Over the next few weeks, we will examine the elements of Intentional Spiritual Formation and their roles in the process of forming us to be more like Jesus. This week we tackle the first of those elements: Teaching.
The goal for every apprentice is to eventually do the kinds of things that his or her master did. The same is true for apprentices of Jesus - to bring the Kingdom of God by saying and doing the types of things Jesus said and did.
How can we become like Jesus? After all, the purpose of apprenticing under Him is that we might become like Jesus and do the kinds of things that He did. In this episode we examine some of the factors that shape and form us as individuals - either towards Christlike character and living, or away from it.
Apprenticing to Jesus involves three goals. Join us as we take a look at what it means to "Be with Jesus" for the purpose of becoming like Him.
This is our second week in this sermon series based on the book Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer. How should we understand what it means to become a disciple or apprentice under Jesus? In what ways should that direct our path in life. Join us this week as we discover the answer to those questions and the three primary goals of any apprentice.
Jesus came that we may have life... and have it abundantly. Are you experiencing that abundant life? What accounts for the difference between his promise and our experience? The answer, often times, is us. And the lives we lead. Join us this week for the invitation into that abundant life.
Faced with an impossible situation, Jesus once again demonstrates his power and authority over those things that make man's toil in the world laborious. It is a moment reminiscent of one of Israel's greatest leaders and causes those present to wonder if Jesus might be the one they've been waiting for.
Why was Jesus ministering and healing on the Sabbath? Join us today as we uncover the reality behind the relationship of God to the Sabbath and why the words "My Father is working..." were so infuriating to those who opposed Jesus.
Following His encounter with Nicodemus, Jesus chooses to pass through Samaria on His way to Galilee. At a well outside the town of Sychar, a most unusual scene unfolds. Join us as we dive into one of the most beautiful accounts in the Gospels and discover the offer of Living Water.
Nicodemus, a leader of the Pharisees, has seen and heard enough to know that God is with Jesus. But he is unsure what it all means. Join us for this week's message as we discover the most important thing for Nicodemus - and us - to understand about the new era that Jesus is ushering in.
Join us today as we step into a wedding celebration in Galilee. An issue arises that leads to an interesting exchange between Jesus and his mother. In the end, we are privy to the first of seven miraculous signs revealing the deity of Jesus. Note: Below is a link to the video we showed during our Sunday Gathering. https://youtu.be/rV3AnTUPiDY?si=2v6Xje8OdMKigleu A shortened link: https://bit.ly/3IC8UzH
In this week's message and with John the Baptist as our example, we will discover a critical key for discovering and fulfilling the purposes that God has for our lives.
John wraps up his Prologue with the implications of the incarnation. What is the significance of Jesus being full of grace and truth? And what does he mean that we have received grace upon grace? That's what we'll discover this week in John 1:14-18.
The Gospel of John stands apart from the other Gospels. While the others serve as a summary or synopsis of the life of Christ, John's Gospel paints a unique portrait of the heart of God. Join us this week as we see the portrait emerge and an invitation extended.
"Greetings, O favored one..." Those were the angels initial words to Mary. Significant words. But words that troubled her a bit. Join us this week as we look at Mary's invitation into the Christmas story and the relevance of those words for us.
The question as we transition from the life of David to the life of Solomon is, "Will he, like his father, be a man after God's own heart?" Join us as we dive into First Kings and discover the secret to a life lived out of wisdom.
The Bible tells the unfolding story of redemption that God has been writing in the world. It is a story that continues to be written individual by individual and generation by generation. As He does so, it is worth asking: Is there a particular kind of person God is looking for? A characteristic they must possess to be gold in the Author's hand? Join us as we explore this question and discover the surprising answer in the book of First Samuel.
The book of Ruth is a story of unwelcome sorrows, unlikely heroes, and unexpected redemption. It follows the life of an Israelite woman named Naomi and her daughter-in-law Ruth as they navigate an uncertain future as widows in foreign lands.
The life of Jacob is a lesson in the way God pursues the individual as an individual. Your story is not my story. And Jacob's story is not Abraham's story. But all are part of the Story of redemption that is big enough to include us all.
What was it about Abraham that made him one of the Fathers of the Faith? What was so significant about his relationship with God that God would later refer to Himself as the God of Abraham? And Sunday School kids would sing about "Father Abraham" 4,000 years after his death? Find out as we kick off a new series exploring the significant figures and stories embedded in Matthew's genealogy of Jesus.
While Luke is quite clear about many of the factors and characteristics at work in the early church of Acts 2, there is also a universal principle in play that receives no mention. This principle - which operates in both the natural world and spiritual world - is crucial to our ability to experience the abundant life that Jesus promises in the Gospels. Join us this week as we discover this universal principle at its role in our spiritual lives.
There is no doubt that the early church formed a special community – one of great unity, gratitude, and generosity. In this week's message we discover the second of two key characteristics that Luke lays out for his readers in the book of Acts. A characteristic that just might be the key to us experiencing all that God has for us in His Church.
Certain moments in the life of Jesus and his disciples make us wish we could go back in time – to stand among them or even be a participant. For many, Acts 2 is one of those moments. While we can't call Marty McFly to transport us back, we can dive into the descriptions and ask, "What made this community and moment so unique." By so doing, we can discover the essential elements for experiencing that kind of community and movement of God today. Join us for this week's message where we discover th...
We had a special opportunity this past Sunday. Our special guest John DelHousaye led us through what the New Testament church referred to as a Love Feast - the manner in which they met for worship and fellowship alongside sharing a table and meal together. In this episode, John shares about the nature of these gatherings and what we can glean from them.
We all recognize the value of a deep and abiding faith, but we can miss the path to possessing such a faith. What did figures David and Paul or the early church consider essential for the formation of deep faith? Join us this week as we discover one of those vital ingredients.
Resurrection life is at the heart of not only the Easter season, but the Gospel itself. It is hope for this life and for the life to come. Join us this week as we meditate on the hope of the Gospel found in some the promises of the God's Word. Note: The middle of this podcast includes six times of silence for reflection on a passage. If you wish to extend these times of reflection, simply pause the podcast and continue when you are ready.
In our busy Western culture, we can zoom past milestone moments in the faith - like Christmas and Easter - as if they were simple events to be celebrated and moved on from. But these milestone moments are actually invitations to you and me. Invitations to linger and ponder, to wonder and ask, "What is God inviting us into in this season?" Join us this week as we enter the world of the early church and discover the invitation before us.
Jesus talked about the "Kingdom" over twice as much as any other topic. If Jesus thought it was important to talk about maybe we should too. The word Kingdom is defined as: Any place where a King or Queen is the sole ruler. Join us this week as guest speaker Lucas Cooper takes us from Genesis 1, where God establishes His role as King, to the Fall and Man's choice not to recognize God as their King, through Jesus' role as the one who restored God's Kingdom. As followers of Christ we are to live o...
This week we are covering the final chapter of our book, We Would See Jesus. Join us as Troy shares from John 15, the passage our authors refer to in summarizing the previous 8 chapters. In John 15:5 Jesus says : "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit." Jesus is the "one true vine," He is our one true source for life. We are a branch and the only way we can experience life as God intended is to "remain," "abide," or "stay" connected to ...
"What is the purpose of life?" To know, to love, and to walk with God. If this is our purpose then anything else we seek after is a distraction. We have seen Jesus as all we Need, as the Truth, as the Door, and as the Way. But to what end? Join us this week as Troy shares how our authors bring us full circle back to why God created us... to know, to love, and to walk with Him. There isn't anything or anyone other than Him. He is our End!
