The Church @Fairfax

Betrayal is a terrible experience. It hurts so much because there is relationship, and the trust was violated. It hurts. Continuing with the Questions from Jesus series, Pastor Steven Merritt addresses the issue of betrayal, and asks believers if they have been betraying Jesus.

Continuing with Questions Jesus Asked, Pastor Steven tells us the account of the ten lepers Jesus healed on His way to Jerusalem. He tells us especially about the one leper that came back and why WE should be more like that leper.

What if I told you that there are many people who consider themselves believers who are likely committing a sin that is worse than witchcraft? That's shocking isn't it? A bold claim? Maybe, but Pastor Steven Merritt helps us understand that there are some things that God cannot stand as we continue our series on Questions Jesus Asked.

Some people believe they see clearly, but in truth they are blind. There IS a Truth, and that Truth is a person, Jesus. Pastor Dale Otto continues the sermon series that focuses on questions Jesus asked, and the truth His questions reveals.

A follower of Jesus will encounter supernatural things. In fact, living as a believer is a supernatural occurrence in and of itself. Often, however, we lean on our reason. And while reason is not a bad thing, sometimes what God is revealing to us will seem to contradict "reason," even though it does not. Join in the conversation as Pastor Steven Merritt begins a new sermon series on Questions Jesus Asked.

A follower of Jesus will encounter supernatural things. In fact, living as a believer is a supernatural occurrence in and of itself. Often, however, we lean on our reason. And while reason is not a bad thing, sometimes what God is revealing to us will seem to contradict "reason," even though it does not. Join in the conversation as Pastor Steven Merritt begins a new sermon series on Questions Jesus Asked.

Are you fighting a fight that has already been won? On this Resurrection Sunday, Pastor Steven Merritt reminds us that Jesus has already won the victory!

We have several prayers of Jesus written down in the Gospels. Perhaps the most well-known is His prayer recorded in The Gospel of John, chapter 17. There are a lot of things Jesus prayed for and about in this prayer. Was He praying for YOU? Pastor Steven Merritt starts a short sermon series called The Last Days of Jesus with this message.

This series has looked at how we can know God, and why we should want know Him. Now, in this final message of the series we consider why this is what God really wants, and what it means to us. Pastor Steven Merritt gives some insights from Scripture on how we can really please God.

Life is full of trade-offs. Not all trade-offs are good though, are they? Many people trade off one the most valuable opportunities they will ever have for something that is completely worthless. In this second message in the series To Know Him, Pastor Steven Merritt walks us through some of the things that so easily distract us from our true purpose.

What do you think of when you think of God? Do you believe it is possible to know Him? What if I told you He wants for you to know Him? You can be as close to God as you want to be. In this first sermon of the series To Know Him, Pastor Steven Merritt begins a brief study of the Book of Hosea. Many will be surprised at how closely our own culture parallels that of the Northern Kingdom of Israel before God allowed them to receive the punishment for their idolatry.

Many of us have things in our past that we believe disqualify us from serving God. We have shame, and fear, and we are just not convinced God wants us. And we definitely don't think He could ever use us. It may surprise you who God chooses. In fact, would you believe that God has chosen you? In this next to last message in the series God and the Underdogs, Pastor Steven Merritt offers some encouragement and insight that may help you see things differently.

We all doubt from time to time, don't we? Have you been there? Are you there right now? This message is for YOU! Gideon asked some important questions that you have probably asked too. In this third message of the "God and the Underdogs" series, Pastor Steven Merritt gives us God's answers to the doubter's questions.

Personal attacks hurt! When people are out to get you, what do you do? How should you respond? In this second message in the "God and the Underdogs" series, Pastor Steven Merritt offers some guidance on how to handle critics, EVEN if they are targeting you to kill you.

What's holding you back? For many it is the idea that they do not feel "real" or authentic. They do not believe they have the ability to do what they believe God is calling them to do. In this first message of the series, "God and the Underdogs," Pastor Steven Merritt offers some insights into our fears and hope for how we can overcome those fears.

There was a reason Herod was "disturbed" by the arrival of the magi searching for the one born to be King of the Jews. Those who are seeking God can learn some important life lessons from the magi, the wise guys. This coming year will be better or it will be worse, and YOU are the one who will determine what kind of year it will be. In this final message of the Questions of Christmas series, Pastor Steven Merritt offers some helps to the seekers.

Some say miracles happen every day, all around us. Others say there is no such thing as miracles. Are miracles possible? Is so, why do they happen, and when? In this second part of the Questions of Christmas, Pastor Steven Merritt takes a brief look at one miracle that changed the world, and answers why that miracle was needed.

Thanksgiving has not been completely commercialized...yet. But many find difficulty being thankful. Life is hard. But there is a way to have more joy even in difficulty. Anyone can have more joy, and the answer is closer than you might thing. Pastor Steven Merritt reminds his listeners of the power of relationships in this life.

When we feel out of control we cannot be at peace or feel contented. But what if we can only feel contented by giving up our control? In this final message of the Enough is Enough series, Pastor Dale Otto reminds us that our greatest need is to be in a loving relationship with our Creator God.

We hear a lot about God's love. Many struggle with the idea that God is loving AND that there is a literal hell. God's love and His judgment are often misunderstood. One does not make the other impossible - they are not mutually exclusive. Both are true - God is love and there is a judgment. But what does that mean to YOU? God loves you so much He wants you to escape that inevitable separation. In this third massage in the series Enough is Enough, Pastor Steven Merritt tries to help us grasp the love of God.

When you think about God, what do you think? What we think about when we think about God is important. How we view God is foundational to our ability to be content with life. In this second part of the Enough Is Enough sermon series, Pastor Steven Merritt offers some Scriptural insights to help you live a move content life.

The world is a bit unstable these days. When people feel a lack of stability they often tend to seek comfort and protection by acquiring things. This lack of contentment causes other problems. How can contentment set you free from this cycle? Pastor Steven Merritt teaches on contentment and the freedom it can bring, in this first message in the new series Enough is Enough.

Is the purpose of the Gospel to make the world better? Many believe so. Some believe that we are supposed to build God's Kingdom here on earth. Pastor Steven Merritt concludes the series of The Heart of the Church by exploring this idea.

Have you ever felt like you were left out, or maybe like you weren't sure what was going on? Part of our frustration often comes from our failure to recognize that we are not speaking the same language as those around us. It may sound the same, but it isn't connecting or communicating. Pastor Steven offers some helps for believers to connect and communicate better with fellow believers and unbelievers around them.

Statistics show that the "church" is declining, but the Church really on the rise. Have you ever been a part of a local church? What is it you look for? More importantly, what do you LONG for in a church? In this first message of the series The Heart of the Church, Pastor Steven Merritt and Pastor Dale Otto take a look at the vision the founder of the Church had for it.

There IS evil in this world. You have seen it. You have experienced it. Would it surprise you to know that evil is out to get you? In this final message of the series on The Lord's Prayer, Pastor Steven Merritt shares the hope of our rescue from evil.

When someone harms us we say they "owe" us an apology. This is an expression of a type of social debt that person has incurred. As believers we should be forgiving others even as God forgave us. We should be practicing "debt forgiveness." In this final message of the series on The Lord's Prayer, Pastor Steven Merritt gives some ideas to make it easier to forgive others.

We are all scared of not having enough. We fear running out of what we need. We fear WANT. In some ways living in fear of want guarantees we will lack what we need. That is not a psychological analysis, it is a spiritual reality. In this fourth message in a series on the Lord's Prayer, Pastor Steven Merritt teaches about asking God for your needs.

Have you ever had a prayer answered but it wasn't really what you wanted? What if if was answered but you didn't see it because it wasn't what you were looking for? Pastor Steven Merritt continues teaching on what many people refer to as "The Lord's Prayer" in third part of this series.

Do you believe that prayer works? That question itself is a loaded question. What IS prayer? How does it work? Pastor Steven Merritt explores what prayer is and how we "should" pray, in this first message of a series exploring The Lord's Prayer.

Are you facing an overwhelming obstacle in your life? Have you ever wished you had a secret code to get through? Pastor Steven Merritt gives some suggestions for living the life you were meant to live, in this final message in the Summer in the Psalms series.

We live in an anxious world, don't we? So many people struggle with worry and anxiety. There is a reason, and there is a fix. Pastor Steven Merritt offers some insights about the source and cure for worry, in this fourth message in the Summer in the Psalms series.

Everybody, and I mean everybody worships. When most people hear the word "worship" they have a lot of preconceived notions about what it is and where it happens. We may even have ideas about what worship SHOULD be. Pastor Steven Merritt offers some insights about worship, what it is and who it's for, in this third message in the Summer in the Psalms series.

We tend to gravitate towards people with whom we have things in common - that is natural. But why can't we seem to even get along with people with whom we DON'T agree? Do we have to agree with someone in order to get along? More to the point, how can we get along with someone when we don't agree with them? In this second sermon in the Summer In the Psalms series, Pastor Steven offers some helpful guidance and challenging suggestions. A PDF of the study guide is available on request.

Trust is the foundation of a healthy relationship. That is true of the follower of Jesus too. Every day God is asking us to trust Him. Do you trust God? Can you trust God? This message is the first in the series Summer in the Psalms with Pastor Steven Merritt.

A lot of people struggle with trust. Whether or not you trust God WILL have direct implications on how you choose to live your life. Pastor Steven Merritt also teaches about what influences our choices in this final message of the series entitled Set Apart.

There is popular opinion that has a strong hold on many believers today - the belief that it is "Jesus and me." Can a believer LIVE as a follower of Jesus without fellow believers? Pastor Steven Merritt takes this idea head on in this third message in the series, Set Apart.

We are celebrating the birthday of God's supernatural creation, The Church. But is "The Church" still relevant today, or is it an outdated idea of men? Pastor Steven Merritt suggests some problems we encounter just by the very words we choose and expectations many people have.

Many believers think it is impossible to live a holy life. Those who believe that either never try or accept a life of defeat. Why SHOULD we even try to live a holy life? What does that mean anyway? Pastor Steven Merritt offers helpful guidance to these and other questions in the second message in the series, Set Apart.

Many believers think it is impossible to live a holy life. Those who believe that either never try or accept a life of defeat. Why SHOULD we even try to live a holy life? What does that mean anyway? Pastor Steven Merritt offers helpful guidance to these and other questions in the first message in the series, Set Apart.

Many people who have accepted Jesus as their Lord continue to be held captive by sin. Pastor Steven Merritt offers help for those hoping to be free from the power of sin in their life.

We typically view ourselves as the hero of our own story. In reality we are the captives in need of rescue. Sadly we are typically held captive by our own choice. This message by Pastor Steven Merritt helps us discover how we can be set free.

We as humans have learned to doubt everything. Sometimes Christians don't believe doubt is a good thing, but it CAN lead to good things. Doubt doesn't have to be the end of your story. This is the fourth message looking at "The Twelve" with Pastor Steven Merritt.

Love is one of the most common themes in all entertainment and in our culture. It is misunderstood and mischaracterized more often than not though. This is the third message looking at "The Twelve" with Pastor Steven Merritt.

Many say they want to follow Jesus, but they want to keep doing what they were doing before. Let's take a look at Matthew and how he followed Jesus when Jesus called him to follow. This is the second message looking at "The Twelve" with Pastor Steven Merritt, Lead Pastor of The Church at Fairfax (Cincinnati, Ohio) is the speaker.

This is part 3 of the sermon series entitled Not Your Jesus, which challenges believers to fight against the temptation to make Jesus in OUR image and turning Him into a means to gain power or comfort. Pastor Steven Merritt, Lead Pastor of The Church at Fairfax (Cincinnati, Ohio) is the speaker.

This is part 2 of the sermon series entitled Not Your Jesus, which challenges believers to fight against the temptation to make Jesus in OUR image and turning Him into a means to gain power or comfort. Pastor Steven Merritt, Lead Pastor of The Church at Fairfax (Cincinnati, Ohio) is the speaker.

This is part 1 of the sermon series entitled Not Your Jesus, which challenges believers to fight against the temptation to make Jesus in OUR image and turning Him into a means to gain power or comfort. Pastor Steven Merritt, Lead Pastor of The Church at Fairfax (Cincinnati, Ohio) is the speaker.

This is part 4 of the sermon series entitled Made for This, which focuses on worship. Pastor Steven Merritt, Lead Pastor of The Church at Fairfax (Cincinnati, Ohio) is the speaker.

This is part 3 of the sermon series entitled Made for This, which focuses on worship. Pastor Steven Merritt, Lead Pastor of The Church at Fairfax (Cincinnati, Ohio) is the speaker.