Renewal Church: Recent Episodes
Renewal Church Memphis
Tune in to the sermons from our Sunday worship gatherings. Renewal Church is located in Memphis, TN, with our lead teaching pastor, Chris Bennett. For more information, visit our website at www.renewalmemphis.com
Sunday, May 5, 2024
Chris Bennett
Revelation 4:1-11
video credit: "Divine Counsel" by the Bible Project
https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/divine-council/?utm_source=web_social_share&medium=shared_video
Sunday, March 17, 2024
Chris Bennett
Revelation 2:12-17
Unseen Realm: Naked Bible Podcast
https://nakedbiblepodcast.com/newstarthere/
Sunday, Nov 26, 2023
Chris Bennett
1 Corinthians 16:10-24
The Pause App- https://www.pauseapp.com/
Sunday, October 29, 2023
Chris Bennett
1 Corinthians 15:29-49
Songs used in the presentation:
Wickam, Phil. (2021). Hymn Of Heaven. On Hymn Of Heaven. Retrieved from https://music.apple.com/us/album/hymn-of-heaven/1566041335?i=1566041337
DiMarco, Kristene. (2015). It Is Well (Live). On Mighty (Live). Retrieved from https://music.apple.com/us/album/it-is-well-live/1440827919?i=1440828266
Sunday, Aug 6, 2023
Chris Bennett
Luke 9:28-42
cover art:
Transfiguration by Feofan Grek from Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral in Pereslavl-Zalessky (15th c, Tretyakov gallery)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feast_of_the_Transfiguration
Sunday, July 30, 2023
1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1
Video Credit-
"Luke 10:25-37 - The Good Samaritan"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8mz3C6hKf0
Sunday, Feb 5
1 Corinthians 1:18–25
The people of Corinth emphasized beautiful rhetoric. It awed and inspired them. But it was futile in bringing about a knowledge of God. When Paul arrived there, he proclaimed the irreducible power of the cross of Christ rather than fluff. The cross was not only brutal, but the most humiliating form of capital punishment in the ancient world. It was repulsive to both Jews and Greeks (Corinth is in Greece). But Paul insisted that the cross is the power of God — the means by which we are transformed and saved. The Corinthian believers had strayed from the cross with their selfish rivalries, their boasting, and their scandalous sinfulness. They had drifted from the glory and love of God revealed in the cross and, consequently, they lost sight of the priority of orienting their lives according to the cross. Paul wrote to call them back to the cross. May we also answer this call.
Sunday, Jan 22 - 1 Corinthians 1:1-9
1 Corinthians video overview:
https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/1-corinthians/?utm_source=web_social_share&medium=shared_video
Intro:
Welcome to Corinth! In the ancient world, this cosmopolitan city connecting Europe and Asia was well known for its sexual promiscuity, wealth and greed, along with its religious diversity and idolatry. The Apostle Paul spent many months of his life here making disciples. But several years have passed and the church seems to have relapsed into many of its old pagan habits. Paul writes to set them straight. And he begins by reminding them about Jesus. In the first nine verses alone, he mentions Jesus nine times. To Paul, Jesus is the most irreducible truth in the universe. Everything hinges on Jesus Christ and the plan that God is slowly and irreversibly revealing through him and how Jesus seeks to live out that plan through us, his followers.
“For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” - 1 Corinthians 2:2
This Sunday, we conclude our study on the Book of Philippians with one of the most recognizable statements in all of Scripture:
“I can do all things through him who strengthens me“ (Philippians 4:13).
These words were written by the Apostle Paul from prison, unjustly incarcerated for preaching the gospel in the Roman Empire. Facing an uncertain future of ongoing pain and maybe even the temptation to despair, he recognized God‘s invitation – to grow further in an unshakable contentment and an uncanny peace provided for him in Christ.
Will we also accept this invitation?
We’re taking a few weeks to reflect on or most deeply held values. This week, we are continuing to restate our “why” related to gathering together. According to Ephesians 4, spiritual maturity is not an individual burden, but one we all bear together. Spiritual maturity is our growth together as a body of believers. Specifically, we grow in the skill of love. Enduring, forgiving, restorative, life-giving love for one another.
We’re taking a few weeks to reflect on or most deeply held values. Last week, we restated our desire that the Gospel of Jesus Christ be our everything — our starting line, our finish line, and what propels us. This week, we are restating our “why” related to gathering together. According to Ephesians 4, spiritual maturity is not an individual burden, but one we all bear together. Spiritual maturity is our growth together as a body of believers. Specifically, we grow in the skill of love. Enduring, forgiving, restorative, life-giving love for one another.
Our New Home!
We’re finally here! Our new home: 5016 Summer Ave. Join us this Sunday at 10:00am for a brief service of thanksgiving as we celebrate what God has done and is doing among us and through us! Come check out the new, almost-complete space, and enjoy a MEMPOP while you’re at it! Wear something comfortable (AC will be on, but not yet at full capacity). And unfortunately, no childcare will be available just yet.
We are so excited to start meeting at our new location! Stay tuned for updates on developments and details. Should you have any questions, feel free to email info@renewalmemphis.com.
As we are preparing to relocate, our video equipment is in transition, thus our livestream will be unavailable for a few weeks. We apologize for the inconvenience.
In Philippians 3, Paul gave a strange warning. He said to “look out for the dogs.” Did he have some sort of canine phobia or was he speaking metaphorically? He then goes on to say something else sort of weird — he said that those of us who worship God by the Spirit are “the circumcision.” Why does he equate this very specific and cringeworthy surgical procedure with true Christianity? There’s a lot going on here, but when it’s all said and done, we will see that we are being given an astounding invitation into a new way of life that is true freedom and relief and transformation.
Sunday, July 3 Philippians 2:1-18
In Philippians 2:5, the Apostle Paul entreated the small group of believers in the Greek city of Philippi (aka the church there) to “have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.”
He had just finished encouraging them to practice friendship in an entirely new and counterintuitive way. Rather than just surviving this life – just watching out for “you and yours” – they were to integrate themselves with other image-bearers of God, intentionally living in such a way that they were to humbly seek the betterment of others.
And while this surely requires effort, it’s not alien to those of us who believe – as though we have to reach for something outside of ourselves we don’t have. Paul said something surprising: that the mind and heart of humility are already ours in Jesus! Within us, by God’s grace, are the raw materials to live humble, other-centered lives for the glory of Jesus and the good of all people.
In Philippians 2:5, the Apostle Paul entreated the small group of believers in the Greek city of Philippi (aka the church there) to “have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.”
He had just finished encouraging them to practice friendship in an entirely new and counterintuitive way. Rather than just surviving this life – just watching out for “you and yours” – they were to integrate themselves with other image-bearers of God, intentionally living in such a way that they were to humbly seek the betterment of others.
And while this surely requires effort, it’s not alien to those of us who believe – as though we have to reach for something outside of ourselves we don’t have. Paul said something surprising: that the mind and heart of humility are already ours in Jesus! Within us, by God’s grace, are the raw materials to live humble, other-centered lives for the glory of Jesus and the good of all people.
Sunday, May 29 Philippians 1:27-30
Grace comes to our lives in several unique ways. It’s surprising and overwhelming at times. Madeleine L’ Engle said, “We are suspicious of grace. We are afraid of the very lavishness of the gift. But a child rejoices in presents!” Normally we see grace as unmerited favor. Grace is also unmerited strength to follow in Jesus’ footsteps. Come join us as we discover this facet of grace.
Sunday, May 22 Philippians 1:12-26
Toward the end of Philippians 1, the Apostle Paul confessed that he was “hard pressed,” conflicted by two competing desires. On the one hand, he wanted to depart this world and be with Jesus. It wasn’t because he wanted to merely escape the trials of this life, but because he had come to love Jesus so profoundly. He longed to be in the presence of his Lord.
On the other hand, he felt much affection and responsibility for those he had trained in Christ. He knew they would need him for the sake of their own “progress and joy in the faith.”
