The Vince and Bill Show: Recent Episodes
Gateway City Church
When we hear a Sunday sermon, how do we respond? In this post-sermon podcast Vince Hawkins sits down with Kendall Albert to talk about the two responses we see to sermons in the Bible, and also the theme of repentance.
Listen to the whole sermon here.
This week, Jeff Hughes sits down with Vince to talk about his sermon from Acts 19. They discuss the surprising element of humor in this chapter, how we can be known not just by God but by the Enemy as well, and whether those around us know who we are and what we stand for.
Listen to the whole sermon here.
Even an "expert" in a field can learn something new! In this episode, Vince recaps his lesson from this past Sunday on Apollos, a scholar of the scriptures in his day. Vince examines how although he had impressive credentials, Apollos was still willing to be humble and learn from those around him.
Listen to the whole sermon here.
Flying solo this week, Vince unpacks his most recent sermon, "Quitting Is Not An Option". He looks at Paul's example and how even Paul(!) could become discouraged, but that he persevered even under duress and persecution. Vince also challenges us to not become too comfortable and to welcome persecution when it happens.
Listen to the whole sermon here.
Last episode before Bill goes on his 3 1/2 month sabbatical! Bill and Jeff unpack Bill's final pre-sabbatical message and talk about how God wastes nothing.
Listen to the whole sermon here.
With Vince away on a short-term missions trip, Jeff joins Bill this week to sit down and talk about his thoughts on Bill's sermon this week.
Listen to the whole sermon here.
Injustice. None of us are immune to it. Even the apostles. Like Paul in Acts 16, we wrestle in the moment to understand why God allows it, but even being a victim of injustice can be used by God, as we see when Paul is imprisoned. In this podcast, Vince and Bill take a look at Vince's sermon, and why we need to keep the eternal in mind.
Listen to the whole sermon here.
Division in the church may seem like a new thing, but in fact it's been with us since the beginning. When handled well, the result will be increased convictions for both the leadership and the congregation. In this week's podcast, Vince and Bill discuss Bill's sermon on Acts 15, when the apostles were called on to address the prickly issue of circumcision. Bill and Vince talk about the relevance of this sermon topic to today's culture...and also Bill's sermon process when he has a little extra time.
Listen to the whole sermon here.
In this episode, Vince, Bill, and Jeff discuss Jeff's sermon from June 27th. The trio also discuss how while persecution is never easy or welcome, but is a necessary part of growth in faith. Listen to the whole sermon here.
We had a special treat this Sunday; Tim Sherrill from our sister church in Omaha, NE came and preached for our Father's Day service. Appropriately, Tim's message centered on the theme of family, and also on how much of the church runs countercultural to popular Western culture. In this episode, Vince and Tim (minus Bill) talk further about both of these themes and how Omaha has especially embraced the theme of family as a church.
Listen to the whole sermon here.
We kicked off our annual Missions Collection this past Sunday! To spur us on, Vince preached a sermon on Barnabas (Bill's personal hero), encouragement, and generosity. This week, Vince and Bill discuss the necessity of vulnerability and the insanity of "houses for cars".
Listen to the whole sermon here.
This week, we learned a new verb: Gospeling. Bill shares with us a little more of the history of the book of Acts, and his thoughts on the true calling of Christians
Listen to the whole sermon here.
This week, we had our first of three outdoor services, and Kendall preached on the necessity of naming your fears in order to overcome them. In this podcast, Kendall, Vince, and Bill talk about Kendall's sermon writing process and how he has worked to overcome some of the things he preached about.
Listen to the whole sermon here.
Happy Mother's Day! This Sunday we had our annual teen-led service, where teens took the stage for all elements of the Sunday worship service. Our graduating senior Tyler Stuppy shared preaching duties with Jeff Hughes; each shared about what makes moms awesome, and their own moms have helped shape their views of the world.Listen to the whole sermon here.
In this Sunday's sermon, Vince shared about how some of Peter's actions would have been considered "disgusting" by the standards of the day. Yet when we embrace getting dirty and seeking after those who are on the fringe, that's when God shows up and blesses our efforts. Vince and Bill talk about the necessity of being willing to get our hands dirty as disciples of Jesus.
