519 Church Podcast: Recent Episodes
519church
Our goal is simple: to love well and live differently. Jesus called his followers to stop judging and start forgiving, challenging them to love well. As we do our priorities change. We invest in our community and we begin to live differently.
Scripture: Acts 2:1-4 (CEB)
Take home thought: The same God who calls us to it, will see us through it.
Grow | Pray | Study: https://www.519church.org/gps/
Scripture: Acts 1:1-11 (CEB); Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV)
Quote from Dante Bowe of Maverick City Music: "It's not just about waiting. It's about what you're doing while you're waiting."
A prayer in the midst of waiting: God, free me from this counterfeit comfort. Amen.
Grow | Pray | Study: https://www.519church.org/gps/
Take home thought: The more you develop rhythms and habits of discipleship, the clearer your vision for Jesus will become.
Frederick Beuchner Quote: Emmaus is the place we go to in order to escape--a bar, a movie, wherever it is we throw up our hands and say, “let the whole thing go hang. It makes no difference anyway.” … Emmaus may be buying a new suit or a new car or smoking more cigarettes than you really want, or reading a second-rate novel or even writing one. Emmaus may be going to church on Sunday. Emmaus is whatever we do or wherever we go to make ourselves forget that the world holds nothing sacred: that even the wisest and bravest and loveliest decay and die; that even the noblest ideas that people have had--ideas about love and freedom and justice--have always in time been twisted out of shape by selfish people for selfish ends.
Grow | Pray | Study: https://www.519church.org/gps/
Scripture: John 20:24-31 (CEB) Main Point: The difference between doubt and faith is a lot smaller than you might think. Just ask Thomas. Grow | Pray | Study: https://www.519church.org/gps/
Scripture: John 21:1-14
Quote: The distance between where you are and where you need to be might not be as far as you think, but to get there, you will encounter resistance.
Scripture: Mark 10:35-45 (CEB) Main Point: Jesus would rather be known than idolized. GPS Guide: https://www.519church.org/gps/
Scripture: Mark 10:17-31 (CEB)
Main Point: Following Jesus is about invitation and imitation, not intimidation. Grow | Pray | Study: https://www.519church.org/gps/
Scripture: Mark 7:24-30
Take home thought: The grace of God is for the desiring, not just the deserving.
Scripture: Mark 2:18-28; Matthe 6:16-18 (CEB) Bottom line: Faith is not about following the rules. Faith is about following the One. Take home thought: "Don't confuse mechanics with essence." - Justin McRoberts
Scripture: Mark 1:14-20 (CEB) Bottom line: Jesus is not just your ticket to heaven. Jesus is heaven's ticket to you.
Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (CEB)
Take home thoughts: If the circumstances require it, we have an incredible capacity for change. Living differently is the expressed action of our values When values are your filter, decisions become clearer.
“It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching.” -St. Francis of Assisi
3 ways to live: Live Full: Grow into the full stature of Christ Live Sent: Embrace every day as an opportunity for ministry Live Generously: Live simply so we can give abundantly
Sermon Response: Live generously by performing 1 random act of kindness this week. More info in the 519GPS: https://www.519church.org/gps/
Scripture: Matthew 7:24-27
Bottom Line: To love well is to love with purpose.
The Three Loves: Know Love: God is love, imitate that. Love Everyone: Even the people you don't like. Embody Love: Make love real by serving others.
Sermon Response: Love our Postal Carriers 519 GPS Guide: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mXlB3tA4m9aQ8mx88odsKLP88hP9Ijy-/view
Scripture: Mark 1:21-28
Take Home Thought: Our God is a God who won’t shy away from all the things that torment us. Our God is a God who speaks directly to all that is evil/all that is broken/all that is wrong.
Scripture: John 15:5; Psalm 139:7
A breath prayer to practice throughout the week: Inhale: God, you abide in me. Exhale: God, you abide in this moment.
Quote from Dr. James Doty, MD (clinical professor of neurosurgery at Stanford University and founder and director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education, an affiliate of the Stanford Neurosciences Institute.): "The brain doesn't distinguish between an experience that is intensely imagined and an experience that is real...it will always choose what is familiar over what is unfamiliar."
Scripture: Job 1:1-12 (CEB)
Key Points:
We are made for communion. Life is a chronic condition. Grace can be found in the little things.
Quote: “Pain is provocative. Pain pushes people to the edge, causing them to ask fundamental questions such as ‘Why is this happening?’ and ‘How can this be fixed?’ Pain brings out the best in people along with the worst. Pain strips away all the illusions required to maintain the status quo. Pain begs for change, and when those in its grip find no release on earth, plenty of them look to heaven – including some whose formal belief systems preclude such wishful thinking.” — Barbara Brown Taylor
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:12-20 (CEB)
Three Questions to Consider: 1. What does living with purpose mean to you? 2. What habits or rituals help you find purpose in your work and life? 3. What pleases you?
Quote from An Altar in the World: "If I wanted a life of meaning, then I was going to have to apply the purpose for myself."
Scripture: Genesis 28:10-19
Quote: “Wisdom is not gained by knowing what is right. Wisdom is gained by practicing what is right, and noticing what happens when that practice succeeds and when it fails.” -- Barbara Brown Taylor
Scripture: John 14:27 (MSG)
Thought to take home thoughts: - The Peace of Christ is an internal reality - The Peace of Christ always seems to be at the center of self-care
Scripture: John 1:6-8; 19-28 (NRSV)
Take home thought: "In this advent season, perhaps more than any other I have experienced, I need to believe this story, that God is just not satisfied to leave us to our own devices. That pointing to Jesus and patterning our lives and our loves after him, is the only life worth living. That God is, even now, working in the shadows to create new ways of healing us."
Quote from Rachel Held Evans: “I am a Christian because the story of Jesus is still the story I’m willing to risk being wrong about.”
Scripture: Mark 1:1-8 (CEB)
Thought to consider: It’s clear that across time and place, across even Scripture, there are particular people and particular instances that help us see and hear Jesus, who help us to recognize Jesus in our midst.
Scripture: Ephesians 1:15-23
Thoughts to consider: Always begin with gratitude Have faith in what God is doing in and through you
Scriptures: Psalm 13; Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)
Question to consider: How are you posturing your life towards gratitude today?
Scriptures: Isaiah 6:1-8; Isaiah 61:1-3 (NLT)
Quote to remember: "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you." - St. Augustine
Scriptures: Hebrews 12:1, Luke 11:11-13
Take-Home Thoughts: 1. One of the best ways to restore the harmony of your soul is through thankfulness and gratitude. 2. Even broken hallelujahs are beautiful melodies to the Lord
Question of the day: What kind of witness are we leaving behind for others?
Sermon: Holy Vulnerability
Scripture: Luke 8:26-39 (New Living Translation)
Main Point: If vulnerability is the key to abundant and authentic life, holy vulnerability is the key to the Kingdom of God.
4 Postures of Vulnerability: - Vulnerability is the posture of Jesus - Vulnerability is the posture of the Saints - Vulnerability is the posture of the Gospel - Vulnerability should be the posture of your heart
Bonus Thought: When we lack vulnerability, we think more highly of pigs than people
Take some time to get to know one of the leading members of our triangle community, Dr. Rose Cornelious. In this conversation, Dr. Rose talks about her life's work, her call to ministry, and her particular passion for elevating the voices and stories of oppressed women and children around the globe. Dr. Rose is actively engaged in work to better our local, regional, and international community. This is a conversation you won't want to miss!
Scripture: Jeremiah 18:1-11 (Message Version)
Thoughts to consider: 1. If you want to move the heart of the nation, you need to move the hearts of the people.
- We love to provide external solutions for internal problems, but this doesn't create lasting and sustainable change.
Take-Home Points: 1. Listen to the prophets. 2. Learn humility and kindness toward others (especially those with whom you disagree). 3. Look for change inwardly before doing so outwardly. 4. Live as though the world you desire to create already has the capacity to exist within you.
