From the day that Jesus launched His Church, He has invited every one of His followers to join it and help build it. Yes, that includes every one of us. Ephesians 4 is one of many invitations from God to us all, that we would wake up to our calling and realize the role we've been given. Not only are we all called, but we are also all gifted by God.…

Revelation was given to the Church to be a timeless resource of inspiration for every generation. As the church exists in the margins of society, enduring great trials, this book is meant to always restore our hope.In this opening message, we look at the landscape of the Church across the first century and see how God was calling them to maintain t…

Of all the powers that ruled and fought for control of the Ancient Middle East, Persia was the one nation that Israel never engaged in conflict with. In fact, Persia played a special role in restoring Israel after a long period of captivity. This makes the mention of a future war between Israel and Persia one of the most perplexing prophecies of th…

It's His Church. It's our turn. And Peter is our greatest example of how to mature from a Jesus consumer to a true Jesus follower. Simon Peter started following Jesus for the same reason anyone does- Jesus did something for him. Peter immediately got lost in the wonder of what else Jesus might do for his life, so he became one of Jesus' first and m…

Easter brings us into a brand new, resurrection reality. We don't have to fall back to our old ways, our former emotions and behaviors because we have been lifted up with Christ. Listen and learn how Jesus' resurrection transforms us from the inside-out!Risen Church NC による

Jesus cast a grand vision from the very onset of His ministry that became more and more central to His message as time went on. After His resurrection, He reminded His disciples how everything had been building up to this moment. Now it was their turn...In this message, we hear Jesus lay the foundation for His Church and learn how it is God's big p…

What's so "good" about the Friday on which Jesus died? Hindsight is everything and allows us to see exactly what God was doing through Jesus' crucifixion. Listen as we discuss the major promises of Good Friday: Our Hope, Our Purpose, and God's LoveRisen Church NC による

Jesus came to redefine what it meant to know and follow God. While many believed He was Messiah after seeing the signs and wonders, they still had a warped understanding of what the Messiah had come to do. The heart of Mark's Gospel shows Jesus challenging His followers' conviction about godliness, teaching them about a true, genuine relationship w…

On Palm Sunday, the shouts were, "Hosanna, Blessed be the name of the Lord." Just a few days later, on Good Friday, the cries were, "Crucify Him!" and curses were shouted at Jesus.Things changed so quickly, revealing the ongoing, hypocrisy and rebellion at the heart of humanity. However, Jesus' resolve and mission remain the same. He wasn't a king …

How did Jesus meet (and exceed) all of the Old Testament expectations for what the Messiah would be like? Listen as we study and discuss how Mark presents Jesus as:- The Most Brilliant Teacher, revealing the secrets to knowing God- The Master and Lord Over All, deserving our full trust- The Ultimate Healer, who saves us from sin and death…

Religion often makes it seem that God is most passionate about being right and condemning sinners. Jesus came to reveal that God was actually most passionate about being right with sinners. In this message, we see Jesus face off against the Pharisees, with a sinful woman's fate hanging in the balance. We learn how Jesus came to save us from our sin…

Jesus is the full expression of God's passion. As Jesus told Nicodemus, His mission on earth was driven by love and meant to demonstrate God's love for the world. The story in John 4 underscores God's passion for people in that it features Jesus going out of His way to reach a certain woman. In the same way that Jesus was driven by passion, so can …

Check out the first installment in our Road to Calvary Bible Study. An outline is providing below:The Road to Calvary: Heaven Sent - Mark 11) A Bridge from Old to New - 1:1-8- Fulfilling Old Testament - Replacing Old Covenant - Providing New Way 2) A Connection between God and Man - 1:9-13- Relationship with man- Relationship with God- Rescue from …

Sometimes God's plans for our lives are different than the plans we've envisioned for ourselves. Sometimes we can easily conflate worldly success with God's perfect will. Listen as David learns that God was taking his life in a different direction than he anticipated. While at first he resists and fights against it, he later surrenders to the great…

For thousands of years, the people of Israel had God's Word, full of sufficient revelation about God. Even though this should have been enough to bring people to Him, God decided to do something greater for the lost, confused world. When God took on flesh, the Logos took on Pathos - God poured His heart on all creation. Jesus came showcasing God's …

