Rural Midwestern Pastor: Recent Episodes
Pastor_David_60552
I’m a pastor in the rural Midwest who is seeking to proclaim from the Scriptures the good news of Jesus’ reign in the small town I love.
Join us for our second message in our series, Snapshots from the Hebrew Bible. We will explore 2 Kings 2 and learn that "the earth is crammed with heaven, but only those who see, take off their shoes."
During the summer months, we will explore various snapshots from the Hebrew Scriptures that will help us better understand Jesus. Please join us for the first snapshot of Elijah's life.
By means of the Spirit, Jesus' disciples are now able to carry all that Jesus wants to say to us. Thanks be to God.
What is Pentecost for? What change does Pentecost create? What chaos does the Spirit of Pentecost bring order to? Please listen to our message for Pentecost Sunday, 2022.
What does the Church believe about the ascension of Jesus to the right hand of the Father?
Why has this doctrine been essential to the Christian faith since its beginning?
Join us for an exploration of what it means to bear witness to the ascended Jesus.
What do the Scriptures teach us to believe about Jesus' Second Coming? There's a lot of debate about secondary matters surrounding the end times. In this message we choose to focus on what all Christians believe. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
As John is seeing vision upon vision of war, pestilence, and famine, the vision pauses and slows way down so the heavenly spotlight can shine on .... THE PEOPLE OF GOD. Beloved, Jesus is infatuated with his bride. Are we? Please join us for an exposition of Revelation 7.
Too often we describe the sovereignty of God in unchristian ways. The reign of God is not distant, capricious, and arbitrary. The exalted Lord is the slaughtered Lamb.
During the Easter Season, we will encounter six different scenes from the New Testament book we call The Revelation. Please join us for an Easter unveiling.
Not all of Jesus' disciples abandoned him during Holy Week. The Church proclaims, "He is risen! He is risen, indeed!!" because of Jesus' faithful disciple, Mary of Magdala. Please join us for this special Easter celebration!
In an ordinary house in Bethany, Jesus is extravagantly anointed as heaven and earth’s true King. Not many days before the stink of death hung heavy, now the house is filled with the fragrance of Mary’s perfume — pure nard. In this scene, Mary assumes the role of provocative prophet. Like Samuel anointed Kings Saul and David — Mary, the sister of the one Jesus had raised from the dead, appoints him to be the King for which all creation groans. Please join us for our message for the fifth Sunday of Lent.
What is the relationship between faith and fellowship — between believing and belonging? Join us for our message from Luke 15 for the fourth Sunday of Lent.
In a world full of Herods, we especially need to hear what King Jesus has to say in Luke 13:31-35.
Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'One does not live by bread alone'" (Luke 4.4)
Lent invites us to stop eating whatever protects us from having to face the desert that is inside of us. It invites us to feel our smallness, to feel our vulnerability, to feel our fears, and to open ourselves up to the chaos of the desert so that we can finally give the angels a chance to feed us. That’s the Christian ideal of lent, to face one’s chaos (Ron Rolheiser).
Who God is when God is alone is who God is when he comes to us in Jesus. Please join us for a message for Transfiguration Sunday.
The thrill of resurrection will always be preceded by the agony of death. Join us for the latest message in our Epiphany series through Philippians.
The habits and characteristics of the Church are shaped by the culture of heaven. Heaven is where the fullness of joy is found, so the Church is a colony of joy on earth. Please join us for the next message in our Epiphany series through Philippians.
The God Jesus reveals is willing to fall in order to rescue us from our own. Please join us for part 3 of our Epiphany series in Philippians.
God causes overflowing love to grow in unexpected places and unforeseen ways. Please join us for the second message in our Epiphany Series through Philippians, Critical Hope.
During the Epiphany season we will be digging deep together into Paul's letter to the Philippians. Please join us for this first message from Philippians 1.27-30
Please join for our first message for the Epiphany seasons, Solidarity with Sinners (Isaiah 43.1-7).
What was God's goal when God's Son became one of us? Please join us for our message for the second Sunday of Christmas from John 1.1-18.
When the world opens us up to vulnerability, King Jesus fills us with mercy, purity, and peace. Please join for the final message in our series on the Beatitudes.
When all is said and done.
When all has been made new.
When every wrong has been made right.
When every wound has been healed.
When every victim has been granted justice.
What kind of people will inherit all this newness?
Please join us for our latest message in our Beatitudes series.
The path to comfort and healing moves directly through grief. Please join us for our next message in our series on Jesus' beatitudes.
