The angel announces that what is brought that night is “good news of great joy for everyone.” We all love good news and crave great joy. That’s not the difficult part. Where the challenge lies is in the declaration that it is for “everyone.” We tend to get possessive of this great good news. But the words of the angel cause us to question if, whatever Christmas is, is it really for everyone? One of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS from this past week asked: …What “specialness” is lost if it is really for evero...
Dec 14, 2017•19 min
As we approach Christmas, there is so much in our world of which to be afraid. Many people are filled with fear. Humans dehumanizing one another. Fear the FED will make a bad decision and the recovery won’t last. Fear about how to make our check stretch to cover the month. Fear over health or children. Fear that if I’m really living the full life intended or possible. The angel appears to Zechariah, Mary and shepherds, and the first line hints at our love/hate relationship with fear. “Fear not.”...
Dec 06, 2017•19 min
Ephesians 2 makes the case that two parties, once separated by a variety of hindrances, have been made one. This was accomplished through the sacrifice of Jesus. In this world, we will always have differences that, at times (or maybe even all the time), identify us. The more we focus on those differences, the more pronounced our separation from one another becomes. In Christ, we are one. Please share and reach out to us directly from the FHC Mobile App. You can share by using the Media tab, and ...
Nov 29, 2017•20 min
The back side of saying thank you is that it is a response to something from beyond ourselves. What are the “givens” that inspire our “thank you’s?” In preparation for this worship service and for the week of Thanksgiving, give some mental energy to thinking about what you have that you haven’t been given. Humble words . . . “Thank You!” This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: How will you enlarge you heart of gratitude? In light of everything we have discussed, questions we have ...
Nov 22, 2017•17 min
In the fifth and final Sola in our series, we will consider that, because salvation is of God and has been accomplished by God, it is for God's glory and that we must glorify him always. If glorifying God is more than gathering for worship once a week, what does this look like in our daily life? This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: How do you feel about only two kinds of people in the end, those who say to God, “your will be done.” And those to whom God says in the end “Your wi...
Nov 15, 2017•20 min
Salvation is made possible for humanity only through Jesus Christ. Can there be any truth in a gospel that claims something besides faith in Christ and his work alone as sufficient? This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: What do you know about your family tree? Share about any interesting or famous ancestors. Please share and reach out to us directly from the FHC Mobile App. You can share by using the Media tab, and then - Podcast banner - use the text and email share buttons, or...
Nov 08, 2017•18 min
How and what I believe directly affects how I live my life and interact with others. Does this mean that poor orthodoxy puts me at risk of acting counter to God’s will and sharing a less-than-accurate picture of Jesus? It gives a new understanding to “practicing what I preach” – especially if what I preach isn’t focused on Christ. This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: In your mind, what does it mean to be “Right with God,” and how does that affect your daily routine? Please shar...
Nov 01, 2017•19 min
Martin Luther said, “A simple layman armed with Scripture is greater than the mightiest pope without it.” Sola Scriptura is the teaching that Scripture is the Church’s only infallible and sufficient rule for deciding issues of faith and practices that involve doctrines. While the Bible does not contain all knowledge, it does contain that which is necessary for salvation. Can Scripture be trusted? This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: How much time in your daily life should be gi...
Oct 25, 2017•19 min
Amazing Grace. Sola Gratia is simply acknowledging that the Bible teaches that the totality of our salvation is a gift of grace from God. As it says in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves. It is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast.” This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: What will you need to do to learn the unforced rhythms of grace? This question seems deceptively “easy”, and yet the more you ...
Oct 18, 2017•19 min
The first and chief article is this: Jesus Christ, our God and Lord, died for our sins and was raised again for our justification. He alone is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. All have sinned and are justified freely, without their own works and merits and by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. This is necessary to believe. This cannot be otherwise acquired or grasped by any work, law, or merit. Therefore, it is clear and certain that this faith alone ...
Oct 11, 2017•20 min
What was the original purpose of baptism, and has its meaning changed over the years? How does one make that decision, and is it a necessary step to following Jesus? What is its relationship to church membership, and who is best qualified to coach toward these decisions? This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: If you’ve been baptized, share your baptism experience. (How old were you? Who did it? Where was it? Etc.) Please share and reach out to us directly from the FHC Mobile App....
Oct 04, 2017•21 min
This week’s question: Will God answer my prayer? Seriously, I see poverty, abuse, neglect, and war. I know God is capable, but will he do anything about any of this because I ask? If God is love and he is sovereign, how can he let things be the way they are? In the end, what difference does it make if I pray (or not)? This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: What about prayer as simply a way to build a friendship with God? Please share and reach out to us directly from the FHC Mobi...
Sep 27, 2017•19 min
Two questions came to us that created the basis for our journey today. Here they are: “Can I invite my LGBTQ friends to FHC and how can I expect them to be treated? And: “Where does FHC stand on acceptance of individuals who identify themselves as homosexual or those with differing gender identities?” Our mission is clear, we believe that God has assembled, called, developed us as the Florida Hospital Church to “Love people into a lifelong friendship with God.” This isn’t a mission we made up. T...
Sep 20, 2017•22 min
How can I reconcile differences in belief and remain in the church? What do we have to agree on to be in fellowship with our denomination? How in sync or out of sync can a local body of believers be? Where is the seat of my spiritual identity? Coming to grips with the question about my spiritual identity will determine the parameters of acceptable diversity. This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: How would you define yourself as Christian first or Seventh-day Adventist first and ...
Sep 13, 2017•19 min
“If God is deeply interested in my life, why doesn’t he clearly reveal his will for me?” This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: Are you more comfortable with God revealing a specific will for you or are you better with a broader more open will for you? Have you experienced specificity, the broader/open path, or both? I would love to hear how you have realized God’s will for your life and the path you took to find it. Please share and reach out to us directly from the FHC Mobile A...
Sep 06, 2017•19 min
Pardon our audio issues this week, we will be back to normal next week! Together we can accomplish what none of us could do alone. Assuming we can fly solo doesn’t match the call to life in community. Being a village is critical for modeling faith to the coming generations. Our call to share life and be the village is what it takes to transfer the truth of Jesus to the next generation. To learn more about or to be involved with the Open Table ministry please email Krizia: krizia@hospitalchurch.o...
Aug 30, 2017•20 min
A short message and prayer by Florida Hospital Church Senior Pastor Andy McDonald regarding the tragedy in Charlottesville. There is no redeeming value in bigotry, hatred, and racism. Participation, active or silent acceptance, or support of these is an active denial of being a follower of Christ. Our church prayer is to always be a place of love, acceptance, forgiveness, and grace - so that in the end, His love wins. #fhcWORSHIP #fhcINSPIRES
Aug 23, 2017•7 min
Some may feel that a “church without walls” is vulnerable and gullible. However, the Christian life was never meant to be lived out in fear of the “What if’s.” God calls us to a life of abundance and joy – right now. It’s called “the Kingdom of Heaven,” and though it is without walls, you do know its boundaries. Love, grace, acceptance, and forgiveness mark the territory. This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: How can you establish boundaries that bring freedom and safety? DON’T ...
Aug 23, 2017•19 min
When God led the Israelites into the land they were to inhabit, one of the first things He did was to establish “Cities of Refuge.” What might this provision mean to us today? Do we allow fear, prejudice, and popular opinion to be our means of judging others, or might there be another way to make our first response a sanctuary of seeking understanding and peace before we judge? This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: As you look at the people in your life, are there way where you ...
Aug 16, 2017•19 min
Churches should exist primarily to show Christ to the world, and what better representation than to be the voice, hands, and heart of love, acceptance, and forgiveness? Before Christ, the Ethiopian eunuch would have never been allowed in the “family.” This was not only because of his race but also because of his status. However, Jesus not only understood his Father, he also knew the Scriptures when Isaiah paints a beautiful “gate” of promised acceptance. No wonder the eunuch was so inquisitive a...
