EB Weekly: Recent Episodes
East Brainerd Church of Christ
Did you miss a Sunday with us? No worries! You can catch up with the weekly message here on our Podcast, East Brainerd Weekly. For more information go to www.eastbrainerdchurch.org
We start a new series focused on moving closer to Jesus by looking at how the Fruits of the Spirit help show us the journey that we are on.
As our Hispanic Minister, Marco Diaz, prepares for Semi-Retirement, he shares some insights and thoughts of his long time serving God.
Aubrey Wood, our Youth Minister, shares a message as we celebrate our High School graduates.
Jesus declared and demonstrated what life in God's kingdom looks like, and we are called to be "good-news people" through whom Christianity brings healing and hope to the world.
This weekend we finish up the songs of Ascent in the book of Psalms by looking at Psalm 134. Praise is the natural response of a people blessed by God.
"How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity" - Psalm 133:1 As we continue our series on the Songs of Ascent, we look at making room at the table for all.
This week on our journey through the Songs of Ascent, we look at Psalm 126 to remember the hope and joy that comes with God's renewal of ALL Things.
Marco recaps his recent stay "Road Trip" to Central and South America and how God is working in those areas.
As we continue with the Songs of Ascent, today Chris shares some thoughts on how Psalm 124 is a reminder that it's ok to ask God for help. (If you are listening on our podcast there is a brief break in audio just before the 6 minute mark.)
A we continue our journey in the Songs of Ascent, this week we look at Psalm 123 and are reminded that the attitudes, words, and actions that attempt to marginalize and belittle another human being have no place among the people of God. (If you are listening on our podcast there is a brief break in audio around the 4:30 minute mark.)
This week we look at Psalm 122 and the celebration of gathering together at "The LORD's House"
We continue our journey with the Songs of Ascent; "My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!"
Chris starts a new series focused on the Songs of Ascent in the Psalms. Being on the journey with God mean to spend our lives going towards God.
What does my relationship with money say about my relationship with Jesus?Generosity is our response to God's grace.
Jesus wants your heart... The Kingdom needs your resources. Chris starts a new series on money, giving, and how East Brainerd uses our resources for God's work.
This week we begin a discussion on a topic that we rarely talk about in church...Money. Travis Sharpe starts this conversation on how Jesus speaks on money. Please note, Chris Barnett introduces this topic before Travis' message
How do you hold on to Christmas? We find a way to treasure and ponder what God is doing.
Prior to our Nativity Pageant and Communion this week, Chris reminds us that 'Praise is the natural response of a people blessed by God.'
When life doesn't seem easy or fair, the Manger is God's sign that things are not necessarily as they seem.
Hope is on the way. There is light after darkness, it's not that we pretend the darkness isn't there, but we don't lose hope in God in the midst of the darkness.
Jesus is the Bread of Life... He was born in the "house of bread", and placed in a feeding trough to satisfy the hunger of every human heart.
The Apostle Paul recognized that evil can manifest itself from time to time in our physical world, so he encouraged the Christians in Ephesus to "put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil."
This week Chris discusses Ephesians 6, and the importance of learning that our relationships with each other should reflect Christ's influence in our lives.
Christianity is a religion of submission, not power. A believers interaction with others should be modeled after the relationship Jesus had with his Father.
Who or what is the greatest influence in your life?We are meant to be a God centered, Spirit Filled people.
God's imprint should be readily witnessed in our lives. We are God's masterpieces. There should be a God image on everything we do.
We are all being formed by something. Are we allowing the Spirit of God to form us into something new?
The body of Christ, the church, needs people to serve the body. Service is the result of each of us moving closer to Jesus.
It is Paul's prayer that we will experience the width, length, height, and depth of Christ's love her among the family of God -- The Church.
Church is God's people living out God's grace for the benefit of God's creation.We seek to treat people like they already belong to God in order to invite them to belong to God.
A congregation of people rescued by God through the work of Jesus Christ is what the church was intended to be from the beginning.
We want to walk on the spiritual journey with our kids so that they will become mature, knowledgeable, and humble followers of Jesus, who are growing in their faith.
While the scriptures are filled with interesting people, doing crazy things, ultimately the Bible tells Gods story. It is His story - all about Crazy People trusting Him.
Aubrey Wood walks through the healing of the blind man in John chapter 9, and how we seek to connect with others around us.
Blessed are those who mourn. This week Stephen Walker, our Young Adult Minister, takes us through the importance of trust during the grief in our lives and how God is present with us in those moments.
Chris talks about how we want our Kids to love church and he addresses some of the chaos going on right now and how we can move forward.
When we say AMEN. We trust in the God who is GOOD, the God of Abraham, the God who is faithful to his promises.
Noah's life stood out as crazy. But even the most righteous among us must depend on God's grace.
We can often struggle to pray because we struggle to believe... that God is in control.
The invitation of prayer is to take a vacation. To get away from the hustle and busyness of life, and to me with God.
What do you do when prayer apparently works for everyone but you? Prayer is a discipline of persistent presence. God IS already actively engaged in your life.
On Mother's Day 2024, Chris talks about the story of Hannah and her prayers for her son Samuel. Preparing our children to be Present for the Lord is still the ultimate purpose of parenting.
Prayer is how believers fight when surrounded. Prayer, before anything else, is about presence -- not outcome.
Being a follower of Christ will make you different. Travis discusses Matthew 7:6 and talks about the call into deeper Discipleship.
As we recognize and celebrate our High School graduates on Senior Sunday, Chris shares a message about being "That Kid" who never stops praising God no matter where you go and what you do.
We represent NOW what Jesus began in his life, ministry, death, burial, and resurrection.
The resurrection of Jesus is the most important thing that has ever happened in your life! How can we learn to enjoy Easter every day?
Throw off the sin - don't assimilate Run forward with perseverance - don't isolateFixate on Jesus
Heaven is then and now. Here and there. Real and Relevant. Focus on it today.The fact that we will live with God THEN, should affect how we live for God NOW.
Travis talks about the need to love differently by learning each other's stories and seeing each other differently.
One of the greatest miracles of life is that God pays attention to us. We must continue the works of God by paying attention to those around us with His love.
People can be difficult to like, let alone Love. Love is much easier when you are focused on God and not the person or the position.
If we spend all of our time waiting for life's river to recede, we will never witness God's power and might. This week Chris spends some time focused on Joshua and Caleb's story in Joshua as God's people seek to find the courage to cross the river into the promise land.
We need to ask ourselves, what sacrifices are we going to make in order to insure that others receive their spiritual inheritance.
It is easy to get distracted by the opinions of others. As we enter 2024, Chris reminds us to be different and to focus on who God wants us to be.
Like Simeon and Anna, in Jesus we find hope for the world. We can open our eyes to see the signs of the Kingdom all around us.
We focus on the story of Jesus' birth and how it brings hope to the world. (the days message was broken up into multiple parts, including a reading of Luke 2 with EB Kids on the stage)
The Nativity was about God pouring out His favor and grace upon people. It reminds us that we are favored by God and His love for creation.
In Luke we hear the song of Zachariah, who waited his whole life to see the Messiah come. He sets an example for us to be faithful to the Promised God has made and will deliver on.
Mary's humility opened the door to God's favor in her life. She displays the type of spirit that God seeks in his creation. In Luke it is this humility that causes Mary to sing a song of how her soul praises the Lord.This week we start the Christmas season looking at songs that lead us deeper into the meaning of Christmas.
It can be hard to be thankful due to challenges in life. But we have been saved and redeemed because of the incomprehensible love God has for you. That is something worth being thankful for.
Sometimes it's hard to be thankful. God's presence in our life does not eliminate disappointments, His presence empowers us to endure them.
Some people like it, some people don't. When my preference is more important than our relationship, we have a problem.
How do we connect the next generation to Jesus? We have to ask the question, "what are we connecting them too?"At EB we must strive to have Jesus Christ and his love at the center of everything we do.
Growing our church family means investing in each other. Seeing our brothers and sisters as more than just people we go to church.
We cannot have an us versus them mentality when trying to connect with the next generation.
