Arbor Church

Follow Arbor Church
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

The Arbor Church Podcast features weekly messages and more from the teaching team at Arbor Church in Woodinville, Washington.

Arbor Church


    • Jun 1, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 22h 28m AVG DURATION
    • 519 EPISODES


    Search for episodes from Arbor Church with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from Arbor Church

    The Light We Walk In: From Encouter to Shared Life

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2025 35:18


    We're kicking off a brand new summer series: The Light We Walk In. Over the coming months, we'll journey slowly and reflectively through the letter of 1 John, allowing its ancient pastoral wisdom to not only inform us, but to form us. In this opening message, Pastor Ryan invites us to return to the heart of our faith — life with God, shared together — as we begin this transformative walk through John's letter.

    Work that Matters: Panel Discussion

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2025 46:32


    As we close out the Work That Matters series, this episode takes a different approach. Pastor Ryan hosts a panel of everyday people sharing honest, personal stories about how faith shapes their experience of work. It's not expert advice—it's real-life wisdom from real-life journeys.

    Work that Matters: Work That Lasts

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2025 31:59


    What if our everyday tasks are part of something eternal? In this message, Ryan explores how the overlooked and ordinary work we do might be exactly what God values most.

    Work that Matters: The Work of Care

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2025 43:42


    This Mother's Day, Ryan reflects on the often-overlooked work of caring for others—quiet, selfless acts that the world may miss but God celebrates.

    Work that Matters: How Work Hurts

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2025 45:45


    Join Ryan as he continues our Work That Matters series, exploring when work gets frustrating and looking at Genesis 3.

    Work that Matters: In the Beginning

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2025 36:35


    New series! Ryan opens Work that Matters with a message from Genesis 1-2 on the origin of work and what it means for us as God's image-bearers.

    The Life and Way of Jesus: Easter Sunday

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2025 31:34


    Celebrate Easter at Arbor! This week, the story of the expectation-defying Jesus that we started almost two years ago reaches its conclusion with Jesus' triumphant resurrection from the dead, and the hope, invitation, and challenge it brings to us today.

    The Life and Way of Jesus: A Memorial For Jesus

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2025 30:12


    In the space between the crucifixion on Good Friday and the resurrection on Easter Sunday, Alison reflects on how—even in this in-between moment—there were those who honored Jesus with a memorial as they prepared His body for the tomb.

    The Life and Way of Jesus: The Crucifixion

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2025 35:14


    It was nine o'clock in the morning when they crucified him. The inscription of the charge against him read, “The king of the Jews." – Mark 15:25-26 This week, guest speaker Garrett Shelp brings us towards the end of our time in Mark with a deep reading of Mark's account of Jesus' final hours.

    The Life and Way of Jesus: Kingdoms in Conflict

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2025 35:07


    Pilate asked Him, ‘Are You the King of the Jews?' He answered him, ‘You say so.' – Mark 15:2 As we near the end of our study in the book of Mark, the text reveals a showdown between two opposing kingdoms. As Jesus stands trial before Pilate, we see the kind of kingdom He represents.

    The Life and Way of Jesus: Surrender or Resist

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2025 35:08


    Ryan takes us into the final stretch of Mark's Gospel, where we witness how the disciples respond to the stress and chaos of Jesus' final days in Mark 12:32-72.

    The Life and Way of Jesus: Faith Under Pressure

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2025 33:10


    In Mark 14:12-31, Jesus shares the Last Supper with His disciples, confronting them with the question: ‘What will happen to your faith when the pressure is on?'

    The Life and Way of Jesus: The Cost of Devotion

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2025 33:11


    From Mark 14:1-11, Ryan enters the final stretch of the Gospel of Mark, where a story of calculation, scheming, and betrayal unfolds around a beautiful act of extravagant love.

    Change is Good: When Change Feels Impossible

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2025 35:11


    Ryan concludes our Change is Good series with a message for those of us who might be skeptical about the possibility of change because we've been stuck for so long. What do we do when we want to change … but don't feel like we're changing?

    Change is Good: Discipline

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2025 27:06


    Endure your suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? – Hebrews 12:7 The word discipline brings up difficult feelings for some – it makes us think of pain, or abuse, or shame. Can discipline be good? Alison continues our series “Change is Good” with a message about the what, when, and how of God's discipline.

    Change is Good: A New Creation

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2025 32:19


    So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away – look, what is new has come! – 2 Corinthians 5 Scott continues our series Change is Good with a message about the compelling love of Christ and what it means to be a new creation in Him.

    Change is Good: Transformation

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2025 34:24


    Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God—what is good and well-pleasing and perfect. – Romans 12 This week, a message on what lasting change requires: not just resolve, but renewal.

    Change is Good: Trials

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2025 32:35


    As Arbor moves to two services for the first time in years, Ryan opens our new series Change is Good with a message on trials. They aren't fun, but … nobody ever developed unshakable faith through a life of comfort.

    Scripture is Transformation

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2025 30:26


    Blessed is the one… whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. – Psalm 1:2 Ryan concludes our series on Scripture by answering the question, ‘What is Scripture?' In this sermon, we explore how we can find delight in Scripture and how God uses it to transform us.

    Scripture is a guide

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2025 30:15


    How do we build ryhtms with the Bible in a transformitive and sustainable way? Ryan discusses how scripture serves as a guide that continually points us to Jesus, and he offers practical steps for engaging with the Word more deeply in our daily lives.

    What is Scripture?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2025 32:32


    Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. – 2 Timothy 3:16 In the first installment of a three-part series, Ryan dives into the sometimes strange, sometimes hard but always impactful thing that is scripture.

    Vision Sunday - 2025

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2025 54:02


    Just as Abraham embarked on a journey of faith, Arbor Church is also on a path of following God. Join Ryan and the team as they reflect on the past year, explore where we are now, and share the vision for the year ahead.

    Advent: Chosen (Shepherds)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2024 24:09


    In this special Christmas Eve message, Ryan Plantz shares about the shepherds who were chosen to be the first to hear the good news of Jesus' birth.

    Advent: Hospitality (Innkeeper)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2024 29:50


    When we hear the Christmas story, we often imagine the innkeeper as the gruff proprietor of a commercial hotel, but … that's not really what – or who – he was. Today, Ryan shares the story of this man's radical hospitality.

    Advent: Generosity (Magi)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2024 30:54


    This week in our Advent series, Ryan teaches from the story of the Magi in Matthew 2. Will we guard our small kingdoms or seek the true King?

    Advent: Character (Joseph)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2024 26:51


    This week, Alison continues our Advent series by looking at the character of Joseph, a man about whom little is written and who is often painted in the shadows of our nativity scenes. Why did God choose this man, a poor carpenter who would not have fared well on Tinder, to be the earthly father of Jesus?

    Advent: Waiting (Simeon)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2024 36:37


    We welcome the season of Advent with a series on some frequently overlooked characters in the story of Jesus' birth, starting with a message from Pastor Ryan about waiting: active waiting, passive waiting, and – like Simeon – waiting with God.

    Friendship: Handling Conflict in Friendship

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2024 52:24


    Where do the conflicts and where do the quarrels among you come from? Is it not from this, from your passions that battle inside you? – James 4 Today, Ryan closes our series on friendship with a message from James about one of the tougher aspects of friendship: conflict. What if we could learn to handle conflict in a way that actually strengthens our friendships?

    Friendship: Cultivating Healthy Friendship

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2024 31:14


    Cultivating healthy friendships isn't rocket science – but it does take time. This week, Ryan shares practical tips for cultivating the friendships in your life by practicing wisdom, putting in the work, and preventing weeds.

    Friendship: The Foundation of Friendship

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2024 40:29


    Why would we spend time after the election season and before the holidays on … friendship? Ryan opens our new mini-series this week.

    The Life and Way of Jesus: Be Watchful

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2024 42:03


    “But as for that day or hour no one knows it – neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son – except the Father. Watch out! Stay alert! For you do not know when the time will come.” – Mark 13:32-33 Today, Scott Hetherington teaches from Mark 13, and helps us find the main thing (which is also the plain thing) and the plain thing (which is also the main thing) in this difficult passage about the end times.

    The Life and Way of Jesus: The Greatest Commandment

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2024 35:20


    What is the greatest commandment? Garrett joins us to look at Mark 12:28-34 and this question that one of the teachers asks of Jesus.

    The Life and Way of Jesus: The Resurrected Life

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2024 42:31


    In Mark 12:18-27, the Sadducees question Jesus about the resurrection, attempting to trap Him with a hypothetical scenario. Jesus responds by teaching that life after the resurrection is different, and affirms both the power of God and the reality of the resurrection.

    The Life and Way of Jesus: The Fig Tree

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2024 48:37


    We continue our series in Mark on The Life and Way of Jesus in Mark 11:11-26 with the fig tree and the temple.

