Radiant Church Podcast: Recent Episodes
Ryan Bates
Growing in Christ that we may glorify Christ. Check out our website radiantofcamas.org for more gospel-centered resources.
Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 10:23-27
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.
Hebrews 9:11-14
11But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. 13The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,[c] so that we may serve the living God!
HEBREWS 5:11-14
11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
Hebrews 3:12-15
12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. 15 As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
Hebrews 2:1-4
1 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2 For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
Hebrews 1:10-14
10[But of the Son he says,] “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; 11 they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, 12 like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.” 13 And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?
Hebrews 1:1-4
1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
Mark 2:3-12
And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7“Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
Psalm 51
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions…Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me…Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. (from Psalm 51)
Psalm 56
This Psalm comes from the lowest point in David's life. No army, no home, on the run, and in the hometown of his greatest enemies. It got so bad that he pretended to be insane so he could escape.
You might not be running for your life, but maybe you're experiencing anxiety all the same. How do you talk to God in moments of fear? David shows us four ways.
John 20:1-18
Mary was looking for a dead Savior, when the living Jesus met her. Oftentimes, we look to Jesus to provide us with our version of salvation while ignoring the better hope that is staring us right in the face in the person of our risen Lord.
Our salvation is not accomplished by our ability to wise up and chose a better worldview. We are rescued when Jesus calls our name. Have you found that kind of impervious hope?
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit
Matthew 5:1-12
When we look at the Sermon on the Mount we see what looks like upside down norms. Love my enemies? Bless those who curse me?? But as we dig in we really see that this is how we live upright in an upside-down world. The Sermon is more than a moralistic checklist of things we need to do to be accepted by God. It's a Mirror that shows us who we really are so that we're driven to the cross, and it's a message that shows us what the grace-transformed life looks like.
Seth Gruber is a professional public speaker focused on equipping Christians and pro-life advocates to make a gracious, winsome, and persuasive case of their pro-life beliefs in the public square. His approach, while not shying away from the moral question of abortion, focuses on giving you the tools you need to effectively and lovingly engage your co-workers, friends, and family members on the issue of abortion.
In our series "Living in the Dawn" we're exploring the "Already and Not Yet" of the Kingdom of God. The darkness has not yet gone, but the sun is rising.
Matthew 11:1-6 — When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.
Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
Matthew 4:1-17
In our series "Living in the Dawn" we're exploring the "Already and Not Yet" of the Kingdom of God. The darkness has not yet gone, but the sun is rising.
In this fascinating passage, we see much more than how to "memorize 3 verses to beat the devil." We see Jesus's connection to something far deeper and more sustaining. If we're going to see the schemes of the tempter for what they are, we need to see that connection as we wield the sword of the Spirit–the Word of God.
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Matthew 3:13-17, 18:23-27, 14:22-33
We know why Jesus was born, why he died and why he rose again, but why did Jesus live? We're launching a new series today called "Living in the Dawn: His Kingdom Come."
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"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” – Proverbs 1:7
“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul,” – Deuteronomy 10:12
Deuteronomy 30:11-20
Why did God have Abraham cut animals in half? And what does it have to do with us?
Why did God rescue Israel out of slavery. He had called them to be a people who are to reflect His radiance and glory in a dark and chaotic world. The problem is that in the wilderness Israel has not been the blessing God intended. Instead they have only added to the rebellion/chaos. Now as they are on the cusp of stepping into the Promised Land… Moses delivers a series of sermons instructing them how they can be a people through whom Heaven touches earth. At the heart of these sermons is Deuteronomy 6. Here we see 5 ways we can become the blessing God has called us to be.
In this bizarre story we see a false prophet who is determined to curse God, but there's one problem, God won't let it happen. Even using a donkey to stop him, God is determined to protect his people and bless them at all costs. From Numbers 22-24.
Radiant At Home
What are two things that stopped the Israelites from entering into the Promised Land God had for them? Fear and Rebellion. Unsurprisingly, these same two things hold us back today.
Numbers 11:1-20
We all have bad days, even bad seasons or years (I'm looking at you 2020), but what we do with it is up to us. We can complain like the Israelites, or we can lament like Moses. But sometimes, just like with Israel, if God gives you your will, it's judgement, if he gives you his will, it's mercy.
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People love bizarre stories. Whenever you experience something truly bizarre… you can’t wait to tell someone about it. Join us as we look to one of the most bizarre stories found in scripture., which contains a vital lesson for the disciple of Jesus. A lesson we must get… if we are to be fruitful followers of Jesus.
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Micah 5:1-5
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf. The people of Israel will be abandoned to their enemies until the woman in labor gives birth. Then at last his fellow countrymen will return from exile to their own land. And he will stand to lead his flock with the LORD’s strength, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. Then his people will live there undisturbed, for he will be highly honored around the world. And he will be the source of peace.
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. And he shall be their peace. Micah 5:1-5a
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Jesus comes as the unlikely Shepherd King of His people.
