Faith Covenant Christian Church

11:00 a.m. Service

CALL TO WORSHIP

*INVOCATION

*CONGREGATIONAL HYMN

*RESPONSIVE READING

*PRAYER

SONG OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP

WELCOME / ANNOUNCEMENTS / FELLOWSHIP

OFFERTORY PRAYER AND OFFERING

*INTERCESSORY PRAYER

*PRAYER OF FAITH AND COMMITMENT

SPECIAL MUSIC

WORD OF GOD – Pastor Nokomis Yeldell, Jr.

*INVITATION TO SALVATION AND DISCIPLESHIP

[You may join Faith Covenant Christian Church by: Baptism, Christian Experience,

Re-Dedication, Transfer Letter, or Watch Care]

HOLY COMMUNION (1st Sunday Of Every Month)

BENEDICTION

The Greatness,

the Love,

and the Faithfulness

of God!

Psalm 145 is David's crowning Psalm of praise to the Lord. Verse 3 seems to be a summary of the theme of this entire Psalm: Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable. No matter how we search and discover the greatness of God in our own life, we will never plumb the depths. The best that man ever does is only a slight reflection of the greatness of God that exists for eternity.

God's greatness, however, does not stop Him from helping His children; we are not too lowly for His notice. In spite of our sin before a Holy and Righteous God, The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Proverbs 29:11 states, A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back. We will spend our entire lives trying to master our spirit; God, however, is not a God with our sin and frailties; He is patient and longsuffering with His children, always abounding in love and mercy.

Psalm 145 verse 13 reminds us that God's kingdom is everlasting, it endures through all generations. We are amazed if a nation lasts 200 years; the concept of forever is a hard one to perceive.

It seems too good to be true, so why doesn't everyone claim this God as their own? We are so filled with sin that our hearts are filled with distrust. Because of our natural skepticism, we often think of God in the same manner - too good to be true.

In verses 14 to 20; The Lord upholds all who are falling. . . . The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. This is the God we love and serve as believers in Christ. Just look at the blessings listed in Psalm 145 by David.

He:

Has unsearchable greatness
Is gracious and merciful
Is slow to anger and abounds in steadfast love
Is good to all
Has mercy over all He has made
Has an everlasting kingdom
Has a dominion that endures throughout all generations
Upholds all who are falling
Raises up all who are bowed down
Gives food in due season
Satisfies the desire of every living thing
Is righteous in all His ways
Is kind in all His works
Is near to all who call on Him
Fulfills the desire of those who fear Him
Hears the cry of the lost and saves them
Preserves all who love Him

You need to realize that this is just the short list! As a true child of God, Psalm 145 is a Psalm you can hang on to and claim as your own; to pull out on those hopeless days when everything seems to be going wrong. Look to Christ; He will be right there holding you up forever! Our life here on earth is only a speck in the eternity we will spend with the Lord! Pray today that your eyes will look to God, the only One who has the power to save you and keep you for all eternity!

SUNDAY SCHOOL NEXT WEEK

February 02, 2025

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PRAYING PROPERLY – MATTHEW6: 5-15

Lesson Aims:

1. List Jesus’ key teachings about prayer in Matthew 6: 5-15

2. Explain the purpose(s) of the prayer’s four couplets

3. Resolve to devote more prayer time to one area identified in Matthew 6:5-15 that may currently be lacking

Praying Sincerely

Matthew 6:5–6 NIV 5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Jesus tells the crowd to pray with sincerity. He told His listeners to beware of praying like the hypocrites who stand in public places and pray for all to hear. They are seeking glory and praise for themselves, rather than for God. As a result, the praise of others is all the reward they will get. The Lord will not answer their prayers. On the other hand, God hears and answers the sincere prayers of those who seek His glory. His people are to pray privately, behind closed doors. When His people pray in private, God will reward them with the opportunity to give glory and praise to God for what He has done. Jesus’ admonition does not mean there is something wrong with corporate prayer, when believers come together and pray with one another. There are plenty of examples in Scripture of people praying together (see Acts 2:42; 12:12; James 5:14–16). His point is that prayer is about seeking communication and intimacy with God, not bolstering a public image. Of course, cultural expectations have changed, and most people aren’t expecting public praise for praying on street corners. But a modern equivalent could be leading a congregation or small group in an overly lengthy or elaborate prayer designed to show how “spiritually mature” one is. God wants us to use our prayers to communicate with Him, not to make ourselves look good.

