Renew Communities Teaching Podcast

In week 1 of our Last Days of Jesus series we take a look at the Triumphal Entry of Jesus and the celebratory response of the crowds when they think that Jesus wants the same things they want. We see that Jesus isn’t always interested in the same things we are but instead wants to show us what God’s really like and invite us to be part of His Kingdom.

Jesus prayed for the church to be completely unified, but we have strayed far from his intent. Our spiritual family has handed us down a legacy of division, and it is our job to figure out how to leave that baggage in the past. The world needs a church that moves and acts as one, and in this sermon we begin the conversation. Here is the link for the sermon referenced, about power, pride, and humility: http://renewcommunities.com/2014/07/28/the-result-of-pride

One of the primary reasons God doesn’t work through us is because our hearts aren’t fully devoted to him. Sometimes this is a product of busy lives and great demands on our hearts and others it’s because we easily stray from the most important things to things that just seem important. In week 4 we talked about what consecration is, how you can say yes to Jesus and die to yourself and the way it impacts the people you engage with every day of your life.

If you believe in Jesus God has given each of us the gift of the Holy Spirit which means you have one-third of the trinity living inside of you. What’s even more incredible is that each of us has been gifted in supernatural ways through this Holy Spirit and we have been sent to accomplish supernatural work where ever we live. In week 3 we talk about these giftings, how we uncover the things that God’s gifted us in and what the world might be missing if you don’t use the gift God’s given you.

When Jesus left the earth he said that all authority had been given to him and then he gave us instructions to go. In a sense he was sharing his authority with us to accomplish his mission in the world. The way we grow in that authority is through obedience to Jesus. In week 2 we talk about what this authority looks like, how we can grow in our authority by doing what Jesus has called us to do and why this matters so much in accomplishing the mission Jesus has sent us on.

One of the most important aspects of supernatural ministry in the world around us is the power of faith. If you don’t believe that God can do amazing there’s a pretty good chance that you won’t ever see him do anything amazing. The reality is your faith is important and this week we talk about how our faith can grow and why it’s so important for the people around you that your faith keep increasing.

It’s hard to believe that the millions of Christians alive and worshiping today – not to mention all that have come before us – all came out of a small group of people who were willing to give their all for the sake of Jesus. How does a movement go from that small group to a global force and what if you had the same power at work in you. In our final week of our Wholehearted series we’ll talk about Gospel Reproduction and what God might want to do in and through you this year!

If you know Jesus then you’ve been given a mission straight from Him. He’s sent you to make disciples. This is more than doing good, it’s more than making random proclamations about who God is or what kind of sin is running rampant. Making disciples means we connect to an individual and teach them how to obey all that Jesus has called us to do. What if this year you were sold out to the mission of Jesus? Who would meet him for the first time? Who would you connect with and how would you make an impact that lasts for eternity?

Somewhere along the way church started to be more about the people than it was about God. People choose their church based on the kind of music they prefer and will leave a church because they don’t think they’re being fed or don’t like what the pastor is feeding them. The strange thing is true worship draws people to the Jesus that you are worshiping and compels us to get back to our real lives so the people we intersect with on a regular basis have the chance to encounter Him in the same way that you have. What if this year you were dedicated to celebrations that put God at the center where he truly belongs and fans the flame that God has placed within you not just to make you whole but to set the world around you on fire for him?

The Church is more than an organization or institution – it’s the family of God. You ought to feel at home with others who know Jesus and we should work tirelessly to create an environment where those who don’t know Him are welcomed, loved, embraced and adopted. What does it look like to be wholeheartedly committed to this family and to constantly extend an invitation that’s hard to turn down.

The Bible says that we will find God when we seek him with our whole heart. What if this year you did that? What if you didn’t go halfway or fade out after a few days, weeks or months but what if you TRULY sought Jesus with every ounce of passion & energy? What might you experience? What might you find? What might you do? We kicked off our Wholehearted series talking about how you can encounter Jesus in 2015. Here are a few resources to help you plan to encounter Jesus wholeheartedly throughout 2015.