Kalamazoo Church of Christ: Recent Episodes
Kalamazoo Church of Christ
Welcome! This is a compilation of our Sunday Lessons.We’re a startup church, we just planted in September 2020. At the Kalamazoo Church we believe that Christianity is done best when it is done together. And so if you live in the Kalamazoo area we would love to connect – be it coming to a Sunday Service, one of the small groups, or even just grabbing coffee with a member to learn more. You can visit Kalamazoo.Church for more.
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Preached by Jaren Singh on 10-12-2025
This is Jaren's last sermon(so far) in the Kalamazoo Church as he moves to another church. He leaves us with encouragement and love.
Here is a helpful outline PDF that we used.
Preached by Jaren Singh on 10/2/24
Adapted in part from a lesson by Timothy Keller
We're looking at the book of Daniel with the intention of growing in our prayer life.
Preached by Alec Krause on 9/24/23
We're looking at the book of Daniel with the intention of growing in our prayer life.
Preached by Joshua McCoy on 9/17/23
We're looking at the book of Daniel with the intention of growing in our prayer life.
Preached by Jaren Singh on 9/10/23
For two weeks at the end of July and the beginning of August, 9 disciples from different parts of the United States traveled to Riga, Latvia and Tallinn, Estonia. The purpose of the trip was to encourage the churches there by praying, fellowshipping, sharing faith, and creating connections. The theme of the two weeks was "Win The World." These are some of the lessons from that series.
1 Samuel 17 - David and Goliath
Preached by Adrian Busuioc, Campus Minister at Rigas Kristus Draudze, on 7/28/23
For two weeks at the end of July and the beginning of August, 9 disciples from different parts of the United States traveled to Riga, Latvia and Tallinn, Estonia. The purpose of the trip was to encourage the churches there by praying, fellowshipping, sharing faith, and creating connections. The theme of the two weeks was "Win The World." These are some of the lessons from that series.
Daniel 6 - Daniel in the Lion's Den
Preached by Dan Winchester, Campus Minister in the Madison Church of Christ, in Riga, Latvia on 7/27/23
For two weeks at the end of July and the beginning of August, 9 disciples from different parts of the United States traveled to Riga, Latvia and Tallinn, Estonia. The purpose of the trip was to encourage the churches there by praying, fellowshipping, sharing faith, and creating connections. The theme of the two weeks was "Win The World." These are some of the lessons from that series.
Preached by Jaren Singh in Riga, Latvia on 7/26/23
Join us as we look at the miracle of Jesus feeding the 4000
Preached by Jaren Singh on 5/14/23
We are going to break the text in Luke 17 down into three different sections all of which have relevance to our lives today. This is a lesson about gratitude, entitlement, and healing that goes beyond the physical.
Preached by Jaren Singh on 5/7/23
Hey everyone, this is a special podcast devoted specifically to practical parenting. Below are some notes to follow along. Feel free to skip this lesson, but we think it is extremely helpful.
Genesis 18:16-19
Future generations will be shaped by Abraham.
Judges 2:6-15
There is a correlation between personal righteousness.
When there is an absence of God we tend towards sin. We’ve been given the blessing of having children.
We have an opportunity to learn.
Marriage is the first step
Psalm 127:1. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.
God > Marriage > Children
Hebrews 5:11-14. In terms of parenting - need to give them spiritual milk. Plant ideas, give God glory and praise at every step of the way.
The transformation is from obedience to Righteousness. There is a difference between obedience and righteousness.
The goal is for them to get to a point to distinguish good and evil.
1 Timothy 4:7 - goal is to train them for godliness so they are able to.
- Daily spiritual input. Every day there has to be spiritual pressing towards God. Scheduled time where there is a family devotional. Scripture, thought, something creative. Teaching them how to walk with God. Look for opportunities to share the gospel with your children.
- Commitment to the body. It is more than coming to church. There is a connection to everyone all the time. Parents can hide behind their children. Children can’t be the excuse to miss meetings. It will happen, but it shouldn’t be the norm. In the long run it will work out. Shows that God is most important. We are a family of believers.
- Time Together. Regular times together as a family. It is easy to be like ships passing in the wind. Take time for the special occasions. Build traditions in your family. Make a lot of special times. Prioritize normal times - one meal together as a family. Dinner conversations. Pull them in the conversation. Heart to heart talks. Have to plan it.
- Good godly discipline. There are all kinds of different parenting styles. Parents need to be the boss. There has to be expected discipline. Hebrews 12:4-11. Direct rebellion or direct disobedience. Rules then warning then discipline them love and affection. Only works in a loving environment
Preached by Tomm and Laurie Wilson on 4/29/23
We begin a six part series focusing on answering the questions that Jesus asked. Today we look at Matthew 16.