“Advent” come from the Latin word for “coming” or “arrival.” It's a time when we look back and celebrate the first coming of Jesus, but also step into the anticipation and longing of Israel, realizing that our longings are only fulfilled in Christ. We also look forward to the second advent where he’ll come back not as a baby but as the reigning king.
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Advent simply means “coming.” And when it relates to the coming of Jesus into the world. It’s both amazing and mysterious. Join us as we dive into this prophesy from Micah 5.
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In the end of the book of Exodus Israel has finished building the dwelling place for the Lord–the Tabernacle. This has been God’s desire all along, to be with His people. But as the glory of God fills the tent, even Moses couldn’t enter in, but as we move through the story through Leviticus and into Numbers, we see the phrase “The Lord spoke to Moses…in the tent.” (Num. 1:1). Our hearts most need the presence of God, but how can it be that sinful humanity can be in the presence of God in His holiness? Atonement.
Resources
The story of the Tabernacle takes up 15 chapters in the book of Exodus. But if we’re honest, it’s often a section we skim over. But to do that would be a mistake. There is incredible significance in each piece. The tabernacle is not just a weird tent, but a map back home. Something that points back to our first home in Eden and forward to our true dwelling in Christ.
Resources
Exodus 20:12-17 – “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. “You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.”
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Exodus 20:1-11 – Jesus said that the greatest commandment was that we love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind. While this famous pronouncement is well known to all Christians… what it means is often misunderstood. Many could take this to mean that if I have warm feelings for God, or if, in my own way, I am doing what can to show love to God then I am obeying the greatest commandment. However, by looking at the first table of the Ten Commandments we discover what God has in mind when He calls us to love Him fully. Join us as we look at each of the first four commandments to learn how we can grow in loving God with all our heart, soul and mind.
Radiant At Home
Exodus 20
- “You shall have no other gods before me.
- “You shall not make for yourself an idol.
- “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
- “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
- “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
- “You shall not murder.
- “You shall not commit adultery.
- “You shall not steal.
- “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
- “You shall not covet
Exodus 19:1-9 – If you are uncertain or have a distorted view of your identity you will be lost indeed. In fact we are not likely to stumble into fulfilling our destiny. In order to be intentional in the pursuit of our calling we must have knowledge of or remember what we are called to be. In Exodus 19 God reminds the Israelites about who they are. Join us as we see that God’s people are ones who have experienced a miraculous rescue and have been called to obey God in order to bring blessing into our world.
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The Children of Israel spent 40 years in the wilderness (a barren wasteland where they were unable to provide themselves with sustenance). During this time God provided them with fresh manna without fail. Join us as we see that God did this not only to provide them with much needed food, but to reveal something to them about His nature, our own nature, and how not to live by “bread alone” but by every word the comes from the mouth of God.
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The story of the Exodus is the biggest and most important story in the Old Testament. The climax of that amazing story isn't the burning bush or the parting of the Red Sea, but the Passover, the final plague that liberated the Israelites from their slavery. The Passover is much more than God's judgement, it's God's provision for the salvation of his people, and it points to the ultimate Passover Lamb whose blood was shed and placed on the doorpost of our hearts, so we can celebrate the new Passover feast at the Lord's table as we anticipate the ultimate marriage supper of the Lamb.
Radiant At Home
Numbers 6:22-26 – The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,
The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.”
Take home Resources
Exodus 3:1-15 – And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed…
God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”…
Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.
We’re launching a new series–Moses and the Torah! In this first story of Moses and the basket we learn something about God’s faithfulness, but in comes in unexpected ways. How can God be faithful in the middle of hundreds of years of brutal slavery and now genocide? Amazingly, God’s not just faithful to you, God’s faithful through you
It’s been the craziest year ever for the church. Between lockdowns and viruses, fires and floods, 2020 has thrown us a serious curveball. So where do we go from here? What does the future look like for Radiant Church. In this special message and presentation we are answering that question in 3 major areas: Community Groups, Youth Ministry, and Kid’s Ministry.
We’ve had an incredible year of growth and God has continued to be faithful through all of it. We’ve made some new hires and we’re excited to pump some energy into these vital areas.
Luke 7:11-17 –Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him.12As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her.13When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”
14Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!”15The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
16They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.”17This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.
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When it comes to commenting on faith Jesus was not Politically Correct. He had no problem rebuking people for their little faith. However in this passage Jesus marvels at the great faith of the centurion. Join us as we look at this great faith so that we can become a people who's faith causes the Lord to marvel.
Matthew 8:5-13 - When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.
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Matthew 8:23-27 – And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”
We all have storms that we encounter in life. What do they look like and how can we engage with our suffering in a way that makes us stronger and better on the other side?
Radiant At Home
Luke 5:1-11 – Simon Peter was fishing all night and caught nothing until a carpenter told him to try one more time. He caught so many fish it almost broke the nets and sank the boat! But this miracle wasn’t about the fish. That’s why Peter’s responded not with joy…but with fear. What is this about? What is Jesus telling us? And how does he respond to Simon (soon to be called Peter) in this crucial moment?