Paul. Unjustly incarcerated. In barbaric conditions. And what is he wrestling with? Love. His love for Jesus and his love for his young brothers and sisters in Christ.
May God transform our hearts in such a way that we also become more and more hard pressed between these two loves.
Sunday, May 15 Philippians 1:12-18
What do you think about suffering? Besides not liking it, can you see any value to it? Some people say things like, “It will all work out for the good,” or “There’s a reason for this.” That may be true, but there’s something even holier, more divine, and more meaningful related to our afflictions. In Philippians 1:13, the Apostle Paul asserted that his “imprisonment is for Christ.” Though he’d prefer deliverance (1:19), he didn’t view suffering as something to escape at all costs. Nor did he view suffering merely as a pathway to a more “blessed” future. His suffering was filled with divine purpose as it became the unexpected occasion for Paul to joyously demonstrate his devotion to Jesus and, even deeper, to reveal the infinite worth and beauty of Jesus! An outsider might have observed, “How wonderful must this Christ be that this man would so willingly suffer for him, and do it with joy?” Truly, as Paul said, “to live is Christ” (1:21).
Sunday, May 8 Philippians 1:1-11
We begin a new series on the Letter of Philippians, Pressing On. It’s about a small congregation in the heart of the militaristic and calloused Roman Empire whose very existence could elicit threats and danger. It’s about a community of believers – imperfect as all such communities are – whom Paul referred to as “saints.” And it’s about the preserving power of the Holy Spirit in these and all believers’ lives, which is why the he could assert that, despite all the adverse pressure, God would complete the work he began in them. And in us.
Sunday, May 1 Acts 3:1-10
God’s Love for the Struggling - Psalm 41:1 (NIV) - Proverbs 19:17 (NIV) - Psalm 35:10 (NIV) - Psalm 68:5 (NIV) 400 Scriptures refer to the poor...
If God means it, what keeps me from engaging? 1. We define who is deserving 2. Unwilling to engage for the long haul or deeply 3. Our desire for stuff 4. Living as if our resources are limited Isaiah 58:10 (NIV)
Three things Peter and John gave Away (A Template for our faith) 1. Time 2. Respect 3. Jesus I Peter 4:11 (NIV) Result: Amazement!
Sunday, April 24 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
The Apostle Paul founded a church in the ancient city of Corinth. Like much of the Greek world, it was pagan and decadent. Sadly, some of the values and assumptions of the surrounding society began to creep back up in the Corinthian church, leading to a host of scandalous dysfunctions requiring Paul’s urgent attention. He addresses these issues and as he begins to conclude his letter, he reminds them of the most important thing he ever shared with them: the gospel. He reminds them that the gospel is their foundation and the animating force of their lives. He reminds them that that they heard him preach the gospel, they received the gospel, they stand in it, and are they are being saved by it. It’s not just a doctrine or an idea; it’s the power of God. Those who experience renewal in Jesus are those whose lives are nourished in the gospel. But what does this mean? What is the gospel? How do we engage it leading to our transformation?
Easter Sunday April 17 - John 20
It’s the morning of the first Easter. Mary Magdalene stands outside the garden tomb in tears. Traumatized from witnessing the torture and death of her Lord, she’s mustered all her strength to come and tend to his body. But he’s gone! Was killing him not enough? Now they resort to stealing his body?
She can’t bear the pain. She breaks down. It seems as though her tears carry more than her own pain – she bears witness to the sorrow of all of human history. All the suffering. All the sin. All the loss. But before she collapses in despair, a voice speaks to her.
“Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”
She turns and everything changes. Everything.
That same voice speaks to us today. It’s an invitation. To seek Jesus. The one who has the words of Spirit and life. He who is the resurrection from the dead. The one on whom we can cast every care, every wound, every addiction, every shame, every tragedy, every death.
In our tears he speaks to us. Who are you seeking?
Will you turn to face him?
Palm Sunday, April 10 John 12:1-36
We come to what many see as Jesus’ final sign — his triumphal entry into Jerusalem where a multitude greeted him with waved palm branches (hence, Palm Sunday). What might seem like a strange act of worship made a lot of sense back then. Almost 200 years earlier, the Jewish liberator, Judas Maccabaeus, overthrew ruthless Greek invaders, ending centuries of their dominion of Israel. His followers then entered Jerusalem waving palm branches in celebration that they had a new king. The Jews of Jesus’ day also had liberation in mind. Jesus had recently raised a man from the dead! Surely this is the Messiah who would deliver Israel from the Romans. Surely, they would finally be ruled by the Messiah. But Jesus’ idea of freedom was more far-reaching and thorough than anyone could have imagined. We hope you join us this Sunday as we continue our series in the Gospel of John.
In John 11, Jesus raised a his close friend, Lazarus, from the dead. This is a story that is as strange as it is astounding. Why did Jesus wait two days once he got word that Lazarus was deathly ill? Why did Jesus allow Lazarus’ sisters, Mary and Martha, to grieve the death of their beloved brother when he could’ve immediately healed him? In this passage, we see the goodness of God, but we’re also faced with the question of just how good God really is. We hope you will worship with us this Sunday as we engage this incredible text and are humbled by both God’s mystery and his steadfast love for us.
Jesus has just fed the 5,000 – one of his “signs” as highlighted in John’s Gospel. He will soon reveal that he is the true bread from heaven and whoever feeds on this bread will live forever. But, right in between these two passages, we find the disciples on a boat with the wind blowing and the waters churning. As Jesus approaches the boat, the disciples see him walking on water, to which Christ responds, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” Why would Jesus choose to walk upon the water as he journeys toward the disciples' boat? Join us this Sunday as we dive further into this unique encounter between Jesus and his disciples.
Sunday, March 20 John 9:1-41
Jesus was and is unceasingly remarkable! In John 9, he healed a blind man. This man who was once confined to darkness now had sight – something we all take for granted. He could now make his way around in the world on his own. But Jesus is always up to more than we realize because he also gave this man spiritual sight. Where God was once a shadow to this man, he was now bursting forth in vivid color. This man could now make his way around the world with God’s heart and God’s perspective. We all need new eyes to navigate this world. May the power of Jesus open all of our eyes!
Sunday, March 13 John 2:13-25
This Sunday we’re going to talk about the time Jesus cleansed the temple. You know, that time Jesus made a whip and angrily drove out the people who had turned the temple into a market. Easily one of the more provocative stories about Jesus. How in the world does this reveal the glory and the grace of God?
This Sunday, we reach Jesus’ next sign in the Gospel of John: the feeding of the 5,000 (John 6). In this story, Jesus says some strange things about himself — that he is bread, that his followers are to eat his flesh and drink his blood. What did he mean? The clue may be in the middle of the story when Jesus emphasized the one thing his would-be followers must do. They must believe in him. One thing that is clear in this story is that belief is far more than merely having the right data about God stored in our brains. Faith is not passive. It has the features of movement and action. It is nourished by engagement — by the eating of Jesus’ flesh and drinking of his blood. Or, as Jesus said another way, abiding in him. When you think of faith, what comes to your mind? How would you describe your faith?
Sunday, Feb 20 John 5:1-17
Video Clip: "The Perfect Opportunity." The Chosen, season 2, episode 4, Loves & Fishes Production, May 2021. Angel Studios, www.angelstudios.com/thechosen
Sunday, Feb 13 John 4:43-54
Jesus’ ministry was quite paradoxical at times. He performed many signs and wonders, but was frustrated by people who followed him only to see miracles. At the end of John 4, we meet an official whose son was gravely ill. This man, in desperation, sought Jesus, requesting that he come to his house to see his son. Jesus’ response seems abrupt. “Go; your son will live.” Come to find out, his son began to recover the moment Jesus uttered those words!
What is it that John wants us to know about Jesus and his kingdom as we ponder this story?
We may find the answer as we look at this man.
Rather than continue to beg Jesus to come to his home, he believed. He trusted that Jesus had authority over life and death. To be sure, this man wanted a miracle. But his faith in Jesus’ words stands out in this story. In perhaps the most vulnerable and terrifying moment of his life, he trusted in the words of the one who is the Word made flesh.