The story of Jonathan is one that's too often overlooked and perhaps misunderstood. As King Saul is driven by ego and jealousy, his relationship with his son was fractured. David found himself in the middle of their strife and got to observe one of the most humbling, inspiring acts in all the Scriptures. Listen as Jonathan shows us how beauty can b…

The early church set the bar for what it looked like to walk in the fullness of our salvation. The original disciples were just ordinary people, made into extraordinary servants of God by the power of Christ. Listen as we marvel at the extent they all went to in their service to God and learn how we might measure up to the original, Christian stand…

We are no match for our spiritual giants - our flesh and sin. On our own, we are outranked and outnumbered. We need a Savior. The story of David and Goliath is a picture and preview of the work that Jesus came to do for us all, and the New Life that He enables us to live. In Christ, we can face our giants and we can indeed overcome. Just as He over…

There's a fine line between being called by God and actually knowing every detail about His plan for our life. Navigating this space between requires waiting with patience and trust.In this message, we talk about how God always has a plan laid out and how we can have confidence that He will open doors in due time. We also discuss how we should cond…

In this message we learn how aiming to live an extraordinary life means we own each moment that God presents to us.Risen Church NC による

Jesus said that following Him leads us into an abundant, extraordinary life. In this message, we hear how our lives can go above and beyond for God's Glory.Risen Church NC による

God is not the least bit impressed, moved by, concerned with physical appearance or experience. Religion loves to emphasize appearance, experience- the sights, sounds, feelings. However, God cares about our hearts, what kind of person we are.Risen Church NC による

Extraordinary: Can't Miss It - Ecclesiastes 7:1-2 by Risen Church NCRisen Church NC による

Dueling Kingdoms: Told You So - 1 Samuel 10-12 by Risen Church NCRisen Church NC による

While it was never God's perfect will for Saul to be Israel's king, God was more than willing to bless and guide him. Refusing to defer the glory to God and humble himself, Saul set out on a path of self-destruction. Listen as we learn about Saul's downfall, a reign that was quickly disgraced through foolish, short-sighted decisions. We discuss the…

When his father sets aside his duties as king and takes the day off, Jonathan steps up to the plate and is determined to protect God's people. Unsure of what he should do, he turns to the Lord and puts all of his trust in Him. Listen as we discuss what it looks like to fully rely on God and be willing to obey Him even amidst uncertainty.…

Dueling Kingdoms: Well Spent - 1 Samuel 15 by Risen Church NCRisen Church NC による

From our ears to our hearts, there's often a disconnect between we've heard and what we feel able to do. When it comes to hearing God's Word, we all have had intentions of following through, yet somethings frustrates our hearts again and again. In this message, we talk about the importance of clearing our minds and giving priority to God's promises…

Many things in life leave us broken and can make us bitter, but what if God has a plan and intends all along to make us better than before? Listen as Job's story inspires us to take heart in the midst of all uncertainty and find hope in God's promises.Risen Church NC による

In one of Jesus' most dramatic sermons, He addressed how serious it is for us to continue in sin and what great extent we ought to go to in order to overcome it. His proposed solution is intentionally extreme, meant to make all of us pause and consider how detrimental it is to remain out of God's Will. Listen as we discuss the nature of sin and how…

With every new year comes unknowns and unpredictability. We often wonder and worry over what we cannot be certain about. However, there is far more that is known and predictable about any given year than we may realize. Every January, a new cycle begins, with much of what we've experienced before set to repeat. Having been there and done that, we h…

God intended on building a kingdom through the prophet Samuel, that would unite Israel around His Will and Way. Yet after glimpses of revival, the people chose to prioritize their own kingdom. In this message, we examine the poor choice made by Israel and how it reflects our own common misunderstandings of prayer and submission to God. We'll see ho…

Christmas changed everythingHistory bears witness to the indisputable mark that Christmas and the birth of Jesus left on this world. There's just no denying just how significant a day that first Christmas was. The question is, do our hearts bear witness to a similar impact? Has Jesus and the reality of Christmas changed us?…

Christmas explains so much about God. It brings clarify and understanding to His approach throughout history and adds context to what may guide His decisions over any of our lives. The finer details of the Christmas story, particularly those God selected to be front and center of it all, are meant to underscore the nature of the salvation He brough…

