City Collective - Podcast: Recent Episodes
City Collective
A collection of talks from City Collective, a new church that launched in Langley, BC, Canada in September 2018
“But Christ did not die for the good and beautiful. It is easy enough to die for the good and beautiful; the hard thing is to die for the miserable and corrupt - this is the realization that came home to me acutely at that time” – Silence, Endō Shūsak.
So writes Father Rodrigues, the protagonist of Endo’s novel Silence. This was a stark realization that Rodrigues has about the poor people who were part of the underground Christian church that he has come to know in his journey in Japan. For us today, it’s a powerful and reassuring reminder for us as we celebrate Easter that “Christ did not die for the good and the beautiful,” but He came for the miserable and corrupt.
In the novel (also adapted into a film), Rodrigues journeys to Japan to discover what has happened to his former mentor, Father Christavao Ferreira, and to serve as a missionary to the people there. This takes place at start of the Sakoku (‘closed country’) period in 17th century Japan where Christian persecution was institutionalized. The Sakoku period (1633-1853) was a time in Japanese history where all foreigners (save for the occasional traders) were banned. It was created in order to remove the growing influences of European powers and this includes the Catholic Christian missionary orders who have been operating in the archipelago for decades. Many Japanese people across the socio-economic classes were converting to Christianity, and it was seen as a threat. Thus the Church went underground.
As Rodrigues describes it, the local people, lived a difficult life, as rural peasants and as members of the persecuted underground church. He describes it as living a ‘miserable experience… in this cramped and desolate land.’ Yet despite this difficulty, Rodrigues reassures himself that God did not come just for the ‘good and beautiful,’ but he came for the miserable and the suffering, thus the work the missionary work that he doing in Japan was important. However, the seeds of doubt started to unsettle him as he considers the question: What if God is not real? Or if God is silent, then what was all the death and suffering for?
It begs the question, what does Christianity have to offer for people be willing to risk their lives, to die on the hill for what they believe in? Why Jesus? This is a question that we continue to ask ourselves today.
The story in Luke 23:44-49 recounts the moment of Jesus’ death at noon on the skull shaped hill of Golgotha. Among the dark skies, He calls out in a loud voice, “Father into your hands I commit my Spirit,” (23:44, NIV) breathes his last, and becomes silent. In the aftermath, a centurion remarks “This man was innocent! A good man, and innocent (23:47, MSG), and spectators were overcome with grief, and the women ‘who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a respectful distance and kept vigil.’
If I could be a ‘fly on the wall’ during any historical moment in time, this moment is at the top of the list. Could you imagine what it would have been like to stand with the people who witnessed the life death (and ultimately resurrection) of Jesus. Between the noise of the temple curtain being split down the middle, and the weeping, it would have been tense and silent. I also imagine that the people who were there would have felt that same existential dread that Rodrigues wrestled with while in Japan. The witnesses present at Calvary probably questioned: if our Lord was dead, then what was all of this for, and what’s the point of all of this?
But thankfully the story does not end there. Because in the greater narrative of Creation – Fall – Redemption – Restoration, Christ’s death in the cross was a necessary act of love for humanity so that we might be reconciled to God. We, who hold the life and teachings and Jesus as true believe that this is the pivotal moment in history; a bittersweet, but prophesized moment that changed the course of history. Jesus was not only just a ‘good man, and innocent,’ but He was the son of God, who lived a mission of love who came and died, not just for the good and the beautiful, but the corrupt and miserable.
Although Rodrigues described the people He encountered, both officials and peasants, as corrupt and miserable, he finally comes to realization that it is Rodrigues himself who was corrupt and miserable and He needed the love of Christ. At the end of the novel, amidst all of his lingering doubts and uncertainties, he remarks “but our Lord was not silent. Even if he had been silent, my life until this day would have spoken of Him” (Endo 91).
And so while we bear a quiet and somber witness on Good Friday, and although we continue to wrestle with whatever is going in our lives that make us corrupt and miserable, we continue to live with the hope that the story did not end on the skull shaped hill of Golgotha. And that in His dying breath, Christ was not silent.
-Anthony Bigornia
“All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”– Luke 21:4
I remember the first time I was going to tithe. I was 6 years old and was getting a weekly allowance of $1. My parents then told me about the importance of giving at least 10% of what I earned back to God and the Church. So here I am, a little boy with a dime in his hand, waiting for the offering plate to come my way. I didn’t understand really why I had to do it, and I remember thinking that it wasn’t fair, but I dropped that dime in the plate and past it on. That was the beginning of my journey of tithing, and something I’ve practiced since.
Now the question is: “What does it mean to have the heart of a giver?” The beginning of Luke 21 grants us some insight.
I think the attitude towards giving is very important, and also the reason for giving is very important. How much you give is secondary or tertiary. So let’s start with the reason for giving: the why, and then move towards the attitude towards giving: the how.