Scripture: Romans 8:18-25 (CEB)
Thoughts to consider: 1. "The worst loss is yours." - David Kessler 2. "Waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother." - Romans 8:22-23 (MSG) 3. "You can't heal what you don't feel." - David Kessler
Question of the day: How are you choosing hope today?
Scripture: Romans 7:18-25
Take home thoughts: 1. The grace of Christ redeems you from yourself 2. Our ability to know our destructive tendencies and act to change them is evidence of God's grace at work in our life even when we don't know it, see it, or feel it. 3. "You make your choices, then your choices make you." - Carey Neiuwhof 4. Change happens in the small and minute decisions.
Actions for change: 1. Turn away from self-shame 2. Recognize the prevenient grace of God already at work in your life 3. Choose to do the next right thing.
Scripture: Ecclesiastes 5:10-17
Take home thought: 1) We spend so much time chasing what we think we have to, that we forget about chasing the One we need to.
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:12-17 (MSG)
Sermon in a phrase: Intimacy = into-me-see
Thoughts to take home: 1) Relationships help make us more holy
2) As we learn to be in relationship with each other, we learn to be in relationship with God.
3) God is infinitely committed to you
Join us as we catch up with our founding Pastor, Owen Barrow. This conversation is rich with all the things that make 519 feel like home. Owen shares about life in the midst of transition, he reminds us of the spirit that went into the founding of our church and chats about the vision we are catching for our future. There's also great wisdom on friendship, crucial conversations, innovation and so much more!
Scripture: Colossians 1:15-20 (MSG)
Sermon in a sentence: “If God has room, you have room.”
Take home thought to consider: 1) The more space you create, the fuller your life will be.
Invitation: 1) Name one thing you can do to create a little more space in your life right now and see it through.
cripture: Philippians 1:9-11
Take home points:
1) Education and exposure always lend towards empathy.
2) Loving God and living neighbor looks like listening.
3) Not only do our prayers inform our lives, but our lives inform our prayers.
Scripture: Numbers 11; Matthew 15:16-18
Question #9: Do I grumble or complain constantly?
Take Home Thought: “Words create worlds, and if your words are mostly negative, your world will be also.”
Question to consider: “What kind of world are my words creating?”
Invitation: Join us as we embark on a positivity scavenger hunt. Use this link (https://www.519church.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/519-Positivity-Scavenger-Hunt.png) or the image that will be shared through social media to participate!
HabitShare: https://habitshareapp.com
To download the Morning Prayers: https://subsplash.com/519church/podca... Download the #GodSays phone wallpaper: https://bit.ly/2BuJaGc
Scripture: Matthew 14:13-23
Sermon in a sentence: There is great freedom in holy order.
Quote to consider: Structure is not meant to restrict you, but to set you free.
Invitation:
- Take 20 minutes to map out your ideal week. You have 168 hours to spend. How many hours will you spend working? How many will you spend sleeping? How many will you spend with family? Doing something for yourself? How much time will you leave set aside as slack or for interruption?
Link to Elaine Heath on Rule of Life: https://www.theworkofthepeople.com/a-rule-of-life
Topic: Overcoming Vanity
Question #5: Am I a servant to dress, work, friends, or habits?
Scripture: Lamentation 4:17; Psalm 84:7
Bottom Line: With God, value is our beginning, not our end
Take Home Point:
- If you wait for others to value you more than you value yourself, you will never be satisfied.
Application:
-
When you find you are struggling with your choices, ask yourself this question: “Who is this for?”
-
Join us in the #GodSays challenge and download our phone wallpaper to remind yourself of what God says about you anytime you feel you need encouragement.
Question #4: Am I being hypocritical?
Scripture: Matthew 22:34-40; Galatians 2:11-14
Lessons to take home: 1: Be _______ with yourself 2: Find a _______ with whom you can be equally honest
Quotes to consider: 1: Acting _______ to what you preach is the fastest way to turn people off from your message 2: _______ and _______ both extend from within. 3: Make hypocrisy a _______ and not a _______ in your life.
Direct Invitations: 1: Talk to yourself – Schedule time for honest self-reflection. 2: Talk to someone else – Spend time with a kitchen friend and seek mutual accountability.
Amazon Link for UnChristian Book: https://www.amazon.com/unChristian-Generation-Really-Christianity-Matters/dp/0801072719/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=unchristian&qid=1593026138&sr=8-1
The Lectio Divina is a five-fold practice that invites you to immerse yourself in scripture by preparing, reading, reflecting, responding, and resting. We will read the scripture three times this morning.
Prepare: To begin, I simply invite you to take a deep breath in and breathe out. Let’s take another deep breath in...and out. Wherever you find yourself, however you find yourself, know that God is with you right now. As we prepare to read our scripture, consider praying this simple prayer as you continue to breathe: “God, let me hear from you.” (PAUSE)
Read: As we read our passage for the first time, listen for any words or phrases that seem to jump out. Don’t feel like you have to force anything, simply listen and see where the Spirit nudges your attention. Once I finish reading the passage, I will leave space for some silence and reflection. What words or phrases jump out to you during this initial reading? If you feel you need more time, simply pause this recording. {1st READING}
Reflect: As we read our scripture a second time, think about why these words or phrases stood out. What do you believe God is saying to you through this passage? Once I have finished reading, I will leave space for some silence and reflection. {2nd Reading}
Respond: As we read our scripture one final time, consider how God might be calling you to respond. Perhaps your response is an action you need to take, or a thought you need to consider. However you are being called to respond, take a moment to write it in your journal, create a note on your phone, or log it in your memory and keep it with you throughout the day. Once I have finished reading, I will leave space for some silence and reflection. {3rd Reading}
Rest: The final step in Lectio Divina is simply to rest. This isn’t time to pray or meditate, but rather to allow God to continue to work in your thoughts however God will work. Take as much time as you need and when you’re ready, return your focus to the order of your day.
Closing: Thank you for joining me in prayer today. May the God who speaks to you now continue to speak over you as you journey through these hours. Go in peace. Go in God. Amen.
Join us as we journey through the I AM statements in John through the practice of Lectio Divina. If you would like to do this prayer practice without the audio guide, the transcript is below.
The Lectio Divina is a five-fold practice that invites you to immerse yourself in scripture by preparing, reading, reflecting, responding, and resting. We will read the scripture three times this morning.
Prepare: To begin, I simply invite you to take a deep breath in and breathe out. Let’s take another deep breath in...and out. Wherever you find yourself, however you find yourself, know that God is with you right now. As we prepare to read our scripture, consider praying this simple prayer as you continue to breathe: “God, let me hear from you.” (PAUSE)
Read: As we read our passage for the first time, listen for any words or phrases that seem to jump out. Don’t feel like you have to force anything, simply listen and see where the Spirit nudges your attention. Once I finish reading the passage, I will leave space for some silence and reflection. What words or phrases jump out to you during this initial reading? If you feel you need more time, simply pause this recording. {1st READING}
Reflect: As we read our scripture a second time, think about why these words or phrases stood out. What do you believe God is saying to you through this passage? Once I have finished reading, I will leave space for some silence and reflection. {2nd Reading}
Respond: As we read our scripture one final time, consider how God might be calling you to respond. Perhaps your response is an action you need to take, or a thought you need to consider. However you are being called to respond, take a moment to write it in your journal, create a note on your phone, or log it in your memory and keep it with you throughout the day. Once I have finished reading, I will leave space for some silence and reflection. {3rd Reading}
Rest: The final step in Lectio Divina is simply to rest. This isn’t time to pray or meditate, but rather to allow God to continue to work in your thoughts however God will work. Take as much time as you need and when you’re ready, return your focus to the order of your day.
Closing: Thank you for joining me in prayer today. May the God who speaks to you now continue to speak over you as you journey through these hours. Go in peace. Go in God. Amen.
Join us as we journey through the I AM statements in John through the practice of Lectio Divina. If you would like to do this prayer practice without the audio guide, the transcript is below.
