Scandal sells papers, turns heads, and can leave its subjects with public humiliation. Why would anyone choose to associate with the scandalous? Listen as Pastor Brett exhorts us to embrace the greatest scandal in history: God putting his forbearance on display as he makes us righteous.
When we feel spiritually barren or distressed and discouraged, we are not called to stand in our own strength but to stand in one who is strong. In Genesis 16, Sarai, Abram, and Hagar are living in the time between God’s promise and its fulfillment; their choices—and God’s sovereignty over their choices—point toward the great deliverance to come. Listen to David’s sermon for more.
Making a financial plan prompts us to think about a thousand ways we could use our resources, and it’s tempting to believe life would be easier if we were richer. Listen as Pastor Zach exhorts us to consider what we actually need in order to be content—it’s an unexpected shortlist.
“How long, O LORD?” This intensely emotional lament of the psalmists is an expression of faith seeking understanding and turning to the Lord to find that understanding. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on Genesis 15 to learn how Abram displays this kind of lamenting faith as the promises of God undo his doubts.
There are many ways in which we might approach the task of memorizing Scripture. What do these methods have in common? They all require discipline. Listen to David’s exhortation to learn the five reasons he commends the discipline of Scripture memorization.
The parables of Jesus provocatively reveal what his kingdom is like. A man forsaking all, a merchant selling all, a grain of wheat dying. To what end? The blessing of God and his kingdom. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Genesis 13-14 as we see Abram anticipating the J-Curve Kingdom.
Examine your heart: Where have you lacked the courage to obey God because it was too risky? Has the fear of emptying your savings account prevented you from giving to the poor? Has the fear of being uncomfortable prevented you from inviting your neighbor over for a meal? Has the fear of getting sick kept you from caring for someone who’s sick? Has the fear of being ostracized or even fired at work prevented you from honoring the Lord in your conversations? Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for...
The resurrection of Jesus was 1,990 years ago. That's a long time for his people to be waiting for the fulfillment of his promises. Are they still reliable and true? We go back even further in the past to see the faithfulness of God to fulfill his promise in order to help us press on in the present. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Genesis 12:4-20 for more.
Leprosy was a diagnosis in the ancient world that could result in a life of isolation and hopelessness. In desperation, one leper asked Jesus to be cleansed, to which Jesus replied, "I will. Be clean." It's a parable for what Jesus would go on to do through his death for all who likewise put their faith in him. Listen to Pastor Brett's Good Friday sermon on how Jesus purifies us from sin.
The Great Commission refers to the assignment Jesus gave His disciples shortly before returning to heaven following His resurrection. The commission is found in Matthew 28:18-20. Listen to pastor Haakon's sermon as he examines The Foundation of Our Commission, The Work of Our Commission, and The Promise of Our Commission.
This week, we mark the historical event of Jesus Christ drinking the bitter cup of God's wrath. Jesus drank every last drop for you. As we reflect on the suffering that Jesus endured to accomplish our redemption, there is no hope of salvation apart from suffering. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.
Pastor Brett sat down with David and Pastor Zach to discuss some more of the outworking and practical questions related to our current sermon series on the doctrine of the church. Is there a right age when a child testifying faith in Christ can be baptized? Why do we offer both wine and juice in Communion? Would we really think of following the process of Matthew 18?
Keys to your first car give you a measure of authority. You can get in the car and drive it around. But there's a responsibility as well. As a church, we are God's people authorized by King Jesus to use the "keys of the kingdom." We do so by proclaiming the "who" and "what" of the kingdom under the leadership of pastors. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Matthew 16 & 18 for more.
Any doctrine can lead to the breaking of unity among Christians. As Christians, we are to strive for both true doctrine and unity of the Church. So what do we do when we have disagreements or conflicts? We never want to avoid the truth, and we never want to divide. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation on staying united when disagreements occur.
The Westview Church covenant of membership calls us to walk in love with one another. As we go about life together, we seek to love one another by pointing each other to Christ and bearing each other's burdens. Listen to Pastor Brian's exhortation for more as he invites us to reflect on our commitment to one another.
Communion is the ongoing and repeated sign that the many are now made one. It signifies our unity together as a people in Christ. The Lord's Supper is an ordained covenant sign that signifies a church's feasting on Christ by faith. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Communion for more.
Our experience of baptism as Christians means nothing apart from the baptism Jesus experienced in his suffering (Luke 12:50). Because of Jesus' death and resurrection, baptism is an ordained (Matthew 28:18-19) covenant sign (Hebrews 8:7-12) that signifies a believer's (Colossians 2:10-12) union with Christ (Romans 6:1-4) in that very death and resurrection. Listen to David's sermon on baptism for more.
Gentleness - Strength under control. We find in the New Testament that gentleness moves toward another person with a proper understanding of oneself in light of who God is, in light of God's Holiness and Grace. It's not thinking too highly of yourself. Gentleness is not “indifference to sin. It’s not mere softness, pretending that sin isn’t sin. . .[gentleness is not] a way of avoidance.” It “doesn’t fall into the hostility that so often threatens to engulf us when we try to deal with the sins o...
Life together as a church is hard. It’s hard because it can be uncomfortable, because it isn’t about you, because we will sin against each other. We have this band of brothers and sisters to labor alongside because the church is preeminently essential. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Ephesians 3:7-4:1 for more.
When you sing, think less about yourself and think more of Christ. We are in Him, and He is in us. When you sing, be more saved than you are impressive. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.
Hope rises as sunshine peaks through the clouds after a late winter snow storm marked by gray, dreary clouds. The same sense shines through in Genesis 11, after so much weighty judgment. Yet God promises, hope through one man as God launches in earnest his global purposes of redemption. listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Genesis 11:10-12:3 for more.
Maybe you don't like the sound of your voice, or you are struggling to sing for other reasons. God still calls his whole church to gather and to sing his praises in the assembly. You have so much to sing about, whether God has given you an amazing voice or he’s given you an amazing song. In Christ you have much to sing about, so sing to the Lord. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.
Genesis 10:1-11:9 describes how God scattered the world's peoples after confusing their languages to stop the building of Babel and its tower. 1. United in Human Ancestry (Genesis 10:1–32) 2. Divided in Human Rivalry (Genesis 10:15–19, 21) 3. United in Human Praise (Genesis 11:1–4) 4. Divided in Human Pride (Genesis 11:4–9) Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Genesis 10:1-11:9 for more.
Parents must assume responsibility for the teaching of their children. In our present system, we have schools and institutions, both spiritual and secular, to help in teaching our kids. These are not wrong. But it is the parent's responsibility to see that their children are adequately guided in spiritual matters. Is your life or the lives of your children so filled with time constraints that are choking out the word of God? Listen to David's exhortation for more.
Christianity is the exclusive faith that can save us and bring us to heaven. There’s only one God and one Savior, and the Bible is dogmatically clear on this. No matter what the world and our culture want to accuse us of, we can’t compromise on the exclusivity of the Gospel. Listen to David's exhortation for more.
The Lord God is faithful despite our unfaithfulness. All creation will be in awe of a holy and righteous God who will show steadfast faithfulness towards a creation that is Hell-bound to rebel against him. Yet the Lord will continue to show covenant faithfulness. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Genesis 9:8-29 for more.
Hope shapes our decisions and our priorities. What you Hope for forms your dreams and aspirations. What do you dream about? What are your aspirations? Trace that back to the root, and you will find Hope. We persevere, we obey, we pray, we evangelize, and we worship because of Hope. What higher Hope do we have that we will enter into that glory that Christ has secured for us? Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.
You can look at the world and ask what do I value and what do I want. You are made in God's image, which means you represent Him to the rest of the creation, but He has given you the authority to order things. Listen to Pastor Zach examines how God dishes out authority to us and what happens when we flee and rebel from that authority.
What has been the disposition of your heart? What are the conversations you allow to happen in your mind? Are you constantly complaining or grumbling about what you need to get done and have been unable to accomplish? Are you rehearsing in your mind or even out loud the offenses of others you have not been able to overcome? What is the temperature of your soul? OR Are you a person at ease before the Lord and within yourself? Listen to Pastor Brian's exhortation for more.
God remembered Noah. God also remembered the animals. He would fulfill His promise to keep them safe and begin creation again, in a sense, on a world made new by the flood. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.
