St. Paul's Discover Life Podcast: Recent Episodes
Peter Maddocks
Come with us this week as Pastor Steve unpacks the messy family situation in Genesis 21:8-21. What does God have for us through the Characters of Sarah, Abraham and Hagar?
The tragedy in this story is that Hagar, living in the home of Sarah and Abraham did not have a faith in God, Abraham and Sarah’s life did not bear witness to God in a way that even people from their own home could understand God as a God of love.
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Are you wondering where God is?
Jacob encountered God while asleep in the wilderness, running from the fear of retaliation after deceiving his twin brother and their father. In that place he experienced the awesome presence of God. We'll talk about how the anticipation of experiencing God's presence in the place of worship will change our motivation for coming to church and open our hearts for God to do amazing things in our life. Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place.
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This week Pastor Timothy Lukings takes a look at how intimacy with God comes when we express our love by following in His way. In order to do that we need to get close enough, we need to want to be close enough to hear God's voice.
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This week Pastor Timothy Lukings takes a look at the life of Moses. Come hear how this humble servant was used by God, and how humility is one of the character traits that we are invited to continue to lean into as we seek to become like Christ.
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This week Pastor Timothy Lukings unpacks Genesis 17 and looks at the broader lofe of Abraham. Come and see what it is about this flawed character from this history of God's people that has God calling Abraham to start a whole new thing that is going to change the world.
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Join us as we welcome Pastor Timothy Lukings to the family. Pastor Tim is joining us as our Interim Lead Pastor and is excited to meet and make a connection with all of you. In this teaching he will be unpacking Philippians 3:10-19 and looking at how if we follow Paul's example, we should all want a deeper relationship with God. If you have ever wondered what can you do to grow deeper in your walk with Jesus, you won’t want to miss it.
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(sorry we had technical issues & poor audio)
In Luke Chapter 4, after overcoming temptation in the wilderness Jesus returns to His hometown of Nazareth. At first this hometown hero's homecoming is going great, but then they want to throw Him off a cliff. Come listen as we uncover how we can be prepared to hear God's voice even when we don't hear what we expect, want or hope.
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In Luke Chapter 4 Jesus is led into the wilderness and tempted by the enemy. How did Jesus overcome these temptations and what does it mean for us? Come listen with us as Pastor Steve unpacks this passage and tells us whats so good about it.
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Join us as we look at the concept of faith, what it is and what we are called to do because of it. Pastor Steve unpacks Luke 3:21-38 and Hebrews 11 to help us tackle the topic with the faithful ancestors of our faith. Let's see what faith is all about together.
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Join Brandon Malo as he speaks from the book of Acts 3 & 4, continuing to learn about what it means to be the church. The story of Jesus is an invitation and a call to action, and we see this demonstrated in the lives of his first followers.
This week Pastor Steve launched our advent series walking through how we can prepare for the coming of Jesus by connecting our journey to Mary's journey, one of simple submission. It ended with a challenge to centering prayer, please find a description for centering prayer below that can guide you this Christmas Season.
Centering Prayer This form of prayer finds its roots in Lectio Divina. It moves us and helps us prepare to contemplate the gift of God’s presence with us. It is founded on our relationship with God, through the life of Jesus and it nurtures our relationship with God so that we are aware of God’s presence more readily in our daily life. Centering prayer is not meant to replace other modes of prayer but instead works to support our more verbal, or affective prayers. The primary focus is for us to grow in our relationship with God and move beyond conversation with God and into simple restful communion. It is recommended that you engage in this practice a couple times a day, for twenty minutes each time you enter in. If you are not accustomed to silence, we want to invite you to build your way up to twenty minutes, starting with 10, and slowly adding time until twenty minutes seems not long enough for this restful prayer. It is our hope that centering prayer would deepen your relationship with the Divine, an awareness of the Triune God, Father, Spirit and Living Son. We also hope that through these practices you grow to know God’s heart and your heart for God’s people would help to expand into communities of love and support.
