Skillman Church of Christ's Podcast: Recent Episodes
Skillman Church of Christ
Dr. Don brings a message from Joshua, Matthew, and Galatians titled, "Into The Wilderness"
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is truth.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is truth.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is praise.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is praise.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is restoration.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is healing.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is healing.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is humility.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is humility.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is justice.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is justice.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is righteousness.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is righteousness.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is practicing your faith.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is simply to pray.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is to simply pray.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is perfection.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is perfection.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is transformation.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is transformation.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is unity.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is faithfulness.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is faithfulness.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is confession and repentance.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is confession and repentance.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is hope.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is Hope.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is the Kingdom of God.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is the Kingdom of God.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is mission.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is mission.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is the church.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is the church.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is long-suffering.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is long-suffering.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is peace.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is peace.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is joy.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is joy.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is compassion.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is compassion.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is forgiveness.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is forgiveness.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is love.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is love.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is communing.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is communing.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is covenant.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is covenant.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is calling.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is calling.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is God's Good Creation.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is God's Good Creation.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is that we are Children of God.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is that we are Children of God.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is God the Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is God the Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is God the Son.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is God the Son.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is God the Father.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives the simple command to “pray continually” or “pray without ceasing.” That is really what is at the heart of this series: the desire to pray always. This week, our theme in prayer is God is our Father.
What was the historic role of women within the Stone-Campbell Movement? What can we learn from women when we look at this history within Churches of Christ and the Restoration Movement? Where are we as a movement today in our conversations about women and the role women play within the Churches of Christ? Listen in on an epic interview with History Professor at Pepperdine, Dr. Loree Hunnicutt.
We have had an incredible run of interviews so far, and thought it would be fun to sit down with two of our listeners to reflect on the insights presented so far on this podcast series. Listen in on a discussion with Dulcinea Lambert and Sharon Nicholl on the Churches of Christ.
Who is Sarah Andrews? Listen in on an insightful interview with Dr. Jeremy Hegi, professor of Church History at Lubbock Christian University, on the emergence of the global missions movement within Churches of Christ in the early 20th century and how people like Sarah Andrews played a key role in its growth.
How would you assess the current leadership model within Churches of Christ? Listen in on an honest discussion with Hope Network's Co-Leader, Dr. Grady King, about the current church leadership model within Churches of Christ. What are the struggles and obstacles that currently exist? Are there others models that can potentially assist church's discernment in following the Spirit's direction? Enjoy this episode!
Christian scholar and historian Dr. Richard Hughes has authored, co-authored, and/or edited 17 books including Reviving the Ancient Faith: The Story of Churches of Christ in America and Myths America Lives By: White Supremacy and the Stories that Give Us Meaning.Listen in on a conversation about the history, present, and future of Churches of Christ in America. To my surprise, Dr. Hughes spent a portion of his childhood attending Skillman. During the interview he shares some of his fond memories from this time.
Enjoy this monumental interview with the one and only Landon Saunders. It is 50 minutes of pure magic, depth, and rich wisdom on the state and future of the church. If you enjoyed this episode, please pass this on. This is a word that needs to be shared. God bless.
Listen in on Part 2 of John Mark's interview with his Dad, Kelly Davidson, on the Churches of Christ. This week, they explore some of the current challenges facing the Churches of Christ, but also reasons to be hopeful. Enjoy this episode!
Listen in to Part One of a Two in a podcast series sponsored by the Skillman Church of Christ exploring the Church of Christ. This week John Mark Davidson interviews his father, Kelly Davidson, about the history, positives, and challenges of a religious community that emerged from the Restoration Movement.
Today, on the Enneagram podcast, Makenna signs off with a few answers to questions that were sent in over the course of this study. Thank you so much for joining us in this podcast series!
Today on the gram, Makenna dives deep into the stances and triads of the enneagram. She talks about what numbers are dominant and repressive in each category.
The final episode of the Continuing the Conversation series on the Book of Galatians. In this episode we talk about sin, caring for each other, casseroles, sowing and reaping, and the importance of the cross. We hope you enjoy this episode.
Today, on the Enneagram podcast, Makenna shares some advice in ways you can express yourself and interact with others best over this holiday season. The holidays can be hard times. We need to do the work to love our neighbors to the best of our abilities.
Join a conversation with John Mark Davidson and Kavian McMillon on Galatians chapter 5. One of the most compelling chapters in the book of Galatians.
Today on the gram, Makenna interviews her friend and co-minister, John Mark Davidson. JMD expresses his desire for adventure, his weakness for peanut butter M&M's, and his fear of feeling pain. This podcast is out of the box just like this free spirited guy who can't be contained!
Listen in on another episode of Continuing the Conversation with a look at Galatians chapter 4. Another great discussion on sonship, law, grace, "the why" and Hagar and Sarah. Enjoy the episode!
Today on the Gram, Makenna has a conversation with her friend and fellow Young Life leader, Grady Dill. Grady shares about his experience being "The Loyalist" not being overcome by fear, looking towards authority figures, and why campsites aren't his best friend. Stay tuned for their crime podcast coming soon! You have to listen to find out what that's all about.
Join us this week as we share in a conversation with Alan and June Martin on Galatians 3, the role of the Law, quoting Scripture, faith in Jesus, how do we interpret passages about women's roles, and much more.
Today, on the Enneagram podcast, Makenna interviews her friend and co-minister, Shalene Valentine. Shalene shares about her experience being "The Investigator" in times of financial instability, the joy she has working with "littles," and the way her media background and love for music ties into her creative four wing. You won't want to miss it!
During an exegetical study on the book of Galatians, we will cover what we can on Sunday morning, then tackle the remaining verses in a podcast episode. Listen in to Jake and John Mark's discussion on Galatians 2.
This week, on the Enneagram podcast, Makenna interviews her friend and recent Harding graduate, Julia Stephenson. Julia shares about her experience in what she hates be to called, "The Romantic." Join in as she talks about living in melancholy, how the vibes can really make a difference, and why Instagram is something she is no longer a big fan of.
Sermon on Galatians 2:1-10 during online worship service with the Skillman Church of Christ on November 15, 2020. Speaker is Jake Jacobson.
During an exegetical study on the book of Galatians, we will cover what we can on Sunday morning, then tackle the remaining verses in a podcast episode. Listen in to Jake and John Mark's discussion on Galatians 1.
Sermon on Galatians 1:1-10 during Outdoor Worship Service with the Skillman Church of Christ Nov. 8, 2020. Speaker is John Mark Davidson.
Today, on the Enneagram podcast, Makenna has a conversation with her friend and fellow minister, Erica Valerio. Both identifying as "The Performer," they are able to share the similarities and differences they each have in number 3.