Aug 09, 2017•19 min
In the confusing maze of this world, we can get turned around. Disorientation can fool us into being sure we are headed east while we are rushing west. What we need is a compass. This becomes even more critical when there are others we love following our lead. The same is true in life. We must understand our moral compass to help those around us and the generations behind us make wise decisions. Where do you turn when a decision is demanded? Friends, your own thinking, family, a favorite mentor,...
Aug 02, 2017•20 min
When we reach a fork in the road, is there only one way to go? Is God’s plan for our lives set in stone or do we, with God’s guidance, create the future together? We will explore those questions by recalling God’s leading in the past. This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: Can God "direct our paths" even if we barely acknowledge Him or even if we have not begun to acknowledge Him yet? Please share and reach out to us directly from the FHC Mobile App. You can share by using the Me...
Jul 26, 2017•21 min
God has a plan for us. Though we may question in the moment if he is there or in control, when we look back, we see where God gave knowledge, interceded, and made HIs presence apparent. When we trust and stay connected to our Father, even when we least expect it, God uses us to touch other people and make a difference in their life. This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: How can God use my story to make a difference for another person? Please share and reach out to us directly fr...
Jul 19, 2017•19 min
Does God put us in a variety of situations, jobs, and in contact with various people for a reason and for the benefit of how we respond? How important is our communication with him to the way things turn out? Prayer was meant to be a two-way conversation. If we do all the talking, do we miss the direction and guidance he wants to give? This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: How do you feel about the notion that God needs our prayers? Please share and reach out to us directly from...
Jul 12, 2017•18 min
It’s VBS week at FHC, and this year’s theme is “Maker Fun Factory.” Our children are learning that they were created by God for a purpose. However, this message isn’t just for kids… it’s for all of us. Humanity is God’s plan, and regardless of who we are or where we’ve been, God has a great purpose for each one of us. Join Randy and Megan Couser for a review and some new information on KidsCo! This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: What changes if you see yourself as God’s master...
Jul 05, 2017•19 min
God doesn’t ask us to have “ministry jobs” but a “ministry mindset.” We can do ministry without a building and without a pulpit. However, the one thing we can’t do without is the Holy Spirit. It’s the work of the Holy Spirit that causes us to see opportunities in our workplace to be Jesus to others and to live our life of faith wherever we go and with whomever we encounter. This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: How did you most recently experience God? We would love to hear abou...
Jun 28, 2017•19 min
Why would a follower of Jesus avoid sharing the meal he established? Is there some worry about eating the bread and drinking the fruit of the vine unworthily, so skipping the meal altogether feels the safer path? What does it mean to come to the Lord’s table? Who is welcomed? What does it mean to share in communion? This weeks integration with our Facebook Live broadcast pushed the usual #fhcTAKEAWAYS to center stage of the discussion. They are simply begging for your responses and input: ◆ When...
Jun 21, 2017•36 min
Descriptive or prescriptive? Many have chosen to look at the behaviors of the early church as causal to the growth of the church. This thinking has also extended to conclude that, if we want God’s church to grow today, we need to do what the early church did. Certainly, there are some principles behind the practices that may lead to a healthier church community, but this week’s text reveals the source of church growth. One of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS this week asked the question: * How innovative and e...
Jun 14, 2017•20 min
Jesus had said to wait. His instructions were to not head off and try to do the work of the Body of Christ until the Father sent what he promised. So they waited—and on Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came on the church and enabled the followers of Jesus to witness and proclaim the Good News. What is the connection between contextualization of the Good News and the coming of the Spirit then and now? One of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS this week asked the question: * Where can you see evidence of Holy Spirit’s w...
Jun 07, 2017•20 min
Why are you here on this earth? What is your purpose? Answering these questions and others like them can bring clarity to life. Understanding God’s purpose for you and how you are part of a larger picture can reduce stress, speed up decision making, and create a better sense of satisfaction. There is some clear shared truth that will enable us to live life with purpose and intention. One of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS this week asked the question: * What do you believe is God’s purpose for you? And furthe...
May 31, 2017•19 min
