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

This Week's Message

Date: August 30, 2026

Preacher: Pastor Nokomis Yeldell, Jr.

Sermon: What The Devil Means For Harm

Scripture: Acts 16: 16-18

16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.

Christian Hospitality

Hospitality has always been one of God’s favorite ways of displaying His love. From Genesis to Revelation, we repeatedly see believers opening their homes, sharing their tables, and welcoming strangers. The focus key phrase Christian hospitality reminds us that friendship is not measured by words alone but by loving actions.

Abraham welcomed three travelers into his tent, only to discover they were messengers from God. Likewise, Martha welcomed Jesus into their home, while Mary honored Him by sitting at His feet and listening to His teaching. Together, they demonstrated a home where Christ was welcomed.

After Lydia believed the gospel, she immediately invited Paul and his companions to stay in her home. Her first response to salvation was generous hospitality. Likewise, after the Philippian jailer accepted Christ, he washed Paul’s wounds, fed him, and cared for him. His home became the first place where his new faith became visible.

Christian hospitality is not reserved for those with large homes or elaborate meals. Instead, it begins with a willing heart. A cup of coffee, a shared meal, a listening ear, or an invitation to join your family can become a ministry that changes someone’s life. Furthermore, hospitality often encourages lonely people who desperately need fellowship. Therefore, every believer has opportunities to practice this beautiful gift.

Jesus gave the greatest example of hospitality. Although He created the universe, He continually welcomed people whom society rejected. He received children, tax collectors, sinners, widows, the poor, and strangers. Ultimately, He opened Heaven itself by inviting all who believe to become members of God’s family.

Consequently, ask yourself a simple question today. Who needs encouragement? How can someone benefit from your friendship? Who has recently moved into your neighborhood, joined your church, or entered your workplace? A simple invitation may open the door for an eternal conversation.

Never underestimate what God can accomplish through your hospitality. Christian hospitality has introduced countless people to Jesus Christ throughout history. Moreover, the writer of Hebrews reminds us that some have entertained angels without realizing it. That thought alone should inspire every believer to keep an open heart and an open door.

SUNDAY SCHOOL NEXT WEEK

SUNDAY SCHOOL – September 06, 2026

____________________________

Joshua Leads Courageously ~ Joshua 1: 1-11

Lesson Aims After participating in this lesson,

each learner will be able to:

1. Summarize the vision of leadership that Joshua

received from the Lord

2. Explain parallels between the Lord's directives to

Joshua and to Moses.

3. Write a definition of courage and make a plan to

live courageously in the upcoming week.

Joshua 1:1-6 1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: 2 "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them? To the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. * Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates? All the Hittite country? to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. S No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. ' Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.

God Commissions Joshua At the close of Deuteronomy, Moses has just given his final sermon urging Israel to “choose life” by holding to the requirements of God’s covenant (Deut. 30:19). Moses prepares the people for the succession of leadership after his death, naming his assistant Joshua as next in line (Deut. 31:1–3). Moses climbs Mount Nebo, looks upon the land that he will not enter, and dies (Deut. 34:1–5). The book of Joshua picks right up at the scene after Deuteronomy ends. God acknowledges the special relationship with Moses, “[God’s] servant” (Josh. 1:2). Now that the period of mourning is at an end, it is time for Joshua to take the momentous step of leading the people to cross the river that borders the territory of Abraham’s inheritance (see Gen. 17:8). But Joshua faces a challenge. Even when they had Moses to guide them, the first generation to leave Egypt were hardhearted and rebellious. God delayed their entry into Canaan until every person had died, Moses last of all (see Num. 14:29–30). A giant question mark hangs over this new generation. They have a fresh opportunity to obey, even though their parents had rebelled. Will they follow Joshua as they had followed Moses? Or will they falter? At this moment of great uncertainty, God steps in to reassure Joshua. God says that He shall give them “every place where you set your foot” (Josh. 1:3). Wherever they go, God is claiming territory for His presence to dwell with His people; each step forward is a small victory. Their territory would extend from the desert currently occupied to Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea in the west, and north and east to the Euphrates River. God encourages Joshua that no one will be able to stand against him, as long as he lives. God’s promise to Joshua recalls the promise to Joshua’s mentor of forty years; as God was with Moses, He will be with the younger replacement: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (v. 5). Thus Joshua can stand up, strong and courageous, as he leads the people into the land that God has promised them since the days of Abraham (v. 6; see Gen. 12:7). If the great Moses felt fear at being sent to confront Pharaoh (Ex. 3:11–4:13), imagine how Moses’ successor must feel!

Joshua 1:7-11 7 "Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. ' Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." 10 So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: "I "Go through the camp and tell the people, 'Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the LORD your God is giving you for your own. "

Listen and Succeed God repeats encouragement to Joshua to be “strong and very courageous” (v. 7). This time, the nature of God’s encouragement is about moral leadership. Joshua and the people are not only to occupy the land, but they first must check themselves for obedience to the law that God had given to Moses. Joshua had witnessed long years of wandering about in grumbling rebellion (see Num. 14:21–23). That simply would not work in this new territory. God reminds Joshua and the people to focus first on obeying His instructions, turning neither to the left nor to the right. If they will only be obedient, they shall be successful wherever they go. Knowledge of what is good is one thing. But God promotes the close, intimate study of His instructions according to their every detail. The statutes of God should always be on His people’s lips, a constant source of insight after everyone has meditated on what the words mean (v. 8). Pondering the word of God—for ordinary people, listening to it repeated by priests and leaders—would allow the kind of blessing that God’s people long to achieve: victory in conflict, security in food supply, the gift of children (see Deut. 28:1–14). A third time God encourages Joshua to “be strong and courageous” (v. 9). God has commanded him to lead the people, and Joshua does not need to be dismayed or hesitant. Joshua has not seen the land since spying it out decades earlier (see Num. 13–14), but the Creator would be Joshua’s protector as he enters the territory. And thus, the new leader of Israel springs into action. He orders officers to spread word through the camp on the plains of Moab: everyone must gather their provisions and ready themselves to move. In three days, they would cross the Jordan to “take possession of the land” (v. 11). Ultimately, it was God, not Joshua and his soldiers, who would clear the land for something never before seen: a nation of priests who could reflect the faithful presence of God.

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. On May 03, 2026, we celebrated our 12th 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.