Sermon Archive
Ask, and You Will Receive (January 08, 2012)
Matthew 7:7-11
A look at an excerpt from the “Sermon on the Mount”.
The Winds of Change (January 01, 2012)
John 20:19-23
Focus on the the rebirth, new beginnings in Scripture and emphasize that this new year is the turning point for our church - this is either the year where things fizzle out, or where we go and fulfill the Great Commission that Jesus sent us on and we are reborn as a congregation and have the life and multiplication and vitality that Jesus desires for us to have.
God With Us: Savior (December 11, 2011)
Matthew 1:18-25
This sermon focuses on the revelation of the angel to Joseph, that the child Mary is carrying is conceived by the Holy Spirit, and is indeed divine - Immanuel, God with us, and that this child is also sent to save or deliver the people from their sins.
God With Us: Light of the World (December 04, 2011)
John 1:1-18
Jesus is described here as with God, as one with God, as eternally preexistent as the Word of God and the Light of the World. These phrases - Word and Light - refer to revelation of God’s character and will. The removal of spiritual blindness and separation from God comes when the Word and the Light puts on flesh to come be with the people, bridge the gap, make the grace and truth of the invisible God VISIBLE to people, and to adopt all who are ready to receive it into an intimate Father/child relationship with God.
God With Us: Prince of Peace (November 27, 2011)
Isaiah 9:1-7
This prophecy about the Messiah from Isaiah reveals from long before Jesus’ birth that the Messiah would be more than a great man - that the Messiah would be the Almighty God, coming personally in the flesh to deliver his people. This passage focuses on the Messiah’s deliverance and peace - items used for war are destroyed or transformed into items used to produce bounty. Peace replaces violence and oppression. The Strong, Mighty God comes into human flesh to deliver people from violence, hardship and oppression and to instead, establish a reign of Peace.
Life Recovery (November 13, 2011)
Acts 2: 42-47
A message about the power of Christ, the gospel and Christian community to empower people with all manner of challenges to recover from their hurts and sins and for the image of God or Christ to be “recovered” in them.
Video at end of sermon: http://vimeo.com/30358560
The Harvest’s Tenants (November 06, 2011)
Matthew 21:33-46
This parable foreshadows the expansion of the Gospel to the Gentile mission field because of the rejection of Christ by the Jewish leaders. However, when the parable is read only in those terms, it leads to anti-Semitism. The real principle here still abides today - when we desire to hold on to God’s blessings and God’s favor without submitting ourselves to God’s direction and sharing his goodness with others, we are just like the wicked tenants who reject God’s truth but want to keep God’s bounty for oursleves. God promises, through this parable, that any “tenants” who refuse to be obedient to God’s teaching and refuse to share God’s goodness with others will have their position removed from them and given to others who will do God’s will.
Let the Pastor Move Over (October 30, 2011)
Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-16
Every person in the local church is to be a minister. The pastor’s job is to train and equip us for doing ministry. The pastor is not to be the person that does all the work. We’ll look at how the word for “equipping” is the same as used in the “mending” of a fishing net. Equipping a church is a job that is never done, it is done to get work done and it is intended to continue the work that Jesus began.
Harvest Conditions (October 23, 2011)
Matthew 13: 1-9,18-23
When we recognize adverse conditions for what they truly are, we can better respond to them by ridding ourselves of the things that mess up our “soil” and learning how to cope with the times of “adverse weather”. Above all we remember that God is the expert farmer, gardener, and knows how to take care of us in the midst of any and all conditions. When we surrender to him he is able to produce 30, 60 or 100 times what he has planted in us.
The Lord of the Harvest (October 16, 2011)
Matthew 9:35-38
This week begins with a short teaching of Jesus - as he looks around at the need of the people he is ministering to, his heart is moved with compassion and he remarks, the Harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few, ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers.” This Scripture points us to the truth that any Harvest for God’s Kingdom, which is the deliverance of lives into the peace and joy of knowing Christ, and the transforming of lives into following Christ, must begin with God. God is the Lord of the Harvest and it all begins with him.