Listen to the whole sermon here.
Our faith is not meant to be kept just to ourselves! In this post-sermon chat, Vince and Bill talk about Saul's conversion to Paul, and how he went from being Enemy #1 of the Christians to one of the most active Apostles in the Bible. Then, they look at how Ananias responded to the call to meet Saul/Paul, how he was called to reach out to the one attacking the church, and why we too can struggle sometimes with outreach as Christians.
Listen to the whole sermon here.
Power. No matter how much we get, it can feel like it's not enough. In this podcast, Bill talks about why he was excited to preach on this topic, and the origins of this sermon as a lesson from years ago.
Listen to the whole sermon here.
Potlucks...they are a centuries-old tradition of the Christian faith....almost as much as conflict in the church. At the crossroads of conflict and food, Bill and Vince discuss the opportunity presented. In this case, the creation of the role of the Deacon in the book of Acts. They also talk about why we can't shy away from conflict and how to embrace it in a healthy way.
Listen to the whole sermon here.
Been persecuted for your faith? You're in good company. In this episode, Vince and Bill discuss how persecution is a regular part of the Christian faith, and why we can't shy away from sharing the good news out of fear of being persecuted.
Listen to today's sermon here.
Vince, Bill, and newcomer Kendall Albert talk about this week's sermon, and Kendall's journey of self discovery as he was writing it. Specifically, the difficulty in being outward focused in prayer.
Listen to the whole sermon here.
Vince and Bill are joined by Jeff Hughes this week as they talk about his sermon from Acts 3 about Peter healing a lame beggar.
Listen to the whole sermon here.
Vince and Bill talk about the practice of dwelling, and how it helped them to formulate this week's sermon. Dwelling is something that you can do with just one other person, or with a small group of people, and can help you discover new insights even in scriptures that you are extremely familiar with.
Listen to this week's sermon HERE.
Dwelling process:
- Choose a scripture or passage in the Bible.
- Read together, usually one person reads it out loud.
- Take a few minutes in silence to meditate on the scripture, and discover what "interrupts" you.
- Each person shares either for themselves or breaks up into pairs to share with another person what interrupted them in the passage.
This week, Vince and Bill are joined by Jeff Hughes, Rani Singh, Kendall Albert and Makenzie Albert as they discuss the thought process in creating the "post game" video for this week's sermon on Acts 2:38-41.
Listen to the sermon HERE or (to see the skit) watch the sermon HERE.
This week, Vince and Bill unpack Bill's process in writing this week's sermon.
Listen to this week's sermon now.
Questions:
- What is it that you are seeking after first?
- If you are a Christian, do you truly believe you are "good news"?
Ready to recommit in 2021? In this week's sermon, Vince looked at a passage in Acts 2, and asked some difficult-to-hear questions about the hearer's personal walk with God. In this podcast, Bill and Vince talk about his process in creating this sermon, and also dive deeper into each of the four questions.
Listen to the whole sermon here.
The four questions:
- Are we focused on God’s glory in all things right now?
- Are we passionate for the nations to glorify God through Good News?
- Are our daily lives consciously dependent on God’s Holy Spirit?
- Is it the daily desire of each member in our congregation to be a witness of Jesus to those who are lost?
Happy New Year! In the first podcast of 2021 Vince and Bill talk about the "good news" of the Bible's message, and how sometimes as Christians we can give "good advice" rather than "good news". Join us as we dive into Acts in 2021!
Listen to the sermon here.
This past Sunday, Ed Carr continued our Advent sermon series with the topic of "Love", something that may not come easily in these final days of 2020. Listen to the full sermon here.
Hope is easy when you've come out of the storm, but what about when you are in the middle of it? Many of us this year can relate to the feeling of being in the storm. In Jeff Hughes's sermon and podcast, he talks about feeling hopeful, even when you're heartbroken.
Listen to the sermon here.
Help us become the most popular podcast in our zipcode! Share this episode with your friends.
Listen to the sermon here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ZW1a0IBiXPezh6GHTSr4XaTW1AhJpukp?usp=sharing
Recorded on November 1st, and uploaded on November 5th, as we are still waiting on the results of the 2020 Election. If we ever needed a reminder of who we truly serve as Christians, it's now. Vince and Bill discuss why even as Christians, we can struggle with the pull to see a human leader be selected, and why this is not a new phenomenon.
This past Sunday was our Missions Sunday, where we take up our annual collection to support Christian missions around the world. Bill and Vince discuss the importance of us staying "on mission" as Christians, regardless of our our geographic location.
Listen to the whole sermon here.
This week, Vince and Bill discuss vulnerability and radicalness.
Discussion Questions:
- Consider taking your own spiritual audit. You could use the First Principles Bible Studies as a guide.
- Think of ways that you can practice hospitality, even while we are going through a pandemic. How can you help build others up?
This week, Bill discusses the difficulty of being vulnerable in his most recent sermon, the power of doing so, and how we all have "dumpsters" that we need to abandon.
1) What "dumpster" do you have in your life that you need quit going back to?
2) What will you trust today?
This week, Vince reflects on watching the movie 'Unhinged" with his wife, and also on 1 Peter 4:10.
Discussion Question:
1) Within your small group, ask each other, "What gift do you think I have?"
Following our outdoor Labor Day service, Vince reflects on his "sermunion" about Exodus.
Discussion Questions:
-
When you are tested, what scriptures bring you comfort?
-
What could God be refining in you through these trials?
Continuation of our Ephesians sermon series. This week, Bill preached on Ephesians 4:4-5.
Listen to the whole sermon here.
Meditate on this scripture this week:
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Patience and Gentleness are two of the most revered fruits of the spirit but also two of the hardest to come by. Vince and Bill discuss the hard work involved with acquiring these character traits, but also why it's worth it to pursue these in our efforts to be more like Jesus.
Listen to Sunday's full sermon here.
Discussion Questions:
-
Bill says, "Patience is most tested when it's involving an other." Discuss.
-
Vince and Bill discussed how it's easy to put our identity into our "teams", whether they are political, sports, etc. to identify with one team, you must put down the other. What "teams" in your life (work, home, play) might be alluring you?
-
What would it look like to put patience and gentleness into practice in your own life?
Jeff Hughes was our preacher this week, and he wrapped up our series on Ephesians by looking at how God can do "immeasurably more".
Listen to the whole sermon here.
This week on the podcast (sans Bill), Vince and Jeff talk about how "immeasurably more" might occur in surprising ways that we couldn't have conceived, and how God's track record is faithful, even in tough circumstances.
Discussion questions:
What does your prayer life say about how you view God?
Think back over your life and prayers that you have prayed. How do you see God answering those prayers?
What life circumstances has God used in surprising ways?
This week, Ed Carr preached a sermon on "To Know His Love".
Listen to the sermon here.
In this week's podcast, Vince, Bill, and Ed discuss the necessity of togetherness for Christians, and some of the spiritual practices that Ed does with others on an ongoing basis. He also peels back the curtain a little on his process of writing sermons and how this sermon came to be.
Practicals for this week:
- Pray Together - Pray over the phone with someone, take a prayer walk with your spouse (if you are married) or with a friend, or pray over Zoom with your small group.
- Share your story - Share with someone else how you have seen God's love in your life.
In this week's sermon, Bill Moulden talked about the (often untapped) power in prayer. Click here to listen to the whole sermon now.
Vince and Bill discuss this concept further in this week's podcast, encourage us to lean into prayer, and how Jesus is the only answer to the world's problems.
Practicals:
1) Contact 10 people in your life and ask them how you can pray for them.
2) Journal your "gut level honest" feelings to God about where you are at right now.
3) Take 10-20 minutes to pray three times daily, either out loud, silently, or write your prayers down.
This week, Vince's sermon talked about the power and effectiveness of prayer, and why we need to lean into this power more as Christians, especially as we navigate a continuing pandemic.
Listen to the sermon here.