"Do I need to be liked? Absolutely not. I like to be liked. I enjoy being liked. I have to be liked. But it's not like this compulsive need to be liked, like my need to be praised." - Michael Scott (an unhealthy 3)
Today on the gram Makenna has a conversation with her spiritual director and dear friend, Betsy Stratton. As an Enneagram great grandchild of Richard Rohr, Betsy is an expert. She shares her knowledge and wisdom of what it's like to be "The Helper" and how she has done work on this for over six years to live in healthy space. This is definitely an episode you won't want to miss!
As we conclude our sermon series on Being Known By Our Love, John Mark Davidson explores the power of love. Love is not a supporting actor, it is the bread and the butter of the Christian way of life. Love has the power to stop the chain of evil and darkness, love has the power to give life, and love has redemptive power.
Today, on the Enneagram podcast, Makenna interviews her good friend and former intern, Sarah Heflin. Listen in as Sarah shares her experience in being "The Perfectionist" at home with her family, at school with her students, and with the voice inside her head played by Ingrid de Forest.
This week on the Enneagram podcast, Makenna Miller interviews one of her best friends and college roommates, Mallory Williams. Mallory shares about what it is like being a nine with the paralyzing fear of making a decision, the need to avoid conflict at all costs, and the way nines cope with numbing behaviors. Join these two as they giggle their way through a discussion on "The Peacemaker."
Today, on the Enneagram podcast, Makenna Miller interviews her brother, a self-professing type 8 on the Enneagram. Join us this week to learn about the gut triad, what makes an 8 an 8, and other curiosities about "the Challenger."
Join us this week as we introduce the Enneagram, types, personality traits, and Jesus. Hosted by Makenna Miller.
As we begin our new series on Love, we take a look at the first two verses of 1 Corinthians 13. We see two things of what love is NOT. Love should not be confused with talent. Paul writes that if someone speaks in the tongue or has the gift of prophecy, has a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, they are nothing. In the same way, we see that love is NOT empty acts of service. Paul writes that if one gives all they possess to the poor, gives over their body to hardship but does not have love, they gain nothing. Love is something deeper. It is an internal manifestation of the spirit that breeds patience, kindness, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” According to Paul, “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” We can see what love is through the example of Jesus. His example and God’s spirit can help us be transformed into living with these fruits.
Guest speaker, and former preacher at Skillman, Joel Sanchez kicks off our season of being known by love with a powerful message on John 13:35.
We are all citizens of God's kingdom and Jesus is our King. To close out our series on the Kingdom of Heaven, John Mark Davidson looks at Mark 12:13-17 about the time when Jesus is asked by the Pharisees and the Herodians whether or not it is lawful to pay taxes to Caesar. Listen in to how Jesus responds and the implications to where we place our ultimate loyalty and allegiance.
Listen in to a discussion with some of the Skillman elders about the theme of The Kingdom of Heaven found in Scripture.
This week, Jake begins a new series that will close out the season of the year that we are calling Advocate Hope and will help lead us into the next season--Being Known by Love.
In Acts 8, the Ethiopian eunuch is heading back to his home after visiting Jerusalem. He had been a quest for spiritual knowledge. While riding in his chariot he was reading Isaiah 53 and was confused by the contents of this chapter. The apostle Phillip was there and explained to him that it was Jesus that made sense of Isaiah 53. Jesus brought it all together. Listen to hear more about Phillip's message and why such a message was good news to the Ethiopian eunuch.
This week, we conclude our sermon series on Hope and Justice in the Book of Isaiah. Join us as we read from Isaiah 42:1-13.
This week, John Mark preaches on the vision that Isaiah has of a wolf lying down with a lamb in Isaiah 11:1-10. Who is this wolf? Who is the lamb? What is Isaiah trying to say to us as readers today?
This week, John Mark challenges us to read Isaiah's vision of a peaceful world as a reality that we can help to bring on earth as it is in heaven. This peace is a peace not built on violence and domination, but upon the love and mercy of God.
This week, we continue the sermon series, "Hope and Justice in the Book of Isaiah." Jake preaches on Isaiah 1:11-15, a passage where God denounces go-through-the-motions worship and desires true worship in justice, righteousness, and love.
This week, John Mark looks at Isaiah 5:1-7 and encourages us to grow and cultivate what God has given us while at the same time caring for our neighbors.
Jake and John Mark have a raw and honest conversation about racism in America, white supremacy, police brutality, and the role of the church in this conversation. Jake and John Mark were given an opportunity to sign a letter recently denouncing the killing of George Floyd and claiming that institutional racism and white supremacy are real problems needing to be addressed. Listen in why they signed the letter...
In this time of uncertainty, ambiguity, and loss what do we do with the natural feelings that emerge within? Do we ignore them? Shove them under the carpet? The book of Lamentations in the Bible, reminds us that a healthy spirituality is honest with our feelings and that God is a safe place to be who we are. All of us is welcome in the presence of God and there needs to be space created to mourn and express feelings of loss.
The final sermon in our three-part sermon series on the book of Lamentations and moving from heartache to hope. Jake Jacobson preaches on Lamentations 5.
The second of three lessons on the book of Lamentations and the importance of creating space for mourning and lamenting in our lives. A special surprise for this episode is the live recording of "Safe Space" by Ryan and Rebecca Cole at the conclusion of the lesson.
This week, Jake discusses the idea of liberation and how that relates to Hope as we begin our church's season of "Advocating Hope."
This week, John Mark and Jake discuss the Season of "Advocate Hope" for the Skillman Church of Christ. What does hope mean and how will we explore this topic in the coming weeks and months? Tune in to find out!
This week, John Mark shares great news about completing his PhD degree and the findings and conclusions that he drew in his research about Cultural Intelligence. Congratulations John Mark!
In another episode of Continuing the Conversation, Dallas ISD counselor, Rio Vejar, who grew up at the Skillman church, shares some of her thoughts on students, teachers, and parents during this time of physical distancing and at-home quarantine.
As we explore further during this season of Living By Faith, let's listen in to a conversation where Skillman's own Addie Locke tells John Mark and Jake some recent developments in her life and how her faith helped her through these times.
John Mark and Jake couldn't get together to record this week because of physical distancing, so we pulled out an episode from the vault that was recorded but never released. This is an interesting conversation about Cain and Abel and what we can learn about faith through this story.
Listen to a brief conversation with John Mark and Jake about the current state of affairs or city, nation, and planet are facing with the spread of the coronavirus. When this time of ambiguity and uncertainty is over, how can this pandemic make us a more loving, kind, and compassionate people. What if these has forced us a society to slow-down and re-orient ourselves towards a healthy framework?
An episode of Continuing the Conversation you will not want to miss. One of our own, Sharon Nicholl, sits down with John Mark and Jake to share her views on faith and tell her story. She recently went to the doctor and has some news to share.
