Waterbrooke Church

"Becoming All Things" Acts 10:1-48

One of the great missionaries in church history was Hudson Taylor, the founder of China Inland Mission (1832-1905). Taylor was famous for his impact on global missions. One of the things that stood out about Hudson Taylor was his commitment to what is called “Indigeneity.” He wanted the gospel to go to the Chinese people and make them Christians in the truest sense. He didn’t want cultural adaptation but true gospel transformation. He said wanted: “Christian Chinese—true Christians, but Chinese in every sense of the word.” If you ever saw pictures of Hudson Taylor, you will know that he went out of his way not to bend others to his culture but to bend himself to the culture of the Chinese in order that they might come to know Christ. If there was going to be cultural adaptation, it would be on his part. This reminds me of the apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 9, “I have become all things to all people, that by all means, I might win some.”This Sunday’s sermon is taken from Acts 10:1-48 and is called “Becoming All Things.” 
 
Looking forward to seeing you next Sunday and worshipping Christ together with you! Invite a friend!
 
In Christ,Kevin Dibbley, Senior Pastor

What the Resurrection Changes! EASTER | Acts 9:32-43

Here at Waterbrooke, we have been studying the New Testament book of Acts. This Sunday, we are in Acts 9:32-43 as we celebrate Easter Sunday and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The entire book of Acts is both a demonstration and a defense of the reality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Dr. Brandon Crowe from Westminster Theological Seminary writes: “The resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the key emphases of Acts, and this helps us appreciate the theological unity of the entire book.” I would say that the resurrection is THE key emphasis of the book of Acts. The resurrected Christ has transformed His timid disciples into bold apostles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Their changed lives and their bold ministries are proof of the resurrection. The pouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost is proof that Jesus is both risen and reigning. The conversion of multitudes of people is proof of the power of the risen Christ, beginning to change humanity. Saul of Tarsus’ radical conversion is clearly declared to have happened because of his encounter with the resurrected Christ on the road to Damascus. For Luke, every advancement of the kingdom of God into the nations is proof of the resurrected Christ. Acts displays what Jesus continued to do as the risen and reigning Savior and King to advance His kingdom and to bring the nations to Himself. The resurrection has changed everything!C.S. Lewis wrote in his book Miracles, “To preach Christianity meant (to the Apostles) primarily to preach the Resurrection. … The Resurrection is the central theme in every Christian sermon reported in the Acts. The Resurrection and its consequences were the ‘gospel’ or good news which the Christians brought.” (Miracles, ch. 16)This Sunday, we celebrated the resurrection and reminded ourselves what it is that we are declaring when we announce and rejoice in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Friends, Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Our message is called: What the Resurrection Changes! Let’s rejoice this Sunday with great rejoicing and sing and declare with confidence that His resurrection changes everything for good! Looking forward to celebrating Easter with you! Invite your family and friends to celebrate with us!In Christ,Kevin Dibbley, Senior Pastor

Church and Missions: Advancing Together | April 13, 2025

I have said repeatedly that one of the joys that I get from being pastor of Waterbrooke Church is how many people are on mission together in our congregation. Whether it is locally or globally,
Waterbrooke has continually had people who go into prisons, or motorcycle venues or restaurants and bars or to the nations to share Christ. We have people reaching Asia and people serving in women’s centers and women’s prisons.
The One of the new exciting ministries that we have begun is the Refugee Ministry Team that is currently begun to serve an Afghani family. Many of you are truly seeking to be a light in your workplaces, neighborhoods and homes. In our passage this week, Acts 9:26-31, Luke shows that missions happens because of the local church and the local church grows through missionary engagement.
Missionary Mack Stiles who along with his wife have served in church ministry in Dubai and in Iraq was once asked by an individual here in America, “What can we do for you, Mack?” Mack replied, “The best thing that you can do for me,” I said, “is to make sure you keep your church healthy. I can’t do the work there if churches are unhealthy here.”
This Sunday, our sermon was called Church and Missions: Advancing Together. God really is up to something fantastic and I pray the Holy Spirit will encourage us at Waterbrooke with His vision for the church and for the nations.
To Find out more about Waterbrooke Church - Go www.waterbrooke.church

Radical Re-formation: How the Truth of Christ Changes Us and Keeps Changing Us for the Rest of Our Lives.