What will we do as a church and as individuals to go further than others in order to reach those that others are unwilling to reach.
We need more imaginative Christians who will shoot for the moon and sail into deep waters to of their faith. To have BIG, HAIRY, AUDACIOUS GOALS to connect the next generation to Jesus.
What we do in the name of Jesus matters. This week Chris talks about how in God's economy, usefulness in the kingdom is not measured by the scale of the service but by the willingness to serve.
This week Stephen, our young adult minister, discusses how the faith of one man changed everything for those around him. He also sits down with Kevin Lee to discuss the impact of the Archery Club that he leads.
A little can go a long way with God. The calling of the church is not to attract crowds but to see individuals. To make sure no one goes unnoticed.
This week Chris sits down with George McCleskey and Angie Garibotte to talk about the Transformation Ministry and New Beginnings.
One conversation, one connection, one ministry could change everything. This week Chris sits down with Janice Robertson to talk about our Snack Pack ministry and how the power of one ministry can make a difference.
Ephesians 5:8-10 It takes faith to jump in a choose to pursue a life that pleases God over fearing "what might happen"
We have been blessed to be a blessing. This week Chris talks about giving and how generosity is our response to grace.
Loving your neighbor isn't about loving people like you, it is simply loving the people near you.
This week Chris talks about loving those we come in contact with every day.
Prayer impacts us personally. The space-in-between the world that was and the world that is can be the space of our greatest growth.
We can find ourselves in spaces "between" what was and what will be. This can cause us anxiety. This week Chris encourages us to remember that every "in-between space" is an opportunity for God to impact us through that space.
It is hard to be in the presence of God and not change.
Spiritual disciplines allow us to take off the veil and see God, to see God working and living and speaking around us, and as we see God’s face through the daily and weekly practice of the disciplines, we encounter the presence of God, and we are slowly transformed into God’s image from one degree of glory to another.
We're really good at talking about discipleship when life is going great. How do we remain faithful when we don't seem to be receiving any good from it? Travis jumps back into the story of Elijah to talk about how we continue to follow God when things aren't going the way we hoped.
Idolatry is worship something other than the creator. This week Travis shares thoughts on how Discipleship is about undivided devotion to God.
Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our church. We are fighting today for Costly Grace.The call of Jesus is self-denial. The call of Jesus is for Discipleship which means sacrifice.
The most important thing you can do for you children Is commit yourself to living a God centered life.
Marco reminds of our role to share the message of Jesus with others, and recaps his recent missionary trips.
On our annual Senior Sunday Chris is joined by our Youth Ministers, Will and Kristen, to talk about the type of Love the spirit fills us with.
As we continue our series on cultivating the character of Christ. In this message Chris focuses on the importance for our desires to be God's desires, because the Spirit of God cannot produce what we don't desire.
As we start a new series focused on the fruits of the Spirit, Chris reminds us that "We all need to do less, and allow the Holy Spirit to do more."
Yesterdays mess doesn't have to be todays message. Don't miss out on the meaning of Resurrection for our lives.
In the beginning, we walked with God. Walking has always been a primary way of knowing and living with God.This week we talk about the practice of being in God's presence.
This week as we continue to get closer to Easter Sunday we talk about how Fasting teaches us to have God's heart.
The purpose of pray is not for you to bring information to God; the purpose of prayer is for yo unto experience intimacy with God. As we approach Easter this year we are focusing on Spiritual Practices to help us Draw Near to God. This week our focus is on prayer.
This Sunday we spent time in Scripture focusing on who Jesus was through the writings of Isaiah. Stephen Walker sets up our focus during our time of Communion together. Scriptures were read by Jordan Bischell, David Walker, George McCleskey, and Johnny Robertson.
What is your "one thing"? What is it that is currently taking up space between you and God? Are you willing to let it go?
There are two truths about human beings that matter deeply:1. We are all Ragged2. We are Loved by God
We don't want others to just know they are loved by Jesus, we want them to experience it through the actions of his followers.
There is one thing that should matter to Christians, that is faith expressing itself through Love.
The things we do and the rituals we develop in our spiritual lives, aren't the goal of our faith. Drawing near to the Lord is. This week we talk about how outward expressions cannot take the place of inner transformation.
The message of Jesus isn't just a sales pitch we make to unbelievers. It has to be a message of Purpose for the kingdom of God. This week, we dive into the Lord's Prayer to discuss how it can help keep us focused on the Purposes of God.
There has long been a tendency deep inside the fallen human spirit to exclude, but God's grace is not limited by nationalities, traditions, languages, or religions. This week Chris talks about the importance of committing to a legacy of intentional healing faith in a world that tends to separate and divide.
What do we do with the delicate gift of God that is our lives? Do we use it for Good or use it for nothing?
As we beginning 2023, Stephen Walker talks about the faithfulness that God has to his plans to rescue and restore creation from the Beginning until the End.
This week as we get closer to Christmas, Chris talks about the Light of Hope that Jesus brings into a dark world.
As we enter the Christmas season. We find ourselves waiting on a renewal of joy, hope, and peace for our world.
This Sunday, Sean White, helps us to reflect on waiting for the Hope that arrives through Jesus.
The holidays can be full of tension as we gather around our tables with family. This week, Chris reminds us to seek peace and grace with our families this holiday season.
As we continue to talk about singleness this weekend. For some being single is a challenge. Chris reminds us to do things God's way. Be patient. Choose to honor God in every relationship.
We have been in a marriage series over the last few weeks. The question that rises is, "What about single people?". This week Chris shares some thoughts on Godly relationships for those who are single.
An ingredient that a healthy marriage requires is "Oneness" with our spouse.
This week, Chris talks about the importance that scripture puts on pursuing intimacy and openness in our marriages, and to not let friends or even family come between your relationship with your spouse.
We live in a disposable culture. Few things are made to last.
This week Chris discusses the importance of commitment and exclusiveness in our marriages.
Does your relationship with your spouse feel like "Something's Missing"? Maybe there is something, but it may not be what you're thinking.
Doing Good is the expected response to Good News. This week Chris talks about how EB seeks to be a church that blesses others through our pursuits, passions, an purposes.
Too often we find our spiritual lives and conversations to be focused on a single event that happens each week within the walls of our church buildings. When our focus is simply on our Sunday morning gathering we can be tempted to think it is the thing that connects us to God.
This week, Chris shares a message about how at EB we want worship to be a lifestyle and not an event in the life of a believer. Worship through services to others should be our focus everyday.
At EB, we believe life is Better Together!
This week Chris talks about the importance of a Spiritual community that brings you closer to Jesus.
A question we hear often is "What is happening at East Brainerd?"
The short answer, a lot. But the more important answer is the "why" behind everything we do. This Sunday, Chris kicks off a new series focused on what is happening at EB by talking about how Jesus is at the center of everything we do.
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world" - Romans 12:2
We do not get to choose our missional context in life, but we do get to choose whether or not we will stand boldly for God in the midst of exile.
This week Chris continues to look at the bold chooses of Daniel and the 1st century Christians as they displayed boldness in the face of a culture that was different than they were.
Our actions reveal the voice we follow. This week we continue to look at Daniels story and how his actions reveal the voice he choose to listen to.
Culture would love to squeeze us into its shape. But we can choose the shape our life takes.
This week Chris looks at Daniel's life and the pressure Babylon put on him to change who he was. They wanted to change his life, his identity, and his name. For Daniel his name was part of his identity in God and was unwilling to become something he wasn't.
We start a new series about the feeling we may all have of being Squeezed by the world around us. In the first lesson Chris reminds us that no matter what happens in the world, "We have a Choice" to influence others instead of just accept things as they are.
We NEED Jesus.
This week, we look at the story Jesus tells of two individuals as they pray to God. One full of himself and proud of his accomplishments, and the other, humbled to be in God's presence.
It is the one who recognizes their need for Jesus whom God rewards.
"Generosity is to be the rule, not the exception in the Kingdom of God".
God has blessed each of us to be a blessing to the world around us with our time, talents, and finances.
Could part of our calling to follow Jesus be really as simple as taking time to rest?
This week Chris talks about how Jesus was intentional about eliminating hurry in his life and the life of his disciples. In a world full of "Hurry", it is important to not out run Jesus' presence in our lives.
We are regularly being told that life in our society (and churches) is a zero-sum game. Pick one side or the other. What if the people of Jesus stopped trying to win culture wars and started living out the ways of Jesus in their communities? The cause of Christ does not have a political party, it has a church.
In this July 4th weekend message, Chris challenges us to rethink where our allegiance lies.
"A new command I give you: Love One Another" - John 13
This week in our Simple series, Chris reminds us that our differences and our disagreements cannot overshadow our love.
On this Sunday, Father's Day 2022, Jeremy Davis and Scott Self talk about connecting and communing with God, our father.
In this message they share some thoughts about being a child of God's and share in the Lord's Supper with our church family.
As we continue our Simple series, Jeremy Davis shares some thoughts on the freedom of forgiveness.
In the 1st century Rabbis offered a set of traditions and rules in order to follow God's law. By the time Jesus was born these laws had become a burden to people and their relationship with each other and God. Jesus offers a new "Yoke" for his followers. One that is light and easy.
Jesus showed his followers a simple path to love one another and love God, a yoke calling us to "Do good to everyone."
In this world we cannot avoid Evil. In the wake of tragedy in our world, Chris shares some wisdom on how to prepare to overcome evil with good as followers of Jesus.
As new things in life happen, it is important to Embrace The Space where we find ourselves.
Pray where we are, Love who we can, and Give what we have to get through those new spaces.
What do we do when we don't know what happens next?
This week our Discipleship minster, Sean, talks about the Israelites struggle to trust God on their wilderness journey.
Whatever is next on the calendar of life, remember that it will not be like this for long.
As we celebrate the incredible women and mothers in our lives, we reflect on how Mary treasured and thought often about the moments she had with Jesus growing up. Mary gives us an example of a deep legacy of faith that Mom's pour into the lives of their children.
We need both old and young to partner together in order to bring as many as possible to a life restoring relationship with Jesus Christ.
This week at EB we celebrated Senior Sunday, honoring our high school graduates, and Chris shared a lesson about bridging the generational gap and the importance that it has to the church.
We all go through moments of change. Sometime that comes with a lot of fear, worry, and anxiety. This week Chris shares some wisdom on what to do when you don't know what to do.
Easter at EB 2022
As we focus on the Resurrection of Jesus, we are minded that the promised of God are bigger than the struggles we face. The promises of God are with us.
As Jesus knows the end is near on his road to resurrection, he prays, for Unity. For those who trust in him, to come together for a greater purpose.
This week Chris talks about how a divided world needs to see a united church.
God is present and active in this world. Jesus promises us that presences through the Holy Spirit in our lives.
This week as we think about how life is full of changes and uncertainty, we can take comfort that God is present with us.
As Jesus enters Jerusalem, he is angered by what he sees going on in Temple. The temple courts were full of people taking advantage of travelers and making it difficult to seek God.
Are we setting barriers for people to approach God? Do we keep people away from the table of God because they are different than us?
This week as we see Jesus' Passion for people be able to approach God, Chris reminds us that all are welcome to come into the presence of God.
As Jesus sets his eyes on Jerusalem in the last week of his life. We discover that there is nothing that would stop him from fulfilling his purpose.
Followers of Jesus have a message to share. A message that we can celebrate because People Matter To God!
Why is church so important? Because we were created for community. There is great importance to being with others who share your faith in Jesus.
This week Chris shares a message about taking Steps to be connected and involved in our church community.
At East Brainerd, we are a church that is dependent on volunteers. As we continue move forward as a church we are looking to reignite, reimagine, and rebuild our ministry offerings.
This Sunday Marco encourages us to have a heart for sharing Jesus with the world and shares memories form the 3 months that he spent visiting and preaching churches in Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras.
Our circumstances do not circumvent the mission of God's People. Life has been challenging over the last few years and the people have God may have lost sight on our mission. This week Chris reminds us to "REMEMBER OUR CALLING!" amidst the challenges we face.