us back to old habits, but Jesus lovingly calls us to trust Him again. If you're feeling distant, discouraged, or spiritually stuck, this message offers hope and direction.

Key Insights:

1. Spiritual failure isn’t the end—Jesus meets us in it.
2. Obedience matters more than intention.
3. Life lived in your own strength leads to fruitless effort.
4. Jesus doesn’t just restore; He re-commissions.
5. When God speaks, your best move is to jump.

Scripture: John 21

Speaker: Matt Petty
Series: Restored and Sent
Location: Burnt Hickory Baptist Church

Connect with us:
° Watch this sermon on YouTube
° Follow us on Facebook
° Follow us on Instagram
° Visit our website

Have you ever felt like your questions and doubts disqualify you from faith? You're not alone. The reality is that doubt is something virtually all Christians experience at some point in their faith journey.
We’ll challenge the one-dimensional view of "Doubting Thomas" by revealing six dimensions of his faith journey that are often overlooked. Through Thomas's story in the Gospel of John, we discover a disciple who was:

1. Willing to Sacrifice - When others hesitated to follow Jesus into danger, Thomas boldly declared, "Let us also go that we may die with him" (John 11:16)
2. Prepared to Follow - Even when uncertain of the destination, Thomas honestly asked questions to better understand and follow Jesus
3. Fully Honest - Rather than pretending to believe, Thomas expressed his doubts openly
4. Supported with Evidence - Jesus didn't rebuke Thomas for his questions but provided the evidence he needed
5. Stronger Than He Gets Credit For - Thomas made one of the strongest confessions of faith in scripture: "My Lord and my God!"
6. A Faith That Spreads to Others - Thomas's journey from doubt to conviction continues to help countless believers

You’ll walk away with a new perspective to never allow a season of doubt to limit your future walk with and effectiveness for Jesus. God is big enough to handle your questions and has given us all the evidence we need.
Whether you're currently wrestling with questions or walking alongside someone who is, this message offers practical hope that doubt can be a doorway to deeper belief rather than a dead end.

Speaker: Matt Petty
Series: Restored & Sent
Location: Burnt Hickory Baptist Church

Connect with us:
° Watch this sermon on YouTube
° Follow us on Facebook
° Follow us on Instagram
° Visit our website

Set during Jesus' final moments with His disciples before His crucifixion, this sermon reveals how Jesus used Jewish wedding customs to illustrate His relationship with believers. Just as a Jewish bridegroom would prepare a place for his bride and return for her, Jesus promises to prepare heavenly dwellings for His followers and come back for them.

Key Insights:

• Jesus doesn't just show us a path—He IS the destination
• Christianity isn't about religious performance but about "knowing, growing, and walking closer with Jesus, our eternal Savior"
• From our first breath of faith to our final earthly moment, our relationship with Christ should be growing more intimate
• Jesus patiently addresses His disciples' confusion and questions, showing us how He meets us in our uncertainty

Key Scripture: John 14

This message concludes with an invitation for believers who haven't yet been baptized to take this first step of obedience in their Christian walk.

As Jesus tells His troubled disciples: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father's house has many rooms... I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."

Whether you're new to faith or have been following Jesus for years, this message will deepen your understanding of what it truly means to follow Christ as the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Speaker: Matt Petty
Series: Power and Promise
Location: Burnt Hickory Baptist Church

Connect with us:
° Watch this sermon on YouTube
° Follow us on Facebook
° Follow us on Instagram
° Visit our website

We want to show and receive God’s love to those around us, and we live that out practically everyday. We strive to bring hope by meeting physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of everyone we come in contact with. We love fiercely—like a family, because everyone is included and our Father loves us all. We’re building biblical community by seeking God’s Word, believing in His promises, and applying what we learn everyday.

Our hope is that you and your family find a home with us where you can learn, grow, live, and thrive in Christ Jesus. We’re a multi-generational church with something to offer everyone in your family. Join us for an online or on-campus Sunday morning worship service, and take the next step in your journey with us!

Special Guest: Chris Lovell.