John Mark Davidson and Jake Jacobson discuss the conversion of Saul to Paul, what it must have been like for Ananias to visit Saul, and whether faith is just like seeing.
This week, we review the life of Noah and the faith that he displayed. Noah walked closely with God, had respect for God, and acted on God's instructions. May we, as people of faith and followers of Jesus, do the same.
Listen in to a riveting conversation between Skillman minister, John Mark Davidson, and Larry Henderson as Larry drives back to Abilene after preaching at Skillman earlier that morning. Hear him expound more on his message Sunday plus NEW stories about making movies with Gene Hackman, running into armed guerrillas at a church camp, and saving an innocent skydiver from a Thai prison. Larry Henderson might be the most interesting man on the planet.
Professor of Missions, Larry Henderson, from Abilene Christian University, joins us this week to preach about what it looks like to be women and men of faith in our world today. As believers in Jesus, our motivation comes from our faith, and this faith allows us to do extraordinary things, even in the midst of difficult circumstances.
David and Lorna Griffin join Jake Jacobson to discuss their most recent class at Skillman, titled "Art and Christianity," to discover how art can help to build and sustain our faith. During the course of the podcast, Lorna asks those who encounter art to consider these questions: Why do we create? How do we create? How is identity revealed in a work of art? How does a painting reflect cultural value (and what are those values)? How does the past effect the present?
Additionally, we discuss Michelangelo's David (https://mymodernmet.com/michelangelo-david-facts/ and http://www.accademia.org/explore-museum/artworks/michelangelos-prisoners-slaves/), Andrew Wyeth's Pentecost (https://www.artsy.net/artwork/andrew-wyeth-pentecost), Gerome's Jerusalem (https://fineartamerica.com/featured/jerusalem-jean-leon-gerome.html), Rembrandt's Prodigal Son (https://www.artsheaven.com/painting/artists/r/rembrandt-van-rijn/the-return-of-the-prodigal-son/), and Gustav Dore's Valley of Dry Bones (https://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-vision-of-the-valley-of-dry-bones-gustave-dore.html).
This week, John Mark invites us to study the life of Enoch--one who walked with God. The invitation this week is to live by faith in such a way that others can see that we are walking side by side with God and step by step in following his ways.
You will love this conversation with the one and only Ryan Cole about faith, millennials, and the Sister Act movies.
This week, we discuss what it means to live out our faith in a Christian community. Faith needs to be lived and lived with others. In Christian faith, we practice our faith through loving one another and viewing each other through the lens of God's eyes.
This week, John Mark Davidson and Jake Jacobson are joined by Captain America--oops, I mean Marshall Miles to discuss the topic of faith. The dominant image in this episode is that of walking through a dark room knowing that their might be a lego in the way, but trusting God no matter what as we seek to follow God by becoming like Jesus.
This week, John Mark describes how we can trust God because he has shown over and over again that he is faithful. Plus, John Mark also talks about Sarah, Abraham, Indiana Jones, Chia Pets, birthday parties, rich uncles, the apostle Peter, and Jesus.
Jake is joined by Shalene Valentine to discuss raising children in faith in today's world. And the answer to the question is yes! Shalene could always use more help in Children's ministry. But more importantly, we all have the opportunity to help raise the next generation in faith as a church community.
This week, we begin a sermon series focused on Living By Faith as we read Hebrews 11 together. John Mark discusses the importance of Faith, not as a concept to think about, but as a lifestyle that we participate in.
In Colossians 1, Paul writes a hymn about Jesus, and this hymn helps us to understand who our God is that we meet. We learn about the God who we meet in the pages of Scripture through this hymn and through the person of Jesus. May we continue in the faith, living our faith in practice every day.
This week, John Mark and Jake lead a discussion on what faith is all about. They will discuss what the difference between faith and belief is, what and where do the creeds come into Christian history, as well as how to avoid "brickland" so that we can sustain our faith in all circumstances.
Join John Mark and Jake as they discuss the hopes for the connection groups in the year 2020. We are excited to grow together as a family and as a community this year and we hope you will join us.
This week, as we continue to reflect on opportunities that God is bringing to the Skillman Church family in 2020, we yearn to live by faith, advocate hope, and be known by love as followers of Jesus. We are excited to continue the great history of this church family of caring deeply for one another as we seek to connect to one another as fellow believers in Jesus and to connect to our God and Creator. There is a season for everything. This is a season for faith, hope, and love.
Jake and John Mark continue the conversation about the role of Sunday worship gatherings, the sermon, Constantine, communion, and more. Join us for this conversation, and carry the topic into this week. What is Sunday all about, and why is it so important to us?
This week, we reflect on the purpose of Sundays within the body of Christ--the church. We gather together and assemble on Sundays to encourage one another and to remind ourselves or who we are and who God has called us to be: people transformed into the image and likeness of Jesus, not just on one day a week, but all throughout our lives.
This week, as we begin this year, 2020, we reflect on the purpose of why we worship and why we live in community together as followers of Jesus. Our goal this year is to refocus on spiritual growth into the image of Jesus Christ.
The Bible includes incredible stories, but not just that. The Bible also tells the story that God began telling in creation. It's a story with love, good vs. evil, and rags to riches. It's a story with mystery and betrayal. But more than just those things, it is also the story of how God is redeeming this world and bringing love and mercy to all of creation.
This Sunday night, our church joined together to celebrate Christmas. We worshipped, read the Christmas story, and shared in candle lighting. We worship the God who saves us through Jesus who is with us.
We are all in need of hope. For most of us, life hasn’t turned out exactly like we envisioned or thought. There have been surprises, disappointments, curveballs, and failures. When we watch the news on TV, we sometimes can’t help but be discouraged by what we see. Do we have hope that things will get better? What do we put our hope in as Christians? In our own lives, do we hope that the new job, house, spouse, kids, will make things better? For our nation, are we putting our hope in a political candidate to make things better. The Psalmist in Psalms 146 cautions us in putting our hope in men, and encourages us to put our hope in the Lord. “Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God.” God is up to something. God is still at work. The needy, broken, marginalized, and hurting have not been forgotten. We can have hope in the Lord.
As we enter our second week of Advent in anticipation of the birth of Christ, we turn to the book of Isaiah. In a prophecy written hundreds of years before that day in Bethlehem, Isaiah writes that out of the roots of Jesse, a branch shall grow from its roots. A new heaven and new earth will come from this shoot where ‘the wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.’ For hundreds of years the Jewish people waited for this prophesy to be fulfilled. It came in the form of Jesus. We also wait during this Advent season to celebrate the birth of our Savior, whose roots trace all the way back to Jesse.
The word in the New Testament for Hospitality is philoxenia. It is a compound word that combines the word for love (phileo) and the word for stranger or foreigner (xenos). Jesus lives a life of hospitality, but also a life of loving the stranger and the "other." May we as a church follow the example of Jesus and love those who are different than we are.