Initially, when I first started tithing, it was from a place of obligation to my parents. Since the money was coming from my parents, their request to tithe was mandatory. But as I grew older, I started to understand some vital truths about God and my life. One, that “Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from him” – James 1:17, and two, that “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing” – Psalm 16:2. Not only does God provide everything that is good in my life, but there is no goodness in my life without him. The gifts that I have, the talents I have developed, the opportunities I have received have all come from God and his graciousness to me. God even gave up himself do that I might be able to have a relationship with him free from sin. In return, God desires for me to follow him, which includes using my gifts and resources to further His kingdom. So I give because he gave first.
That brings us to: howshould we give? Well, initially it will probably come from a place of obligation. It does not start naturally. But, as we grow in relationship with Jesus, we begin to loosen our tight grip on the things of this world and look towards building the kingdom to come. We begin to see that we get to be a part of building this kingdom, and God uses us towards his purpose. When that becomes internalized, we can look at giving through a lens of joy. Joy in being a part of the work of the Lord and knowing that what I am doing and giving will be used for His work and glory.
The difference between the pharisees and the widow in Luke 21 is simple. Pharisees give out of obligation and self-importance; the desire to look good in the sights of others. The widow, however, understands that God is the giver of everything that is good, and that she can be a part of building God’s kingdom, no matter how small or insignificant her gift might look to the outside world.
-Anthony Splane
I love my mom. But she and I can tend to have heated discussions over scripture. At one point last summer I exclaimed, “I CANNOT talk to you about the Bible anymore!” (We were arguing about the Patriarch’s. I don’t recollect what exactly we were arguing about, just that it got heated). And yet, I find myself going back for more chats. I love discussing the Bible with her, because despite the differences in views, what she has to say is valuable and insightful. She’ll often leave me with a question to mull over. “Why do you believe that view, Becca? Maybe you should look into it more.” More than a few of my “lightbulb” moments are because of her. You know, those moments when the passage you have been mulling on, reading commentary on, listening to podcasts on suddenly makes sense. I call them my “glass shattering” moments. In my experience, the Holy Spirit also uses those same moments to correct, discipline or rebuke sin that is hiding in my life. For example, very recently in my study of the wisdom literature the Holy Spirit revealed patterns of thought that were sinful. Patterns that were so ingrained in me that I didn’t recognize it as sin to begin with! I was blind to it.
Luke 18:35-43 is a short passage on a blind beggar who received healing from Jesus. The blind man heard the chaos of a large crowd as they followed Jesus, and inquired into what was going on. When the crowd described Him as “Jesus of Nazareth”, this blind man grabbed the opportunity and loudly called for “Jesus Son of David” (in other words, he was calling for Jesus the Messiah). This blind beggar had more spiritual insight than the entire crowd and the disciples! After reading this passage, I had to ask, “how many of us are aware of our spiritual blindness? And now knowing that we are spiritually blind shouldn’t we, like the beggar, be crying out for mercy and healing?”
The irony is that the more alienated we are from Jesus, the less likely we are going to see our need for Him. But when we are close to Jesus we see ourselves for who we truly are. It’s difficult to acknowledge, but in this state we are able to cry out for the forgiveness and mercy that is available because of what Jesus did for us on the Cross. True change happens when Jesus says to us, “Receive your sight, your faith has healed you.” (vs 42)
O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood
To every believer the promise of God
The vilest offender who truly believes
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives
“To God be the glory” written by Franny Crosby, a prolific American hymn writer who was physically, though not spiritually, blind.
-Rebecca David
“The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” – Luke 17:5
One of the stumbling points I have with faith is when I think I have it figured out. I have a set routine, I have an understanding of what my relationship with God is, and I am comfortable with everything I am doing. I am stagnate in my relationship with him, and start to think I can sort it out on my end; and it is at this very moment that I am most vulnerable to my own hubris.
Jesus modeled for us a life of servant-leadership, with an emphasis on “servant”. His ministry was to serve his Heavenly Father and serve the people around him. He led by example. The quintessential moment was when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. Only servants would do such a thing, and yet Jesus, the saviour of us all, is washing the feet of his own disciples. He was providing the model in which we all must follow. We must lower ourselves and, through faith, serve our Heavenly Father and those around us.
So my response to when I start thinking I have my relationship with God sorted out needs to be one of coming back to the basics – lowering myself down to the status of a servant. I need to remember that I have nothing really to offer, but rather that it is only through Christ that I can be used to serve the Lord and those around me. It is only when I have this attitude that I truly start to see how God is working through me and bringing change to those around me. When I am living out a life of servitude, I see the most growth in my relationship with God and in my own person.
