Coram Deo Denver

In this talk, Ryan walks us through a candid, personal, and theologically deep meditation on Paul's words in Romans 5. The invitation is to consider the ways in which hope is a uniquely Christian virtue, especially in the midst of suffering.    Ryan does uses a slideshow for verses, questions, and reflection on some pieces of art. Check out the slideshow here if you want to follow along :)

Table Talks are extended evenings of stories and theology. Our community hosts these with internal and external voices to focus on specific conversations. We eat food and let the night's topic breathe by offering extended space for conversation afterward.  In this recording, we hear from a pioneer and our dear friend Hugh Halter. Hugh has been pushing boundaries and prophetically challenging the church to see things in different ways for almost 40 years. To learn more about his current work visit his Brave Cties Website or check out his two most recent books: Brave Cities and Righteous Brood.

Table Talks are extended evenings of stories and theology. Our community hosts these with internal and external voices to really focus on a specific conversation and then let the topic breathe by offering extended space for dialogue and more conversation afterward.  In this recording, we hear from a true Father in the Faith named Jon Petersen. Jon has given the majority of his life to missions and cultivating healthy discipleship communities. He leads a ministry to develop leaders to have a Kingdom mindset in all vocational callings. Learn more about him and his work at the City Table Podcast (Apple / Spotify). Further, please pray and ask the Lord if you should get involved in this work by making a one-time or ongoing contribution to Jon's ministry. You can click here to donate. 

In these recording, we had a panel of people answer the question "Why and how has the Church been valuable for you and your discipleship to Jesus?" Then, Dave offers an explanation of the church exploring 5 dimensions or levels of the church. The model is illustrated by the stories and based on our dear friend Jared Mackey's work over at The Sacred Grace.

In August we recenter on the mission and vision for our church family. One of the core values we have is participation. The mission and vision of Coram Deo is empowering the members to be taking risks and living out their sense of mission and vision. This week we did a prayerful reflection activity called a "Story Lab Exercise." You can find the Companion Worksheet (here) or on our website under the Practices Tab (here). 

In this message, Matt wraps up our series on Practices. Over the last handful of months, we have slowly been introducing the core practices that makeup Coram Deo's communal Rule of Life: Prayer, Community, Fasting, Giving, Sabbath, and Scripture. You will be inspired and challenged to fall back in love with the Bible and the story it tells after listening to Matt's stories and reflections.

In this teaching, Dave takes a break from our series of practices to give a Missions update and call us back to the "why" of practices. As our community seeks to remove the secular and sacred divide in our lives we must not forget the call to a consecrated life. It is the deeper motive and why behind what we do that makes something sacred. Dave tells some stories that highlight our need for consecration whether we are receiving income for our ministry work or trying to live missional in our vocational life.

In this month's practice, Dave introduces a biblical and theological foundation for Sabbath as Stopping, Resting, Delighting, and Worshiping. He then offers some challenges as to why we desperately need this practice and tips on how to start. Check out the practices tab for more resources that influenced this teaching and could help your engagement with it.

This month we had our dear friend Ken Janke as a guest teacher. Ken is a legend and a deep well of hope for many networks of people around the globe. Most recently he settled down in Castle Rock to partner with his best friend Jon Petersen in a ministry called City Table (Check out their Podcast). Through this work, they seek to support leaders as they try to think holistically about loving their cities. In this teaching, Ken speaks on the deep correlation between generosity and grace. He ends with some practices of generosity that you could try implementing. The final few minutes of audio were unfortunately ruined so his talk ends rather abruptly. My apologies! We need some more competent tech support over here ;)

In this second message on Fasting David invites us to reflect on the "why" behind the practice. Often Fasting is seen as a means to an end, an intense practice to get God to move or get a breakthrough. David argues that Fasting is not primarily causal, but rather a natural response to encountering a Sacred Moment. For further study on this idea check out Scott Mcknight's book Fasting. 

In this message, David focuses on Matthew Chapter 6 from the heart of the Sermon on the Mount. He challenges us to see that fasting was a normative part of Christian life until the mid-17th century. Not coincidentally this was also a time period that saw the rise of rationalism and an increasing emphasis on the disembodied aspects of the faith. He closes with a story about the foundational place neediness has in our receptivity to and pursuit of Jesus. 

In this teaching, Matt tells some stories and reviews some Scriptures highlighting the power of family to shape us. He provides some deep thoughts for you to reflect on the life of Jesus and our lifestyles as disciples of Jesus.

In this short teaching, Dave introduces our second practice of Weekly Community. We are in a season of exploring six foundational practices that Jesus assumes his followers have integrated into their lives. Prayer and Community are foundational practices because they both invite us to present our authentic selves so that God can transform us.

In this short message, Matt invites us into the season of Advent reminding us of the posture of (1) Remembrance, (2) Hope for the future, and (3) living in the present.

In this message, Dave draws from a scene in Acts 20 where Paul is depicted giving his final goodbyes to his friends from the Church in Ephesus. It is a scene charged with prayer, family, and a sense of mission. He kicks off by reflecting on Church as an identity that defines our shared biblical anthropology. Then he reflects on the three aspects of (1) Prayerful (2) Family (3) on Mission that we use to define church. 

