Renew Communities Teaching Podcast

Spiritual growth can feel elusive at times because it's dependant on God's work in our life and the world around us. In week 2 of our Rooted series we discuss how we can allow God to work in our lives and the things we must do to be open to that growth in our lives.

The primary way Jesus talks about God's Kingdom coming is like that of a seed planted and slowly growing - but in order for any growth to occur the seed has to take root first. In week 1 of our Rooted series we talk about what might keep the Kingdom from taking root in our hearts and what we can do today that allows the Gospel to take deep roots in our hearts.

The bible tells us we are citizens of heaven and Jesus is our Lord. It also calls us to not only obey the governmental authority that God has placed over us but also to pray for them as they lead. In the final week of our series we think of how we can do this while still being true to our citizenship and Lord.

Christianity began as a radical movement within the Roman empire. At a time when Caesar was lord, Christians rejected his position and instead declared the lordship of Jesus. In week 4 of our series we ask what would happen if instead of looking to the president for hope and change, Christians looked to Jesus in the same way the first century Christians did.

Jesus didn't kill his enemies, he died for them. In week 3 of our "Longing For A Better Country" series we discussed the politics of nonviolence and what Jesus says separates his kingdom from the kingdoms of this world.

Part of why we are so frustrated and disappointed by the political system is because as Christians we are foreigners to this world. In week 2 of our "Longing For A Better Country" series we talk about what it means to have citizenship in heaven and how that impacts how we engage on earth.

This week we kicked off our "Longing For A Better Country" series as we talk about how our faith in Jesus should impact how we think and engage politically. Listen as we explore what we’re longing for as a country, when we go to the polls and how that matches up with the longing God’s people are meant to have.

When you’re part of a church it should feel more like a family than an organization but that’s all dependent on how we interact with each other. In the last week of our Words We Should Say we talk about why we need to talk about what’s really happening in our lives and how prayer should be the answer to anything we share with each other.

Sometimes we forget that our words hold the power of life and death. There are certain things we can say to each other regularly that can bring real life and those who God’s put closest to us are desperate for you to say these words. In the third week of our series we talk about why these words are important, how they can bring real life and what might be holding you back from saying the words you should say.

In week 2 of our series, Rich Trickel of The City Mission talks about why asking for help is both a sign of strength and an opportunity for others to be who God’s called them to be.

There are some things we need to be saying but at times our life or relationships make this difficult. In week 1 of our new series we talk about why it’s hard to publicly state that Jesus is Lord of our lives, why it’s important that we figure out how to do this and some naturally first steps you can take to say the words that you need to say.

The 23rd Psalm is arguably the most popular Psalm because it is often offered as comfort in some of our darkest days. In this weeks sermon we look at why this sermon offers more than just hope that we’ll get through the hard times but instead focuses our eyes on the one that is shepherding us through our entire lives.

The Psalms orient us to the world that we live in and the kind of people that we are suppose to be. Psalms 24 exhorts us to live in the reality that Jesus is King and shows how to act as kingdom people. In order to do this, we must open the gate to Jesus and let him remake us.

There's a lot of things in life that are constantly calling for our time. As followers of Jesus our number one priority should be seeking him. On Sunday we explored how David was someone who earnestly sought after God and how knowing he belonged to God determined his values and priorities.

The Psalms give us a framework for any season of life - including the times we find ourselves deep in the grips of sin and it's consequences. In this week's sermon we look at David's recognition of sin in his life and what confession and repentance can look like as we explore Psalm 51.

The Psalms give us a framework for almost every season and circumstance we find ourselves in - both good in bad. In week 6 of our Summer in the Psalms we look at how true thanksgiving comes out of God meeting us in difficult seasons and the powerful reminder songs and prayers of thanksgiving can be for us and the world around us.

There’s a tension that exists between what we know is true about God and the reality of life but it's only in our honesty that we can invite God and others into the tension we're experiencing. The Psalms of lament are rooted in hope and and in week 5 of our Psalms series we learn how to experience what God has created us to do and that is to cry out to him.

Fear is the single most powerful emotion you will face. The good news is God has a plan for your life, and when you are obedient to Him, fear is displaced so you can experience true peace.

The Psalms are full of worship songs and prayers. Some are very personal but others were written to be used by large groups of God's people singing together. In Week 3 of our Psalms series we talk about why music is so powerful, how worshiping together reminds us of what's most important and we dig into two Psalms to see how powerful these reminders are.

This week we look at Psalm 137 and in it we find that God welcomes our honesty even when our honesty is disturbing. We talked about what causes us to long for the past and how it impacts the relationships we have with those who have done us wrong. Join us as we look at one of the most difficult psalms in the Bible.