Who’s Got Your Back? (October 09, 2011)
Romans 8: 26-28, 31-32, 37-39
When we trust in the assurance of the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives, we can be confident that there is nothing that will arise that God cannot conquer on our behalf and nothing that can arise that can separate us from his love. He loves us so much that he makes his Home in our hearts and is working, constantly, to redeem us and deliver us. The Holy Spirit has our back.
Holy Manners: Proper Conflict (October 02, 2011)
Colossians 3:12-14, Matthew 18:15-20
Conflict is not the problem - it’s normal. Pretending it’s not there will make it worse by leading to bitterness or resentment. It’s improper handling of conflict that most often causes division in church, and proper handling of conflict is actually a powerful witness to Christ - perhaps even more powerful than pretending to agree!
Conflict Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLjUq5pJdQs
Holy Manners: Healthy Communication (September 25, 2011)
James 1:19-21, 26 and James 3:2-12
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8H2CfHnNQ4
People who are growing in Christlike Character, and who desire to care for one another and build reconciled community will learn to practice healthy communication. People are different from one another. We think differently, we assume different things, and we speak differently. Healthy communication seeks to build bridges of understanding across our differences so that we can understand each other, bless each other with loving and truthful speech, and build relationships with direct communication rather than fracturing relationships with gossip.
Holy Manners: Reconciled Community (September 18, 2011)
Galatians 3:23-29
When God’s people love God by developing Christlike character in accordance with the Word, and love their neighbors as themselves by demonstrating Christlike care, this opens the door for a reconciled community to be built - a community not based on status, performance, background, or any of the things that normally divide people, but instead a community reconciled in the love of Christ and centered in the love, grace, and salvation Jesus has provided for us.
Holy Manners: Christlike Character & Care (September 11, 2011)
Mark 12:28-34
Think of the behavioral covenant as a pyramid. We begin with the most broad of categories: developing our own Christian character out of which our behavior flows. This character is developed by knowledge and application of the Word of God in all circumstances, is focused on producing the fruits of the Spirit, and allows grace for our growth to be an ongoing “process” that we, as imperfect people, must go through.
Climbing Mount Worry (September 04, 2011)
Matthew 6:25-34 TNIV
Worry is a natural thing, it’s part of the fall, but when it becomes a crippling factor in our lives it takes away joy, it shows a lack of faith and trust in God and it certainly expends too much physical and emotional energy. Let’s begin trusting in God and His word and daily do battle with the mountain of worry.
What Does Hope Look Like? (August 21, 2011)
Matthew 12:15-21
Everybody needs hope, especially when we face the challenges and brokenness of life. But what or who is the source of our hope? And what does that hope look like? This passage rightly identifies the true source of hope: Jesus Christ.
Are We There Yet (August 14, 2011)
Acts 1:1-9
A look at the events surrounding the disciples following Jesus return and ascension. Rev. Marshall focuses on several of the disciples’ thoughts and actions, as well as the reactions of the entire group during the infancy of their ministry in Jerusalem.
Rebuilding God’s House: Opposition and Deliverance (August 07, 2011)
Ezra 4:1-6, 11-14, 24; 5:1-5; 6:1a, 6-8, 11-15, 19-22
As we face trial, opposition, even false accusation, from the Enemy of enemies, or from people in opposition to God’s will, it is important to remember that we serve a God who is powerful and able to be our protector and vindicator. We do not need to fight back or retaliate. We just need to keep our eyes fixed on God, simply and calmly and regularly repeat our mission, and persevere. God will bring deliverance and completion of his plans.
Rebuilding God’s House: The Foundation (July 31, 2011)
Ezra 1:1-6; 2:68-69; 3:1-2, 7, 10-13
From this series of verses we identify essential events and ingredients to the rebuilding of the Temple that we can apply and appropriate for Rebuilding God’s House in our time and place:
1) Leaders and neighbors outside of the people of Israel were moved by God to help and assist them with material needs;
2) God moved the hearts of the people with a desire to rebuild;
3) Each of the Israelites gave according to their ability to rebuild the temple;
4) They began the process with sacrifice and worshiping God (acknowledging the one who makes it possible, submitting to God’s direction);
5) They came together of one accord (one purpose, unified), but then they divided the labor according to their gifts and ability.
Because of these factors, the foundation of the temple was laid. This laying of the foundation was a source of tremendous hope and celebration for the people. The younger people rejoiced and sung songs of praise. The older people, who remembered the first temple, wept (I believe these are tears of joy over restoration). We will apply these principles to our rebuilding of God’s house.
Rebuilding God’s House: The Promise (July 24, 2011)
Jeremiah 29:4-7,10-14; 30:18-19 (TNIV)
God is Faithful (July 17, 2011)
Hebrews 10:19-25 TNIV
True faith is not based on present circumstances, which are changing, but on the character of God, which is unchanging. We can have faith no matter what the circumstances when our faith is based on God’s eternal character. We now have unprecedented access to intimate communion with a faithful God through Jesus Christ, through whom we are purified and invited into communion with the Father. Faith looks forward to what is to come, encouragement in faith comes from looking back on God’s past faithfulness over the generations, especially the fulfillment of the promises of God in Jesus Christ, and by being surrounded by a supportive, encouraging community of faith.
The Jailer’s Family (July 10, 2011)
Acts 16:25-34 TNIV
A discussion of the “snapshot” scene in Acts where the Jailer’s family is baptized, and a highlight of the critical elements of the Jailer’s baptism.
1. He has an experience which makes him believe
2. He asks “What must I do to be saved”?
3. He continues to handle practical duties (Washed Paul and Silas’ wounds)
4. The family is baptized
5. The family rejoices
Rules and Regulations For The Christian (July 03, 2011)
Colossians 2:6-23 TNIV
The Colossian church was being infiltrated by people who were teaching that true believers must abide by certain rules and regulations. The Apostle Paul refutes this by calling these teachings a hollow and deceptive philosophy and based upon traditions of men. These teachings are in direct opposition to salvation by faith in Christ. Though society needs rules to maintain order we will see that spiritual laws and edicts are NOT effective in restraining people from making poor choices in conducting their lives. Instead there must be a change of heart and when we become Christians not only is the sinful past forgiven but in actuality our sin nature has been dealt a fatal blow. Our hearts are now filled with the Spirit of Christ and we have been made alive in Him! We are no longer “moral” people because we HAVE to be but because of the indwelling Christ we want to be! Our hearts and allegiances now belong to Jesus.
What’s Your One Step: Share (June 26, 2011)
Acts 10:30-48, 1 Peter 3:13-15
Many of us feel safe with prayer and care, but are afraid of the “share” part. We need to be prepared to give an answer for the hope that is in us! The interaction between Peter and Cornelius is a great example of how this is done, and the steps involved, and we will go through them one by one.
BADD: Christianese
Reasons (why people don’t come to church)
What’s Your One Step: Care (June 19, 2011)
Mark 6:34-44, James 2:14-19
Jesus cared about the needs of people first, and met them, and then second to that they put their faith in him. If we say we have faith but have no deeds of caring toward the hurting, vulnerable, and lost - then our faith is dead because the heart of Christ is not in us. Deeds of caring often more powerful than words, and also opens the door to tell people why we are loving them - because Jesus loved us and loves them!
What’s Your One Step: Prayer (June 12, 2011)
Luke 18:1-8; Colossians 4:2-6
First step is to PRAY! Pray with expectation, persistence, on behalf of others and expect God to act. PIE - Pray, Invite, Expect. Evangelism is cooperating with the holy spirit, and the first step to cooperating with the holy spirit is to get in touch with it through prayer.
What’s Your One Step?: Evangelism (June 05, 2011)
Mark 2:1-12, 2 Cor 5:14-6:2
Overview of Evangelism. What is it? Not what people usually think! It’s cooperating with the holy spirit to lead one person one step closer to Christ.