The Lectio Divina is a five-fold practice that invites you to immerse yourself in scripture by preparing, reading, reflecting, responding, and resting. We will read the scripture three times this morning.
Prepare: To begin, I simply invite you to take a deep breath in and breathe out. Let’s take another deep breath in...and out. Wherever you find yourself, however you find yourself, know that God is with you right now. As we prepare to read our scripture, consider praying this simple prayer as you continue to breathe: “God, let me hear from you.” (PAUSE)
Read: As we read our passage for the first time, listen for any words or phrases that seem to jump out. Don’t feel like you have to force anything, simply listen and see where the Spirit nudges your attention. Once I finish reading the passage, I will leave space for some silence and reflection. What words or phrases jump out to you during this initial reading? If you feel you need more time, simply pause this recording. {1st READING}
Reflect: As we read our scripture a second time, think about why these words or phrases stood out. What do you believe God is saying to you through this passage? Once I have finished reading, I will leave space for some silence and reflection. {2nd Reading}
Respond: As we read our scripture one final time, consider how God might be calling you to respond. Perhaps your response is an action you need to take, or a thought you need to consider. However you are being called to respond, take a moment to write it in your journal, create a note on your phone, or log it in your memory and keep it with you throughout the day. Once I have finished reading, I will leave space for some silence and reflection. {3rd Reading}
Rest: The final step in Lectio Divina is simply to rest. This isn’t time to pray or meditate, but rather to allow God to continue to work in your thoughts however God will work. Take as much time as you need and when you’re ready, return your focus to the order of your day.
Closing: Thank you for joining me in prayer today. May the God who speaks to you now continue to speak over you as you journey through these hours. Go in peace. Go in God. Amen.
Join us as we journey through the I AM statements in John through the practice of Lectio Divina. If you would like to do this prayer practice without the audio guide, the transcript is below.
The Lectio Divina is a five-fold practice that invites you to immerse yourself in scripture by preparing, reading, reflecting, responding, and resting. We will read the scripture three times this morning.
Prepare: To begin, I simply invite you to take a deep breath in and breathe out. Let’s take another deep breath in...and out. Wherever you find yourself, however you find yourself, know that God is with you right now. As we prepare to read our scripture, consider praying this simple prayer as you continue to breathe: “God, let me hear from you.” (PAUSE)
Read: As we read our passage for the first time, listen for any words or phrases that seem to jump out. Don’t feel like you have to force anything, simply listen and see where the Spirit nudges your attention. Once I finish reading the passage, I will leave space for some silence and reflection. What words or phrases jump out to you during this initial reading? If you feel you need more time, simply pause this recording. {1st READING}
Reflect: As we read our scripture a second time, think about why these words or phrases stood out. What do you believe God is saying to you through this passage? Once I have finished reading, I will leave space for some silence and reflection. {2nd Reading}
Respond: As we read our scripture one final time, consider how God might be calling you to respond. Perhaps your response is an action you need to take, or a thought you need to consider. However you are being called to respond, take a moment to write it in your journal, create a note on your phone, or log it in your memory and keep it with you throughout the day. Once I have finished reading, I will leave space for some silence and reflection. {3rd Reading}
Rest: The final step in Lectio Divina is simply to rest. This isn’t time to pray or meditate, but rather to allow God to continue to work in your thoughts however God will work. Take as much time as you need and when you’re ready, return your focus to the order of your day.
Closing: Thank you for joining me in prayer today. May the God who speaks to you now continue to speak over you as you journey through these hours. Go in peace. Go in God. Amen.
Join us as we journey through the I AM statements in John through the practice of Lectio Divina. If you would like to do this prayer practice without the audio guide, the transcript is below.
The Lectio Divina is a five-fold practice that invites you to immerse yourself in scripture by preparing, reading, reflecting, responding, and resting. We will read the scripture three times this morning.
Prepare: To begin, I simply invite you to take a deep breath in and breathe out. Let’s take another deep breath in...and out. Wherever you find yourself, however you find yourself, know that God is with you right now. As we prepare to read our scripture, consider praying this simple prayer as you continue to breathe: “God, let me hear from you.” (PAUSE)
Read: As we read our passage for the first time, listen for any words or phrases that seem to jump out. Don’t feel like you have to force anything, simply listen and see where the Spirit nudges your attention. Once I finish reading the passage, I will leave space for some silence and reflection. What words or phrases jump out to you during this initial reading? If you feel you need more time, simply pause this recording. {1st READING}
Reflect: As we read our scripture a second time, think about why these words or phrases stood out. What do you believe God is saying to you through this passage? Once I have finished reading, I will leave space for some silence and reflection. {2nd Reading}
Respond: As we read our scripture one final time, consider how God might be calling you to respond. Perhaps your response is an action you need to take, or a thought you need to consider. However you are being called to respond, take a moment to write it in your journal, create a note on your phone, or log it in your memory and keep it with you throughout the day. Once I have finished reading, I will leave space for some silence and reflection. {3rd Reading}
Rest: The final step in Lectio Divina is simply to rest. This isn’t time to pray or meditate, but rather to allow God to continue to work in your thoughts however God will work. Take as much time as you need and when you’re ready, return your focus to the order of your day.
Closing: Thank you for joining me in prayer today. May the God who speaks to you now continue to speak over you as you journey through these hours. Go in peace. Go in God. Amen.
Join us as we journey through the I AM statements in John through the practice of Lectio Divina. If you would like to do this prayer practice without the audio guide, the transcript is below.
The Lectio Divina is a five-fold practice that invites you to immerse yourself in scripture by preparing, reading, reflecting, responding, and resting. We will read the scripture three times this morning.
Prepare: To begin, I simply invite you to take a deep breath in and breathe out. Let’s take another deep breath in...and out. Wherever you find yourself, however you find yourself, know that God is with you right now. As we prepare to read our scripture, consider praying this simple prayer as you continue to breathe: “God, let me hear from you.” (PAUSE)
Read: As we read our passage for the first time, listen for any words or phrases that seem to jump out. Don’t feel like you have to force anything, simply listen and see where the Spirit nudges your attention. Once I finish reading the passage, I will leave space for some silence and reflection. What words or phrases jump out to you during this initial reading? If you feel you need more time, simply pause this recording. {1st READING}
Reflect: As we read our scripture a second time, think about why these words or phrases stood out. What do you believe God is saying to you through this passage? Once I have finished reading, I will leave space for some silence and reflection. {2nd Reading}
Respond: As we read our scripture one final time, consider how God might be calling you to respond. Perhaps your response is an action you need to take, or a thought you need to consider. However you are being called to respond, take a moment to write it in your journal, create a note on your phone, or log it in your memory and keep it with you throughout the day. Once I have finished reading, I will leave space for some silence and reflection. {3rd Reading}
Rest: The final step in Lectio Divina is simply to rest. This isn’t time to pray or meditate, but rather to allow God to continue to work in your thoughts however God will work. Take as much time as you need and when you’re ready, return your focus to the order of your day.
Closing: Thank you for joining me in prayer today. May the God who speaks to you now continue to speak over you as you journey through these hours. Go in peace. Go in God. Amen.
Join us as we journey through the I AM statements in John through the practice of Lectio Divina. If you would like to do this prayer practice without the audio guide, the transcript is below.
The Lectio Divina is a five-fold practice that invites you to immerse yourself in scripture by preparing, reading, reflecting, responding, and resting. We will read the scripture three times this morning.
