Wisconsin Avenue Baptist Church of Washington DC

October 4, 2026 - Pastor Leslie - This sermon explores Paul’s teaching in Galatians 5:5–6 that genuine faith expresses itself through love. We are not made right with God through religious works, rituals, or human effort, but through faith in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit, who lives permanently within every believer, transforms us from the inside out and gives us the power to live by faith.
As we surrender fear, doubt, bitterness, unforgiveness, and the need for control, the Holy Spirit strengthens our trust in God and enables us to love others as Christ has loved us. Faith is not meant to remain only something we believe; it should be visible in the way we live. When we walk in step with the Spirit, our faith grows, love flows through us, and our lives become a reflection of Jesus Christ.

October 11, 2026, Sermon by Pastor Leslie - Matthew 11:28-30: In a world filled with endless demands, responsibilities, and uncertainty, Jesus extends a beautiful invitation: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” His promise is not simply physical rest, but a deep and lasting peace that comes from trusting Him. Jesus invites us to take His yoke, learn from Him, and walk in humility, gentleness, and faith. True rest does not mean a life without challenges, but the assurance that we never have to face them alone. As we draw closer to Jesus through prayer, reflection, and time in His presence, we discover the strength, renewal, and peace that only He can provide.

September 27, 2026 - Pastor Leslie - In Mark 10:46–52, Bartimaeus cries out for mercy, refuses to be silenced by the crowd, and responds when Jesus calls him. Jesus stops, hears his need, and restores his sight. Bartimaeus then follows Him along the road. His story encourages us to bring our needs honestly to Jesus and challenges us to notice and care for people others overlook. We are called to trust Jesus, show His love in practical ways, and follow Him together, one faithful step at a time.

September 20, 2026 - Pastor Leslie in this sermon reminds us that, as followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to be His ambassadors in the world. Because God has reconciled us to Himself through Christ, we have been entrusted with the ministry and message of reconciliation. We demonstrate God’s glory by making His love, grace, compassion, and forgiveness visible through the way we live and engage with others.

September 13, 2026 - Guest preacher, Rev. Lela Harris, Metropolitan Baptist Church, Largo Maryland preaches from Galatians 5:13-25 on the Fruit of the Spirit.

Sunday, September 5, 2026 - Pastor Leslie preaches from 2 Peter 1:5-11 on the subject Building on Your Faith. We were never meant to stop at faith. The Scriptures tells us to add to our faith certain virtues that will enable us to grow spiritually and secure our calling.

Sunday, August 30, 2026 - Pastor Leslie preaches from the Gospel of John 17: 20-23 on what it means to live the Legacy of Jesus.

Sunday, August 23, 2026 - Pastor Leslie - This sermon frames the Samaritan woman's story as a deliberate contrast to Nicodemus in John 3 — the respected insider versus the shunned outsider — to show that everyone, regardless of status, needs the same transformation. It traces Jesus's pursuit of her (going through Samaria on purpose), his seeing her when no one else would, and his offer of living water. The sermon then turns to what her transformation produces: a new identity, a witness, a purpose and a vision. 

Sunday, August 16, 2026: In this sermon, Pastor Leslie calls believers to respond to God's mercy by offering themselves fully to him. Drawing on Paul's strategic structure in Romans — wrath, grace, plan, and finally the will of God in chapter 12 — the message contrasts two paths: conforming to the pattern of this world or being transformed by a renewed mind.
The heart of the sermon centers on Paul's phrase "living sacrifice." Where Old Testament sacrifice meant a single, final death, Christian worship calls for something harder and ongoing — a sacrifice that gets back up each day and must keep choosing to belong to God. The sermon warns against the Pharisees' mistake: avoiding worldly conformity while still refusing the deeper work of a renewed mind, clinging to old frameworks instead of recognizing what God is doing.

Sunday, August 9, 2026 - Pastor Leslie preaches on “Thus Far the Lord Has Helped Us,” based on 1 Samuel 7:2–14, reminds us that God’s people must remain fully committed and obedient to Him. After Israel repented, rejected its idols, and sought the Lord in prayer, God delivered them from the Philistines. Samuel raised a stone called Ebenezer as a lasting testimony of God’s help.