Gawler Uniting Church Podcast: Recent Episodes
Gawler Uniting Church
How do we hear from God?
Pastor Josh Scherer breaks down a bunch of ways God communicates to us, and guides us. There is more than we might think, and often it comes down to the question we are asking.
This week, Pastor Josh Scherer continues our Matters of the Heart series by looking at our talents, gifts and abilities. He left us with the challenge to "Get in the Game". The Body of Christ is more effective when we each play our role. Where might God be calling you to use your gifts to further his mission in the world?
Passage: Acts 6:1-7
This week, Pastor Josh Scherer starts a new series called Matters of the Heart. Where are you putting God in the back seat of your life?
Time is a significant area for many of us, where we want control. How can we create space for God to speak into the way we spend out time?
Passage: Psalm 90:1-12, Ephesians 5:8-16
This week, Pastor Josh Scherer explores the role of rules in our journey of faith. How does God see us? Why so many rules in religion? Josh explores the idea that rules are not a condition of relationship, they are a confirmation of relationship.
Passage: Exodus 20:1-3
This week, Ken Edwards continues our Starting Point series, looking at the concept of trust and faith. Can we trust God? We'll discover that trust is a central element of our faith journey.
Abraham, the father of the faith, trusted God and it was credited to him as righteousness. Jesus trusted God, and His righteousness was credited to us, by faith.
Passage: Genesis 12:1–3, 15:4–6
This week Pastor Jason Perkins brings us the word, exploring week 2 of our Starting Point series.
One of the most offensive words in our culture, is the word Sin. We don't like it, we aaoid it, we rephrase it.
The problem is, until we truly understand it, and accept the reality of it, we'll always be held down by it.
Passage: Matt 5:20-28, Luke 15:21-24
This week, Pastor Josh Scherer begins our new series, Starting Point.
Everything has a starting point, including our faith. For many of us, our fiath struggles to cope with the pressures of every-day adult life. Why? It may have something to do with where and how our journey of faith began.
What if you didn't know anything about God? If you were discovering Christian Faith for the first time, where should you start?
Passage: Acts 17:16-33
This week, Pastor Josh Scherer explores the moment that everything changed for the whole world. The Holy spirit was poured out upon all people, and the world would never be the same. Our world has changed over the last 12 months, and it will never be the same. How do we share the gospel in such complicated times?
Passage: Acts 2:1-21
This week Angus talks us through the value of reading scripture and making it a part of our everyday journey of faith.
Passage: Psalm 1
This week, Pastor Josh Scherer wraps up our Belong Believe Behave series, by exploring the question, How are Christians meant to behave? What are the rules?
You'll discover that it's less about rules and more about love. When we The Spirit moves our heart, transformation begins.
Passage: Acts 10:34-48
This week, Rev Geoff Graetz continues our Belong Believe Behave series, by explore the calling and voice of God in our life. Obedience is challenging if our pace of life doesn't allow us the opportunity to listen to the Holy Spirit.
Passage: Act 8:26-40
This week, Emily Soar brings a powerful and vulnerable word about mental health and following Jesus. Where is God in the darkest valleys? He's right there with you, even when you don't feel it. Our journey of belief encounters all sorts of challenges, including the insensitivity of supportive friends and fellow Christians that mean well, when life if hard.
Passage: Psalm 23
This week Pastor Josh Scherer continues our Belong Belive Behave series, by exploring how we build a strong foundation to our faith. When life happens, does our faith have the resilience needed to endure?
Passage: Luke 24:35-53
This week Pastor Josh Scherer continues our series Belong, Believe, Behave. How does doubt fit into our journey of faith? It's more important than you think.
Passage: John 20:19-31
This week, we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and begin a new series; Belong, Believe, Behave.
The Gospel of Jesus is an invitation to belong, before you believe all the right things, or behave in all the right ways. As Mary encountered the risen Jesus at the tomb, it wasn't until he called her by name, that she saw Jesus for who he really was.
To belong, is to be known, seen and loved. That is where faith in Jesus begins.
Passage: John 20:1-18
This week, Josh Scherer wraps up our shaping culture series by exploring the last of our core values, Relational Evangelism.
How does Evangelism fit into 21st Century Christianity? As it turns out, in much the same way it fit into 1st Century Christianity. Sharing faith happens most effectively in the context of relationship.
All we need to do, is share our heart, and invite a friend to come and see Jesus for themselves.
Passage: John 1:35-50
This week Amber explores our fourth core value, Welcoming Hospitality.
The heart of hospitality is welcoming and serving the stranger. It is one of the most impactful things we can do as followers of Jesus, to connect with our culture. But, as Amber shares, it's not just about the action, but the heart behind it.
Passage: Luke 19:1-10
This week Pastor Josh Scherer continues our shaping culture series with our third core value, Radical Generosity. When we look around at our world, we disocver generosity everywhere. It's because we are all created in the image of a generous God. How do we live our generosity when life is hard? That's called Radical generosity, and it can only be done when we have a heart transformed by the radically generous Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Passages: 1 Timothy 6:17-19, 2 Cor 8:7-9, Prov 11:24-25
This week, Ken Edwards takes us through our second core value, Fervent Prayer.
What does it mean to connect with God regularly? How did Jesus teach us to pray? Are we truly honest with God in our prayers? Do we believe that God can work in the places it seems illogical. These are the questions at the heart of Fervent Prayer.
This week, Cath Kaesler continues our Shaping culture series by looking at the first of our core values: Authentic Community.
Authenticity is such an important part of following Jesus. He was authentic and genuine, all the way to the cross. How are we modelling the way of Jesus in our day-to-day interactions.
We were created for community. Made in God's image, and from the very beginning we were designed to be in relationships. "Isolation has as much of a risk on your health as the lifestyle choices our broader culture happily critiques."
Passage: Acts 2:42-27
This week, Pastor Josh Scherer begins out new series, Shaping Culture. He epxlores the nature of vision and core values, and why they are significant.
He then explores the breadth and depth of Gospel Transformation through 3 people from Acts 16. Lydia through discussion, a slave girl through power, and a jailer through compassion. Three very different people, all transformed by the same gospel, brought to them in a different way.
Passage: Acts 16:9-34
This week, Pastor Josh Scherer explores the incredible transfiguration event from Mark's gospel.
Mountain-top experiences are common for everyone. Whether be in our relationships, in business or in faith. We all have moments that are so good, we want to hold onto them. Yet we know we can't stay on the mountain.
Josh invites us to consider how we can pay attention to our Mountain-top experiences, to help us navigate the valleys and challenges we encounter.
"We are called to use the revelation on the Mountain, to navigate our journey to resurrection."
Passage: Mark 9:2-9
This week, Pastor Josh Scherer shares a word for the weary from Isaiah 40. In a world where idols are everywhere, it is so easy to get distracted from God, and find that something has replaced Him as the centre of our life. Our weariness is connected to who or what we serve.
"The gods we have created cannot compare to the God that created us."
Passage: Isaiah 40:18-31
This week, Darrel Schutz explores the way we are not only created, but renewed into Gods image. Not just physically, but spiritually by the work of Holy Spirit.
Passage: 1 Cor 8:1-13
This week, Pastor Josh Scherer explores the story of Jonah, and God's creativity in pursuing connection with us. God goes to extraordinary lengths for Jonah and for Ninevah. How are we allowing God's compassion in our life to impact our mission?
Are our expectations for what God can do in someone else's life determined by His provision or our prejudice?
Passage: Jonah 3:1-10
This week, Pastor Josh Scherer explores the freedom/liberty that God created for us through Christ. What does it mean? What are the limits? How do we know that our expression of freedom is good for us, and for others?
"True Liberty is qualified by love." - Pastor Josh Scherer
Passage: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20
This Week Angus Green continues our Created Anew series by exploring the biblical account of creation, and reflecting on what that means for us in our day to day.
Passage: Genesis 1:1-5
This week, Rev Geoff Graetz our visitation pastor, kicks of our new series called Created Anew. We are looking at several things God has done throughout time, to bring creativity and life into the world.
Passage: John 1:10-18
Pastor Josh Scherer asks the question, where are we going in 2021? Are we journeying by accident, or on purpose? With so many things that are uncertain, it can be hard to know if there is anything worth doing at all. Pastor Josh shares a prayer from scripture that shows there is a way to journey on purpose.
Passage: Philippians 1:9-11
This is the full recording of our Christmas Eve service, lead by Taylor and with Pastor Josh Scherer bringing a message of where we find our true hope this Christmas.
We hope it is a blessing to you.
Passage: Luke 2:1-20
This week, Mel finishes up our Miracle of Mercy series, by exploring Care for the Lost. She takes us on a fun analysis of this idea, through the eyes of a high school chemistry class. There are so many in our world that are lost, and without hope. How might God be calling to help the lost, become found.
