Discover Eastside Podcast

Deep, deep down, where most men don't talk about, almost every dad wants to be the best dad he can be.  Of course, there are always exceptions in a broken world, but for the most part, guys just want to be the best they can in this area.  So, where should they look for an example?  Some have dads themselves who are worthy to model.  Others have friends, co-workers, relatives, and church leaders.  But we all have Jesus.  That was Paul's point to his Ephesian friends.  Look to Jesus, guys, he knows better than anyone how to be the head. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors! 

Think of the imaginary totem pole as we begin this study.  We often talk of the “top of the totem pole”, indicating importance and esteem.  So as we walk through the concept of honor in the Bible it becomes apparent that the greatest honor (the top of the pole) should always be God.  In our text this weekend we are given a test to see if He is really up there.  It's the totem pole analogy again.  What is incredibly important to most of us?  Our money.  So honor God with your money, and He is really at the top!  And oh yeah, it turns out pretty good for you too! Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors! 

Throughout the Bible, we find that the people who have been chosen by God to lead His people were to receive honor and respect from their followers.  They were not to worship them, but to honor them.  In today's world, we hear far too much chatter about fallen leaders, rebelling followers, and the whole system in an upheaval.  There must be a better way, and there is.  This weekend, we will see how God desires His children in the church to give high esteem to those who faithfully serve as kingdom leaders.

This week, we're continuing our series Give it Up for the Heavyweights by turning our attention to an essential, yet often overlooked, group—our Christian family. From messy sibling rivalries to church conflicts, we'll explore what it means to truly honor the people God has placed in our spiritual lives. Honoring our church family means more than just being nice—it's about loving with deep, brotherly affection and choosing unity even when it's hard.  Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors! 

No one is born into this world without a father and mother.  The circumstances can vary widely, from a positive experience to a negative, from wonderful memories to unthinkable nightmares, from enjoyable gatherings to never-ending relationships of tension.  But superseding all of that is the basic command to every child: honor parents.  It is not only a responsible act on the part of children, but it sets the stage for a healthy society and even a strong faith in God. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside Pastors! 

Moms are uniquely shaped by God to have a powerful spiritual influence on their children.  Generations down the road, long after mom is gone, can make spiritual waves because of the seeds planted in them by the matriarchs of the family.  That's how it worked with one of the authors of the Bible, and the same thing can happen in your life! Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors! 

Mathew's account of the Lord's prayer emphasizes that prayer is a personal and meaningful connection with God, who lovingly bends down to listen to us. It highlights praise, persistence, and aligning with God's will as essential aspects of prayer. Ultimately, it calls believers to a deeper, others-focused prayer life that reflects living in God's kingdom. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors! 

Ever felt like your prayers never made it past the ceiling above you?  Ever wonder if they fell on deaf ears?  If prayer really is direct communication with God, doesn't it make sense to figure out a way to do it well?  Maybe if we looked carefully at the specific details Jesus gave us about prayer, we can pick up a thing or two that will give us a breakthrough in our prayers. This weekend we will see how Luke's version of Jesus' prayer lesson can give us direction in this very important part of our spiritual lives.

Let's be real about this.  Go ahead and ask out loud what you may have wondered in your mind many times.  What's the big deal about Easter?  Really!  When it comes right down to it, why do we make such a big deal over this one day?  It's okay to pose the question because there is a very clear answer.  Every follower of Jesus needs to understand it with clarity.  The resurrection of Jesus will be your resurrection.  That's right.  Your body will come alive after you die.  And get this, we're talking a new and improved body.  Perfect body. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors!

At Eastside Christian Church every member is exhorted to give personal service to the work of our mission.  All are needed. All have been gifted by God's Spirit to make a difference.  The church family suffers deeply if even one person fails to serve. The Corinthians, however, failed to see all of that.  Some thought they had nothing to offer.  Others thought they were the most important and no one else was needed.  Paul refuted their thinking to remind them we are a beautiful family, molded together to make a difference in each other's lives. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors! 

