What does it really mean to be a peacemaker in a world filled with conflict? The answer might surprise you. When Jesus declared, “Blessed are the peacemakers,” He wasn’t calling us to avoid conflict at all costs—He was inviting us into a revolutionary way of engaging with a fractured and hurting world.

The Greek word for peacemaker (eirēnopoios) appears only once in Scripture and describes someone who “bravely declares God’s terms and makes others whole.” This definition challenges the passive view of peace many of us hold. Jesus Himself said He came not to bring peace but a sword, revealing that true reconciliation sometimes requires confrontation. As the ultimate peacemaker, He overturned tables in the temple and rebuked religious leaders, showing that addressing injustice is essential to genuine peace.

This teaching explores three dimensions of biblical peacemaking. First, peace within ourselves, modeled by Jesus sleeping through a raging storm while His disciples panicked. Second, peace between people, demonstrated when Jesus crossed cultural boundaries to speak with the Samaritan woman at the well. Third, peace between humanity and God, accomplished through Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection. Each dimension shows that real peace demands courage, intentionality, and a readiness to step into difficult conversations for the sake of restoration.

The early church embodied this radical approach to peace through its diverse leadership and inclusive fellowship. From Pentecost onward, God’s people were called to break down racial, social, and cultural barriers through unity in Christ. Like leaven working through dough, this Kingdom peace transforms from the inside out—changing hearts, shaping communities, and ultimately influencing the world. As James writes, “A harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

This session invites you to embrace that calling—to step beyond comfort, speak truth in love, and become an active participant in God’s redemptive work of reconciliation.

We are Trinity Community Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
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Prayer often feels like the spiritual practice we “should” be better at and secretly avoid. In Red Letters, Pastor Mark Medley takes us into Matthew 7:7–11, where Jesus reduces the complexity we put on prayer to three verbs: ask, seek, knock. Mark shows that this isn’t a technique but an invitation. The Father already knows our needs, yet He tells us to ask because prayer is relationship with His heart and partnership in His mission. Asking confesses our poverty of spirit. Seeking pursues God with hunger. Knocking persists when doors don’t open on the first try, not to wring blessings from a reluctant deity but to stay near a generous Father. Mark addresses delayed or denied requests through the lens of adoption and abiding: the Father sometimes says no, slow, or grow before He says go, shaping us for joy. Through the story of Elizabeth and Zechariah, we see that God remembers prayers we’ve forgotten and weaves answers into a larger plan. This message urges holy discontent in spiritual things, a renewed appetite to be with the Lord and then be sent by Him. In Jesus’ own words, the way forward is simple and sturdy: ask, seek, knock.

We are Trinity Community Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
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What if you could stop struggling to feel “spiritual enough” and start experiencing God through simple, honest connection? In this transformative session on Matthew 5:8—“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God”—Brian Durfee unpacks Jesus’s radical redefinition of spiritual blessing and shows how purity of heart is rooted not in perfection, but in relationship.

When Jesus spoke the Beatitudes, He wasn’t addressing the religious elite. He was speaking to the common, overlooked people of Galilee—those who had been dismissed as spiritually unqualified. By calling them blessed, Jesus shattered conventional religious thinking. He revealed that God’s favor isn’t reserved for those with external success or spiritual credentials, but for those whose hearts are open and aligned with Him.

The key revelation in this teaching is liberating: purity is not something we achieve by religious effort, but something we receive through relational abiding. Drawing from Jesus’s words in John 15 about the vine and the branches, Brian reminds us that branches don’t struggle to produce fruit—they simply stay connected to the source. In the same way, “we become pure by staying close, not by trying harder.”

This insight changes how we view spiritual disciplines. Reading Scripture becomes less about fulfilling a checklist and more about encountering God in His Word. Prayer becomes less formal and more honest—an ongoing conversation with the One who already knows what’s in our hearts. Even small prayers like “God, give me the want to”—prayed in moments of dryness—can spark real transformation and renew our desire for His presence.

This session invites you to stop pretending with God and start being present with Him. It’s in those real, unguarded moments that we begin to see Him more clearly. As Brother Lawrence observed in Practicing the Presence of God, acknowledging Christ’s presence in the ordinary moments of life can reshape our entire spiritual experience.