The week, Pastor Josh Scherer continues our Miracle of Mercy Series by explore how mercy calls us to be kind to our enemies. God showed kindness to us, by pursuing reconciliation with us which we were still enemies of God. As followers of Jesus, we are called to do the same with others. Pastor Josh gives us 7 practical steps for pursuing reconciliation in our relationships.
Passage: Romans 12:18-21
This week, Ken Edwards continues our Miracle of Mercy series by looking at Dealing with Difficult People. Living in the way of Jesus calls us to extend mercy by showing patience.
Pastor Josh Scherer brings the message this week, as we continue our series The Miracle of Mercy. We explore the way mercy calls us to offer help to the hurting. Pastor Josh also shares briefly into the current abortion bill coming before state parliament. If you would like to talk through anything from today's message, please reach out to hello@gawleruniting.org.au
Passage: Luke 10:25-37
This week, guest preacher Gabe Steinhauer brings the message as we meet for church online during our brief COVID lockdown here in South Australia.
Gabe continues our series Miracle of Mercy, by looking at the first Mark of Mercy, Forgiveness for the Fallen.
Passage: Matt 18:21-35
This week Pastor Josh Scherer kicks off our new series The Miracle of Mercy. Where does mercy fit into our world today? What does it require of us to be agents of mercy in the world?
Passage: Exodus 34:6-7, Matt 5:7
This week, Pastor Josh Scherer wraps up our Comparison Trap series by exploring the Parable of the Talents. We overcome comparison, when we discover that "What we have is less important than what we do with what we have."
When we are able to celebrate what others have been given, and leverage what we have for the good of others, we find we can overcome the Comparison Trap, and find the life of fullness God has is store for each of us.
Passage: Matt 25:14-30
This week, Angus Green takes us through week 2 of our series Comparison Trap. Where are you looking for your comparison? Where are you looking to tell you that you are doing ok? Jesus is the only place we should look. When we do, we discover it's not actually about how good we are, but how good God is.
Passage: Galatians 4:4-7
This week, Rev Josh Scherer begins a new series called Comparison Trap. Who are we comparing ourselves to, and more importantly, why? You'll discover that there is no win in comparision, and no life in the Land of ER.
Passage: Ecclesiastes 4:4-8
This week, Darrel brings the final installment of our Heroes of Faith series by exploring Esther.
God has us where we are for a reason.
Passage: Esther 4:12-16
Craig continues our series Heroes of Faith, and explores the life of Daniel. We hear that Daniel was distinct in the culture he was immersed in. How might you be called to live out faith as part of the world and culture God has called you into?
Heroic Faith continues as it begins...
Passage: Daniel 1:1-18
This week, Pastor Josh Scherer continues our Heroes of Faith series with the prophet Elijah. Heroic Faith remembers God is sovereign and we are not.
Elijah's mission was to speak truth to Israel about their worship of the gods of the culture around them. What would Elijah say to us about the false gods we worship?
Passage: 1 Kings 19:1-18
This week we continue our Heroes of the Faith series as Cath looks at the famous story of David and Goliath.
Passage: 1 Samuel 17:33-37
Heroic Faith is patient in the preparation and trusts God in the moment.
This week we continue our Heroes of Faith series, as Pastor Josh Scherer looks at the life of Rahab from Joshua 2. Heroic Faith believes in a God of New Beginnings.
This week, Emily continues our series called Heroes of Faith with Joshua.
Heroic faith is obedient even when it doesn't make sense. Obedience before God comes not from fear, but from love.
Passages: Joshua 6:15-25 & John 14:15-21
Father's Day Sunday Service.
Anne Davenport and Taylor Mcclymont share with us about people they consider were their heroes of faith.
Heb 11:23-29.
Angus Green talks to us about Moses, one of the Heroes of Faith!
A Heroic Faith is built on listening, Moses spent a lot of time listening to God.
Shammah means To Listen and Obey.
Spiritual Maturity relies on obedience.
Gen 39:6-12.
Ken Edwards talks about Joseph, one of the Heroes Of Faith.
One of the things Ken talks about is that we need a firm faith to deal with temptations that come our way.
Hebrews 12:1-3.
Rev Josh Scherer has started a new series called 'Heroes Of Faith'.
What can we learn from the saints that have gone before us?
Abraham would tell us that Heroic Faith trusts God even when it's taking too long.