Spiritual Family Planning: Preparing for Baby & Welcoming Home (May 29, 2011)
In the relationship between Christ and the Church, Jesus has enjoyed intimacy with his followers and helped them grow to maturity. Now he is asking them to count the cost and prepare to set out on a journey to follow him and to make disciples.
Spiritual Family Planning: Bonding & Cleaning House (May 22, 2011)
Matthew 9:14-17, Ephesians 5:25-32
The Church is referred to as the “Bride of Christ” several times in Scripture, and Christ is the Bridegroom. In addition to an overall understanding of the phases of life with Christ and us as his Bride, we will also look at the phases of Life with Christ, as his Bride, and how those phases seem to be repeated each time a local church calls a new pastor. My hope is that in this week and next week, we will each be able to identify the phases of our own relationship with Christ as part of His Bride, and that we as a church will be able to identify the phases of “family planning” that we are going through as a church in these first four years of my pastorate.
A Match Made in Heaven (May 15, 2011)
Hosea 1:1-10
An in depth look at the marriage between Hosea, a prophet of God and Gomer, a prostitute. This marriage shows how God had been faithful to His people but they paid back his benevolence by being unfaithful and through committing spiritual adultery. There are obvious parallels to our Christian walk today and we will look at a few of them. Basically, the prophet resembles God and faithfulness; Gomer is the unfaithful one and the Prophecy concerns itself with God’s dealing with the nation as well as individual. It all is summed up by God’s reaching out to Gomer with grace and compassion.
Mothering God’s Children (May 08, 2011)
Exodus 2:1-10
2 Timothy 1:1-5
All women have the opportunity to serve the Lord in their own time, and to nurture and raise up future generations of people of faith, whether it is through raising natural born children or blessing the children of others as God brings them into their lives. This ministry, among others, is vital and God-honoring, and is a way that God uniquely invites women to plant seeds of faith for future generations. We give thanks for the women of the past who have done this. We honor the women of the present who are doing this. And we invite women to embrace this ministry, among others, to plant seeds of faith in future generations.
Resurrection Responses: Fear, Joy and Mission (April 24, 2011)
Mark 16:1-8
John 20:19-23
This message will focus on the responses of the disciples to the annunciation of resurrection. First, there is fear and doubt. Fear that resurrection means God’s judgment on those who have betrayed him (which was all of them.) We often have that same response to our first experience of God’s resurrection power too. Then, when Christ appears and offers not judgment but reconciliation, forgiveness, our fear turns to joy. Joy that there is nothing, not even death, that can stand in the way of God’s redeeming love. Finally, Jesus invites our response to turn from the receiving of his joy to the sharing of it as we are sent out in mission to proclaim a risen, loving, forgiving savior to all the world.
One Week to Live: Thursday (Part 2) (April 17, 2011)
Mark 14: 43-65
Judas betrays Jesus in the garden, and then Jesus is tried and condemned by the Sanhedrin.
One Week to Live: Thursday (Part 1) (April 10, 2011)
Mark 14:12-26, 32-42
Last Supper: Jesus offers himself as the Passover Lamb and foreshadows the release of believers from bondage/slavery to sin and death. This teaching institutes Communion and frames it in light of the Passover and Exodus. Jesus is teaching his disciples the meaning of his death - as the Passover Lamb, he is the one who dies to protect and “cover” the chosen with his blood so that the angel of death will pass over them (except this time it is the promise of eternal life). All who accept the sacrifice of the Passover Lamb are led out of the slavery of sin and death and into the Promised Land of communion with God and eternal life. Almost immediately, what Jesus has foreshadowed in the Passover feast.
Last Supper/First Communion is set into motion with his arrest. His sacrificial and substitutionary death is set into motion.
One Week to Live: Tuesday (March 27, 2011)
Mark 12:28-34, 38-44
Amidst many challenges to his authority by religious elite, Jesus teaches the great commandment and contrasts the servanthood of the poor widow to the hypocrisy of the religious leaders. Jesus strips away much of the fanfare of religious ritual and boils the law down to its heart - love for God and neighbor. The poor widow, in contrast to the teachers of the law, embodies what God favors and delights in.