Vince and Bill continue the conversation on the importance of prayer in Christianity, and encourage us with some practicals for the week.
Recommended Reading:
A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracted World by Paul E. Miller
This week's challenge:
Set aside one hour to pray alone, and spend more time listening to God than speaking to God.
This Sunday, Jeff Hughes preached a sermon on the power of grace in our lives.
Listen to the whole sermon here.
On today's podcast. Jeff shares about how we can practice grace within our own families, and also his recent shenanigans with our teen ministry.
Discussion Questions:
1. "The lack of grace is the root of many of our problems." Discuss how you see this in your own life, and in the world.
2. For Parents: How do you teach grace to your kids?
In this past Sunday's sermon, Bill shared his story with us and what he's learned over the years about dignity. Both in retaining dignity when you are wronged, and restoring dignity to others when needed.
Listen to the whole sermon here.
Discussion Questions:
-
Bill and Jeff talked about how valuable they find it to listen to and trust in those that God has placed in their lives. Sometimes this can be easy, other times less so. Talk about how the guidance of others has impacted your life personally (discipler, mentor, older relatives, etc).
-
Open your Bible to Matthew 5:38-42. Take a few minutes to read this scripture with your Bible Talk or Family Group, and talk about how it impacts you.
-
In this week's podcast, Bill talked about how restoring dignity can be a long process, and requires being with someone for the long run. In your own experience, have you found this to be true? Discuss.
This week, Vince preached on the topic of "Identity Theft", and how Satan tries to steal our identity in Christ, using various tactics.
Listen to the whole sermon here.
In this podcast, Vince and Bill follow up on the sermon and talk about how the theme of power/control is at the root of many of Satan's tactics. They also discuss how we can seek after power, sometimes at the expense of not seeking after peace.
Discussion Questions:
- "If you are...." In what ways has Satan attempted to throw your identity in Christ into doubt, particularly as you have been forced to shelter in placeduring the COVID-19 pandemic?
- "If I rest, I will lose power." How does this statement make you feel?
- "Is it the people, or the power behind the people?" Think about the things that have been frustrating you recently. Do you believe this frustration is rooted more in the people who cause you frustration? Or is it more about the power they have attained?
"We cannot preach what we do not have." In this episode, Vince and Bill discuss the importance of seeking peace in our lives, and then provide some practicals in how you can bring this practice into your daily times with God.
Listen to this week's sermon here.
Practicals:
-
As a family group or with your own family, read through a passage of scripture three times, with a pause of about 20-30 seconds between each reading. Suggested scriptures are Psalm 46 or Psalm 139.
-
In your personal time with God, take time to pray where you do nothing but just sit and focus on the presence of God.
Discussion Questions:
-
How do you truly feel about the idea that rest is a necessary part of the Christian life? Does it make you anxious, excited, or...?
-
What things in your life do you need to pray "Prayers of Indifference" about?
Happy Father's Day! This week, Vince and Bill dive the mystery that God chose the title "Father" to personify himself the most.
Listen to this week's sermon here (short and sweet!)
Discussion Questions:
-
How do your personal experiences frame how you view the word "father"? In what ways does it match what is in the Bible? How does it differ?
-
Bill and Vince also talk about how it's crucial to find rest in God. Who do you know that is intentional in "finding rest in God"? What can you imitate in how they go after this?
Following up on June 14th's sermon, Jeff Hughes talks about the importance of seeking unity and also building dialogue with others.
Listen to the full sermon from June 14th here.
Discussion Questions:
-
In this week’s podcast, Jeff shared monologuing vs. dialoguing, particularly in social media. How do you see this in your own life?
-
How can you personally do what you can to create a culture of dialogue?
-
Think of one person that you can connect with this week to help build a culture of dialogue.
This week's sermon was on the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Vince and Bill are joined by Kathy Rosario to discuss the vulnerability of the Samaritan, and how we can "go and do likewise" in the church today.
Listen to the full sermon here. Discussion questions: 1. How have you seen mercy or grace in your own life? 2. In what situations might it be more difficult to show mercy to others?