Koinonia means community, fellowship, or a sharing of life together. Jesus establishes a radical community that continues God’s desire for relationship with the creation and with the people of Israel (and ultimately, all the people of the world). This community is especially defined by caring for those who are distressed, an intense trust in God for all things, and an openness to anyone, even the people that seem least likely or least deserving. All this is made possible through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. He opens to door to community with God the Father and invites us all into a place to belong.
Kerygma is one of the Greek words used for preaching and sharing the good news of the Gospel. Kerygma is how we live our lives, what we say and when we say it, and why we say it what we say. We preach and proclaim the good news about Jesus to the people in our lives. This week, John Mark borrows an object lesson that has been used by several other speakers explaining two versions of the good news to be preached using chairs.
Kenosis is the act of emptying oneself. We see this clearly in Jesus’ life and teachings, as Jesus consistently offers himself and his love to those who are in need. Jesus gives himself away for the sake of the other person. For those of us who are followers of Jesus, to empty ourselves is to practice submitting ourselves, including our sinful and selfish natures, to God so that we can then be filled with the love and life that is offered to us in Jesus.
How can we view the concept of sin in a healthy way? Historically, some in the church have weaponized sin in order to guilt people into morality. As a response to these abuses, the tendency has been to not talk about sin at all. Jesus, however, took sin very seriously. How can we take sin seriously, without becoming judgmental? How can we talk about sin through a lens of love, grace, and mercy? Hamartia, the Greek word for "sin," is an archer's term describing missing the target. It is not necessarily meant to convey "the breaking of a commandment" but a failure to reach a goal or standard. We take SIN seriously, not to appease an angry, cranky God, but because God knows that ultimately it will lead to death. In these sense, we are not punished FOR our sins, but we are punished BY our sins.
Join us in listening to Lamont Ross, the senior minister at the Marsalis Avenue Church of Christ in Dallas, Texas. Lamont preaches powerfully on Isaiah 49:14-18.
Ekklesia means to be called out. The church are those who have been called out by God to live a distinctive life, following the example and commands of Jesus to love God and to love our neighbors. The church is able to do this by confessing who Jesus is and participating in his life, death, and resurrection and as the body of Christ, helping to show the world who Jesus is through our actions.
This week, we spend time reflecting on peace. Peace is more than the absence of violence. It is the fullness of God's kingdom on earth.
This week, we encounter “Phileo” love. Last week, we discussed the kind of love that is expressed in Scripture as “Agape.” Phileo continues to call us and urge us to love one another because of our care and compassion for one another, our respect and admiration of God’s creation. In John 11, Jesus shows his love for Lazarus and Lazarus’ family by loving patiently and without any agenda other than the glory of God, by loving even in the midst of potential danger, by loving empathetically and joining in the suffering and pain of the sisters of Lazarus, and finally by repairing and restoring the life of Lazarus. May we seek to imitate the love of Jesus, a love that helps us to see one another not as enemies, but as friends.
Today, we begin a series about 10 words used in the Bible to help us learn something about God, Jesus, our calling as the church, and practices that help us to love one another more fully. The first word that we encounter is Logos. The Logos teaches us that God and Jesus are One—not two. They are united together. Not only that, but Jesus is at the center of the world, holding all things together. He brings Light and Life, revealing God finally and fully into the darkness set loose in our world by sin and selfishness. Because of who this Jesus is, we can emulate his love for us by loving our neighbors.
The Old Testament word "mishpat" means justice. Justice means that your problem becomes my problem. God exemplifies what this justice means by becoming incarnate as Jesus. May we practice justice together, especially with the least of these.
It is no secret that we often “wear a mask” when we gather together at church. We may pretend to be someone we aren’t, or maybe even just trying to be polite misrepresent ourselves. We even adopt an entirely different vocabulary when we come together at our church building (using words or phrases that we don’t use anywhere else in our lives). As we are gathered together today, we will take the time to talk about 1 such word that is increasingly unfamiliar in our everyday lives outside of the church: Disciple (or Discipleship). Being a disciple of Jesus means that follow Christ wholly and consistently day after day. When we do that, we will begin to see how being a disciple of Jesus can, in fact, be unique in the wider world around us.
John Mark shares a passage from Ephesians 3:14-19, where Paul prays for the church in Ephesus and surrounding regions. We join in praying this prayer that Paul prayed here and now for our church and our surrounding communities.
This week, we take a look back at the opportunities for service that took place over the summer, allowing ourselves to be amazed at what God is doing among us. This sense of awe can inspire us and encourage us to continue living faithfully as we prepare for the coming months in the Fall and as many of our students return back to school this week.
As Jesus continues to teach his disciples and even the religious leaders of his day about the Kingdom of Heaven, he challenges them to seek that Kingdom—the Kingdom of God—above the kingdoms of this world. He confronts the religious leaders and Pharisees about the kingdoms built upon religion, and he confronts our kingdoms today built around ourselves, or our ideas about safety and comfort. Jesus invites us into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he does so asking that we would bring everything and give it to God—that all of our fruit would be dedicated and devoted to God alone. As we continue to read and learn from Jesus in these parables, may we devote ourselves fully to the Kingdom of Heaven, and not to the kingdoms of this world or even the kingdoms that we ourselves build up around ourselves, and may God’s Kingdom continue to come on earth as it is in heaven.
This week, as we read the parable of the 2 sons, we must confront our own hypocrisy and learn to "hike to the mountaintop to see the forest," and to "turn our oven on self-cleaning mode."
The parable of the vineyard workers continues to teach us about the Kingdom of Heaven and how God’s kingdom is unlike anything in this world. In God’s kingdom, God’s grace is not earned or deserved—you cannot even really work for it. Instead it is a gift from God. The work that we do is as a result of the promise of the gift. Not in order to earn it. Not only do we learn about how amazing God’s grace is as a gift, but we also learn that we can live joyfully and without resentment or jealousy. This week, as we read and remember this parable, may we choose joy. May we rejoice in what God has done for us and is continuing to do for all the other workers in the vineyard—even the ones who are brought in after us.
This week, we dive into the parable of the unforgiving servant and examine how we can and should forgive one another as God has forgiven us. We see in this story that the master of the servant forgives his servant by seeing him with compassion, canceling the debt, and let him go. The master expects us to follow his pattern.
Jesus continues his lessons using parables with the parables of the mustard seed and the yeast. These parables emphasize the growth of God’s Kingdom from small and humble beginnings and remind us that God’s purposes for creation are that all may participate in the Kingdom of Heaven. We know that it is through Jesus that this Kingdom is coming into reality, and we are encouraged to bring all the people of God’s creation into this Kingdom of abundance. We look forward to the day when this kingdom will fully be realized on earth as it is in heaven, and we join with the work that God is doing all around us as we see this Kingdom grow and spread.