One Week to Live: Monday (March 13, 2011)
Mark 11:1-11
This is the first day that we are studying as we journey through Jesus’ last seven days
before crucifixion. This triumphal entry sets the stage for what we will see much of
over the next seven days - the “triumphal entry” is a lesson in contrasts. The people
make the same shouts that they do whenever any king enters the city. Except instead
of banners of fine silks and golden chariots (the usual processional fare), it is the poor
and the downtrodden who lay rough linen cloths and branches from the trees down on
the road, as Jesus rides in, not on a magnificent steed, but on a lowly donkey.
Vitality: TLC (March 06, 2011)
Acts 2:42-47
The Biblical “Value of Vitality” for this week is this: Vitality is a communal effort (under the sovereign direction of God) that calls for teamwork (T), effective leaders (L), and a loving, healthy community (C). In short, vitality requires TLC.
Vitality: Joy in the Journey (February 27, 2011)
Mark 4:26-33
The Biblical “Value of Vitality” for this week is this: Vitality is a journey, not a quick fix. Vitality is a means to an end, not an end in itself. Most of us have some sort of image of what church vitality or revitalization will look like. We usually picture the end result. The finished product. If vitality only exists in that utopian place of having “arrived” we’ll only be disappointed - because we’ll never get there, this side of heaven. What we are picturing is not revitalization or vitality, but what we are picturing is the kingdom vision. God brings us to that point and place when he decides its time, but it won’t come until God’s work is complete. Vitality is a journey - it’s the healthy process of growth that comes when we surrender to the development of kingdom values in and through us.
Vitality: Messy Renovations (February 20, 2011)
Luke 14:25-30; James 1:2-5
The Biblical “Value of Vitality” for this week is this: Vitality takes longer than planned, is messier than expected, costs more than originally figured and requires greater determination than once thought. Because of this reality, vitality often comes with conflict and opposition. This challenge requires courage, hope, perseverance, wisdom, graciousness, and dependence on God.
Vitality: A Spiritual Reality Check (February 13, 2011)
Acts 17:22-31
God wants us to rediscover vitality by being filled up, once again, with the Love of God, the Joy that comes from knowing we are God’s joy, delight, and pleasure, to rest in that knowledge, be filled up by it, and to offer others that same spiritual food and drink through the overflowing of it in our own lives - leading them to seek that joy from God’s presence themselves.
Vitality: Gone With the Wind (February 06, 2011)
John 3:1-15
Vitality is a movement of the Holy Spirit that often happens in surprising ways - ways in which the church did not plan for or figure out ahead of time. Cultivating a sense of God’s mystery and a conscious dependence on the Holy Spirit makes us more open to moving forward with God.
The Tower of Babel (January 30, 2011)
Genesis 11:1-9
Man building his way to heaven showed a great arrogance and this arrogance was also seen at the cross, but there God reached down to man and offered grace.The choice in life has always been the same - my way, or God’s way. How foolish it is to resist the grace and love offered to each one of us, no matter how unworthy we may be.
Vitality: What’s Our Motivation? (January 23, 2011)
John 4:27-38
Vitality is being centered in the message and mission of Jesus. “We need to do something so we don’t decline/close” is not the proper foundational motivation, and is very different from a renewed sense of mission flowing from the heart of Jesus. God will bless mission and ministry that is rooted in a love for Jesus, and a desire only to have the “food” that Jesus talks about in today’s passage - to do the will of the Father and reap the “harvest” that he has prepared. When our focus is on Christ and our motivation is sharing his love with all those who Jesus loves (i.e. everyone, focusing especially on the needy, rejected, lame, lonely, disenfranchised, etc)- rather than a focus on self-preservation - then we are sent out to do the Father’s will and we will be a part of reaping the harvest.
Vitality: On the Vine (January 16, 2011)
John 15:1-8
Vitality is initiated by God, enabled by God, empowered by God, sustained by God, and grown by God. Apart from Christ, we can do nothing. No human effort, no perfect program, system or strategy will produce the results or the fruit we desire in our church if the vitality is not first initiated by God, if our efforts are not rooted in the living God, and if our focus is not first on seeking God Himself.