Words can create what they announce. Whether it's a judge in a courtroom, an umpire on a baseball diamond, or an ordained minister at a wedding, words can change things. This is a helpful way to understand the blessings pronounced by Jesus at the beginning of his greatest teaching. Between now and Advent we will slowly work through what we know as the Beatitudes. Please click on a link below as we unpack, Blessed are the poor in spirit.
"Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"
"Read my lips, no new taxes."
"It's the economy, stupid!"
"Yes, we can!"
It's easy for us to recall certain phrases from certain U.S. Presidents. Likewise, Jesus intends his followers to remember phrases that characterize life in the kingdom of heaven. Please join us for the second message in our Sermon on Mount series, Formed as Followers.
Join us for a study of the introduction and conclusion to the greatest sermon in the history of sermons. Yes, Jesus demands we put his words into practice.
"The saying is sure." This description is Paul's clue that these words are worthy of repetition, to be spoken aloud by the congregation, and to be regarded as a slogan that chaperones our faithfulness to the Gospel of King Jesus. Join us as we unpack and apply one of these five sure sayings.
The goodness of God is to make what the world needs most from what we don't want. Grab your Bible and join us for the next message in our series, The Bible's Vision for Jesus' Church.
Question: What is the most fundamental news of the past 18 months?
Answer: Jesus is raised from the dead.
Please join us for the lates message in our series, The Bible's Vision for Jesus' Church.
A kind of remembering that fuels a desire for retaliation, is not compatible with the way of Jesus. We need a better way to remember. We need to remember rightly. A Christian memory of 9/11 is seen through the lens of the cross and empty tomb of Christ. In Jesus, we worship the God who took the evil, sin, violence, and pain of the world into the very flesh of Christ and died (Derek Vreeland). Please join us as God's word challenges us to submit our remembering to the way of Jesus.
The Good Samaritan. The Roman Centurion. The Woman with a Reputation. The Syro-phoenecian Woman. Jesus is fond of finding examples of great faith where we'd least expect to find them. Why is that? One reason is that he imagines the people he is healing to be comprised of folks who know they need grace and supernaturally extend grace. Grab your Bible and join us for the latest message in our series, The Bible's Vision for Jesus' Church.
What is the church known for? How can the church develop a reputation for generosity that is nurtured by the self-giving God? Grab your Bible and join us for an exposition of 2 Corinthians 8.1-15.
What do Cain, Esau, and Reuben have in common? Each is an unfaithful older brother described in Scripture. In fact, when a Bible story begins, "Once there was two brothers," you can almost always count on the older brother causing some trouble. Except when it comes to Jesus who is the faithful older brother who cheers for us, defends us, feels what we are feeling, and points us to the hope he promises. Grab your Bible and join us for an exposition of Hebrews 2.9-18.
What is our primary identity when we gather as the people of God? Are we an audience listening to a speech? Are we a classroom of students? Are we souls in need of therapy? Are we sinners in need of mercy? There is a kernel of secondary truth in each of these labels. However, when we gather as God's people, we are primarily a family of siblings. Grab your Bible and join us for the third message in our our series, The Bible's Vision for Jesus' Church.
How do those in whom Christ is being formed respond when the Church proves disappointing? Grab your Bible and join us for the second message in our series, The Bible's Vision for Jesus' Church.
Please join us for the first message in our series, The Bible's Vision for Jesus' Church.
Sex. Murder. Political Coverup. Each of these is on the surface of the story we read in 2 Samuel 11. But what lies beneath the surface. Grab your Bible and join us for an exposition of 2 Samuel 11.
Christians should be people of stubborn joy because we are free to receive with joy the good gifts of God. Grab your Bible and join us for the conclusion of our study in Ecclesiastes.
The God of heaven and earth does not dwell in grand temples made by cocky kings. Instead, he dwells in every person we encounter. Even the person in the mirror. Grab your Bible and join us for an exposition from 2 Samuel 7.
What does wisdom look like when the world is out of control and unpredictable? Grab your Bible and join us for an exposition of Ecclesiastes.
When we limit our understanding of the Ark of the Covenant to Indiana Jones, we forget that the Ark of the Covenant reveals a God who is patient, a God who is full of mercy, and a God who is willing to be defeated in order to save. Thanks be to God. Grab your Bible and join us for an exposition from 1 and 2 Samuel.
How do wise Jesus-followers approach the difficult topic of death? Grab your Bible and join us for an exposition from Ecclesiastes.
How do wise Jesus-followers respond to foolish government? Grab your Bible and join us for an exposition from Ecclesiastes.
Schadenfreude is “pleasure derived by someone’s misfortune.” Schadenfreude is the air our society breathes, and Jesus comes to heal our hearts of schadenfreude. Grab your Bible and join us for an exposition of 2 Samuel 1.