Have you ever been really wrong? I mean really, really wrong? Have you ever been outspoken or opinionated about a subject and then made a huge discovery that radically shifted your position?
Imagine in our ongoing study of the book of Acts, just what it must have been like for Saul of Tarsus. In an instant, on the road to Damascus, Saul discovered that he was completely wrong about Jesus. Imagine how that felt. He had not only been outspoken against the Church and its message about Christ, but he was violent in his opposition to Jesus. He had approved of the stoning of Stephen to death. He had arrested and beaten and imprisoned numerous men and women. He had threatened many and was bent on stomping out this movement called, The Way. Then, he met Jesus. And he realized that he was wrong.
All discipleship begins with an acknowledgment: I was wrong. Really wrong. For some, we have to acknowledge that our lives were filled with sin and willful rebellion. For others, like Saul, our lives were filled with hypocritical religion and self-righteous superiority. We were wrong about ourselves. We were really blind to the depth of our need for Christ. Conversion (coming to faith in Jesus) begins the process of a radical reorienting our lives around the truth of who Jesus Christ really is and why we need Him so much. We need deep and perpetual recalibration.
 
That’s our sermon title for this week: Radical Re-formation: How the Truth of Christ Changes Us and Keeps Changing Us for the Rest of Our Lives. I think this is deeply encouraging as we discover that we are all in the School of Christ if we are believers and because of His forgiveness and grace, we can continue to learn what it means to live our lives by faith in Him. Looking forward to worshipping with you this Sunday. Invite a friend. Christ is worthy of our praise!

"Jesus' Three Great Commandments" Mark 12:28-34

Welcome our Guest speaker,  Brian Thomas, as he brings us the word Mark 12:28-34

"What Can Man Do to Me?" PSALM 56 by Kevin Campbell

When we come across “what can man do to me” in our Bible reading, it sounds a little flippant doesn’t it? Men and women do an awful lot of terrible things to other men and women. There is plenty to fear in this fallen world. But this phrase came from David while people were actively chasing him with the intent to kill him. How can he say such a thing? Stop running for a second and you will see what man can do to you!One of the wonderful things about the Psalms is how honest they are about the struggles of life. In Psalm 56 we’ll see the hero David, of “David and Goliath” fame, admitting he’s afraid of very real and present danger. But we’ll also see how David doesn’t rely on his ingenuity, strength, or past successes to alleviate his fear, instead he runs to the God who has rescued him time and time again.Join us Sunday to learn from David how to deal with the fears in your own life, even if you aren’t being actively chased by people trying to kill you.  In Christ,Kevin Campbell, Elder

"Two Blind Men" Acts 9:1-18

Our sermon this Sunday was called “Two Blind Men”. In Acts 9:1-18, we will see the radical conversion of a Christ-hating Pharisee named Saul of Tarsus. The conversion is so stunning that Ananias, a relatively anonymous Christ-loving disciple at Damascus, has trouble getting his head around it. Yet, Christ chose Ananias to be the very instrument he wanted to bring Saul to Christ and to commission Saul for the mission of the gospel.   
Here is something that we perpetually need to get our heads and hearts around: Unlikely people are used by Christ to save unlikely people and to set them on mission for the gospel. Christ purposely chooses the nobodies of this world to advance the kingdom of His Son. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 reveals how this shaped Paul’s understanding of how God does his mission: “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human might boast in the presence of God.” Do you actually believe this? Do you believe that Christ uses weak and broken people and nobodies to advance his eternal kingdom? Does it excite you? Does it make you expect the unexpected to happen?  
Come this Sunday as we watch God work His weird and wonderful way of salvation to the surprise of two completely unsuspecting men. May it cause us to rejoice at God’s ways and to begin to expect God to do the unexpected in and through our lives. See you Sunday. Bring a friend. God is so good!
In Christ,Kevin Dibbley, Senior Pastor

