Seek First
Prioritizing God's kingdom in every area of life.
Overview
Seek First explores what it means to truly prioritize God's kingdom across all dimensions of life. Through three powerful messages, this series challenges believers to reorder their finances around eternal values, discover their unique calling in God's work, and cultivate the faith-filled mindset needed to overcome life's battles. As these pastors demonstrate, when God genuinely comes first—in our wallets, our work, and our worries—everything else finds its proper place, and we experience the freedom and fulfillment we were made for.
The Narrative Arc
The Foundation: Money as a Heart Issue
Pastor Mark Pettus establishes that financial faithfulness begins with a transformed heart. Through the Parable of the Talents, he reveals that money is fundamentally about lordship—whose authority reigns in our lives. By shifting from fear-based scarcity to faith-based generosity, believers unlock the freedom to steward resources with eternal purpose rather than personal accumulation.
The Calling: Discovering Your Divine Design
Pastor Chris Hodges pivots from finances to purpose, inviting every believer into meaningful kingdom work. He emphasizes that God's design is beautifully specific—each person possesses unique spiritual gifts meant to be deployed in the local church. This section challenges the myth of passive Christianity, calling the congregation to step into their priesthood and experience the joy that comes from fulfilling their intended role.
The Victory: Faith That Overcomes
Pastor Rich Wilkerson Jr. completes the arc by teaching believers how to win spiritual battles through unshakeable faith. Drawing from Deuteronomy 20, he demonstrates that victory is determined not by circumstances but by what we know, repeat, and submit to. This final message unites the previous themes: ordered finances, engaged purpose, and resilient faith create a life that wins before it ever begins.
Notable Moments
“When God is first, everything else finds its proper place, including money.”
“You're not one in a million, you're one of a kind.”
“Don't let what you see shake what you know.”
“We don't give to get, we give to stay free.”
Key Themes
Sermons in This Series
4 sermonsGolden Rule Relationships
Pastor Mark Pettus teaches that seeking God first in relationships means practicing the Golden Rule through three practical steps — pausing to understand others with biblical empathy, proactively stepping into action rather than reacting, and persevering through the power of the Holy Spirit rather than self-effort.
View sermon →Divine Order
Pastor Pettus teaches from Matthew 6:33 that lasting change in 2026 will not come from resolutions or willpower but from living a divinely reordered life — seeking God's kingdom and righteousness first — empowered by the Holy Spirit to transform every area from the inside out.
View sermon →Eternity-Focused Finances
Pastor Mark Pettus teaches that money is ultimately a heart issue, not just a financial one, and walks through the Parable of the Talents to establish four stewardship principles -- God owns it all, what we have is entrusted with purpose, faithfulness over fear, and eternal rewards -- before offering four practical applications: order over amount, calling over compensation, contentment over consumerism, and generosity over scarcity.
View sermon →Made for This Ministry
Pastor Chris Hodges (PC) preaches that God has a unique, specific purpose for every believer's life, urging the congregation to discover their spiritual gifts and serve on the Dream Team, because true joy and fulfillment come from stepping into the role God designed for each person.
View sermon →