Won't You Be My Neighbor?

The parable of the Good Samaritan is arguably the best known parable of Jesus, so much so that the phrase "Good Samaritan" has entered our vernacular. Parables are stories to illustrate a point. This recording starts with a script from our puppets.
Message starts at 9:20

Triumphant: An Easter Message

Easter - the most important day on the Christian calendar. The day we celebrate Jesus's resurrection from the dead. But when Jesus was on the Earth, He triumphed over many things.
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The Road to Despair

Despair is part of life. We have all experienced it. Loss of a loved one. A relationship that ends. A path that hits a dead end. In this story from Luke, two of Jesus's followers are walking are walking on their own road to despair. We can learn from this story.

Who Is Jesus To You?

In Luke 9, Jesus asks the disciples who the crowds say He is. Then He asks them the same question. Interesting answers. Everyone of us must answer that question. What is your answer?
Message starts at 4:45
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Mountain High, Valley Low

Have you ever had a "mountain top" experience? An experience where you felt so close to God that you could reach out and touch Him? Three of the disciples and Jesus have that kind of experience at the Mount of Transfiguration.
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How to Follow Jesus

Follow me, follow me, follow me. We see it all over websites and advertising. Follow me on social media. Following someone has become very diluted. What did it mean when Jesus said, "Follow me?"
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What's Faith Got To Do With It?

In the story of the feeding of the 5000, Jesus tells His disciples to feed the people themselves. What do you think He meant by that?
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Desperate People do Desperate Things

In Luke 8, we have two intertwined stories: the woman with the hemorrhage and the raising of Jairus's daughter. These two people have very different backgrounds but meet Jesus at the same place - the end of their ropes. Has there ever been a time when you felt you were out of options? List to what Jesus did and be encouraged.
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The Power of the Change

In Luke 8 we have the story of Jesus healing a man possessed with multiple demons. We look at a story of the power of God at work in lives. This man has a story. Hopefully you do too.
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Can't Change the Weather

From our continuing study of the book of Luke we look at the story of Jesus calming the storm. Let's face it, life happens and we all have "storms" in our lives. In this message we contrast the disciples and the writer of the 22nd Psalm. Both are having storms; but they handle them differently. This message will help you get through the storms of your life. You also get to hear from our puppets.
Puppets start at 7:41
Message starts at 11:48
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An Open Door That No One Can Shut

From our downstairs Bible study of the seven letters to the seven churches comes this message. It is the 6th letter, the letter to the church at Philadelphia. The risen Christ tells them He has opened a door from them that no one can shut. What do you think that means?
Message starts at 2:06
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Agriculture and Evangelism

As we continue our study in Luke, in this message we look at the parable of the Seed and the Soils. Jesus tells about the meaning of this parable. How can we apply that to our lives and our ministries as individuals and as a church?
Message starts at 3:07
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The Tragedy of Self Assurance

In Luke 7 Jesus is dining at the house of Pharisee and is anointed by a "sinful" woman. The Pharisee is indignant; but the woman forgiven of her sins. There is a tragedy in this story that addresses many people.
Message starts at 3:32
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The Right Track

John the Baptist is in prison. He sends two of his disciples to ask Jesus, "is He the One to come or is there another?" This is John the Baptist who said, "Behold the Son of God who takes away the sins of the world." Is John losing his faith? Jesus does not answer John directly; but in the answer He gives, we gain a "yardstick" for measuring the effectiveness of our own church and ministries.
Message starts at 3:23
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Be Strong and Courageous

It is the beginning of a new year. I like this time. It is an occasion to reflect back on what God has done and to plan forward for what God would have us do. Sometimes that planning looks a little intimidating. Today's message comes from the book of Joshua, from a time when the Israelites were intimidated about the task that was in front of them. What did God tell them that we can apply to our lives today?
Message starts at 6:25
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El Salvador Mission Trip Wrap Up

In November five of our members went to El Salvador to work with churches there to spread the Gospel. Listen to their experiences and learn more about short term mission trips.
Message starts at 5:20

By His Wounds We Are Healed

This is not your usual advent passage. But as we prepare for the coming of the Messiah, we must look at the reason for His coming. Why do we get excited about a child being born in a barn? Surely that is not unique. Listen to today's message and find out.
Message starts at 2:47
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To us a Child is Born

As we prepare for the coming of the savior, we look at one of the prophecies from the book of Isaiah. "Wonderful Counselor, Might God", what does that mean to us today?
Message starts at 3:54
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How Much God Loves You

"God Loves You" is a phrase that gets thrown around a lot - so much that it has lost its impact. Did you know God loves you so much that the hairs on your head are numbered?
Message starts at 4:33

Thanksgiving 2022

Every year America celebrates Thanksgiving. It has become a holiday of gathering families and taking time to pause to remember things we are thankful for. The Bible talks about giving thanks also.