His son was healed. But that wasn’t the only miracle that day. In faith, he surrendered to Jesus.
Sunday, Feb 6 Matthew 28:16-20
If you've spent any time at all in the church, you've no doubt heard of the "Great Commission" that Jesus gives in Matthew chapter 28. There, the resurrected Jesus meets with his disciples to give them some parting words. To show them that in his defeat of death, he is truly the one with all authority in heaven and on earth. The Nazarene peasant that they had been following for the better part of 3 years is indeed the promised Messiah. King Jesus, then commands them to continue the kingdom work that they had witnessed through him – Baptize. Teach. Obey... everything that they saw and heard him do... and continue to do that. None of what you've just read is probably new to you. Think through the past 3 years. Political Craziness. Racial tension. A Global Pandemic. Isolation. There are so many unanswered questions, there is so much hurt, pain, loss, grief – and doubt. How, in the midst of all of this, are we to carry out King Jesus' command to make disciples? We believe the answer to that question lies in Jesus final words in Matthew's gospel "And behold, I am with you always until the end of the age." Our hope is to press into what we believe is the most important, yet may be the least acknowledged command in the great commission. Beholding Jesus.
“Rest means putting yourself near God with God, in a time of quietness every day. You put yourself with God just as you are, empty perhaps, but hungry and thirsty for Him. You can be very near to Him in your naked sincerity; and He will do the rest. drawing out from you the longings deeper than you ever knew were there, and pouring into you trust and love.” –Michael Ramsey, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1961-1974
Sunday, Jan 2, 2022 2 Corinthians 5:17-21
Release The Past Embrace The Present Anticipate The Future
Instead of gathering in person on the final Sunday of each year, we rest in order to give a much-needed break to all of our wonderful volunteers, leaders, and staff. But that doesn’t mean we don’t worship on the Lord’s Day! We hope you will join us online for a brief worship service this Sunday. Merry Christmas and may you all have a happy and grace-filled New Year!
Sunday, Dec 19 1 John 3:11-18
It’s Christmas Sunday, the fourth and final Sunday of Advent! Over the last few weeks, we have journeyed from hope to preparation to joy and, now, to love. For 2000 years, Jesus has been offering people the incredible invitation of abundant life, if only we would abide in him. And nothing reveals more clearly whether we are abiding in God than our love. Do we increasingly exude the love of God? In Matthew 24:12, Jesus said that many people’s love would grow cold leading up to his return. But his people would grow in love! Love, the Apostle John said, is perfected in God’s people. What an invitation — that despite the impoverished condition of this world, our hearts would come alive in our chests as we fellowship with God! Praise the Lord! Blessed be his name!
If you observe the tradition of the Advent wreath, you’ve noticed that there’s one candle – the pink one – that stands out among the rest. It represents joy, or rejoicing, and it marks a shift from waiting and preparation to a joyous anticipation of the coming of the Lord. Christmas Day is near!
But joy didn’t end the day after Christmas. The Apostle Paul encouraged believers with these words in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18:
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Rejoicing is not merely a reaction to something good that has already happened. Joy is also a practice for when times are bad. Our rejoicing, even in the face of pain, is a declaration that all the bad news and calamities of this world do not have the last word.
Jesus is coming.
Sin, brokenness, injustice, trauma, sickness and disease, and death itself will all be defeated.
So let us rejoice!
The season of Advent is a time of preparation, first for Christmas as we enter into the ancient Israelite yearning for the Messiah. It’s also preparation for his second and final advent, when he will make all things new.
Between that first Christmas and his Second Coming, the church (that’s us!) is sent into our chaotic, hurting, and rebellious world, equipped with an invitation – an invitation to live under Jesus’ reign.
The good news is that we don’t have to live any longer under the cruel dictatorship of selfishness, addiction, hatred, and fear. We can learn to live trustingly under the loving and gentle rule of Jesus (aka discipleship). And when he does return one day (and he will!), we will be more than ready to see him and we will feel so overjoyed!
“Finally!” we will shout! “My Savior!” “My God!” All the waiting and all the anticipation…the endurance and the patience…pressing through the doubts…
Jesus really was worth it all.
Week 37: Unstoppable Kingdom - A Journey Through Acts November 14 - Acts 28
Over the last couple of weeks in our series on the Book of Acts, we’ve slowed down a bit to sharpen our focus on transformation.
Specifically, we acknowledge that God loves us, and out of that love, calls us to repent (aka a change of mind/heart ultimately leading to a change in our behavior). He does this because he doesn’t want to leave us where we are – in our sin, our addiction, our selfishness, our paranoia, and our pain.
But there’s another reason he calls us to repent. He desires to use us – in our gradually transforming state – to bring healing to those around us… because he loves them, too!
So there’s a lot at stake.
The million-dollar question, of course, is how to engage this transformation. And that’s what we’re talking about this Sunday in our final session on the Book of Acts.
Week 36: Unstoppable Kingdom - A Journey Through Acts Nov 7, 2021 - Galatians 5:19-25
As we’ve studied the Book of Acts this year, many of us have noticed a contrast between the early church and our own. This has led to a longing for God to do among us what he did so many centuries ago — the manifestation of his power, his deliverance, the transformation of our world, and a church singularly devoted to the glory of Jesus and the good of all people. Curiously, these primitive believers didn’t have all the advantages we have today: countless bible studies and curricula, conferences, worship music, and the like. What they did have was a sincere faith and simple (not shallow) practices that guided their lives. What if we who have been rescued by Jesus adopted those same practices?
As we near the end of our study on the Book of Acts, we journey with Paul back to Jerusalem as he finishes his third missionary journey. As he’s preached the gospel throughout the Roman Empire, he’s also been raising money to bring back to the needy Jerusalem church.
But he stumbles into a powder keg. Revolution is in the air. Partisan tensions abound. Everyone is on edge. Fear permeates day-to-day life. Sound familiar?
What can we learn from Paul as we contemplate how to live according to the way of Jesus in our fragile world?
One of the most moving and passionate scenes in all of Scripture took place at a seaport town when the Apostle Paul, about to board a ship to Jerusalem where he expected to suffer, summoned some of his closest friends to bid them farewell. Just before his ominous journey, he and his disciples knelt down and prayed together, wept, and embraced one other. And then these men kissed him, their spiritual father.
Few of us know the depths of love that these men experienced with one another. Their relationships were shaped by the kingdom of God. This is the way it’s supposed to be! But, sadly, many of us have learned to keep a “healthy distance” between ourselves and other believers (which is actually unhealthy). We expect that, eventually, something will go awry, that what is good and beneficial in the church will be swallowed up by something sinister or, at least, some disappointment.
But it doesn’t have to be this way! God has called his church to be a place of deep camaraderie and enduring friendship as we come together in faith to advance his kingdom.
Week 32: Unstoppable Kingdom - A Journey Through Acts September 5, 2021 - Acts 18:24-19:8
Toward the end of the Apostle Paul’s ministry, he went to a large pagan city in Asia called Ephesus. Breaking ground here would be difficult. This city was decadent, idolatrous, and would likely be resistant to the gospel. Many church-planters today would likely opt to launch somewhere else. Not Paul. Soon, he found a dozen disciples of John the Baptist. Remember, John was Jesus’ cousin and he told everyone that Jesus was the Messiah, the king of Israel and redeemer of all humanity. But these guys hadn’t heard of Jesus! They were still following the old way. So Paul took these 12 people and taught them — among many others — for the next two years (Imagine the Apostle Paul discipling you for two years!). And this is what the scriptures say happened as a result of their training: “all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord.” Do you think God can do this again in our city? Do you think that God can break the hard ground of our community and society so that people can hear the gospel? Do you think that God can renew lives and transform our city? We think so.
We live in a day and age when it seems like everything is being questioned. There is a rapidly growing belief that whatever we’ve been told about this or that is probably wrong, that there is a dark “other side” to the story that’s been kept from us.
Sadly, this is sometimes true and as people of the truth, we need to acknowledge this. For instance, if you’re familiar with Church history, right alongside the stories of heroic and self-sacrificing saints are horrific stories of abuse and mistreatment of non-Christian people. This is one reason why many people today are rethinking the faith.
But this is not how it all began. The advancement of the way of Jesus was done precisely according to the way of Jesus – courageously sharing the truth of the gospel from a posture of self-sacrificing humility and relentless love. And when there was suffering, it was Jesus’ followers who were enduring the beatings and death (not the other way around).
Why? Because God loves all people and wants all people to be a part of his family. Jesus’ earliest followers got this. It was the gravitational center of their lives as it should be for all who have surrendered to our Lord.
This Sunday we begin the Apostle Paul’s second journey into the unbelieving, pagan Roman world. Let’s watch him and his small band of colleagues exude the love of God. Maybe we can learn a few things.
This Sunday Pastor Chris presents our potential new location! This whole year we’ve been studying the Book of Acts, learning how God advances his kingdom through the church. And we are eager to see how God will continue to use the people and the presence of Renewal Church in Memphis for his glory and the good of all people.
Week 23: Unstoppable Kingdom - A Journey Through Acts June 20, 2021 - Acts 11:19-30 Ordinary believers. Forgotten people. Folks whose names history had never written down. These are the people who became a gospel-germ in the ancient world, spreading the message of Jesus far beyond Jerusalem…far beyond the comfort of their homeland and their own familiar ethnicity and culture. They had been made alive by the Spirit of God. They had no tamed, siloed, quarantined, socially acceptable category for the faith that we have today. They had been swept up by the kingdom of God. Everything had changed. They were now Jesus-people, a new kind of ethnic group that was set apart as a signpost to the renewing and unstoppable power of God. This meant they would be irreversibly distinguished as peculiar to outsiders. Yet, the message spread. Rapidly. They shared their lives. They loved the poor. They worshipped the one true God who made this world and in whom life can only make sense. It was thrilling. It was scary. It was an adventure. These ordinary people are often obscured by the shadow of the heroes we read about — Peter, John, Barnabas, and Paul. But it was these people — the church — that God used to advance his gospel in ways that only one man or one woman could never do.
Week 19: Unstoppable Kingdom - A Journey Through Acts May 9, 2021 - Acts 8:26-40
Background Music: Bethel Music. "No Longer Slaves." Without Words: Genesis, Bethel Music, 2019, track 11. iTunes, https://music.apple.com/us/album/no-longer-slaves/1485917078?i=1485917090
Week 18: Unstoppable Kingdom - A Journey Through Acts May 2, 2021 - Acts 8:4-25
Upon the tragic death of the church’s first martyr, Stephen, a great persecution swelled against the believers in Jerusalem. One would think that this would squash the Jesus movement. But it had the opposite effect. Ordinary believers were scattered to the winds, going to some of the most surprising places, proclaiming the good news of God’s kingdom. This Sunday, we continue our series in the Book of Acts and contemplate where and how the Spirit will lead us to proclaim the good news of God’s gracious kingdom!
Week 17: Unstoppable Kingdom - A Journey Through Acts April 25, 2021 - Acts 6:8-8:8
This Sunday we consider Stephen’s unjust arrest (Acts 6:8-15), his sermon in which he indicted the religious leaders’ hypocrisy (Acts 7:1-53), and his martyrdom.
There’s an ancient saying in church history that the blood of the saints is the seed of the church. And, indeed, it was this grievous event that, by God’s Providence, became pivotal in the spread of the gospel: the church was scattered because of persecution, but the people preached the gospel. It’s notable that the first martyr was Stephen, a deacon and an ordinary church member. Also notable is another deacon and ordinary church member, Philip, who emerged as the leader of the movement of the gospel beyond Judea, into Samaria. Just like Jesus said in Acts 1:8 (the outline of the Book of Acts), “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Due to the icy conditions, our Ash Wednesday service is cancelled. Instead, we encourage you to watch this video as we, Renewal Church, begin the Lenten journey together.
Things That Make For Peace: -Through tears we can see more clearly -Peacemakers pray for peace -Peacemakers talk about peace -Peacemakers are not Peacekeepers! -Peacemakers sow peace -Peacemakers aim for peace -We need more peacemakers -Pursue things that make for peace -2021 is a year for Peacemakers!
Join us fully online this week as we join Christians from all over the world who, on the Sunday after Christmas, study the Gospel of John 1:1-18... Jesus, the word of God, who came and dwelt among us so that we would know God and learn to live in His ways. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Unstoppable Kingdom - A Journey Through Acts Dec 6, 2020 - Acts 1:1-11 Not long after Jesus’ resurrection, the Book of Acts tells us that he was taken from his disciples on a cloud. Scripture tells us that he will one day return similarly, on the clouds. In the meantime, he has stationed us here for a specific and sacred purpose – the renewal of the world. And all the kingdom work that we do now will be our gift to him upon his return. Let us worship Christ the Lord as we anticipate him this Advent season!
Sunday, Nov 22 Guest Speaker, Shad Berry Co-Founder & Executive Director, Kardia Collective
Sunday, Oct 4 - Ephesians 4:17-32 Duke Revard, Executive Director of Soma Family of Churches
Justice is biblical. The problem isn’t finding texts on justice. The Scriptures are replete with calls to do justice. The problem is determining what it is and where to begin.
Great finale to our Conversations series with Antoine Green! I love this dude so much! Maybe the most intentional father & husband, unflappable friend, and devout follower of Jesus I know. Which is why he’s one of our church’s elders. This Sunday, August 16.
I was privileged to talk with my folks today – the founders of Renewal Church. So thankful the Holy Spirit visited with us today, as well. His presence was as palpable as the conversation was deeply heartfelt, reflective, and humble.
Wonderful and encouraging conversation with Mama B! She lived through the Civil Rights Movement...she’s been shot with fire hoses and chased by dogs. She’s listened to Dr. King preach...in person. Her mother was arrested for daring to sit at the front of a bus. Her grandmother was born on a plantation. Does she have stories... See you Sunday at renewalmemphis.com!
Wow! That was a fast and stimulating conversation! Hold on to your hats and glasses, kids!
Sunday, July 19 - 2 Corinthians 8:1-8 Great conversation with the Lester’s! Can’t wait until Sunday!
I had such a good time talking with one of my dearest friends, Jazzy Miller. Lots of fun. Lots of heart. Lots of love. Can’t wait for our church to experience this on Sunday!
Fantastic conversation with these two, re: thoughtfully interacting with the biblical concept of justice, recognizing injustice, repenting of our apathy, educating our children and enlarging their hearts, and a lot more. But, in sum, imitating Jesus “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant...(Philippians 2:5-7).
We're changing things up a bit since we’re still having to film our services. Let’s put faces on the issues we’re all wrestling with. Loved interviewing these two. Can’t wait for our church to experience their story this Sunday.
"The Sun Is Going Dark, But the Spirit is Ready" Text: Acts 2:1-21
Headings: 1) Vicious Cycle Injustice 2) Economic Injustice 3) Ecological Injustice
References: Acts 2:1-21 Isaiah 13:10 Acts 2:19-20 Acts 2:15-16 Nehemiah 1:6-7 Matthew 25: 34-36, 40 Genesis 3:19 Genesis 2:15 Micah 6:6-8
GOD’s GREAT MERCIES: His Great Mercy saves us His Great Mercy keeps us His Great Mercy helps us His Great Mercy sends us His Great Mercy follows us
It’s the air we breathe. Image. Vanity. Appearance. We come by it honestly (sort of). After all, each of us knows the unwritten rule of our culture, that we are judged based on how we look, how we act, what we say, what we drive, what we wear...
This re-programming is always running in the background of our lives, quietly taking us farther and farther from our true identity in God: loved, redeemed, adopted.