Instructions • Quiet Your Mind - Close your eyes, be still and open yourself up to God’s presence. Make sure you are comfortable and centre yourself in silence. Become aware of your backbone, and sit up in a way that your head is high and your chest is open so that you can be aware of your Head, Heart and Body, with your hands rested in your lap. • Consider - a sacred word, an image or focus on your breath. Each time you feel yourself getting distracted use your sacred breath, image or word to recenter yourself of God’s presence. It is important to be gracious with yourself, it doesn’t matter how often you use your sacred word, it brings you back to an awareness of God. • Open - yourself and allow God to be with you, allow God to just be within you, give your undivided attention and love to God. • Refocus - Whenever you notice your thoughts pulling yourself in another direction use your sacred word to recenter inwards towards God. • Give Thanks - As your prayer time comes to a close, give thanks to God for just being with you, and slowly transition back to your everyday activities.
Join us as Pastor Steve wraps up our series on "The Way" by leading us through five reasons to continue meeting together as a larger community.
If you are not connected with a broader community of Jesus followers we want to help you to make a connection email join@discover-life.ca today. If you have any questions about this or any other teaching on our Youtube channel, don't hesitate to comment or email join@discover-life.ca or head to our website to find out more about who we are: https://discover-life.ca/
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Being a Christian is about following 'the Way' of Jesus. We call this discipleship. This week we take a look at sacrificing to serve others and being prepared to share why. In the first part of this message we talk more about what we are hoping to do with Missions as a church body and we invite you to join us in that mission. Then Pastor Steve unpacks the prophetic message from Ezekiel 37. Join with us today as we listen to find out how we shouldn't try to look like the world, and what happens when we try to disguise ourselves.
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Being a Christian is about following 'the Way' of Jesus. We call this discipleship. This week we take a look at getting to know Jesus better, and how it is just as important to teach as it is to learn. We look at some of the things that help us to learn, and how we can practically teach. Come find out how if we want to be disciples it is so important for us to be making disciples as we uncover 'the Way' of Jesus through the story of Zacheus in Luke 19.
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Being a Christian is about following 'the Way' of Jesus. We call this discipleship. This week we take a look at giving. So often in the church we think of giving as tithing, and while that is part of it it really doesn't capture the heart of what God intends. What if the giving God is talking about is something more, sacrificing everything? Come listen this week as Pastor Steve=, helps us look at how we can live with open hands as disciples of The Way.
If you have any questions about this or any other teaching, don't hesitate to comment or email join@discover-life.ca or head to our website to find out more about who we are: https://discover-life.ca/
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Being a Christian is about following 'the Way' of Jesus. We call this discipleship. For the past few messages we have looked at how recognizing where we are in the discipleship cycle is important for us on our journey to become like Christ. Jesus didn't call us to walk a solo journey with Him. He invited us into something so much more, into a new community the church where we are meant to see God's will carried out on earth. We call that our Kingdom Life. Pastor Steve talks about how we were made for life in relationship with God and others and invites us to consider joining a Home Church one of our groups that meets to discuss the messages, care for each other and support each other along "The Way."
If you have any questions about this or any other teaching, don't hesitate to comment or email join@discover-life.ca or head to our website to find out more about who we are: https://discover-life.ca/
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Being a Christian is about following 'the Way' of Jesus. We call this discipleship. Pastor Steve tackles a tough one this week as we are challenged to move beyond beliefs, beyond our traditions, beyond anything we could imagine to become like God. The reason we work to become like God, the reason the Spirit works to shape us is so that we can join in and participate in God's Kingdom-building work as we become Jesus physical body performing miracles, teaching people and saving them from religion for relationship with the divine. This week Pastor Steve uncovers the supernatural power not only of our transformation but of our kingdom building efforts, we hope you can journey with us to find out how you to can join in.
If you have any questions about this or any other teaching, don't hesitate to comment or email join@discover-life.ca or head to our website to find out more about who we are: https://discover-life.ca/
Do you want to support the work we do? Check out all the ways you can support us here: Support https://discover-life.ca/give/
Being a Christian is about following 'the Way' of Jesus. We call this discipleship. Pastor Steve tackles a tough one this week as we are challenged to move beyond beliefs, beyond our traditions, beyond anything we could imagine to become like God. A big part of this journey is walking in relationship with God, sitting at the feet of the King so that God can slowly day by day reveal more of that character to you so that you can see what you were meant to look like in the first place. Becoming becomes easier when we sit at the feet of the one we are becoming like.
If you have any questions about this or any other teaching on our Youtube channel, don't hesitate to comment or email join@discover-life.ca or head to our website to find out more about who we are: https://discover-life.ca/
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Being a Christian is about following 'the Way' of Jesus. We call this discipleship. Pastor Steve takes a look at how our discipleship to Jesus starts simply with a call to sit at the feet of Jesus. From that posture we get to engage in the intimate dialogue we were always created for. To often we think that discipleship is about a list of things to do, prayers to pray books to read, etc etc that we lose sight of the big picture. Come and see how the Way might be easier than you think.
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Being a Christian is about following 'the Way' of Jesus. We call this discipleship. Guest Speaker Steve Coupland helps us unpack David's first psalm as a primer for our own discipleship journey. Come join us and invite God to reveal your next step on 'the Way'.
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Being able to truly listen to others is not easy, so many things can get in our way. Pastor Steve unpacks how we can begin to truly hear each other by battling "busyness". As we work through the parable of the ten bridesmaids (Matthew 25:1-13) Pastor Steve challenges us to develop a rule of life and to evaluate that measure every time we encounter a major life event. As a Christian we often think that we have to add something new, this can become overwhelming to already busy schedules, sometimes by inviting God and our community help us shape our rule of life we may find that there are some good things that we need to stop doing so that we can start doing things that will help us prepare extra oil, things that will let us encounter God's Kingdom life for us each and every day as we also invite others to share in that life by following where Jesus is calling.
If you have any questions about this or any other teaching on our Youtube channel, don't hesitate to comment or email join@discover-life.ca or head to our website to find out more about who we are: https://discover-life.ca/
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Being able to truly listen to others is not easy. Pastor Steve unpacks how we can begin to truly hear each other by setting down our doubt. Come hear how doubt can get in our way of hearing the Creator, and can turn our closest friends into enemies if we let it. In order to become the Church we will need to put down any doubts we have about who God might be saving and where He might be working. It isn't easy for us to live without doubt but if we work at it day by day inviting God to reveal our doubts not only will we live a deeper Kingdom life with the King, but we will grow to truly start inviting others like Him; inviting them to "Come and See" how God can work in even the unlikeliest of places. To get started you can read the texts that we unpacked together as we started to work through our doubts: John 1:35-39 & 45-51, Matthew 6:25-34
If you have any questions about this or any other teaching on our Youtube channel, don't hesitate to comment or email join@discover-life.ca or head to our website to find out more about who we are: https://discover-life.ca/
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Pastor Steve starts off our Listen series, SHEMA with a message on how we need to get in the practice of just being with God. With a challenge to join in with all of our church community to include centering prayer this week as we all prepare to lean in and learn all about how listening becomes the basis for Kingdom living.
You can try this guided centering prayer: https://youtu.be/xo54Mljeo9M Or follow this simple centering prayer guide:
- Quiet Your Mind - Close your eyes, be still and open yourself up to God’s presence. Make sure you are comfortable and centre yourself in silence. Become aware of your backbone, and sit up in a way that your head is high and your chest is open so that you can be aware of your Head, Heart and Body, with your hands rested in your lap.
- Consider - a sacred word, an image or focus on your breath. Each time you feel yourself getting distracted use your sacred breath, image or word to recenter yourself ofGod’s presence. It is important to be gracious with yourself, it doesn’t matter how often you use your sacred word, it brings you back to an awareness of God.
- Open - yourself and allow God to be with you, allow God to just be within you, give your undivided attention and love to God.
- Refocus - Whenever you notice your thoughts pulling yourself in another direction use your sacred word to recenter inwards towards God.
- Give Thanks - As your prayer time comes to a close, give thanks to God for just being with you, and slowly transition back to your everyday activities.
If you have any questions about this or any other teaching on our Youtube channel, don't hesitate to comment or email join@discover-life.ca or head to our website to find out more about who we are: https://discover-life.ca/
Do you want to support the work we do? Check out all the ways you can support us here: Support https://discover-life.ca/give/
The past two years have been challenging as we stayed apart to stay safe. As we start looking at coming back together into community, you might wonder why to bother at all. Pastor Steve unpacks some of Revelation 21 and Numbers 13 this week as we look at how God uses dreams to remind His people of who they are and the world they were created for and how those promises and those dreams are still happening today. Not every dream is a product of the dreamer, come hear two dreams that God has given to encourage us as we continue to invite everyone to discover life in God's Kingdom.
If you have any questions about this or any other teaching on our Youtube channel, don't hesitate to comment or email join@discover-life.ca or head to our website to find out more about who we are: https://discover-life.ca/
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Join us as Steve Copeland from the Downtown Windsor Community Collaborative shares about how giving to the needy in secret isn't about being sneaky but about how to humbly share so we can all grow more gracious and giving together. Come along as we continue in our #blessed series on the sermon on the mount.
If you have any questions about this or any other teaching on our Youtube channel, don't hesitate to comment or email join@discover-life.ca or head to our website to find out more about who we are: https://discover-life.ca/
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Join us as Steve Copeland from the Downtown Windsor Community Collaborative shares about just who our Enemy is and what it might look like for us to start loving them. Come along as we continue in our #blessed series on the sermon on the mount. Steve references a video at the end of the message. You can watch that video here: https://youtu.be/bbz-_IiiH68
If you have any questions about this or any other teaching on our Youtube channel, don't hesitate to comment or email join@discover-life.ca or head to our website to find out more about who we are: https://discover-life.ca/
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This week we unpack a lot of practical advice for what to do with our negative feelings and anger for other people, organizations and events. Pastor Steve reminds us that Jesus is always inviting us to deeper transformation, to become more like Him, that means that even if we were to meet the most strict law we would still only really be doing the bare minimum. Come find out how the bare minimum just isn't enough when it comes to our discipleship with Jesus. Pastor Steve unpacks Mathew 5:21-26 for this weeks sermon.
For more on Forgiveness check out this message on R.E.A.C.H. forgiveness: https://youtu.be/KLLII_g_prQ
For a guided prayer through this forgiveness model check out this link: https://youtu.be/fndDbnTEThk
And for a simple guide for those just starting out with listening prayer check out this video on the prayer of Examen: https://youtu.be/LBcY9UoCyew
If you have any questions about this or any other teaching on our Youtube channel, don't hesitate to comment or email join@discover-life.ca or head to our website to find out more about who we are: https://discover-life.ca/
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This week we take a look at Mathew 5:13-20. At this point the crowds following Jesus were mixed with disciples and pharisees. In this part of His sermon Jesus talks about how it is more important to get out there to be the salt and light with what we have right now. You see the Pharisees really believed that the law was important but the truth is it wasn't changing the way they lived, Jesus challenges us to be truly transformed by the law to become more like Him.
If you have any questions about this or any other teaching on our Youtube channel, don't hesitate to comment or email join@discover-life.ca or head to our website to find out more about who we are: https://discover-life.ca/
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Pastor Steve unpacks the opening to Jesus' famous Sermon on the Mount, which can be found in Mathew 5:1-12. Come on out and hear as we start to uncover how to get involved in the work that Jesus is talking about in this pivotal passage so that we can get a better understanding of just who is #blessed
You may think that your small action couldn't possibly spark the upside-down change of the Gutenberg press an idea that literally changed the world. But, if you choose to follow Jesus and seek to follow His way then in partnership with His Spirit your God-given gifts may just turn the world upside down for one person as you participate in God's Kingdom building work.