"The God of the Outcast" Acts 8:26-40 | No Other Name

In the book of Acts, Luke is reinforcing for us what he repeatedly emphasized in the gospel of Luke: Our God has come to rescue and to restore the outcast and the sinner. It is one of the most beautiful truths of the Christian faith that God loved us while we were yet sinners. God seeks to restore those who have rebelled against him and those who have been really far from Him. God saves the least likely.Over the next few Sundays, we are going to see in the book of Acts how God saves individuals who are outsiders and/or really deep sinners (ie.,Saul of Tarsus). Up until now, the stories of conversion to the Christian faith have been groups of people turning to Christ from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria. Now, God goes after individuals who would be seen as far outside the circle of His people or far from any hope of coming to faith in Jesus Christ. It is meant to be a gamechanger for the church. God loves to save the outsider, the outcast, the sinner. It’s a gamechanger for those who feel that their sin and brokenness make the thought of full acceptance hard for them to imagine. Yet, that’s the gospel. God seeks and saves the lost and the least likely. He loves to do that. As Peter writes in 1 Peter 2:10 “Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people.”Come this Sunday, as we study Acts 8:26-40. Our message is called, “The God of the Outcast.” Come if you feel alone and isolated and forsaken. It will encourage you. Come if you feel safe and at home with God. It will change the way that you see the world and I pray that it will put strong hope in your hearts for the mission of God in the world where you live and serve everyday. We will be taking communion together as a family. Come and be encouraged and invite a friend.In Christ,Kevin Dibbley, Senior Pastor

"Mighty to Save" by Pastor Kevin Dibbley

This Sunday, we studied Acts 8:1-25. After the stoning of Stephen, absolute mayhem breaks out. Acts 8:3 reads, “But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.” Isn’t that awful and yet wonderful at the same time? What is happening is traumatic to those believers yanked out of their homes and thrown into prison. But… what is clear is that God is up to something. He has plans for that persecutor of the church, Saul of Tarsus. Saul is in God’s sights.There is a simple principle that you and I need to grasp as disciples of Jesus: The mission of the church always happens in the midst of the mayhem and madness of the world. But more importantly, the mayhem and madness of the world must always serve the mission of the church and its Master, King Jesus. What difference would it make in our lives if we, as Christians, saw all the uncontrollable and often incredibly difficult situations in our lives and ministries as ultimately having to serve the purpose of the cause of the kingdom of Christ? How would your life look if you lived with a curious and sometimes befuddled confidence that God must be up to something? What if, under our confusion at God’s ways, there was a confidence that God works all things together for the good of those that love him and are called according to His purpose?This Sunday’s message is called “Mighty to Save”. Acts 8 is meant to be perspective-shifting and hope-giving to each of us as Christians. God is not caught off guard. God is not struggling to solve our problems. God is not reacting to the unknown. God is sovereignly advancing His mission His way for His glory. Come Sunday, and be encouraged. Bring a friend too! Let’s worship Jesus!In Christ,Kevin Dibbley, Senior Pastor

"Improving Our Responsiveness to Jesus" Acts 7:17-43 | Pastor Kevin Dibbley

One of the things that we regularly see in the customer service industry is articles on how to improve customer response times. For example, in one study, it was revealed that 70% of the people who evaluated customer service said that the quicker a business responded and resolved customer issues dictated whether they were viewed as having good quality customer service. Your response times indicated how valuable your customers were to you.
This Sunday, our message was from Acts 7:17-43, we are not going to talk about improving customer response times. We are going to look at improving our Christ response times. In Luke 19, there is this great story of Zaccheus, a tax collector, climbing up in a tree to see Jesus as he passed by in the crowds. Luke writes, “And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.’ So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully” (Luke 19:5-6). That picture is a picture of someone who is eager to receive Christ and to follow Him. To hurry to be with Jesus and to joyfully receive Him. 
Are you eager to follow Christ? Are you going out of your way to get above the crowd and the noise to see him and to hear him? How is your Christ response time? Come this Sunday as our sermon is called Improving our Responsiveness to Jesus. I think you will find it encouraging and helpful.  
In Christ,Kevin Dibbley, Senior Pastor

"The Teachable Disciple" Acts 7:9-16 | Pastor Kevin Dibbley

This Sunday’s sermon was called “The Teachable Disciple”. We will be studying Acts 7:9-16. As Stephen preaches his sermon to the hostile crowd of religious leaders and Greek-speaking Jews, he begins with these words, “Brothers and fathers, hear me.” My good friend Bill likes to say “Listen to me now. Hear me later.” Hearing means more than listening. It is leaning in with a teachable and humble heart. It is a willingness to learn and to be taught the word of God, the will of God, the ways of God. Discipleship by its very definition is living a life of perpetual listening and learning. Discipleship is actually a life of learning how to listen to the truth of Christ, to hear, and to follow.One of the great criticisms of the people of Israel down through its history is that they were ever “hearing but not understanding.” How about you? Have you stopped hearing God speak to your life? What is the posture of your everyday following of Christ? Have you arrived and have nothing left to learn or is everyday a day the adventure of growing to know and to love Jesus more and more? Come this Sunday and pray that God would give all of us a teachable spirit. May that teachable spirit be not just for Sunday but for the rest of our lives as God’s people. 
In Christ,Kevin Dibbley, Senior Pastor
Find out more about Waterbrooke Church at www.waterbrooke.church

