Canaan Fellowship

Bruce Hempel

  • The Beatitudes: Attitudes for Disciples

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    This sermon by Bruce Hempel focuses on the call to discipleship and the Beatitudes as the essential attitudes for followers of Jesus. He explains that being a disciple means learning to be like one’s master, a privilege extended to all people, not just a select few. The core of the message is an exposition of…

  • The Meaning of Baptism: Three Biblical Images

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    Bruce Hempel teaches on the significance of baptism, emphasizing it as a public declaration of faith and commitment to follow Jesus. He contrasts Christian baptism with John the Baptist’s baptism of repentance, highlighting three key biblical images of baptism. The sermon encourages believers to be baptized promptly and to view it as a spiritual reality,…

  • Lessons from the Early Church: Reliance on the Holy Spirit, Prayer, and Witnessing

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    Bruce Hempel delivers a sermon focusing on the characteristics of the early church as depicted in the Book of Acts. He emphasizes the importance of reading large portions of Scripture to understand the broader narrative and highlights key aspects of the early church’s development before Saul’s conversion. [00:00:05] Bruce greets the congregation and introduces his…

  • Courage in the Face of Opposition

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    Bruce Hempel delivers a sermon on courage in the face of opposition, emphasizing the need for believers to boldly shine their light for Christ despite persecution or societal pressure. He connects this theme to earlier messages on the “fear of man” and the disciples’ denial of Jesus, urging listeners to rely on the Holy Spirit…

  • The Hallmark of Christian Faith

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    Bruce Hempel discusses the hallmark of Christian faith as love within the early church, emphasizing how this love was demonstrated through radical generosity, unity, and care for one another. He highlights Jesus’ commandment in John 13:34-35 and shows how this was lived out in Acts, where believers shared possessions and met each other’s needs. The…

  • The Early Church: Growth and Opposition

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    This sermon by Bruce Hempel begins with a personal reflection on the importance of friendship, shared through a story of a lifelong friend, before transitioning into a detailed exploration of the early church’s development as described in the Book of Acts. Bruce connects the ministry of Jesus to the events following His resurrection, emphasizing the…

  • Five Lessons That All Our Children Must Learn

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    This sermon by Bruce Hempel focuses on essential lessons for children and parents, emphasizing the importance of love, discipline, and spiritual growth. Delivered with personal anecdotes and biblical references, Bruce outlines five critical lessons that children must learn to navigate life and faith. [00:01:27] Life’s Challenges and God’s Plan: Bruce opens with a song about…

  • The Power of Love

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    Bruce Hempel delivers a sermon on love, emphasizing its centrality in the Christian faith. He explores biblical teachings on love, distinguishing between agape (sacrificial love) and phileo (brotherly love), and highlights how God’s love transforms lives. The message challenges listeners to respond to God’s love by living sacrificially and embracing their identity as His children.…

  • Church Leadership

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    This sermon, delivered by Bruce Hempel, explores church leadership, contrasting modern Western practices with the biblical model rooted in Jesus and the early church. Bruce stresses humility, service, and scriptural fidelity over contemporary traditions.

  • What was the early church like?

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    This sermon, delivered by Bruce Hempel, explores the nature of the early Christian church, drawing from scripture to contrast it with modern practices. Bruce emphasizes simplicity, community, and edification over formality and titles, urging the congregation to embody these values.