In Matthew’s Gospel, we encounter a number of parables that are intended to describe the inbreaking of the Kingdom of Heaven that Jesus is announcing. The first of these parables is the Parable of the Sower, found in Matthew 13:1-23. In this parable, Jesus instructs his disciples to hear, understand, and the bear fruit—meaning that they should listen to Jesus and act accordingly. As the Kingdom of Heaven arrives through Jesus, we join in the Lord’s Prayer that Jesus taught his disciples in the Sermon on the Mount: that God’s kingdom would come on earth as it is in heaven. These parables teach us that God’s reality, God’s kingdom, is truly arriving in the person of Jesus, and we can join in bringing this kingdom to bear in our world.
Genesis 16 contains an amazing story of a slave woman who has been mistreated by her masters (God's chosen family of Abram and Sarai) but who is cared for by God. Because of Hagar's encounter with God, she becomes the only person in Scripture to give God a name. She names him the God who sees, El Roi. As a church family, we want to join the work of what God is doing in seeing those who are in need and caring for them. God sees those in need, and at Skillman, we want to see and care for one another because of the love that Christ taught us.
Listen to an incredible interview with Skillman's new Congregational Care Coordinator. Excited times at Skillman!!
This week, our youth minister shares the theme verse for the youth group for the summer as well as how our church as a whole can be transformed to having the mind of Christ. This summer, our teens will be participating in a number of trips and service opportunities as well as fellowshipping together and focusing on growing closer to one another. As a church, we can support our teens and even our children who are the church of today--not just the church of tomorrow.
Today, we use the cross as a symbol of God's love, grace, and forgiveness, as well as to remember the sacrifice that Jesus was willing to make for us. However, the cross did not originally mean that. It was a symbol, instead, of Rome's power--that no one dare revolt against or oppose Rome. But through the sacrifice of Jesus, the cross now declares victory. Victory against sin and death, and victory to follow Jesus as relationship with God has been redeemed and restored.
This week, John Mark and the praise team lead us through the lyrics and some of the theology behind the song, "Beautiful Things." This song reminds us of the biblical story that we are dust, but we are beautiful dust, and that God is working to restore the dust of this world to good relationship with him.
This Sunday, we will center our worship and preaching on the lyrics for the song “Amazing Grace.” This song was written during the last years of the slave trade in Britain by John Newton. It speaks of our need for God’s amazing grace to come into our lives because of our inevitable sinfulness. 25 years after retiring from the slave trade and joining the Anglican church, Newton wrote these words to reflect his experience. However, they have easily survived beyond his experience and come to be a representative song for all Christians, particularly in America over the course of the past 200 years. This Sunday, we will focus our worship, and our hearts on God’s amazing grace that comes to us all.
As Jesus himself prepares for the crucifixion (and resurrection), he prays to God, “if it’s possible, take this cup of suffering away from me.” No one ever said this way of following Jesus was easy. Even Jesus found it difficult. Yet, Jesus teaches us that the prayer doesn’t end there. Jesus continues in his prayer, “However—not what I want but what you want.” Jesus teaches us one of the most difficult lessons we will ever have to learn (and by the way, to face daily too): to give up our desires and to accept God’s. In the preparation for Easter, as we have observed the Lenten season, we prepare for Easter Sunday this week by understanding that God’s desire is that the love that God had in creation, the relationship that God had in perfect community with each person, creature, and even the created world itself be restored to harmony so that God might share the love that God has within God’s self with the created world—the entire created world. What will we do to help bring that harmony of relationship back to our hurting world and into our hurting lives?
In this passage, the aroma of Mary’s perfume as it is poured on Jesus’ feet fills the whole house. In other words, Mary’s action of giving, of sacrificing, is infectious and it spreads everywhere. Judas can’t stand the smell of this wastefulness, and yet Jesus defends Mary’s actions not as wasteful, but as a beautiful gift. As Easter comes nearer, we should understand that by participating in the “wastefulness” of Jesus’ giving of his life, we provide a gift that is sweet and that will fill up “the house.” Our actions, when they look the way that Jesus’ actions looked will have that sweet-smelling fragrance; it will be intoxicating and infectious too. We give of ourselves, following Jesus’ example, and for the sake of those who need to know about the good gift that Jesus gives to us through his life, death, and resurrection.
As we continue to prepare for Easter Sunday and the resurrection of Jesus, we recognize that within each of us is a dangerous darkness and selfishness. We each desire to tell our story on our terms, and in such a way that we are benefited and blessed as a result. Often, this way of living is at the expense of others. In order for us to be benefited and blessed, someone else may have to suffer or to take a lower place than us. However, Jesus encourages us to intentionally choose someone else’s good over our own. It is in giving that we receive. It is in losing our lives that we find it. Jesus’ economy is upside down from our own. As we prepare for Easter and how Jesus gave his life for ours, we choose to participate in this upside-down economy of giving and losing instead of taking and benefiting at the expense of someone else.
During the course of his ministry, we often hear that Jesus knew his hour was coming, or that it had arrived. This week, we encounter Jesus telling a parable with time as a main character in his story. The gardener asks for one more year in order that the fig tree might produce fruit. Jesus’ intention is to ask us whether we are prepared now to bear fruit? The hour is coming when Jesus will give his life on the cross. So too for us, the time is approaching and even now is here for us to bear fruit for the sake of the people in our community, our city, and our world.
Not only is the season of Lent a preparation for the resurrection of Jesus, it is also a reminder for us to examine our lives and to make the needed changes in order for us to become like Jesus. Lent asks us to repent and to change our hearts and lives. Lent asks us to give up the things that keep us from being like Christ. In this passage in Luke, Jesus challenges the religious leaders of his day to examine their intentions. Are they willing to see Jesus for who he is, even if it costs them something about how they understand their religion and faith to work? As we consider this story as religious people, we will ask ourselves what are the things in our own lives that may keep us from being like Jesus—how can we give those things up during these weeks of preparation?
As we begin our series on Lent, we read the story of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. During this time, Jesus is tested and tempted by Satan, and he relies on Scripture and his trust in God the Father to care for him. We learn from the temptation of Jesus that there is nothing (no item or idea) that is worth obtaining if we must give up who God has created us to be. Jesus refuses to sacrifice his calling from God for physical comfort, power, or security and safety. Instead, Jesus models sacrifice. As we prepare for Easter over the course of these next weeks, we participate in the sacrificial model that Jesus exemplified and modeled. Every good gift comes with a cost, and as we prepare to celebrate the resurrection and the promise of God’s victory over sin and death as the gift that it is to all of us, we ask ourselves what is it that we are willing to give up as we follow the example of Jesus in our everyday lives.