Praying Purposefully

Matthew 6:7–8 NIV 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Whereas some people are interested in receiving praise while they pray, others think that if they repeat a prayer over and over, God will surely listen. This is often how religious mystics at that time prayed to false gods. They thought that if they went on long enough, their prayers would be heard and answered. Such prayers were doomed to fail, in part because their objects—idols—were inanimate objects which have no capacity to answer prayers. These idols cannot communicate. Christians, on the other hand, can pray purposefully to their Father, for the “eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry” (Ps. 34:15). He is always with us and ready to hear the prayers of His people. He already knows our needs before we pray. Although God knows our every need, believers still turn to Him in prayer for those needs. Doing so helps them acknowledge that He provides, and it allows them to respond with gratefulness. When believers turn to God for their needs, they remind themselves of their dependency on Him. Vain repetition is not the same as persistence in prayer. The Bible encourages believers to be persistent. In fact, “Jesus told his disciples . . . they should always pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1). In His parable, a widow continually goes before a judge to receive justice. Due to her persistence, the judge gave in and granted her justice. Though the answer to believers’ prayers may seem delayed at times, they should never give up. They should instead trust that God hears and will always do what is best for His children.

Praying for God’s Will

Matthew 6:9–15 NIV 9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Jesus begins His prayer by recognizing the Father’s holy nature. God rules from heaven, and when believers praise Him, they approach Him with reverence and respect. After praising God for who He is, Jesus brings requests to Him. The prayer for “daily bread” points toward God’s provision. God alone can meet His people’s needs. Jesus’ prayer shifts from physical needs to spiritual needs. Confession of sins and requests for forgiveness are vital for fellowship with Him. Forgiveness is also vital for fellowship with one another. Unforgiveness is an offense before God. If we do not forgive, we broadcast that we haven’t understood the forgiveness shown to us. A forgiving Father expects His children to forgive. Another important request is to be kept from temptation. Thankfully, God will faithfully lead His people along the path of righteousness, especially when they ask Him to. As Paul puts it, “God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it” (1 Cor. 10:13). Praise God that He will always keep His people from straying when they sincerely choose to follow Him!

About Us

OUR HISTORY

Faith Covenant Christian Church began on February 27, 2014 following a fellowship dinner for displaced former members of Crossroads Christian Church. Following that first meeting, we formed a Planning Committee and began meeting @ Best Western Hotel at Cedar Bluff. On May 7, 2014, we adopted the name Faith Covenant Christian Church, with our foundational verse being Jeremiah 50:5. On June 22, 2014 an invitation to membership was given by Rev A. David Baxter and 21 people united with Faith Covenant Christian Church. Women’s and Men’s Ministries began having regular meetings. In September 2014, we began having Sunday School and Wednesday Night Bible Study. In November, Youth Ministry began. By the end of 2014, 10 more people joined, three as new converts. We moved into our current space on April 1, 2015 and look forward to serving God faithfully. Following a yearlong pastor search, our pastor, Violet P. McRoy, was called on April 18, 2016. In March 2018, Pastor McRoy resigned as pastor, due to poor health and other personal issues. God quickly responded to our prayer-laden search and Pastor Nokomis Yeldell, Jr. was elected to the pastoral position on April 16, 2018. In May, 2024, we will celebrate our 10th church anniversary and are looking onward, upward and forward to serving God faithfully.

OUR PASTOR

Nokomis Yeldell, Jr.

Pastor Yeldell was born in Mt Pleasant, Texas, the third of five children of Nokomis and Dollie Pearl Yeldell. His father, also a Pastor for over 60 years, was called to Memphis, TN, where Nokomis Jr. grew up. Following graduation Pastor Yeldell attended Southwestern Christian College. He then served four years in the United States Air Force. He then decided to move to Knoxville, TN to further his education. After serving in leadership capacities in various ministries at Foster Chapel Baptist Church, Pastor Yeldell was called into the ministry in 2010.

Faith Covenant Christian Church represents Pastor Yeldell’s third and prayerfully final pastorate.

WHAT WE BELIEVE

FAITH COVENANT Christian Church accepts the Holy Scriptures as the revealed will of God, the all-sufficient rule of faith and practice, and holds to the following foundational truths:

1. The One True God

GOD IS… He is the eternally existent and immutable Father, Creator of the Universe and everything therein. He is the Lord of heaven and earth, and in Him we move and have our being. He is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth. Our Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is One God in three distinct persons: one in essence and purpose and distinct in personality and function. He is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. He is the essence of love, goodness, faithfulness, kindness, mercy, grace, holiness, righteousness, and justice.

2. The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is the eternally existent Son of the living God, the fullness of the Godhead bodily, the image of the invisible God, and the firstborn of all creation. Through Him was made everything that is made—things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things are held together.