" The God of Glory Appeared" | Acts 7:1-8 by Pastor Kevin Dibbley

There is a huge difference between religion and discipleship. Religion often looks for symbols, traditions, rules, buildings, and physical locations to get one’s sense of identity and religious security. Discipleship is living out one’s already existent identity and security in Christ in the adventure of faith and obedience.
In the book of Acts, the disciples are perpetually under pressure and on the move. They often look like they are the ones being threatened but they are actually living in the freedom and the security of Christ. As we will see this weekend, one of the greatest examples in the New Testament of the journey of faith is a very old, Old Testament character, Abraham. The life of Abraham helps Stephen in his journey as a disciple in Christ. Abraham shows us that the life of faith looks for its rest and joy and confidence not in the law, not in the temple, but in the God who called him. Our hope is in the Lord in the same way.
 
Come this Sunday and may the Lord encourage us together on the adventure of discipleship – following Christ in His mission on the way to the promised land. Our passage will be taken from Acts 7:1-8.  Pray for God’s presence and power to be with us all.
In Christ,Kevin Dibbley, Senior Pastor

"Full of Grace and Power" | Acts 6: 8-15 by Pastor Kevin Dibbley

This Sunday, we will continued our study of the Book of Acts in Acts 6:8-15. Our sermon is called “Full of Grace and Power.” The gospel of the kingdom of God is now about to advance into the Gentile (non-Jewish) world. Monumental advances in the mission of the kingdom of Christ are about to happen. What we will see here is that the mission of God rarely advances in the book of Acts without significant resistance. Or better said, God often uses resistance to direct the advancement of His Kingdom and reveal His glory not only to those who are witnesses to the events happening but those who are His witnesses.
Stephen, one of the first deacons of the early church, is going to experience God like never before. This is not the story of how Stephen changed the trajectory of the church. This is how God changed the trajectory of Stephen’s life and how in so doing, God advanced his mission in the world. God’s people experience His power, His wisdom, and His glory simply by faithfully serving on mission. Do you want more than a head knowledge of the Lord? Do you want to experience God in a way that is real and powerful and life-changing? Let’s study this text together and pray for God to show us and others the glory of Jesus. 
In Christ,Kevin Dibbley, Senior Pastor

"God's Providence in Our Problems" | Acts 6: 1-7 by Pastor Kevin Dibbley

This Sunday’s message was from Acts 6:1-7,  is called God’s Providence in Our Problems. One of the foundational convictions of the apostles in the early church is that Jesus is both Lord and Savior of the church. That means, Jesus is not just the subject of the mission. He is the Director of the mission. He isn’t just the Savior of His people. He is the Sovereign over all things. He is large and in charge. 
In last Sunday’s passage, Acts 5:30-31, Peter speaks to the religious leaders in Jerusalem and he says “The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.” The book of Acts is not the book of Accidents.  It is the story of the mission of Christ. King Jesus is building his church and even the problems aren’t problems for him. They are predestined for the salvation of souls and the expansion of His kingdom. This is super helpful to us as his people. Life is full of disappointments and failures and events that we would never choose. The church is so often palpably struggling. Yet, God chooses to work in a way that is so different than any of us would work. He does this so that we might see that salvation completely belongs to the Lord. It helps us to recognize that He is gloriously God and we are definitely not. Thank God for that!
 
The apostle Paul in Romans 11 puts it this way: “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” Come this Sunday and be reminded that Christ is a solid hope and his kingdom is a sure thing in a world of perplexities and problems. This is such a comfort. It is such a hope. 
In Christ,Kevin Dibbley, Senior Pastor

"All for the Name of Jesus" | Acts 5:17-42 by Pastor Kevin Dibbley

This Sunday, we continued our study of the book of Acts. As it is the beginning of a New Year, there are several things from this passage that I think will be super helpful as we consider how to approach discipleship in 2025. It is clear that the mission of the early church happened in a less than friendly environment.  The apostles were repeatedly threatened and often imprisoned and yet, they are not only able to persevere, they thrive! It’s clear that the twists and turns and the disappointments and failures of ministry as broken people in a broken world are not hindrances to the gospel or to their growth. God’s mission is to advance his kingdom further out into the world and further into the disciples’ hearts. Are you wanting to grow as a Christian? Is 2025 a year where you want to grow in your knowledge and love of Jesus? Acts 5 teaches us that discipleship is the deep and ongoing work of God in the lives his people that happens through the medium of His mission in the world. When God works through us, He also works in us. When God shows the world the glory of Jesus through His people, He also shows the glory of Jesus to His people. Our sermon is called “All for the Name of Jesus” and let’s pray that God will prepare us to pursue a deeper relationship with Christ this year as individuals and as a church family. In Christ,Kevin Dibbley, Senior Pastor