New Year, New Freedom (January 02, 2011)
Ephesians 3:1-19
The new year has tended to be a time to think about fresh starts, new beginnings, different goals, etc. These are not bad things to think about, but sometimes I think this has the unfortunate effect of getting us to think about everything that is “wrong” in our life that we want/need to change. It can sometimes be a deflating exercise. So, this year, let’s begin the new year by focusing on the newfound “freedom and confidence” with which we can approach God, in spite our imperfections, because of the relationship we have with God in Christ Jesus.
Jesus: Moses for All Nations (December 26, 2010)
Matthew 2:13-23
In this story we are clearly called to remember that Jesus was given to us, sent for a purpose - to be a liberator for all people.
Advent Preparations: Look Around (December 12, 2010)
Matthew 11:2-11
We are called to look around and take stock of what God is doing among us and through us. When people look at our church, our ministry, will they recognize that the Messiah is there? What do we see, and what do others see, when we look around? How can we prepare to proclaim Christ’s coming kingdom not only by what we think, say, or believe, by also by what we do, and what we see happening among us?
Advent Preparations: Look Within (December 05, 2010)
Matthew 3:1-12
John the Baptist was chosen by God to prepare the way, a voice crying in the wilderness to make straight paths for the coming of the Lord. John the Baptist invited people in his time to Look ahead, to prepare, by looking within. Therefore preparation for the coming Christ includes searching our hearts, confession our sins, repenting of ways that do not make straight the path for the Lord, and being baptized to symbolize the washing away of sin and the forgiveness offered in Christ.
Advent Preparations: Look Ahead (November 28, 2010)
Matthew 24:36-44
Advent and Christmas is never simply a time of looking back at what God has done through the birth of the baby Jesus. For us, in the in-between time between the first and second coming, it is also always a looking forward (look ahead) to when Christ will come again.
What is Jesus Doing Here? (November 21, 2010)
Mark 5:1-20
In this passage, the basic lesson is that Jesus has the power and ability to loose the bonds and afflictions that bind us and torment us and has the power, ability and desire to transform, change and save the lives of people who are hurting. What is interesting here is that the afflicted man knows what Jesus is doing here (there) in that town - that’s why he comes to him for help. He knows Jesus is the source of healing and deliverance. The demons are the ones who resist him and say, what do you want with us? But in the dialogue that Jesus has with the demons he agrees to their request to send them into the pigs. Instead, the pigs, all 2000 of them, rush into the sea and drown. This is a big loss of revenue for the townspeople, and so they ask “what is Jesus doing here?” and beg him to leave. They are mad that they have lost a lot of their wealth, the things they value, to save one demon possessed man. It’s no accident that their worth is in pigs (an unclean animal in Judaism). For Jesus, all of their wealth is of little value and consequence, even unclean, and easily sacrificed for the sake of saving one tormented soul. In churches today, we grumble when we expend a lot of resources and see very little fruit. Why expend all this “stuff” that is of great worth to us just to save one measly soul?
Calm in the Storm (November 14, 2010)
Mark 4:35-41
Is our faith in God’s goodness and care based solely on the evidence of our present circumstances? Or does our faith in God’s goodness and care provide the calm center in the midst of any circumstances? For the disciples in the boat with Jesus, their fear and anxiety over the raging storm reveals that they base their faith in Jesus’ goodness and care on their circumstances. In other words, when things are calm and safe, they trust that as evidence that Jesus is good, caring, powerful, and with them. But as soon as a storm whips up, they doubt Jesus’ goodness, care, power, and presence.
Dropped Like a Hot Potato (November 07, 2010)
Matthew 7:15-29
God will never drop you like a hot potato. This is a simple gospel message pointing out the folly of works, but that there is salvation offered through faith in Christ.
God is Still on the Throne (October 31, 2010)
Psalm 103
This week will be an emphasis on God’s Lordship, and will primarily be a sermon of encouragement. Calling us to trust in and draw our strength from God as sovereign, ruler over the heavens and the earth, Lord of our lives, and God’s goodness and justice as our King.