Faith Like No Other

We look at the story of the Centurion's servant found in Luke 7. Jesus marvels at this man's faith. How can we have faith like that?
Message starts at 3:49

Choose Wisely

Jesus gives us some wise advice about things like how to chose a teacher, a little botany lesson and how to build a strong house.
Message starts at 2:46
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The Upside Paradigm of Jesus: Part 3

No Judgments. Jesus continues to give us instructions on how we are to relate to our fellow human - instructions that continue to be different than the normal accepted behavior of society.
Message starts at 4:55
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The Upside Paradigm of Jesus: Part 2

A crazy thing called love. In this second part of the Upside Down Paradigm of Jesus we look at the teaching, "love your enemies." Really?
Message starts at 3:52
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The Upside Paradigm of Jesus: Part 1

Jesus gives us teachings that run counter to our normal school of thought and our culture. Are we really blessed when we are poor and hungry? What can we learn from these teachings to apply to our lives?
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Job Requirements

Have you ever looked at the "help wanted" ads? They almost always have some requirements attached to them. What do you think the requirements were to be a disciple of Jesus? In this message we look at we know about the 12 disciples of Jesus and why He selected them.
Message starts at 5:04
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Something New

In Luke 5:33-39 twice Jesus uses the word "new". He's trying to tell His listeners, "Hey, there is something new here." What is new and what is Jesus trying to tell us?
Message starts at 3:19
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The Call of Matthew

Matthew was a tax collector. Tax collectors were more than despised, they were hated and discriminated against. Yet Jesus reaches out to one. Why were tax collectors say hated and what can we learn?
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Heaven

Guest speaker Bud Barrier gives a message about Heaven. What we know, what we don't know.
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Determined and Forgiven

Was there someone in your life that was determined to tell you about Jesus? Maybe a friend or family member or Sunday school teacher. In today's message, we look at some friends who were determined to bring their paralytic friend to Jesus. They wouldn't even let a roof stop them.
Message starts at 4:30
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Jesus Above All

Luke writes to prove a point, not to record a diary of Jesus's daily activities. The stories he includes are specific for a reason. We look at three miracles and why Luke included them in his Gospel.
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Fishers of Men

Have you ever just wanted to walk away from everything? Peter did just that. From Luke 5, the story of the calling of Peter to be a disciple.
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Family, Friends and Foes

Jesus went to His hometown of Nazareth to preach there. It didn't go well. Sometimes your family and friends become your foes.
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The Temptation of Jesus

Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted - yet He overcame all temptation. We are all tempted in our lives on this Earth. What can we learn from Jesus's example?
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The Baptism of Jesus

The baptism of Jesus is a significant event as it appears in all four Gospel accounts. The "why" question has stumped scholars and theologians for years. What can we learn about this event in Jesus's life and significant events in our own lives?
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Fearless and Bold

Have you ever known someone that was "out there?" Someone who didn't fit into the norms of society? John the Baptist fit that description. He dressed oddly and spoke with authority. What can we learn from him?
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Misplaced But Not Lost

As a parent, have you ever lost your child? That happened to Mary and Joseph. In this message we look at the familiar story of Jesus in the temple when He was 12 and chose to stay behind as His family returned to Jerusalem.
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Hearing God

Most of us want to hear God more often and more clearly. In our continuing study of Luke we look at Simeon and Anna, two people who pick the infant Jesus out of crowd because they heard God. What can we learn from them about hearing God?
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Why Mary?

Mary is the mother of the Savior. But out of the millions of young Jewish girls, why is Mary chosen for this task? We will look at the what the Bible tells us her.
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When Religion and Life Separate

From the series on minor prophets we look at Amos. Amos deals with a problem that is seen across time and even today. People who have religion but it does not affect their lives.
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Introduction to Luke and the Birth of John the Baptist.

We begin a new study on the book of Luke. I cover a little background about Luke and the Gospel he wrote. Then we look at the birth of John the Baptist. Zachariah was a little slow in understanding this.
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Cameroon Mission Trip Report

Ginger and I recently returned from a mission trip to Cameroon, Africa. Hear our report about how God worked in the hearts of people in Africa.

David On Prayer

King David is not always the best example to follow in the Bible. However, he is refered to as "A man after God's own heart." Many of David's prayers are recorded in the Psalms. What can we learn from how David prayed? Follow along study notes

Rend Your Hearts, Not Your Garments

From our series on the minor prophets comes this word from the prophet Joel. Joel is noted for two passages. First, the prophecy of the Holy Spirit on all people. Second, the passage of "Rend your hearts." What is the prophet telling us that we can apply to our lives today?

God's Graduate School

From our Bible study on the life of David. Tradition is that David was 10-15 years old when he was anointed king; but he was 30 years old when he finally ascended to the thrown. During that time God was preparing him for the task he would have. And God is always preparing us for our next task in serving Him. Follow along study notes

The Power of Prayer

We continue our series on prayer. So far we have focused on what we say to God. But prayer is a dialogue with God - not us telling God our to-do list. This message we take a different look at prayer and focuses on the power that prayer has when we align ourselves with the ultimate power of the universe. Follow along study notes

Nobody But Jesus

Easter is the most significant day in the Christian calendar. It is the day we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Nobody But Jesus ever correctly predicted their own death and resurrection. Listen to see what else nobody but Jesus ever did. Follow along study notes

What Were You Expecting?