"Worthy of Praise" | Colossians 4:7-18 by Andy Keppel

We enter the new year with the last of the messages from our study in Colossians. In this section, Paul closes out his letter to the church in Colossae and sends regards from the believers in prison with him in Rome. While we might be tempted to skip over a list of names like this, each one represents a unique story of salvation and faithfulness which helps us understand our own realities and relationships in light of the Gospel. The good news of Jesus and His love for us fuels a passion for relationships in a world of shallow or apathetic friendships and gives meaning to our labors; it's not just a meaningless grind, everything and everyone is a mission field (including us!)

"Remaining Steadfast in Jesus" | 2 Thessalonians 1-12 by Bruce Washington

A lot of times, especially as we head into a new year, we tend to not look back over the previous one. That’s usually because we don’t like to think about the struggles we’ve experienced or are still experiencing.Join us this Sunday as we look at Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians, where he encourages the believers in Thessalonica to live with an attitude of thankfulness even in the midst of our struggles.

"A Christ-Centered Christmas" Philippians 2:1-11 | Life in Him

This sermon is called “A Christ-Centered Christmas.” It’s meant to be a very practical message on how to negotiate your way through the next few weeks as a disciple of Jesus.
The Christmas season offers many of us the opportunity to be together with people, family, and friends, with whom we often don’t usually have the time just to have an extended hang out. It really is a privilege to be with people we love. Yet, for many, this can be challenging for numerous reasons. Painful histories. Current conflicts. Differing beliefs. There are some who would suggest that it is best to avoid such potentially hazardous situations. However, Christmas is a time to take up your cross and follow Jesus. It is time to grow and to show that our lives are not our own but belong to Him.
My prayer for you is that each of us would find a way to really make Christmas about Christ - not just in the songs we sing and the words that we say but in the sacrifices and the selflessness that Christ showed when He came to earth and became one of us. 
Let’s pray that this Christmas would be powerfully Christi-centered. 
Join us on Christmas Eve as we celebrate Jesus' birth at 5:30PM

"The Word Became Flesh" John 1:14-18 | Life in Him

Christmas can be one of those profoundly lonely seasons for people. Grief, abandonment, job changes, personal moral failure, political and global turmoil can leave a person feeling deeply alone and acutely isolated even in the hustle and bustle of the season. In John’s gospel, we encounter several people who feel long forgotten. For example, in John 5, the apostle John describes a man who was paralyzed. He was lying beside a pool that was supposed to provide healing waters. John writes, “One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want to be healed?” Jesus saw him lying there.  This is no accidental encounter. He knew that he had been there a long time. The man replied, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool…”. Do you hear that? I have no one. This man was deeply alone until Jesus showed up. Be sure of this, Jesus didn’t just show up. He came for this man … just like, He came for us.Friends, the story of Christmas, the story of the incarnation, is the remarkable truth that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” God saw us. God came to us. God came for us! 
As we celebrate Advent, we are going to rejoice in the glorious truth that “The Word Became Flesh.” I can assure you today that we are no longer alone, unseen, or forgotten. The message of the Incarnation declares to you that God sees you. God knows you. God, in Christ, has come for you. The theme for Advent this week is joy. 
Let’s gather together in the Word becoming flesh for you and for me!
Blessings from Pastor Kevin!
Join us on Christmas Eve as we celebrate Jesus.  5:30PM

In the Beginning John 1:1-5 | "Life In Him" by Pastor Kevin Dibbley

“In the beginning was the Word…”
Jesus is the One that gives everything its meaning, its purpose, its life. He is the Source,Center, the Goal, the Gift.
Jesus isn’t merely the “Reason for the season.”
Jesus is the Reason for everything.
“God knows how much we need the creation-to-destiny themes of the biblical narrative inorder to make sense of our lives, so he lovingly gives those dominant themes right up front…Since God created us to be meaning-makers, he immediately presents us with the wonderfuland awful realities that we need to understand in order to make proper sense of who we areand what life is really all about.”Paul David Tripp