Over the past year and a half, we have had 5 babies born into our congregation. This Sunday, we blessed our children and their families, promising to help raise these kids, teaching them the way of Jesus, and helping the families - even if that means running to Walmart at 3 in the morning to pick up a lost binky.
What do we do when we take communion? In the book of Mark, Jesus speaks of his disciples taking the bread and cup and that it represents the his body and blood. What does this truly mean? While on earth, with love and sacrifice Jesus took on the sins of the world. As disciples of Jesus, we as the body of Christ can do the same to “take on” the sins of the world through our collective voice and resources. We can challenge unjust systems, stand up to hate, confront materials. Communion is the reminder each week that because of Jesus, and through Jesus we can articulate another narrative.
In this special bonus podcast episode, John Mark sits down with neurologist Dr. Alan Martin to talk about what "the Christ" means to him and how this message could change the world.
In the New Testament writers referred to Jesus as the “Christ.” This comes from the Greek word christós, meaning “the anointed one.” Early Christians believed that Jesus represented the prophesied messiah or christos that would redeem and bring salvation to the world. Paul refers to the work and role of “the Christ” as a mystery that is being revealed overtime. The “Christ” has been around since the beginning of time working to restore God’s creation. Jesus was the living incarnation of ‘the Christ.”
When Jesus is referred to as “Lord” in the New Testament, it is in direct response to the common propaganda of that day propping the Roman Emperor as “Lord of All” When the early Christians said, “Jesus is Lord” they were essentially articulating that Christians have a greater allegiance than Caesar. Ultimately, they were citizens of God’s kingdom and were called to uphold the laws, principles, and values of this system. In today’s world, politics and faith have often been mixed. Some equate Christianity with the Republican Party and others to the Democratic Party. It can be boldly said that many are more loyal to the mantras and creeds of their political parties than the teachings and principles of Jesus. In the New Testament, we read about a new type of Kingdom that transcends borders and advocates love.
We begin a series this week on the life and identify of Jesus. Who is Jesus? No person has ever changed the landscape of the world more than Jesus. To fully understand his teachings, it is important to begin with the understanding that Jesus lived in a certain time and place. Jesus was a poor Jew living as a minority amidst the Roman empire. Jesus became a Rabbi and invited disciples to follow him. Discipleship was an invitation to become like the Rabbi. To do, say, live, and walk as the Rabbi did, said, lived, and walked. The identity of his disciples reveal that Jesus believed not just the best, the brightest, and the most talented could follow him but EVERYBODY… including the average, mundane, outcasts, and marginalized.
The book of Lamentations expresses the pain, doubt, and hurt that the people of Israel, God’s people, feel in the midst of exile. The people are crying out in lament to God, asking for God to come back to them even though they have turned their backs on God. And the book ends open-ended. It ends without resolution. But, the story does continue. God’s people expectantly wait for someone to come from God who will give them a new identity. Someone who will offer them light in the midst of a dark time in their history. And Jesus does come—the light of the world—to give them hope, even in the midst of their difficulties. Now, Jesus asks us to join him as the light upon a hill and the lamp for the whole house. May we offer light even in our pain to those around us. May we become like Jesus, and shed light into the darkness.
As we continue to learn from various books of the Bible about How to Be Sad, we read the Psalms of Disorientation seeking to learn and practice the confidence these Psalmists had in our trustworthy God. We desire to express our longings and difficulties to God. And we seek to share that this God is not only trustworthy, but good beyond our wildest understandings. This God is willing to sacrifice and die for us. We worship a good God, even in difficult moments and painful times.
The book of Job teaches us an important lesson about difficult moments in our lives. Whenever we experience difficulty, we tend to search for a reason why we are hurting. This is a natural reaction. However, Job teaches us, through a dramatic encounter between God, Satan, and Job, that when we encounter suffering, we can also trust that God is in control of all around us in the world. God is the one who sustains all of creation, even when there is pain and hurt around us.
This week, we will look to the book of Ecclesiastes to find out what we can do or think when life doesn't go according to our plan. Ecclesiastes teaches us some important things about who we are in life compared to who God is. As followers of Jesus and creations of God, we ultimately trust in God even when life takes an unexpected turn.
Around the change of each calendar year, we tend to remember, reflect, and to imagine new beginnings. This year, rather than simply making resolutions, we want to pay attention to the work of God in our lives, particularly what God is convicting us of as followers of Jesus. What are the ways that we can determine to look more and more like Jesus? How can we, as Jesus did, “set our faces” toward the destination of resembling the life and teachings of Jesus? This morning, we will consider how God is convicting us to action and share those convictions with one another as a church.
John Mark invites us to participate in the heart of the Christmas story: love. God loved us enough to come to be with us, and Jesus teaches us to love one another just as God loves us.
The Advent season reminds us to live with joy--not based on what we have or what we want, but on the gift that God has given to us in Jesus. We live with Joy because it is the engine of our lives. It is what helps us to live as godly men and women. We live with Joy because we know that our happiness and our lives our not based on outside circumstances, but rather on who God is in Christ.
The night that Jesus was born and the subsequent nights were a busy and perhaps hectic set of nights. In the different Gospel accounts, we see not only Mary and Joseph present, but likely different animals, shepherds, and magi from the East. We hear about people who come to see this child in the Temple at his dedication (Anna and Simeon). We know that King Herod wanted to get rid of this potential rival to his throne, and that he ends up killing all the children who might be a threat to him. Jesus entered the world, and peace may not have been the adjective we used to describe his birth and early childhood. Yet, Jesus brings the peace of God to the world. Jesus shows us that God is good and faithful. And Jesus invites us to announce that peace to the world around us, even in the midst of tumult, darkness, and violence. May we prepare the way for the peace of Christ to enter our world fully and finally.
This week, we begin a season called “Advent.” This is a Christian season of anticipation of the coming of Jesus. We both look back and remember the coming of Jesus in the Incarnation as well as wait expectantly for the coming of Jesus in the future to redeem the world and to restore things to God’s goodness. However, Advent isn’t only about remembering and waiting. It is also about hope. The kind of hope that pushes us to action: the action of love. Because we have hope in Jesus, we can share that love and cry out to people in need (people like us) that, “Help is on the way!”
John Mark concludes our series on the book of Ruth by reading from chapter 4. Ruth and Boaz leave Israel with quite the story leading to the eventual reign of David as king. We see that God is able to work through Ruth (the Moabite!) to bring about good. God is a God of all!
In Ruth 3, we encounter a story of Ruth and Boaz at the threshing floor. Ruth and Naomi are in need and have no security for their future, like so many in our world today. They have suffered and lost, and they seek assurance from Boaz that they will be redeemed and taken care of, even in unknown circumstances in the future. Boaz, upon realizing their need through Ruth’s actions and her request for covering, goes into action that very day. Likewise, we worship a God who has taken the action, a God who even takes our place and who works on our behalf to provide our redemption and our future.