In this message, Matt reflects on the definition of a Disciple as someone who is trying to be with Jesus, become like Jesus, and do what Jesus did. He reflects on these phrases through his own life and the life of Levi the tax collector. 

In our final Sunday Gathering for this season, Donny offers a vision casting message on why we gather in smaller communities during the scattered season. Then, Matt wraps things up with some comments about the scattered season and a benediction prayer!

In this message, Christy models how to be a faithful reader as she engages the book of Genesis. She uses the illustration of Geology to invite us to see the way Narratives function while you are still living in them. She zooms out on the whole book of Genesis to gain some narrative and literary context, then zooms in on the story of Joseph and his family. She gives some guiding principles for engaging narratives and concludes by inviting us to re-envision our own lives within the context of God's long history of engaging with the lives of real people.    

In this message, Justin models how to be a faithful reader as he engages the book of Amos. He gives some context for the role and function of the Prophets and provides some broader context for Israel's history. Then uses chapter 5 to highlight God's displeasure with religious behavior that neglects those in our midst who are poor, oppressed, and suffering. He then shares parts of his own story to embody for us the place of the prophet for the corporate body of the church today.

In this message, Dave tries to model how to be a faithful reader as he engages the book of Ecclesiastes. In the first half, he observes and overviews the basics of the text, genre, history, and culture that surrounds the book. Then he expands upon the meaning of the book within the broader narrative of Scripture and his own life through some personal stories. Ultimately, he urges us to see the way Jesus' resurrection answers the problem posed by the book of Ecclesiastes.

In this message, Matt models how to be a faithful reader as he engages the book of Titus. This is a book filled with theological topics that we could spend time exploring and debating about. Matt stays zoomed out and demonstrates beautifully how the humanity of the book, the historical context of its author and recipient, and the literary genre all point to a deep vision of discipleship that can be easily missed. He argues that while the inspiration of the Holy Spirit's guidance only took a few hours, the inspiration of the Spirit shaping Paul and Tutus' relationship took 20 years.

In this teaching, Dave recaps key points from the first two messages and starts to introduce their impact for practically reading Scripture. He offers some pitfalls to avoid as well as a vision for the types of readers we should long to become. He then gives some practical tools for structuring our beliefs and 4 steps for studying the Bible to become faithful interpreters. 

In this teaching, Dave takes us deeper in our series on Handling Scripture by exploring the function of the Bible. He reviews the "what" of Scripture as a mutually human and divine library of books that tells a unified story about how God has acted to save humanity. Then he dives deeper into a holistic model of human development and change and tries to demonstrate how the Scripture is trying to form us on the deepest levels of our identity.

In this teaching, Dave introduces our series on Handling Scripture by exploring the nature of the Bible. He gives some orienting ideas and then highlights the tension we all live with between the humanity and divinity of the Bible. He explores how these two views create unnecessary problems for how we read and interpret the Bible. He offers instead an incarnational model that sees both parts as beautiful and necessary for accomplishing the purposes God intended them to fulfill.

In this short teaching, Matt revisits some of the core values that have shaped and will continue to shape our church culture. He discusses (1) Coram Deo, (2) Participation, (3) Hearing God's Voice, (4) Power of Story, and (5) the five Pillars of 24/7 Prayer (presence, prayer, mission, justice, and joy). He also revisits the idea of a Rule of Life or Way of Life for our community. Inviting us to spend significant time this gathered season discerning some fresh rhythms and patterns that will help us abide in joy with God in all of life.

Finishing our series on Embracing Ministry & Maturity by focusing on the role of the Prophetic in shaping our lives as individuals and a community. Dave introduces the topic by giving some framework and an invitation to lean in. Kaity then gives more practical training for how to try and grow in the Prophetic. The recording ends with some instructions for engaging and practicing.

Continuing our series on Embracing Ministry & Maturity we zoom in on the APEST focusing on how this plays out in real life (or as the kids say IRL). Our dear friend Kevin Colon joins us this week to give us a broader and more practical perspective on APEST influencing all parts of life. He ends with six practical tips for walking this out as we all grow in unity and maturity.

Continuing our series on Embracing Ministry & Maturity we zoom in on the APEST focusing on the Shepherding grace. Ben invites us to engage and love others with a pastoral presence. Further, he makes this more practical by outlining three postures of Awareness, Curiosity, and Kindness. He also tells a profound story of how these three postures have helped him serve as a pastoral presence to those close to him.

Continuing our series on Embracing Ministry & Maturity we zoom in on the APEST focusing on the teaching grace. Dave guides us in reflection on the life of our Rabbi, that is Jesus the master teacher. Specifically, he focuses on the way Jesus teaches from and with authority for the purpose of wisdom. In exploring these concepts he expands on the power of words, the fear of the Lord, and the posture of humility. *For more information on the experiment with the Himba Tribe see this blog post for a description and the images.    

Continuing our series on Embracing Ministry & Maturity we zoom in on the APEST focusing on the evangelistic grace.  Christy offers an object lesson in how to lighten the baggage we carry around this value and practice. She then reflects on the approach and method of Jesus and Paul. Finally, in wrapping up she shares a very personal story of how this incarnational evangelism is worked in her life and relationships.