Prepare: To begin, I simply invite you to take a deep breath in and breathe out. Let’s take another deep breath in...and out. Wherever you find yourself, however you find yourself, know that God is with you right now. As we prepare to read our scripture, consider praying this simple prayer as you continue to breathe: “God, let me hear from you.” (PAUSE)
Read: As we read our passage for the first time, listen for any words or phrases that seem to jump out. Don’t feel like you have to force anything, simply listen and see where the Spirit nudges your attention. Once I finish reading the passage, I will leave space for some silence and reflection. What words or phrases jump out to you during this initial reading? If you feel you need more time, simply pause this recording. {1st READING}
Reflect: As we read our scripture a second time, think about why these words or phrases stood out. What do you believe God is saying to you through this passage? Once I have finished reading, I will leave space for some silence and reflection. {2nd Reading}
Respond: As we read our scripture one final time, consider how God might be calling you to respond. Perhaps your response is an action you need to take, or a thought you need to consider. However you are being called to respond, take a moment to write it in your journal, create a note on your phone, or log it in your memory and keep it with you throughout the day. Once I have finished reading, I will leave space for some silence and reflection. {3rd Reading}
Rest: The final step in Lectio Divina is simply to rest. This isn’t time to pray or meditate, but rather to allow God to continue to work in your thoughts however God will work. Take as much time as you need and when you’re ready, return your focus to the order of your day.
Closing: Thank you for joining me in prayer today. May the God who speaks to you now continue to speak over you as you journey through these hours. Go in peace. Go in God. Amen.
John 1:1; 3; 4; 5:39-40; 20:30-31; 21:25 (CEB); Colossians 3:15-17 (MSG)
Question of the Day: Did the Bible live in me today?
Take home points to consider: 1. The Bible living in you is more about _____, than ____. 2. God prefers illiterate ____ over literate ____.
Bonus Content:
Thoughts to consider when you want to read your Bible more: 1. Did I read it? 2. Did I understand? 3. Did I apply it?
ALSO (Not included in Sermon) 1. Keep it short 2. Keep it consistent 3. If you miss a day, don't miss two
Application Guide: 1. Join us for the Lectio Divina every morning. - https://subsplash.com/519church/podcast/ms/+tm4bqv4 2. Utilize the "Ask a Pastor" link at 519church.org 3. Perform one Random Act of Kindness this week and share about the experience in our Facebook Group or by emailing Pastor Angelo @ angelo@519church.org
At 519church, our mission is to love well and live differently so that all people experience the radical love of Jesus and take it to the places they live, work, and play. We believe the Holy Spirit of God moves through the sound waves and speaks to you wherever you are. We pray this ministry is a blessing to you. To connect with us more visit 519church.org, or follow us on any social media platform by searching for 519church.
The Morning Examen is a five-fold prayer including:
1) Beginning with Gratitude 2) Considering your desires for the day 3) Assessing your feelings in the moment 4) Anticipating any challenges you might face 5) Creating a word or phrase to anchor your day
Ever wonder how the tradition of New Year's resolutions came about? Interested in how scripture might offer a different take on how we prepare to enter into a new year? Want to know what Star Wars could possibly have to do with any of this? Then this sermon is for you!
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, December 22nd, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, December 15th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, December 8th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, December 1st, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, November 24th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, November 17th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, November 10th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, November 3rd, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, October 27th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, October 20th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, October 13th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, October 6th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, September 29th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, September 22nd, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, September 15th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, September 8th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, September 1st, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, August 25th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, August 18th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Listen as Kathryn Cziraky shares the why behind 519's Hearts Haiti Race through a powerful story of heartache and hope.
www.519church.org/race/
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, August 11th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, August 4th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, July 28th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, July 21st, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, July 14th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, July 7th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, June 23rd, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, June 16th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, June 9th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, June 2nd, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, May 26th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, May 19th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, May 12th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
www.519church.org
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, May 5th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
Christ is risen : He is risen indeed!
Recorded on Easter Sunday, April 21st @ 519 Church.
Pastor Angelo's first Sunday at 519 Church!!!
Weekly message from 519 Church. Recorded on Sunday, April 7th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
Weekly message from 519 Church.
Recorded on Sunday, March 3rd, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
Weekly message from 519 Church.
Recorded on Sunday, February 24th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
Weekly message from 519 Church.
Recorded on Sunday, February 17th, 2019.
Love well. Live Differently.
Weekly message from 519 Church.
Recorded on Sunday, February 10th, 2019.
Love well. Live differently.
Weekly message from 519 Church.
Recorded on Sunday, February 3rd, 2019.
Love well. Live differently.
Weekly message from 519 Church.
Recorded on Sunday, January 27th, 2019.
Love well. Live differently.
Weekly message from 519 Church.
Recorded on Sunday, January 20th, 2019
Love well. Live differently.
Weekly message from 519 Church.
Recorded on Sunday, January 13th, 2019
Love well. Live differently.
Did you know the most frequent command in all of scripture is three simple words: “Be not afraid.” It shows up over 100 times in both the Old and New Testaments. God knew that the greatest obstacle we will face is fear. Fear of change, vulnerability, failure, suffering, you name it!
However, what scripture also illustrates is that many of God’s greatest gifts exist on the other side of our greatest fears. Think about the Israelites having to wander in the desert to reach the Promised Land. Think about the disciples leaving everything behind to encounter Jesus’ Kingdom on earth. Thus, it is safe to say that we are risking something either way. There is a risk to doing something about your fear AND doing nothing. There is a risk to both facing our fears AND leaving them in control.
Have you ever wondered what are we risking by not conquering the things we are afraid of? Have you ever wondered what God has waiting for you on the other side of your greatest fears?
This year, we are going to find out.
All Saints’ Day is when we pause to remember and give thanks for everyone who has gone before us in the faith. At 519, we want to remember your loved ones during our All Saints’ Service during worship on the 16th. Please take a moment to fill out the form below so that we can include and honor your requests in worship.
God is with us : in all things.
In all things : God is with us.
...Christ our Hope. The promise of hope does not shield us from the reality of disappointment. Jeremiah speaks of a prophecy that has been fulfilled in Jesus and yet we know that our world is far from perfect. Many people who believed Christ to be the Messiah were disappointed when he eventually died at the hands of the Roman empire. Part of truly experiencing Advent is knowing that God is with us both in our hope and in our disappointment. Jesus is Emmanuel in full, not in part.
RESOURCES FOR SABBATH: 24/6 Book by Matthew Sleeth "Read Scripture" App | Videos & Bible Reading Plan "Common Prayer" App | Morning, Midday, and Evening Prayer "Reimagining the Examen" App | Leads you through reflective prayers "Pray as you go" Examen App | Leads you through daily examen and scripture
IDEAS FOR HOW TO SABBATH: Rest from things that feel like work to you Be with God in nature | Run, hike, walk, garden, etc. Take time to unplug from screens Eat a meal with friends Family game night
Like the disciples, we get spiritual amnesia. How can we rehearse what God has given rise to in our community?
Scarcity is easy to fall back into. The disciples had just fed 5,000 and then 4,000 people with just a little bit, and they had leftovers. Yet, when the 13 of them were on the boat together, they got stressed again about having just one loaf.
How can we celebrate the harvest? What impact do we hope to be celebrating/ harvesting a year from now?
Impact = the outcome of the outcome…the purpose of the growth…the harvest.
Worried that you don’t have much leaven to invest? Start somewhere.
5 loaves of bread and 2 fish does not seem like much, but it was abundantly more than they needed! Do you have bread and fish just laying around?
How are you investing in the work of God in our community?
The Kingdom of God is like a little bit of leaven working its way through 3 measures of flour (think sourdough). As it slowly works its way through, we expectantly wait. As the leaven works its way through it slowly gives rise to the whole, transforming it for the better.
Be aware, though: bad leaven can also infect the whole loaf, so be careful what you sow.
Weekly message from Pastor, Owen Barrow at 519 Church.
Recorded on Sunday, September 30th
Weekly message from Pastor, Owen Barrow at 519 Church.
Recorded on Sunday, September 23rd
Weekly message from Pastor Hope Ledbetter-Bock at 519 Church.
Recorded on Sunday, September 9th.
Weekly message from Pastor, Owen Barrow at 519 Church.
Recorded on Sunday, September 9th
Weekly message from Pastor, Owen Barrow at 519 Church.
Recorded on Sunday, September 2nd.