The church is the reflection of Jesus.  His heart, his focus, his purpose – all of him is to be lived out among the people who call themselves his children.  In no area is that more true than a selfless life.  The Bible tells us when Jesus died on the cross he emptied himself; poured out all of himself for the benefit of others.  But when that character trait is reversed in his family, it is the worst of reflections.  Selfishness gives the wrong impression to the world and that which we must constantly guard against. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors! 

In this week's message, we see Paul address a serious issue of sin within the church at Corinth—sexual immorality that even non-believers would find shocking. Paul is clear: the church cannot ignore or tolerate open, unrepentant sin. Instead, believers are called to lovingly correct one another and maintain the purity of the church. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors!

One of the greatest signs that we love Jesus is when we love each other in the family of Jesus.  You can feel it when you walk into a church and it's there.  You can also feel when it's not!  The church in Corinth had a hard time with this.  Camps were divided.  Sometimes those camps became divisive.  It's no mistake that the apostle Paul said this issue had to be addressed first.  Coming together in beautiful relationships of unity is at the very heart of God's love for the world. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors!

As we have learned through this teaching series, very few events are covered by all four gospel writers.  But that all changes as we arrive at Friday of Holy Week.  From the arrest in the garden all the way through the resurrection there is a consistency in the gospel accounts.  The ultimate purpose of each author was to share the good news, that Jesus died for the world and rose from the dead to prove who he was.  Each writer passionately covered this main point of the story of Jesus' life.  Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors! 

The days leading up to Friday of Holy Week must have been emotionally draining for Jesus.  He knows what is coming soon – He knows the reason behind it all (the love of the Father) – but He has to face the people who just don't get it.  And they are among the closest to him, the ones who should have known better.  But Jesus presses on, because his love for us supersedes our failures. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors!

As Jesus enters his last week on this earth, pre-resurrection, things start to get intense.  He encounters the highest of praise and lowest of opposition.  He comes face-to-face with friends and enemies.  Without question, he is intent on accomplishing the purpose to which His Father sent him.  There is a strong life lesson: stay focused on what is most important even though you might encounter many distractions. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors! 

This week we're talking about faith in action, the power of community, and the impact of giving in our modern world, where often we feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of global issues. The disciples remind us that miracles of kindness, generosity, and faith can still happen today. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors! 

Someone once said the ultimate purpose of our lives is like the center of a bullseye.  This is why God put you on this earth.  It's your uniquely created space for who you are and what you do.  You might think of it as your calling.  Sadly, few people ever find that center circle.  One of the stories that all four gospel writers recorded was the selection of men who were to be Jesus' closest disciples.  Perhaps their calling might spur you on to find yours. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors!

It is fascinating that one of the very few events that all gospel writers recorded was the baptism of Jesus.  Think about that for a second.  Something that Jesus did not need to do was written down for those who did need it!  As we look at this critical moment in historical time we will discover the reason for our own baptism. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors! 

Have you ever been to the beach? Personally, I enjoy the beach, but the ocean can be intimidating. Yeah, walking around the shoreline is peaceful and nice, but the more you go out into the water, the more uncomfortable it gets. As Christians, it's easy to just stay on the seashore out of fear or comfort, but what if I told you, when it comes to your spiritual life, God wants you to go so far out that all you can do is swim? In this message we will look at the prophecy of Ezekiel, the challenge for us to go all in with our faith, and how the next generation is counting on us to “go all-in.” Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors! 

If you're a parent, you will understand this question.  What do you want for your children when they grow up?  A happy family?  Certainly!  Good health?  Of course!  Profitable employment?  You bet!  Strong faith?  Above everything else!  That's the power of this familiar proverb.  As parents, all of this can actually start with us!  As a church, our investment in young people is vital!  Let's figure it out as we unfold this word from God. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside Pastors!

Some days we have it, some days we don't.  It's either sun or clouds, smiles or frowns.  That's life.  But maybe there are specific things we can do, or perspectives we can hold, that help to keep things up instead of down, even when it's all down! The author of this proverb knew that a lifted spirit can go a long way to a healthy life.  Let's dive into his thinking and see if it just might brighten our day. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors!

Every parent knows about this.  As their children head out to school or gather for practice with their team, parents long for their children to have friends, the right kind of friends!  But that foundational principle doesn't end at adolescence. Throughout life, much of what we are and what happens to us comes down to the people we surround ourselves with.  So message to all adults – heed your own advice.  Choose your friends carefully! Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors!

Remember when your mom used to say, “If you can't say anything nice then just don't say anything at all”?  She stole that from the Bible!  Over and over God gives us counsel and warnings on the words that come out of our mouths.  James, in his New Testament letter, tells us the tongue is the most difficult thing in all our lives to control.  Let's take a look at how the Proverbs direct us to use our mouths in a pleasing manner to God.    Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors! 

Every year we get this chance.  Bury the past and begin to build the future.  For many, the application concerns our health, money, relationships.  But what if the focus was Jesus?  Just Jesus.  Know his love at a level we never have.  Understand his plan for our lives to the degree that has never totally sunk in.  In the midst of all our resolutions, even the good and needed ones, let's keep the main one at center court.  May we know the Christ in a way that makes everything else secondary.   Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors! 

Imagine being found guilty of a heinous crime, and instead of being rightfully punished you are set free and given a reward that will greatly bless the rest of your life.  That is the message of Christmas!  Of all the things that bring us joy during this season from an earthly practical sense, making it the most wonderful time of the year, the greatest blessing of all is that our sins are forgiven and we will be rewarded with the paradise of heaven someday.  All of it given to us by grace, none of it deserved, and that alone makes the joy beyond expression.  The birth of Jesus set all of this in motion. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors!

Can you think of a time when you just knew you were on the right track?  In your job, your relationships, your mental state – everything, you just seemed to be in the middle of the bullseye.  This is ultimately where God wants us to live, and He provides it through life in Jesus, existing in his kingdom.  No matter how far away we may find ourselves from this kind of hopeful living, there is always the chance to be restored to it through life in Christ. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors! 

Message from week 2 of our series, Buddy the Elf vs. The Grinch. Delivered by Worship Pastor, Aquila Bock on 12/09/24.

It's more blessed to give than to receive.  That's what they say anyway.  In reality, it depends how old you are.  Not sure a five-year-old would buy into that way of thinking!  But starting this month we're all on this line somewhere; giving to those we love and receiving from those who love us.  But the first gifts at the first Christmas were presented to Jesus.  What are you getting him this year?  He only wants one – your full devotion.  The men from the east had that figured out and can provide wise counsel on how we can do the same. Follow us for more messages from Eastside pastors! 

What would you rather hear at the gates of heaven – “Well done, good and faithful servant”, or “Away from me, you evildoer”?  That's a silly question, isn't it?  But apparently, there are those among us who assume they will hear the former welcome but will receive the latter rejection.  Want to know how to make sure this doesn't happen to you?  Pay attention to your fruit! Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors! 

With very little objection, the most difficult verse in the entire Bible is our focus in this sermon.  Do not worry.  How in the world can one accomplish that?  And better yet, why would a loving Father expect such an impossible task from His children?  All of us have reasons to experience ripples of anxiety over various challenges we face in this life.  Those will never go away!  But wouldn't it be welcome news to know how to face them without the nagging and negative pressure?  Jesus said we should figure this out, and we can! Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors!

As Christians, we all know that our definitive virtue comes down to love.  Our Father is love, and we are to be the same.  Love God and love people; those are the marching orders from Jesus.  But to love an enemy?  Isn't that taking it a bit too far?  You know that guy we would prefer to punch in the nose, or that girl we would rather ghost?  Our Lord clarifies a radical approach, primarily because it reflects the Father who loved us. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside Pastors!

Message from the final week of our series, "Never Trust a Politician With Your Money." Delivered by Stewardship Pastor, Neil Lancaster on 10/20/24.  Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors! 

The idea of turning over a portion of our hard-earned income to anyone, including God, doesn't make a whole lot of rational sense.  But God has seldom relied on our sense of reasoning.  He is faithful and will do what He says, and He would even like us to put Him to that test.  Our obedience in the act of generous giving is a step of trust in the One who will care for us more than we could possibly accomplish on our own. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors. 

Everything we have, including our very lives, has been given to us to be used for the benefit of the One who gave it all to us.  That is a radical way of looking at economics, but it is the very principle that Jesus will look for upon his return.  Because of his vast love for us, Jesus has handed that all over to us believing that we will use it for the right reason.  The reward of obedience will be well worth the journey! Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors! 

Message from the final week of our series, What the World Needs Now. Delivered by Middle School and Families Pastor, Silas Crowell on 09/29/24. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors! 

The middle triad of the fruit of the Spirit is focused on how we treat people.  That's really the bottom line of what our world needs right now, isn't it?  During a time when division and disagreement are par for the course God calls His People to shine a different light.  Many of the acts of the flesh described in Paul's earlier paragraph are what we see happening regularly now.  So rise up church, show a different approach by walking in the Spirit as we relate to the people around us. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors!

Last week we described living by the Spirit as coming together in unity with other people rather than coming apart.  Now, beginning in verse 22, we start to have that broken down more specifically.  In this sermon we will focus on the first three fruit.  Notice the opposing fruit (acts) of the flesh in the previous paragraph that divide and conquer people. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors! 

Christians are called to follow the leading of the Spirit (which contextually is to love each other) rather than be lulled by human nature (which contextually is to bite and devour each other).  In all our relationships, particularly Christian to Christian, we should learn to pay attention to the Spirit's leading and not our natural human impulses. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside Pastors!

Special message from guest speaker, Mark Jones. Delivered at Eastside on 09/01/24.  Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors!

A special message from Guest Speaker, Steve Poe! Delivered on 08/25/24.

A special message from Guest Speaker, Matt Merold! Delivered on 08/18/24. ______________________ Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside Pastors!

Special message delivered by Guest Speaker, Rick Burdette on 08/11/24! Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors! 

Message from guest speaker, Barry Cameron! Delivered at Eastside on 08/04/24 for the first week of our August Guest Speakers Series! Follow us for more encouraging weekly messages from Eastside pastors!

To what extent would you resist someone who had the authority or influence to enforce you to disobey God?  It's easy for Christians to say they would stand firm in those situations, but what if there were serious consequences that came as a result of your faithfulness?  Lose your job?  Harm a relationship?  Get burned up in a fire?  That last one sounds a bit intense, but this well-known story in the Old Testament helps us deal with this reality.  It's becoming harder and harder to resist the enemy! Follow us for more messages from Eastside Pastors.

Read through scripture and one thing becomes clear.  God doesn't like halfway.  But that's how some people live – non-committal with God.  They believe in Him, probably like the thought of Him, but still dabble in other life pursuits that promise satisfaction.  The result is a limp at best.  There's a better way and God proved it by licking up a pool of water with fire.  In dramatic fashion, we learn that “all-in” with God is better than “half-way”, every time. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors!

Continuing in our series of Kids, Crayons, & Truth, we see God using plagues to encourage Pharaoh to let His people to go worship Him in the Wilderness.  When Pharaoh refuses, he offers a series of compromises to Moses that are four specific plays right out of Satan's playbook that he has used against people for thousands of years and still does today. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside Pastors!

Message from week 3 of our series; Kids, Crayons, & Truth. Delivered by Middle School and Families Pastor, Silas Crowell on 07/07/24 Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors! 

The Bible describes the devil as a lion lurking around for someone to devour. His ultimate goal is our destruction, and he will do anything to bring that about. Few stories in God's Word explain that better than Samson's encounter with Delilah. Through observation of his mistakes we can be better prepared to face our own arrows from the enemy. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors!

Almost every single thing in life comes back to the Garden. That's where it all started. If Adam and Eve would have just listened and obeyed! But they did not, and our world has never been the same. Let's relive the gripping story, see what actually happened, and hopefully learn a thing or two that will help us live a little better while we are outside the garden. Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside Pastors!

When the apostle Paul selected the criteria of men who would lead the church he chose character traits that would reflect the nature of God. Although those traits are specifically intended to elders in the church, they are also attributes that all men should aspire to possess. Let's look at some of the themes in the list, and if you have a man in your life who has displayed them to you – today is the perfect day to thank him! Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors!