The first instruction the apostle gives in First Peter to the church is, "Hope in grace." When we're struggling to follow Christ, especially in the face of persecution, Peter commands the church to hope in grace. Listen as Rob McIlvoy unpacks for us the importance of hope in the Christian life, and how that motivates our obedience.
Read MoreFirst Peter was written to Christians suffering religious persecution. They were being ostracized by their communities because of their faith in Christ. Is this relevant to most American Christians? In order to understand Christian suffering, 1 Peter challenges us to both broaden and narrow our definitions of Christian and suffering.
Read MoreAdam takes a step away from 1 Peter to ground our emphasis in Citizens' Communities on spiritual practices. We need spiritual practices because these rhythms of resistance help us to be with Jesus, become like Jesus and do what Jesus did. That's what it means to be a disciples: someone who strives to be with Jesus, become like Jesus, and do what Jesus did. We can't do this without spiritual practices.
Read MoreWhen suffering persecution and trial, what is the first thing the church needs to hear? The Apostle Peter begins his letter by reminding Christians that they are born again, giving them a new identity and a future inheritance. Why is that something we need to hear today? And how does our new birth impact our relationship with the world around us?
Read MoreToday, we begin our series in First Peter, which is about Christian living in non-Christian spaces. Listen as Dave sets out the setting and context of this important book. He unpacks the first lesson from First Peter, which is to name the shame we carry around because we follow Jesus. Only when we name our shame can the gospel transform it into honor.
Read MoreEvery January, we take five weeks to walk through the Story of God from beginning to end. Our Sundays are shifted to accommodate more dialogue and reflection from everyone. This is our fifth and final week of the series, where we will hear about Jesus' death and resurrection and all that Christ's work accomplished.
Read MoreEvery January, we take five weeks to walk through the Story of God from beginning to end. Our Sundays are shifted to accommodate more dialogue and reflection from everyone. In Week Three, we finish the Old Testament and finally meet the person of Jesus.
Read MoreEvery January, we take five weeks to walk through the Story of God from beginning to end. Our Sundays are shifted to accommodate more dialogue and reflection from everyone. Listen in as we wrestle through outcome of the Fall and the beginning of God's plan to restore his world.
Read MoreEvery January, we take five weeks to walk through the Story of God from beginning to end. Our Sundays have less liturgy to accommodate more dialogue and reflection from everyone. Listen in as we wrestle through the beginning of God's story, including the First Creatures, the First Humans, and Separation.
Read MoreSometimes we don't pray because we don't know what to pray for. The world's brokenness is not a clean break, and the path to restoration is rarely clear. In Romans 8, Paul challenges us to keeping praying. God doesn't expect us to know what to pray for. In fact, it's at the precise points of our ignorance that the Spirit intercedes for us. Listen as Dave encourages us to receive God’s mercy in our ignorance.
Read MoreWhat does it mean that all creation "groans" for our redemption? By likening our present suffering with the sufferings of a woman in labor, Paul again emphasizes that we suffering with hope. Our labor is not in vain. Because of Christ's death and resurrection, the world is pregnant with hope. Listen as C.J. encourages us to labor alongside creation, looking forward to the future restoration of the whole world.
Read MoreBiblical hope is a confident expectation based upon a sure foundation for which we wait with full and complete confidence. Our sure foundation in Romans 8 is the faithful ministry of the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead. Listen as Rob McIlvoy explains to us the dynamics of hope--what it means for our present and our future.
Read MorePaul claims that our present suffering isn't worth comparing to our future glory in Christ. He supports this bold claim by looking to the created world. Beneath the frustration and vandalism of sin, we can see creation still straining toward its purpose. What would the world look like if creation no longer strained? If our bodies were perfected? Listen as Dave asks us to imagine a renewed world.
Read MoreRomans 8 teaches that God created you in His image and longs to be your Father. He wants to take every broken part of your story, every painful event in your life and redeem it. He wants to adopt you into His family, name you as His beloved Son, His beloved Daughter, and slowly, methodically give you the life you always longed for.
Read MoreRomans 8 is all about life in the Spirit and resurrection. But resurrection is not just something to enjoy after death! Because the Spirit dwells in us, the future is breaking into the present. Listen as Adam encourages us from Romans 8, challenging us to remember how the Spirit's indwelling presence makes us temples now, guarantees our future, and changes us today.
Read MoreDeath hangs over humanity in the Book of Romans and Paul is convinced that the gospel is the only way out from under it. The law can't save us. Ignorance can't save us. Our only hope is the gospel--specifically, the gospel of the resurrection. Listen as Dave unpacks the contrast between death and resurrection, flesh and Spirit, gospel and law.
Read MoreRomans 8 is one of the high-points of the New Testament. Beginning with "no condemnation" and finishing with "no separation," Paul unpacks the tremendous security we have in the gospel of the Spirit of life. C.J. introduces our series by emphasizing the great contrast between the law of the flesh and the law of the Spirit.
Read MoreThe biblical vision for the church is big--we are called to be a royal priesthood and ambassadors for Christ. And yet Jesus also says that, in order to enter the kingdom of God, we must humble ourselves and become like children. How do these visions interact? How can we do great things while still being childlike? Listen as Dave concludes our series on the church by emphasizing the church's rest and play.
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