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

PRAYER OF COMMITMENT

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner. I want to turn from my sins, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus Christ is Your Son. I believe He died for my sins and that You raised Him to life. I want Him to come into my heart and to take control of my life. I want to trust Jesus as my Savior and follow Him as my Lord from this day forward.

In Jesus’ Name, amen.

[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

Mission And Stewardship

It is important to know that Christian mission and stewardship is the essential part of connecting what GOD expects from the church. It is worth noting that in the Bible, mission is the very task GOD gave the church to share the good news of salvation, and to help others grow in faith, and to live in a way that reflects Jesus Christ’s character. This is known as the Great Commission found in Matthew 28: 19-20, which sets the foundation for mission, and explains the church’s purpose in the world. This command given by Jesus Christ is not optional, it gives the church its reason for existing, and supports GOD’S saving purpose, and it applies to every believer today. Now knowing that mission establishes the church’s purpose; stewardship provides the essential means by which the church mission is sustained, and accomplished. Stewardship answers the very critical question, such as, “How can we fulfill the Great Commission?” It is noted in the Bible, that Christian stewardship refers to the responsibility GOD has entrusted believers to manage all HE has placed under the believers care, that serve as a defining aspect of humanity’s relationship with GOD (Genesis 2: 7-15). Knowing that salvation is GOD’S gracious gift to humanity through faith in HIS SON Jesus Christ; we believers must manage it faithfully and responsibly. Therefore, the faithful stewards must be responsible for the stewardship of one’s time, spiritual gifts, talents, and material possessions which expresses obedience to Jesus Christ’s mandate to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and teaching them to observe all He (Jesus Christ) has commanded.

SUNDAY SCHOOL NEXT WEEK

SUNDAY SCHOOL – March 01, 2026

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RECOGNIZING OUR DEBT TO OTHERS

Mark 12:28–34; James 2:14–17

Lesson Aims: After participating in this lesson,

each learner will be able to:

1. Identify the two greatest commandments

according to Mark 12:28–34

2. Give examples of practices inspired by James 2: 14-17

that embody these commandments.

3. Make a plan to see and address the immediate

needs of your surrounding community.

Mark 12:28–34 28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” 32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

Love God and Love Your Neighbor The Pharisees, Herodians, and Sadducees had been trying to catch Jesus in His words to provide a reason for His arrest (Mark 12:13–27). In Mark 12:28, hearing the debate and impressed with Jesus’ answer, a teacher of the law poses what appears to be a sincere question: Which commandment is most important? Ranking the weightiness of laws was a common practice among Jewish rabbis. Jesus responds by quoting Deuteronomy 6:4–5 and Leviticus 19:18 (Mark 12:29–31). These two passages had been linked together by other rabbis because of their shared use of the word “love.” Jesus also links them, asserting that loving the one true God with your whole self and loving your neighbor as yourself (in that order) are the most important commandments. The second command flows out of the first. In other words, true love for God should result in love for one’s neighbor. The teacher of the law is again impressed with Jesus’ answer and commends Him as correct (Mark 12:32). This makes sense given Jesus’ quotations. Deuteronomy 6:4–5 is part of the Shema, the central prayer of Judaism expressing the most important facets of Jewish belief: Yahweh alone is God and deserving of complete devotion. In response to Jesus, the teacher of the law asserts that love for God and love for neighbor is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices (Mark 12:33). Jesus affirms the wisdom of this response and tells the man, “You are not far from the kingdom of God” (Mark 12:34). Presumably, what this teacher of the law still lacked was a proper recognition of Jesus, the Son of God and Messiah. This scene put an end to the attempts to trap Jesus in His words (see Mark 12:34). Jesus’ Jewish audience would have recognized the truth of what He said, making it hard for His opponents to press Him further.

James 2:14–17 14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Useless Faith James 2:14–17, James has already emphasized the importance of doing what the word of God says, not merely listening to it (James 1:22–25). Early in his letter, he seems to be correcting a form of piety that focuses on knowledge or assent to certain doctrinal beliefs but does not result in a lived-out religious ethic. For example, he calls the piety of those who consider themselves religious but do not control their tongues “worthless” (James 1:26). He forbids favoritism, especially regarding the treatment of the rich and the poor. To favor one and dishonor the other flies in the face of the scriptural command to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev. 19:18; James 2:8–9). James wants followers of Jesus to live differently than the world, which means, among other things, being merciful to the poor (see James 2:12–13). James is ready to get to the heart of the matter. He does this by asking a series of rhetorical questions with implied answers. This was a common technique employed by moralists of the day. James’ first question asks, “What good is it . . . if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?” (v. 14). The implied answer is, No good! It’s as useless as listening to God’s Word without doing what it says. James emphasizes his point with a second question: “Can such faith save them?” The implied answer is, No! Again, James is making the point that mere belief in right doctrine is no good if not accompanied by obedience to God. True faith should compel believers to right action, just as true love for God should overflow into love for others. James illustrates his point by prompting his readers to imagine someone in the faith community—a brother or sister in Christ— who doesn’t have proper clothing or enough food to make it through the day (v. 15). Perhaps James still has in mind the poor from 2:1–13. Verse 16 pictures someone responding to this poor brother or sister with mere well-wishing, saying, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed.” “Go in peace” was a common Jewish blessing, so again James may be correcting a form of piety that says and believes true things but doesn’t put faith into action. James asks what good this well-wishing does if not accompanied by deeds to meet the person’s physical needs. In other words, what good is it to say, “Keep warm and well fed” but not take steps to clothe and feed the person? The implied answer is, No good! Mere well-wishing is useless. “In the same way,” James writes in verse 17, “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” Here, James makes his point emphatic. He is not saying that salvation is achieved or earned through deeds, but that true faith will be accompanied by deeds, just as Abraham’s faith compelled him to offer up Isaac in obedience to God (see James 2:20–24). For the Christian, declaring that Jesus is Lord, but failing to follow Him as Lord, makes the initial declaration empty. Acts of obedience demonstrate that faith is genuine.

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, ten more people joined, three as new converts. We moved to 1027 Summer Wood Drive on April 1, 2015. Following a yearlong pastor search, Violet P. McRoy, was called as pastor 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 Nokomis Yeldell, Jr. was elected to the pastoral position on April 16, 2018. On Easter Sunday in 2025, we moved into a new sanctuary at 1021 Summer Wood Drive. In May, 2025, we celebrated our 11th 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

Holy Sacraments And Sacred Days – Sis. Earlenia Lindsey

Media- Sis. Tiaeshia Kelso, 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 – 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.