When we are intentional to stop, reflect, rest, and enjoy what God is up to in our lives we are certainly the better for it. We talked a lot about why that is true last week. The problem many of us face is HOW to stop, reflect, rest and enjoy what God is up to. If the thought of stopping, or slowing down feels more stressful to you than constant, n…

Often times the practices and habits that are best and healthiest for us are the hardest to implement into our lives. In the list of things that would benefit us, but few people do is the practice of a regular rhythm of rest. While it is a "good idea," and sounds to some like, "it sure would be nice," it is also a command...and more than a command,…

What we learn about the practice of prayer in the Bible and how the church, for the most part, has come to actually practice it looks quite different. Perhaps, more of us would pray passionately and consistently if someone actually taught us how to do it. Is that not what the Disciples asked Jesus; to teach them to pray? If you've never been taught…

Have you ever had the frustration of an itch you cannot scratch? It seems as though nothing you do effectively causes relief. Have you ever felt the same frustration regarding situations in your life when it seems as though nothing you do affects any sort of change in the situation? When we try all of the solutions except the only right solution we…

In the most tense of moments, how we behave is nearly instinctual. What we say and do in those moments is a revealer of who we truly are. If we would hope that our lives are honoring to Christ it is necessary for us to evaluate what pours out when there is no time for filters or facade. Simply enough, what pours out is what has been most taken in. …

When you are in trouble, where you turn for help matters. You may find something that actually helps, or you may find something that adds to the trouble. In other words, when we look for help in the wrong place, it adds difficulty to the situation we are trying to fix. In a country with lots of division, tension, and questions our solution is not o…

Have you ever misheard something that was said and ended up lost, confused, or angry? In His most famous sermon, Jesus opens with a list of things that would increase our joy for living. We call them the Beattitudes. They all start with "Blessed are the..." One of resolves in that list is "Peacemakers." We read, "Blessed are the peacemakers," but m…

Every tense political season in our country provides a remarkable opportunity for the Church to be and do what Christ called us to be and do. Almost every time, we fail or have very limited success in taking advantage of that opportunity. Here we are again: a divided country, polarizing candidates for President, moral issues creating debate, and fo…

The adage says: "You can't know where you're going until you know where you've been." That was certainly Moses' mindset after seeing and experiencing the consequences levied on his generation for their behavior. Like any good person, Moses instructs future generations, including ours, to learn from their mistakes. His retelling of the events, and h…

Chances are, if you have tried to read it, Leviticus is not your favorite book of the Bible. Or, it has been weaponized by a naysayer of Christianity to debunk or devalue your faith. Either way, no one would be excited about a message about Leviticus. However, when we understand its purpose and how it factors into the larger story of the Bible, its…

Our trust of anyone is dependent on their ability to repeatedly come through. The story of God's faithfulness in Exodus is a picture of His grace, His provision, and His awareness of the plight of His people. Knowing that God knows, that He cares, and that He will faithfully move on behalf of His people is a great reminder of why we can trust Him. …

Are you intimidated by the Bible? It's a lot pages, a lot of history, and lot of commands, and a lot of information about an invisible, but all powerful God. Do you feel like the Bible is important, but confusing? If so, then our new series is for you! We are going to do a flyover, book by book through the Bible. Much like your favorite shows on TV…

More often than not during His earthly ministry, Jesus shattered the expectations of onlookers and listeners. Lucky for us, the same was true regarding His death. As miraculous as the resurrection of Jesus is, it does not matter if it doesn't matter to you. Today, we'll celebrate our Risen Savior, but we will also confront ourselves with the questi…

Easter is just one week away and a lot of prep work needs to happen in just a few days... Jesus starts preparing TODAY for Easter Sunday and so should we. Join us this morning as we look at Palm Sunday in 33 AD as Jesus makes his triumphant entry into Jerusalem.Av Quentin Long

Av Quentin Long

Av Quentin Long

As long as you think your spouse owes you, your marriage will be all about keeping score. That destroys intimacy. It destroys love. But what are we supposed to do about our hopes, dreams, and desires? First, we have an honest conversation about those things, and then we invite God into the relationship to help. God has a stipulation, though, before…

