Appleton Gospel Church

Roughly 3,000 years ago, King David was the most powerful and successful king of ancient Israel. David’s reign brought peace, prosperity, and plans to build the temple before handing the kingdom to his chosen son, Solomon. How would young Solomon handle living in the shadow of his great father’s legacy? Would he learn to be a wise and godly king? Could he overcome the plotting of his enemies, the dysfunction of his family, and the temptations of virtually unlimited wealth, fame, and women? What would be his legacy? Read more...

What exactly does spiritual growth look like? And what kinds of things help people grow in their faith? We love it when people become Christians, but this is only the beginning! The whole rest of the Christian life is about growing as a disciple of Jesus. The call to discipleship is a call to be with Jesus, learn the way of Jesus, and be transformed by Jesus. Read more...

The Great Commission of Jesus, given to his disciples after Jesus rose from the dead, means that every Christian has a mission. To do what exactly? To help people come to faith and grow in their faith! The story of Philip and the Ethiopian official is a great case study for how to help people come to faith in Jesus. Read more...

The unlikely victory of the Jews in Persia, brought about by the wisdom, humility, and courage of Esther and Mordecai, was commemorated by the Festival of Purim. However, the entire book of Esther raises a crucial question: Where is God in this story? Read more...

Will God allow evil and injustice to prevail? Will God allow his enemies to win and his people to lose? The dramatic reversal of the downfall of Haman and the rise of Mordecai prevented the annihilation of the Jews in Persia. But this victory points to the truth that ultimately, God will not allow evil and injustice to prevail because of the person and work of Jesus. Read more...

Queen Esther displayed great wisdom and courage in facing King Xerxes to intercede on behalf of the Jewish people. And in a dramatic reversal, her plan works! Haman falls into his own trap prepared for Mordecai and gets the justice he deserved. In Esther's story, and elsewhere in the Bible, God uses faithful people to accomplish his justice and rescue his people. Read more...

In response to Haman's evil plot, Esther demonstrated remarkable wisdom and courage in making her appeal to King Xerxes. Then, seemingly coincidentally, the king remembered that Mordecai had saved his life and decided to honor him, much to the embarrassment of Haman! Was this God's hidden hand at work? One thing is sure: God's providence is never late. Read more...

What do you do when your circumstances are messed up and you don't have enough control to fix it yourself? The big question is this: Are you ready to do the right thing, whatever the cost? While Mordecai lamented the king's edict, Esther demonstrated real courage by being willing to sacrifice herself to try to save her people. But would it be enough? Read more...

Bad leaders corrupt organizations. How? One way is by promoting all the wrong people. In Esther, this is when the plot thickens. When King Xerxes made Haman his second in command, Mordecai refused to bow to him. Haman's wounded pride led to a plot to kill and plunder all the Jewish people of Persia. Would they survive this existential threat? Read more...

What do you do when you aren't sure what would be right in a complicated situation, conversation, or decision? Chapter 2 is full of morally ambiguous situations for Esther and Mordecai — not a lot of black and white, but lots of gray. However, the history-making result was that Esther was crowned queen of Persia. God’s people need wisdom and courage to navigate the complexities of life in exile. Read more...

2,500 years ago, in the Kingdom of Persia, King Xerxes hosted an extravagant party as a lavish display of his power and wealth, but instead revealed his foolish pride and insecurity. He demanded that his wife, Queen Vashti, entertain his guests, but she refused and was deposed. This sets the stage for Esther to become the queen, but also points to the need for a better King. Read more...

Of course, we must be faithful as individual Christians. But what does a faithful church look like? A faithful church will pay close attention to how we treat one another, the attitudes we share, and the kind of people we’re becoming together in Christ. Isn’t this the kind of church you’d want to be part of? Read more...

The Day of the Lord is coming, along with the resurrection of the dead, judgment day, and the beginning of the age to come. But our destination ought to shape our journey. Our future ought to shape our present. The hope of our future in Christ ought to help us remain faithful, even to the end of the age. Read more...

The sad reality of this broken world is that every one of us will one day walk through the valley of the shadow of death. How will we face it? How should we mourn the death of other Christians? Will we be consumed with fear or despair? The good news is that if Jesus died and rose again, then there is hope even in death. Read more...

What could it look like to "make it your ambition to lead a quiet life"? Whether in the ancient client-patron relationships of first-century Thessalonica or the rush of modern life, the Apostle Paul reveals that there is a way to slow down while still being productive, respectable, and generous. This Christ-like way of life reflects Christian love out into a world of busyness. Read more...

What is God's will for your life? To be sanctified, or made holy, including in the area of our sexuality. Sexual immorality leads to all sorts of problems in life, marriage, parenting, and society. However, avoiding sexual immorality can be very challenging. But God not only calls us to live a holy life, but also gives us the Holy Spirit to heal us and help us remain faithful. Read more...

Despite persecution, Timothy brought the good news that the Thessalonian church stood firm in faith and love. This encouraged Paul to persevere despite his own hardships. Why stay faithful? It strengthens others! What does faithfulness look like? Faith in Christ and love for one another. Let’s be a church known for both. Read more...

It was tough being a Christian in Thessalonica. But this was nothing new. Jesus faced persecution, just like the prophets before him, the apostles after, and many Christians down through the years. Nevertheless, it can still be startling to realize that following Jesus doesn’t automatically make life easier. However, the truth of God's word and the company of God's people help us stay faithful — even in severe suffering. Read more...

When the Apostle Paul brought the gospel to Thessalonica, he was very careful to model a life aligned with his message. He demonstrated the kind of loving care found in a healthy family. This helped those early believers learn what it meant to be part of the church, and it helped sustain them, especially when times were tough. In life and ministry, the "how" matters. Read more...

When the Thessalonians became Christians, Paul says everyone heard how they turned to the true and living God from idols. But idolatry wasn't only an issue back then. Human beings continue to put things (even good things!) in the place of God. We must choose for ourselves this day whom we will serve. Read more...