Whole-Life Stewardship: What We Manage (October 24, 2010)
Matthew 25:14-29
Time, Talents, Testimonies, and Treasure. This parable about the talents is about more than just money - it calls us back to the principle of good stewardship - using all that we are, and all that we have to be good and faithful stewards of what God has blessed us with.
Whole-Life Stewardship: How We Give (October 17, 2010)
2 Corinthians 9:6-15
Today’s message focuses on the Corinthians passage and will provide a foundation for how we give: we give cheerfully, obediently, generously, and sacrificially. It is not out of begrudging obligation or with a stingy heart that we are called to give our lives and our possessions, but with a cheerful and thankful heart, trusting as we learned last week that our generous God will supply all we need if we give generously to Him.
Are We Supporting Our Pastor (October 10, 2010)
Once a year we honor our pastor with a Pastor Appreciation Sunday.
Whole-Life Stewardship: Why We Give (October 03, 2010)
A Steward adequately describes who we are - a steward takes care of something that is not his. A Steward is a manager of someone else’s possessions. When we manage our lives - our time, gifts, talents, and resources, we do so acknowledging that they do not really belong to us, but they belong to God. We are called to faithfully administer our gifts in our brief time on earth in a way that gives our Lord glory.
Spiritual Stumbles & New Beginnings, Pt. 1 (September 19, 2010)
Our stumbles are opportunities to evaluate our walk with Christ, be purified and re focused.
Genuine Faith Makes An Impossible Walk Possible (September 12, 2010)
This current age is strange and unpredictable and without faith it’s impossible to please God and make it through the average day. Many are the afflictions of the righteous and the process of faith development is a refinery which causes us to examine ourselves to see if we are truly in faith. The testing does not come to destroy us but to strengthen us in our faith and once strengthen genuine faith blossoms and allows us to finish the race set before us by the grace of God.
The Psalms, A School of Prayer: Supplication (September 05, 2010)
This week we focus on bringing our supplications (our requests and petitions, on behalf of ourselves and others) to God.
The Psalms, A School of Prayer: Thanksgiving (August 22, 2010)
The practice of gratitude, giving thanks to God, is another aspect of praise, but this specifically remembers and gives thanks for the blessings God has bestowed. Thanksgiving is given to God because God is deserving of it.
The Psalms, A School of Prayer: Confession (August 15, 2010)
Prayers of Confession have largely fallen out of regular use in evangelical Christianity. The history behind this is the Protestant disagreement with the Catholic use of a priestly intermediary in formal confession, and the belief that we are saved “once for all” - meaning forgiven of sins past, present and future - mistakenly led to the belief that continual confession was not necessary.
The Psalms, A School of Prayer: Adoration (August 08, 2010)
This week we reflect on the first movement of prayer found in the Psalms, praise and adoration.
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: Final Reflections (August 01, 2010)
This sermon will be a recap touching on many of the themes that we have studied over the course of the all-church study, along with some final thoughts and applications. In our Scripture reading, we will focus in on “continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” (Due to a glitch, sound is missing between 6:33 and 6:36)
Go the Next Step to Develop a “Rule of Life” (July 25, 2010)
A tool used by contemplative Christian traditions to build an intentional framework or “lattice” for your life based on God’s will and your unique identity. A way to take the next step in this continuing journey toward emotionally healthy spirituality.
Grow into An Emotionally Mature Adult (July 18, 2010)
This parable illuminates the different stages of emotional maturity we go through (infant, child, adolescent, adult) and how the emotional maturity and spiritual exterior do not always match up.
Discover the Rhythms of the Daily Office and Sabbath (July 11, 2010)
Explores rhythms (habits, patterns) of daily office (fixed hours of prayer) and sabbath (resting in God) as a counter-cultural way of life that break us from the noise and distractions of the world and enable us to depend more fully on God.