If there is one part of scripture read at weddings more than any other it is definitely 1 Corinthians 13. It is most commonly referred to as the "love chapter." How ironic would it be if you were to find out that getting married actually makes it harder to love your spouse in the manner described in that chapter? Well, it's true. It's true because …

There is a simple question that many or most married couples never consider, yet not knowing the answer is catastrophic to their marriage relationship and, by proxy, to their family. Here is the question: what is the purpose of marriage? If someone cannot answer that question, is it not safe to say they should not get married? Yet it is happening, …

Our lives consist of innumerable decisions. There are limited number of hours in our day, dollars in our accounts, and loyalties to be dispensed. As a result, we are required to choose where our limited quantities of resources are placed. Each decision is a trade, one thing for another. When God offers to us a relationship with Him, it comes with a…

Jesus said, "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." If the goal of following Christ is to align our hearts with His, wouldn't there be a problem if our treasure did not find its way to all the places and people who had Jesus' heart? Of course Jesus loves us as well, but how much stuff is too much when there are so many that do not …

Just because something is important does not necessarily mean that it gets our full attention. Just about everyone agrees that diet and exercise are important, but not everyone eats well and exercises. Why is that? With that as a framework, is it not possible that Jesus could tell us something is of the upmost importance and we agree that it is imp…

Do we really, actually, authentically care about the lost? If we're honest with ourselves, how much do we REALLY think about it? When we do think about them, how much does it REALLY affect us? Chances are we do not think about them very often, and when we do the truth of their reality makes a surface level impact on us. Today, we'll take our cue fr…

To do the right thing for the wrong reason always produces, at best, a half-hearted celebration from those who hear of it. We are glad of the good done, but disturbed by the motivations behind it. When our following of Christ is reduced to a list of tasks to complete and boxes to check we are, in fact, doing the right things but from the wrong moti…

With so many religious beliefs that include Jesus (Christian, Mormons, Jehovah's Witness, etc) and then denominations among some of those religions, it is obvious that the Bible can be interpreted differently. The truth of the matter is that there is only one correct interpretation of everything in the Bible. Lots of churches, and lots of well-mean…

Each of us have days in our lives that live in infamy. The reason for their significance could be good or bad. They are days or moments where life after them will never be the same. When a 19th century atheist wine merchant read the words of Luke 2 about the birth of a miracle baby, he penned a poem that called that day holy. Something occurred tha…

Every year the Christmas season seems to usher in lots of changes. From decorations, to just an overall increase in things like joy and generosity. It even has its own soundtrack and a whole genre of music dedicated to this time of year. This is true in the church as well as outside. God's people have always been a singing people. However, it is im…

A few years ago we learned a truth about gratitude that is universal: Gratitude doesn't seem like gratitude until there is an expression or proclamation of it. In other words, you will not appear to BE grateful until you SAY you are grateful. While true, this practice is entry level gratitude. There are two additional "levels" of gratitude in which…

Projection is the process of attributing our thoughts or beliefs onto another. We assume that our opinion is their opinion. We can do this regarding our relationship with God. We can assume wrongly in both directions. We can think too highly or too lowly of ourselves and assume that God thinks the same. Our seat at God's table reverses our projecti…

What if there was a practice that could improve nearly every part of your life? It improves relationships, overall health and happiness, academics for children, and saves you money. If there was such a thing, would you be interested to have it? You are in luck, because today at Fusion City Church, we are beginning a new series all about that very p…

Receiving an incredible gift should illicit a powerful and positive response from the one who receives it. How odd would it be if the opposite were true and the response to a great gift was minimal and even offensive to the giver? That seems illogical and wrong, doesn't it? What would you do if you were the one who gave the gift? What would you do …

Would you say that your life is characterized as "powerful?" If not, is the opposite of powerful not powerless? Are those the only two options? What impact would it have on your life to learn that you have access to remarkable power and the only thing that limits it is some of your current perspectives and behaviors? Would you be willing to make so…

In John's Gospel Jesus makes a seemingly ridiculous statement to His closest followers when He said, "It is better for you that I go away..." What could be better than having Jesus in the flesh with you and around you all day, every day? What is even more astounding is that it wasn't just true for the 12 disciples, it's also true for us. It is bett…