Preached by Jaren Singh on 4/16/23
You could miss Jesus if:
- You need all of the facts to believe. John 20:24-29
- You are too focused on your current circumstance. Luke 24:13-32
- You return to what is comfortable. John 21:1-7
Preached by Jaren Singh on 4/9/23
The question that we will seek to answer this morning is: Who are you working for? Join us as we consider and ponder the ramifications to the answer to this question.
Preached by Jaren Singh on 3/19/23
The lesson today is talking all about regret. We continue to look at the life of Joseph as he meets his brothers and is totally reconciled with them. How you deal with regret tells a lot about how you view God.
Preached by Jaren Singh on 3/12/23
In this story - the hero is God. He always has been. He always will be. The Bible is full of men and women who are incredibly flawed but who God chooses to use to further His Kingdom.
Preached by Jaren Singh on 2/19/23
We continue our series by looking at Jacob as he takes Esau's blessing
Preached by Joe Le on 2/12/23
We are looking at a story in the life of Isaac today. The goal of the lesson is to prompt you to consider WHY you do what you do spiritually.
There are two values to consider that we are called to balance.
- We need to be those who seek to follow and imitate the life of Jesus.
- We are also called to follow the example of spiritual men and women in our lives.
Preached by Jaren Singh on 2/5/23
Sorry for the poor audio. We're working on a long term solution
Preached by Alec Krause on 1/22/23
- The Pain of God. Genesis 6:5-8, 11-13
- The Obedience of Noah. Genesis 6:22. Genesis 7:5.
- The Promise from God. Genesis 8:20-22.
- The Connection to Jesus. 1 Peter 3:20-21
Preached by Jaren Singh 1/15/23
We are looking today at Genesis 3 and the ways that the serpent tempted Eve and Adam...through this lesson we pray you will become better equipped in your understanding of the ways the serpent will tempt you as well.
- The serpent tempts through a lack of knowledge of what God says.
- The serpent tempts from humans putting words in God's mouth.
- The serpent tempts by prompting to think of the immediate instead of the consequence
- The serpent tempts by getting you to focus on facts about God as opposed to his character
- The serpent tempts by convincing you that knowledge and wisdom are synonymous
Preached by Jaren Singh on 1/8/23
We are spending the first three months of 2023 to understand and see where Jesus is in the book of Genesis. Please follow along!
- God created to bring order
- God created humans in His own image
- God created humans to feel no shame
Preached by Jaren Singh on 1/1/23
This lesson was done in the form of a discussion during a House Church meeting. If it appears to be choppy and disjointed, that is the reason. There are more than a few questions asked during the lesson that you can pause and contemplate for youself.
Preached by Alec Krause on 12/25/22
There are 3 main points of emphasis in the lesson this morning. The prayer is that they are relevant to the holiday season.
- Awareness of the world. Ephesians 5:1-6
- Living in the world. Ephesians 5:8-20
- Living at home. Ephesians 5:21-33
Preached by Jaren Singh on 12/18/22
Ephesians 4 is when some of the powerful theology shared in the first 3 chapters becomes practical.
Preached by Jaren Singh on 12/11/22
This is a lesson preached by a sister church. It is on a part of Ephesians 2 and while it doesn't fit PERFECTLY in our series, we think you'll be inspired.
Preached by Ben Weatherston on 10/2/22 in Grand Rapids
Devin preaches on our calling as followers of Christ and challenges us to be:
Involved
Intentional
Picky
Preached by Devin Cook, pastor at the Racine Church of Christ on 10/16/22
Guest speaker Tanner Versage delivers a message challenging everybody to remain in the fight and in the faith. We look at Paul's journey at the end of Acts to see what happens when we are not engaged.
Preached by Tanner Versage of the Midpoint ministry in the Chicago Church of Christ on 10/2/22
The Bible is God's Word (2 Timothy 3:16), and God's Word is Truth (John 17:17). Further - Jesus has the words of eternal life (John 6:68).
But the Bible is ALSO messy. The challenge is not to paint over the messiness or to disregard the Bible entirely, but to respect the text and context.
We look at the book of 2 Timothy to get a better idea of how to use the Bible effectively.
The solution to every problem in the world is found at the cross. We realize that groups of people, even spiritual groups, have issues. When we identify problems, there are three truths:
- You are in good company
- Repentance is necessary
- We have to stay engaged to see change
In order to do this - we look at the book of 1 Corinthians and consider the church in Corinth.
Preached by Jaren Singh on 9/18/22
God works through us most powerfully when our FEELINGS align with the FACTS of spirituality.
- Things that Mask (the facts)
- We are in a spiritual war. Ephesians 6:10-12
- Jesus has already won. Hebrews 10:11-14
- Things that Magnify (feelings). Fear is a major feeling that hinders our spirituality. Mark 4:40. Mark 5:35-36. Mark 6:50
- Things that Matter
Preached by Jaren Singh on 8/28/22
In order to live our richest, most full lives, we must be people who are continually looking towards the realization of God's promises.
- Hope for victory over sin. Luke 24:44-53
- Hope for a character like Christ. Romans 5:1-5
- Hope for eternity in heaven. Hebrews 6:9-12
Preached by Jaren Singh on 8/7/22
How often do you think about eternity? The goal of this lesson is to prompt you to consider what will happen when you die. Joe Le looks at both of the letters to the church in Corinth and the life of Paul to inspire us to value where a Christian's eternity lies.
Preached by Joseph Le on 7/17/22
Matthew 16:21-27
Treasure the whole process, not just the result.
Hardships are not necessarily bad - they give opportunities to connect and grow with God.
Preached by Blake Hatcher on 7/10/22
We're looking at the beginning of 1 Peter 1. The main takeaway from 1 Peter 1 is to remember where you stand before Jesus and what your responsibility is to your brothers and sisters in Christ and the world around you.
- Consider Salvation...and respond with gratitude. 1 Peter 1:3-6
- Consider Jesus...and Strive for Holiness. 1 Peter 1:13-16
Preached by Jaren Singh on 7/3/22
Evangelism is all about loving well.
The defining quality is what defines the Kingdom from outside of us - love
Love is a choice you make, not a feeling
Loving people well is all about being intentional.
Preached by Kyle and Kristin Eastman on 6/26/22
Even the ordinary is extraordinary when you are living in the Kingdom.
1 Corinthians 1:9-14
Matthew 6:19-20
1 Corinthians 16:20
Matthew 22:37-39
Preached by Paul Stinnett on 6/19/22
The goals of this series is to INSPIRE you to ASPIRE to a life of disciple making
- Hebrews 4:12-13
- 2 Timothy 3:16-17
- John 8:31-32
- Mark 1:16-20
- Matthew 28:18-20
- Luke 9:23-26
- John 13:34-35
Preached by Jaren Singh on 6/5/22
We're continuing our series on Fruit That Lasts.
John 15:1-8
We cannot follow the Bible's standards if we are not connecting ourselves to God.
There are a few gauges for us as we determine if we are abiding in Jesus.
- Walk as Jesus did. 1 John 2:6
- Love one another. 1 John 4:12
- Obey his commands. 1 John 3:24
- Deepen your convictions. 1 John 2:24
Preached by Jaren Singh on 5/22/22
John 15:1-17
As long as we're being pruned - we are being used. God prunes what appears to be good so that the best can shine and be fruit that lasts.
Peter is one of the many examples of someone being pruned - he is more faithful after he falls than before he falls. There is a massive jump from him denying that he knows Jesus to preaching that everyone is accountable for the death of Christ in Acts 2.
Preached by Alec Krause on 5/15/22
The greatest purpose for anything is what the maker intended it for.
John 15:1-17
John 10:9-11
- A Bountiful life is a transformed life. Romans 12:1-2. Galatians 3:27-28
- A Bountiful life transforms lives. Matthew 28:18-20.
Preached by Jaren Singh on 5/8/22
Over the next 5 lessons we're going to be focusing on John 15:1-17. This text is extremely rich and there is a lot to pull out that will help us in our day to day and in our view of the Bible. First we cover the context of the passage, then the specific words of Jesus as he reminds us we are CHOSEN by Him.
- Who? Jesus talking to the 12. Unschooled and ordinary. Peter was likely the only one above the age of 20 (temple tax out of fishes mouth). John might have been about 16.
- When? During the Last Supper. After three years of walking with them. Right before him praying at Gethsemane. Hours before dying on a cross. Days before the resurrection.
- Where? In an upper room in Jerusalem. Jesus likely prepped the room beforehand.
- What? Impressed upon them what was going to come. Gave them some of his final words – especially to the 12 as a whole – the 3 closest to him got to experience a little bit more. Loving. Holy Spirit. Jesus the only way. Connection.
- How? Used a lot of different imagery. Washing feet. Vines. His whole life – pointing to that as a “proof” and reminder.
- Why? He knew that what was coming up for them was too much to bear. He knew one of them would betray him prior to death. He knew that all would forsake him leading up to death. If they are going to be reconciled to me – these have to be my words to them.
- Chosen because you are loved
- Chosen FOR His glory
- Chosen TO glorify
Preached by Jaren Singh on 5/1/22
Today we look at two promises based on the ramifications of the resurrection.
- 2 Corinthians 5:14-20. God tells us through the resurrection that we are reborn.
- Our motivation is different
- Our perspective is different
- Our destiny is different
- Our purpose is different
- Romans 8:28-27. God tells us through the resurrection that we are victors.
Preached by Jaren Singh on 4/17/22
Your Identity is built through your life choices.
1 Corinthians 3:10-17
- We should strive to build wisely. Poor decisions are: made in haste, made in anger, and made alone
- Jesus must be the foundation of our lives - worth more than everything else
- The storms of life expose our identity. Prepare for the storms.
- Our identity is found through embracing God calling us family
Preached by Jaren Singh on 4/10/22
Your perspective shapes your behavior in life. Similarly - your perspective of your identity shapes your behaviors.