Radiant At home
In this amazing story we see good friends help somebody who was in desperate need when they lower their paralytic friend through a roof in front of Jesus. But Jesus’s response is interesting, He simply says, “your sins are forgiven.” This tells us that our greatest issue isn’t our suffering or our circumstances, it’s our sin. How does Jesus get us out?
Radiant At Home
The miracles of Jesus are a significant part of his ministry. The book of John calls them "signs," meaning they point to something else. So what could the miracle of changing water into wine point to? Click the button below for our Radiant at Home resources.
Radiant At home
When we say something is a "matter of life and death" we mean it can't be more serious. In the same way, the book of Proverbs gives us wisdom that our life depends on. Death is not just an event but a state of existence in conflict to life that we can experience right now. Life is a vitality of our whole person that we can experience right now. God is calling all of us to die less and live more. How do we do it?
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Money holds an interesting place in the human heart, revealing much. Understanding this relationship can be a very helpful discipleship tool… one that Jesus spoke to often in His teaching. Today, we will take a look at what the book of Proverbs teaches us about being wise in regards to wealth.
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Proverbs – The emotions we feel and the emotions we observe in others has a tremendous impact on us. If we are wise we must both understand our emotions and sanctify our emotions, so that we might be the radiant church we are called to be. As we will see… emotions get out of control when we lose sight of our heavenly resources. To understand this we will look at what Proverbs has to say about 3 key emotions.
Presently… there is much to be concerned about. As such anxiety is widespread and the hearts of many are weighed down. I may not be able to change what’s happening, but I can give a good word that makes a heavy heart glad. We have the capacity to shape our cultural moment with the words we share with friends, neighbors, enemies and strangers. As we continue our study in the book of proverbs we seek Heaven’s wisdom… that our words would be pleasing to God and healing to our world.
This is one of the darkest hours in our society in recent years. Division, turmoil, injustice, pandemic, economic fragility. How can we possibly respond to all of this? How can we avoid burying our head in the sand but at the same time not being overwhelmed by the need? We can do what Jesus told us to do–love your neighbor as yourself. This simple but revolutionary idea can transform our circles of influence, and even our society at large.
We do work more than any other activity. So if the gospel connects to all of life, then it certainly connects to work as well.
According to Mr T… fools are much to be pitied. Certainly nobody wants to be a fool. Beyond simply telling us to avoid foolishness… the book of Proverbs articulates the habits of the fool that we might identify them in our lives and turn to wisdom. Join us as we dive into this descriptions and learn the way out of foolishness.
Proverbs 3 – Join us for church at Radiant! It is often thought that making a wise choice requires that we sufficiently quiet our emotions, so that we can look at things in a purely rational manner. The problem is that humans were not made to make decisions in this way. Even the most rationally minded people make decisions based on intuition (how they feel about things) and not pure logic. We cannot make a choice without the heart. Therefore, we cannot walk in wisdom unless our heart is pointed in the right direction. Our passage provides three ways to attend to our heart, so that wisdom will become our intuition not just our goal.
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Proverbs 1:20-33 – Wisdom's Warning! – The sound of an alarm is never something someone enjoys hearing. However, alarms are incredibly helpful in serving us from disaster. Proverbs 1:20-33 is a warning bell calling us out of foolishness and into wisdom. Join us as we seek to heed the sound of the wisdom’s warning.
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By all accounts, wisdom is something everybody wants; but clearly it is not something everybody has. It is one thing to desire wisdom and its fruit, but quite another to do what is necessary to obtain it. In Proverbs 1:1-7 we learn how to begin our journey into wisdom by understanding the source, the action, and the attitude of wisdom. Join us as endeavor to leave the starting block and get to the business of growing in the wisdom of God.
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Proverbs 8:12-36
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How do we live life in between the rules? What is wisdom? What value is it to us? How do we get it? Listen to hear more as we begin a new series in Proverbs.
A Funeral Interrupted – John 11 – Funerals are difficult things. But in this story from John 11, Jesus doesn't just participate in a funeral, He interrupts one. He shows us how even our ancient and greatest enemy–death–couldn't hold onto Jesus, and can't hold onto us.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 – During quarantine many of us find ourselves rather bored. We desire distraction to take our mind off of what we’re missing. But what if I told you your boredom didn’t just come from a lack of activity…but a lack of self-control? Self-control usually isn’t our favorite fruit, but it finishes out the list well with something that vital for the Christian life.
Numbers 12:1-16 – As we're spending more time with our families and online, we need gentleness more than ever. It's a time to shine the light of Christ in a dark world of aggression and assertion. But does gentleness mean you let people walk all over you? Aren't we supposed to speak truth? Gentleness is not avoiding hard conversations, but engaging them in such a way that people get the truth and God's love for them. We are not after winning arguments, but winning people.
Even though we have to be socially distant, we don’t have to be spiritually distant. Live-streaming every Sunday at 10am.