Creekwood Christian Church: Recent Episodes
Creekwood Christian Church
Creekwood Christian Church is an open, progressive, and faithful congregation seeking to love God and all God’s people exactly as they are and where they are in life’s journey.
This week, Gabe and Whitney answer a question they get asked a lot as ministers ...
What is the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)?
We are sharing some history, our personal experiences, and the things we love most about our denomination and the church we call home.
This week, Gabe and Whitney answer a question they get asked a lot as ministers ...
What is the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)?
We are sharing some history, our personal experiences, and the things we love most about our denomination and the church we call home.
We have made it to the end of our Scripture Soundtrack series. And after you listen to this podcast, you will have made it to the end, too! Join us to learn about different ways to read Revelation and why it is such an important book, even if it's a little scary sometimes.
You can listen to this episode's playlist by clicking here.
If you'd like to check out the two resources Whitney mentions in the podcast, you can do so by visiting the links below:
PBS Frontline Revelation Article
Rob Bell's What Is The Bible
On this episode of the podcast, we finish covering the letters of the New Testament. In this romp through scripture, you can look forward to learning about the letter to the Hebrews, James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1, 2, and 3 John, and Jude. Gabe shares some wisdom about reflect Christ's glory and Whitney pulls out her soapbox.
You can listen to this episode's accompanying playlist here.
This week, we are beginning to move through letters, or epistles, in the New Testament. This week, we focus on 1 and 2 Corinthians, books of scripture known for their wedding worthy verses, advice for women to keep quiet, and arguments among people who are trying their best to honor God. We cover all three of these topics on this installment of the podcast.
For the accompanying playlist, listen here.
In this installment of the pod, we look at the book of Acts, the sequel to Luke. Acts is a book full of-- you guessed it-- ACTS that the disciples and apostles perform while trying to establish the early church following Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension.
The apostles and disciples were the first evangelists and church planters, responsible for helping the teachings of Jesus survive the next generation and to expand the number of people following Jesus across the Roman Empire (and beyond!). Each of these apostles and disciples had different gifts for ministry, their own approach to sharing the Gospel, and a particular understanding of what Jesus imagined the future would look like for his beloved community of followers.
Because of these nuances and differences, Acts is a book full of examples for us of how the early church leaders could disagree well, while respecting each other, remaining steadfast and faithful, and opening themselves up to the possibility that there is more than one right way establish a church. There are plenty of lessons from Acts that still matter for us today, and so this week's podcast is definitely a worthy listen.
You can listen to the accompanying playlist here.
This week on the podcast, we are covering the Gospel of Luke. Luke widens its perspective more so than any of the other Gospels to consider God’s overall historical purpose and the place of the future church within it. In its original form the Gospel of Luke and Acts were one book, written as one volume to show the transition from the ministry of Jesus to the ministry of the church. We will help lay the groundwork for next week's episode by diving into Luke!
To listen to the accompanying playlist, click here.
This week, we are looking at the Gospel of Matthew! It is one of the three synoptic Gospels, sharing source material with Mark and Luke. However, Matthew is also full of plenty of original material, unique to this Gospel. Join Gabe and Whitney as they take us through some passages that are particular to Matthew.
To listen to this week's accompanying playlist, click here.
Not just the number of disciples or angry men. Though, those are both not necessarily terrible descriptions for the 12 minor prophets we are discussing on the podcast today!
We are looking at the finals twelve books in the Old Testament. These prophetic texts span the 8th century BCE to the 5th century BCE, taking us from the days before the fall of the Northern Kingdom and into the return from Babylonian exile. Each book covers a different facet of Israel's relationship with God.
You can listen to the accompanying playlist here.
On this episode, we dive into Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Ezekiel: the so-called Major Prophets. They are so-called because these are hefty books of scripture. And it makes sense that they would be lengthy, because the prophets have many stories to share about their calling to care for the people of Israel, guiding them back to right relationship with God and offering words of both reprove and renewal for them.
You can listen to the corresponding playlist here.
On this episode of the podcast, we are looking at Proverbs, Daniel, and Esther. From the outset, these books seem to have precious little in common. One is a collection of pithy sayings that may or may not actually be good advice. One is a story about dreams interpreted and futures secured with a science fiction twist. And one is probably the original source material for ABC's The Bachelor.However, these three books have more in common than you might think! Each one is tasked with providing an example for the people of Israel on how to survive this life. Join us this week as we explore more.
You can listen to the corresponding playlist here.