Let’s face it. Some people can be difficult (including us). But some people take it to another level. They are our enemies. They seem to have it out for us and get some twisted delight out of hurting us. What does Jesus have to say about this? We hope you will join us in worship this Sunday as we continue to ponder the good news of the kingdom of God, especially in regards to how we are liberated and empowered to navigate the same world our enemies inhabit.
Sometimes people hurt us real bad. And when that happens, the temptation to retaliate feels irresistible. But Jesus taught a better way – a way the frees us from our hatred of our tormentors and simultaneously shows them God’s generous love.
Nobody likes to be on the receiving end of a broken promise. We feel violated, betrayed, and sometimes even humiliated. But when we are the ones doing the promise-breaking, it’s a little easier to forgive ourselves. Jesus wants us to know something about the promises we make and break: It’s not merely about doing the right thing — keeping our promises leads to the common good for all people. And more urgently, we need to remember that when we keep our commitments or break them, we do so in the presence of God.
People are beginning to get antsy. Some folks are a bit on edge. And some of us are downright angry. Or maybe depressed. As more time passes, our fears are beginning to dominate our thoughts, leading us to take it out on those we love the most: our family. This week, we turn our attention specifically to marriage. What is God trying to show us about ourselves as we experience tension in our homes?
Even though it's only been a few days after Easter, we still need to be reminded of what the Gospel says about our shame, our guilt, our loneliness. If you are in Christ, God not only loves and forgives you, He likes you—a lot!
Chuck shares with us from 2 Corinthians 4:16 and the Psalms a practice of ongoing renewal—warming our hearts at the fire of God's love each morning, reminding ourselves daily with the truth of the Gospel, and training our hearts to hear God's voice as He speaks to us, "I see you. You are accepted!"
Who would’ve thought that we’d have to live through a pandemic? Sounds like the movies, right? Of course, film and TV have been anticipating this for years. “Post-apocalyptic,” as the genre’s called. But there’s a problem with the world’s view of the post-apocalyptic world...it’s entirely hopeless! The Scriptures teach us about a new world that is filled with the life of God — a restored, new creation teeming with resurrected people (not zombies!) who live in perfect harmony. Death has been done away with, and these Jesus-people will be impervious to sickness and disease. This weekend, we join with King David in Psalm 131 — the forerunner of King Jesus the Messiah — by exclaiming, "Hope in the Lord, from this time forth and forevermore!”
The Stock Market. Portfolios. Investments. Home values. Mutual funds. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to ransack our way of life. People are worried. People are scared. But this crisis isn’t something God has never before seen. The people Jesus taught also lived in a time of great distress. They were poor, over-taxed, bullied by a foreign army, and they were ruled by a corrupt and unfair government. And Jesus, in his tender care and prophetic precision, showed his followers a better way…
Chris reviews the five rhetorical questions from Matthew 6 that we should be practicing daily in order to combat and experience deliverance from anxiety in our lives.
Jesus lived in a time when poverty abounded and lots of people were unsure about what the future held. They lived in a brutal, unfair world. But Jesus was happy. And he had a deep conviction that his Father was good. So he was able to live entirely in the present, and fully present with those he loved. And every time he announced the coming kingdom of God (which was often!), he was inviting us into this life. His life.
Chris discusses the five practices from Matthew 6 that we should be practicing daily in order to combat and experience deliverance from anxiety in our lives.
While the new calendar year won't arrive for another month, this Sunday the people of God turn the page to freshly retell the story of God in Christ. Join us as we enter the season of Advent, a time of anticipation, waiting and longing for Christ to come.
Presenters Rodney and Traci Wright will be joining us from Pure Desire Ministries to teach on healthy sexuality. Rodney and Traci Wright come alongside churches, universities and organizations providing training in the area of sexual health. Hope and Freedom are available to anyone impacted by sexual brokenness. Rodney and Traci have been married for 30 years and have experienced this hope and healing first hand. To learn more about Pure Desire Ministries visit puredesire.org.
Presenters Rodney and Traci Wright will be joining us from Pure Desire Ministries to teach on healthy sexuality. Rodney and Traci Wright come alongside churches, universities and organizations providing training in the area of sexual health. Hope and Freedom are available to anyone impacted by sexual brokenness. Rodney and Traci have been married for 30 years and have experienced this hope and healing first hand. To learn more about Pure Desire Ministries visit puredesire.org.
The gospel isn't just a series of propositional truths about who Jesus is and what he's done. It's a personal invitation from a crucified and risen savior to draw near to be loved, renewed, and transformed. As followers of Jesus, it is vital that we don't just hold to the right truths about Jesus but that we keep responding to his invitation to draw near because the greatest gift he's given to us is himself.
We who follow Jesus are foreigners. We are citizens of another country – one that is far off. So we have a choice: be swept up in the ways and habits of this confused and banged up country or we awaken ourselves, remembering who we are and begin to live like citizens of our true homeland. People of radical love. People of the day. People who wear Jesus. Because we can be sure about one thing – the dawn of a new world is coming. We don’t know when. But one day, one day this broken country in which we live will be swallowed up by our homeland.
Romans 13:1-7 offers some words that may ring familiar to many Christians: "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities..." At times, they seem to speak to our personal political perspectives. Other times, not as much. But how do we understand these words of Paul written not to the modern church of America, but to a group of house churches nestled in the capital of the ancient world? Perhaps that will give us clearer insight as to how we are to read this little snippet of Scripture today.
In only thirteen verses, the Apostle Paul lays out over twenty commands – commands that are eerily reminiscent of Jesus’ teachings. Love relentlessly. Show hospitality. Hate evil. Reach for hope. Reject vengeance and bless tormentors. Serve God fervently. All these and many more make up these verses. But we’d be mistaken to view them merely as a spray of disjointed do’s and don’t’s. Rather, they are like flavor notes of full-bodied life in the gospel as we live under the reign of Jesus.
As we enter into the final stretch of our Romans series, the Apostle Paul brings to bear the full weight of the previous 11 chapters to show us exactly what it looks like to live a gospel-saturated life. And as we will see, the gospel touches everything. It leaves no stone unturned. The transforming power of God has no boundary. Our lives and our world – every molecule – belong to him as he reconstructs us into his renewed, holy people.
“Have you ever looked at your life, confused, wondering why thing aren’t working out the way you believe God said they would? Romans 9 echos that question. Paul, with Israel’s unbelief in mind, wrestles with God’s faithfulness while bringing insight to the question, “Has the word of God failed?”
How secure are we in the love of God in Christ? Will God ever give up on us? We’re prone to wander, struggle, doubt, and fail, yet even still, the end of Romans 8 paints a picture of unbreakable assurance. How can this be?
In Romans 7, Paul highlights a major problem for the Jewish people. On the one hand, they have this very good thing known as the Law (they called it “Torah”). However, something crept in and sabotaged what was meant to bring life. Sin – with a capital “S” – entered the picture and now death would be the result for God’s people. What to do? Who will deliver them from such a plight? The good news is that God has provided a glorious remedy!
In chapter 6, Paul urged the church to live in light of their new life in Christ - to count themselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. As he moves forward in his letter, Paul is going to ask God’s people to consider another very important reality. In belonging to Christ, we are now released from the law to serve in the new way of the Spirit.
Last week, we talked about how Christians are dead to sin and alive to God in Christ. God has declared this to be so, so it is true whether we feel this way or not. This week, we will see how this should impact our daily lives.
After Paul has spent time reminding God's people of both their current standing and future hope in Christ, he now retells the tragic story of one person in the beginning. Through this one man, Adam, sin burst onto the scene and death was now in charge. But Paul has a purpose behind recounting this – he wants to draw us in to the story of another man whose one great act would surpass that of the one man's sin. Sin and death may have been unleashed through Adam, but "how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!"
The last couple of weeks we’ve looked at the new family that God is forming, one that goes all the way back to Abraham. But Paul clarified what that family is truly made of - all people who are declared in the right because they have put their faith in the One who raised Jesus from the dead. We now turn to Romans 5 to consider Paul’s words on what this all means for us, both now and in the future.
"Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin."