Continuing our series on Embracing Ministry & Maturity we zoom in to the APEST focusing on the grace of the apostolic.  Matt share's from the God story and his own story. He challenges us that following Jesus propels us out into the world. If we realize we are part of God's story we will begin to take responsibility for the relationships God has placed us in. In the process of this, passion and purpose eclipse safety and security as core values for the apostolic.     

This week Dave revisits Paul's words from Ephesians 4. This time focusing on Paul's call to give up our lives so Christ can give them away. This also leads to introducing our sermon series for this gathered season: Embracing Ministry & Maturity with APEST. The APEST is an acronym that refers to Paul's mention of the apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic, shepherding, and teaching graces within the leadership structure of the Church. We will explore each of these functions over the next two months! 

This last Sunday we gathered to share stories and reflections from our Scattered season this Spring. Matt shares a short message calling us back to the simplicity of love and a reminder of the ethos of New Testament discipleship. The church forms as a byproduct when normal people listen and try to obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Finally, Dave gives clarity on our community invitation to Biblical Rest in July.

In this recording Matt gives answers to three simple questions: Why do church this way How does Leadership work? And what is the end purpose? Then Dave gives a quick orientation to Rule of Life and directs you the listener to engage with one using the resources on our website.

We felt the Lord leading our community to gather a couple more times before scattering into house churches for the Spring. This week Mike Brown shares with us a powerful and marking word on sacrificial love. We would encourage you to set apart some distraction-free time, grab a pen, a journal, and receive his message.

This week Kaity navigated us through the spiritual armor of God that Paul closes his letter with. She highlights the effort required to armor ourselves and others. As well as how apprentices of Jesus have access to a reality that is beyond their present circumstances, a reality that allows us to defend against even the legitimate trials and challenges we face in life.

Dave covers the second part of Ephesians 4 all the way through the first verses of Ephesians 6. He highlights Paul's vision of living worthy of the Gospel in our behaviors and positions of authority. He then outlines offers some cultural reflections explaining why we get stuck in Sin and how we can break free.

Dave covers the first part of Ephesians 4 highlighting Paul's vision of individual justification and communal unity. He then outlines two warnings regarding our American individualism and idealism.

Matt walks through Ephesians 3 highlighting Paul's ability to access the power and purpose of the Gospel. As followers of Jesus, we are invited and empowered to follow his example by overcoming disappointment in our lives and believing in others. 

This week we had the privilege of hosting a dear friend named Brandon Washington. Brandon serves as the pastor of preaching and vision at The Embassy Church in northeast Denver. In this survey of Ephesians 2, Brandon outlines how the holistic message of the Gospel necessitates both vertical and horizontal reconciliation. We pray you will be challenged and changed by his words.

This week we begin a six-week series marching through Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus (and the surrounding churches of Asia Minor). Dave highlights Paul's integrated worldview of heaven and earth coming together. As well as Paul's prayer for the Holy Spirit to bring revelation, hope, and power.

In this message, Matt offers some words, invitations, and a deep challenge to reflect on the soil of our own hearts. He also weaves this parable of Jesus into the orienting values of our church family.  *Apologies for the audio quality of this recording, we had some err technical difficulties with the wireless mic and had to record open air.

Dave offers a Christmas word from Luke's account of the birth story. Special attention is given to the somewhat obscure roles of to elderly people named Simeon and Anna.

This is the sixth episode for an academic course we are running on Theology & Culture. It recaps the content of the previous five lectures. Then closes with some personal reflections on Stan Grenz's work and implications for following Jesus in this cultural moment.

This is the fifth episode for an academic course we are running on Theology & Culture. It revisits the cultural dilemma postmodernism has left. Then offers a theological solution through Stan's understanding of the Image of God.

This is the fourth episode for an academic course we are running on Theology & Culture. It introduces the landscape of epistemology and then outlines some of Stan's appropriations epistemology for theology.     

This is the third episode for an academic course we are running on Theology & Culture. It outlines the basic methodology that Stanley J. Grenz envisioned.

This is the second episode for an academic course we are running on Theology & Culture. It outlines the basic cultural dilemma many followers of Jesus find themselves in. Then David gives some of the cultural contours that got us here by exploring the terms modernity, postmodernity, and evangelicalism. 

Our community is in a season of scattering into homes and various learning cohorts. This is the first episode for an academic course we are running on Theology & Culture. We will be exploring these topics through the thought and work of theologian Stanley J. Grenz. It kicks off the series on a more personal note as David explores some basic terms and explores his own narrative formation.

In this recoding Dave expands on the concept of a “Rule of Life.” He makes the point that we all have one already! The only question is if it has been intentionally or accidentally established. The hope is to shift your paradigm for discipleship and invite you to establish your own Rule of Life this Fall.

Matt gives a message on “trying” to engage people. He weaves through Mark's gospel and into Acts following the story of a tax collector named Levi. The hope is to stir fresh faith and invite each of us into the adventure of truly seeing and loving others this Fall.