Prayer based on Mathew 5:1-10 from Pastor Steve's Sermon
Lord, Thank You for blessing us - for not leaving us in our poor state but instead choosing to bless us. Help us to be good examples of Your love in our neighbourhoods, blessing them in your name so that they can experience full kingdom life today.
Thank You for blessing us with your presence as we have mourned - Your Spirit comforted us - help us to comfort those around us.
Help us Lord to remain humble. Help us to remember the whole earth is Yours, and we work to care and steward it only. May others experience your love, your presence through our stewardship of every gift you give us.
Lord, we pray that you would hear the cries of those seeking justice. We pray that as their cries continue, they would not lose hope. May we remind them of you and your justice as we stand alongside them as they seek justice.
God, bless all those who have shown us mercy - help me, help us to be merciful as you have been merciful.
God, we pray that Your blessing comes to all those who are pure of heart. May they see you constantly at work in and around them. Help us grow day by day in purity to grow in awareness of Your presence.
God, bless all those who are seeking peace, who work for it. May we teach them the truth as we call them Your children and join them in their pursuit of peace.
Lord, help us be aware of those who are being persecuted for doing the right thing, just for saying yes to working with your Spirit. Help us bring your Kingdom invitation out to them and all Your Children.
God, we pray that we would never lose sight of your vision, that your Kingdom would arrive here on earth, that your will would be done right here. That is what we pray, Lord, that Your will be done here on earth as in Heaven. AMEN.
If you have any questions about this or any other teaching on our Youtube channel, don't hesitate to comment or email join@discover-life.ca or head to our website to find out more about who we are: https://discover-life.ca/
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Pastor Steve focuses in on the yeast that Jesus warns his disciples about. Read along in Matthew 16:1-12 and join us as we look into why this warning was necessary for the disciples to hear back then, and why it still is necessary for us today.
If you have any questions about this or any other teaching on our Youtube channel, don't hesitate to comment or email join@discover-life.ca or head to our website to find out more about who we are: https://discover-life.ca/
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This week we continue to follow Jesus story in Mathew 15 with the faith of the Canaanite woman. And as we unpack this strange story together I hope that you will find peace knowing that faith in God, who He is and what He has promised is all you will need.
If you have any questions about this or any other teaching on our Youtube channel, don't hesitate to comment or email join@discover-life.ca or head to our website to find out more about who we are: https://discover-life.ca/
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This week we go on a deep dive with Jesus and the disciples in Mathew 15. Pastor Steve walks us through Jesus big idea, that it wasn't about the law, but about getting your heart right with God and God's people. Come find out how the law was always supposed to be about changing the Jewish people's hearts and not about what was clean and unclean.
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This week we go on a deep dive with Jesus and the disciples in Mathew 14. Well I'll tell you a secret, this story isn't about walking on water and it isn't about the skills you have. This story is all about the one who is calling you.
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We wrap up our Easter series with the parable of the sower, asking bigger questions about the seeds that God is sowing in our life and where we can do some work to help prepare the good soil. How moving rocks can help create space for soil, how pulling weeds can help build up the soil and helps prevent weeds from going to seed, how watching the things we go to most frequently can help us find the blind spots where we might be missing God. The Good news is that just like the sower sows new seeds every year, God sows seeds for us to join in that full Kingdom Life today and he isn't pointing out the ones we missed to shame us but to help encourage us to keep trying.
If you have any questions about this or any other teaching on our YouTube or Podcast channel, don't hesitate to comment or email join@discover-life.ca or head to our website to find out more about who we are: https://discover-life.ca/
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This week Pastor Steve expands our Kingdom Parables series "Return to the Field" with the parable of the wedding banquet. Come journey with us and let's dig deep to find out how Jesus is the King that came to die for us, not the king who sends his army after us and that is great news.
If you have any questions about this or any other teaching on our Podcast or Youtube channel, don't hesitate to comment or email join@discover-life.ca
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This week Pastor Steve expands our Kingdom Parables series "Return to the Field" with the parable of the hidden treasure. Come journey with us and let's dig deep to find the true cure for loneliness that only life with God can bring.
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This week Pastor Steve opens up our Easter Series "Return to the Field" with the parable of the mustard seed. Come journey with us and let's build up some positive Kingdom pressure and bring life love and healing everywhere we go.
(We had connectivity issues during our recording which resulted in a 45 second loss of video at about 7.5 minutes. What you missed is the intro to the Luke 13 parable, a time when Jesus brought life and showed them how to bring life instead of leaving people in death)
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This week Pastor Steve wraps up our SIMPLE series on Acts 1&2 by outlining just what we can do to engage in our next step of discipleship so that we can be ready to disciple others.
Join us for Part 4 of the I AM - Who is God Series today at 10:15 AM for today's St. Paul's Discover Life teaching with Pastor Steve Kerr. This week we will be looking at How God's Spirit is our Advocate, Counselor, and Comforter. A look at how we are, our bodies are God's Temple on Earth. We recommend watching this video on the Temple from the Bible Project (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTnq6I3vUbU) to give you some of the Big Bible context for this idea. As part of our service, we will celebrate communion together, so although it doesn't need to be grape juice and bread.
We dive into what seems like the first in a couple of messages on forgiveness; it is our hope that you can start by fully embracing your own forgiveness. Remember God loves you and created you no matter what you have done, the work that Jesus did when He came and lived with us, when He showed us how to live, when He died for us, that was for you!! Jesus message was for everyone and you are worth it, you don't need to do anything except say yes to the gift and take your next step into a relationship with God.
We look forward to joining you in worship Sunday morning. We are excited to begin to worship together in body as well as spirit again. A huge thank you to those who have volunteered countless hours behind the scenes in preparing for our services to open in-person starting today. This weekend we enter a new series called "Called".
As Christians we are called to journey in relationship with others, encouraging and equipping new Christians while continually growing in our own faith and relationship with God. This discipleship cycle only works when we submit to each other in the great model of family that was laid out in the beginning by God and when we bring all our gifts to the table so that we can all share and grow.
We are called into community, to live together in relationship with God, humanity and creation. Sometimes we get stuck in our own relationship with God, but our faith, our invitation is personal not private we were always meant to share it with others, inviting them to discover the abundant Kingdom life God has for all of us.
For a self guided prayer through the R.E.A.C.H. forgiveness model, the notes for this sermon and links to Dr. Worthington's research head over here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/15YpUrT42UbKSjcgKXUP01CFMH8zfnO6bH8vGM8ileTM/edit?usp=sharing
We each have a mission to join in with God's plan to renew all things. The good news is that God besides saving us and including us in the plan to renew everything; God also equips us by giving us every gift and tool we need to join in with His Kingdom vision.
Rev. Bob Beasley unpacks the difference when we partner with God and what happens when we fall short of that. The Good News of the Kingdom today is that failure isn't final and God wants to use you to help build His future church as we invite everyone to discover life with God.
Life isn't always easy, one thing you can always rely on is for God to show up. Rev. Bob Beasley shares the message that we have a good King, a faithful friend in Jesus; someone who will meet us right where we are and help us remember who we are and what we are called to do.
Pastor Steve unpacks Sabbath, what our rest looks like versus God's rest and how we can more fully engage in the true rest that God wants all of us to enjoy.
If you have questions about this or any of our teachings please email join@discover-life.ca or comment below.
Pastor Steve unpacks some of the miracles in Mathew 9 and talks about how we need to make sure that we are placing our faith where it needs to be and how we can all get trapped if we forget the practices that help build our faith are only sign posts leading us to Christ and not the destination.
If you have questions about different practices you can use to grow in your relationship with God then please comment here or email join@discover-life.ca
Want to dig deeper in this teaching? Here are some questions based on the teaching that you can work through on your own, with a friend or in a group.
Are you struggling to hear God? Maybe you are not sure if you have heard God before, maybe you have lost touch with God recently. Jump into 1 Samuel 3 with us as we unpack how God doesn't just know who we are but wants a relationship with us. Pastor Steve unpacks the biblical characters connecting them to us in different stages of our lives asking us to identify where we are today. Are you ready to move from belonging to asking... to listening... to action?
Don’t get so caught up chasing yesterdays experience that you lose sight of the Living God who has new mercies and challenges for you every single day.
Got Questions? Ask 'em here or email join@discover-life.ca
Join us for this final teaching in our Advent 2020 series HOMEMADE. Pastor Steve wraps up the series reminding us of the characters on the journey and how we fit into God's ongoing story.
We hope you will join us and share any questions you have during the teaching right in the comments so that we can interact and grow together.
Do you have bigger questions about who God is? Why anyone would follow Jesus? Or; what is the church? We would be happy to have a conversation. email join@discover-life.ca
Pastor Steve unpacks the Peace of God that is promised throughout scripture. Come listen to how God's peace is about His presence with us in the storm, not the absence of trouble.
If you have questions about this or any of our teachings please email join@discover-life.ca or comment below.
Guest Speaker Rev. Colin Paterson helps us unpack 1 John 1: 1-5, What is the big deal at Christmas that should have us proclaiming all year round.
Have questions about this teaching, who God is or why a relationship with Him might be important?
Email join@discover-life.ca or comment here to let us know.
Guest Speaker Rev. Colin Paterson helps us unpack John 1, the truth that God came to be with us. The truth that this wasn't the backup plan but the culmination that all the other plans were pointing towards.
Have questions about this teaching, who God is or why a relationship with Him might be important? Email join@discover-life.ca or comment here to let us know.
Pastor Steve unpacks the story of Thomas, not a story of doubt but of great faith.
If you have questions about this or any of our teachings please email join@discover-life.ca or comment below.
This week Pastor Steve unpacks dashed hopes and broken expectations. When we recognize that nothing and no one except God will be able to meet our needs when we turn to Him and are truly honest about needing Him, we can join in with what He is doing in building His Kingdom today through our collective work in the Church. Listen and find out how being vulnerable is the key to generosity. Only when we become truly vulnerable about what we need can we become truly generous with what we have been given.
If you have any questions about this or any other teaching on our Podbean channel, don't hesitate to comment or email join@discover-life.ca
Do you want to support the work we do? Check out all the ways you can support us here: Support https://discover-life.ca/give/
Launching into Acts, which isn't really just the story of the Apostles but instead is the opening chapter where we are invited to no longer read but to join in as the active characters as we become the church Christ's body on earth. The first thing we need to do is to wait with God so that we can get to know Him and how to hear His voice.
Do you have questions about anything you heard here or on our channel? Comment below or email join@discover-life.ca.
Last week, we took a deep dive into the beginning of Acts and I challenged you all to join together with me this past week in prayer for ten minutes a day just sitting in God's presence. As we dig a little further in Acts 1:1-14 we will consider the trajectory of our lives and where we look when we are seeking to become like Jesus for inspiration and hope in our discipleship journey.
Do you have questions about anything you heard here or on our channel? Comment below or email join@discover-life.ca.
This week we will take a look at how we are all called to a simple mission, to be salt and light, to be Jesus body on earth. We have to do that faithfully so that when the time comes we can be ready to lead when we are called upon. We break down how we are all prone to build temples which prevent us from being salt and light because they cause us to defend our position instead of invite others, and how we need to be self aware so that we can be flexible to move with God's Spirit just like the Israelite's were when they were living in tents in the wilderness.
Do you have questions about anything you heard here or on our channel? Comment below or email join@discover-life.ca.
This week journey with us as we delve into God's story with us His people and the beginning of the Church that we read about in Acts 2. Come learn how this wasn't the first time that God wanted to pour out His Spirit on the people, and what we can learn about how fear can get in the way of the gifts God has given us to share His message in the world.
If you have any questions about this or any other teaching on our Podbean channel don't hesitate to comment or email join@discover-life.ca Do you want to support the work we do?
Check out all the ways you can support us here: Support https://discover-life.ca/give/
We continue to keep digging into Acts this week to tackle just what all the fuss was about. Many people had come forward at the wonder of the gifts when God's Spirit came down that day, but 3000 people decided to start a relationship with God because Peter took the time to explain what was going on. Come learn how you can prepare to share what the Holy Spirit's gifts mean so that you can be ready to explain when someone asks you what all the fuss is about with this kingdom life with God.
If you have any questions about this or any other teaching on our Podbean channel, don't hesitate to comment or email join@discover-life.ca
Do you want to support the work we do? Check out all the ways you can support us here: Support https://discover-life.ca/give/
We continue to keep digging into Acts 2:5-13 and Genesis 11 and will look at how we are called to be available to "speak in tongues" when God wants us to be and how we can be getting ready. When we love the world the way God calls us to, the world will be confused because it won't make sense to them, and it is through this radical love, God's Spirit will get to reveal Itself through us.
What gifts do you have already that you could use to love the world, your city or street? Sharing these gifts and preparing space is how we get ready for God to use us supernaturally to bring His understanding, peace and healing to life to reverse the curse of Babel.
If you have any questions about this or any other teaching on our Podbean channel don't hesitate to comment or email join@discover-life.ca Do you want to support the work we do?
Check out all the ways you can support us here: Support https://discover-life.ca/give/
We are called into community, to live together in relationship with God, humanity and creation. Sometimes we get stuck in our own relationship with God, but our faith, our invitation is personal not private we were always meant to share it with others, inviting them to discover the abundant Kingdom life God has for all of us.
The teaching from Sunday can be a great launchpad for us to engage in our discipleship with Jesus. Remember that our faith was meant to be lived out in community and take these questions to one of our Home Churches, talk them out with your family at home, or find a couple of close friends and work through them.
CONVERSATION STARTER
- Describe a time when other people really helped you celebrate something meaningful.
DIGGING DEEPER
- God is always inviting us to change. Share one time God invited you to change something that seemed difficult but afterwards you don’t know how you lived differently?
- Can you think of a time the good news, really made sense to you in a new or different way? Have you gotten new insight or perspective on the good news more than one time?
- Can you think of a time you were inspired to grow because of what you heard happening in the church somewhere else?
Parent/Caregiver tip: Have a conversation as a family about how God doesn’t just want a relationship with us but with every family, every person! Then spend some time praying for one family that you know and for the churches in a nearby town.
GOD’S STORY Read & answer the questions together - Colossians 1:3-6,
- Can you think of anyone who you would pray for in the way of this passage?
- What would it be like to know someone was praying for you that way?
- Is God inviting us to share our “hope” in a new way this week?
GROWING TOGETHER- (In groups of 3-4)
- Is there one way we can support you by checking in or following up in the coming week as you seek to become more like Jesus or just in general?
CONNECTING PRAYER In your small huddles answer the following questions and pray for each person after they share ending the prayer with the included blessing.
What is one thing you are: grateful for, anxious about?
As you _______ go out into the world may you freely find peace in God’s forgiveness, may you find healing from the pain of sin, and may you find that forgiveness for others is easier as God helps you to forgive as freely as He has forgiven you. AMEN
Here is a short meditation where you can just take ten minutes alone or as a family inviting God to bring you into a safe space where you can recognize who you are in Him, And Where He is lovingly calling you to grow and invite others. I hope that this meditation is helpful for you in this season. Remember, despite the circumstances going on around us whenever we approach God He reminds us not to be afraid. May you find rest in your time with God today.