Artwork- Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn), (1653) Christ Crucified between the Two Thieves: The Three Crosses [Drypoint printed on vellum].
We humans all have one thing in common: we are confined under the power of sin.
But God!
When we were powerless...JESUS!
When we needed redemption...JESUS!
When we were on the outside looking in...JESUS!
When we were owned, manipulated, and controlled by our sin...
JESUS.
Artwork- Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn), (1653) Christ Crucified between the Two Thieves: The Three Crosses [Drypoint printed on vellum].
We humans all have one thing in common: we are confined under the power of sin.
But God!
When we were powerless...JESUS!
When we needed redemption...JESUS!
When we were on the outside looking in...JESUS!
When we were owned, manipulated, and controlled by our sin...
JESUS.
When we’ve really messed things up, we often run back to rules to re-establish order in our lives. We recommit ourselves to better accountability and stronger practices because we want to avoid the shame of messing things up again.
But new rules and commitments don’t repair what is broken inside of us because all of this depends on ourselves – our own will-power, our own grit. And we all know where we end up when put our faith in ourselves. The Scriptures tell us this is a dead end because each of us resides under the power of sin – a force that overthrows even the strongest among us.
What we need is faith in something else, someone else who’s greater than sin’s might...someone with whom sin doesn’t stand a chance.
God is faithful. This isn’t just a cliche. He is really is. He is faithful to deliver his people. He is faithful to the very end.
Last Sunday, Ron Surgeon challenged our church to endure together in Jesus, not to drop out or eject when the going gets tough. This is crucial as our church faces new opportunities and challenges in the months and years ahead. We hope all of you who consider Renewal your home you will join us this Sunday for an important address about the future aspirations of our church, for the glory of Jesus.
Relationships hurt us and heal us. We are all at various stages of development. We all have narratives through which we interpret the world and we each are gloriously human (we all have alarming imperfections AND astounding beauty). Father has placed us in the body of Christ, locally, and has given us a grand invitation to overcome given all of its complexities (darkness and all).
We’ve all been exposed to toxic religion. Romans 2 doesn’t for one second go easy on the self-righteous judges inside the church. In fact, what we see is that God prefers a stumbling disciple who’s learning how to live in God’s kingdom to a stodgy bible pro who thinks he’s got it figured out. When it’s all said and done, it’s those who have the Spirit within and are putting one foot in front of the other in whom God delights.
We tend to blame when we are hurting. And in a world filled with prolific meanness, many blame God. Is God unjust? Is he evil? The truth that the letter to the Romans rolls out is that God is kind and he is patient. He’s not yet pouring out his judgment on the world that has rejected his ways, but waits. And why does he wait? Because he loves us. He wants to be with us. He treasures us.
Scripture is clear that all of human suffering and pain finds its root in disordered affections. Rather than moving toward the Creator, honoring him and showing him gratitude, we move away from him. We do this by taking the good gifts he’s given to us and making them ultimate. We elevate the creation above the Creator, merging our heart, mind, soul, and strength with these things.
This is also known as idolatry. And God wants to deliver us.
Scripture is clear that all of human suffering and pain finds its root in disordered affections. Rather than moving toward the Creator, honoring him and showing him gratitude, we move away from him. We do this by taking the good gifts he’s given to us and making them ultimate. We elevate the creation above the Creator, merging our heart, mind, soul, and strength with these things.
This is also known as idolatry. And God wants to deliver us.
God is a rescuer. He is unlimited in his power to rescue. He wants to rescue you. Do you want to be rescued?
“We are distracting ourselves into a spiritual oblivion. Our pathological busyness, distraction and restlessness are the primary blocks to experiencing the life that we were made for.” — Ronald Rolheiser
Join us this Sunday as we press pause on our current series to learn what it looks like to press pause in today's busyness.
Paul prays. A lot. And what he says he prays for at the beginning of his magnificent letter to the Romans shapes the rest of it. He often gives prayers of thanks to God that there is a community living under the nose of Caesar whose allegiance belongs to another, greater King – Jesus. He prays a lot that he will be able to come to this community and deeply do life with them. And he often prays that he will be able to train them in such a way that they will mature so that they all (Paul included) will all be able to encourage one another in their loyalty to and worship of Jesus Christ.
We need this, too.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” - Romans 1:16
The good news is that right standing with God is his free gift to all those who have placed their complete trust in Jesus Christ alone for their eternal salvation.
This Sunday we kick off this powerful, 42-week series on the book Romans!
God calls us to repent when we forsake Him, but if we don’t, chaos and calamity ensues.
More than 700 years before Jesus, a prophet and a king held a meeting in the city of Jerusalem. With the probability of war on their doorstep, Isaiah was sent to king Ahaz with a message of protection and promise. In the promise, the king was told that a sign would be given: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” This was the Original Immanuel.
But what did all this mean so long ago? And how does it connect to the advent of God’s Messiah, Jesus? This Sunday, we will explore the Original Immanuel.
This Sunday marks the beginning of Advent. This is a season Christians have observed for many centuries. It’s a season of heightened remembrance of the coming of the Messiah and of heightened hope for his final return when he will purge the world of its evil and bring about the New Creation. A salvation that began with the birth of a baby will be consummated by a triumphant King. Advent is about learning to live in between. For his glory and our joy.
“Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them” - Romans 12:6
God designed the church to function as a self-loving community, a gathering profoundly marked by honor – the giving of honor and intentions acts of kindness to one another. This is to be characteristic of God’s church. These traits are the reasonable outcome of the power of the gospel.
What does it actually mean to be loving in our culture? What does it mean to be loving as a Christian man or Christian woman toward those within the church as well as outside the church? What does it mean to be loving when it comes to the issue of human sexuality? And how do we actually model the image of God as male and female? Join us in a dialogue about human sexuality in the Kingdom of God.
'After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”'
We joyfully anticipate the full expression of the Kingdom of God as described in Revelation 7:9-10. But how do we consider the Kingdom implications in the now-but-not-yet when we look at the nations globally, or as the nations come here? Join us this Sunday as we discuss migration in light of scripture.
We’ve been talking in great detail about our lives in the ever-present Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of the Heavens which is, concisely, the entanglement of our lives with the Spirit. Entangle means to be twisted together with something, in this case, with someone. Entangled with God. Your real life twisted together with the Spirit. Today we want to focus on the future reality of that Kingdom. A future of biological, spiritual, social, political, psychological, and ecological wholeness. “Look, I am making all things new” (Rev. 21:5). Jesus is King.
In the future, we look forward to the tangible and geographic expression of God’s Kingdom. Jesus will bring that. In the now, we learn from, anticipate, enjoy, experience, and bask in the reality of that Kingdom. Jesus brought that. We know this because of the Spirit with us. We’re not guessing. The Kingdom among us is the activity of God in our lives by His Spirit.
"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”
We all get caught in vicious cycles of anger, resentment, and, at times, some form of retaliation. Resentment hurts. It tortures our hearts, erodes our relationships, and steals our joy. It also undermines our relationship with God. But what if there was a way we could break free from this vicious cycle and enter into the way of peacemaking, bringing peace to our relationships and peace to our own hearts?
We all get caught in vicious cycles of anger, resentment, and, at times, some form of retaliation. Resentment hurts. It tortures our hearts, erodes our relationships, and steals our joy. It also undermines our relationship with God. But what if there was a way we could break free from this vicious cycle and enter into the way of peacemaking, bringing peace to our relationships and peace to our own hearts?
Jesus led the way for his first century disciples and he’ll lead the way for us. The invitation still stands, “Follow me.” We have assumptions that prevent us from living courageously with Jesus, but we can’t make peace with those assumptions. Assumptions which encourage doubt and instigate fear. We must look them square in the face and challenge their reality. Resolved to rely on God with all that we ARE. While resisting fear and worst case scenario thinking, we refuse to place confidence in our assumptions. In all our actions we choose to be mindful of Him and trust Him with the details.
This Sunday, we conclude our short series with a dream. What is it that we dream will take place among us and in Memphis if we faithfully follow Jesus and abide in the power of the Holy Spirit? What longings and desires has God given our church as we dream about the possibilities 5 years from now? 10 years from now?
Christ died for our sins. Christ was buried. Christ was raised on the third day. Christ appeared to many.
This is the explicit gospel that the Apostle Paul preached as he called people to follow Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). It was this gospel that shaped people in Jesus, leading them into an entirely new way of life — God's way of life.
But how? How did these facts — the death, burial, and verified resurrection of Jesus — shape the first disciples? And how should these facts shape us today? What does it look like to root our lives in the gospel? How does the gospel take hold of us in such a way that we are moved from darkness to light, addiction to freedom, malice to love, indifference to hospitality?
What were their practices? Because whatever they did we should do.
The Apostle Paul reminded believers in an ancient city called Corinth that the gospel is “of first importance.” What is the gospel?
Christ died. Christ was buried. Christ was raised on the third day. There were hundreds of eyewitnesses.
He reminds his readers that if Christ wasn’t raised, then we are still in our sins. We are lost. We are to be pitied most if we worship a Jesus who is still in the grave.
But he was raised. And many, many more will one day be raised alongside of him — those who faithfully follow the resurrected Jesus.
With new bodies. Death destroyed. New Creation. The kingdom of God forever.
We’ve come to the end of our summer-long series on the small, but powerful letter of 1 Thessalonians! Last weekend we learned that we are children of light and, because of this, we are to walk in God’s light – faith, love, and hope.
This weekend we will learn what faith, love, and hope look like: how we care for the hurting among us; how we deal with people who hurt us; what it looks like to be a Spirit-filled community; and practices of the heart which protect us from cynicism and discontentment and also strengthen our joy and intimacy with God.
It’s hard to imagine anything more horrifying than a home invasion. But the Apostle Paul characterizes Jesus’s certain return as just that – “like a thief in the night.” What makes his return so terrifying is that it will abruptly halt people’s obliviousness and self-centered pursuit of pleasure and, suddenly, they will be called upon to give an account for how they lived in God’s world, how they stewarded the lives they were graciously given.
For those who are found in Jesus, his return will be the fulfillment of their deepest longings, it will bring rest to their weary souls, and joy unspeakable. These are the “sober-minded,” those who do not live obliviously, but are aware that God is watching...God is present...and God is coming.
Paul, writing to believers who were grieving their deceased loved ones, spoke of Christ’s return. On that day, he said, a trumpet will sound and Jesus will give an ear-splitting command, calling the dead in Christ to rise. They will awaken and ascend to meet Jesus in the clouds. We who are in Christ, who are still alive when he returns, will be reunited with them. This passage is as strange as it is glorious and we’re going to dive into it this weekend. We may be surprised and encouraged by what we discover!
Hollow religion says, “I must love because I am commanded to.” But love is unlikely to be birthed and nurtured by this sense of obligation.
Love is a gift first to be received: “in your presence there is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11). It is to turn our hearts to the One who knows us and loves us more than we can possibly imagine.
But love is more than something to merely be enjoyed. It is practice in which we learn to increasingly give love away: “for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another” (1 Thessalonians 4:9).
The end of all this is a community of Jesus-people defined by self-giving love.
You need this kind of community. We need this kind of community. Your neighbors need this. Your co-workers need this. Your marriage needs this. Your kids need this. Everyone on our planet needs this.
Love.
Let us be taught by God to love one another.
Sex. A subject scripture doesn’t shy away from. And it’s no wonder – God created it and bestowed it on humanity for our joy and flourishing. But for multitudes throughout human history, sex represents abuse, pain, and addiction. And Jesus has something to say about this...to those who weaponize it and to those who long for his grace and freedom.
What comes to mind when you hear the word, “holy?” That word probably conjures negative feelings. This may be because you were raised in a rigid religious home. Maybe you don’t like the way holiness has been co-opted by political culture warriors. Or maybe the word just sounds medieval.
When we talk about holiness, we are talking about life. Abundant life. Flourishing life. Restorative life. The call to holiness is a call to healing and restoration. But it’s first a call to allegiance...to God who has revealed himself in Jesus.
Why? Because God loves us. Passionately.
Without holiness, we aren’t fully human. The call to holiness is the call to abide in Jesus and experience the restoration of our life’s calling: that we live as God’s image-bearers, revealing his love and glory to a world that has lost its way...a world that has lost its God-given humanity.
Dear student in the kingdom of God, When you hear the words spoken to Jesus, “You are my Son, the beloved, with you I am well pleased,” how true do those words feel for YOU on a scale of 1 to 7 (where 1 is false and 7 being completely true)? Let’s explore this together!
A few weeks ago our friend Tim Holler admonished us to keep our promises to our children so that they can see Christ in us. This weekend we are talking about the promise of the Father: God keeps His promises and so should we.
The first three chapters of 1 Thessalonians crescendo with a prayer in which the Apostle Paul expresses his deepest longings for them: He prays that their love would increase and abound toward each other and also toward their oppressors. And he prays that God would strengthen their hearts, giving them a Spirit-empowered impulse to live blameless lives for the glory of Jesus -- to present to him the gift of their worshiping lives when he finally returns. May we live this way, as well!
No matter where I look in the Bible I am struck with the pervasive presence of the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit’s proactive involvement in the ordinary lives of his people. This is life in the Kingdom where we learn to live under the watchful eye and within the warm embrace of the Father, Son, and Spirit. Looking forward to exploring the Kingdom with you in 1 Thessalonians.
No matter where I look in the Bible I am struck with the pervasive presence of the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit’s proactive involvement in the ordinary lives of his people. This is life in the Kingdom where we learn to live under the watchful eye and within the warm embrace of the Father, Son, and Spirit. Looking forward to exploring the Kingdom with you in 1 Thessalonians.
It’s impossible to read 1 Thessalonians 2 and overlook the Apostle Paul’s tender love for his disciples. In fact, it seems like the more a person treasures the gospel of Jesus Christ, the more a person treasures Jesus’ people.
Stand Fast. It’s a study of the Apostle Paul’s letter to a church in an Ancient Greek city named Thessalonica. It’s a young church, probably not more than a year old and maybe only months old. Already, they are experiencing tremendous persecution. They live in the shadow of Rome, under its dominance with its many gods and profoundly pagan culture. Yet they have given their allegiance to a crucified Jew who has been raised from the dead. They are total outcasts. But they are standing fast.
At varying degrees, we all face the pressure to compromise, to remain silent, or even abandon the faith – especially in a world that is growing more hostile to Christianity. Throughout this series, we will learn what it means to stand fast in Jesus. We will talk through practices that can increase our faith. And we will hold our hearts up to the scriptures, inviting the Holy Spirit to re-shape us, to ground us, and to renew our desires.
So that we, too, will stand fast.
We are thrilled to announce that this coming Sunday we will be installing a group of newly appointed elders who will help to shepherd the believers of Renewal Church. We’ve been preparing for this day for a long time with much conversation and deliberation, consistent prayer, multiple assessments, and the ongoing study of the scriptures together. We take the responsibility very seriously to raise up elders who will honor the divinely inspired words of the Apostle Peter,
“Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:2-3).
We hope you will celebrate with us this Sunday as we introduce our growing crop of capable pastors — leaders whose primary calling it is to point the members of Renewal Church to the unmatched beauty, supremacy, and eternal satisfaction that is only found in Jesus Christ. To God be the glory!
Becoming “one flesh” in marriage is often misunderstood and misconstrued. Come find out that being “one” doesn’t mean you aren’t still “two” and the significant impact this has on having a satisfying, meaningful, and purposeful marriage.
Becoming “one flesh” in marriage is often misunderstood and misconstrued. Come find out that being “one” doesn’t mean you aren’t still “two” and the significant impact this has on having a satisfying, meaningful, and purposeful marriage.