He was born of a virgin, and lived a sinless life. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God through His substitutionary death on the cross. He was resurrected bodily from the dead, and sits at the right hand of the Father making intercession for us.

3. The Work of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the Counselor, the Spirit of Truth, who goes out from the Father and testifies about the Son. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of guilt in regards to sin and righteousness and judgment. He is given to all who believe, for Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit according to the promise of God the Father, who gives the Spirit without limit. The Holy Spirit lives with us and in us, bringing about the endowment of power for life and service, as well as the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry. These gifts of the Holy Spirit, distributed according to His own will (Hebrews 2:4) include: prophecy, service, teaching, encouragement, contributing to the needs of others, leadership, mercy (Romans 12:6-8), message of wisdom, message of knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, distinguishing between spirits (discernment), tongues, interpretation of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:7-11).

4. Salvation from the Penalty of Sin

By grace, through faith, we are saved from the penalty of sin. Mankind, though made in the image of God, has inherited through the first man, Adam, a sinful nature. By this nature, all mankind has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and thereby, was alienated from God; dead in transgressions—gratifying the cravings, desires, and thoughts of the sinful nature; following the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air; stirring up wrath against himself for the day of God’s wrath, when His righteous judgment will be revealed. But God did not appoint mankind to suffer wrath, but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—and saved us by His grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

5. Salvation from the Power of Sin

By grace, through faith, we are saved from the power of sin. Having been crucified with Christ, we put to death the deeds of the body so that sin shall have no dominion over our mortal bodies. We have received the Spirit who is from God so that we may live by faith, understanding what God has freely given us to accomplish His purpose:

He has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our personal knowledge of Him as Savior and Lord.
He has given us His precious and magnificent promises by which we may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
He has given us apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ, His church, may be built up.
He has given to us the manifestation of the Spirit through spiritual gifts for the common good.
He has given us the ministry of reconciliation: that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him.

6. Salvation from the Presence of Sin

By grace, through faith, we are saved from the presence of sin, for the Lord Jesus died and rose again, and will Himself come down from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God. The dead in Christ shall rise first, and we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. And there shall be a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth will pass away. And we shall dwell with God in the Holy City, the New Jerusalem. We shall be His people, and God Himself will be with us and be our God. He will wipe every tear from our eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things will have passed away.

7. The Inspiration and Inerrancy of Scripture

God’s Word is TRUTH. The Holy Scriptures (both the Old and New Testament) is the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God. We are saved from the penalty, power, and presence of sin by grace through faith that comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God, which testifies of Jesus Christ. By His Word, God has revealed Himself, His plan, His purpose, and His ways—so that we would come to Him to receive eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord.

OUR MINISTRIES

Faith Covenant Christian Church operates under a FIVE FOLD Ministry concept

I EXALTATION

Deacons- Bro. Reggie Lindsey, Bro. William Lundy

Holy Sacraments And Sacred Days – Sis. Earlenia Lindsey

Media- Bro. Anthony Lindsey

Music- Bro. Reggie Lindsey

Program – Sis. Earlenia Lindsey

Public Relations – Bro. Reggie Lindsey, Sis. Sabrina T. Wilson

Pulpit – Pastor Nokomis Yeldell, Jr.

Reconciliation – Ministerial Council

Ushers – Sis. Teresa Farmer

II ENABLING

Benevolence – Bro. William Lundy; Sis. Earlenia Lindsey

Food Pantry – Bro. Karl Townes

Hospitality – Sis. Teresa Farmer

Intercessory Prayer – Sis. Earlenia Lindsey

Missions – Sis. Earlenia Lindsey

III EDUCATION

Bible Study – Pastor Nokomis Yeldell, Jr.

Youth Church –

Sunday School – Bro. Reggie Lindsey

Supplemental Education And Training – Bro. Reggie Lindsey

Vacation Bible School –

IV EDIFICATION

Church-Wide Edification – Sis. Sabrina T. Wilson

Men’s Ministry – Bro. Karl Towns

Women’s Ministry (WICS) – Sis. Teresa Farmer

Youth – Sis. Earlenia Lindsey

V EQUIPPING

Administration – Sis. Sabrina T. Wilson

Finance – Sis. Teresa Farmer, Sis. Tiaeshia Kelso, Sis. Sabrina T. Wilson

Transportation – Bro. Karl Towns

Trustees – Bro. Karl Towns

Kitchen Ministry / Special Events – Sis. Teresa Farmer

Comfort And Care Ministry - Pastor Nokomis Yeldell, Jr.