Palm Sunday is a special Sunday when we celebrate Jesus's entry into Jerusalem. The crowd is in a frenzy as Jesus rides into town. But what were they expecting? Follow along study notes

Paul on Prayer

Part 12 in a series on prayer. In our continuing study of the topic of prayer, we look at what the apostle Paul teaches about the subject. Follow along study notes

Jesus Teaches on Prayer

Part 11 in a series on prayer. In addition to the parables we looked at last week, Jesus gave us other instruction on the subject of prayer. We will look at these passages and talk about the question, "Do we really get what we ask for when we pray?" Follow along study notes

Parables on Prayer

Part 10 in a series on prayer. Christ frequently taught using parables - a story with a deeper meaning. In this message we look at two parables - the parable of the persistent widow and the parable of the neighbor at midnight - Jesus used to teach us about prayer. Do we have to badger God to get answers to our prayers? Follow along study notes

Why Did Jesus Pray?

Part 9 in a series on prayer. We start a sub-series as we look at how Jesus practiced and taught on prayer. Prayer was a very normal part of Jesus life. But if Jesus was God incarnate, why does He need to pray? Follow along study notes

Thine is the Kingdom

Part 8 in a series on prayer. We conclude our in depth breakdown of the Model Prayer given to us by the Lord. In this message we look at the climatic phrase, "Thine is the Kingdom, and the power and the glory forever." Follow along study notes

Lead us not into Temptation

Part 7 in a series on prayer. We continue our in depth breakdown of the Model Prayer given to us by the Lord. In this message we look at the phrase, "Lead us not into temptation." Would God actually lead us into temptation? Follow along study notes

Forgive Us Our Debts

Part 6 in a series on prayer. We continue our in depth breakdown of the Model Prayer given to us by the Lord. In this message we look at the phrase, "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors." Is God's forgiveness of us dependant on our forgiveness of our each other? Follow along study notes

Give Us This Day

Part 5 in a series on prayer. We continue our in depth breakdown of the Model Prayer given to us by the Lord. In this message we look at the phrase, "Give us this day our daily bread" and see how that applies to us in our world of regular paychecks and grocery stores. Follow along study notes

The Call of David

In this message taken from our downstairs Bible study, we look at the familiar story of the annointing of David to become king found I Samuel 16. Follow along study notes

Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven

Part 4 in a series on prayer. We continue to take an in depth look at the Model prayer - focusing this time on the phrase, "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven." Follow along study notes

In Heaven, Hallowed be Your Name

Part 3 in a series on prayer. We continue to take an in depth look at the Model prayer - focusing this time on the phrase, "In Heaven, Hallowed be Your Name"

Our Father

We continue our study of prayer this week as we begin a detailed look at the Model Prayer - better known as the Lord's prayer. In this message we focus on the opening words, "Our Father".

How Not to Pray

We start a series on prayer with Jesus's teaching from Mathew 6 on how not to pray. You didn't know there was a right or wrong, did you?

The Magi (wise men)

The magi (wise men) from the east have always fascinated me in the Christmas Story. Where are these guys from? How did they find out about the birth of Jesus?

Those who saw it and those who missed it. (4th Sunday of Advent)

He is here! The Savior is born. We have angels and shepherds and prophets. But most of the people around missed the announcement. Why and what we can learn from this.

A Lesson in Obedience: Mary and Joseph (3rd Sunday of Advent)

It is almost time for the birth of the Savior. But before He comes, He needs a family. Parents to care for Him, protect Him and raise Him. It will not be an easy job.

Prepare the Way: John the Baptist (2nd Sunday of Advent)

After 400 years of prophetic silence, John the Baptist breaks on the scene with his bold message and unique diet and attire. What dos this voice of "one crying in the wilderness" have to say to us today?

What the Old Testament says about Jesus (1st Sunday of Advent)

Depending on who you ask, there are anywhere from 300-600 prophecies of the Savior in the Old Testament. In this message we talke about some of those prophecies and look at the odds of one person fulfilling them.

Giving Thanks

In my Thanksgiving themed message I talk about why we should be thankful in all things. Really? Yes!

Jonah, Part 2

In our second message in the book of Jonah, we learn that God loves all people everywhere.

Jonah, Part 1

Jonah is one of the best known prophets in the Old Testament - for the wrong reasons. God called him to do a job, and chose to go the opposite direction. What can we learn from Jonah?

Dealing with disappointment

Disappointment is a fact of life. You expect something and it doesn't happen that way. You buy a new breakfast cereal and it just isn't very good. But what do you do when you are disappointed with God?