    The Life and Way of Jesus: From Man or God

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2024 39:11


    In Mark 11:27-33, Jesus is questioned by religious leaders about His authority while teaching in the temple. Bryan Cobley is back as a guest preacher and challenges us to reflect on what might be preventing us from seeing Jesus for who He truly is.

    Arbor Is... A Community Going in Love

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2024 47:47


    Arbor is … a community that gathers together – following Jesus, growing in generosity, and going in love. Ryan closes our Arbor Is… series with a message about the distinguishing mark of the believer – love.

    Arbor Is... A Community Growing in Generosity

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2024 29:51


    Arbor is … a community that gathers together – following Jesus, growing in generosity, and going in love. Ryana continues our Arbor Is… series with a message exhorting us to grow together in generosity with our time, our talents, and our treasure.

    Arbor Is... A Community that Follows Jesus

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2024 36:24


    Arbor is … a community that gathers together – following Jesus, growing in generosity, and going in love. This week, we focus on what it means to follow Jesus as a community, by taking the simple steps of being with Jesus, becoming like Jesus, and doing what Jesus did.

    Arbor Is... A Community that Gathers

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2024 32:52


    Arbor is … a community that gathers together – following Jesus, growing in generosity, and going in love. As the fall begins and many of us return to more regular rhythms of life, Ryan opens our new series Arbor Is…. Each week we'll unpack another part of our identity together, and this week we look inward, towards our role as a community that gathers together.

    Unstuck: Community

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2024 32:14


    Alison wraps up our How to get unstuck series on how community can help us stay unstuck with the love and help of those around us.

    Unstuck: Regrets

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2024 38:28


    Regrets: we've all had a few. This week, Scott Hetherington speaks to us about living without regret, living with regret, and three ways we can get unstuck from regret. Plus, a guest appearance from a yeti!

    Unstuck: Complaining

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2024 33:27


    And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled. – Numbers 11 In today's passage from Numbers 11, the Israelites are very whiny, and God is not pleased with them. Why do we complain? Is there a right way to complain? Ryan answers these questions and more in today's message.

    Unstuck: Doubt

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2024 38:32


    Is doubting the same thing as disblief? Is doubting always bad? Where do doubts come from? Ryan shares answers from John 20 and the story of the disciple Thomas – or, as you might know him, Doubting Thomas.

    Unstuck: Bitterness

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2024 35:20


    You must put away all bitterness, anger, wrath, quarreling, and slanderous talk – indeed all malice. – Ephesians 4:31 Ryan's back, with a message from Matthew 18 about getting unstuck from something we've all been stuck in – bitterness.

    Unstuck: Apathy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2024 43:29


    Guest speaker Luke Frank from Seattle's Union Gospel Mission continues our summer series Unstuck with a message on breaking free from apathy.

    Unstuck: Discontent

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2024 31:19


    Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived, and yet he struggled with discontent; even with all his wisdom, wealth, and power, he found himself feeling empty. From both Solomon's early writings and his reflections in Ecclesiastes near the end of his life, Alison shares what we can learn from his journey to find contentment.

    Unstuck: Self-Reliance

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2024 31:51


    Self-reliance is reliance on one's powers and resources rather than those of others. In Bryan's final message before he departs on his next adventure, he shows us how to get unstuck from unhealthy self-reliance.

    Unstuck: Addiction

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2024 42:38


    But while he was still a long way from home his father saw him, and his heart went out to him; he ran and hugged his son and kissed him. – Luke 15:20 Addiction is a powerful force that can leave us feeling stuck and alone. Ryan shares how the story of the Prodigal Son can help us find our way back to God's love and grace.

    Unstuck: Anxiety

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2024 42:30


    “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn't there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing?" – Matthew 6:25 When anxiety rises, where we fix our focus determines whether we will fall apart – or find peace. Ryan opens our summer series Unstuck.

    The Life and Way of Jesus: The Healing of Blind Bartimaeus

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2024 35:37


    On this Father's Day, a message from Mark 10:46-52, on another healing of a blind man – and this man is one we can look up to as a shining example of how to follow Jesus.

    The Life and Way of Jesus: Thrones and Crosses

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 9, 2024 35:48


    They said to him, “Permit one of us to sit at your right hand and the other at your left in your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You don't know what you are asking!" – Mark 10:37-38 Today, Ryan speaks about the hard truth that the Disciples confronted in Mark 10: how we so often prefer the security of the throne over the sacrifice of the cross.

    Claim Arbor Church

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel