There are 41 previous sermon series with over 1,500 accompanying devotional writings since the beginning of 2013.

You may regularly subscribe (look to the right on the computer screen) and indicate with your address that you would like to have new devotionals automatically delivered to you.

To view series from the past, go to the HOME page and look at the “categories” section. There you may choose a series title as described here in “RED” … and when you go to that, it will give you all the devotionals in that series – the most recent on top. To read through it, you will need to scroll to the bottom to begin.

Here is a list of the previous series (from oldest to newest) and a brief description of each and the number of devotionals that were a part of each study…

1.  Studies from the book of Deuteronomy – “REVIVE” — The book of Deuteronomy is all about “revival.” It represents a time when God’s people also found themselves in a state of transition, and before they could experience the future God had promised them, they had to reflect back on what He had done in their past. This study covers 8 weeks and 8 primary passages and themes from Deuteronomy, along with a series of 40 devotionals as you read through what is much more than a musty old book. There are study guide resources as well.

2.  Studies on 7 major words that describe what Christ accomplished on the cross –  “CROSS WORDS” — These writings will help you understand some big, big words like propitiation, justification, atonement, and imputation. There are 30 Scripture readings and devotional thoughts along with other small group resources.

3.  A 10-week study on the Book of Acts — “IMPULSE” — This series looks at how these new believers in the early church era were quick to make every issue of life a matter of prayer. They saw prayer as a first impulse, not a last resort.There are 50 Scripture readings that take you through the entire book of the Acts of the Apostles.

4.  A 5-week study on the Vision Statement of TSF – “PATHWAYS” — This study follows a diverse number of Scripture readings as we look at such topics as multi-generational ministry, the importance of Scripture, and the way people in the church family should grow in Christlikeness by serving others and reaching out to the world. A total of 25 writings from a wide variety of Scriptures comprise this series.

5.  A 10-week study on the Gospel of John – “GOD UP CLOSE” — Here is a 50-part study through John’s Gospel on the them of “God Up Close.”  John writes to show us how Jesus shows us what God is like. This series was particularly well-received by the church as it was presented at the end of 2013.

6.  A 12-week study on the Minor Prophets —  “UNCHARTED” …. “Uncharted: Life in Perilous Times” — These writings will take you through some more remote portions of Scripture – demonstrating how problems of the past are often timeless, as are the solutions involving trusting and obeying God. 60 devotionals are in this series.

7.  A 4-week study on the Epistle of Paul to the Philippians — “MEASURING UP” — These devotionals are on this same web page, as this was the first series to not use its own separate page. Learn from this series how to have Christ’s joy in all circumstances of life, be they happy or difficult.

8.  A 13-week study on the Book of Psalms — “PSALMS: GOD’S PLAYLIST” — These devotionals are on this same web page. The Psalms are songs, and under the inspiration of Scripture, being put in the Bible, we could see them as God’s playlist of his top 150!  These songs, like songs even in our day and culture, run the full gamut of human expressions – high and low. And they teach us to trust God in all things and in all times.

9.  A 4-week study on the Scriptures — “FRAMEWORK” — These 15 devotionals from a variety of passages will help you see the authority, inerrancy, sufficiency and purpose of God’s Word.

10.  An 8-week study on the life of David — “DAVID” — These 38 devotionals take you through the life of Israel’s greatest king. Though called “a man after God’s heart,” his life was filled with highs and lows – much like our own. And therein is the encouragement that we too may have a warm walk with God, even as fallen creatures in a sinful world.

11.  A 4-week / 5-part study on the genealogy of Jesus Christ — “ROOTS OF REDEMPTION“ — This Christmas 2014 series looked at the Family Tree of Jesus. There were some unusual characters in the genealogy of Christ: Rahab, Ruth, Tamar … to name a few. Our family tree is damaged by Adam, but we can have a new family tree in Jesus. There is a total of 16 devotionals.

12.  A 6-week study on myths surrounding outreach and evangelism — “MOMENTUM” — The kickoff study in January of 2015 was presented in conjunction with a church-wide effort and class to help people confidently share their faith with those who do not know Christ. The momentum involves going from being a follower, to a serious and growing disciple, to being a leader of others, and finally taking the truth outside the walls to the a lost world. A total of 12 devotional writings.

13.  A 9-week / 10-part study on the book of Hebrews — “ENDURE” — The awesome book of Hebrews was written to a first-century group of believers from a Jewish background. They had quickly grown in their faith, but having faced persecution and trials were now doubting and thinking of returning to the comfort and ease of their roots. And so the writer encourages them to ENDURE – a timeless message for Christians in any generation, as we will always be out of step with the world around us. A total of 46 writings that take you through the whole book of Hebrews.

14.  A 3-week study on the topic of giving and generosity — “BEING A BLESSING”  — The Scriptures clearly teach that we are stewards of all that we have … all of which has originally come from God. So we want to Be A Blessing with what has been entrusted to us. A total of 6 writings reflect on these ideas.

15. A 14-week study on the parables of Jesus — “LONG STORY SHORT” — Some of the greatest teachings in Scripture, actually in the whole world, are contained in the stories that Jesus told. His parables cut quickly to heart of the originals listeners, and they do the same to us today. A total of 67 writings that take you through almost all of the parables in the Gospels.

16. A 5-week study on the book of Esther — “ESTHER” — The story of Esther and Mordecai is one of seeing the providential hand of God behind all of the circumstances and events. Like Esther – a Jewish woman living in Persia – we live as strangers in a world and culture where the powers of man seem to outweigh the power of God. We can learn to practice faithful presence, even when God seems to be absent. A total of 26 writings take you through the book and beyond, giving the background history, along with a look forward to a better King and Kingdom.

17. A 5-week study on marriage, gender and family — “BY DESIGN” — Christianity insists that there is a design for each of us, and a design for the relationships we cultivate.  Unfortunately, Christians have often been quick to identify sin, but slower to communicate God’s meaningful vision for love, gender, and marriage. In this series we articulate why God’s design so deeply matters—and why this design has enduring value for human society. A total of 26 writings.

18. A 2-week set of writings on the joy of the Christmas — “UNSPEAKABLE JOY” — The incarnation of Christ changes everything. Light into darkness, life defeating the curse of sign, the fulfillment of all of the Old Testament … it is God’s plan of the ages coming to a climatic fruition. And it all speaks of “unspeakable joy.”

19. A 7-week study on the First Epistle of Peter — “CHOSEN STRANGERS” — Peter was one of Jesus’ closest followers, and in the early days of the Church he wrote a letter of encouragement. He describes Christians as “elect exiles” (1 Peter 1:1)—strangers to the world, yet chosen by a loving God. When feeling out of step with the world around us, this message offers hope for a world that presses us toward anger and despair. A total of 29 writings.

20. A 4-week study on the nature of the Gospel message — “WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?” — This Easter season series focuses upon the simple message of the gospel, the good news. There is no more important topic than knowing and understanding the essential elements of the gospel — understanding our lost condition, Christ’s work to wash away sins and give us his righteousness, and the guarantee of eternal life because Jesus has risen. A total of 20 writings.

21. An 8-week study on the purpose of the church — “WHY CHURCH?” — Why do we bother with church? With various rituals and traditions? With teaching and doctrine? Why do we have leaders? And what is our mission in this world. This is important stuff!  A total of 40 writings.

22. A 7-week study on the necessity of being connected to Christ — “ROOTED” — The Scriptures contain a series of agricultural references about seeds and plants, vines, roots and trees, using them as illustrations of what it means to be truly connected to God through a vital relationship with Jesus Christ. A total of 31 writings.

23. A 6-week study about avoiding a slow drift away from relationship with God — “DRIFT” — By looking at six different prominent characters in the Bible who drifted away from a previous relationship with God, we may learn some of the constituent elements that cause us to gradually grow apart from our most important connection in life. A total of 25 writings.

24. A 6-week study through the Pastoral Epistles — “NUTS AND BOLTS” — There are timeless truths about the nature of doing church ministry within a surrounding culture that is largely hostile to the gospel. Paul’s letters to his young associates Timothy and Titus help us understand how to function successfully in the local church, then and now.  A total of 29 writings.

25. A 6-week series with extensive writings from the book of Nehemiah — “FOR OUR CITY” — These writings went along with a city-wide effort of 24 churches all preaching the same topics over six Sundays. Originally planned by the Hagerstown Evangelical Pastors Ministerium to address the heroin epidemic, the themes involve a broader look at how God’s people can make a difference in a local community. A total of 36 writings.

26. A 5-week series on some of the characters of the Christmas story — “FIRST-PERSON CHRISTMAS” — This is look at common people of the Christmas / incarnation of Christ account in a new way, with sermons spoken as a first-person visit from Zechariah, Elizabeth, Joseph, a shepherd, a wise man, and Simeon. A total of 15 writings.

27. An 8-week series on the Godhead: Father, Son, Spirit — “Him Alone” — This somewhat more academic and intense series examines what is known as Theology Proper — the study of God. It is more than factual information about the Trinity, adding to those necessary understandings the practical nature of truly knowing about God so that you can truly relationally know God. A total of 40 writings.

28. A 7-week series on the necessity of the cross of Christ — “In My Place” — Christianity is a bloody religion, embracing an instrument of death as its primary symbol. Though that may seem odd from the outside, the cross of Christ was absolutely necessary. Having written extensively on these themes in prior series, this collection is actually a walk through the book of Romans, where Paul addresses many of these same topics. A total of 30 writings.

29. A 6-week series of writings from an earlier period in Pastor Randy’s ministry — “This Christian Life” — Written during a transitional period without a defined sermon series, the first half of this collection is from a sermon series at TSF in 2004 with devotionals that went along with the theme as to how our lives fit within the grand story of stories that God is writing. The second half features 15 devotionals with hilarious stories that Randy wrote almost 30 years earlier when his oldest three sons were little boys.

30. A 13-week series of writings chronicling the life of the Apostle Paul — “Life Race” — The Apostle Paul often referred to the Christian life with the metaphor of running a race, doing so on at least five occasions. These 60 writings build on that picture as they take you through the life of Paul — from persecutor to teacher, to Apostle, to church planter, to discipler, to the model of endurance to the very end. Life lessons from Paul’s life race are timeless and beneficial to anyone seeking to run and finish well for the Lord Jesus Christ.

31. A 5-week series that promotes the value intentionally striving for a multi-cultural, diverse church — “Other Side of the Tracks” — The railroad tracks through many cities are more than just a bump in the road; they often divide neighborhoods by class or race. The gospel is the only common denominator that will ever successfully bring together peoples of disparate backgrounds. “Better together” is the forever heart of God for the nations, the model demonstrated by Christ, the way the early church grew, and our future in heaven. Let us strive to also make it our present on earth.

32. A 5-week series with extensive writings from the book of James — “FOR OUR CITY” — These writings went along with a second annual city-wide effort of 20+ churches all preaching the same topics over five to six Sundays. Originally planned by the Hagerstown Evangelical Pastors Ministerium to address the heroin epidemic, the themes involve a broader look at how God’s people can make a difference in a local community. A total of 19 writings.

33. A 19-week series with many writings from the Gospel of Luke — “Footsteps” — This longest series we’ve ever done was a study on the life of Jesus Christ. Beginning three weeks before Christmas in 2017, it continued through two weeks after Easter of 2018. These devotionals followed the life of Christ as written by Dr. Luke. They therefore have a decidedly Gentile/worldwide perspective on the entire work of Jesus in his fulfillment of Scripture as an expression of the worldwide heart of God for lost people. A total of 97 writings.

34. A 6-week series through the book of Ecclesiastes — “Life Under the Sun” — Perhaps the most commented-upon series we have ever done, the book of Ecclesiastes grabs our attention with its stark realism. Life has its ups and downs; it is not always fair. But the writer tells us to “go for it” and live life fully over the few short and quickly passing years we have under the sun. A total of 25 writings.

35. A 12-week summer series called — “Counterintuitive” — Counterintuitive, by definition: counter to what intuition would lead one to expect, something not easily understood in an instinctive, unconscious way. As we grow in faith and in the knowledge of the Scriptures, we learn that God’s way often is not the way of our instincts. Love your enemies? Strive to be a servant? Gaining the most by giving the most? Greatness through weakness? These and other similar themes were modelled by Christ Jesus, and our calling is to take up our cross and follow him. A total of 12 weekly summary writings.

36. A 5-week series called — “Identity” — Everyone wants to know and understand exactly who they are. What is my identity? This is first understood in terms of families of origin, hence the great interest in research tools like Ancestry.com.  We also relate our identity to what it is that we do in life – our jobs and the things to which we give our passions and energies. The Bible traces our identity similarly, speaking of our family connections as to how we are both “in Adam” but also by faith “in Christ.”  Beyond that, the Scriptures give us a vision for serving well in this life, along with the assurance of an eternal future. Identity crisis?  No way!  A total of 20 writings.

37. A 6-week series called — “Overcomer” — This series on Romans 8 was a launching point for churches throughout our area to collectively address the needs around us, extending hope to a city that many have deemed hopeless. The Apostle Paul’s letter to the emerging church in Rome hits its climax in chapter 8. Here, Paul calls Christians to experience the power of the gospel, step from condemnation into the freedom of God’s Spirit, and discover the life-changing impact that comes from knowing we are “more than conquerors” – not through our own power but by knowing that our God is “for us, not against us.”   A total of 30 writings through the book of Romans.

38. A 5-week series called — “Expectations” — This series for the Christmas season of 2018 looked back at some infants and children in Scripture who were born into lowly circumstances, but who through God’s power became choice servants. This includes Isaac, Moses, Samuel, David, John the Baptist, and of course, Jesus Christ. Also included are some writings from Dallas Theological Seminary professors, as well as four from Bill Kesecker – a prominent teacher in our church ministry. A total of 23 writings.

39. A 15-week series called — “We Got Issues” — This series covers Paul’s letters to the Corinthians. Like them, we have issues in our lives in this sinful world. But as Paul instructed, in Jesus Christ we also have sufficient answers. A total of 59 writings.

40. A 10-week series called — “Reflections on the Christian Life” — In this series, Pastor Randy reflects upon the major themes about successful living of the Christian life, having been a Christ-follower for close to six decades.  A total of 10 writings.

41. A 4-week series called — “Nooks and Crannies” — These are summary writings of the sermons given in January of 2020 on the four one-chapter books of the New Testament: Philemon, Jude, 2 John, 3 John.  Dusting these off and reviewing them is a bit like doing the same with some gem you found in your attic that you had maybe forgotten about. There are some great teachings in these little letters. A total of 4 writings.