Weekly message from 519 Church from Pastor, Owen Barrow
Recorded on Sunday, August 19th
Weekly message from 519 Church from Pastor, Owen Barrow
Recorded on Sunday, August 12th
Weekly message from 519 Church with guest speaker, Jay Keim
Recorded on Sunday, August 5th
Weekly message from 519 Church with lead pastor, Owen Barrow
Recorded on Sunday, July 29th
Weekly message from 519 Church with guest speaker, Beth Hopper
Recorded on Sunday, July 22nd
Weekly message from 519 Church with guest speaker, Andrew Amodei
Recorded on Sunday, July 15th
Weekly message from 519 Church with guest speaker, Hannah Eskridge
Recorded on Sunday, July 8th
What does Paul mean when he penned the phrase, "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure"?
Also, what was Paul getting at when he invited and challenged those in Philippi to, "shine like stars in the world"?
In this message, Pastor Owen Barrow dives more deeply into the interconnected themes of unity, integrity, and humility found in Paul's letter to the church of Philippi.
Bonus material: Pastor Owen gives sage advice on how to achieve victory in the game of Risk, as well as pick-up basketball.
Happy Father's Day!
Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, challenges and invites his readers to, "live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ". What does this mean? What does this look like? Listen in as Pastor Owen offers some insight into this powerful verse.
A few questions to consider this week: 1) What do you believe is true about the Good News (Gospel) that Jesus announced? 2) Do you live your life as if what you believe is true, is true? 3) What needs to change to bring any differences into balance?
Join us this summer as we journey through the Apostle Paul's letter to the church at Philippi. Questions to consider: What might God desire to speak to us this summer? What is it that you need from God this summer? What is it that God needs from us this summer?
You cannot give away that which you do not have. PLUS: an update on our summer reading and feeding program (and how you can get involved)
God desires to know us and has done everything in His power for us to be in a relationship with Himself. What, then, must we do to receive this love and movement towards us? What is our response?
Is Christianity too exclusive? Some versions are too narrow. However, rightly understood, we preach a faith that removes all barriers in order that all would be saved. Not the question: Does God want me or not? The question is, “Do you want God?”
This week we take a collective look at a most important question: why/how can a good and all-powerful God allow pain and suffering. Pastor Owen explores three different aspects/types of God's will.
While Creed (our previous series) focused on the internal questions our church folk are asking, Exploring God focuses on the questions that folks outside the church are asking. Creed taught us what unifies all Christians at all times and places. Exploring God is meant to demonstrate the uniqueness of Christianity compared with other religions, secularism, and maybe even other denominations of Christianity.
Join us as we begin this journey of exploring God by starting with the question: is there a God?
Hey friends- Familiarize yourself with the songs that we'll be singing on Easter morning (April 1st, 2018). Then, come ready to sing and rejoice with us as we celebrate the risen Christ!
“It’s been said that what you believe about death changes how you face life. It leads us to face death with courage and to take risks we might not otherwise take. It puts this earthly life and what we do with it in perspective. And it helps us to grieve as those who have hope.” Creed pg. 164
Today is sort of a unique day as far as worship goes. As I said last week, we are celebrating today the palm-passion story. Today is historically the day we celebrate Jesus’ triumphant entrance into Jerusalem. We are also going to tell the whole passion story today.
Just so you know, we are going to start up here and follow this story to the depths…and that is where we will leave it today until next week when we hear the resurrection story. I mean, we all know what comes next week…we are an easter people, after all. But, to really begin to grasp what this story is all about, I think it is important for us to sense and feel some of what the disciples and the others of Jesus’ followers were up against.
“When Jesus came, he did not simply call individual disciples; he formed a community, a family, a people chosen to love and continue his work in the world...The church is holy because she belongs to God...She is catholic because in God’s eyes there is only one church...God’s church is a communion of “saints below and saints above” who are bound together as members of God’s family.” Creed pg. 127
“...in our daily Christian life, it is the Spirit that nudges and beckons us this way or that. It is the Spirit that helps us pray. It is the Spirit that equips us with gifts to serve others. It is the Spirit that grants us the strength and grace to become increasingly like Christ. When we open ourselves to the work of the Holy Spirit, we find power to be transformed and to be useful in fulfilling God’s purposes.” Creed pg. 100.
In John’s Gospel, Jesus refers to the Spirit as an advocate who will “teach” and “remind” us about everything Jesus has said. The theme of remembrance is central to lent. To remember our sin. To remember our fragility. To remember our need for Christ’s redeeming work. The Spirit is the abiding presence of God with us. To believe in the Holy Spirit means to believe activity in and through us. The Spirit shapes and influences our living.
“Jesus demonstrates who God is, what God is like, and what God’s will is for our lives. His life and ministry, his death and resurrection shape how we see ourselves and how we see the world.” Creed pg. 75
“For those who shaped the Apostle’s Creed, belief in God is meant to fundamentally change our perspective on the world, on our place in it, and on our own lives. If there is a God, then we are creatures who are not nearly as important in the scheme of things as we might think.” Creed pg. 30
“Before we explore what Christians believe, why they believe it, and why it matters, let’s pause to think about belief itself. What do we mean when we say we believe? How does belief affect the believer? What are the sources of belief—the reasons for belief.” Creed Pg. 11
To kick off Lent, I thought we could frame this conversation on belief around Jesus temptation in the wilderness, which frames out Lenten journey. Jesus’ continual pointing to God demonstrates his belief system and how that system orders his life. When we find ourselves in the wilderness, how does our belief guide our living?
In order to be the church, the followers of Jesus had to be bound together by something far greater than the strength of their incredible differences. This is no less true for us – and our greater common self/purpose is to be the body of Christ whose mission is nothing short of redeeming the world...but we cannot do this if we are divided. Let’s lead our community to be the church.
Jesus saves the world by taking the first step in reconciliation and teaches us to do the same, no matter how deep the wound. He reminds us over and over again as if we can’t or don’t want to do this. But this power to forgive is the very power to unbind the world.
The bible is full of unusual friendships between complex people. The world simplifies people to make things less awkward, but that strips away the image of God within them and separates what God wants to bring together. When we really get to know each other we can break through the world’s barriers.
Jesus used the power of table fellowship to reorder relationships. When we eat together, we share a common experience, which can reorder our relationships with each other.
N. T. Wright captured something of this sentiment when he wrote, “When Jesus himself wanted to explain to his disciples what his forthcoming death was all about, he didn’t give them a theory, he gave them a meal.”
A liminal space: kingdom banquet: When the Pharisees called Jesus a glutton and a drunkard, they didn’t make up that depiction. They were referring to Deuteronomy 21:20 and implying that Jesus’s table fellowship with people who were far from God made him worthy of death. But for the Lord, that table fellowship was a demonstration of the inbreaking of the kingdom of God
Jesus is God’s response to the “cry of his people.” God’s listening heals. When we use the power of listening to each other, we learn how to better love and serve each other, which is the very power to heal the world.
The power of Jesus transformed enemies into friends and friends into an unstoppable movement. Come discover how you can use the simple act of friendship to change the world.
Friendship is a redemptive act, at least according to Jesus. When we make friends, we experience and share the fullness of God’s hope for the world.
The power to save the world.
"And now, may you go and bear witness to the love of God in this world so that those to whom love is a stranger may find in you a generous friend."
We are a restless people until we find our rest in the source of our life – God alone. We try to find this “peace/shalom” in many places, but will come up empty until we submit our searching to the giver of every good and perfect gift.
If we invite Jesus into our lives, we should expect to be liberated from the sin that binds our hearts and from the fear (other?) that capture our imagination and stains our assumptions. Are you willing to allow Jesus to challenge them?
God’s promise is fulfilled in the coming of Jesus – to liberate all people and set us free to worship. God’s promise is already started, but it is not yet complete, and while we wait for its fulfillment, we work expectantly for the things that God is about in our world.
Sometimes it feels like God is against us – either by neglect or direct opposition. We are not alone in these feelings or experiences. And yet, because we know that God is good, even in our lament, there is a turn towards hope when we recall the character of God and God’s covenantal relationship with us.
