Valley Avon Podcast: Recent Episodes
Valley Community Baptist Church
Valley is celebrating World Outreach Week with a guest speaker who is one of our global partners. For the safety of our global partner, all names have been changed and the audio has been altered.
World Outreach Weekend guest speaker Doug Gamble, a missionary serving in Costa Rica, shares what we can learn from three people in the Bible who saw God's worthy cause clearly, and acted despite the cost.
This past week, we experienced some technical difficulties which resulted in the first 5 minutes of the sermon audio being doubled.
We are aware of the issue and apologize for the inconvenience, and hope you can bare with us during the first five minutes, as the rest of the sermon audio will return to normal.
Don't we all want to feel "restored"? Our series takes us to the prophet Joel, and an amazingly relevant major message about sin, repentance, and restoration.
Scripture Reference: Joel 2:1-11
In the first message of the series, Pastor Emeritus Jay Abramson shares from Hosea, what some call "the second-greatest story in the Bible."
Scripture Reference: Hosea 11:1-4, 8-9
How might your next step in generosity not only impact the world, but also help YOU?
Scripture Reference: Acts 15:36-41
Listening to God isn't like shaking a Magic 8 Ball and waiting for an answer to appear. We hear God when we repeatedly take tangible next steps to draw closer to Him.
Scripture Reference: Acts 13:1-13
Senior Pastor Rob O'Neal kicks off a new teaching series that explores how Barnabas shows how to take our next steps with Jesus.
Scripture Reference: Acts 11:19-26
In the final message of the series, Pastor Rob shows from the Bible why this common cultural view of religion is actually a cunning lie wielded by Satan.
Scripture Reference: Revelation 20:7-15
In the fourth message of the five-week series, Pastor Rob explores a lie the denies the reality of the spiritual world -- and distorts our efforts to follow Jesus.
Scripture Reference: Ephesians 6:10-20
Pastor Joe Funderburk uncovers Lie No. 3 in our message series. How can we resist the temptation to fall into this lie and play "the blame game"?
Scripture Reference: James 4:7-10
In the second message of the series, Pastor Rob explores this devastating lie, an effective tool of the Devil from Adam and Eve to today.
Scripture Reference: John 8:39-44
In the first message of the series, Pastor Rob explores the lie that you should follow your bliss ... and what the Bible reveals as truth instead.
Scripture Reference: Isaiah 14:12-15
Pastor Rob's Easter message focuses on God's work in the Resurrection: What did it really accomplish?
Scripture Reference: Matthew 28:1-8
Do you feel that you lack the willpower to love and obey Jesus the way you know you should? As we enter Holy Week, here's a message of encouragement from John 14.
Why do some people come to faith in Christ, and some don't? Jesus' explanation of the Holy Spirit in John 14 gives us some answers!
World Outreach Week concludes with a message about how Jesus is responding to our prayers, even while we wait for His return.
Scripture Reference: John 14:12-14
Guest speaker Leith Anderson kicks off World Outreach Week, exploring why this is the perfect time to be 'The Going Church for the Coming Lord.
Scripture Reference: Matthew 25:14-19 (1984 NIV)
To truly know who God is, we must get to know Jesus -- by receiving Him and digging deeper into all that He is.
Scripture Reference: John 14:7-11
This week marks the beginning of our new series, titled: While you wait, God Works.In the first sermon, Pastor Rob dives into John 14 to try to determine: While we've been waiting for Jesus for 2,000 years, what has God been doing?
In the final sermon of the series, Pastor Rob explores 1 Peter 5, in which God calls us to stand firm, knowing He is in charge.
Scripture Reference: 1 Peter 5
Popular culture is often at odds with God's plan for the glories of marriage and singleness. Valley Simsbury Pastor Mark Woof shares encouragement from 1 Peter 4 as we all try to stay "on course."
