Awakening @ First Church Podcast

"Stewardship Of Life: Time Traps" w/ Chris Edmiston

"Stewardship Of Life: Money Matters" w/ Chris Edmiston

During Worship For Wichita, a special event hosted by Awakening, Austin Melton shared his heart for unity among brothers & sisters of faith. Join us we listen to this message from our friend and consider the journey.

"Faith Steps: Upward & Onward Through Christ", Part 4 of 5: "God's Game (When Fools Are Winners)" w/ Chris Edmiston The idea of running the race as a metaphor works for many reasons. All of us know what a race looks like, many have run in them. Where the analogy works against us as Christians is when our faith becomes a competition. The church and the Christian life are not immune to the idea of being first, being the best. Even the disciples, after a long time walking with Jesus, they struggled with it. How do we live this life, run this race, in a way that honors our Father and the payment that was made for us? Join us we continue our five week sermon series: “Faith Steps: Upward and Onward through Christ.”

"Faith Steps: Upward & Onward Through Christ", Part 3 of 5: "Run The Race" w/ Chris Edmiston All of us are running races. The Bible, throughout, uses racing and running imagery as analogy for our life. In Hebrews we see a call to run with endurance this race before us. There's two major aspects of track events: training and racing. So what do we need to do so we can run well in this life? What gets in the way, and how do we set those things aside? Join us we continue our five week sermon series: “Faith Steps: Upward and Onward through Christ.” * Please watch the following videos shown in worship, the first before the message, and the second at the 1:45 mark https://youtu.be/t2G8KVzTwfw https://youtu.be/kjkBPthoYVg

"Faith Steps: Upward & Onward Through Christ", Part 2 of 5: "Wrestling For Blessings" w/ Pastor Cindy Watson In 1894, Pierre de Coubertin offered these words to be the Olympic motto, “Faster, Higher, Stronger.” This motto was not adopted until 1924 and then he wrote the ideals of the Olympics through this creed: “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph by the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.” This motto and creed could be tweaked just a bit and be a motto and creed for the Christian spiritual life. For followers of Jesus the call is not to win, but “press on toward the goal” and to “run the race set before us.” Join us we continue our five week sermon series: “Faith Steps: Upward and Onward through Christ.”

"Faith Steps: Upward & Onward Through Christ", Part 1 of 5: "Whose Team?" w/ Pastor Cindy Watson In 1894, Pierre de Coubertin offered these words to be the Olympic motto, “Faster, Higher, Stronger.” This motto was not adopted until 1924 and then he wrote the ideals of the Olympics through this creed: “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph by the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.” This motto and creed could be tweaked just a bit and be a motto and creed for the Christian spiritual life. For followers of Jesus the call is not to win, but “press on toward the goal” and to “run the race set before us.” Join us we begin our five week sermon series: “Faith Steps: Upward and Onward through Christ.”

"Cultivating Community", Part 4 of 4 - "Caring and Compassionate" The words of Luke 6 have resonated in our room and in our church a great deal over the last year. But, as much as it’s repetitive, it can’t be understated or said enough. Without those words the rest of what Jesus says doesn’t make sense. Jesus is drawing a clear differentiation from how the world, those far from Him, how they act in comparison to how His people, the children of God, how they live. But what does that really look like? How are we called to live in a way that truly honors the payment made for us? Join us as we unpack this and more as we conclude our four week series, “Cultivating Community”.

"Cultivating Community", Part 3 of 4 - "Courageous Christians" We find ourselves at a crossroads. This is the moment where it goes from listening to acting, from being a hearer of the Word to being a doer of the Word. We're CLAIMED and CALLED by God the Father through Jesus Christ, able to act because of the Holy Spirit. We're CONFRONTED and CHALLENGED with the reality that maybe, just maybe, this life looks different than I thought it would. So as the idea of community starts to form and take shape, now we’re pushed to the brink of action. We can’t be a part of the calling, we can’t be confronted, and then sit still. How then are we to live in the calling and challenge? Join us as we unpack this and more as we continue our four week series, “Cultivating Community”.

"Cultivating Community", Part 2 of 4 - "Confronted and Challenged" Jesus, while being confronted by a man trying to justify his sins, responds to a simple question with a story. It's a story many have told over the generations, but with implications that mean something to us in a new way. It's a challenge we face that is unique in the world we live in. Join us as we unpack this and more as we continue our four week series, “Cultivating Community”.