We only open ourselves to change when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of changing. Life change is hard because there are very good parts of the old life that we are moving away from. Lamenting their loss allows us to be open to the possibility that God will do a new thing in us.
Poem referenced in the sermon: Later that night I held an atlas in my lap ran my fingers across the whole world and whispered, "where does it hurt?"
It answered, everywhere, everywhere, everywhere."
Poem by Warsan Shire
Listen in as Neil Amato interviews our very own, Kristen Richeson, in an effort to learn more about Stephen Ministry. This is a great introduction for those interested in becoming a Stephen Minister or for those who are in need of someone to talk to.
Stephen Ministry is the one-to-one lay caring ministry that takes place in congregations that use the Stephen Series system.
Stephen Ministry congregations equip and empower lay caregivers—called Stephen Ministers—to provide high-quality, confidential, Christ-centered care to people who are hurting.
519 Stephen Ministers: Kristen Richeson Davild Palmer
All good lament begins with an honest recognition of what has been lost and the pain that such a loss has caused. All good lament, naming things honestly, allows us to ask God for the thing we really need and trust (with hope) that God will provide it. We tend to gloss over the first part (honesty) which prevents us from having hope even in the midst of our grief.
Scripture: Lamentations 1:1-3
Four parts to lamenting: Grief Complaint Anger Fidelity
We all know what it is like to experience isolation. To feel disconnected. Whether that is being disconnected from God, from other people or even from ourselves. Jesus came to earth to remedy, once and for all, the separation between us and God.
Then, Jesus entrusted us (the Church) with the task of finding dismembered parts of His body in order to make them whole...in order to make us whole. We exist to seek out all who are feeling disconnected because that is precisely what has been done for us!
Pastor Owen took a few minutes this past Sunday (10.22.17) to answer a few questions concerning money, generosity, and the 519 building. Please email us at info@519church.org if you have any additional questions and/or concerns. Peace
Almost all of us have all been the beneficiary of someone else’s work to place us at the feet of Jesus. It is now our job to make the path clear and do whatever we must to get people where they can be healed. Let’s allow others to see our faith.
This podcast also contains a trip down memory lane as a handful of 519's original twelve came up to share some of their favorite stories from 519's past.
Serve Sunday is coming up on October 29th. We will have two normal services that morning (9:30 and 11:00) with our collective focus on the "why" of missions plus our ongoing work in Haiti.
2000 years ago, Jesus started a new family. This new family was not associated by kinship but by their commitment to follow Jesus in transforming the world.
This new family Christ has opened to people of all ages, nations, and races so that all who are incorporated worship, grow, and serve as una familia de fe (a family of faith). We are a church that more than a church we are called to be family.
As a result of our love and commitment for one another, we are blessed with a life together in Christ' holy church.
We all come from somewhere, whether we like it or not. The Bible is the big story of God’s family tree. It is a story of triumphs. It is a story of defeat. It airs our dirty laundry but celebrates the redemptive power of God. In the end, (and in the beginning) our place, our belonging, and our family is with God.
Joshua sat at the water's edge without a lot of assurance as to what he would experience on the other side. All he had was the assurance of God’s presence, and that was enough. Our church has been in the business of forging new paths and creating new spaces for ministry. The destination hasn’t always been clear, but we have found a home in the journey. We are a church that steps out in faith, no matter how big the risk, and God has blessed us as we have lived into this identity.
The means of grace are ways God works invisibly in disciples, hastening, strengthening, and confirming faith so that God's grace pervades in and through disciples. As we look at the means of grace today, they can be divided into works of piety and the works of mercy. In our final installment of our Means of Grace series, Pastor Owen explores the means of grace through works of mercy.
Individual Practices - doing good works, visiting the sick, visiting those in prison, feeding the hungry, and giving generously to the needs of others
Communal Practices – seeking justice, ending oppression and discrimination (for instance Wesley challenged Methodists to end slavery), and addressing the needs of the poor
Making disciples, growing vital congregations and transforming the world is part of a spiritual adventure that is empowered and guided by the Holy Spirit as churches engage in the means of grace.
What thoughts come to mind when you think about God's grace? How does grace reach into our everyday lives as we seek to fulfill Jesus' call to love well and live differently? Is God's grace simply something we receive or is it something we participate in?
"Means of Grace" is a new sermon series by Pastor Owen Barrow. It is a practical series about a way we can intentionally and regularly experience and participate in God's grace in our lives.
Listen in as Pastor Owen speaks on everyone's favorite topic: money. Seriously though, 519 Church seeks to be both transparent and wise in how it stewards and leverages financial resources to love well and live different. Enjoy!
On September 23rd, 519church is teaming up with local sponsors to offer a 5k run through Perimeter Park in Morrisville, NC. In its sixth year, this race has become a local favorite. Plus, your entry fee supports the work of Family Health Ministries to operate a women’s hospital in the mountains of Fondwa, Haiti.
What thoughts come to mind when you think about God's grace? How does grace reach into our everyday lives as we seek to fulfill Jesus' call to love well and live differently? Is God's grace simply something we receive or is it something we participate in?
"Means of Grace" is a new sermon series by Pastor Owen Barrow. It is a practical series about a way we can intentionally and regularly experience and participate in God's grace in our lives.
What thoughts come to mind when you think about God's grace? How does grace reach into our everyday lives as we seek to fulfill Jesus' call to love well and live differently? Is God's grace simply something we receive or is it something we participate in?
"Means of Grace" is a new sermon series by Pastor Owen Barrow. It is a practical series about a way we can intentionally and regularly experience and participate in God's grace in our lives.
What is human trafficking? Where is it taking place? What can we do to help? Listen in as Neil Amato and Whitney Ludlow discuss these topics and the work of International Justice Mission (IJM). Join in on the conversation on Sunday, July 30th at 519 Church as Whitney will be giving a larger, more in-depth, presentation as part of our Serve Sunday events.
519's Joseph Kirchhoff is leading a community service group that will take on local projects this Saturday and beyond. Listen to how Joseph became inspired to serve in this podcast. Also, if you'd like to help out right away, the first Serve Saturday happens this week! Feel free to email Joseph at jglennk7@gmail.com.
There are hundreds of people within Wake County whose homes are in need of repair, but have been denied aid from other organizations and will most likely never receive help. 519 is starting a mission called Serve Saturday to fulfill their needs. On July 29th our first Serve Saturday will take place where we will help a homeowner with landscaping and yard work around her house. Use the following link for more information and to sign up!
https://goo.gl/forms/sY9LiaawhALOa0Rs2
Methodist Home for Children, headquartered in Raleigh, is a 501(c)(3) that works to ensure safe, nurturing homes for children while working to eradicate the social and family problems that lead to abuse, neglect, family disruption and abandonment.
Founded in 1899 as a traditional, campus-based orphanage, we now provide community-based services for children and families throughout North Carolina. We partner with public agencies to serve children in crisis and we raise private funds to ensure that we can deliver the best in evidence-based services.
We have a lifelong commitment to anyone who has come through our residential programs, and we operate with emphasis on six agency values:
Honesty: To be truthful, fair, sincere and straightforward.
Respect: To show consideration for feelings, rights and property of self and others; to embrace diversity.
Responsibility: To show accountability for one’s behavior, duties and obligations.
Empowerment: To have control over one’s choices and life.
Compassion: To understand the suffering or troubles of others and desire to help.
Spirituality: To discover personal meaning and purpose.
Within 12 months of Neb praising God, he has come to praise himself, and then, after humiliation returns to praising God. (Daniel is the reason he was praising God, and insists he repent vv27). How quick are we, in the good times, to believe that it is because of us -- we too are called to continual repentance and action.
Who do we bow down to? Sometimes the pressure to bow down to certain ‘idols’ is so intense it feels like we are “under fire” but even in those moments, allegiance to God will pull us through.
Wisdom is derived from God. Daniel makes the decision to align with God rather than the king as the source of sustenance and identity, and as a result is deemed “the wisest of them all” -- to which he credits God alone, and which we will explore next week.
The attempt to acculturate Daniel and his closest friends, and their unwillingness to deny their Jewish identity, is both the context of the book of Daniel as well as the moral of the story. What does it mean for us to be God’s people in a strange and foreign land that demands our very identity reflect its values?
What Daniel says is important really because of who Daniel was – a person who listened to God and remained faithful in the face of great adversity.
Despite our best efforts to the contrary, we are all victims of grace. That is, even when we don’t want to be transformed, or not too much at least, we are changed by Gods love.
Transformation may be something that happens to us, but often, it is something we allow to happen. Paying attention to holy moments and allowing ourselves to be changed by them is the first step.
In this third, and final, installment of our Art of Neighboring series, Pastor Owen Barrow helps us zoom out to remember and reclaim the meta-story of Scripture, as well as our role in it.
At the heart of the For Me, Right Now Podcast is the idea and belief that we all have stories worth telling and that something special happens when we start to share our stories with one another.
Listen in as Neil and MaryAlice talk about everything from music to worship to Haiti.
A quirky podcast recorded specifically for the drive out to the new building on November 20. You don't want to miss it!!!
We pause to remember what is most important... with our lives, with our actions, with our generosity.
Idolatry is a major barrier to generosity. It comes in many forms, often times in subtle ways. Are there things in your life that are keeping you from living a generous life?
In honor of 519's fourth birthday, Pastor Owen shares the importance of growing into a mature church versus an old one.
Right after Moses shares the Great Commandment, he shares the primary task of God's people, to pass the faith from one generation to another - from one people to another. For whom do you give?
Everything we do, including generosity, is about discipleship. The foundation of what we do is to invite people into a deep and abiding love of God (the great Commandment). We give generously to further the kingdom mission to which we have been called - making disciples.
Jesus calls us to follow, not watch, Him. As believers, we all have a part to play in the grand story of God and the ushering of His kingdom here in earth as it is in heaven. Join us in this glorious adventure.
Listen in as Pastor Owen provides us with an honest look at where we've been, where we are, and where we're headed.
On September 24th, 519church is teaming up with local sponsors to offer a sanctioned 10k/5k run along the beautiful American Tobacco Trail in Cary, NC. In its fifth year, this race has become a local favorite. Plus, your entry fee supports the work of Family Health Ministries to operate a women’s hospital in the mountains of Fondwa, Haiti.
Baptism is not our work, but it is the beautiful extension of God’s grace to all people that claims us as God’s children, names us with our right name and aims us into the world participating in the reign of God.
Baptism is the beginning of a new life, as we are re-born with a clean slate into a fresh calling and new purpose in God’s kingdom movement.
Baptism is the usual means by which we access the offer of God's mercy for the forgiveness of our sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit to change our corrupt hearts, restoring in us into the image of God, claiming our true identity.
Baptism is God’s sign, seal and initiation through which we belong to God’s rather large and awkwardly diverse family called the church.
How do we love well and live differently in light of everything that is going on around us? Pastor Owen offers five responses to help us navigate these difficult days.
"Life is a gift, totally given to you without cost, every day of it, and every part of it. Those who live with open and humble hands receive life's gifts, full measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over into their lap. In my experience, if you are not radically grateful every day, resentment always takes over. For some reason to ask for your daily bread is to know that it is being given." - Richard Rohr
GRACE: Is found at the depths Is recognized when we repent Is transforming when we Love
What should our response be when the things of this world come into conflict with the things of God's kingdom? How do we love well and live differently in a kingdom that is not our own?
God meets as us where we are, but loves us too much to leave us that way. Listen in as guest speaker, David Austin, reminds us of the love of the Father, as well as the challenge we all face to love well and live differently.
Join us for our summer series, Women of the Bible. Listen in as Pastor Owen begins the series with a look at the intersection of imago Dei and equality through the life of Eve. May we all humbly check our presuppositions at the door.
After last week's worship together, it became increasingly apparent to me that we needed to go back and look at the Guilt that we are carrying individually, and how God has created an avenue for us to be relieved of it in order to live freely in his cooperative grace.
Listen in as we explore who the Holy Spirit is and why his work is so critical in our lives, helping us transform those places in us that we are powerless to change.
In the same way that it is not simply about believing IN God, but important to know what we believe to be true about God, it is also important to not just believe the bible, but to know HOW we go about understanding what the Bible is. An unexamined hermeneutic is intentional ignorance, dive in!
We are engaged in the beautiful work of creating pockets of shalom in all of the places we live work and play. This peace, this Kingdom comes not from thrones of power, but from the power of love on display.
Faith is not first a set of beliefs, or an external set of rules and laws, but an inward disposition of the heart. It is from the heart that all else flows.
We may say we "believe in God," but what do you actually believe ABOUT God? That's what we are looking at in this series. This week, we look at the journey from seeing God as a tyrant king—and Jesus who saves us from God—to hearing God as a loving father—and Jesus as the ultimate example of a love that pursues us at all costs.
Family is messy and messy is actually good. It might not fit our ideal vision of perfect family, but that ideal is distorting our ability to be REAL family by limiting our definition and stripping our relationships of vulnerability.
When keeping balance in our lives becomes the focus, we lose focus on the things we are trying to balance—the most important things, in fact. And balance becomes, for us, an idol, a burden from which God desires to free us.
It's not easy work, but it is important work — that is, if we are going to take Jesus at his word when he says "whatever you have done for the most marginalized of those among you, you have done for me." We generally tend to sort those people out of our neighborhoods, grocery stores, schools and even our line of sight. Making room for Jesus means making room for "those people".
Our version of Hospitality is vastly different from many other cultures and that of our spiritual ancestors. They were always prepared to be interrupted, and honored to host the one who interrupts. We tend to work better on a scheduled basis — but is that demeanor changing the way we prepare to be interrupted by God. Let's make some room, shall we?
The thing intended to unify us in one body has become one of the most divisive practices in the church—how we baptize people. Here about the evolution of baptism and why it, in any form, is an irreplaceable part of our worship life together.
We don't like to talk about death, but it is an important part — we might even say the most crucial part — of life. Without death, there is no resurrection. Without resurrection, the point of life drastically changes.
While not a sacrament in the protestant church, anointing with oil for healing has been a normal way that people have marked their prayers and God's presence in times of illness and trial.
What is a sacrament and why is it important for us? Also, why do we do communion the way we do it? Finally what does it mean for us? We get to these questions and more, come dive in with us!
Wrapping up our series on Luke 15 with the familiar but very rich story of a father whose love for both of his wayward children is great news for all of us.
Refresh yourself on the mission and vision of 519church as well as get an update on where we have come and where we are going.
The shepherd comes back for only one of one-hundred sheep. That's barely a margin of error. It's hard to think of ourselves as the 1%, but in so doing we remember that the shepherd has come back for us not because of our significance, but because of his benevolence. The powerful act of remembering this compels us to act differently towards the 1% in our lives.
Investing in a spiritual family take time, consistency and effort that does not necessarily pay off immediately. But, when you need it, it is there.
Over the last 500 years the church has been mostly about dispensing information, because our definition of discipleship is learning. Learning = faith and faith = salvation, therefore learning = salvation. Since the early church, a struggle has existed between learning and doing—something we still struggle with today teaching 90% of the time, and serving 10%. What if we flipped the church and spent our time inversely?
Part of the issue we and our culture have with “church” today is that we are so limited in our definition of it, and we are trying to achieve all that we expect from it in just one way, one iteration. Unless we bring the two parts together (table and temple) and see them as one whole, we will always be disappointed. Today, we are going to look at the church gathered—what I think are some of its greatest qualities. We will talk about its limitations later, but for today—why gather like this.
These days, many feel that gathering for worship is at best unnecessary. While this has caused fear among those attempting to preserve an institution, it creates a great deal of opportunities for us to actually be the church—one both Gathered and Scattered.