Enlarging Your Soul Through Grief and Loss (July 04, 2010)
Grief and Loss are an expected part of human life. The way in which we respond to these things determines whether we will allow God to enlarge our soul through them, or allow the events to shrivel or dry up our souls.
Journey Through the Wall (June 27, 2010)
We will examine the six stages of spiritual development and discipleship - awareness of God, discipleship (learning), activity (serving), THE WALL, journey inward (deeper transformation of selves), journey outward (new way of living,affects others, out of our new interior relationship with God), transformed by God.
Going Back in Order to Go Forward (June 20, 2010)
One of God’s blessings is placing us in families. As we have learned in the past couple of weeks, God has created us each special and unique, and part of the process of Christian discipleship is discovering our “true selves” (who God created us to be) and allowing God to transform or remove aspects of who we are and how we live life that are contrary to His intentions.
New Community, New Anointing (June 14, 2009)
It doesn’t take a noble birth, a lot of money or a fancy education to do the work of God. All it takes is faith in Jesus Christ.
Sharing The Good News (June 07, 2009)
God understands that we need to see and hear about His goodness.
Now What? Gathering The Sheep (May 10, 2009)
Christ came into the world to usher in the Kingdom of God.
Now What? Living an A.D. Life (May 03, 2009)
When we meet the risen Christ, life changes forever.
Kingdom Clash (March 15, 2009)
What happens when the values of this world clash with the intentions of God?
Kingdom Cost (March 08, 2009)
Are you willing to make the pursuit of God more important than the pursuit of possessions, position and power?
New Bricks, Familiar Foundations (February 22, 2009)
The foundation of the church is Jesus Christ.
Respecting the Name of God (November 16, 2008)
God’s name is not to be taken lightly and should be treated with the respect that God deserves.
Call Unto Me (November 09, 2008)
Prayer is a great privilege, but God invites us to speak to him.
Encourage One Another (November 02, 2008)
Encouraging each other is an important part of Christian life and community.
Beginning Again With Jesus (October 26, 2008)
We see in the first chapter of John that Jesus and His message are inseparable: He is the source of light, truth, and membership in God’s family.
Heroes (October 19, 2008)
True heroes reach out to help others, empowered by the love of Christ.
Grumbling and Complaining (October 12, 2008)
The story of the Israelites in the desert teaches us about the sin of grumbling and complaining.
Dealing With Discouragement (October 05, 2008)
The story of Elijah offers a practical example of how to deal with discouragement.
The Better Blood (September 28, 2008)
Only Jesus’ blood is powerful enough to cleanse us from sin.
But Do I Have to Go to Church? (September 21, 2008)
Regular church attendance is an act of obedience to God and strengthens us in our faith.
Women as Pastors: What the Bible Says (September 14, 2008)
The Evangelical Covenant Church ordains women as pastors because we believe the Bible teaches that they are called and gifted by God.
Women in the Life and Ministry of Jesus (September 07, 2008)
Through his teachings and actions, Jesus showed that he greatly valued women as people.
The Church and You (August 31, 2008)
Active participation in the church is an important part of the Christian life.
A Healthy Church Begins With You (August 24, 2008)
A healthy church requires members who are spiritually healthy. Spiritual health can be gauged by soundness of doctrine, faith, and speech.
The Way, the Truth, and the Life (August 17, 2008)
Although our world can be very confusing, Jesus offers us the way, the truth, and the life.
God Is Here (August 10, 2008)
God is beyond our everyday experience, but He desires a relationship with us, and through worship and the church we can encounter Him.
Never Give Up! (August 03, 2008)
God’s faithfulness and the importance of persevering in the faith.
The Glorious Names of God (July 27, 2008)
The Bible uses different names for God which describe his attributes and give us insight into his character.
A Special Invitation (July 20, 2008)
Jesus has an invitation for each one of us that demands a response.
What About the Future? (July 13, 2008)
Although the future holds many uncertainties, the Bible tells us that there are some things that we can count on.
The Fear of Failure (July 06, 2008)
Everyone fails, but it is what we do with failure that is important.
What’s the Plan Now? (June 29, 2008)
What does it take to move forward into the future that God has for us?