Through this class, you’ll discover that a purified heart comes not from striving, but from abiding—and that the promise of “seeing God” is not only about eternity but about recognizing His nearness in the present. The door to experiencing Him is not locked by your past or your performance; it is opened through your presence with Him.

We are Trinity Community Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
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“Judge not…” We quote it, meme it, even weaponize it—but do we live it? In this week’s installment of Red Letters, Neil unpacks Jesus’ often-misunderstood directive and shows how it can revolutionize our relationships.

Neil starts by dismantling the myth that Christians must never make moral evaluations. Jesus Himself commands us to “judge with right judgment” (John 7:24). The real issue is hypocrisy—holding others to a microscope while gazing at ourselves through rose-tinted glasses. Using the unforgettable “speck and log” metaphor, Neil exposes how selective vision poisons marriages, friendships, and churches.

From there he explores three biblical judgments: the Great White Throne for unbelievers, the loving discipline believers experience now, and the future judgment of rewards. Knowing God is Judge frees us from playing the role badly ourselves.

Neil then walks through three common pitfalls of fault-finding: acting on partial information, assuming motives, and dredging up sins that Jesus already buried beneath His blood. He challenges us to replace a critical spirit with humble self-examination, gracious speech, and Spirit-directed timing—recognizing that not every heart is ready to receive “pearls.”

Along the way you’ll hear practical stories, clarifying Scriptures, and a call to action: identify one area where you’re quick to criticize and ask the Holy Spirit to transform it into compassion. Whether you’re a long-time believer or exploring faith, this message will help you cultivate relationships marked by authenticity and grace.

Watch the full teaching, dive into the discussion questions, and share the message with someone who could use freedom from both giving and receiving judgment. Subscribe for more content from Trinity Community Church as we continue walking through Jesus’ own words in Red Letters.

We are Trinity Community Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
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What does it truly mean to be merciful? In this powerful session on the fifth Beatitude—“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy”—Hannah Silverberg leads us into a deeper understanding of how this seemingly simple statement holds profound implications for our spiritual lives and relationships.

She begins by addressing a common misunderstanding: the belief that we earn God’s mercy by showing mercy to others. Quoting Charles Spurgeon, she clarifies that the Beatitudes aren’t a list of salvation requirements but a description of the heart of someone already transformed by grace. Our ability to show mercy doesn’t qualify us for mercy—it flows from having already received it.

From there, the session unfolds around three vital truths about biblical mercy. First, mercy costs. It goes far beyond mere sympathy; it acknowledges real wrong and pain and chooses to bear the cost instead of demanding payback. Jesus modeled this perfectly—He taught about mercy knowing it would cost Him the cross. Likewise, our mercy may cost us emotionally, relationally, or materially. But it never compromises God’s holiness. As Hannah notes, “To be passive to sin that will send people to hell is not godly mercy—it’s fear of man. And to be passionate against sin and not brokenhearted for the sinner is not godly justice—it’s pride.”

Second, mercy heals. It doesn’t just bring peace to the person we forgive—it also brings freedom to our own hearts. When we release bitterness, we open space for God’s healing to take root. Through powerful real-life examples—including courtroom moments where families forgive the very people who took their loved ones—Hannah shows how mercy can break cycles of pain and set both the wounded and the wrongdoer on a path to healing.

Finally, mercy transforms. Looking at the life of Peter—from his proud declaration of loyalty to his devastating denial and ultimate restoration by Jesus—we see how mercy didn’t just forgive him, it changed him. Christ’s mercy took a broken, fearful man and transformed him into a bold apostle willing to die for the gospel. “The mercy of Christ transformed Peter,” Hannah reminds us, “and the mercy of Christ transforms us.”

This session concludes with the encouraging truth that we can never out-give God’s mercy. Every act of mercy we offer is rooted in what we’ve already received, and as we pour it out, God is faithful to fill us again.

Are you ready to experience mercy as more than a concept—as a powerful force that heals, restores, and reshapes your life? Come explore how receiving and giving mercy can deepen your walk with Christ and transform the way you respond to a broken world.

We are Trinity Community Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
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Anxiety can feel like background noise you’ve learned to tolerate—until it drowns out everything else. In this week’s Red Letters teaching, Tyler Lynde unpacks Jesus’ cure from Matthew 6:25-34 and shows why the gospel offers something better than coping strategies.

1 | Worry Is Unnecessary
• Birds never sow or reap, yet the Father feeds them.
• Wildflowers never shop, yet God dresses them in royalty.
Takeaway: If God lavishes care on short-lived creatures, His long-loved children can rest.

2 | Worry Is Unfruitful
Stress drains energy without adding time. Modern studies confirm Jesus’ ancient insight: chronic anxiety weakens immunity, shortens lifespan, and cannot change tomorrow’s variables. Why invest in a strategy with zero return?

3 | Worry Is Unbecoming
Jesus notes that panicked pursuit of basic needs typifies those who don’t know God. Followers who act like spiritual orphans misrepresent the Father’s heart. The root issue isn’t circumstances; it’s unbelief in lavish love.

4 | The Father’s Love Is the Cure
John 3:16 and 1 John 4:18 frame the argument: the God who sacrificed His Son to adopt us will not abandon us for groceries or rent. Perfect love casts out fear because it proves our worth.

5 | Kingdom-First Practice
“Seek first the kingdom … and all these things will be added.” Tyler offers three drills:
• Morning surrender—pray today’s needs, release tomorrow’s.
• Gratitude breaks—notice God’s care in creation.
• Daily boundary—plan but don’t borrow trouble from the future.

Final Call
Ready to trade panic for peace? Spend 30 minutes with this passage and watch fear lose its grip. Share the video with anyone who needs a reminder that their Father already knows and already cares.

We are Trinity Community Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
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How do you know what you really treasure? Jesus says the evidence hides in three everyday choices—where you store wealth, what you fix your eyes on, and whom you ultimately obey. In this week’s Red Letters message, Pastor Kelly Kinder walks through Matthew 6:19-24 and invites us to run a spiritual forensic audit.

Earthly vs. Heavenly Deposits — Kelly retells the tragic case of Bertha Adams, who died penniless while hoarding millions, to underscore Jesus’ warning that earthly assets are always one moth, one recession, or one hacker away from ruin. Heavenly deposits—acts of love, mercy, and gospel generosity—grow compound joy in a realm no thief can enter.

Clear vs. Clouded Vision — The eye, Jesus says, is the lamp of the body. A “healthy” or single-minded eye fills life with clarity and purpose; a “bad” or greedy eye leaves even successful people stumbling in darkness. Kelly challenges us to check our digital diets: Do our screens train us to give or to crave?

God vs. Money — Jesus ends the debate: “You cannot serve two masters.” Money is a brilliant servant but a brutal boss. When it calls the shots, anxiety skyrockets and generosity shrivels. Kelly offers three practical moves: automate first-fruits giving, set lifestyle ceilings below income ceilings, and convert talents or hobbies into kingdom blessing.

We are Trinity Community Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
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What do you truly hunger for? In this study of Matthew 5:6, we uncover the powerful distinction between worldly happiness and divine satisfaction. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” isn’t just a religious sentiment—it’s a revolutionary approach to fulfillment that directly contradicts our culture’s relentless pursuit of happiness through acquisition and self-gratification.

The world constantly tells us that happiness comes through possessions, status, and doing whatever feels good regardless of consequences. But Jesus offers a radically different perspective. When He uses “blessed” in these Beatitudes, He’s describing a true, lasting joy that only comes as a byproduct of pursuing something greater—righteousness itself. This isn’t about rule-following or religious perfectionism; it’s about hungering for right relationship with God with the same intensity we feel when physically starving.

Think about this: most of us would never consider feeding our physical bodies just once a week, yet many believers attempt to sustain their spiritual lives on nothing more than a weekly church service. We meticulously plan three meals daily for our bodies while allowing our spirits to starve. As the teaching reminds us, “What you feed grows, and what you starve dies.” Which appetite are you feeding—your flesh or your spirit?

Pursuing righteousness means actively making time to engage with Scripture until it transforms you from within, surrounding yourself with others who share your spiritual hunger, and specifically asking God to reveal unhealthy appetites while increasing your desire for Him. The beautiful promise attached to this Beatitude isn’t that you’ll get everything you want—it’s that your deepest soul hunger will finally be satisfied through right relationship with God. Will you join us in this countercultural pursuit of hungering for what truly satisfies?

We are Trinity Community Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
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