Messages - Tom Elenbaas: Recent Episodes
Tom Elenbaas
Tom Elenbaas is the Senior Pastor of Harbor Churches. This is a collection of Tom's messages from various churches.
In Matthew chapter 9 we meet 4 different types of people with 4 different responses to Jesus. What response will be your choice?
Maybe we have made sharing our faith and "evangelism" too difficult. Notice what Jesus does with the 12 and the 72 very early on when he sends them out. Maybe it's simpler than we thought.
As we look at the four relationships broken in the fall... this is about us... and you... and them.
Once a year, Harbor Churches gather on the shores of Lake Michigan to celebrate baptisms together. This message is from the gathering before heading down to the water.
There are loops we get into we can't seem to get out of, and then there are repetitions in the Bible. How do the biblical repetitions help us get off of our looping merri-go-rounds? And what do relationships have to do with it all?
Please forgive the sound quality and my confusion at the beginning. We had sound and light issues, so I had a hard time focusing at first and ended up using a handheld. The normal recording also didn’t work, so this was recorded on an Iphone.
In an extremely divided world... how do we work through and then move on from serious conflict? How did Peter respond to a growing church that appeared divided? Too often we fall into a trap called “dualism” - either this or that. The Trinity provides us a picture of an alternative to dualism, and the gospel story surprises us with a third way.
In the Christmas story, there is a unique similarity and difference between Herod and Mary that gives us an insight into our own lives and place in the universe.
How do we Christians deal with the tension of feelings we have about change, when change means our own neighborhoods look different?
There are a lot of misconceptions and paralyzing questions around heaven. What is it? Where is it? Are those even good questions?
Many people reject Christianity because of rules and religion that keeps people outside or at a distance. What is the true nature of Christianity about?
This message is from week 4 of our Uncharted generosity initiative at South Harbor Church.
Why does Luke start the Christmas story with the words, "In the days of Caesar Augustus..."?
In a world that seems to be increasingly divided, and where we are driven to exclusion by fear, Jesus shows us a God who sets a table of belonging.
Some moments are just moments; other moments change everything. Whatever moment you’re in right now-- the good, the bad, or the ugly -- what if it isn’t an end, but a whole new beginning?
Some moments are just moments; other moments change everything. Whatever moment you’re in right now-- the good, the bad, or the ugly -- what if it isn’t an end, but a whole new beginning?
Some moments are just moments; other moments change everything. Whatever moment you’re in right now-- the good, the bad, or the ugly -- what if it isn’t an end, but a whole new beginning?
The world seems to be full of pain. We don't have to look far to see things that bring really hard questions with them. What do we do with that? How can a good God let these things go on? In this message, Tom considers the question "why?" and see if there is some way to make sense of it all...
The stories we tell to each other say a lot about what we value, who we are, and how we make sense of the world. Every Christmas, our favorite Christmas movies tell stories that connect with our hearts, our lives, and the greatest story of all.
Following this historic election and changing times in America, what does it mean to be a people of love?
Following a historic election week, what does it mean to be a Christian, and how can we love as people of faith during changing and turbulent times?
"As we head into an historic election during a divided time in our nation's history, how should Christians approach the coming days? What can we learn from the life Jesus as we head to the voting booths this week?"
We tend to be a "scrap it" culture. Jesus prefers to "save it" and "renew it." What things in our lives needs to be saved instead of scrapped and brought to Jesus for renewal?
How should Christians respond as our fears rise and we can't control the world out there?
There is a battle raging for the future of your story, and it's part of an epic battle thousands of years old. What story will you step into?
In this message in the "All Things New" series, Tom Elenbaas explores how the good news of the Gospel is framed out of our propensity to choose the counterfeit.
In a rapidly changing world where Christianity is no longer the dominant force acting on Western culture, how should Christians be living? In Luke 6, Jesus addresses how we should live by looking at ourselves rather than pointing the finger at others.
There are some hard, but important words we learn from Jesus if we're still listening even after he says the things we don't want to hear.
Sometimes these two little words are the hardest ones to say, but they matter. How can we face our own failures and verbalize our confession not only to God and others, but to ourselves?
Please is a word of deference and shows an acknowledgement of humility and need. That is hard for many of us. Asking for what you need from God and others is important. It’s also important to learn how to receive grace, admit need, and be humble enough to ask for help.
You've heard it said, "God loves you", but what about when you don't see it, feel it, or experience it? What about God's love is confusing? How do we know that God really loves us?
Saying “yes” isn’t always appropriate. In fact, Jesus says, “Let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and let your ‘no’ be ‘no.’ Being able to say yes to the right things and no to the wrong things is an important...
A real man is self aware, authentic, open, vulnerable, humble, and honest. He is able to look Jesus in the face and hear both his “confronting” words of truth and his “comforting” words of grace. Most men don’t like the truth and are afraid of grace.
What makes a man strong? How much he can lift? How many people he can talk into doing what he wants? Maybe it's the silent type? Or is it possible that strength looks like something entirely different?
What, really does God want from you? Does he want your money? Does he want your family? Does he want your time?
So many of us have become slaves to debt today. What is God's attitude toward debt, what does he want for us, and what difference does it make?
Your attitude towards yourself, your stuff, the world and toward God will impact your generosity.
There is light at the end of the tunnel, in the midst of the darkness, and it changes everything. The light that comes into the world is the life, and it is the light for all people.”