Jesus made it clear what love is. Love looks like something. The presence of love is absolute and unmistakable. The effect of love makes deep tracks, it leaves an indelible mark. The legacy of love is made up of unforgettable stories and feelings of profound gratitude. Love humbles all who experience it, both the giver of love and the receiver of love. Love magnifies the presence of God in a world in which malice veils his glory. Love draws people to love – some people, that is. And for those who don’t appreciate the gift of love and respond with hostility, we are still to love. Love is the pursuit of a tender heart towards all of God’s creatures. Love is to reject the cynicism that fuels our judgment of others and justification of ourselves. Love is to sometimes feel vulnerable and naive. Love is to enter into Jesus’ sufferings. It is to enter into the way and life of Jesus. It is to be a Jesus-person.
Silent Saturday. We know that God gloriously raised Jesus from the dead on Sunday. But his disciples...they lived through an unbearable Saturday.
In the wake of Friday's horror was Saturday's grief: How can the one who raised the dead and healed the sick be bested by pagans and religious hacks? The terror: If the master was treated this way, how would their demise be any less brutal? The shame: What now? They had left everything. Were they the naive victims of history's cruelest prank? Had they followed nothing more than a trickster-madman?
Saturday: another unbearable sleepless night. For all these disciples knew, every night would feel this way for a long, long time. No answers. No hope. Just the head-splitting silence. The loneliness as they tried to make sense of the last few years and wrap their minds around the brutal reality of living life without their rabbi, their mentor, their best friend.
But unbeknownst to them, the tomb of the Messiah wasn't so silent. The body of Jesus was beginning to teem with resurrection life. In just a few hours these disciples would be jolted by an early morning knock at the door. And a handful of women would proclaim to them heart-stopping news. News that would forever change history...
"I trust God, but will he remember me?"
"I believe in God, but will he rescue me?"
"I have served God, but now I feel alone...abandoned..."
This Sunday, we begin Holy Week by concluding our series on the Book of Lamentations. We will wrestle with the question that not only the writer of Lamentations asked, but one our Savior agonized over as he suffered on the cross...
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Can the Lord’s Love for His People Ever Fail? -I WILL FREELY CRY OUT WHEN I SORROW -FOR THE LORD’S LOVE NEVER FAILS -AND HIS RESCUE WILL COME AT LAST. -IF I FACE EVEN MORE SORROWS -HE WILL FULFILL HIS PURPOSES FOR ME.
Many people say that God is good. But there are those whose suffering makes God feel more like an enemy than a friend. If you feel that way, you aren't the first. The people of Lamentations said the same thing long ago: "The Lord has become like an enemy" (Lamentations 2:5).
Lamentations contains the prayers, the cries, the anguish, the confusion, and the rage of a people (God's people) who feel abandoned by Him. This is a book about a people who are fighting to hold on to their faith, fighting to believe that God really is good.
This Sunday, we enter into their story and try to make sense of all the pain in our world. If you are broken-hearted, this weekend may be for you. If you feel forgotten by God, we encourage you to join us. Together, we will see that God is faithful, that God can be trusted with our lives, and that God really is good.
Many people say that God is good. But there are those whose suffering makes God feel more like an enemy than a friend. If you feel that way, you aren't the first. The people of Lamentations said the same thing long ago: "The Lord has become like an enemy" (Lamentations 2:5).
Lamentations contains the prayers, the cries, the anguish, the confusion, and the rage of a people (God's people) who feel abandoned by Him. This is a book about a people who are fighting to hold on to their faith, fighting to believe that God really is good.
You’re walking down Beale Street with your family and before you realize it, you’re mere feet from a homeless person slouching against the wall of a shop. He holds out his hand for some spare change and your eyes immediately dart away from him — like a reflex. A female beggar stands in an intersection holding a sign, “Homeless. Not an addict. Anything will help.” Your car is right beside her. Your knuckles tighten on your steering wheel and you feel the heat building in your face as you awkwardly try to avoid making eye contact, praying the light will turn green.
Many of us have had these experiences. They are disturbing and can even be frightening. When strangers enter our space with their brokenness, it feels unsettling. We’re not prepared for the weight of that moment. But here we are, living in a world that is full of pain. So will we engage or will be retreat?
The Poet of Lamentations leads us to this same uncomfortable place. He calls us to look upon the desolation of Lady Zion, Jerusalem. He draws our attention to her brokenness and her pain. Babylon has brutalized her. The few remaining inhabitants who escaped the exile and the sword weep over her. No, she is not innocent in this story (who is?). But she is still loved by God nonetheless. And the Poet calls us to lament over her, too, over our world — the same way Jesus lamented over her hundreds of years later: “And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it” (Luke 19:41).
Just this week, a number of high school children lost their lives or were injured in a senseless mass shooting. The families and friends of these children are coping with immeasurable pain today — pain that will leave them forever changed. Quick and easy answers won’t satisfy their angst or their grief. Such triteness would only be insulting to the gravity of their pain.
It may be Providential that we begin a new series this Sunday on the Book of Lamentations as we wrestle with our own feelings and responses to the evil and suffering that is present in our world.
The Book of Lamentations doesn’t ignore this suffering. It doesn’t attempt to satisfy sufferers with user-friendly and over-simplified answers. Lamentations was written by a heartbroken poet who gathered the brutal stories of his community which had suffered unspeakable tragedy and he arranged these cries of anguish — these laments — into a book that, for millennia, has helped God’s followers feel, cope with, and express their grief.
The rage, grief, and even doubt voiced in Lamentations encourages us to be honest with God — that God isn’t afraid of our feelings. But it also calls us to humility by recognizing we are not in control, that God is sometimes maddeningly confusing, and that life can be tragic. Lamentations not only invites us to wrestle with questions and mystery and doubt, it gives us a vocabulary to express all this.
Yet, if we look closely, we will see that God is gently and quietly extending his hand of help to us. And if we humble ourselves, we will see that He is faithful. Forever faithful.
Symbols help us to communicate ideas, thoughts, feelings, and other facets of reality. Symbols embody realities otherwise difficult to convey. Symbols are essential for human dialogue and essential for human BEING since we ourselves are symbols of the ultimate reality, which is God (Genesis 1:28). The BIG stories of our world can be told concisely through symbols. Jesus has invited us into cooperating with him in telling the BIG story of our deliverance from the Kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of Light through the powerful symbol of baptism.
We have a dream. A diverse church made up of people who share a common trust in Jesus. A church in which we all fight for humility and gentleness as hard as we fight for truth. A church growing in maturity – realizing our identity as the body of Jesus. Come dream with us.
We have a dream. A diverse church made up of people who share a common trust in Jesus. A church in which we all fight for humility and gentleness as hard as we fight for truth. A church growing in maturity – realizing our identity as the body of Jesus.
The word, community, is so overused these days that we are in danger of missing the point of it entirely.
Community is God’s family on earth, believers scattered from one end of the globe to the other. Yet, we come together to practice a new way of life, to live out our identity as God’s redeemed community – a community of love.
You see, Jesus delivered his people from the power and the ways of this world by his death and resurrection. And he filled us with the Holy Spirit, giving us his strength to live in this new way. This strength is his grace.
And this powerful grace is actively engaged by us when we live as God’s family – as we walk together, we learn how to part with our old clunky, rebellious ways of living and turn to Jesus’ beautiful new ways.
We honor the God who saved us by walking together as one body. As a community.
Gospel. In 1 Corinthians 15, the Apostle Paul reminds us that the gospel is the truth in which we stand, the power by which we are being saved. This is why he said that the gospel is “of first importance.”
The gospel is everything. Without it we are lost. The gospel is our life. By the gospel we come to God and by the gospel we are transformed, day by day, into Jesus’ image.
The gospel is our identity as followers of Jesus. It not only defines our values and beliefs, it morphs our hearts from self-fascination to God-adoration. It gives us a new vision for living – way better dreams and a glorious new hope!
The gospel equips us with the skills and perseverance to live in this harsh world. The gospel carries us from the barren land of envy and malice to vistas of love and joy.
Come. Let us gather together, worship Jesus, and re-center our hearts and minds on the gospel of Jesus Christ.