Thoughts from "Christ Alone pt. 1"

Listen to the full message HERE.
So a while back iTunes gave away a song titled "Exalted One" by Elevation Worship. I listened to the sample and decided to download the song for free. Here is the video for said song HERE.

I was vaguely familiar with Elevation Worship as my church sings the song "Give Me Faith" which my wife and I really enjoy and I have purchased the mp3. Listen to it HERE.

This prompted me to want to hear the pastor of the church where this worship band resides.

I downloaded the sermon entitled "Christ Alone pt. 1" There were plenty available on their podcast, but I figured I wanted to get an idea of where these people were theologically and a sermon titled "Christ Alone" is going to probably articulate most of the vital information I would need.

I am inherently skeptical of new churches and always have my heretic hunter lens on by which I filter new teachers. Until I have a larger body of work through which to grant you the benefit of the doubt, I must try to accumulate information as I listen.

Pastor Steven Furtick is a young man with lots of energy and passion. He gave me reason to listen to more as he clearly articulated the essential Christian doctrines of total depravity, penal substitutionary atonement, and confidence in Christ in this message.

He focused a lot on Romans 8:1-4 in which he focused on condemnation no longer being applied to those who are in Christ Jesus (and only those). He made the clear distinction between those found in Christ and those who are not. He articulated well the truth of the Gospel in that we are sinners saved by grace and the devil uses this fact to remind us of our sinful nature. He (the devil) is not wrong in his assessment of who we are, but he is wrong in failing to acknowledge that in Christ God applies His righteousness to us and while sinners, we are justified before Him.

Style is always a secondary matter and some may or may not dig his vernacular and cultural references. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that a church with an influential worship band also has (seemingly) a solid foundation from which this worship arises.

Granted I reserve the right to retract this seal of affirmation if upon further listening I come across some doctrine being taught that is contrary to the one, true Christ.