John 11.
Mel talks to us about Pivotal Circumstances.
Our faith grows through personal prayer, reading the Bible, teaching and being around fellow Christians.
Matthew 14:13-33
This week Rev Josh Scherer talks about Personal Ministry.
When we step out of our comfort zone to serve others, it grows our faith as we invite God to meet us there.
Where is God asking you to step out of the boat?
Matthew 6:1-6.
Craig invites us to consider that changing our habits won't make us happy, but changing our heart will.
How might God be seeking to grow your faith in the secret places?
Ruth 1-4.
This week we look at the Book of Ruth, and the story of Naomi, Ruth, Boaz.
Can you think of someone in your life that has left an impact on your life?
Who outside of your parents influenced you through your life's journey?
Matt 7:24-28.
This week Darrel Schutz explores Practical Teaching.
When the scriptures come alive for us and we learn how to apply it to our lives, our faith grows.
Matt 8:1-10.
We have started a new series 'Five Things God Uses To Grow Your Faith'.
This week Rev Josh Scherer invites us to consider the kind of Faith God wants us to have.
Do we have trust and confidence in God no matter what?
Matt 11:1-6.
Angus invites us to reflect on how we respond when we look around at life and realize we are not where we thought we would be.
God cares more about us being fulfilled than making us happy.
Where is your hope?
Matthew 26:30-35, 69-75.
Rev Josh Scherer reminds us that in Christ, guilt and shame don't define us.
What do we do when things don't work out because of a decision we make?
How might we respond when the change of plans happens due to the decisions we make.
Acts 16:6-10.
Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
This week Ken focuses on the way God can change our plans by the leading of His Spirit.
God's plans turn our lives around just as He did for the Apostle Paul.
James 4:13-17.
Rev Josh Scherer invites us to reflect on the way we plan, exploring the foundational truth that God is in control of our life.
We need to acknowledge that God is in control and we should consider his perspective.
Acts 2:1-4, 4:31-35.
Rev Josh Scherer invites us to think about the barrier that language can bring to our life.
When we feel like no-one else understands us, The Holy Spirit specks the language of your life.
Our journey ends up shaping a language within us in a way to see the world and understand it.
John 9:24-34.
Wayne Sanders continues our series Sight For The Blind.
God has blessed us with incredibly amazing senses.
John 9:13-23
Rev Josh Scherer invites us to consider where we might have blindspots in our life? and are there some things we are choosing not to see?
Luke 1: 26-38 and 46-49.
On Mother's Day Gabe Steinhauer talks about Mothers - Word To Your Mother.
I know many of you wonder as Mothers whether you would measure up.
God has called Mothers to a Holy Purpose.
John 9:1-12
This week Rev Josh Scherer talks about Sight For The Blind.
As a leader it is really hard to lead when you are blind and don't know what the future looks like, that sense of blindness that we are all experiencing in some way is really an unsettling feeling.
John 8:48-59.
This week Rev Josh Scherer invites us to consider who is qualified to speak into the uncertainty of our life?
With His declaration I AM, we discover Jesus is the only one...
John 8:37-47.
This week Dr Tom Caunce talks about why has Jesus accused the Jewish people of being the sons and daughters of satan. A murderer from the beginning and the father of lies?
Tom is comparing this question with how people today act towards those who claim evil intent on another as they are often sidelined as conspiracy theorists or unbalanced people not to be listened to and not to be taken seriously.
Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12.
Glennys leads us through the Prophetic Words of the Cross, about the suffering servant written in Isaiah 52 and 53.
Luke 22:14-23.
Rev Josh Scherer reflects on the meal Jesus and His disciples shared on the night that He was betrayed. Together we share a meal of Remembrance, Communion, Thanksgiving, Celebration and Commitment.
This is our seventh and final week into our Lenten Series: Words From The Cross - 7 Statements of Jesus.
Luke 24:1-12.
Rev Josh Scherer shares Jesus' final word from the Cross "It Is Finished!".
The word Jesus used here was Telelestai ( It Is Finished ), In saying this Jesus declares the suffering servant has completed the task His Father assigned Him to do.
This is our sixth week into our Lenten Series: Words From The Cross - 7 Statements of Jesus.
Luke 23:44-49 'Father into your hands I commit my spirit'.
This week Josh Sanders talks about Trust.
We are in a season where things are out of our control. We need to let go of being in control of our lives and let God take over. God is Consistent and always Faithful to His Promises.