Impact Fellowship Podcast

The world can be a harsh judge of people and what greatness looks like, but did you know the world often gets things wrong in God's eyes? Today, we explore the Bible to see what God has to say about different aspects of His Kingdom and how we factor into His plans for its growth.

Did you know that God spreads His words and teachings indiscriminately? If that is so, what determines the outcome for each person? Why does it seem to make sense to some people and is a struggle to others of us? Why do some people seem to know exactly what to do in response and others are confused or walk away apathetic? What steps can I take if I desire so much more of God's activity in my life? Today we probe one of Jesus' teachings on the Kingdom of God to get His thoughts on all this.

What does it mean that God's Kingdom has broken through to earth, and how do we seek His Kingdom? How are we to live life once we understand that God's Kingdom has already come and that it isn't some far off thing that we wait for until we die? What would it look like to bring God's Kingdom into the different areas of our lives?

Culturally, we hear Christianity talking a lot about Jesus' work on the cross and being saved through Him. However, is that the end? Once we connect with Jesus through the power of His sacrifice for us, are we just meant to wait for heaven? What about the rest of our lives on earth? Today we talk about Jesus bringing His kingdom to earth, the impact that had/has, and what that means for us here and now.

Seeing the brokenness in the world, in those around us, and in our own lives can be disheartening, even devastating at times. If God loves us and His world, wouldn't He do something about all of that? Wouldn't He fix it all? Today, we look at what God did through Jesus to bring healing, life, hope, and redemption back into our lives and our world.

What kind of relationship did God's people have with Him before Jesus came on the scene? What were the writings of the "Law" and the "Prophets" in the Bible and how were they instrumental in helping the people connect to God back then? How do those writings help us connect with God today?

When we look at the world, most of us would say a lot of things aren't right. There's a lot of suffering, a lot of evil, and a lot that just isn't good. But, as we saw last week, things weren't always like that. So what happened that broke things, why is it all still like that today, and what is my part in all of it? How am I to respond to the brokenness I see around me and in my own life?

Did you ever wonder what things were really like in the beginning? Who were we made to be, what was the plan for us, and are we still on that trajectory or have we deviated from it? How does God view His creation, and what does it mean to be created in His image? Today we look at the beginning of the Bible to help uncover answers to these questions.

Isn't it true that many times the best things come at unexpected times from unexpected places? As we celebrate Christmas in the second of our two part series, we see how the most significant details of the Christmas story were answers to long-awaited questions, in a variety of unexpected ways.

The Christmas season often brings with it a variety of expectations intermingled with waiting. Today we look at a story in the Bible that leads an entire people into the greatest expectation and waiting ever witnessed. What would our anticipation be like if we pinned our hopes on one thing that we couldn't be sure would even happen in our lifetime? What would we do in the waiting and how does God factor into it?

Isn't it easy to put expectations on other persons, especially kids/young persons? We might expect siblings to be similar to each other or to be like their parents. Today we look at the Bible to see not only the effects those assumptions can have on kids but also to look more intently at the different ways God designed people. How do we shift to love the younger generation (and people in general) when every person seems so different, and how does God reach out to such an amazing diversity of people?

What do we do when we see younger persons, whether our kids or someone else's, making bad choices? Is there a time and place for correction? If so, what does it look like and can it be balanced with love? What is the relationship between discipline and love, and how does God view the two?

When it comes to kids and the younger generation, how are we meant to invest in them? Is there a balance between protecting them and helping them become independent? What does charting a course of wisdom look like when training up and instructing them? How do we equip them to make good decisions? Today we look take a look at these questions while finding out what the Bible has to say about all this.

Family, past and present, plays a major role in who we are as people. We're beginning a new series directed at "future family." What is God's heart for the upcoming generation, what is our role, and what are some practical tools to help us intentionally engage those who are following in our footsteps - connecting them to God?

What comes to mind when you think of generosity? For most of us, we think of a wealthier person giving away lots of money. It might surprise you that God sees generosity in a different light. Today we look at the Bible to uncover what that looks like and how generosity marks people who follow God.

In the midst of a heavily-divided country and two candidates who have evoked a lot of emotion this year, the election has affected most of us in many ways. How are we to respond when things go our way and when they don't? Today we look at the Bible to get a better understanding on how we are to approach government, elections, and those in office.

Isn't it true that we sometimes we find ourselves overburdened by things we've taken on or picked up? There is a huge motivator in our culture that, financially speaking, can lead to lots of debt. Today we examine our society's view of money and debt, how debt can rob us of many of the things God would have for us, and how we are intended to live in regards to those things.

Does God talk about money much? If so, why, and what does He have to say about it? Why does it often feel difficult or even taboo to talk about money in a church setting? Today we delve into these questions and look to uncover the purpose of money from God's perspective.

When we hear the words "good news" or "gospel" in relation to Christianity, we may, among other things, think of Jesus, the cross, raising from the dead, and forgiveness. This is not wrong, but there is something in Jesus' teaching that we often miss. Today we look at one of Jesus' main points, especially after He came back from the dead, that often gets glossed over.

How many of us take time to reflect on the past year other than the usual New Year's mini-pondering we do? When it comes to our relationship with God, thinking about what He has been doing in us, around us, and through us is extremely beneficial - ultimately encouraging us in our walk with Him. Today, as we celebrate two years, we reflect on what God has been doing in our midst.