"United In Response," a special message from Chris Edmiston, Awakening Venue Leader at First United Methodist Church, Wichita, KS during Downtown Alive. Throughout times of tragedy it's really hard not to hear about evil. There’s an evil we see, the evil around us, even the evil perpetrated against us, and it hurts. It drives many of our thoughts, our emotions, our actions. It’s hard not to react emotionally to such a massive tragedy with so many issues around it. It’s hard not to hear the loud voices around us, each one yelling over the top of the one before. It’s hard not to join in the shouting match; not to take up a side of action and stake a hard claim to it. So when we turn to the Bible, we look to our Savior for wisdom, and we hear Jesus say this in Luke, we can't wrap our head around it. How can we respond in a way that is true, honorable, and Christ-like? Join us as we unpack this and more in our latest message, “United In Response”. Grace & Peace

"Legacy Defined" Legacy is something many of us don’t think about until it’s almost too late. For some it leads to midlife crisis, self-doubt, and many times a drop in faithfulness, whether to God or to those around you. The questions we have to answer can be difficult. Who are we doing this for? What is our goal? What is our TRUE, HOPEFUL outcome? Join us as we unpack this and more in our latest message, “Legacy Defined”. To watch the video preceding the message click the following link: https://youtu.be/nQOP-M6ruoI

"Challenging Times", Part 4 of 4 - "HOPE" There are times when darkness is all around us, even inside of us, and it feels like we just can’t go on. If we’re honest we can all admit that there are seasons in our lives where the darkness is just too much. What’s the point? By the time I get through this challenge and over this hill there’s another one waiting for me. God knew what the people of Judah were going through, and he sent Jeremiah with a new message. This was no longer the message of judgment, but a new message the people needed to hear: a message of HOPE. Join us as we unpack this and more and conclude our four week series, “Challenging Times”.

"Challenging Times", Part 3 of 4 - "Never Too Far Gone" Jeremiah knew that chaos was coming, He continued to share the message the Lord had given to the people. He had a good idea how the people would respond, and the language was harsh; it spoke strongly against the people and their leaders. Yet just a month from the date the temple was destroyed, Jeremiah stood before the king of Judah and he still gave him a choice. What was it that kept the king from making the right choice? Was it pride or arrogance? Was it anger or fear? And what about us as a church? What is the message to the church? What are we to repent from? Join us as we unpack this and more as we continue our four week series, “Challenging Times”.

"Challenging Times", Part 2 of 4 - "Cracked Cisterns" The people of Judah had turned from God to false gods; they'd moved from living water to broken jars that held nothing. It went beyond just turning away from God; it was about giving themselves over to something that was the opposite of the very character of God. How are we living in a similar way, turning away from God and living for cracked cisterns? What does it take to turn back? Join us as we unpack this and more as we continue our four week series, “Challenging Times”.

"Making Sense Of The Bible", Part 2 of 2 - "Listening For God" We know there are several primary ways we hear from God. He reveals Himself to us in many ways, always looking to make Himself known by us. But how can we better hear His voice? How can we respond in a way that honors Him? And what do we do when we don't hear anything? Join us as we unpack this and more as we conclude our two week series, “Making Sense Of The Bible”.

"Making Sense Of The Bible", Part 1 of 2 - "The Hard Sayings Of Jesus" Most of the time we associate difficult Bible reading with the Old Testament or prophetic scripture like the Book of Revelation. Where it gets interesting is when we read something difficult from the New Testament, especially from the mouth of Jesus. Why did Jesus use parables so often? When Jesus said to cut my hand off if it leads me to sin am I supposed to take that literally? In this latest message we'll look at 3 types of sayings of Jesus that, at times, are just difficult for us to understand. Join us as we unpack this and more as we start our two week series, “Making Sense Of The Bible”.

"Whatever It Takes" We know there is a cost to following Jesus. We have a corporate responsibility to Christ’s Church and in the Kingdom of God. So what is our call to the gospel? If suffering for Christ is a mark of a true follower how do we measure that? Join us on this journey at Awakening @ First Church.

"(Not Your Normal) Easter Message" This is more of a confession than a message. We invite you on the journey as we discuss doubt and faith, life and death, pain and joy this Easter Sunday. As we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior, we admit, much like the disciples, the doubt we have during the times of darkness. And in that we are thankful for His grace. Join us on this journey at Awakening @ First Church. Note: to watch the video at the end of the message please click on the following link (https://youtu.be/Nfnhv5h0k4M)

"24", Part 6 of 6 - "The Crucifixion" This week featured speaker Les Coates finishes our series on the final 24 hours of the life of Christ by guiding us through the crucifixion. In this painful, humiliating act, we see love as never shown before. Join us as we unpack this and more as we conclude our series, “24”. Note: The original message was given on March 20, 2016 and published on a later date.

"24", Part 3 of 6 - "Condemned By The Righteous" As we continue this series “24,” discussing the final 24 hours before Christ’s death, it’s important that we understand what Jesus was facing. He was facing a mob mentality, putting punishment ahead of justice and truth. But to get there, to get to the mentality of the sentence being set before the trial even begins, to get to the point of the same crowd cheering His entry into the city TURNING on Him and shouting for Him to be crucified, we start by looking to the moment of betrayal. Join us as we unpack this and more as we continue our series, “24”. Note: The original message was given on February 28, 2016 and published on a later date.

"24", Part 2 of 6 - "Agony Is NOT Defeat" Throughout the life of Jesus we get glimpses into His humanity. We see it when Lazarus dies and Jesus mourns. We see it when Jesus gets frustrated with the disciples, asking them “how many times do I have to tell you, let the children come to me.” He became exhausted after a long day of preaching and healing, and He needed to get away. But in this moment, hours before the incredible physical, spiritual, and mental pain He's going to endure, what did Jesus do? How did He prepare so His body can deal with the brutal punishment it was about to go through? Join us as we unpack this and more as we continue our series, “24”.

"24", Part 1 of 6 - "The LOVE Feast" There’s something special about a table. It’s easy to see at holidays or maybe a special family dinner, but historically life happens around a table. We come together and eat, we talk, we see life and interactions in real ways. So Jesus, in His final hours with all of His disciples together, gathered around a special table. So what was Jesus teaching us around this table of the Lord's Supper? What is our call as His followers in discipling others and teaching them what He taught? Join us as we unpack this and more as we begin our series, “24”.

"Mythbusters", Part 5 of 5 - "Love The Sinner, Hate The Sin" On it’s face, “Love The Sinner, Hate The Sin” seems like something that makes sense. I mean, we know we’re supposed to love everyone around us. We know sin is evil. So put it together and we have a nice phrase we can pull out and use whenever it seems appropriate. But this is a phrase I can act out. So how am I called to act this phrase out? Is it even possible to do this in a way that honors God? Join us as we unpack this and more as we finish our series, “Mythbusters”.

"Mythbusters", Part 4 of 5 - "God Said It, I Believe It, That Settles It" Brothers & sisters in faith typically stand in two camps in regard to the Bible: either it's inerrant and infallible, or it's not. Whatever you believe around inerrancy and infallibility, there is a statement for us to consider: God’s character is contained in the Bible, but God is not contained by the Bible. We’re doing our best to wrap our heads around an infinite God with finite minds reading in a finite language. I think the biggest question we should ask is this: what are we trying to settle? Is our heart to bring people into a greater understanding of Christ, or is our heart to win an argument? Join us as we unpack this and more in our latest series, “Mythbusters”.

"Mythbusters", Part 2 of 5 - "God Won't Give You More Than You Can Handle" "God Won't Give You More Than You Can Handle" is another incredibly common phrase. But looking at Facebook and Twitter, when we asked whether this is true or false there wasn't much debate; across the board most people said false. In fact, the people who replied that this phrase is false even quoted where it came from and how it's been twisted from scripture. So here's the question we need to answer: "is this phrase even comforting?" What are we trying to say when we tell someone "God Won't Give You More Than You Can Handle," and how can we convey that message in a biblically true statement? Join us as we unpack this and more in our latest series, “Mythbusters”.

"Mythbusters", Part 2 of 5 - "God Helps Those Who Help Themselves" 68% of born-again Christians believe that "God Helps Those Who Help Themselves." 55% of Christians strongly agree with this statement. 75% of American teenagers believed that “God Helps Those Who Help Themselves” was the central message of the bible. But contrary to 68% of BORN AGAIN CHRISTIANS, maybe even contrary to what you believe, you won’t find the phrase “God Helps Those Who Help Themselves” in the Bible. Any time we have that many people who claim to be followers of Christ believing something that isn’t explicitly in the scriptures we should search out for the truth. Join us as we unpack this and more in our latest series, “Mythbusters”.

"Mythbusters", Part 1 of 5 - "Everything Happens For A Reason" “EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON.” It’s a phrase I’m sure all of us have heard or said at some point in our life. Usually it’s said in a time of crisis, whether personal or in a community. The idea is that no matter how bad the situation, no matter what kind of pain or loss someone is going through, there’s a reason for it. But why? Why do some things happen? What's the reason? Even if we can understand the things WE had a part in, what about children dying? What about disease and natural disasters? What's the reason then? Join us as we unpack this and more in our latest series, “Mythbusters”.

Mary & Joseph lost Jesus when He was 12 years old...sort of. And after 3 days of looking in the busy city of Jerusalem they found Him sitting at the temple, talking to the rabbis and others gathered. Everyone was amazed, but Mary had one question: “why would you do this to me? To your father, Joseph? To your family?” Jesus responds with a calm wisdom. He answered in a way that was loving, honest, and maybe even a little challenging. He tells them that if they really understood Him, who He was, it would have been a short search. So today we are reminded of a few places we know we can find Him. We invite you, as we begin 2016, to join us on the journey in this week's message from Awakening @ First Church: "Where We Find Him."

"Christmas Carols", Part 4 of 4 - "Joseph's Lullaby" Fatherhood is a daunting task. It takes every ounce of manhood to raise a family, and it's not easy. How much greater was the task before a man like Joseph, charged with caring for the Son of God, the Messiah? What was his call in the light of his family? Join us as we unpack this and more in our latest series, “Christmas Carols”.

"Christmas Carols", Part 3 of 4 - "We Three Kings" Traveling is a big part for many during the Christmas season. But as much as we travel, it's nothing compared to the journey of the magi as they sought out the King of the Jews. What drove them, allowed them to move on in this journey through countries and regions far from their homeland? What is our call this season in response? Join us as we unpack this and more in our latest series, “Christmas Carols”.

"Christmas Carols", Part 2 of 4 - "O Little Town Of Bethlehem" I want us to imagine what it was like in this little town of Bethlehem for this young couple, Mary and Joseph, as they entered during a crazy time. Mary is pregnant, ready to have her baby boy. I can’t imagine the pressure they felt going door to door, being rejected over and over again because there were more people than rooms. What was it that allowed Mary and and Joseph to move forward? Join us as we unpack this and more in our latest series, “Christmas Carols”.

"Christmas Carols", Part 1 of 4 - "Go Tell It On The Mountain" It's great to begin this season of advent here, with the story of shepherds in their fields. It shows us a lot about the character of God and who He calls to Him, who He shares good news with. It's not a coincidence who God chose to deliver this news to. God has always had a thing for the common man, for the marginalized, for those that everyone else would look over. So what is our call as follower of Christ during this Christmas season? What is our mountain? Join us as we unpack this and more in our latest series, “Christmas Carols”.

"Love, Period.", Part 6 of 6 - "Love Moves Forward" Six weeks ago we proposed to answer three big questions. What might happen if you and I took the words of the love chapter literally and began to apply them every day to our lives? What might happen is we embraced the principles of 1 Corinthians 13 and used the as a pattern for all of our personal relationships? What might happen if we begin to move beyond our limited perspectives and truly considered the other person in EVERY human encounter? As we wrap up our series, with chaos and strife all around us, we try to wrap our heads around this concept and move forward, together. Join us as we unpack this and more in our latest series, “Love, Period.”

"Love, Period.", Part 5 of 6 - "Love Creates Community" This week First United Methodist Church & Saint Mark United Methodist Church joined together in an historic pulpit swap. We are so blessed to have Pastor Junius Dotson from Saint Mark United Methodist Church join us and lead us in the charge that "Love Creates Community." As we follow the words of Christ and move forward in this world, we must remember that God calls all of us to live together as brothers & sisters. Join us as we unpack this and more in our latest series, “Love, Period.”

"Love, Period.", Part 4 of 6 - "Love Overcomes Evil" We hear about evil all the time, we think about the evil we see, the evil around us, even the evil perpetrated against us, and it hurts. It drives many of our thoughts, our emotions, our actions. So how can we love the way 1 Corinthians says, love our enemies the way Christ says, and still stand against evil? It's a dichotomy that troubles us. Join us as we unpack this and more in our latest series, “Love, Period.”

"Love, Period.", Part 3 of 6 - "Love Never Quits" Many of us never had someone chase them, not because of all the good they do, but in spite of it. You've never truly believed it when someone said "I love you." How could they? Don't they know who you are, all you've done? THAT is our typical deciding factor in who and how we love. It's how we gauge when & how I will love you, & when I'll STOP loving you? But when we read the words of 1 Corinthians 13, when we match those words with the way Christ loved and the way He calls us to live, and when we hear our Heavenly Father affirm us and love us, we are reminded that we have no right so stop loving. Join us as we unpack this and more in our latest series, “Love, Period.”

"Love, Period.", Part 2 of 6 - "Love Is Diverse" It starts with a simple question: "who is my neighbor?" That was the response to the law of love. It's easy to love those like us. But Jesus expands our minds and perspectives, always welcoming anyone into the fold, increasing diversity. And He did it in a way that showed more than just who our neighbor is, but showed us in a very real way what loving our neighbor looks like. Join us as we unpack this and more in our latest series, “Love, Period.”

"Love, Period.", Part 1 of 6 - "Love Revolution" If we are calling ourselves Christians, acting as the Body of Christ, then shouldn’t we be expected to live the way He did? To love, the way He loved? God desires us to love others in this world the same way that is described in 1 Corinthians 13. But the truth is that most of us love with conditions. We change the punctuation from loving, period, to something else. Join us as we unpack this and more in our latest series, “Love, Period.”

"I Love My Church", Part 4 of 5 - "I Love Giving" The early church had a special, completely sold-out way of loving each other. They loved personally, relationally, and with everything they had. They even went so far as to sell everything they owned for the betterment of the whole. So what is it that keeps us from living in a similar way? Why do these concepts and ideas seem so foreign to us, and what can we do to take one step closer to the vision God has for His church? Join us as we unpack this and more in our latest series, “I Love My Church.”

"I Love My Church", Part 3 of 5 - "I Love Serving" Is having the ability to fly what makes Superman a hero? Technically, no, having the ability alone doesn’t make him a superhero. What makes Superman a superhero is that he has the abilities he has, and that he uses them to protect Metropolis. Scripture tells us throughout that, as a follower of Jesus, God has given us super powers through the Holy Spirit. What would it look like to use those super powers in our community, and what prevents us from doing that? Join us as we unpack this and more in our latest series, “I Love My Church.”

"I Love My Church", Part 2 of 5 - "I Love My Community" Loving your church means intentionally loving beyond your building and your programming, but loving the people, loving as a community. So what gets in the way of those relationships? What can we do to remove barriers between us and encourage others to love and good works? Join us as we unpack this and more in our latest series, “I Love My Church.” Included in this episode is a beautiful prose written and spoken by Sue Reece at the Awakening service on Sunday, September 20, 2015. Enjoy!

“I Love My Church”, Part 1 of 5 – “I Love My Church” If people were writing Yelp reviews on our church, what would they say? Would they sound like visits to the DMV or the doctor’s office? Would it sound like a place people “have” to go to, or would there be more than that? What was and is God’s intent for this community of believers? Join us as we unpack this and more in our latest series, “I Love My Church.”

Special guest speaker Gracia Burnham joins us during our Sunday School hour and shares the story of her and her husband, Martin, and the struggles they faced while being held hostage in the Philippines, keeping their faith when tragedy struck. Garcia continues to speak for churches, conferences, and schools, and if you ask Gracia about life these days, she will say that "the Lord's mercies are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness."

“Intersections of Life”, Part 3 of 3 – “@ Work” Work and life interest more often than just about every other intersection we face. How do we focus on the work we are called to do and further the Kingdom of God at the same time? What hinders us along the way? Join us as we do our best to unpack this topic.

“Intersections of Life”, Part 2 of 3 – “(Re)Born To Be Wild)” What do we do when it seems like life isn’t what we thought it would be? Where do we turn when we say “wasn’t I made for more than this?” And how do we, as followers of Christ, live the life we’re called to compared to the life we were delivered from? Join us as we unpack this and more.