The Gospel and Christian Growth

Mike Sullivan

1 Thessalonians 2:1-12

Once we've heard the good news about Jesus' sacrifice and God's grace, what comes next? It's tempting to change the gospel in order to make it more appealing to people (such as salvation through works, not faith). But when the gospel is used properly, it can be a powerful tool for serving in difficult circumstances and encouraging others to grow.

Good Friends Are Hard to Find

Patrice McCormac

1 Samuel 23

Our culture is plagued with loneliness. Part of the problem is that we are often more concerned about whether people are being good friends to us than if we ourselves are being a good friend! As we examine the biblical story of David and Jonathan's friendship however, we see several key elements of good friendship. To be a good friend, we must warn our friends of danger even when it may be risky for us. We should speak and wish well of them, encourage, and initiate choosing to commit to the friendship. As we move away from our own selfish tendencies and toward these habits, we move toward becoming a good friend to others.

Principles of Body Life

Conrad Hilario

1 Corinthians 12:12-26

The Apostle Paul presents the biblical model of the church as the Body of Christ--a diverse organism in which every part has a unique and essential role and all are welcome.

Being IN the world and not OF the world (part 2)

Ryan Lowery

1 Corinthians 5:9-11

The final part of the Upper Room discourse is discussed focusing on Jesus' prayer. His prayer is centered on three things: 1.) Jesus and the Father; 2.) the Disciples; and 3.) all future generations of believers. Here we see the call for believers to be both culturally relevant and distinct from the world system.

Nine Principles of Body Life

Dennis McCallum

1 Corinthians 12:13-26

The Bible describes the church as the Body of Christ. What does this term mean and what does that look like? This teaching covers how a church community is prescribed to function.

The Body of Christ

Dennis McCallum

Ephesians 4:11

The church is made up of many members. It is diverse and exciting. This teaching talks about what the Body of Christ is and how it is made up of different believers serving in different ways. This teaching also covers spiritual gifts.

Assembling Together

Dennis McCallum

Exodus 12:3-9

The church in Corinth had many issues. One of the issues that the church faced is selfishness when meeting together! This is something that the church today also can experience. This is not the vision Paul has for this church and he paints a better picture.

Joy & Unity

Jim Leffel

John 17:20-23

Unity in our lives matters because we are witnesses of God's grace and good news. There are many ways in which we can all pursue unity with one another. We learn, not only how we can pursue unity, but that when we pursue unity with the same humility Jesus demonstrated by dying on the cross, we will have real joy in our lives.

Joy & Serving

Jim Leffel

1 John 3:2

Paul expresses a motivation to serve others that is rooted, in part, by the deep connections formed as a result. When we understand, like Paul, that we are victorious with Christ both in this life and the next, we can be free to strive to love others, joyfully.