Community Brookside

Pentecost marks the birth of the Church when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples, enabling them to speak in languages they never learned. Peter explained this miracle to the crowd, connecting it to Joel's prophecy about God pouring out His Spirit. About 3,000 people were baptized that day, joining the first Christian community. Today, the Holy Spirit continues to guide believers toward their calling, often working through community and wise counsel. Our mission remains the same: to make disciples and transform the world through our unique gifts, working together as the inclusive body of Christ.

The Ascension of Jesus wasn't an ending but a beginning—a pivotal moment when Jesus empowered His followers to continue His mission on earth. Like passing a baton in a relay race, Jesus stepped aside after coaching His disciples, trusting them to carry forward His work with the promised help of the Holy Spirit. Rather than remaining spectators gazing upward, we're called to be active participants in sharing the gospel. The Ascension reminds us that faith is a movement, not a monument, challenging us to stop looking up and start looking out to those who need to experience Christ's love.

God's work of renewal isn't just a future promise but a present reality we're called to participate in. While Revelation 21:1-6 offers a vision of a new heaven and earth, Jesus demonstrated that God's kingdom comes through immediate action against suffering and injustice. When we defer hope to some distant future, we become complicit in present pain. As new creations in Christ, we're already part of God's renewal project, called to bring heaven's values to earth through acts of mercy and justice. Heaven isn't just a someday fantasy—it's a today mission.

God challenges our preconceptions about who belongs in His kingdom through Peter's transformative experience with the Gentiles. Through a divine vision and real-world encounters, God demonstrates that His plan for salvation extends beyond cultural and religious boundaries. The early church learned to embrace this radical inclusion, setting aside traditional barriers that separated people. This powerful message reminds us to examine our own biases and actively work to break down walls that might prevent others from experiencing God's love.

Dorcas, a devoted disciple in the early church, was renowned for her charitable works, particularly making clothes for widows. Her story in Acts 9 demonstrates the profound impact of consistent service and faith in action. When she died, the apostle Peter was called to her side, where through God's power, she was miraculously restored to life. Her resurrection not only paralleled Jesus's miracles but also emphasized the importance of practical ministry and the lasting influence of faithful service in building God's kingdom.

Peter's journey from confident disciple to broken denier, and finally to restored church leader, illustrates the transformative power of God's grace. After boldly declaring his loyalty, Peter denied Jesus three times in the high priest's courtyard. Following the resurrection, Jesus orchestrated a beautiful restoration by the Sea of Galilee, asking Peter three times if he loved Him and commissioning him to feed His sheep. This restoration led to Peter's remarkable transformation, becoming a foundational church leader who preached powerfully, performed miracles, and helped spread the gospel to the Gentiles.

The story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus reveals profound truths about recognizing Jesus in our daily lives. Despite their initial blindness due to unmet expectations, Jesus patiently walked alongside them, explaining Scripture and revealing himself through the breaking of bread. Their hearts burned within them before their eyes were fully opened, demonstrating how spiritual recognition often precedes intellectual understanding. This transformative encounter led them to immediately share their experience with others, showing how genuine encounters with the risen Christ naturally lead to mission and testimony.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ stands as history's most transformative event, beginning with Mary Magdalene and another Mary discovering the empty tomb at dawn. Their encounter with an angel and the risen Christ himself launched a new chapter in God's story. This divine intervention challenged established systems and continues to offer hope and transformation today. The empty tomb represents not just a historical event, but an ongoing invitation to experience new life and freedom through Christ.

Palm Sunday represents Jesus's deliberate confrontation in Jerusalem, not merely a triumphal entry. As He approached the city, Jesus wept, foreseeing its future destruction. Despite knowing the fatal consequences awaiting Him, He proceeded with divine purpose and determination. This profound act of courage serves as a model for Christians today, calling them to mirror Christ's resolve, stand up to injustice, and live sacrificially for God's kingdom.

Spiritual transformation requires more than surface-level changes - it demands a complete renewal of mind and spirit. This process involves letting go of worldly patterns and embracing God's truth through regular spiritual practices like prayer and Scripture study. True transformation manifests in changed attitudes, perspectives, and actions, reflecting Christ's character in daily life. The journey isn't about achieving perfection but making consistent progress through intentional surrender and spiritual discipline.

Prayer extends beyond mere requests to God - it's about developing a deep, two-way relationship with our Creator. Jesus demonstrated the importance of prayer by regularly withdrawing to commune with the Father, even after significant ministry events. Without consistent prayer, we risk drifting into self-reliance and missing divine guidance. The key to meaningful prayer lies in approaching God authentically, making it our first response rather than last resort, and balancing both speaking and listening in our communication with Him.

