As the early church was being persecuted and scattered, a young man named Saul seeks to destroy the church. Through the story though, we see how irresistible God's will can be and how and He can reach out, even, to the most hardened hearts and cause massive change.
Over the Hills and Far Away
The church prayed for boldness and the results were not exactly what they expected. The church was scattered, the apostles went in opposite directions geographically, and yet they were still united. Join us as we study why and apply it to our context.
The Vision vs. Division
Social status is something really important in our world. As Christians, we can't avoid the perception others have about us. However, our perception of the world around us changes drastically as Jesus enters our lives. The early church faced these social dynamics as well, not only in the way they were being seen by others but also the way they saw others.
The Simple Way
In the early days of the church, Christians weren't called Christians. They were called followers of the way. This term was used because they were striving to follow the way of Jesus. So what did that look like? What was noticeable about them that people used that term to describe them? Together we will explore the simple way in which the early followers followed the way.
Stranger Things
Words may be the most powerful thing we each have. With Words we can tear people down or build them up. With words we can cause division or bring unity. And sometimes, when we don't understand the words that are being used, we are just left confused. But God has a plan for our words, and it is not for us to be confused. In the strangest of occurrences, God took our words in a mass of confusion and made it so they could be understood, for a purpose. And He still desires for our words to be used for that purpose today.
The Problem with Waiting
We wait in lines. We wait in traffic. We wait for movies to come out. We wait for our doctor to call us back. So much of life feels like waiting for something. Sometimes the waiting is joyful, sometimes fearful. For the early followers of Jesus they were waiting to know what to do next, in many ways just like us. Sometimes we get so consumed with anticipating what is next, we miss what is right here.
Autopsy of a Deceased Church
Statistics tell us that church attendance is on the decline in North America and that churches that were once full are shutting their doors. In this message we look at some common factors that lead to churches closing and we'll explore what we can do to curve the statistics.
Isn't She Beautiful?
Someone once said that a healthy local church was the hope of the world. And the world could use some hope. In this message we will look at what churches that bring hope are doing and how we, as followers of Jesus, can do the same.
How Should a Church be a Church?
With so many different types of churches, how do we know if we are part of the right one? Together we will look at what is essential for a church to be a church, and how so much of what we call church today is just a matter of personal preference.