Today, we celebrated as one, extended family dedicated four children and seven people were baptized. Which is why this week’s conversation, lead by Dennis Allan, is more a sermonette focused on baptism as the Christian’s pledge of allegiance. Baptism is a choice we make where… Read More »Baptism is the Christian’s Pledge of Allegiance
We are supposed to be political, just not in the ways we think. We tend to think the primary vehicle for our political expression are political parties and elections. But, if we’re citizens of the Kingdom living in America as exiles, then shouldn’t the church… Read More »We are Supposed to be Political
Benjamin Chua continues our series, “People of the Kingdom.” If we are first and foremost citizens of the Kingdom of God, then the country we find ourselves in is not our true home. As citizens of the Kingdom we live in America as exiles, not… Read More »We Live as Exiles
This week, we start a new series titled, “People of the Kingdom.” Over the next eight weeks we’ll explore the idea that the church in America’s first political task is to become the church Jesus intended. And that starts by recovering our true citizenship. As… Read More »We are Citizens of a Kingdom
This week Pastor Shaq Hager introduces us to Junia, an apostle, who helped lead and build the early church. Junia’s status as an apostle, however, has been questioned. From approximately the 13th centurty until about 1980 Bible translators added an “s” to Junia’s name, making… Read More »Junia, the Apostle
This week, Carrie Bucker walks through Priscilla’s story. Paul identifies Priscilla as a co-laborer in the ministry of proclaiming and living out the Gospel. He even identifies her and her husband, Aquila, as having protected his life and saving the early church, ensuring it was… Read More »Priscilla, the Ministry Leader
This week we start a three week series focused on women leaders in the early church, and what their lives and ministries can teach the church today about following Jesus. Phoebe was entrusted by Paul with carrying, arguably, Paul’s most theologically substantive letter. Not only… Read More »Phoebe, Carrier of the Gospel Message
This week we take a look back across sixty-three sermons and our study of the book of Acts to identify major themes and what they mean for us today. In particular, the conversation focuses on the expansive and inclusive nature of the Gospel, the Kingdom… Read More »Acts in Retrospect
Luke ends the book of Acts with Paul in Rome, imprisoned, meeting with a group of Jewish people. He shares the Gospel with them, proclaiming the ways the Old Testament foretold Jesus as Israel’s true Messiah and prophesied that, through Jesus’ death and resurrection, the… Read More »The Invitation of Acts
Sometimes we’re so convinced we’re right about a particular belief, a specific way of seeing or understanding the world, or, even, a way of interprepting a particular portion of Scripture that we tell ourselves it’s more Jesus-like to remove ourselves from relationship with people who… Read More »Relationship vs. Rightness