sermon | Craig T. Owens

April 2026
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Father’s Day

June 16, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

I love digging up stories in the Old Testament that are so timely for today! And I’ve got a great story to share with our men on Father’s Day.

It’s the story of a man who had the title kinsman-redeemer. Culturally, we don’t practice this anymore. But spiritually, the concepts are so on-target for today. I am really excited to share this with our men this Sunday, and then to watch our guys step up to the challenge of becoming a modern-day kinsman redeemer for the families.

If you’re in the area, I hope you will join us for a great morning.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Boaz, Calvary Assembly of God, Father's Day, sermon. Leave a Comment »

Out Of The Box

May 13, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

I know firsthand the difference the Holy Spirit has made in my life. Which is why I’m so excited to kick off a brand new series this Sunday called Out Of The Box: Unleashing The Power of the Holy Spirit.

…the Holy Spirit makes the Father’s love more real

…the Holy Spirit makes the Christ-like life more livable

…the Holy Spirit makes the Bible more readable

…the Holy Spirit makes extraordinary living more attainable!

And this Out Of The Box life is for everyone. A.W. Tozer wrote:

“For the Holy Spirit is not a luxury, not something added now and again to produce a deluxe type of Christian once in a generation. No, He is for every child of God a vital necessity, and that He fill and indwell His people is more than a languid hope. It is rather an inescapable imperative.” (emphasis mine)

I hope you can join us at Calvary Assembly of God this Sunday at 10:30am.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: A.W. Tozer, Calvary Assembly of God, Holy Spirit, sermon. Leave a Comment »

Salt & Light

March 30, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

Jesus called His followers to be salt and light in the world. He said:

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

We have been placed in this world to season it and to illuminate it. What does that mean? How do we do that in a way that glorifies your Father in heaven?

I’m really excited to kickoff our new series Salt & Light this Sunday morning. I hope you can join me at 10:30am to learn more about being seasoning and illumination.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Calvary Assembly of God, disciples, Gospel of Matthew, Jesus Christ, light, salt, sermon. 1 Comment »

Overloaded Recap

March 28, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

We all have times that life feels overwhelming. Like there is too much to do, but not enough of us (or our time, or our money, or our willpower, or…) to accomplish what we need to. In a word: we are overloaded.

I just finished a 4-part series about God’s ways for finding relief for our overloaded lives, and I thought this quick recap might be helpful.

If you’re feeling OVERLOADED, remember…

Less Is More

When the “less” is stuff, the “more” is relationships.

Off Makes On Better

A day OFF (a Sabbath) helps you appreciate ON more.

Study To Be Quiet

Tune out all the noise so you can tune in to God’s voice.

Trust God First

Give God the first 10% of your income and enjoy His blessing.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Calvary Assembly of God, recovery, relationships, sabbathing, sermon, solitude, stress, tithe. 1 Comment »

Sermon Series

March 4, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

Yes, I do like bringing messages to our church in a series format. Hopefully my series titles are not like this …

And, for the record, our new series that starts this Sunday will only have four parts (not 48!).

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: comedy, laughter, sermon, Tim Hawkins. Leave a Comment »

Overloaded?!?

March 4, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

I’m starting a new series this Sunday which I wish I didn’t have to start. But the reality is that far too many of us (and I do mean us because I’m including myself) have bought into the cultural idea that we need to add more and more and more to our lives.

As a result, our lives are overloaded. Physically, emotionally, financially, relationally … if life throws us just one curveball in any area, we’re toast!

And the biggest victim in our overloaded lives? Our relationships. It’s hard to have rich, meaningful, intimate, vibrant relationships when we’re so concerned about our own overloaded lives. It doesn’t have to be this way!

I hope you can join me at Calvary Assembly of God over the next four Sundays as we talk about the relief that God shows us in the Bible. There is relief from overload, and God wants us to find it.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Calvary Assembly of God, peace, relationships, sermon, stress. 3 Comments »

What Gift Are You?

February 21, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

In our Living In The Zone series yesterday, we looked at the gifts God gives to us. These gifts are to help us find the “sweet spot” where God wants us to operate. They are specifically given so that God can use us.

I love this thought from Craig Groeschel: “God’s gifts in you equip you for your gift to the world.”

You are gifted to be a gift to the world.

Check out this video we showed yesterday morning…

Did you catch this exchange near the end?

“Do you think you’re a role model?”

“I hope so! I wanna be an encourager. To encourage people to do something with their lives, instead of doing nothing. Because so many people in the world in this day and time have no gumption, have no purpose, and they don’t want to get off the couch. They wanna sit there and say, ‘Woe is me! My back hurts, my this, my that,’ and wallow in themselves, when they could get out. The more you do for someone else, the more God’s going to bless you. Even if means giving someone a cup of coffee, or a hug, or something like that. That’s what it’s all about.”

What gift(s) has God given you? What gift are you being to the world?

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Calvary Assembly of God, Craig Groeschel, God's gift, God's purpose, purpose, quote, sermon, video. Leave a Comment »

Purposefully Living In The Zone

February 11, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

“It is the paradox of life that the way to miss pleasure is to seek it first. The very first condition of lasting happiness is that a life should be full of purpose, aiming at something outside self.” —Hugo Black

I believe God has a unique purpose for your life.

I believe God has uniquely gifted you to fulfill that purpose.

I believe God wants you to know His gifts and His purpose for you.

When you and I know what God-given gifts are implanted in us, and we know how God wants us to use them, we are living in a place of fulfillment, passion, and joy. We are Living In The Zone.

So excited to see how the Holy Spirit is going to help people move to their unique “sweet spot” as I start a new sermon series this Sunday. Hope you can join me.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Calvary Assembly of God, purpose, sermon. 4 Comments »

Freely Given

January 24, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

There have been so many people who have invested in my life, so I love when I have the opportunity to give back to someone else.

On Sunday mornings, my typical “style” is to present a 2- to 6-week series. That means multiple messages all built around a common theme. To help make the theme attractive and memorable, I usually develop a graphic/logo for each series.

Just recently a couple of pastors have asked me if I would provide them with my notes and graphics for a series. I answered with a wholehearted Yes! I feel these messages and logo ideas were freely given to me, and so I’m more than happy to freely give them to anyone who asks for them.

If you want anything I’ve designed or taught, it’s yours… all you have to do is ask.

Posted in Pastoring. Tags: pastoring, pastors, preaching, sermon. Leave a Comment »

Signing A Blank Check

January 17, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

In our current series on prayer, we’re using the prayer that Jesus taught as our pattern. Yesterday we looked at this part of the pattern:

Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

This is all about trust. It’s about acknowledging to God that He is in control and He knows what’s best. It’s not about me coming into His presence and telling Him how things should work. I love the quote from C.S. Lewis:

There are two kinds of people: those who say to God “Thy will be done” and those to whom God says, “All right then, have it your way.”

When we come into God’s presence in prayer, we say, “Before I ask You for what I need, I want You to know that I trust You. No matter what.” In essence, we sign a blank check and trust God to fill in the amount.

And, by the way, the verb for “Your kingdom come” in this model prayer is an imperfect verb. That means that we have to keep on signing those blank checks, as we keep on submitting to His will and His kingdom.

Are you willing to sign a blank check to God?