Self-denial goes beyond simple sacrifices, representing a fundamental shift in how we live our Christian lives. It involves releasing control, surrendering our desires, and following Jesus' example of selflessness. Through self-denial, we learn to pick up our cross daily, look different from the world, and align ourselves with God's purposes. This spiritual discipline leads to freedom from anxiety, better decision-making, and deeper spiritual growth.

True repentance goes far beyond merely feeling guilty or apologizing - it represents a complete transformation of heart and mind. Originating from the Greek word 'metanoia,' it describes a military-style about-face turn, symbolizing a total change in life direction. This transformation involves turning away from sin while moving toward God, resulting in freedom from guilt, renewed purpose, and restored relationship with God. When we genuinely repent, God responds with immediate forgiveness, celebrating our return and transforming our brokenness into beauty.

Throughout history, religion has been both a positive force and a tool for manipulation. Political leaders have often used religious institutions to maintain control, as seen with figures like King Herod who rebuilt the Temple for political gain. Jesus consistently challenged religious leaders who sought power rather than service, demonstrating true faith through actions of love and justice. Today, challenges like Christian nationalism and the misuse of faith for political agendas continue to demonstrate how religion can be manipulated for power rather than service.

Throughout history, the Bible's powerful teachings have been both properly used for transformation and misused for harm. False teachers often twist scripture out of context for personal gain, as seen in historical events like the Crusades, Salem witch trials, and the justification of slavery. Jesus warned about those who appear righteous but inwardly seek power and control. Protection against deception comes through regular Bible study, examining teachings in context, evaluating the fruits of ministry, and staying focused on Jesus' core messages of love, mercy, and justice.Are you able to know the difference between God's word and the words of those who twist the truth?

Scripture misuse has been a persistent challenge since biblical times, with religious leaders often distorting God's word for personal agendas. Common misuses include cherry-picking verses, ignoring context, and weaponizing text for condemnation. Jesus demonstrated proper scriptural interpretation by teaching in full context, emphasizing mercy, and using it for healing rather than harm. Understanding historical context, studying complete passages, and applying scripture with love and mercy are essential for proper biblical interpretation.

Building strong faith in today's distraction-filled world requires a marathon mindset rather than a sprinter's approach. Like marathon runners who train systematically, believers must develop consistent spiritual habits, proper pacing, and mental focus for the long journey ahead. The key challenges include navigating social media distractions and maintaining eternal perspective amidst temporary trends. Through intentional spiritual training, daily devotion, and focused dedication to what truly matters, we can build the endurance needed for a lasting faith journey.

In our hyper-connected world, digital distractions can prevent us from hearing God's voice and lead to spiritual exhaustion. Drawing parallels from Moses' experience with burnout, we learn the importance of delegation and creating boundaries. By implementing practical steps like scheduled digital check-ins and dedicated prayer times, we can better manage our modern responsibilities while maintaining spiritual health. The key is creating intentional space for connecting with God, free from the constant pull of notifications and digital demands.

This morning, we are talking about ways that we can pause and reboot our spiritual lives.Join us in this sermon as we focus on the ways in which we can tend our faith as we fight the busyness of our world. In scripture, Jesus set for us the example of what it looks like to take time away to recharge and focus on spending time with God, even in the midst of the craziness of life. We are called to do the same thing today.We had fun in this sermon, playing a game and learning about how to better focus on reconnecting to God through carving intentional time out of our busy schedules.

In our fast-paced world of constant notifications and endless to-do lists, many struggle to maintain focus on their relationship with God. The story of Mary and Martha illustrates how busyness can prevent us from experiencing God's presence fully. While Martha became consumed with tasks, Mary chose to sit at Jesus' feet and listen. Today, we need to intentionally unplug from digital noise, create space for God in our daily routines, and build our foundation on scripture and prayer. By setting boundaries around technology use and prioritizing spiritual growth, we can develop a deeper connection with God.

A strong spiritual foundation built on Christ's teachings is essential for navigating life's challenges. This foundation rests on loving God completely and loving others authentically. Like a lighthouse withstanding powerful waves, faith grounded in Christ provides unshakeable hope, lasting peace, and enduring purpose. Building this foundation requires consistent Bible study, prayer, community engagement, and active service to others. When we choose to build our lives on these eternal truths rather than temporary pursuits, we develop resilience that withstands life's storms.

God's intentional love is powerfully demonstrated through the Nativity story, where He chose to enter our world in the humblest circumstances. By being born to an unwed couple in a manger and first announcing His arrival to lowly shepherds, God showed His love is for everyone, not just the privileged. This divine love extends beyond the manger through Jesus' ministry, death, and resurrection, demonstrating that nothing can separate us from God's love. Today, we're called to mirror this same transformative love by reaching out to the overlooked and marginalized in our communities.

This week, as we light the 3rd candle in our Advent wreath, we focus on Joy.Joy is a word that often is tied to emotion, but as Christians, we should tie our joy to the word and work of Jesus Christ. When we can move to this type of joy, we are no longer dependent on situations to bring us joy, but instead joy becomes a lifestyle.In this sermon, Mary experiences the dread of having to bear a child as an unwed teenaged mother in the ancient near east. This could have dire consequences on Mary. Unwed mothers in this time, at this place in the world, could be stoned to death to avenge what would have been dishonor to Mary's family name. As the angel tells Mary not to fear, how could she move out of that fear? The only way was to remember who was making the promise that she was "highly favored." Mary could trust God because, time after time in scripture, God proves that his word is faithful.Join us today as we shift from fear to joy through the story of Mary's song. 

This week we focus on the passion of God to prepare his people for the coming of Jesus.God spent hundreds of years preparing his people for the coming redemption through Jesus by giving us the Law, the Prophets, the scriptures, and then John the Baptist. This week we spend time talking about how God's passion for saving his people came into fulfillment when John the Baptist prepared his people for the coming savior by calling the Jewish people, and in turn still calls us today, into repentance. John's passionate message of heart cleansing was compared to a "refiner's fire" and a "launderer's soap." John's appearance would have been pretty shocking, but his message penetrated the peoples' hearts. He fulfilled prophecies that foretold of a messenger who would prepare then way for the Messiah. John recognized Jesus as the Messiah and pointed out that while John baptized with water, Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit. The Christmas birth narrative would not be the same with the promise of John the Baptist being born to his parents Zechariah and Elizabeth. The intertwining of Christ's birth story with John's birth story is another beautiful way that God's passion for our salvation is made known to us.Join us as we continue to focus in the Advent Season on the beautiful mystery of the coming before and coming again of Jesus.

This sermon by Pastor Matt Morgan is meant to inspire hope and anticipation throughout the Advent season as we prepare to remember the arrival of the Christ Child, and we continue to look forward to Christ making all things new in his return. Join us throughout the Advent Season as we focus on the themes of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. 

Discover how to find hope in a noisy world with Pastor Matt Morgan's insightful message. Learn the importance of listening to Jesus' teachings, even when they challenge us to step out of our comfort zones. Understand the significance of not being deceived by false prophets and staying steadfast in faith during trials and tribulations. Despite the chaos, Jesus remains our constant source of hope, providing strength and calm. As followers of Christ, we are called to be ambassadors of hope, living out His teachings and being a light to those around us. Keywords: finding hope, Jesus' teachings, false prophets, end times, trials and tribulations, source of hope, ambassadors of hope, spiritual growth, faith, encouragement.

In this insightful message, discover how faith in Jesus Christ should shape political engagement. Learn from Matthew 20:20-28 about the call to serve rather than rule, and understand the complex relationship between politics and faith. With references to John 18:36 and 2 Corinthians 5:1-10, the sermon emphasizes our primary allegiance to Christ's heavenly kingdom. Engage responsibly in earthly politics, seeking the welfare of your community as urged in Jeremiah 29:1-7. Follow the example of Jesus and historical figures like Miep Gies, and strive for unity and peace as instructed in Titus 3:1-2. Reflect on how your political actions can honor Christ and promote love, justice, and mercy.

Understanding Forgiveness: A Path to Healing and Wholeness explores the profound importance of forgiveness in Christian faith. Drawing from biblical teachings, such as the Lord's Prayer and the parable of the unmerciful servant, this message highlights how forgiveness is essential for spiritual and emotional freedom. Real-life examples, including Peter Holm's journey from grief to peace and Nelson Mandela's reconciliation efforts, demonstrate the healing power of forgiveness. Practical steps to practice forgiveness include acknowledging the hurt, deciding to forgive, seeking God's help, letting go of resentment, and moving forward. Keywords: forgiveness, Christian faith, Lord's Prayer, unmerciful servant, Peter Holm, Nelson Mandela, reconciliation, healing, spiritual growth, emotional well-being.