The romanticized version of the Christmas story that we all know so well is accepted by most as the picture of peace. We sing songs about how that first Christmas night was filled with an otherworldly peace. Indeed, it seems as if Heaven and Earth became one for a small moment of time.In reality, the story behind Christmas was anything but picture-…

There are many verses and passages in the Bible that direct our attention to the skies above as proof of the wonder and glory of God. The ancients were especially in tune with the stars believing that something was being communicated by God through the many celestial phenomenons.In this message, we zero on a particular group of people who spent man…

Nothing sweeps over our world quite like the Christmas season. The Spirit of Christmas is unlike anything, utterly dominating and overshadowing anything in its vicinity. Many generations have come and gone, where some wondered if Christmas would remain such a powerful force. Of course, it has persisted and proves unstoppable. In this message, we di…

The Christmas season brings a sense of wonder and joy along with it, unrivaled by every other time of year. It's often said that Heaven draws closer to Earth every December. In this message, we learn how this might very well be the case. However, the true intersection of Heaven and Earth may surprise you. Listen as we discuss how Christmas parties …

The short book of Habakkuk is unlike any other book of the Bible. It also stands out in contrast to all the other prophets. In it we get to read a back-and-forth conversation between Habakkuk and God, as the prophet brings his concerns before the Lord. Long lay the world, in sin and error pining - with the nation of Israel especially feeling the ef…

In this message, we hear the Bible command us to give thanks to God, no matter the circumstances and detached from feelings. We discuss how this may fly in the face of human nature, but how it also offers us the ultimate freedom and powerful perspective. Listen as Psalm 100 and King David show us the the true heart of worship and how our lives can …

In this message, we take a broad look at Revelation and seek to understand how God will reclaim and restore the earth one day. We focus on the Enemy's tightening grip on this world and how God will use a revived nation of Israel to overcome evil once and for all.Risen Church NC による

The Bible contains many prophesies, most of which have already been fulfilled. From the promise of a Savior, to the story of Ancient Israel, God's Word proves trustworthy time and time again. There are in fact many prophecies that are yet unfulfilled, that give us a glimpse at what is to come in this world. This message shows us what's in store for…

In part two of "Whole Heart", we hear from Jesus on how we might experience the fullness of God in our lives. After commanding us to "seek first the Kingdom of God", He makes it clear that God wants our whole heart so that He might make us whole and complete. Listen as we discover how committed Jesus is to restoring us and empowering our lives, and…

This is the first of a two part study on God's desire to make our hearts whole. In this message, Jesus reveals to us that our hearts are compromised and weighed down by so much from this world. As uncomfortable as it may be to hear, Jesus doesn't mince His words and shows us the only pathway forward...Listen as Jesus reflects our hearts back at us …

God's choice way of evangelism has always been through inspired people sharing how their lives have been transformed. While the Gospel is based on objective truth, Gospel witnessing has always, also leaned on our own personal testimonies. Ultimately, Jesus does the same work in all of us, but our individual circumstances allow for unique opportunit…

Who is Jesus?This is the question that matters more than anything when defining our faith and sharing it with others. In this message, we discover how God worked across generations to set the stage and prepare the world for its Savior to arrive. Jesus came to take on sin and death, and bring redemption to all people. Knowing who Jesus is, what He d…

As Christians we are expected to be ready to share our faith at any given time. We are all well aware of this imperative. We've heard countless messages on the Great Commission and about evangelism. This series isn't another reminder of why we must do this, but all about helping us narrow in on the story we have to tell.In this message, we trace ou…

"Make Us Like All The Other Nations"Israel made this infamous request to Samuel and to God, after years of deflecting God's calling over them. He desired for Israel to be a light unto the world, unlike all the rest to hopefully make Him known. In this message, we relate Israel's request to the desire of our own fleshly nature and discover their one…

When God installed Samuel as Israel's Judge, the nation was deeply immersed in sin. For Samuel to reach them, he would be engaging with a people given over to idols, with hearts far from God. In this message, we talk about the approach Samuel must have taken and relate that to our own Christian mandate under the Great Commission.…

Sometimes God sees us going in the wrong direction and prevents us. Sometimes He says "No" to our misguided requests. However, there are times when He observes our ungodly desires and permits us get exactly what we wanted. This is the Permissive Will of God.God is always sovereign, even when He lets us walk away. It's His mercy at work, hoping that…