Compass Evangelical Free Church: Recent Episodes
Compass Church
This podcast is a production of Compass Evangelical Free Church based in Columbia Missouri. Each session is pulled from messages delivered by pastors, elders, or guest speakers at Compass Church. If you are interested in learning more about Compass Church, please visit www.compassefc.com or contact the church team via email: info@compassefc.com.
What do you need when you find yourself at the end of your road? The book of Daniel starts at the end of a road. Daniel’s country has been invaded. His king’s political maneuvering has failed. It looks like God lost. Daniel teaches us that God often starts working when our road ends.Passage: Daniel 1:1-2
The Bible presents God as a glorified party planner. How do we align our hearts and wallets to him?
Too often churches talk about what they want from people rather than for people. Today we're talking about our desires for you when it comes to money.
How can we grow less anxious about money? Jesus teaches that using money to cultivate relationships helps us experience peace. What does that look like to use money to cultivate relationships?
God likes your neighbor so much he gave them a sure fire way to experience his presence…you!
Jesus constantly gave away power. Jesus modeled behavior for his disciples then sent them out. Jesus invites us to create belonging for people who do not believe. How do we do that?
We find an enemy. We draw lines in the sand. What if Jesus wants to draw a circle where we’ve drawn a line? Join us as we discuss how Jesus does conflict differently.John 15:18-27
We have all experienced what it feels like to be alone in difficult times. Whether it's entering a new stage of life, dealing with broken relationships, or trying to find purpose, the truth is we need help. The good news is that God provides the help we need.
We are rightly skeptical of universal claims such as, “The Beatles are the best band ever!” So what happens when Jesus makes a universal claim, “No one come to the father but by me.” Can we hold to universal claims while being humble?
The problem of evil creates barriers to faith for many of us. We can’t put our faith in a God we don’t trust. The Bible doesn’t ignore the problem of evil. The Bible is God’s interaction with the problem of evil. As Judas betrays Jesus we see three clear strategies God has for dealing with the problem of evil.
We are inundated with different visions of the good life. Jordan Peterson has a vision for the good life. Goop has a vision for the good life. What did Jesus think the good life looked like? Does it even matter?
We all have a desire to live lives of purpose and meaning and yet we are also so easily distracted by things that don’t matter. If we are going to live life with a God sized mission, it must be a mission defined by God
We live in seasons. Joy and Sorrow. Highs and Lows. How does God’s Word help us as the seasons change?
What does prayer do? You probably would have found your keys eventually. The Chiefs were always going to beat the 49ers. What does prayer do? As a sought after teacher on prayer, Jesus teaches what prayer does and how we can experience its power.
What does prayer do? You probably would have found your keys eventually. The Chiefs were always going to beat the 49ers. What does prayer do? As a sought after teacher on prayer, Jesus teaches what prayer does and how we can experience its power.
Good Friday emphasizes the significance of Jesus' sacrifice as a solution to sin and evil. God's judgement means the loss of his presence. On the cross Jesus is abandoned by his Father. He experienced abandonment so we could experience forgiveness. Good Friday presents God's resource to empower us to face evil in the world: Himself.
Maundy Thursday demonstrates how love motivated everything Jesus did. We are skeptical of love. But love is the defining characteristic of the Christian community. Jesus' actions encourage us to let go of fear, cultivate love, and communicate openly with God to experience his loving care. We are loved into loving and Maundy Thursday puts love on full display. What's keeping us from embracing a new way of life by following Jesus' example of selfless love?