This week on the pod, we are looking at four very different books within the Bible that are all united by a common theme. Each of these books aims to answer a question that plagues people of faith:
What do we do when confronted with suffering?
The wisdom of Ecclesiastes' narrator, Qoheleth, tells us that life is equal parts suffering and joy, so get what you can out of both experiences.
Job teaches us that suffering doesn't have to rob us of our faithfulness or the goodness life promises.
Ruth lifts up how much more bearable hardships become when we do not have to suffer them alone.
Jonah reminds us that God is always far more gracious and forgiving than we could ever imagine-- a truth that is equal parts awe-inspiring and annoying.
You can listen to our accompanying playlist here.
What if the Psalms tell us the story of the conversations we have with God?
The honest, hard, holy, and hurtful conversations we have with God.
What if the Psalms also tell us about the silences we share with God?
The confounding, callous, contemplative, and captivating silences we experience in the presence of God.
Part of what gives poetry its power is tension between the presence of sound and the presence of silence.
Every raw edge of our human experience is exposed in the Psalms.
Join us on the pod this week as we get into the Psalms and our feelings.
To enjoy the accompanying playlist, click here.
In the books of 1 and 2 Chronicles, we hear again about the kings of Israel, but from a writer who is wearing slightly more rose-colored glasses as he recounts the history of Israel. At breakneck pace, we move through the genealogy of Adam all the way to the reign of King David. While revisiting stories of Israel's success and failures, we hear a refrain of God's faithfulness before, during, and after exile.
When we read biblical poetry and the prophets, the events that they are speaking about poetically and prophetically are the ones we hear about in 1 and 2 Kings as well as 1 and 2 Chronicles. It provides context to the strong emotions, dire circumstances, and harsh hot takes. Kings and Chronicles cover the same period in Israel, but have different areas of emphasis.
The stories that have been elaborated on and included about the kings are intentionally juxtaposed with these specific stories about the prophets to show us that God is still at work in Israel and seeking out ways to make God’s power, hopes, and mercy known.
With that in mind, for our key overviews today, Gabe and I did want to call your attention to the most important events in the life of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah in Kings, so you have a sense of the BIG PICTURE things shaping what life looks like for God’s people. So, let’s do it!
To listen to the Kings playlist, click here.
We all likely have a cautionary tale of how this proverbial warning, "Be careful what you wish for" has come up in our own lives. Big and small ways that we have wanted something so badly, were certain our lives would be better as a result, and we discover ... that isn't exactly true.
Our desires and wants do not always match with our needs. What we wish for might be wonderful, helpful, and even life-changing, but that doesn't mean we are necessarily ready to receive it or really know what to do with it once we get it.
So goes the story of 1 and 2 Samuel, the books we are focusing on in worship this week. Israel has been begging God for a King, confident that a strong, singular leader will be the one to bring them to prominence and peace. God feels ... differently. But, God offers the people of Israel what they've asked for and prepares to journey with them through the triumphs and trials.
To hear this week's playlist, click here.
This week on the pod, we dive into the book of Judges. The Judges of Israel were rulers who helped preserve the people and land of Israel between the conquest of Canaan led by Joshua and the implementation of Kings. In this chronicle of this portion of Israel's history, we observe the natural consequences Israel experiences when they are disobedient. And, in turn, discover how God continues to provide leaders who deliver them from destruction.
You can listen to the accompanying playlist for the book of Judges by clicking here.
Joey Jeter, a former Professor of Homiletics at Brite Divinity School, once quipped that he would call his book on preaching Joshua, "How to Preach on the Worst Book of the Bible." And, we can promise you: preachers everywhere would have per-ordered their copy.
Joshua is an incredibly difficult book to read-- full of more violence than an episode of Game of Thrones and probably the primary supporting text used by anyone who identifies God as jealous, angry, and vengeful. It is a difficult text with which to contend. At best, it calls into question our understanding of God as gracious, loving, and merciful. At worst, it endorses a way of life that is violent, malicious, and dehumanizing.
There are plenty of questions for us to ask when we read the book of Joshua-- and Gabe and I ask most of them on the podcast this week. While the questions are easy to find, the answers are not. But, hey, let's give it a shot!
To listen to this week's accompanying playlist, click here.
In this episode we are booking it through 97 chapters of scripture-- that's about 10% of what Christians refer to as the Old Testament covered in just one hour! And it's majorly important section of sacred text, as it is the heart of the Torah, or the books about the laws that God offers to Israel.
Theologian Gary Anderson posits that the laws God presents to Israel in Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy are a tangible demonstration of the love God and Israel have for one another. “The love Israel feels for God must be manifested by the observance of divine commandments,” he explains. Essentially, for Israel, upholding the law is not a requirement for being allowed to live in covenant with God. Rather, upholding the law is an expression of gratitude and love for God who is already in a covenantal relationship with God's chosen people.
We will explore how this theological framework helps provide contemporary Christian readers with a more informed, generous, and edifying lens for understanding our own relationship to the laws within the Torah. We are excited to welcome Rev. Arthur Stewart as our guest!
You can listen to the soundtrack playlist for this episode by clicking here. And full disclosure: it's our most fun playlist yet!
And, we're back! This week, we are covering the book of Exodus. Exodus tells the story of the Moses leading the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and to the Promised Land. Their journey to the Promised Land is long, arduous, and taxing as they travel through a literal and spiritual wilderness. It turns out that leaving behind the only way of life you've ever known isn't exactly easy.
We will be talking about imposter syndrome, the importance of community, the human urge to complain, and God's eternal grace and patience.
You can check out this week's playlist on Spotify.
It's our first episode of Scripture Soundtrack, and we are following the sage advice of Julie Andrews: "Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start."
When you begin with the Bible, you begin with Genesis! Genesis seeks to help us understand how God is connected to humanity. From the first chapter, when God creates humankind and declares us "very good" to the final chapter when Joseph promises his ancestors, "God will surely come to you," Genesis helps us see how God is working in partnership with us. God is a creative, loving, merciful, and-- at times-- demanding partner who is forever finding new ways to journey alongside us and guide us into right relationship with each other, the world, and God. As the stories within Genesis unfold, we recognize that humans tend to be curious, imperfect, and-- at times-- selfish partners. However, our worst tendencies our no match for the great hope and best intentions that God places within each of us.
You can listen to this episode's full playlist by clicking here.
If you'd like to do some more reading or research on Genesis and the stories we discussed this week, you can check out these resources:
Genesis: Beginning and Blessing, a commentary by R. Kent Hughes
The Bible Project's YouTube Series
Fish Out Of Water, a documentary dissecting "clobber texts" like Genesis 19
On December 30, we will drop the first episode of our new podcast series, Scripture Soundtrack! Each week, our hosts, Rev. Whitney Waller and Rev. Gabe Edwards (often joined by a special guest or two) will take us through a book of the Bible. In addition to sharing stories and dropping some theological knowledge, they will also share an epic playlist for each and every book of the Bible. This fusion of scripture and song is intended to help us better understand how God is speaking to us, inspiring us, and shaping our ever-growing faith.
This week as we continue our Lenten Sermon Series, we will reflect on Jesus' call for us to expand our understanding of family beyond the people we are related to.
For Lent, we are examining the Seven Last Words of Christ from the Cross. This week, we focus on the promise Jesus makes to one of the bandits crucified beside him: "Today, you will be with me in Paradise."
Rev. Gabriel Edwards reflects on his own mental health journey and how God's grace is revealed in the myriad of ways we are able to take care of ourselves through prayer, relationship, therapy, and medication.
Rev. Jonathan Brink reflects on how the Imago Dei connects our souls to one another's soul.
Our February Sermon Series is on the Imago Dei, or the image of God. How might our lives be different if we really believed we were made in God's image? What if we allowed our heart to beat in sync with God's heart as we attune ourselves to the world?
This week, we begin a new sermon series entitled, "On Purpose," where we will explore how to listen for and respond to God's unique calling in each of our lives.
This week, Rev. Jonathan Brink talks about the meaning of a just Sabbath, where all of God's people are allowed the opportunity to experience rest and renewal.
This week, we continue our series on Sabbath. As we encounter the prophet Elijah in the wilderness, scripture reveals for us the divine nature and holy mandate of naps and snacks for a holistic, healthy life and faith.
Finding a moment for sabbath can be difficult when we feel like there are storms brewing around us. We feel like we need to be in the thick of things all the time. How do we keep our head above the waves and still find time for centering ourselves, grounding our spirits, and honoring God's commandment to experience Sabbath rest?
This week, Rev. Whitney connects Black Panther, King Josiah's reform, and our current climate of violence as we wrestle and wonder with how God is at work even in the midst of crisis.
This week we begin a new sermon series, "Unlikely Heroes" exploring the lessons for our persona faith lives we find in scripture and the Marvel Universe. This week's sermon focuses on the Judges 4 and Captain Marvel.
This week, Rev. Whitney talks about why building community is necessary in order for the church to function and thrive. This sermon is part of our ongoing Capital Campaign.
Ministerial Resident, Rebekah Stutheit, shares reflections on the importance of list-making and the never-ending work of God.
This week, Rev. Jonathan preaches on the trials and tribulations of Lamentations 3 as they relate to prayer and trust.
This week, we continue our worship series "Honest to God," focusing on the topic of thanksgiving. Rev. Whitney preaches a sermon that helps us understand there are different ways to say, "Thank you."
This week, we begin a new worship series, "Honest To God," taking a look at the ways prayer invites us to be honest with God about what we are feeling, where we are in life's journey, and what hopes or needs we see around us.
Rev. Jonathan preaches on Psalm 100, talking about how our prayers of praise and worship bring us into holy spaces where we can encounter God.
This week we celebrate the miracle of resurrection and the invitation Christ offers us to share the story of love that is redemptive, death-defying, and loud.
This week, we wrestle with why our desire to be sure sometimes outweighs our desire to be faithful.
This week, we consider how apathy hardens our hearts and makes it easy for us to look away from the need for help and hope we see in our world.
This week, we continue our Lenten sermon series and talk about the sin of xenophobia. Suspicion, fear, and hatred of our fellow human beings leads to division, violence, and crucifixion in our world. How can we create pathways to change and resurrection?
How does our world's obsession with material things stand in the way of our relationship with God?
Between wealthy men yelling at fig trees and wealthy parents cheating to get their kids into college, we have two parables (one from scriptures and one from the national headlines) that help us understand how living like we are owed everything erodes God's kingdom vision.
This week, we begin our Lenten Sermon Series, "The New Seven Deadly Sins." Using Luke 4:1-13 as our scripture text, we consider how selfishness lies at the center of sin, shortcoming, and turning away from God in our world.
How do we turn outward towards God and our neighbor?
This week, Rev. Whitney shares a re-write of 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. What does love really mean for us in our modern context as we try to be God's faithful people.
We like to be comfortable and cozy. We like to feel like everything is familiar and friendly. But, are comfort and familiarity faith-filled Christian values?
Check out this week's sermon.
In our February sermon series, we are looking at what it means to take risks and leave our comfort zones behind in an endeavor to serve God and our neighbors more faithfully. In this first installment, we talk about compassion as the place where love, discomfort, and faithfulness meet.
In this week's sermon, we learn what improv games, temple scrolls, and those chain forwards your grandma sends have in common. What's more, we learn how God calls us to listen in the midst of so much talking.
This week, Rev. Jonathan Brink reminds us that there is not time like the present to begin living our best lives because God has invited us to the party.
We begin a new sermon series for the new year. Instead of committing all of our time and energy to imagining who could be or how we should be-- what would happen if we began celebrating who God has called us to be in the exact moment?
As Christmas approaches, we hear many people talking about the joy of this season. What about those of us who are struggling to feel joy, but who so desperately wish we could?
On this third Sunday of Advent, we consider how small signs and seeds of joy have already been planted in our lives.
We live in a world that teaches us how to create war, strife, and discord. What would happen if we began to learn the art of peace instead of the art of war?
On this second Sunday of Advent, we reflect on how the birth, life, and teachings of Christ offer us lessons in peace making and world building.
As we begin the season of Advent, we are preparing our hearts and the world to welcome the coming of the Christ child.
Our world is in need a one who promises to bring hope. Where can we spot signs of hope within the world and within ourselves as this holy season begins?
This week, Rev. Whitney continues our Asking for a Friend Worship Series with the question, "Do I Fit In?"
Pretty much all of us have had the feeling that we don't belong, worried that we won't be accepted, and struggled with self-doubt. What does God have to say about all that struggle and worry of belonging?
This week, we begin a new worship series, "Asking for A Friend." Each week, we will examine different questions of identity and culture that are sometimes difficult for us to ask or put into words.
This week, as we continue our Global Generosity Sermon Series, we are joined by Rev. Caroline Hamilton-Arnold, the Associate Director of Week of Compassion to hear about how the church is present in the midst of disaster response, community development, and refugee resettlement.
Rev. Gabriel Edwards shares a sermon focusing on his time in Kenya, where he experienced firsthand what it means to offer our best gifts (whatever they may be) in service to God and the greater community.
This week, Rev. Jonathan Brink shares his vision for how we can imagine, experience, and participate in the reign of God.
In the third installment of our "There's A Seat For You" Sermon Series, Rev. Whitney Waller-Cole preaches a sermon on the relationships, responsibilities, and risks God requires us to take.
As we continue our "There's A Seat For You" Sermon Series, Rev. Jonathan Brink shares a reflection on the lessons that both the past and future can teach us about our faith journey.
This week, we begin a new worship series, "There's a Seat For You!" For six weeks, we will be talking about God's redemptive grace and radical welcome that we are expected to extend to one another.
We can't confirm or deny if the Apostle Paul was into rap music, as that's anachronistically impossible to ever know. BUT! This week in our Sacred Chord Sermon Series, we reflect on how rap music can inform our understanding of Paul.
What connection can we possibly make between the Virgin Mary and bands that your parents listened to?
This week, we continue our Sacred Chord Sermon Series by sampling of some dad rock and the story of announcing Jesus' birth.
In our latest worship series, "The Sacred Chord," we are looking at how "secular" music provide spiritual grounding for us as people who try to move in the spirit of God.
This week, we look at how R&B, the civil rights movement, and the Israelites relate to one another.
This week, we look at two stories that tell us a lot about how powerful friendship can be: one from the Gospel of Luke and one from the Continuing Testament of Rob Reiner.
God created us to be in relationship with one another, and friendships are some of the most important relationships we can share. What does godly friendship look like, though?
Continuing our Faith and Film Worship Series, this week we see what advice and example the quirky, indie flick Lars and the Real Girl has for us as a church that strives to welcome everyone and practice radical acceptance.
How do the worlds of Pixar's Coco and the Book of Ruth intersect to reveal how sacred and difficult family is? Listen to this week's sermon to find out!
Two of our graduating high school seniors, JiJi Mielke and Sam Climer, share their understanding of how God's is daily at work in their lives, the life of the church, and creating a way forward through everyday miracles of love, grace, and forgiveness.
Youth Intern, Rebekah Stutheit, delivers a sermon based on Acts 4, imploring us to consider ways that we can hold goods in common and live life together as a beloved community of faith.
We are celebrating Pentecost, otherwise known as the birth of the church.
In this week's sermon, Rev. Whitney reflects on how it is possible to still celebrate your birthday when you're almost 2,000 years old and it's been a difficult, scary week in the world around you.
Did you know that women bankrolled the ministry of Jesus and his disciples?
It's true!
Sometimes (most of the time), you have to read between the lines of scripture to discover just how instrumental women were and are in sharing the message of Jesus Christ.
Rev. Whitney unpacks some of the revelations that scripture has for us about why Jesus values the gifts and graces women have for serving God, in this week's sermon.
If you had to guess how many times salvation is mentioned in the Bible-what would your guess be? Be bold! Guess. Or Google.
- That's the answer. And in this week's sermon, we consider the comfort, challenge, and call that we find in the search for salvation.
What do hot yoga, good shepherds, and discipleship have in common?
Well, if you have fifteen minutes to spare, you can found out in this week's sermon.
BONUS: An anthem performance by the Creekwood Choir.
How routinely, in the wake of disaster or destruction do you hear someone cite tragedy as God's punishment?
How often in your life has a dull or acute fear of a place called Hell caused you to repent and promise God you will live your life differently?
Or, how many times have you declared yourself unworthy of God's love?
These questions stem from wrestling with the role of sin in our lives and where God meets us.
Spoiler alert: It's Easter Sunday and ... Christ is risen! The love of God is more powerful than the powers of the world that try to overcome. It's good news that we get to hear over and over again because God is alive and in our midst.
In light of the resurrection, how can we recognize more clearly that Christ is present in our everyday lives?
We move from the cheering of Palm Sunday into the grief of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, as we reflect on the final week of Jesus' life.
There's a pretty popular Bible story about Jesus and his disciples feeding a group of more than 5,000 people. Why does such a miraculous story matter to us?
Following Jesus can be a perplexing and frustrating thing. Some questions we have, some things we experience, and some people we know make us wonder: "Jesus, what does any of this mean?" In this week's sermon, we consider what our response might be to those questions, things, and people when Jesus says, "Don't worry about it."
As we recall the story of Jesus meeting the woman at the well, found in John, we are challenged to live our faith more publicly, inclusively, and compassionately.
What lessons does Jesus possibly have to teach us about throwing parties? Listen to this week's sermon from Rev. Whitney Waller-Cole on John 2:1-11 to find out.
This week we begin our new sermon series, "A New Thing," thinking about the not so extra-ordinary miracles and sacred things in our lives. What ordinary things is Jesus calling you to be present for in this season?