This week Pastor Dennis talked through Acts 11:1-18, the story of Peter returning to Jerusalem after sharing the Gospel with and baptizing Cornelius’ household and being met with criticism from a faction of Jewish Christians. This faction of Jewish Christians believes that Gentiles, in order… Read More »Unity Over Uniformity
This week, Pastor Shaq Hager walks through Acts 10:23-48 (NIV), the story of Peter visiting Cornelius and his family, all Gentiles, sharing the Gospel with them, and Cornelius’ entire household placing their faith in Jesus and be baptized. It’s a story that challenges our prejudices.… Read More »Challenging Prejudice
This week Pastor Dennis continues our Acts series by focusing on Acts 10:1-23, the story of two people (Cornelius and Peter), two prayers, two visions, and two sets of guiding instructions from Jesus. Many of us struggle to pray. We’ve been disappointed and disillusioned in… Read More »Risking Prayer
Julia Allan walks us through Acts 9:32-43 where Peter heals a man named Aeneas and raises a woman, Tabitha, from the dead. Julia focuses on Tabitha’s story and her gentle, quiet, and humble faithfulness in caring for the widows in her community. And, Peter’s willingness… Read More »Humble, Faithful Tabitha
This week Pastor Shaq Hager and Pastor Dennis Allan talked through Acts 9:13b-31. Together, they worked through the story of Saul’s ministry and the threats on his life in both Damascus and Jerusalem, and how Barnabas risked his reputation in advocating for Saul with the… Read More »Risk and Sacrifice
Pastor Shaq Hager continues our study of the book of Acts by talking through the story of Saul’s conversion along the Damascus Road (Acts 9:1-10 NIV). Just one chapter earlier the author of Acts introduces Saul into the story of the early church, reporting that… Read More »Zealous for What?
This week Pastor Dennis walks through Acts 8:26-40 (NIV), the story of Philip being sent by an angel of God to an Ethiopian eunuch. The eunuch represents a new ethnic and racial group that God wants to reach with the Gospel. And, culturally, the eunuch… Read More »An Inclusive Kingdom
This week Pastor Dennis Allan walked through the story of Stephen being stoned by the Sanhedrin (Acts 7:54-60 NIV). Throughout chapter seven we’ve traced Stephen’s trial before the Sanhedrin. And while the the trial is a sham, Stephen has poked at the Sanhedrin’s idols: the… Read More »Slow Anger
This week, Pastor Shaq focused on Stephen’s trial before the Sanhedrin, recorded in Luke 7:1-53 (NIV). Stephen, who has been charged with blasphemy for speaking against the temple and the law of Moses, speaks with conviction and courage to the Sanhedrin. He identifies three idols:… Read More »American Idolatry
Julia Allan walks through Acts 6:8-15 (NIV), the story of Stephen on trial before the Sanhedrin. The Jewish religious leaders enlist people in bearing false witness against Stephen who, in his conversation with the Sanhedrin pokes at some of the people’s religious idols: the temple… Read More »To Look Like Jesus