At a time of the year when some turn their attention to the spooky and scary, we felt it to be a good idea to spend some time talking about our own relationship with a ghost. Most people, including a lot Christians, have no idea who the Holy Spirit is or what He does. When most say, "God" they mean the Father and then they have some understanding a…

Knowing the truth is of little value to anyone who does not live according to it. Today, we'll conclude our series that has been designed to discover what is true by answering the question, "now what?" If there is truth, if God is real, if the New Testament is reliable, how does that translate to your everyday existence? It should, shouldn't it? If…

Is the Bible true? It's certainly helpful, and encouraging, and inspiring. But, all of its good falls in a dim light if the people who wrote it were not accurate in their recording of historical events, or if they had ulterior motives in what they wrote and in the way they wrote. Maybe a better question is, "Why would they lie?" The great news for …

If you believe that God exists, why do you believe it? If someone who does not hold the Bible as an authority asked you to give evidence for your belief, could you provide it without referencing the Bible? Are science and Christianity at odds or in harmony? Why are murder and rape wrong? Is our world created or evolved? If you have questions, we ha…

All expressions of faith are a belief in something. Both Christians and Atheists have faith, the difference is the object of that faith. Until Christians can articulate the why they believe behind the what they believe they are unequipped to engage in any kind of debate with people who believe differently. If our only weapon of convincing is "becau…

Both scripture and life experiences will tell you the same thing: children thrive in structure. Where parameters and expectations are clear, and age appropriate accountability is utilized, our kids enjoy life more and behave in a way that is much less frustrating for the parents. It is, however, up to the parents to establish a framework for expect…

Any good plan starts with the end goal in mind. A parenting strategy without an overarching objective is an inadequate strategy. Today, we'll see what God says the goal of parenting should be and how to get there.Av Quentin Long

It’s impossible to parent children well, when the parents are not rowing in the same direction. The best foundation for a well developed parenting strategy is a strong and healthy relationship between the parents. This week, we'll unpack the value and some practical tools to help get parents on the same page.…

Every parent that has children older than yours will tell you a version of the same statement: "Don't blink or you'll miss it." Or perhaps, "the days are long but the years are short." Chances are that you have heard it said exactly like one of those. For parents, it never feels like we have enough time inside of the current phase to actually maste…

It most likely goes without saying that every Christian should read the Bible. What most fail to realize is what it says if you do not WANT to read the Bible or if you do not enjoy it when you do read. Today we'll examine a passage that answers that question and we'll learn some practical ways to help you enjoy what you read more…

Today is a unique day at Fusion City Church. Our Christmas in July event is an opportunity for us to focus in on our ministry to families through the local school system. We have invited representatives from the school to share with us about the successes and the needs of Kannapolis City Schools. Every year our church provides gifts to the elementa…

Our finances tell a story. For those who follow Christ, the goal of our lives is to tell good "God stories." We want to tell stories that honor God and make Him more famous, because that is what He deserves. This means, regarding our family's finances, we have to ask and answer the question "what story are my finances telling about God?"…

No general would go to war without a plan, or a family on a long road trip without directions. Every successful business has a strategy. Planning for success is the best way to achieve it, yet millions of people around the globe operate their family's finances with no plan, no strategy, no real forethought at all and then wonder why they have no su…

All of us have been lied to about money because almost everything the culture tells us about it is ultimately harmful to us. In addition to outside influence, our internal desires to be like those who have more or better, or to be liked and admired by others for what we have drive us to handle money dangerously. Fortunately for us, knowing that mon…

What does the Bible mean when it says that we should love God with all of our strength? Jesus said that doing so was part of the equation to inherit eternal life, but the practical application can seem a little ambiguous. So, today at Fusion City Church we'll work to remove the confusion by looking at an example of someone who got it wrong, and the…

Scripture and science agree, the quality and content of how you think determines your perception of life as a whole. You are not just a physical being, and how you think and what you think matters. The great news for Christ followers is that if and when we fall into "stinking thinking" there is a pathway out and toward something better. However, to…

When someone lies to us over and over again, we stop trusting them, and we stop listening to their advice. There is one person we continue to trust despite being fooled over and over, and it is ourself. The "just follow your heart" mantra is everywhere. The problem with that sentiment is that it is destructive. In week 2 of our series Horseshoes an…