Senior Pastor Rob O'Neal explores 1 Peter 3 to discover four pieces of encouragement as we go about trying to bless others in a post-Christian culture.
Scripture Reference: 1 Peter 3:8-12
How should Christians relate to authority in a post-Christian world? God gives us four key principles, in the book of 1 Peter.
Scripture Reference: 1 Peter 2:13-25
In the third sermon of the series, Pastor Rob explores why it's biblical -- and helpful as a disciple -- to think of ourselves as "Ambassadors for Christ."
Scripture Reference: 1 Peter 2:1-12
In the second sermon of the series, Pastor Rob explains why choosing the behaviors and beliefs of your true home is key to navigating a post-Christian culture.
Scripture Reference: 1 Peter 1:13-25
In the first sermon of the series, Pastor Rob shares the first tip Peter gives in navigating a different culture: the gigantic nature of the Good News.
Scripture Reference: 1 Peter 1:1-12
The most famous verse in the Bible requires us to take just one action. What does it mean to "believe"?Scripture Reference: John 3:16, Psalm 91
Pastor Rob shares four steps that help us get closer to the true meaning of Christmas.
Scripture Reference: John 3:16, Psalm 148
As our series ends, we count up the costs and benefits of following Jesus ... and face the most important decision of our lives.
Scripture Reference: Luke 14:25-33
In Part II of the series, Pastor Rob creates biblical lists of the costs and benefits of following Jesus, and explores what value we place on them.
Scripture Reference: Luke 14:25-33
In the first sermon of the series, Pastor Rob explores the first step in our "Cost-Benefit Analysis": Determining whether each of us can be a disciple.
Scripture Reference: Luke 14:25-33
World Outreach Weekend guest speaker Dr. David Cashin explains why he believes this is one of the most exciting times to be a Christian.
Scripture Reference: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10
The story of Solomon shows us that sinful behavior can spoil the legacy we worked hard to build up. Yet, we all sin. There's only one way to avoid having our legacy tarnished by our behavior.
Scripture Reference: 1 Kings 11:1-13
In this bonus episode, our interim World Outreach director Susan Gaston interviews missionary Kasandra, who is presently serving with Kids Alive in the Dominican Republic.
NextGen Pastor Brandon Sanford, examining the life of Solomon, explores the three keys to building your legacy the right way.
Scripture Reference: 1 Kings 10:14-25
In this bonus episode, our interim World Outreach director Susan Gaston interviews missionary Emil, who is presently serving in Spain.
Your legacy is the "long-lasting effect" of your life. In the first message of this new series, Pastor Rob explores how to start building your legacy.
Scripture Reference: 1 Kings 3:3-15
In this bonus episode, our interim World Outreach director Susan Gaston interviews missionary Collin, who is presently serving in France.
God has been "on mission" from the very beginning.
Why would we share about Jesus? Because we're on mission with Him.
Scripture Reference: Genesis 3:8-24
In this bonus episode, our interim World Outreach director Susan Gaston interviews missionary Allan Matamoros, who has served in many countries.
Learn about the God-given gifts we all have, and what happens when we DON'T use our gifts to serve others.
Scripture Reference: Ephesians 4:11-16
As Christians, we are built for community. Community can be a source of help, encouragement, and strength.
Senior Pastor Rob O’Neal discusses this topic in his sermon titled: Connect.\
Scripture Reference: Ecclesiastes 4:7-12
In this bonus episode, our interim World Outreach director Susan Gaston interviews missionary Anneli, who is presently serving in Sweden.
Here and now, it is easy to become consumed by the distractions and demands of daily life. Worship can help us reconnect and ground us in God.
Scripture Reference: Revelation 4:1-11
Our church's vision is to IMPACT the world for Christ ... but what if you're not sure how you can personally do that?
Scripture Reference: Titus 2:1-10
Eternal destiny and our choice regarding the foundation for our lives
Scripture Reference: Matthew 7:21-29
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus shares four ways we will be known, as followers of Jesus. How are you known?
Scripture Reference: Matthew 7:12-20
What are you holding back that keeps you from living the disciple’s lifestyle? How can you release that to God? In today’s sermon, Pastor Rob explores what Jesus teaches about asking God.
Scripture Reference: Matthew 7:7-11
In this "Master Class" message, Pastor Brandon Sanford points out how Jesus uses an illustration to show three failure points each disciple must be aware of.
Scripture Reference: Matthew 7:1-6
Jesus teaches us how to deal with worry, and how to lift us out of the grip of anxiety. Let’s listen now.
Scripture Reference: Matthew 6:25-34
This week, Pastor Tim Ponzani shares what Jesus taught about fasting, including identifying what we really should be pursuing in life.
Scripture Reference: Matthew 6:16-24
This week we’ll hear Senior Pastor Rob O’Neal give his sermon “Patterns for Praying.” How can we have a rewarding prayer life? Jesus shows us how, in the Sermon on the Mount.
Scripture Reference: Matthew 6:5-15
This week we’ll hear from Pastor Doug Christgau, Global Ambassador for MedSend, as he explores the rewards for giving in secret.
Scripture Reference: Matthew 6:1-4
Executive Pastor Kevin Haskins brings us his sermon “Going the extra mile”. God shows us how we can move toward an "all-inclusive" love -- even with all the mess that may bring.
Scripture Reference: Matthew 5:38-48
Are you in need of a "change of heart"? Senior Pastor Rob O’Neal explains how that can only come from a relationship with God, in his sermon titled: “Righteous Relationships”
Scripture Reference: Matthew 5:27-37
Pastor Emeritus Jay Abramson explores the problem of unrighteous anger each one of us struggles with ... and how we can deal with it.
Scripture Reference: Matthew 5:17-26
In the opening message of the series, Pastor Rob explains why the Sermon on the Mount is the "Master Class in Discipleship" -- and what it really means to live a "blessed life."
Scripture Reference: Matthew 5:1-16
In the final message of the Cultivate series, Pastor Rob shows how the Parable of the Sower provides guidance on how Valley attenders can cultivate equipped disciples.
Scripture Reference: Luke 8:4-15
In the third message of the "Cultivate" series, Senior Pastor Rob O’Neal discusses sanctification by answering the question “how does God shape our lives?” In his sermon titled: “Engage”.
Scripture Reference: Acts 2:42-47
In the second message of the "Cultivate" series, Pastor Rob explains what a disciple is and the three fundamental things that disciples do.
Scripture Reference: Matthew 16:13-20
This episode begins a new sermon series, titled “Cultivate”. Senior Pastor Rob O’Neal discusses the difference a church can make in a community in his sermon, titled “Impact”.
Scripture Reference: Acts 18:1-3
In the final message of the series, Senior Pastor Rob O’Neal explores why accountability to God AND each other is essential in navigating life, in his teaching titled: “Unaccountable Actions”
Scripture Reference: Judges 16:1-6
In this episode, Part 3 of Pastor Rob's series on "Destructive Decisions" continues with three biblical keys to restraining the anger we all feel from time to time.
Scripture Reference: Judges 15: 14-17
This week we continue with our sermon series, titled: “Destructive Decisions: How to avoid life-altering mistakes”
This episode is part 2 of the series, as Senior Pastor Rob O’Neal shares three biblical ways to discipline our desires, and avoid the bomb of moral failure in our lives.
Scripture Reference: Judges 14: 1-4
WELCOME to the the first episode of the Valley Avon Podcast!
This episode marks the beginning of our new sermon series, titled: "Destructive Decisions: How to avoid life-altering mistakes"
In the first sermon of the series, Pastor Rob defines "moral failure" and outlines three principles of such failures, learned from the life of Samson, in his sermon titled: "Unfulfilled Potential".
Scripture Reference: Judges 13:1-5, 24-35