The only way to fight the lies and deception vying for our identity is with God's Truth.
We look at Jesus being tested in the wilderness to see three major lies the devil tries to convince us of.
- Matthew 4:1-4. The Devil wants us to be defined by our pleasures and our pains
- Matthew 4:5-7. The Devil wants us to view our relationship with God incorrectly
- Matthew 4:8-11. The Devil wants us to worship God alongside other things.
Preached by Jaren Singh on 4/3/22
Lesson 3 of 4 on our Sermon on the Mount series.
We ought to live Secret Lives that we would be proud to present to God.
Matthew 6:1-7:12
Preached by Jaren Singh on 3/20/22
Part 2 of our 4 part series on the Sermon on the Mount.
The Law of Moses is perfect, but how can anyone follow it perfectly??
When looking at Jesus' standard, we can go 3 different places. The goal is to choose Option C
- Option 1: Teach that following this to a T is the only way to heaven – live a life full of guilt and fear
- Option 2: Pacify Jesus’ teachings – begin comparison with others to feel justified
- Option C: Trust in Jesus’ Righteousness and Strive to live how he lived.
Preached by Jaren Singh on 3/13/22
We're looking at the Sermon on the Mount over the next 4 Sundays. The text today is Matthew 5:1-14.
Preached by Jaren Singh on 3/6/22
Join us as we hear from a guest speaker - Josh Lutz, Evangelist at the Springfield Church of Christ. Elijah steps out on faith and makes a spectacle of the prophets of Baal. God performs amazing miracles when we are All In.
1 Kings 16:19-23
1 Kings 18
Preached by Josh Lutz on 2/27/22
Happiness comes from making a decision
Happiness comes when your priority is clear
Happiness comes when you count the cost and choose freely
Happiness comes from “burning the plow”
Happiness comes when you decide to serve
Happiness comes when you value spiritual relationships and pursue mastery
Preached by Joseph Le on 2/20/22
There are caricatures that we’re taught about growing up – and when you turn a certain age you begin to realize that people are complex. Solomon was a complex individual.
It is harder to finish than it is to start – but finishing for God is the only thing that matters.
Solomon was loved by God
· You show me what comes to your mind when I bring up the concept of prosperity and I’ll show you exactly what will take you out of your relationship with God.
IT DOESN’T HAVE TO START BAD FOR IT TO STEAL YOUR LOVE.
Your sin impacts you, your family and your future
Preached by Jaren Singh on 2/13/22
When we go all in, greatness happens
- The Practice of Being All In. 2 Chronicles 14
- The Principle of Being All In. 2 Chronicles 15
- The Penalty of Not Being All In. 2 Chronicles 16
Preached by Alec Krause on 2/6/22
Our vision of the present must be accurate if we are going to see the future through the eyes of faith
- A humble vision of yourself. Matthew 7:3-5. Revelation 3:17-18
- A graceful vision of others. Matthew 18:32-33
- A hopeful vision of suffering. James 1:2-5
Preached by Jaren Singh on 1/16/22
Nothing gives us the confidence and clarity of the future more than confidence of the past.
All over the Bible there are calls and instructions to remember the past. You can look at every genre of text in the Bible and see how God is directing mankind to consider what came before.
- Consider Your Past. 1 Samuel 17:33-37
- Consider Our Past.
Preached by Jaren Singh 1/9/22
All visions from God leave with us pursuing something greater for their lives and the lives of those around them.
Numbers 12:6
Luke 4:18
Practicals for growing in our Vision of God
- Stop. Psalm 46:10
- Listen. Psalm 85:8
- Think. Psalm 77:12
- Cleanse. Psalm 24:3-4
- Pray. Psalm 32:6
- Seek. Psalm 63:1
Preached by Jaren Singh on 1/2/22
Join us as we look at what the commitment of Christians looks like practically. Not only do we depend on Jesus, but there is a commitment to one another that is a vital part of Christianity
Jesus, Superior to all. Hebrews 1:1-4
Walk together in Jesus
Representative of Jesus
Preached by Kyle Perkins on 12/19/21
Our walk with God ought to produce, prompt, and inspire actions that draw ourselves and others closer to the likeness of Christ.
1 Thessalonians 1:2-5
- Work produced by faith
- Labor prompted by love
- Endurance inspired by hope
- Faith that comes from seeing God’s power
- Love from being locked into the Spirit
- Hope that is built on deep conviction
Preached by Jaren Singh on 12/12/21
We look at the book of Nehemiah to help us understand the concept of hope and how it applies to our lives.
Preached by Alec Krause on 12/5/21
God's scale is incomprehensible
God's wisdom can be found in every Boulder field
Proverbs 16:16
Proverbs 19:8
Proverbs 3:19-20
1 Kings 19:7-9
Romans 1:18-20
Psalm 19:1-4
Lesson Preached by Andrew Elliott on 11/21/21
Gratefulness is one of the most attractive traits anyone can have – a grateful person isn’t motivated by external praise but rather by the Love of God.