For our own good, the wisdom of Scripture consistently exhorts us not to set our hearts on wealth. Grab your Bibles and join us for an exposition of Ecclesiastes 5.8-6.9.
When the taunts of this fallen world leave us intimidated and immobilized, we have a hero who invites us to rest and trust him. Grab your Bible and join us for an exposition of 1 Samuel 17.
Silence. Stillness. Listening. These describe good and wise worship. Grab your Bible and join us for an exposition of Ecclesiastes 5.1-7.
Please join us for the second message in our Summer Series, A Kingdom Story. The King of heaven is a free being who chooses what pleases him. What parameters lead to his choice? Grab your Bible for an exposition of 1 Samuel 15.34-16.13.
We were created for healthy connections. What do healthy relationships look like? Grab your Bible and join us for an exposition of Ecclesiastes 4.7-16.
Envy makes the world go round. Grab your Bible and join us for an exposition of Ecclesiastes 3.16-4.6 in which we are invited to slowly step off the “Envy-Go-Round.”
Brokenness. Mortality. Lostness. We often think these things disqualify us from God’s presence. On this Trinity Sunday, we hear the good news that the triune God dwells in mortal bodies.
In a world ruled by the accuser and filled with spirits of accusation, Pentecost proclaims the good news that within the Godhead, we have an advocate. Thanks be to God. Please join us for this sermon for Pentecost.
I am what I do. I am what I get paid to do. I am how I vote. These are all lies from under the sun. Grab your Bible and join us for an exposition of Ecclesiastes 1.1-11, so we can learn who we really are.
Our world seems so out of order. The Scriptures lead us toward wisdom for such a world with books like Ecclesiastes. Grab your Bible and join us as we introduced this relevant but neglected book.
Who are you lord? What are you up to? How does it stand between us? God speaks: Jesus Christ. ~ Karl Barth Jesus comes to us as the full disclosure of God. Join us for a message for the Seventh Sunday of Easter.
When Jesus abides in us we are supernaturally convinced to 1) Root our theology in the incarnation, 2) Love all who are born of God, and 3) Freely confess our sins. Grab your Bible and join us for an exposition of 1 John 4.17-5.12.
We have a role to play in Jesus’ promise to return and renew all things. We are invited to join Jesus and hasten the coming day of God. Grab your Bible and join us for an exposition of 2 Peter 3.11-18.
2000 years ago we were promised that the Jesus who ascended to the right hand of the Father would one day return to make all things new. Why the delay? The answer is found in the patience of God. Grab your Bible and join us for an exposition of 2 Peter 3.5-10.
What kind of fruit does abiding in Jesus produce? Join us for a message for the Fifth Sunday of the Easter Season from John 15.1-17.
Did god really say? This is the Satan‘s question for us when he finds us impatient. Patience is a virtue and impatience is advice. Please join us for an exposition of 2 Peter 3.3-4.
So often the Bible is used as an excuse to disobey the plain commands of Jesus. The apostle Peter exhorts us to remember the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior. In other words, the Scriptures must be read in submission to the commands of king Jesus. Grab your Bible and join us for an exposition of 2 Peter 3.1-2.
Does our diet of Christian teaching reflect a healthy biblical balance? Or, does our diet of Christian teaching resemble a smorgasbord? Buffets have their place, but they are not a good long-term option. Neither is a smorgasbord approach to Christian teaching. Grab your Bible and join us for an exposition of 2 Peter 2.17-22.
As Christians we believe not only that Christ was raised, but that he now lives and reigns among us by the Spirit. Jesus lives and reigns among us as the Good Shepherd described in John 10.
What needs to be sorted about what is being done in the world today? What needs to be sorted out about what has been to you? What needs to be sorted out about what you have done? God, the judge of all the earth can be trusted to do what is just. Grab your Bible and join us for an exposition of 2 Peter 2.9-11
It is the God who is fully of mercy who also promises to rescue the world through judgment. Grab your Bible and join us for an exposition of 2 Peter 2.4-10.
Grab your Bible and join us for an exposition of 2 Peter 1.12-15 in which we learn to remember that we are going to die.
On this second Sunday of Eastertide we begin a series called, He Appeared. In each of these messages we encounter the risen Christ who appears for our sake. In this morning’s Gospel, Jesus appears for us who have doubts.
Atonement is about God identifying with us so that we might participate in God. (Scot McKnight) Grab your Bible and join us for an exposition of 2 Peter 1.3-4.
Grab your Bible and join us for an introduction to 2 Peter and exposition of 2 Peter 1.1-2.
What kind of God and King does Palm Sunday reveal? Grab your Bible and join us for a message for Palm Sunday.