Embracing the Heart of Forgiveness

Sermon Recap, Will Pannell

In a world that often seems unforgiving, the concept of “countless second chances” stands as a beacon of hope and grace. This idea, deeply rooted in biblical teachings, challenges us to look beyond our hurts and embrace a mindset of forgiveness that mirrors the very heart of God. The Power of Shaping Our Hearts At […]

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Using Money to Shape Our Hearts for God’s Kingdom

Sermon Recap, Will Pannell

In a world obsessed with accumulation and self-preservation, the concept of generosity can seem counterintuitive. Yet, as we delve deeper into the spiritual realm, we discover that generosity is not just a noble act – it’s a transformative force that shapes our hearts and aligns our lives with God’s purpose. Consider this profound truth from […]

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The Lost Art of Radical Generosity

Sermon Recap, Will Pannell

In our fast-paced, digital world, we’ve lost something precious – the art of radical generosity. Remember the days when we’d pay with cash and tell the cashier to “keep the change”? That simple act of kindness has largely disappeared in our debit card era. Instead, we’ve shifted to a mindset of keeping every penny for […]

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Demonstrating the Power of the Gospel: More Than Just Words

Sermon Recap, Will Pannell

In our journey of faith, we often find ourselves talking about the life-changing power of Jesus. We speak of hope, life, and the good news of Christ. But how often do we actually demonstrate this power in our daily lives? It’s one thing to tell someone about the horsepower of a car, its smooth ride, […]

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Grace and Truth in Love


Will Pannell

A couple weeks ago, Pastor Carl Lentz, from Hillsong New York, was on the day-time show “The View”. He was asked point blank if abortion was a sin. Lentz replied, “That’s the kind of conversation we would have finding out your story, where you’re from, what you believe … God’s the judge. People have to […]

November 29, 2017

Missions


Will Pannell

Walking through Walmart, a child, about 7 years old, ran up and gave me the biggest hug ever!! Now this happens in Church on a somewhat regular basis—with a couple kids in particular—and I love it!! The difference here is Walmart though; I had no clue who this child was!! It filled my heart with […]

November 8, 2017

An Over Grown Garden


Will Pannell

A year ago, Mechanicsville Church of Christ (MCC) went to Mechanicsville Elementary School (MES) for a service day. MES had a learning garden that became over grown and was in terrible condition. We pulled up grass and weeds, put new weed blocker down, and mulch! It was great! It was fun and at the end […]

October 4, 2017

Joys of Ministry


Will Pannell

I grew up a preacher’s kid. I have several friends who grew up as a preacher’s kid as well and swore they would be homeless before going into ministry. Not me. I decided my freshman year of high school to go into ministry. My dad was great about showing me a little more behind the […]

August 23, 2017

Your Choice


Will Pannell

“How does that make you feel?” This phrase is often used, not by real counselors, but Hollywood’s depiction of counseling. I learned early on in a counseling class to never ever ask, “How does that make you feel?” It is great to ask, “How do you feel…” or even “How did you feel…” but never […]

July 20, 2017

My Rights


Will Pannell

I’ve heard a lot of my peers talk about the importance of their rights. Their right to free speech, free way of life, and free to do whatever they like. There is a mindset among many, that no one should be allowed to tell me what to do except for me. It’s not just millennials. […]

June 28, 2017

Social Apathy


Will Pannell

“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The other day I was telling someone about the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. You may not recognize the name, but you’ve heard him quoted. Bonhoeffer is a household name among Christian […]

June 21, 2017

What Should I Wear to Church?


Will Pannell

Since the beginning of my ministry I have wrestled with the question of what to wear to Church. To those who do not go to Church, worrying about what to wear may sound like a petty topic. Yet to those within the Church, it is so easily divisive. I’ve had conversations with individuals all along […]

May 26, 2017

Slowing Down


Will Pannell

We live in a busy world! Between work, hobbies, kids, sports, church, and everything else, there is little time for eating some days. Even though there are always 24 hours in a day, the older we get, the faster time goes and there’s even less time to get more done. This last week, the praise […]

May 18, 2017

Easter Sunday


Will Pannell

It never ceases to amaze me how different church attendance is between Easter Sunday and the Sunday after Easter. I heard on the radio the other day of a church in Texas expecting 24,000 for Easter yet only 8,000 the Sunday after. Easter is the one Sunday a year where “Christians” who do not attend […]

May 10, 2017