Spy Wednesday highlights our tendency to revert to our training during crises. Using Judas' betrayal as an example, Craig emphasizes the importance of seeking God for fulfill needs instead of seeking immediate relief. Through the narrative of Judas' disappointment with Jesus, we reflect on personal responses to crises and the significance of surrendering to God for true life. Spy Wednesday invites us to question our default reactions in tough times and consider seeking God for guidance and fulfillment.Follow the link for a reflection guide: https://church.tech/g/fa91b00e
On Holy Tuesday Jesus explores surrendering to find true fulfillment. He teaches dying produces life. By surrendering to Jesus's love, despite fears, we can trust Him and experience the abundant life. Embracing the paradox of dying to self, we can trust Jesus with all aspects of life for true and eternal fulfillment.Follow the link for a reflection guide: https://church.tech/g/a889a019
Holy Monday helps us see repentance as a superpower. Repentance grants us direct access to God's heart. Many of us believe that repentance creates distance from God. Jesus however, shows that true repentance leads to intimacy with God. By cursing a fig tree Jesus condemns empty religion. Life with God is experienced through vulnerability and grace not behavior modification. Through vulnerability, repentance becomes a pathway to deepening our relationship with God, moving beyond the need to earn acceptance.Click this link for the reflection guide:https://church.tech/g/6a001025
Jesus said those who lose their lives will find them. He didn’t say those who lose their life will lose their life. We are dying to live. Everyday this Holy Week we’re releasing meditations on the teachings and actions of Jesus as he heads to the cross. We want to be with our Rabbi and do what our Rabbi does. He is dying to live. How can we do the same?
We need to confront the “Consumption Assumption” to spiritually mature. Is everything we receive for us to consume? Or have we been given gifts and resources in order to love?Text: John 12:1-11
Emotions move our faith from abstract ideas to intimacy. It’s one thing to believe God loves people. It’s another to see ourselves through the lens of God’s love. Jesus the teacher shows us how to move from abstract to intimate and he’s deeply emotional as he does.Text: John 11:17-44
In moments of crisis we rarely rise to the occasion. We rather default to our training. How do we train to trust Jesus in times of crisis?
How do we close the gap between what we believe and how we live? In the way of Jesus intimacy closes the gap. But how?Text: John 10: 22-31
Inactivity and passivity feel like the best response to disappointment. Our good shepherd, however, invites us to activity and ownership when we encounter disappointmentsText: John 10:11-21
What shapes you? Is following Jesus about more than just knowing the right bible verses and reciting a prayer? A key focus at Compass Church in 2024 is spiritual formation. In this limited series podcast host Molly Bottorff will sound off on a host of formational issues from prayer, to sharing your story, partisan politics and more.
At Compass we emphasize 8 characteristics of maturing disciples. Today we explore empowering. Jesus empowered the people around him. As we seek to be with our Rabbi and do what our Rabbi did, how do we release authority and maintain responsibility?Text: John 10:1-10
Prayer often is a source of shame. We struggle to find time to pray. When we do pray our minds quickly wander. So how do we pray?Text: Psalm 139
Many spiritual leaders claim people have two dogs waging war inside their hearts and minds. One dog is good and one evil. They then claim the one you feed wins. Are you open to another perspective?
Join us on this year's Compass Christmas podcast as we pursue Jesus together. Through this podcast, our hope is that we can encourage one another in rhythms of life that help us dwell in the rest of Christmas.
How can we experience peace regardless of our circumstances this Christmas? Walk Away. Only problem: Walking away has a counterfeit: Conflict Avoidance.Text: Matthew 2:1-12
How can we experience peace regardless of our circumstances this Christmas? Remembering we have peace with God. Only problem: Remember has a counterfeit: Nostalgia.Text: Romans 5:1-5
The Rest of Christmas is present in Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Despite battles that rage around the holidays, followers of Jesus can experience an unrivaled rest by cultivating fruitful connection with Jesus. The question is, how do we do that? How can we intentionally pursue the peace of Christ in busy lives?
Life gets messy when people challenge what we believe we need. Jesus challenges what we look to for glory and offers us his version of glory.Text: John 8:31-59
In the land of instant the process is painful. We want to experience transformation quickly. Jesus has promised us the abundant life but transformation takes time. How do fight discouragement?Text: John 8:12-20
We say we love our enemies. But do we? How do we live out our belief that our enemies aren’t threats to defeat but people to be loved? Text: John 7:13
We live in a transactional world. Too many of us bring a transactional mindset to faith. The cross is not transactional. It flows from and establishes the Shared Life.Text: John 6:41-71
Many of us wrongly believe that eternal life starts when we get to heaven. Salvation is not something we hope happens after we die. In the shared life, salvation is a daily occurrence. Text: John 6:16-40
Jesus doesn’t often meet our needs the way we would expect. He instead offers us a shared life with God. How do we learn to say Thy will be done instead of my will be done? Text: John 6:1-14
Our confidence in God’s authority empowers us to transform scary faith spaces into loving presence spaces. Text: John 13:1-17
We need each other to experience the flourishing life Jesus promised. How do we move from casual to committed and from committed to connected? Text: John 15:11-17
We’ve all gone along with something we didn’t like because saying “no” felt impossible. How do we be authentic without being a jerk? Jesus models an attachment love that creates courage, when we upset the status quo. Text John:5:31-47
Too many of us exert effort to find a sense of meaning and connection. It leaves us spiritually exhausted and on the edge of abandoning the faith. Jesus offers us transformation through attachment love and not will power. Are we willing to leave will power behind?
Text: John 5:16-30
Love risks rejection. Many of us fear deep connection because we are not guaranteed results. Jesus loves a suffering man. In love, Jesus heals the man. The man betrays Jesus, and the roles reverse: Jesus is suffering. How can we experience connection when it feels so risky? Text: John 5:1-16
For too long we’ve tolerated lame answers to our suffering. “We suffer so that we can help others who suffer.” “Suffering makes us more like Christ.” “It won’t last long.” "It gets better.” However true those might be, we can do better. Jesus heals a man who was suffering for 38 years. The religious leaders were mad at Jesus for healing someone on the Sabbath. We’re going to take a deep dive into Jesus’ worldview on suffering. Text: John 5:16 and Job
Religion says "I obey therefore I’m accepted." Grace tells a different story. Religion shames. Grace moves toward and ultimately honors shamed people. Jesus leaves Jerusalem having been pushed out by the religious establishment. He meets a woman at a well and a life changing conversation ensues.
John 4:1-42
The way we motivate others is often the way we motivate ourselves. In John 3 Jesus shows patience toward a skeptic. His patience challenges us to rethink our motivations.
John 3:1-10
We crave presence. We want to be more present for our loved ones and we want our loved ones to be more present to us. How is Jesus flipping tables good news for people seeking presence?
John 2:13-23
After the Office finished filming Rainn Wilson, AKA Dwight, said to B.J. Novak “I wished I enjoyed it more.” Life flies by. How can we enjoy it more? We ask three questions to inspire us toward joy.
We may struggle to feel anger. But it doesn’t seem like God does. You don’t have to read the Bible long before you encounter God’s anger. Paul offers a way to be angry that is life-giving for faith communities. It sounds simple but we will spend our lifetimes mastering. “Be angry and do not sin.” How do we do that?Eph. 4:26-27
Join Craig, Julie Casey, Linda Bradley and Pastor Troy as they discuss how connection empowers forward movement when life feels unbearable.
What do we do when feelings come to the surface? The invitation from God is not to cover over them or be overwhelmed by them, but to create space for them.
On the first Easter, Jesus moves toward a disappointed disciple.Thomas refused to have anything to do with Jesus. How does Jesus respond? He creates space for Thomas. Jesus’ kindness challenges us. Will we give him our allegiance? Text: John 20:24-29
We’ve all heard the question before, “What about all the contradictions in the Gospels?” Did the Satan tempt Jesus to turn stones to bread, throw himself off the temple, then worship him (Matthew)? Or did the Satan tempt Jesus to turn stones to bread, worship him, then throw himself off the temple (Luke)? How many women were present at the resurrection? Three (Matthew & Mark) five (Luke) or one (John)? How did Judas die? Craig responds to these questions and more.
How do bread and wine change our hearts? On Thursday, Jesus and His disciples celebrated a familiar meal. Together, they shared the same elements that they had shared with their families as children, the same tradition Israel had celebrated for over a thousand years. This rich symbolism and tradition was about to be changed forever.
There was one person during Jesus’ final days who realized what He was worth. The religious leaders, the people who studied God’s Word, did not recognize Jesus. The disciples who had followed Jesus may have known who He was, but they didn’t realize what He was worth. On Wednesday, when Jesus went to eat at the house of a former leper, there was one woman who realized what Jesus was worth to her. What she realized changed everything.
What does the Messiah look like? When the Jesus came to the Israelites, they certainly did not recognize Him. He came preaching the Gospel, performing miracles, and teaching God’s Word, yet His own people did not recognize their Messiah standing in front of them. After Jesus had been interrogated by the teachers of the law, He turned to teach them about the true identity of Israel’s Messiah.
How can a fig change the world? After Jesus entered Jerusalem on Sunday, the Gospel of Matthew says that Jesus cleansed the temple and went to Bethany for the night. The next morning, Jesus and the disciples were walking back into Jerusalem when Jesus entered a terrible conflict with a tree. What happened between Jesus and that tree is a convicting message for all who dare to listen.
It can be hard to believe God desires connection with us. Isn't God distant and distracted? On the first Palm Sunday oppressed people saw Jesus as their promised political savior. But Jesus has something else in mind. Is Jesus distant and distracted? Or is he dying to connect?Scripture- John 12:12-36
Listen in as Corey Webel reflects on Mary's Magnificat and how we can cultivate joy in this Christmas season.
How do we cultivate joy in this chaotic Christmas season? Listen in as Pastor Craig Kidder reflects on the opportunity that can be found in the midst of disruption.
How do we cultivate joy in this season of Christmas? How can we be authentic while still partaking in joy? Listen in as Rod and Julie Casey talk about ways they strive for authenticity and joy in what can be a hard season.
Paul has laid out his vision for the family of God. He's invited us to build high HESED, high joy communities. Can these communities really be sustained for the long haul?Text: Philippians 4:8-21
How does God’s presence change us? God lives in us. We wouldn’t just live anywhere. There are houses too uninhabitable, too broken down for us to live in. And the God of the universe has made his home in us. How does this change how we live? Can we coast because God lives in us? Do our spiritual lives go on autopilot? Or is something required of us?Philippians 3:12-20
What does it mean to work out salvation with fear and trembling? What place do fear and trembling have in our identity and belonging?Text- Philippians 2:12-30
Love is not taught as much as it is caught. Love is something we learn, but the class room is the real world. Paul invites us to see how an imitation of Jesus creates a caring environment for our education to bear fruit.Philippians 2:1-11
You can't build anything meaningful without commitment. If this high joy, HESED community is going to last, we need to learn to endure hardships well.Philippians 1:12-30
Philippians 1:7-11What was Paul's vision for the church? Paul's prayer was for church to be full of high HESED people creating belonging and bearing fruit that magnifies Jesus.
Text: Philippians Prolegomena
Joy is rocket fuel for growth, but how can we be joyful when life is so hard?
Things aren't as bad as we think, but more is required than we know. Text: Luke 10:25-37
Serving where we are not passionate is drudgery. How do we serve others in a way that makes sense with our story?
Phil. 2:1-11
We gather to hear from God. As church grows more foreign to our post-Christian neighbors, we must work harder to be clear. What implications does that have for our gathering?
Passage: Isaiah 52:13-15, Mark 14:55-62 Who takes care of you? In ancient Israel, there was a person who took your needs into the presence of God: a priest. So why were the priests of Israel so upset when Jesus arrived claiming to be a priest?
What does it look like to find refuge in God? Especially since we all live east of Eden. The Genesis story invites us to experience refuge at the Mountain of God.
Text: Genesis 12:1-8 Is there more to Christianity than simply sinning less? What about human flourishing? The biblical authors believe human flourishing happens under the Tree of Life, but it's so hard for us as humans to stay in God's care. We are slow to trust. Adam, a father of our faith, experienced what happens when we live under the Tree of Life and when we make our own luck under other trees.
Genesis 2:8-3:15 We will do amazing things in the name of self-preservation. What is the greatest predictor of one's preservation? Relationships.
Genesis 2:7-18 In the creation narrative, we discover two trees. Each tree represents a way of being in the world. As we ponder each tree, we are presented with a question: Who will we trust?
What does it mean for God to rest? What if rest isn't what we think it is? Are we willing to trust the God of rest?
Genesis 1:1-3 Does our chaos scare God? The opening pages of Scripture reveal not a god who is not afraid of chaos but an Artist who uses chaos to create. What does that mean for the chaos of our lives?
Psalm 1 We all experience an onslaught of pressure we have not been trained to handle. What if God provided a help?
Matthew 21:1-11 It's Holy Week. Jesus' ministry of the kingdom has brought him to Jerusalem. His arrival is a clash of kingdoms. Even today His Triumphal Entry asks us, "What do we really want?"
Episode 6: In this episode Molly chats with Melissa Webel and Steve Scott about their friendships with Afghan newcomers, favorite ice cream flavors, most extravagant luncheon ever, and why "yes" is always the answer to an invitation to tea.
Titus 2:1-10 When we behave like the elders we hope to become, disinterested people get interested. One of the greatest resources for that kind of growth is intergenerational relationships.
Molly and Pastor Troy talk all things soul care and dive into some of Pastor Troy's backstory, plus the debut of One to One Stephen Ministry at Compass Church.
In episode 3, Molly talks with City of Refuge Director Debbie Beal about their shared Compass Church roots, youth group bowling misadventures, and how the Church can bless and be blessed by our refugee neighbors.
Truth: Until we restore our loving attachment to God and others, we are wasting out time.
Kara* and her husband serve Jesus in a country in South America. During this chat, Kara speaks on working for Jesus in a country in turmoil, the difficulty of being immersed in a different culture, and the joys of walking with Jesus. If you're moved to support Kara through prayer or financial donations please email molly@compassefc.com to get connected. For more information head to compassefc.com
*For safety reasons we are only using Kara's first name and not identifying the country in which she serves.
Pastor Craig interviews Old Testament scholar David Nonnemacher about how we relate to the Law.
In week 5 of the series on Galatians, Pastor Craig Kidder leads us through Galatians 3 where Paul addresses the lie that God loves and accepts us more when we obey.
This sermon was given by Pastor Craig Kidder on August 22, 2021 as the final installment of the Church on Mission mini-series. What does a church do when it encounters obstacles while on mission? How does the church help people experience personal renewal when there is chaos and conflict? Pastor Craig tackles these and other issues that were realities for the church in Crete 2000 years ago, and continue to be realities for the modern church today. For more information please visit compassefc.com
In this August 15, 2021 message, Luke Hettinger continues the "Church on Mission" miniseries, preaching from John 21, bringing good news for those who feel like imposters and how our "doing" flows out of our "being". For more information checkout https://compassefc.com
In this message from Aug. 8, 2021, Pastor Craig Kidder opens a three part mini-series with instructions from the book of Jude including how to deal with toxic false teachers and how to respond to those who doubt. For more information please visit compassefc.com
In this August 1, 2021 sermon Pastor Craig Kidder wraps up the "What is the Bible?" series with this message on the book of Revelation. Focusing in on Christ's corrective instruction for the church at Laodicea, Pastor Craig points to the value of a high love/high accountability church model as well as the relationship between victory and self-sacrifice. For more information please check out compassefc.com
In this message from July 25, 2021 Pastor Craig Kidder continues with our "What is the Bible?" series by taking a close look at the Apostle Paul and how his life was dramatically changed by his encounter with the ascended Jesus. Listen in to hear more about how one relationship can change everything. For more information check out compassefc.com
In this July 18, 2021 message, Luke Hettinger continues our "What is the Bible" series with part 10 "Church." Honing in on Acts chapter 2 and God's vision for the Church, Luke highlights the power that we have when God's Spirit makes his dwelling with people who are united on mission. For more information check out compassefc.com
What's the value in exploring a new musical style on a Sunday morning? Can listening to a piece by Bach be worship? Check out this conversation with Pastor Troy Marsh to answer these questions and get a preview of a new thing happening at Compass.
In this message from July 11, 2021, Pastor Craig Kidder preaches on the pinnacle of the series "What is the Bible" - Jesus and His Cross. Here we see that the heart of Christianity is the message of substitution - one innocent man laying down his life for the guilty and we see that in encountering Jesus we are forced to see who or what we place our trust in. For more information check out compassefc.com
In this July 4th, 2021 message, Pastor Craig Kidder breaks into the New Testament in our continuing series "What is the Bible?" In this message, entitled "Jesus and His Kingdom," Pastor Craig explains how Jesus is the climax of all of the biblical narrative and how He comes to bring the Kingdom of God and to change the world forever. For more information head to compassefc.com
In this June 27, 2021 message from Luke Hettinger we continue with our "What is the Bible?" theme with part 7 "Prophets." Pulling from the old testament books of Isaiah and Hosea, Luke outlines the roll of the prophets in their day and how they played into God's overarching mission that was ultimately fulfilled by Jesus. For more information head to Compassefc.com
In this sermon from June 20, 2021 Pastor Craig Kidder continues in our "What is the Bible?" series with Part 6: David. Posing the key questions of "what does the bible do with power?" and "how do we deal with disorientation?" Pastor Craig dives into the Biblical text pointing out where David embodies the coming True King and where he falls short. For more information please visit compassefc.com
In this message from June 13, 2021 Pastor Craig Kidder continues with the fifth installment of our "What is the Bible" series. Taking cues from ancient near east culture and who the God of the Old Testament has already established himself to be, Pastor Craig unwraps the complexity of the Torah, or Old Testament Law, showing how the law is a gift from a God who meets us where we are. For more information check out compassefc.com
In this message from June 6, 2021 Pastor Craig Kidder finally answers the main question from our "What is the Bible" series. This sermon from Exodus spells out why God's rescue of the Hebrews is a crucial moment in biblical history and a lens through which much of the salvation narrative is understood. Join in with us as we dive deeper into why and how God wants us to embrace freedom, and what's at stake if we fail to embrace this new identity. For more information check out compassefc.com
In this message from May 30, 2021, Pastor Craig Kidder preaches message four of his "What is the Bible" series, focusing on Exodus 3 and God's call of Moses. As the text describes Israel's hero in hiding, Pastor Craig poses the question "What do we do with our hiding?" Touching on core issues of guilt and shame and moving on to see how the God of the Bible engages us in our brokenness, Pastor Craig continues to unfold the overarching story of God and His people reversing the curse. For more information please visit Compassefc.com
In this message from May 23, 2021 Luke Hettinger covers part three of the "What is the Bible" series, focusing on the Biblical narrative as it covers the life of Abraham. Luke pulls truth from Genesis 12-16 to help us see how God is undoing Babel through the life of Abraham. For more information please visit Compassefc.com.
In this message from May 16, 2021 Guest Preacher Jordan Ayers teaches about what it looks like to have a grateful heart toward God. Pulling from Mark chapter 1 and Jesus' healing of a man with leprosy, Jordan outlines how gratitude should be the overwhelming condition of the heart and how it can change the way you look at God's Word and his Work. For more information check out compassefc.com.
In this message from May 9 2021 Pastor Craig Kidder brings part two of the “What is the Bible?” sermon series. Pulling from Genesis 3-11 Pastor Craig looks at the Fall and how God responds to us when we are at our worst.
In this message from May 2, 2021, Pastor Craig Kidder launches into a new sermon series entitled What is the Bible. Drawing from the opening pages of Scripture, Pastor Craig invites us into a grand and beautiful story of a God who is both powerful and relational. For more information please visit compassefc.com.
In this message from April 25, 2021, Luke Hettinger takes us to Psalm 131 and asks the question "How do we find stability in a world that is increasingly unstable?" For more information check out compassefc.com.
In this message from April 18, Dr. Rod Casey, Compass member and Director of the Theological Education Initiative, outlines the difference between agers and sagers, pulling wisdom from the Genesis account of Jacob on his deathbed.
n this sermon from April 11, 2021 Pastor Marshall Robb looks at the many ways that parenting, sports, and culture can shape our identity and how God's word invites us to see ourselves through a new and freeing lens.
In this Easter 2021 message, Pastor Craig Kidder picks up the story of Thomas, the disenchanted disciple and asks the questions "Where do we go from here?"
In this Palm Sunday message, Pastor Craig Kidder shows how King Jesus breaks into our world to fundamentally change the way we that we think about, relate to, and use power.
Pastor Craig Kidder unpacks the often complicated parent and adult child relationship through the lens of the book of Proverbs on this sermon from Compass Church in March of 2021.
Pastor Craig Kidder continues our study on Parenting and the book of Proverbs with this sermon titled "God is your Father, God is not your Father, God is not not your Father."
The last in our C.S. Lewis series about the important teaching about Heaven and Hell. The reality of both should define our lives in the present and God longs for us to receive real life in Heaven.
1 John 4:7-14 Charlie Munger once said, "Take a Simple Idea and take it seriously." God is love is a simple idea with serious implications. God is not loving, but He is Himself love. This can only be true for the triune God of Scripture. God does not keep this love to Himself but sends his Son to invite people into this love relationship. John wants his readers not simply to know about this God of love, but to experience Him and show Him to the world through love.
This kicks off our study of C.S. Lewis on the Christian Life. Lewis took difficult concepts concerning the Christian faith and put them into understandable terms. This message starts with the grand discussion about God. Lewis’ reminds us that the reality of God, which is often thought of as ethereal, mystical, and spiritual, is more solid and real than our present lives. We think the spiritual world and God are behind the scenes and half real, but God and the Spirit world are more fundamental and solid than our own.
Paul closes his letter to the Corinthians giving them encouragement, warning, and hope. Paul is filled with hope for the church, and the instructions of Paul in the 1st century still ring true today. We are a community together, built on love looking towards the day of Christ.
In the last part of 1 Corinthians 15 Paul celebrates Christ’s ultimate victory over death for all who trust in Christ. Paul mocks the loss of death’s power over us and the victory of Christ foretold in the Old Testament comes to reality with the conquering of death. There is no hope of victory over death except by the death of Christ and death completely looses it’s power. This changes everything as we follow Christ and wait for the ultimate resurrection we are assured that our faith will not be in vain because of this victory, therefore stand fully devoted to Christ and don’t be moved.
Are we, as humans, spiritual beings trapped in an evil physical body or is our body a broken vessel that needs to be replaced with a new body. This is the question the people in Corinth raised about the "resurrection body". Paul teaches us why we can be confident about a new body. What a glorious hope that comes from the resurrection of Jesus to all who believe.
In an effort to reach people, the church in Corinth stopped challenging the deeply held beliefs of their neighbors. Paul warns that they were in danger of losing the hope of the gospel. He then reminds them of the gospel and the power it gives to love people enough to confront.
1 Corinthians 15 topic addresses the resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus as well as our resulting resurrection. There is no greater validation to the truth of Jesus death and resurrection than verses 1 - 11. It is this validation of Jesus on which every Christian stands and the reason we proclaim Jesus as the only Savior and Lord.
Pastor Ed Phillips covers I Corinthians 14:26-41. The issue of orderliness in the midst of spiritual gifts given to the church. Our worship needs to be orderly and participative.
Debates happen among Christians about tongues and prophecy, but I Corinthians 14 speaks first of the priority of edification to one another. Gifts of the Spirit are for this purpose and this must be what drives us as a church.
Everyone wants to be in the "in crowd." Is this the way a church should be? Paul says to turn the system of honor upside-down and include and serve the unnoticed, struggling, and weaker parts of the body.
Incarnational Ministry. What does following Jesus look like as Christianity becomes foreign to the culture around us? Should we privatize our faith and withdraw? Should we downplay the things our culture finds strange and assimilate? Paul wants to offer a new way, incarnation.
With all the confusion surrounding relationships between the sexes, we all need wise-direction. I Corinthians 7 speaks of marriage relationships and speaks to those wanting to get married. Singles are given wise counsel too. In this message Paul outlines important truths for the relationships in our lives that are so important.
Ed Phillips talks about the importance of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ to the Christian Faith.
Pastor Ed delivers a message about Jesus entry to Jerusalem. What's all this business about a colt? Ed explains it all.
Pastor Ed Phillips walks through I Corinthians 5 discussing the importance of understanding the role sex plays in our lives.