Paul greets those in his spiritual lineage, and through them, offers prayers for the church in Rome—a prayer of encouragement and challenge. This same prayer, this same challenge is ours: to step out in faith and live boldly in the strength of the Spirit of God.
Our job is one of radical acceptance. Paul may not have used that term, but, from beginning to end, the thrust of his argument is the movement towards reconciliation in an attempt to hold the two halves of the church together in one whole family. Here we get some practical advice on how to do that.
Ultimately, faith is about a posture of surrender. We give way in our lives not just to the word of God or the works we are called to, but to the character Jesus teaches us to have. It is the WAYS of Jesus that puts our faith in action.
Righteousness does not come from doing all the right things, or even belonging in all the right ways…righteousness, salvation, comes through a trust in God that reorients your life. This, in turn, plays itself out in how you do what you do.
Salvation is not just for the individual (I mean, yes it is…but), salvation is also for the whole of creation. God’s intent, Paul says, is not for this group to be saved, or the other group to be saved, but the whole of creation to be saved. And until that day, we groan—as in labor pains. This is a powerful image and promising message: new life is coming, but it is going to be a messy struggle.
Paul seems to be the hardest on those who are hard on others. Chiding them, sometimes sarcastically, to re-focus on what is most important: a thriving faith in Jesus.
As Christians we have elevated our righteousness, or right-ness, over and above faith as the means by which we access salvation. Paul's invitation is to dramatically reorient our conversation back to the centrality of Jesus.
Our ethics, our values, our way of life may not reflect our surroundings. As resident aliens, we pattern our lives after the example of Christ, and experience an unexpected fullness of life.
God's promise is not just to put a rest to the wounds that come from evil, but to undo evil—this is not just a break, a reprieve, but a revolution.
We get to participate in the great unfurling of God's plan and design for the world. The work we do now is work that will last.
God does not want to destroy creation, but bring it into the fullest beauty possible—the plan at work since the beginning. This means we should value creation, both the thing and the work of co-creating.
Heaven and Hell are not the end of our story—Resurrection is. And this ending brings us a greater hope, a greater mission and a greater healing.
This was our Palm & Passion Sunday where we told the story of Jesus' passion—his suffering, the ultimate coming together of his power in vulnerability.
Compassion is to "suffer with." How often do we substitute suffering for a sandwich — An easy fix for the hard work of really loving someone?
Is it up to us? Are we our own hero? What it looks like to let go of our own self-sufficiency is a beautiful thing. Mystery is our antidote.
One of Jesus' main goals is to break through our shame so that we can be free to truly belong with God.
We are invited to emulate a God who finds power in weakness, vulnerability. While it seems counter-intuitive at first, this is actually the greater power, and one that frees us from the fear of imperfection.
Jesus invites us to step out of the intense pressure of the now to consider a greater freedom in the not yet.
Jesus offers a subversive 'third way' that transforms our vengeance into an opportunity for restoration.
Jesus introduces his follower to a new cadence for life. It is disorienting; it flips what they know of the world on its head. But, it is an invitation to an ordinary life that unexpectedly matters.
We exist between the already and the not yet—the unfurling of God's Kingdom begun in Jesus and not yet complete. As we wait, we do so actively, together and with hope.
In the middle of our chaos, God brings peace—both a calm in the midst of chaos (through faith) as well as plucking up life and beauty from it.
The Christmas story is one in which God chooses to enter into our most chaotic spaces—and what God assumes (takes on) in Jesus, God promises to redeem.
Here is the word of challenge for us today – get rid of the stuff that prevents you from being or doing what God has created and is calling you to be.
The first lever of Jesus Kingdom way is that of belonging and invitation. We explore what it means for us to know that we are worthy of God's love, and that true belonging is possible.
All that Jesus did and taught involved two key components—a word of challenge and a word of invitation.
Through obedience (responding to challenge) we can come to understand love. But without love, obedience is abuse.
Through love, we can come to trust and obey. But love without boundaries and expectations is saccharin—it spoils us in the worst sense because it is not actually real love, but an artificial version.
Every once in a while, it is a good thing to get back to the basics. In this sermon, we dive into what it looks like when our values are lived out in all of the places we live, work, and play.
Every once in a while, it is a good thing to get back to the basics. In this sermon, we take a look at what lies at the core of who we are as a church—our family values.
Every once in a while, it is a good thing to get back to the basics. In this sermon, we take a look at what it means to be a Family on Mission, and the different ways we belong to each other.
We lay Paul's three major learnings across his three journeys to see what there is for us to glean from his experience. Paul, over the course of his ministry took three (or really four as we will see) journeys around the Mediterranean region. And with each successive trip seems to gain new insight in how ministry ought to be done.
Listen in as we delve into the conversion of Paul, and try to wrap our heads around the 10 or so "missing years" between it and the part of his story we know.
What is this new Resurrection community like, and what does it mean for us to be a part of it?
What do we make of Jesus' death, and what does it really mean in the grand scheme of things?
The two distinct but complementary themes of Covenant (God’s loving relationship with us) and Kingdom (God’s rule and reign over us) form a sort of double-helix like structure that can be traced throughout the Bible. Listen in as we spend the next few weeks looking at these two themes: where they appear, what they change, and how they can change us.
The two distinct but complementary themes of Covenant (God’s loving relationship with us) and Kingdom (God’s rule and reign over us) form a sort of double-helix like structure that can be traced throughout the Bible. Listen in as we spend the next few weeks looking at these two themes: where they appear, what they change, and how they can change us.
The two distinct but complementary themes of Covenant (God’s loving relationship with us) and Kingdom (God’s rule and reign over us) form a sort of double-helix like structure that can be traced throughout the Bible. Listen in as we spend the next few weeks looking at these two themes: where they appear, what they change, and how they can change us.
The two distinct but complementary themes of Covenant (God’s loving relationship with us) and Kingdom (God’s rule and reign over us) form a sort of double-helix like structure that can be traced throughout the Bible. Listen in as we spend the next six weeks looking at these two themes: where they appear, what they change, and how they can change us.
The two distinct but complementary themes of Covenant (God’s loving relationship with us) and Kingdom (God’s rule and reign over us) form a sort of double-helix like structure that can be traced throughout the Bible. Listen in as we spend the next six weeks looking at these two themes: where they appear, what they change, and how they can change us.
In this first sermon, we attempt to give a broad overview so that if you miss some of the other sermons, you can play catch up by only listening to this one.
We all want to leave our mark–to somehow make a difference and put our stamp on the world. However, the scriptures remind us that God has first marked us, and that as followers of Jesus, our primary task is not to leave marks that reflect our own personal accomplishments, but to make manifest the glory of God in the world.
We all want to leave our mark–to somehow make a difference and put our stamp on the world. However, the scriptures remind us that God has first marked us, and that as followers of Jesus, our primary task is not to leave marks that reflect our own personal accomplishments, but to make manifest the glory of God in the world.
We all want to leave our mark–to somehow make a difference and put our stamp on the world. However, the scriptures remind us that God has first marked us, and that as followers of Jesus, our primary task is not to leave marks that reflect our own personal accomplishments, but to make manifest the glory of God in the world.
When staleness sets in, it has a way of affecting every part of our lives, and we become stagnant. But God desires to do a new thing in and through each of us if we will allow it, by repenting and believing in the good news that the kingdom of God has come near.
When our work becomes stale, it diminishes the way we interact with others–friends, coworkers and even family. Jesus calls us to freshen our words as we practice blessing others, which restores relationships.
When our hearts become stale, we lose passion as we work. Jesus invites us to carry a fresh flavor into any job we have before us.
When our outlook becomes stale, our hearts fade, doubting that God is near. Jesus’ promise to us is that if we are persistent God will hear and respond to our cry.
When our lives become stale, our outlook on life loses hopefulness. It is through Jesus that we are made new and the dead places in our lives become fresh water once more.