I want to talk about two competing values and the role they have in sapping our gratitude to God away. Everyone leans one way or the other – and there ought to be consistent self reflection regarding both of these values.
- The Legalist - I have earned what is given to me.
- Luke 18:9-14
- Romans 4:5
- The Lovist - I deserve to be given to.
- Luke 17:11-19
Preached by Jaren Singh on 11/14/21
NOTE - Much of this lesson is adapted from concepts preached by Timothy Keller.
Our perspective during this season needs to be sharp and focused. The time during the Holiday season in particular can be stressful, and it is easy to get swept up and lose vision.
- Clear Direction. Matthew 10:5-15
- Clear Conflict. Matthew 10:21-36
- Clear Reward. Matthew 10:37-42
Preached by Jaren Singh on 11/7/21
God calls us to be content and to connect with him through our wealth. The world teaches us something very different.
Preached by Joe Le on 10/24/21
We arrived with 14 people from 6 different churches and in this past year there have been 3 other people who have moved in. There have been 6 baptisms since we’ve been here as well. It is inspiring to be a part of all that God is doing in Kalamazoo.
Today we are going to look at two reasons why Jesus came to the earth.
- Doctor to the sick. Matthew 9:9-13
- Rescue for the lost. Luke 19:1-10
Preached by Jaren Singh on 10/17/21
The disciplines of Abstinence are our way to create a dissociation between our bodies and our beings.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 - We are called to strike a blow to our bodies and make it our slaves. This is us denying our flesh and
- Fasting for Discipline. Matthew 4:1-11
- Fasting for God to move. Daniel 10:2-20
People want many things in life - there are four commonalities that are present in almost every list. The reality is that what everyone wants is provided in the fullest extent by Christianity.
- Money (Security). Isaiah 40:9-11
- Happiness (Fulfillment). Isaiah 55:8-12
- Freedom. Isaiah 61:1-3
- Peace. Isaiah 52:7-10
The world is asking and searching for true Christianity. We have the opportunity to bring it to them.
Preached by Jaren Singh on 10/3/21
Prayer is not a cosmic wishing well and it is not our chance to change God's Will. Rather it is a practice in an effort to connect with God and become more like Jesus.
Our posture should be one seeking to connect with God and understand Him more as opposed to one complaining or identifying everything that is going wrong.
Preached by Spencer Schulz on 9/12/21
Importance of the disciplines: Connecting with God just to connect with God. The reward for spending time with God is more time with God. It is not a means to an end.
Certainly there is a promise of heaven – but that is just more time with God.
Celebration and Worship are not often viewed as Disciplines - but without a focus on them we can tend to worship our accomplishments and celebrate ourselves as opposed to focusing on God.
2 Kings 22-23
Preached by Jaren Singh on 9/5/21
Spiritual Disciplines are controlled practices with the intention of growing closer to Christ. We have grown up in a society that tells us that doing spiritual things: reading the Bible, praying, etc. is a way to get what we want and be favored by God.
Incorporating Spiritual Disciplines into our lives is a way to become closer to Jesus, not get what we want spiritually.
Luke 13:1-5
Psalm 42:1-4
Psalm 63:1-5
Preached by Jaren Singh on 8/29/21
The entirety of the Book of Acts can be summarized in 3 words:
- Good - Share Good News
- Jesus - Create Jesus Centered Communities
- Trust - Trust the Holy Spirit
Preached by Jaren Singh on 8/22/21
Influence follows Spirituality – not only in the church, but also in the world. The more influence we have, the more impact our faith can have on the world. Winning influence is not some gimmick in order to make your life easier - it opens doors for God to work through people to impact and attract others to Him
Preached by Jaren Singh on 8/15/21
The life of a Christian ought to be characterized more by constancy of one’s faith than by random acts of faithfulness. So often our eyes turn to and gauge spirituality by singular Acts. So much built into the life of a Christian is based on day to day actions that communicate faithfulness.
- Prepare
- Preach
- Persuade
Preached by Jaren Singh on 8/8/21
Sometimes living out Christianity is exciting and full of success and joy. Other times it is difficult and provides us with more questions than answers. Join us as we look at the example of Paul as he begins his trek to Jerusalem
Preached by Devin Cook on 7/25/21
The city of Kalamazoo – the economy, the media, and the entertainment should feel the weight of true Christianity. This starts in the spheres that we’re in and spreads throughout the city.
This was true for the people in that time and it should be true for us as well.
Preached by Jaren Singh on 7/18/21
Join us as Dan Winchester, fresh from 5 years overseas, preaches the Word.
Preached by Dan Winchester on 7/11/21
God > Our Problems > Us
Join us as we take a break from our study in Acts to connect with some examples of faith in the Bible.
Preached by Ben Weatherston on 7/4/21
The reality of the world we live in is that it is constantly trying to frame issues in an effort to divide.
Those issues that are black and white - the world tries to make grey
Those issues that are grey - the world tries to make black and white
Originally preached by Jaren Singh on 6/27/21
We are looking at Paul's first missionary journey, specifically his time in the region of Galatia. Along with what is written in Acts, we'll reference the book of Galatians to see the connection and themes that are evident in both texts.
- Faith to see urgency
- Faith to see the result
- Faith to give faith
Preached by Jaren Singh on 6/20/21
This is two lessons in one!
The first part talks about being used by God - we are all able to impact individuals who no one else can.
The second part juxtaposes the life of the Herod and the life of Peter then later Paul.
Preached by Jaren Singh and Alec Krause on 6/13/21
Sorry for the poor audio. We are working on it!
Acts 9 and 10 cover a lot of important developments in the Church, and they are extremely vital for our worship today.
- We don't have to break the ice, God does it for us.
- Know your role, accept your role, even when it changes.
- God doesn't need gatekeepers, he needs Good News Sharers.
Preached by Spencer Schulz on 6/6/21
Agonizomai is a word that had great significance to the people in Bible times and it is one that we can actively put into practice today. We can put it into practice with our relationships with one another as well as our relationship with God
The goal is that understanding this word will give us greater perspective in our relationships with God and one another. Certainly the life of a Christian is the most worthwhile call, but it is also the one with the most opportunity to put this word into practice.
Preached by Jaren Singh on 5/30/21
Big Takeaway: God’s people cannot be so offended by slights or auxiliary arguments that we fail to defend the gospel.
Jump to 5:50 to begin the lesson
We look at Acts 7 and 8 and into the life of Stephen - the first Christian Martyr. We also look at the life of Simon the Sorcerer to develop convictions on the ownership that we need to take of our own sin.
Preached by Jaren Singh on 5/23/21
We'll look at two stories of imperfection in God’s church – one runs away from the imperfection, the other leans into it. These are narratives about how we interact with imperfections inside of ourselves. The more of our imperfections we cover, the less we’re used by God.
Ananias and Sapphira realized their imperfection and lack of faith to give up everything and were stunted by it.
The church leaders acknowledged their lack of consideration for the Hellenistic widows and they repented.
Preached by Jaren Singh on 5/16/21
Please join us on our series through the book of Acts. The goal of this entire series is to be inspired by our brothers and sisters who went before us and have given us guidance on how to live.
Acts 3 and 4 talks about the Boldness that the apostles had. There are three ways that we talked about being bold
- Bold in Deed
- Bold in Speech
- Bold behind closed doors
Preached by Jaren Singh on 5/9/21
Please join us on our series through the book of Acts. The goal of this entire series is to be inspired by our brothers and sisters who went before us and have given us guidance on how to live.
Looking at the first two chapters, it is clear that the Apostles were locked in to what the Holy Spirit was doing in their lives. We look at four aspects of that this morning
- They Obeyed
- They Prayed
- They Engaged
- They Followed Scripture
Preached by Jaren Singh on 5/2/21
This is a concept that is necessary to achieve anything great. There is a resilience, intentional, and focused energy that is exuded from anyone who has ever accomplished amazing things. For a Christian, our focus needs to be on persisting in prayer.
Pray big things, and pray them consistently
Preached by Jaren Singh on 4/25/21
The parable of the tenants is basically a story of the whole Bible condensed into just a few verses.
Luke 20:9-16
Preached by Joel Nagel on 4/11/21
In our quest to deepen our relationships with God, we need to strive to come to Him with the proper view of his love for us.
In order to do this we will look at Luke 15 and the Parable of the Forgiving Father. It is a masterful and challenging call for all of us to view God's love the proper way. If we do this, our actions will reflect Him and his call for our lives.
Preached by Jaren Singh on 4/18/21
We celebrate Jesus' resurrection by considering what the Apostle Paul considers to be the Gospel. The most amazing event in human history is the reason why we celebrate. We do not want to allow the world to pacify our senses as we consider the ultimate sacrifice then the total conquer of death.
1 Corinthians 15:1-11.
Preached by Jaren Singh on 4/4/21
We're celebrating Palm Sunday. It is vital for us to take the stance that the people did when they shouted, "Hosanna" as Jesus passed by.
John 21:25
Mark 11:1-11
Preached by Jaren Singh on 3/28/21
Our lives need to continue to be called higher by our commitment to give to God and our continual trust in the words of those closest to us.
The story in the book of Ruth is a powerful narrative of what our relationships with God can look like and what our relationships with others should look like. We need to give to God until it hurts, and prompt others to do the same.
Preached by Jaren Singh on 3/21/21
The biggest things communicated in the Book of Jonah is God's willingness to use us to accomplish His plan, and God's intense patience and desire to forgive His creation.
Preached by Alec Krause and Spencer Schulz on 3/14/21
When People Lead...Praise the Lord
God is always looking for people to lead. If you identify as being a Christian, you also are a leader
When People Volunteer...Praise the Lord
Follow people who set a great example. That is what Paul calls people to, ultimately that is what Jesus wants from each of us.
Judges 5:1-18
Matthew 5:14-16
Preached on 3/7/21 by Jaren Singh
If we are going to be used by God we need to strive to remove the vanity in modern Christianity.
Focusing on the favor of man blurs our image of God.
Being used by God keeps the standard high.
Acts 4 and Acts 5
Preached by Jaren Singh 2/28/21
Discipleship isn't about moments of selflessness, it's the life of selflessness.
Judges 6:12-13
"The Lord is with you" - most repeated promise in Bible
"Don't be afraid" - most repeated command in the Bible
When we're called to something we point to those outside to avoid talking about the things inside us. God's answer to the world's problems are you and I.
A selfless person sees strength as a means to serve.
Preached by Mark Kang on 2/21/21
We need to force ourselves to think about us less. There are few things more unnatural than that. Seeing ourselves as Jesus sees us is the goal because he has the proper vantage point. Jesus on the cross focusing on Mary and John is one of the best examples of this in history.
John 19:25-27
Matthew 12:43-45
James 4:1-3
(34:45) Our first installment of Monday Morning Preacher is attached. It is a short interview expanding on one component of the lesson. The intention is to go deeper and consider the application of the lesson.
Preached 2/14/21
If you and I are going to have the impact that we want to then your focus cannot be on you. When there are stressful situations – do people even talk to you about them? Or do they realize you’re too caught up in your own situation to have proper concern for theirs?
The ministry of Jesus was counterintuitive – he had 30 some years to change the world and he chose only 3. He chose ordinary people from a few different walks of life instead of the best of the best. When given the opportunity – he preached hard truths that pushed people away instead of preaching, “peace, peace, when there was no peace.”
Through all of this we are left with a selflessness that actively pushes all of the responsibility then subsequent glory of a changed people into the hands of God. We’re talking about a concept today that if we get on straight is going to force our faith to stretched and our understanding of how little we can control to grow.
John 7
Selflessness is both flexible as well as rigid. It is flexible when it involves helping others and rigid regarding matters of sin.
John 2:1-12
John 2:13-25
2 Corinthians 6:3-13
Preached on 1/24/21
At the end of this month – the goal is to be able to identify the selfishness in our hearts and subsequent actions and to grow in our hatred for where this sin shows up in our lives. If we are able to grow in our hatred of our selfishness we are going to become individuals who are less entitled, more engaged in evangelism, and more humble in one another discipling relationships. Once the focus is off of us we are going to be those pray more fervently, connect with God more thoughtfully, and operate with more clarity.
Selfish ambition is something that promises so much but delivers so little. It is among the most sinister of sins because as we look back on individual decisions, or the course of our week, or even an extended time – we will go to situations and debate if they were worthwhile or not – so often these situations have two choices pitted against each other – one being to lift up self the other being to wait to be exalted.
Genesis 3
Genesis 39
Genesis 45
Philippians 2:3
Preached on 1/17/21
At the end of this month – the goal is to be able to identify the selfishness in our hearts and subsequent actions and to grow in our hatred for where this sin shows up in our lives. If we are able to grow in our hatred of our selfishness we are going to become individuals who are less entitled, more engaged in evangelism, and more humble in one another discipling relationships. Once the focus is off of us we are going to be those pray more fervently, connect with God more thoughtfully, and operate with more clarity.
The problem with Envy is that there is so much time spent in rivalry and comparison with those around you, or standards that you consume that the focus divulges from personal growth to just beating someone else – and therein lies the instability of grasping for a moving target.
Genesis 37
1 Timothy 6:3-16
Preached 1/10/21
Join us as we cover the reality of the Selfishness in our lives in an effort to become those who are selfless.
At the end of this month – the goal is to be able to identify the selfishness in our hearts and subsequent actions and to grow in our hatred for where this sin shows up in our lives. If we are able to grow in our hatred of our selfishness we are going to become individuals who are less entitled, more engaged in evangelism, and more humble in one another discipling relationships. Once the focus is off of us we are going to be those pray more fervently, connect with God more thoughtfully, and operate with more clarity.
James 3:13-18
Haggai
The last lesson of 2020. Feeding the 5000 is a lesson in searching for rest, reigniting compassion, and doing the work to help others.
We center in on Mark 6 in order to do this.
Jaren Singh and Joseph Le preach on a few lessons from the wilderness. There is a lot to embrace with the Israelites in their time traveling through the desert.
SINCERE APOLOGIES FOR THE POOR AUDIO. We're working on a permanent solution. Thank you for bearing with us.
- Connect Creatively
John 9
Jesus never healed in the same way twice. For us, this time is going to stretch all of us to be creative in our connection to one another.
- Faith Through Thankfulness
Psalm 27:13-14
Psalm 34:1-7
- Investment in Self
1 Timothy 4:6-10
Kyle Perkins, Campus Minister at the Lansing Area Church of Christ preaches on Perseverance.
We wrap up our series talking about how we can give to people in an effective way. We look into the life of David to talk about Selfless Time and Selfless Energy. Alec Krause and Karan Sarai preach the word powerfully and thoughtfully.
Jaren Singh talks about the lure of possessions, especially in this time. So often - the pursuit of these things for ourselves is a response to a competition we feel to live up to expectations that people or society have for us.
So often it is "a competition against no one, where the winner loses."
1 Samuel 18:6-9
1 Samuel 21:10-15
Luke 12:13-21
We are entering in on a three part series entitled 3 P's in a Pod: Problems, Possessions, and People.
Virtually all of the issues and stressors in our lives can be categorized into one of these three camps.
Today we're talking about problems - specifically situations and things that are outside of our control - health issues, sicknesses of loved ones, difficulties with work, as well as macro societal issues.
- Make it spiritual
- Don't play by the rules
1 Samuel 17
John 16:33
Matthew 5:13-16
Ben Weatherston, the leader of the Grand Rapids Church of Christ preaches on the reality of weariness and how we are called to respond to it.
Times of testing, especially continued times of testing, produce weariness in so many. Weariness is not sinful, it is how we choose to respond to it.
Trials always last longer than you think they should. They are trying to teach you more about God and for you to grow closer to Him.
Numbers 20:1-6
Hebrews 3:12-14
Galatians 6:9-10
Matthew 11:28-30
Everyone wants to live life to the full. And it seems like just about everybody has a way to do it. John 10 shares a couple of ways that we can live life to the full:
- Listen more the VOICE than what is SAID
- A full life is one of intense followership
John 10:1-21
2 Timothy 3:12-18
Luke 9:57-62
Philippians 2
How is it that Jesus, the Savior of all, is able to give us this promise that those who are followers of His can do even greater things than He has done? We will dig into that this morning.
To be those who do even greater things we have to lock in to the Holy Spirit and allow ourselves to be led by Him.
Matthew 11:28-30. "“28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Jesus promises that anyone who comes to him will have rest. If you've spent any time as a Christian, or if you're thinking about becoming one, the truth is that this promise does not always feel true, there are a couple of things we have to remember and embrace:
- Trade, Not Remove - We are not removing our yoke entirely, but instead of our old yoke we are replacing it with a new one - one that is absolutely lighter because The Master has done all the heavy lifting.
- Seek rests that lasts - Our frame for rest should not be on the superficial and limited but rather the desire for rest that will last forever. Anything else is less than what God wants for us.
Acts 14:8-20
1 Timothy 1:13-14
2 Corinthians 11:16-20
John 16:33
The first promise in our series is found in Matthew 7:7-8 when Jesus says, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."The truth is that baked into every prayer either explicitly and directly or in a roundabout way is you and I asking God for things that we REALLY REALLY need. Every single prayer that has ever been prayed has been asking God explicitly or in a roundabout way something that the pray-er desperately needs.
The big takeaway is to focus on closing the GAP between what we think we want, and what we actually do.
Kalamazoo's Inaugural Service.
There are a lot of promises in the Bible, but if we are going to follow the Bible and truly lean in to his promises, we need to do a couple of things:
- Trust the Speaker - Mark 9:14-29. At the core, our decision to follow is based on faith. We cannot deflect the responsibility on anything or anyone but that.
- Live like it is Truth - Mark 5:24-34. The promises in the Bible ought to permeate every part of our lives, not just sometimes and not just on Sundays.
In the life of a Christian - there is not a more important topic than salvation. This is what should be the main thing and our priority.
Ephesians 6:10-17
Mark 12:13-17
Luke 24:44-53
Acts 1:1-7
In our fight against the Devil, we are told to take up the Shield of Faith. Faith is not a concept that is whimsical and intangible, rather it is a series of decisions and actions that communicate the belief in a resurrected Jesus.
Ephesians 6:10-17
Luke 13:22-30
Mark 2:1-12
Jaren Singh continues our series on The Armor of God with the third installment. "Sometimes the best defense is more offense."
Ephesians 6:10-17
Luke 12:51-53
Mark 1:29-39
Isaiah 52:7
Please visit Kalamazoo.church if you live in the Kalamazoo area and want to get involved in a personal Bible Study or any other event.
Jaren Singh continues the series on the Armor of God. This is the second installment talking about the Breastplate of Righteousness. Preached on 9/6/20
Ephesians 6:10-17
Proverbs 4:23
Ephesians 2:1-10
We’re a startup church, we just planted in September 2020. At the Kalamazoo Church we believe that Christianity is done best when it is done together. And so if you live in the Kalamazoo area we would love to connect – be it coming to a Sunday Service, one of the small groups, or even just grabbing coffee with a member to learn more. You can visit Kalamazoo.Church for more. We pray that you’re inspired by what you hear today.
We're a part of the International Churches of Christ.
Intro and Outro by R3ason. Check out his music here.