One of the conversations I have been having with Grandparents over the last couple of years is Legacy: What do they want to be remembered for? The idea of being remembered as family oriented, making sure that their family was looked after was one of the key points for them. The other was being known as People of God. To stand before the Lord and be told “Well done, my good and faithful servant (Matthew 25:21).”
Part of me wonders what kind of legacy I will leave here on earth. I also think to myself, what would be my response to being told, “Well done, my good and faithful servant”?
I hope my initial reaction would be, “Who am I to deserve such praise?” That I would acknowledge that Jesus was the one to sustain me through my life and serving God, and that any and all praise should ultimately fall back unto Him. That Jesus nevertheless chooses to come alongside us and encourage us is nothing short of amazing to me.
So my encouragement to you today is to remember who we are called to be: a servant of God and a servant to those around us, just as Jesus modelled for us. It is in this posture that God will grow us in faith and strengthen us to do His work.
Anthony Splane
“Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27)
I have discovered that intentional rest (sabbath) is a gift and can be a balm to heal the body, mind and soul. It fosters trust in the One we lean on and re-establishes His place in our world as the priority.
Would you call the sabbath a delight? Meaning, do you relish, rejoice or find keen enjoyment in rest?
Normally, I would say no I do not. I struggle to even remember to take a rest day! But then I remembered that my family and I had attempted to celebrate Shabbat(The Judaic celebration of rest and another word for Sabbath) a while ago and have regularly continued to attempt it. One of us had gotten the idea from the TV show The Chosen.
It started with us using Shabbat as a chance for us to sit around a table, eat together and light pretty candles. And by ‘pretty’ I mean emergency candles that I found in my car that did the trick and appeared to burn for a long time. We were celebrating that we successfully moved my sister and brother in law into their new home, cleaned out their old one and had begun the unpacking process. It was interesting for us to attempt Shabbat while not really knowing how to or what it was, but I think all of us would say how much we appreciated being able to celebrate and spend intentional time together. We looked over our hard work with delight but also looked to the future with hope and excitement for what was to come. I found I was thrilled for the opportunity to rest, celebrate the previous week and the one to come, and toast “L’chaim” (meaning ‘to life’ in Hebrew). Honestly, those were the only things - a meal, a candle and a Hebrew word - that resembled the ancient celebration and practice but I find it achieved the same result: Delight.
In Luke 13:10-17, Jesus heals a crippled woman on the Sabbath, rebukes some indignant leaders, and “the people were delighted with all of the wonderful things he was doing.” I believe Jesus has this desire for us and has gifted it to us in order for us to live with delight. He has gifted us His grace to rest in so we will not foster a false sense of security based on our own works. But rather so we can delight in His creation, His presence, and His work. If we aim to “...call the Sabbath a delight” (Isaiah 58:13) and spend time in thankful reflection then it can form and focus our faith on HIS completed work. And therefore, guide us to see our part in proclaiming that delight to our housemates and neighbors during the rest of the week.
So my hope is that “we rest because He rested. We rest to refresh our souls and know Him better” (Episode 2, The Chosen). That because He first delighted in us (Psalm 18:19), we will discover delight in our lives, actively live in it and share it with others.
-Tneil Abt
Join us for week 3 of our journey in Mathew 5 as we dive into The Beatitudes. It’s our prayer that this message is a blessing to you but that it also pulls you closed to God in this time of confusion and chaos. Whether you’re in the car, chilling at home, or hitting a quarantine work, be encouraged to dive in, open your heart, and be ready for God to do something in you!
If you missed a Sunday with us, you can get all our sermons on your favorite podcast platform or on Youtube! Just search City Collective Church and catch up! You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram!
If you would like to partner with us financially, you can do so at citycollective.com/give .
This week in our second installment of our Beatitudes series, Pastor Ian Graham from Ecclesia Church in Princeton New Jersey brought us a message speaking to the question, “Who doesn’t get to go to heaven?”. Grab your bible, a notebook, and let’s dive in.
If you missed a Sunday with us, you can get all our sermons on your favorite podcast platform or on Youtube! Just search City Collective Church and catch up!
If you would like to partner with us financially, you can do so at citycollective.com/give .
Summer is starting and at City Collective we’re starting a new series on the Beatitudes and diving into what each part really calls us to. Join us each week as we dive into God’s word and continue to engage as a community!
If you missed a Sunday with us, you can get all our sermons on your favorite podcast platform or on Youtube! Just search City Collective Church and catch up!
If you would like to partner with us financially, you can do so at citycollective.com/give .
Hello, City Collective Online! Wherever you are listening from, it’s our hope that this message chalenges and inspires you!
On this Pentecost Sunday, we are going to dive through a scene in the Book of Acts where the Holy Spirit is bestowed upon the dicsiples in the upper room. For us, this means that we aren’t just an individual but a collective that has cone together and has experienced the Spirit of God. This message is a collection of 5 leaders from our community speaking on this topic, sharing their own stories and wisdom, and leading us through what it means to be filled with the Spirit.