Explore the profound message of perseverance and faith in James 1:1-18. This passage teaches faith as an active journey requiring trust, perseverance, and wisdom. Trials are growth opportunities, refining our faith like a samurai sword forged through heat and hammering. Learn about the importance of perseverance for spiritual maturity and the role of wisdom in navigating life's challenges. Discover the fleeting nature of earthly wealth compared to enduring spiritual riches, and understand the source of temptation as our own desires. Embrace the refining process of faith, seeking God's wisdom and strength. Keywords: James 1:1-18, faith, perseverance, wisdom, trials, spiritual maturity, earthly wealth, temptation, God's goodness.

Communion, also known as the Eucharist or the Lord's Supper, is a central act of Christian worship that commemorates Jesus' sacrifice. Its roots trace back to the Old Testament Passover, which celebrated the Israelites' liberation from Egypt. Jesus redefined this meal during the Last Supper, establishing a new covenant through His body and blood. The early church continued this practice, emphasizing repentance and thanksgiving. Today, World Communion Sunday unites Christians globally, reminding us of our shared faith and the grace of God in Jesus Christ.

In today's message, we explored the profound sense of awe that should accompany our worship of God. Using Isaiah's vision in Isaiah 6:1-8 as a foundation, we examined what it means to be in awe of God and how this awe should lead us to humility and readiness to serve. Isaiah's response to God's presence is, 'Here I am. Send me!' serves as a powerful example of the attitude we should have when encountering God's majesty. We also reflected on the psalmist's marvel at God's creation in Psalm 8:1-9, recognizing that the vastness and intricacy of the universe should humble us. This same God who created the stars and mountains also created each of us with love and purpose. Our worship should be filled with awe and humility, inspiring us to live out our faith by serving others and sharing God's love. Worship is not just an event but an ongoing experience that transforms us and calls us to action in our daily lives.

Worship is more than just singing songs; it's a heartfelt expression of our love and adoration for God that involves our emotions, intellect, and spirit. The story of Paul and Silas in Acts 16:16-36 illustrates how worship can transform our circumstances. Despite being imprisoned, they chose to worship God, leading to a miraculous intervention and the jailer's conversion. To fully experience the power of worship, we need to prepare our hearts and minds, setting aside distractions and focusing solely on God. Engaging fully in worship means actively participating with our whole heart, mind, and soul. This could involve raising our hands, closing our eyes, or journaling our thoughts and prayers. Worship also involves our intellect, as Romans 12:1-2 calls us to renew our minds and deepen our understanding of God. By making worship a daily practice, we can experience God's presence in profound ways and see His transformative power in our lives.

Discover the essence of true worship in this insightful message on worshiping in spirit and in truth. Learn how Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman in John 4:4-28 reveals that worship is not about location or rituals but about engaging with God genuinely. Explore the greatest commandment from Mark 12:30, which calls us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and understand how this commandment encompasses every aspect of our being. Find out how to prepare for worship by setting our hearts and minds on God, eliminating distractions, and approaching worship with clean hands and pure hearts as described in Psalm 24:3-4. Discover the power of corporate worship and the importance of community as shown in Acts 2:42-47 and Hebrews 10:24-25. Finally, learn how to live out worship daily by preparing for worship, eliminating distractions, engaging in community, and loving our neighbors. Keywords: true worship, worship in spirit and truth, Jesus and Samaritan woman, greatest commandment, love God, prepare for worship, corporate worship, community, daily worship.

Worship is often misconceived as merely the music we sing in church, but it's much deeper—it's a lifestyle of adoration and reverence towards God. True worship involves offering our bodies as living sacrifices, as instructed by Paul in Romans 12:1-2, and giving God the best of what we have, as exemplified by Abel's offering. Worship is also a form of spiritual formation, allowing us to encounter and embody scripture, fostering growth in Christ-likeness. Moreover, worship is a corporate experience that unites believers, strengthening the body of Christ. This week, take up the challenge to integrate worship into every aspect of your life, ensuring that every action and thought becomes an offering to God. Reflect on your heart's posture in worship and strive to make it a constant, not just a weekly hour on Sunday mornings.

Explore the profound biblical story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch in this enlightening video. Discover how obedience, faith, and inclusion come together in this transformative encounter from Acts 8:26-40. Learn about the significance of the eunuch's status, his hunger for truth, and the joyous outcome of his meeting with Philip. This video delves into the themes of God's call, the inclusivity of His kingdom, and the joy of salvation. Whether you're interested in biblical narratives, spiritual growth, or the power of faith, this video offers insights into how we can apply these timeless lessons in our daily lives. Join us in reflecting on the barriers we can break down to extend God's love and grace to everyon

Discover the inspiring story of Naaman's healing in this biblical exploration, where faith, humility, and the power of God's love come to life. This video delves into the journey of Naaman, a commander afflicted with leprosy, and his encounter with the prophet Elisha. Learn how a young servant girl's compassion and Naaman's obedience to simple yet profound instructions lead to a miraculous healing. This account from 2 Kings 5:1-19 is a powerful reminder of God's inclusive love and the significance of faith in action. Whether you're seeking spiritual growth, interested in biblical miracles, or looking for stories of redemption, this video offers valuable insights into God's grace and the transformative power of humility. Join us in uncovering the lessons from Naaman's story that are relevant to our lives today.

Dive into the Old Testament narrative of Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath, a story that exemplifies unwavering faith and God's miraculous provision during a time of great need. Elijah, a prophet of God, confronts the idolatry of King Ahab and is sent to Zarephath, where he meets a widow preparing for her final meal. Her leap of faith in providing for Elijah first results in a continuous supply of food, defying the harsh reality of a prolonged drought. The story reaches a climax when her son falls ill and dies, only to be brought back to life through Elijah's fervent prayers. This account not only demonstrates the widow's transformation into a believer of God's word but also serves as a testament to the power of faith in action and the importance of community in times of adversity.

The story of Rahab, a prostitute in Jericho, is a testament to the boundless nature of God's grace. Her faith and actions are highlighted as examples for all believers. This narrative invites us to embrace God's grace and to be ready to act in faith, even when it's uncomfortable or challenging.

Emily Robnett is bringing this morning's message titled Doubting Faithfully. If you are looking for a church to call home, see what we are doing at Community Brookside. We hope you are blessed today.

This morning, we are discussing the lessons we learned in childhood. We are fortunate to have Emily Robnett, the Executive Director at TU Weasley, delivering the sermon. We hope you find today's message to be a blessing.

Welcome to our podcast! Today, we are blessed to have Kim Myers delivering the sermon, focusing on the theme "Mastering Our Desires." May you find inspiration and encouragement as we gather together in faith. We hope you are blessed today!

This morning, as we close out our sermon series called "Under Construction" we are looking at the necessity of taking care and investing in our spiritual lives!

This morning, we are looking at being prepared for whatever comes our way!Just like a roof and siding protect a house from bad weather, heat, and storms, when we put on the armor of The Lord, we can have protection from whatever may come.

Part of construction involves making sure that there are windows and doors in your plans. Windows and doors are openings outside of a home or building that allow people to experience the outside world on the inside. Lockable windows and doors allow for a sense of safety to those dwelling inside, but often allows those on the inside to ignore what happens outside of the walls. Part of our Christian faith is finding ways to connect with those outside the safety of our church buildings so that we can share with them experiences of God. The trick is doing this in such a way that we positively influence culture without being negatively impacted by the world outside of our Christian lives.Join us this morning as we talk about windows and doors of faith.

Do we enough faith to follow the blueprints of our creator?Scripture- Hebrews 11:1-40, Romans 10, 1 John 5:1-11, John 14:1-14

 Building from the ground up requires a solid foundation. What is your faith foundation?Scripture - Matthew 7:24-29, Matthew 5-6 (Sermon on the mount), Matthew 16:13-20, 1 Corinthians 3, Ephesians 2:11-22

We are starting a new series based on the epistles of John.The letters of John have so much good theology and hope in them, it will be great to dive into them now that we celebrated the Resurrection.

This morning, we are going to have a fun time talking about sin.Sin is not an easy subject, so we will take a lighthearted approach to the subject.Join us this morning! Let's have some fun!

This morning is Pentecost, the celebration of the birth of the church.This morning, we are going to be looking at how the church began, and how it relates to the time we are in at this moment. With so much news about churches failing and division in denominations, can the church live again?Is there hope for us that we can be the church of Christ that brings hope, if we are losing hope in our own institutions?Join us this morning as we discuss what steps we need to take to live again.

This morning, we are talking about diversity.God has given each of us differences and uniqueness that are designed to complement and complete one another! We are called to use our gifts to make a difference in the world around us.Join us today as we talk about the difference we can each make in the Kingdom of God, right now!

Today we are pointing to the Gospel as the best instruction we have ever received.