Impact Fellowship Podcast

What does it mean to be part of the family of God, and how does one become part of it? What might our expectations be, as part of God’s family, and how does being part of it influence our day-to-day living?

How do we know how we are doing with God? Are there indicators that help us see if certain areas of our lives are moving forward with Him or are perhaps stuck in the same place for a while? Today we look at a story Jesus told that helps us address these questions.

When the stresses of life and burdens keep growing and feel insurmountable, how are we meant to respond? What does the Bible have to say about situations like that? Today we look at one of the toughest times in Jesus’ life and learn from how He moved forward.

When we talk about laying a good foundation, we usually mean for a building. What does it mean to lay a good foundation for our faith? What are the key components, how do we put them together, and is there an order to these things?

What could be the purpose of God shifting things around in our lives when it seems like we’d rather keep them as they are? What are the best responses to those types of changes? What is God doing in our lives when He makes changes we didn’t expect or ask for, and how does He guide people through them?

How do we go about growing in trust of God? What aid does God give us for that? What about becoming people whom God raises up for His work? What actions do we take in that and what actions does God take? How does God liberate and empower us for that work?

This week we are mixing it up a bit and hearing from each of the teams who serve at Impact. They paint a picture of what it is like and can be like to partner with God and what He is doing in His kingdom, inside Impact and beyond. For those who are interested, you’ll get a taster of different opportunities available to serve in His family.

It is an amazing thing to be part of God’s family, but what all does that entail? Are we meant to receive and grow or is there more to the story? We can imagine that contributing to God’s family comes into play, but how do we know in what areas to contribute and what to do? Today we talk about these questions and take a look at how God guides and directs us into this aspect of His family.

Going off last week's message on what a disciple is, this week we look at our call to discipleship. Today we hear several real-life stories as we dig into what it looks like to invest in someone else in discipleship and, among other things, how we know if/when we're ready for it.

Are there differences between believing in Jesus and being a disciple of Jesus? If so, what are the main ones? Among other things, how does our relationship with Jesus, the gospel, and the different products of our lives factor in?

There's attending a church and then there's participating in God's family. What exactly does it mean to enter into a connection with God's people, and how does that start? What sort of values do people in God's family hold and what types of things do they do? Today, we get to hear a range of answers to these questions as we dig into what it means to be part of God's family.

Most us of have in mind that growth as a person is a good thing. What does growth in our relationship with God look like? What could be keys to that growth? Is it more of a personal thing or a group thing or both? Today, we tackle those questions as we look at what it means to be equipped and built up and how we get there.

We can often find joy and life from situations and people. That is great while those things are going well, but what about when situations change or friendships change? Are we meant to find life and joy, most, in situations and people, or can we actually find it in a relationship with God? Today we look at different foundational factors that can lead to sustained joy no matter how the rest of life is going. We also dig into what a life connected to Jesus looks like.

As we look to where we're headed, we start seeing what it means to partner together, as a community, with God. What kinds of actions define a group of people seeking God together? What does it look like to take part in God's work together, and what could it look like to begin moving in a direction together as a community?

Talking about an "account in heaven" can create a whole range of emotions in us. Today, as we finish up our series in Philippians, we look at how Paul talked about that very thing. What is his heart and God's heart for them and us? What is this whole "account in heaven" thing anyway, and how are we meant to think about it? How does our life and what happens after life fit into the mix?

Being content is one of those things in life we all hope for, something we want as much as possible but often feels so elusive. We look for it through so many means, but is there any option for finding contentment that lasts? If so, how do we know when we are looking to lesser sources for that lasting contentment? Today we look at a part of the Bible that helps us see how to be content in all situations.

Our past sometimes hinders us, whether because of good or not so good things. How are we meant to handle past successes and failures? How does God see us with regards to those things, and what does He want for us? Today we look at a passage from the Bible that helps us to properly see ourselves with regards to the past, no matter our backstory.

In a world that thrives on drivenness, competition, and success, how are we meant we find true value? Does the Bible address things like résumé-building and performance-based values? Today we learn from a man who had a very strong résumé and how his perspective shifted after he met Jesus.

Did you know that several times in early church history, people mixed Jesus' original message with other things? Today, as we continue our way through Philippians, we run into one such instance. Paul helps us work our way through some incorrect teaching that was causing a lot of confusion and harm in the church. He also helps us sort through different motivations in our relationship with God and see how we can move towards freedom.

When someone invests in us without expecting anything in return, it can really floor us. Today we look at a passage from the Bible that talks about such people. Why would they do it, and what does it look like when a person does that? What could change if we each found people like that to invest in us and also became people like that for others?