Grab a cup of coffee or a sparking water, a notebook and let’s dive into God’s word!
Join us for week 6 of our Jonah series, When You Don’t Get Your Way! Grab your bible and lets dive into God’s word together!
Join us for our Sunday morning services ONLINE on our Facebook and our Youtube page. Search City Collective Church and we’ll see you then!
If you are in need of support during this time or if you are symptom free and willing we have a team of individuals who we are mobilizing to support people in our church who are unable to get access to items or services for themselves, click the link below and let us know!
https://citycollective.com/be-the-church
Join us for week 5 of our Jonah series, With Great Power…! Grab your bible and lets dive into God’s word together!
Join us for our Sunday morning services ONLINE on our Facebook and our Youtube page. Search City Collective Church and we’ll see you then!
If you are in need of support during this time or if you are symptom free and willing we have a team of individuals who we are mobilizing to support people in our church who are unable to get access to items or services for themselves, click the link below and let us know!
https://citycollective.com/be-the-church
Happy Mother’s Day!! Join us for week 4 of our Jonah series, Second Chance Struggles! Grab your bible, give mom a hug, and lets dive into God’s word together!
Join us for our Sunday morning services ONLINE on our Facebook page. Search City Collective Church and we’ll see you then!
If you are in need of support during this time or if you are symptom free and willing we have a team of individuals who we are mobilizing to support people in our church who are unable to get access to items or services for themselves, click the link below and let us know!
https://citycollective.com/be-the-church
Join us for Week 3 of our Jonah series, entitled Prayers From The Gut! Grab a bible, notebook, cup of something and let’s go!
Join us for our Sunday morning services ONLINE on our Facebook page. Search City Collective Church and we’ll see you then!
If you are in need of support during this time or if you are symptom free and willing we have a team of individuals who we are mobilizing to support people in our church who are unable to get access to items or services for themselves, click the link below and let us know!
https://citycollective.com/be-the-church
Join us for week 2 of our Jonah series as we continue through some of the questions thatr are posed to us in a sermon titled, How Did I Get Here?
Grab your bible, a notebook, maybe a cup of coffee and get ready for what God is going to do within you.
Join us for our Sunday morning services ONLINE on our Facebook page. Search City Collective Church and we’ll see you then!
If you are in need of support during this time or if you are symptom free and willing we have a team of individuals who we are mobilizing to support people in our church who are unable to get access to items or services for themselves, click the link below and let us know!
https://citycollective.com/be-the-church
Hey CC Online Fam! We are so excited that you would take the time out of your day to dive into God’s word with us! This is the first message from our Jonah series, entitled Not What I Had In Mind. In this series, we’re going to dive into some of the hard questions that are presented in the book of Jonah.
This isn’t your average Sunday school lesson in the book of Jonah but an opportunity to discover some amazing truths that are applicable to your everyday life!
Join us for our Sunday morning services ONLINE on our Facebook page. Search City Collective Church and we’ll see you then!
If you are in need of support during this time or if you are symptom free and willing we have a team of individuals who we are mobilizing to support people in our church who are unable to get access to items or services for themselves, click the link below and let us know!
https://citycollective.com/be-the-church
The first in a series of blogs around spiritual practices as we journey forward in following the way of Jesus.
Hey City Collective fam! We are so excited that you are joining us for this message! Just ahead of time, it’s going to be formatted a little different based on how we did our online service for Palm Sunday. Grab a pen, a notebook, and come expectant that God is going to do something in you, today. Love y’all! Enjoy the message!
Join us for our Sunday morning services ONLINE on our Facebook page. Search City Collective Church and we’ll see you then!
If you are in need of support during this time or if you are symptom free and willing we have a team of individuals who we are mobilizing to support people in our church who are unable to get access to items or services for themselves, click the link below and let us know!
https://citycollective.com/be-the-church
It’s our prayer that in this time of craziness that you’re encouraged by this message Pastor Jason brought in our first online service. We hope that encourages you and gives you HOPE in this time of unknown.
LOVE GOD. LOVE PEOPLE. BE THE CHURCH.
Join us for our Sunday morning services ONLINE on our Facebook page. Search City Collective Church and we’ll see you then!
If you are in need of support during this time or if you are symptom free and willing we have a team of individuals who we are mobilizing to support people in our church who are unable to get access to items or services for themselves, click the link below and let us know!
https://citycollective.com/be-the-church
In light of the evolving Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and increased levels of concern, we are listening to experts and government officials on how to proceed. With BC health officials advising the cancellation of events for 250 or more people, we will not be having a service at H.D. Stafford Middle School until further notice. Although our gatherings are under this number we are taking measures which we believe are prioritizing keeping people safe. We will only be available via an ONLINE experience on Sunday morning @ 10:30am.
Now this isn’t a response of fear, but out of an abundance of love. This is one way to care for our neighbours who are elderly or immuno-compromised, to do our part in reducing the spread of the virus overall and to love our neighbour as we are called to do. We love our opportunities to gather together on a Sunday but the church is not contained to four walls. In the days and weeks to come we are going to be launching our Church Online platform for us to stay connected as a community in this time. Our mission remains the same: Together, creating space for everyone to discover life in Jesus. We are committed to creating space for connection, spiritual formation, laughter, vulnerability, and support.
Now is the time more than ever, to BE THE CHURCH. But we have to do that with great wisdom and caution. Not out of fear but out of love for our neighbours. Continue to follow government advisories, washing those hands and praying for people everywhere impacted by this virus.
Pastor Jason
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WHERE CAN I FIND MORE INFO ABOUT COVID-19?
In order to stay informed here at City Collective, we have been going right to the source for all of our information concerning this pandemic. We recommend that you don’t let social media drive the narrative and control the information that you are hearing so we can stay well informed with the facts.
For the Government of BC update and recommendations, VISIT HERE
For the BC COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool, VISIT HERE
For the Canada Economic Response Plan, VISIT HERE
For the latest updates from the World Health Organization, VISIT HERE
Some fun and unique thoughts from our Outreach Lead, Ceilidh Dobbie, on how we can stay connected during this COVID-19 Crisis.
- Skill Trade: If you’re an artist and you know someone who is a master in the kitchen... offer a skill trade! Maybe you can draw up some personalized colouring sheets for the kids and your friend can teach you how to make a coherent meal from the random things you have in your cupboard. Maybe you’re a musician and you want to offer 10 minutes of ‘live’ music for a family to listen to, maybe you’re passionate about fitness - lead a class! Get creative with it, and be proud of what you have to offer!
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Snail Mail: Who doesn’t love snail mail? Snail mail is possible without using a postal service. Just walk or drive the package or letter to someone's doorstep. Send them happy thoughts, funny stories, and cherished memories. I think there is so much beauty in sending a letter along with some of your favourite things. Include some pictures, flowers from your garden, or a sample of a tea you’ve been loving lately. The options are endless.
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Small business flower delivery companies are still running - what a wonderful reminder to have hope in these times!
- Room Service: How fun would it be to pretend you’re in a hotel and drop off a big meal at someones door like room service? Lots of people aren’t used to cooking or being home for 3 meals all 7 days of the week. Leave a note on top of the food delivery saying Room Service, ding the doorbell, and leave your happy neighbour with a yummy, comforting meal.
- Lead by Example: A lot of people are hearing from a lot of different sources on what the right thing to do is. At City Collective, we are taking precautions, avoiding in person connection, and staying at home unless absolutely necessary. An extremely practical way to love your neighbour is to lead by example. Stay home and maintain a healthy routine and practices within isolation. Post positive things on social media, and follow truthful and reliable sources.
- Get Crafty: Calling all parents! Looking for something to do with your kids at home all day that is away from the screen? Have them make cards or draw pictures with encouraging messages on them. Then go for a family walk and deliver them to people's doorstep or mailbox! A little encouragement goes a LONG way. If you don’t have craft supplies, try sidewalk chalk to brighten up your neighbourhood.
- Sharing is Caring: Ask people how they are doing, and if they are lacking in anything. If someone says they’re running low on garbage bags, or laundry soap, or anything. Drop off a care package! Help to fill tangible needs in the community.
- Patio Fellowship: This is dependent on where you live, but most townhouse or condo complexes have porches or patios attached. Invite your neighbour to enjoy their dinner on the patio beside or across from you. Get to know them from a distance while enjoying sunshine and fellowship together.
- Check on the Elderly: One of the most vulnerable groups in our communities right now. Offer to run errands, pick up groceries, walk dogs, or even do yard work for the elderly families in our lives. We need to ensure we are keeping them safe, and lowering their risk of COVID exposure. Flatten the curve!
- Pray: This one might seem a little obvious, but it has the potential to be SO powerful and encouraging. Spend time praying for people individually, by name. Listen to what God has to say. Be attune to His Word and His message. Invite people into prayer, or offer prayer to your community. Be bold! What an incredible opportunity to lean into His strength, and to be an example of His peace.
- Make it Fun: Find ways to bring fun and joy into the lives of the people around you! There are many sports (tennis, golf, etc.) that offer social distancing protocol while you play. There are also board games you can play via. online apps and websites. Create dance-along playlists, send scavenger hunt lists to your friends, or draw a sidewalk obstacle course with chalk for kids! Keep happy hormones and endorphins flowing! Continue finding reasons to celebrate and enjoy the life we live. They are present.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:30-31
Through a few technical difficulties and some rocky audio, we dove head first into the second installment of Final Words and talked all about Forgiveness. Open up your bible, get to Luke 23:32-38, and let’s get going!
If you are in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, come join us for a Sunday! We meet at HD Stafford Middle School in Langley, BC at 10:30am. See you then!
20441 Grade Crescent, Langley City, BC V3A 4J8, Canada
Final Words is all about Jesus’ journey to the cross and all the way through Easter, we’re going to follow him there by taking a look at some of the things he said right before this moment.
Here’s the catch though, if you don’t believe that the words of Jesus have a lot of impact than talking about his final words won’t have any impact either. Ps Jason challenges us with the question of “What happens when we meet God?”. He dives into the story of the woman at the well and challenges us to look inside of ourselves to find the place where the Holy Spirit wants to meet us, right where we are.
LOVE GOD. LOVE PEOPLE. BE THE CHURCH.
If you are in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, come join us for a Sunday! We meet at HD Stafford Middle School in Langley, BC at 10:30am. See you then!
20441 Grade Crescent, Langley City, BC V3A 4J8, Canada
Boldness & Blessing, a series on the vision of City Collective Church, wrapped up this weekend with an awesome series of messages brought to us in 5 For 5! 5 of our team members took to the platform to speak life and truth into our community. Speaking out of Luke 6, the team spoke on the position of our hearts, the habits that rule us, foundations, obedience, and actually listening to God.
Brenden Graham
Brenden kicked off our 5 For 5 with an awesome word about how what we say shows the character of our hearts. He really challenged us by asking deep and thoughtful questions about identity and priorities.
“Why do I try to conquer the world when Jesus has already done it for me? Why do I rely on my own strength when true strength is shown by submitting everything to God and letting him take full control.”
Victoria Suen
Victoria brought a vulnerable and real message on the importance of building on solid ground and being in the world but not of it. She spoke on real world experience with Instagram and The Bachelor and how God called her to put those aside, to draw her closer to Him.
“It takes boldness to question what everyone else says is okay and stop a habit that is actually hurting you, spritually.”
Sophia Splane
Sophia spoke specifically on how following Jesus is going to go against what culture says but how making small steps in our everyday practices can lead to a big change in our relationship with God. She reminded us that obedience to God can be risky or dangerous but that the alternative is getting knocked down by the littlest troubles.
“If you want to become do-ers of the word. If you want to actually experience being rooted in Jesus and standing up against storms and if we want to experience the blessing of God in our lives; we need to take small, insignificant steps in the same direction towards Jesus.”
Angela Orellana
Angela spoke on how even in the difficulties of life, God is near and is in your corner. In her own story, Angela has experienced the lies of the devil in believing that she has to be perfect. She denied that perfectly when she said, “that’s a lie from the devil.”
“Boldness means obedience. Being willing to follow God’s word and stepping out of your comfort zone. And even if it hurts, being willing to follow God.”
Stewart Warnock
Finally, Stewart wrapped up our 5 For 5 by reminding us that life with Jesus doesn’t mean the storms won’t come but that when they do come and we listen to God, we discover a life where we are not easily shaken. It’s not a matter of if the storms are coming it’s a matter of when. They will be violent and unpredictable. And as we move forward with boldness and blessing, for some of us that might mean confronting the storms in our lives right now and actually being honest with ourselves about them.
“God is going to speak to you. But hearing God’s words and doing nothing about them means you aren’t listening at all.”
LOVE GOD. LOVE PEOPLE. BE THE CHURCH.
If you are in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, come join us for a Sunday! We meet at HD Stafford Middle School in Langley, BC at 10:30am. See you then!
20441 Grade Crescent, Langley City, BC V3A 4J8, Canada
“Boldness and blessing. Boldness is our responsibility, blessing is God’s, but boldness comes from a place of obedience and placing God as the priority in our story and allowing his desires to become our desires along the way.”
The blessing of God is not your responsibility but rather having the boldness to follow Jesus in every facet and every turn of your life is. The call of our community isn’t to just grow for growth’s sake or to be a group of people who get together to just hang but it’s to truly live into the mission we have been given. To create space for everyone to discover life in Jesus. We aren’t here to convince but are here to show people how our lives have been restored by Jesus. We are going to Love God, Love People, and be a church where people don’t just see Jesus but get to discover life in Him.
This week Pastor Jason brought us an awesome and real word on love and relationships. With Valentine’s Day coming up, and just in life, we tend to spend a lot of time thinking about relationships and our relationship status.
Relationships are awesome but sometimes we place our relationship status with others over our relationship status with God. Ps Jason challenged us with the idea of taking the priority of identity off our relationships with others and placing it on our relationship with God.
What a weekend!! Baby dedications and baptisms made for an incredible morning and we are so grateful to have been apart of it!
This week, we wrapped up our first series of 2020, entitled LONELY, and Pastor Jason brought us a message asking “In a life in which God promises us peace and invited us to experience joy, I am left with the question… Why am I anxious?” We dove into what is the difference between fear and anxiety, the reality of mental health issues, and why we need to bring our fears to God so that he can bring strength into our weakness.
This week, we kicked off our Lonely series with Guest Preachers Neil and Sharol Josephson. Lonely is all about loneliness and mental health and Neil and Sharol kicked us off by speaking on the topics of intimacy and sex. They challenged us with what it looks like to be intimate with God and others and equipped us with some tools to help grow that intimacy.
These are our essentials. worship. This week Ps. Jason Charles unpacked what makes worship essential in our lives.
What a year it has been, and what a way to celebrate that year! Old friends, new friends, Spaghetti September, cupcakes, and an inspiring message from Pastor Jason were all reasons why we may never forget this past weekend!
This week Pastor Jason talked about the Apostle Paul and how even though he got a new start on the road to Damascus, It was really just the beginning of His Journey.
What a Sunday!! We got to hear from 5 of our Collective Team Members (Becca, Audry, Benji, Jenn, and Anthony). We gave each of them 5 minutes to preach on the same passage (Romans 5:1-11), and we couldn’t be prouder and more inspired!
We were so excited to have Pastor Nic Arkley join us this past Sunday. Pastor Nic, his wife Sarah, and their two kids, recently moved to Vancouver to plant a new life giving church. This past Sunday, Nic talked about six words in the book of Luke that changed his life and just might change yours.
We all have seasons of life where we feel overwhelmed. The question is: What do we do in the wilderness?
When I was a young lad trying to make it in this World, I got my first real job, at a golf course. Working at a golf course is an incredible summer job. There are incredible benefits like free golf, vivid tan lines, and you get a new, non-waterproof wind-breaker every year. Though all of these things are great (honestly, it looked like I was wearing a white shirt at the beach) my favourite part of the job was all of the quirky activities, conversations and challenges that went on amongst staff throughout the year.
One such game we would play was a classic called the Banter Game. In order to understand the Banter Game, one must first understand what banter is.
Banter is that thing when 2 people greet each other but don’t give 2 rips about what is being said by the other person.
You’ve probably seen banter before if you’ve witnessed an interaction where:
- ”People are always being treated by someone or something. “How’s Marty treatin’ ya?” “How’s the new place treatin’ ya?” (never you, always ya).
- This question is often met with some form of “hanging in there” or “It’s going”.
- One of the banterers engages the banter with a teasing insult such as, “So they’re just letting anyone in here now I guess?”
- An impossible appeal is made to the other. “Hey, can you turn down that wind?” or “Can you do something about those bugs?”
- The term “This guy” gets used
These are all telling signs of classic banter, however, the key characteristic to look for in banter is when both parties have already decided to laugh when the other person has finished a statement, before they actually finish that statement… regardless of what was said. As they make their impossible appeal, or teasing insult, the recipient smiles throughout and begins to laugh as they finish the statement.
Paul: “HEY MARTY, CAN YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT WIND”
^ Marty starts his laugh around here
Marty (while laughing): “ONLY IF YOU QUIT BRINGING THIS GUY AROUND” (Marty gestures to a mutual friend who is with Paul with a sly nod and a smile)
Both Paul and Marty, and even “This Guy” continue to laugh for a brief moment and then move on with their days.
The as is key here, because, remember that when bantering, neither party actually cares what the other says, but it’s expected to be a lighthearted return and then we move on with our days, so one begins to laugh as the other finishes what they are saying. As a staff watching the same interaction a hundred times a day, we noticed the early laugh.
And so began the Banter Game. The Banter Game is played by trying to slip in odd, non-small talk, almost shocking phrases into conversation and then have the other person simply laugh it off and continue about their day, without realizing what was just said. I know, it seems crazy to think that you could say something ridiculous in a one-on-one conversation that would go completely unnoticed, and yet people pulled it off all the time.
I once heard a staff member respond to the classic, “How’s life treatin ya?” with “Great! My Uncle died this morning so just hanging in there” while chuckling. The golfer returned the laughter and then asked for their clubs, with zero clue what was just said to them, assuming it was a lighthearted comment back.
Other phrases that may or may not have been inserted in to banter:
- “The Mayan calendar’s really got me down”
- “I still don’t understand Lost”
And once, literally just the word, “banter” repeated 3 times. Like, “Great! Banter banter banter, how’s life treatin ya?”
If you really don’t want to make a connection with someone, banter is a great way to do it. Laugh, don’t listen, move on. However, the title of this blog post is “How TO Make Connections That Matter”.
To make meaningful connection, we must LISTEN.
- Listen to what they are saying
Celeste Headlee is a radio host with an amazing Tedtalk about listening. I have used her tips with my students in the past and it is remarkable how different their conversations with each other sound at the end of the year than they did at the beginning. Conversations go from a simplistic exchange of information to people seeking and finding connections with their peers. Rather than me try to capture what she is saying, watch it for yourself. I like to revisit this every couple months as a reminder.
If you can pick up even one of the tips Celeste gives, that’s great. Connections that matter begin with listening, and lead to understanding.
2.) Listen for who they are.
Most conversations get to the inevitable, “What do you do?” before they are a minute old. Now there’s nothing wrong with wanting to know what someone does for work, but try to view that as just a small part of them. Instead ask, “How do you spend your time?” “What is your thing?” “What sorts of things do people seek your advice on?” These questions often lead to much more passionate responses and can help you connect to who the person is and not simply what they do.
Also, as you go through the conversation, take note of the details that someone goes out of their way to mention. This is often a great indicator that it is something is meaningful to them. When someone says, “I was late because my I got talking to my neighbour about bonsai trees”, they are providing an unnecessary detail for you to run with, so run with it! Ask them about their neighbour! (Just kidding, ask about the decorative trees)
3.) Listen to understand them
This type of listening is key to creating a depth that goes beyond an initial connection. We can connect with anyone through a common interest or current topic, however meaningful connection comes when we begin to understand someone. Right now, picture some of your closest friends. Think about how you met them. Perhaps you had common interests initially, but common interest is hardly ever the reason for a lasting friendship. I’d be willing to wager that you are quite different than your closest friends (I know I am), yet you understand them. Perhaps your initial interactions with these friends weren’t particularly meaningful, however, over time, we can deepen our connections.
When listening to understand someone, avoid assumptions, appreciate differences and see their perspective.
Don’t assume you know their feelings or assume their story is very similar to someone else’s you may know. Appreciate differences.
This feels so tough with today’s political climate, but appreciating differences is necessary to making a meaningful connection. You are unique and have your own thoughts, opinions and experiences, just like the person next to you does. If you are waiting to make meaningful connections with only people who share your views exactly, you will be waiting a long time.
See their perspective. As someone is talking, don’t ask yourself, “What would I do in their situation?” Instead, ask, “What would they do in their situation?” and then better yet, actually ask them!
The greatest gift you can give somebody, is the feeling that they have been understood.
It may take time, but listening creates a space where someone feels safe to be who they are and leads to meaningful connection. A meaningful connection where both people are putting forth their true selves, differences and all. Picture a community so uniquely diverse, yet so connected to, and understanding of each other. My hope for City Collective is that we are a diverse community bound by meaningful connection.
How do we get there?
banter banter banter
We listen.
Generational family strife, an uncertain identity, and a journey that seems all to familiar.
Finding your purpose seems to be a priority today but is that the first thing we should really be searching for?
Bowls, Birthrights and Brothers. A ridiculous story that shows God at work even when we get it wrong.
The story of Jacob seems to be predetermined from the very beginning but we see how our story makes us more than simply a passenger on the journey of life.
Can we discover God in more than our moments of work and rest. Perhaps our rhythms of Play are about more than just having fun.
What do we do when everything that can go wrong does go wrong? Ruth shows us perseverance in the face of pain.
From Hosanna to Crucify Him. The path that disappointment can lead us down and the hope to be found along the way.
Are we supposed to let people who hurt us continue to hurt us? Matthew 5 raises this question as we consider the idea of boundaries and how it creates space for forgiveness.
Forgiveness is hard and sometimes you need to start with what it isn’t before you talk about what it is.
This past Sunday was the beginning of our new series Church Clothes as Pastor Jason walks us through the book of Galatians. Are we living a life out of grace or for grace? Have we overcomplicated a simple truth through qualifications in our faith? Why is a simple grace so difficult to understand and grab onto?
We had a fantastic morning with guest speaker Daniel Whitehead from Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries! He spoke out of Psalm 130 for the last instalment of the Sunshine & Shadows series. He said, "The pursuit of happiness is not the Christian ideal ... joy is a part of our walk in faith, but happiness is not the primary pursuit."
What is Mental Health? How can we become better listeners? What is our response to depression & anxiety? Check out our panel conversation about mental health!
Week 1 of our Series: Sunshine & Shadows. A conversation about mental health.
Ps Jason Charles sets the stage for our 3 week series as we explore the intersection between Faith, Science, and Mental Health
This past Sunday we looked at the possibility found in an unexpected interruption. And how sometimes the best answer to an interruption is a simple response of yes.
Ps Neil and Sharol Josephson from Family Life Canada share their thoughts on Relationships
Week 6 of our collection of talks studying significant moments Jesus had around the dinner table.
This week we look to the story of Zaccheus in Luke 19 for insight into finding significance