In Ruth chapter 2, Boaz enters the story. Ruth is a nobody. She is a foreigner with no husband, no job, no education. She is Ruth "the Moabite" and in a position of complete powerlessness. As Ruth goes to fields to glean for food, Boaz sees her, notices her, and exhibits an exuberant and radical kind of compassion and kindness towards her. We see in this unexpected encounter, an opportunity for God’s love to be shared, and an opportunity for our ideas about family and home to be expanded.
The book of Ruth opens with a story of a family who is searching for a place to belong. Their situation in life changes drastically, and they seek to find a true home. As followers of Jesus, we believe that our true home is found in Jesus because of his life, death, and resurrection. In our world, may we be willing to offer the home of Jesus to those who feel alone, isolated, and homesick. May we look for all of God’s children to bring them home.
John Mark leads our communion meditation this week as we focus on worshipping and giving, and ultimately, becoming one with Christ as the table signifies.
As Jesus nears the time that he will leave earth, he encourages the disciples to understand that a Companion is coming and will be with us in the place of Jesus. We find in these words of Jesus that God is within us, and when we are able to most fully be who God created us to be, we see and know that it is the Spirit working out the image of God in us that allows us to fully become who we were created to be.
The New Testament gives quite a bit of attention within the early church to the various gifts that a believer might have. We see in these gifts that God is active within ourselves by forming us into specific kinds of people—people who are able to encourage, teach, lead, prophesy, even provide relief and healing to others. God is working through us and our gifts to help show each of us and the world what God is doing in our lives.
The Skillman church has big plans. This month we will speak about our hopes, dreams, and visions for local and international missions. Last week Mike Young also spoke of a season of prayer and discernment for the direction and mission of the congregation. In all these discussions, are we including the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to give us power to do great things. In our modern world, we often unintentionally leave God our of our plans to spread is kingdom. We put our faith in the "right" hire, the development of an effective mission and vision plan, events, and outreach programs. All of these are important, but it is also vital to remember that first and foremost we are a spiritual institution. We ultimately rely on God's Spirit to open doors, to make things happen, and create opportunities for growth.
In Romans 8, Paul reveals much about the working of the Spirit. Surprisingly (or perhaps not surprisingly at all), Paul includes that the Spirit intercedes in our moments of pain and weakness on our behalf, and that all of creation is groaning for the age to come when we will be revealed fully as God’s sons and daughters, made in the image of Jesus. In that time, suffering, sin, and death will be defeated and the goodness of God’s creation will be restored. And so, today, as believers, we can have confidence and trust that God is working in us and in history through the Spirit to bring that goodness back to all of creation. We can join in with our brothers and sisters in groaning for the age to come, and we can call out to God in our weakness, knowing that the Spirit intercedes for us.
Today, we encounter the active, working Spirit of God in our lives. As we consider our world and the darkness of sin, pain, and death around us, we may wonder whether God is active, whether the Spirit still plays a role in our world. We see in the early life of the church that the Spirit was at work in their testimony about who Jesus was. That Jesus was Lord and Messiah. As some of us seek the Spirit, and as others experience God’s Spirit, we confess that Jesus is Lord and join with the work of the Holy Spirit in announcing the good news of God’s restoration of all things back to goodness and back to God.
This week, we begin a new sermon series focused on the Holy Spirit, the third member of the Trinity. While the word “Trinity” does not appear in Scripture, we still find evidence that God is revealed to humanity in a multitude of ways. We learn of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. As we begin this series, we will contemplate and discuss the Triune God who appears in the Bible, and we will encourage one another to awake our attention to the presence of God among us in the Holy Spirit. We will not ignore God working among us, but instead will be encouraged to live faithfully and to seek to worship this God.
John Mark welcomes us back into the Worship Center of the Heritage building by reminding us that all breath, all life, all wind, and even all Air Conditioning (ha!) comes from the breath of God (ruah). Do we really believe that God can bring the dead back to life?
This week is the final week of our sermon series "Where the Wild Things Are - How to Neighbor Well." John Mark will lead us through how important it is to greet one another well, and how this communicates the importance and value that each person has been created with. Plus, John Mark will share with us how to kiss well too.
In Matthew 25, Jesus says that those who welcomed the stranger have welcomed him. Those who love and care for those in need do it also for Jesus. As we explore what it means to be a good neighbor and how we can take steps to love and care for the people around us, we are given the challenge to look for the needs of the people around us and then to fill those needs. This week, we will seek to make ourselves available to the needs of our neighbors, asking them how we can be better neighbors by taking care of their needs.
John Mark begins a new sermon series where we will be discussing what it means to be a good neighbor. This week, John Mark reminds us of the story of the Good Samaritan, where Jesus teaches us that our neighbors are all around us, if only we will have eyes to see them and hearts moved with compassion to love them.
The 5th chapter of Ephesians continues Paul’s call to grow to maturity in Christ. This chapter describes how to do this by inhabiting, inaugurating, and introducing a new way of living in the world. In this new way, what the Gospel writers called the Kingdom of Heaven or Kingdom of God, the followers of Jesus imitate God by imitating Jesus. The followers of Jesus practice sacrificial love, living in the light and not darkness, and learning to submit to one another because ultimately we find our identity not in our status in the world, our standing before the gods, or anything else except for the love of God that we has been made known to us in Christ. We are dearly loved children of God (5:1), and Paul urges us to live as such.
In Ephesians 4, Paul begins to let us know what he has been building to in his letter. Verse 15 shows us what Paul’s desire is for the church: “to grow in every way into Christ.” That as followers and listeners to Jesus, we can and should become like Jesus. That we are called to become One with our God—the God we know as Father, Son, and Spirit. As we continue our study of the book of Ephesians, may we seek to grow into the likeness of Jesus, the one who shows us who our God is in the flesh.
This week, we continued our series studying the book of Ephesians. We read Ephesians 3 on Sunday, particularly emphasizing Ephesians 3:14-20.
At the end of Jesus’ ministry and time on earth, he invites and commissions his followers to share in the mission of God. He instructs them to spread the good news of what God is doing in the world—of hope, love, forgiveness, and restoration. He commands the disciples to go and make more disciples through baptism and teaching. And as the local church today, we too are given the opportunity to follow these commands of Jesus in this place and at this time. We seek to share good news with the world around us; to invite others into the way of following Jesus. We seek to be the family of God.
As the people of God, we are tasked with many different things. From advocating for truth and justice in the world to seeking to love our neighbors to raising children faithfully and with love. Among all of that, one of the core directives for Christians is to follow Jesus. To become disciples. One way we are able to do this is through mentorship and leadership within the Christian community, following men and women who faithfully follow God. As a family, we seek to mentor and learn from one another about how to follow this God in any and every arena of our lives.
As we continue our series on the church family, we look this week into the role the community of faith plays in the lives of youth and children. Children are precious and the impact the church can have now can last a lifetime. What can we learn from Scripture about ways this church family can encourage, develop, and nurture youth and children?
As a family, one of the primary things that we seek to do with our lives is to worship God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. We remind ourselves every week when we gather that it is God who is worthy of our worship and praises. That praise helps to remind us to keep God on the throne. God is God and we are not. Singing praises helps us to focus our attention on God and to give our time to God alone. And finally, living a life of worship helps us to understand that our lives are an act of worship to the one who made all of this possible and the one who we imitate daily: Jesus.
As a family, one of the practices that we engage in regularly is prayer. Prayer is more than simply speaking to God or asking for what we want or desire. It is the very connection that we share with the God who created us—the connection where we learn God’s desires and where we learn to live and grow into God’s likeness. As we pray together as a spiritual family, we have the opportunity to pray (as Paul did for the Philippian church) that our love would grow in knowledge and action, that our ability to discern the things that truly matter would come in line with God’s will, and that the fruit our lives can bear will be good and plentiful in a world that needs to see what it means to truly be a family—the family of God.
Each of us enter into the world through families. Some may be good families, while others struggle, and some are harmful and hurtful to us. Some of us have 2 parents, others have just 1, while some are left with none. As we grow, our experience of family is incredibly diverse, with all kinds of different experiences and opportunities to learn. The family of God is perhaps even more diverse. And yet, we learn throughout Scripture that the family of God is united, bound together in Christ. Even when we experience grief, loss, wrongdoing, and dissonance from our spiritual family, we are bound together by Jesus. Today, we seek to ground ourselves and to firmly plant our lives of faith in Jesus, knowing that the family of God is present with us. We have the joy and privilege of learning how to be family with each person in our midst, even if they are radically different from us. We have the task of being formed together into the likeness of Jesus.
It is not uncommon in our daily routines to hear questions like, “Where is God?” or to hear places or times, even people, described as “godless.” We often seek to express our faith in terms of journeying to God, and we do it honestly and with sincerity. But, today, we remind ourselves that it is truly God who goes the distance. It is God who does the journeying. It is God who comes to us rather than us reaching or finding God. May we come to be people who not only seek God, but who recognize that God is the one who sought us out. May our worship reflect our thanks and admiration of a God who comes near.
Matt Hurley leads our seniors in a blessing as they prepare for graduation and their futures. George Johnson will be attending Stephen F. Austin in the fall, and Eddie Lwate will be attending the University of Houston.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells us that the greatest love we can have for one another is to lay down our lives for each other. On Easter, we celebrate the story of the resurrection of Jesus and the hope that gives to all of Jesus' followers, knowing that Jesus was willing to lay down his life for us. For some, it's a difficult story to believe-but for those who follow Jesus, it is the only story that truly matters. As followers of Jesus, the resurrection gives us hope, and it gives us work to do in our world: to prepare, practice, play (have joy), and to invite others to participate in the resurrected life.
This Sunday, we are taking a few moments to remind ourselves of the need to be hospitable and welcoming, not only when we gather for church, but when we scatter into the world around us too. Jesus embodied a welcoming and intentional mindset during his ministry: he welcomed those who came to him, and he sought out others who needed to meet him (whether they knew it or not!). As a church, we are preparing for Friends Day, and as we do so, may we be reminded of our desire to be intentional in going to people as Jesus commissioned his disciples, while we also welcome and love those who come to join us as we gather together each week.
Jesus concludes the incredible Sermon on the Mount with a charge to enter through the narrow gate and to follow the narrow road. Prior to this commission, the listeners that day learned of a path that is difficult, challenging, counter-cultural, but one that ultimately leads to life, peace, and purpose. Jesus teaches us to love our enemies, to turn the other check, to walk the extra mile, to give joyfully, to pray simply, worship authentically, and treat others the way we would like to be treated. To our group of listeners hungry for revenge and justice from the brutal and oppressive Roman Empire, this is a challenging message. Jesus lays forth an alternative way with with a new identity. Followers of this new way are ones who follow the narrow path of the minority, who bear fruit, and who ultimately make Jesus' words the foundation of their lives.
This past Sunday at Skillman, we installed 19 men and women to serve our church as deacons. Not only were these servants charged with caring for our church, ministries, and community, but all of God's people are asked to serve the kingdom of God on earth.
As Jesus begins to teach his disciples how to live, it quickly becomes clear that while the Law of Moses and the Law that God has given to humanity is important—there is more to the way of Jesus. Over and over again, Jesus repeats the phrase “You have heard that it was said, but I tell you.” By doing so, Jesus invites us to join a new kingdom, one where all the wrong kinds of people are blessed by God, and so that we can seek something more than just following the rules. Jesus asks us to become like him—to become Christ-like. This is at the heart of what it means to follow Jesus: That we will become one with God as we begin to look and act like Jesus. So, what have you heard? Have you heard about the way of Jesus?
This week, we begin a new sermon series on the Sermon on the Mount. This Sermon is known as Jesus' most famous teaching, but he begins this sermon by telling his disciples, those who are serious about following him, that they are blessed by God even in their worst moments. May we as the church seek to bless others who are most in need of God's presence and love.
This past week, Mike Young read the passages from the New Testament concerning deacons and how they were selected and to what end. As Mike teaches, we learn that the deacons of the New Testament served their congregations with love and out of the wisdom and maturity of their faith.
Craig Gray shares insight from the New Testament passages about deacons. This conversation is not simply one that leads to spiritual information, or to a spiritually formative experience; instead, we are transformed as we come to understand God's will for the church and for the people of God.
This week, Mike Young, one of our elders at Skillman Church of Christ, discusses the role of servanthood in the church. Each and every member of God's family is called to be a servant of those in the body (as well as to those outside of the body). This week, Mike shares with the congregation the desire to continue this aspect of the community's life together with intentionality as we move into 2018.
Every year, as the calendar turns from one year to the next, we have the opportunity to be reminded and to take action. We are reminded that we are still growing towards God and that we can move ourselves toward God. And we can take action as we seek to follow God's will for our lives. As we enter into 2018, may we remember that it is God who leads us, and that we have the chance to follow.
The Gospel of Mark doesn't begin as Matthew and Luke's Gospels with the story of Jesus' birth. It doesn't start with the creation as John's Gospel does. It opens with a message from the wilderness: prepare the way for the Lord. During the Christmas season, we are reminded that we have a message and a work to do--to prepare the world for the coming of Christ.
This week, we had the joy of witnessing the blessing of 6 children who were born into our congregation this year: George Johnson, Tamilore McMillon, Emmalyn Norman, Joseph Stovall, Diego Villarreal, and Thomas Williams.