Flood Church - North County Audio Podcast

Providence: SurroundedThis week, we look at a passage in 2 Kings 6:8-23. Where do we turn when we feel overwhelmed, when it seems like we're surrounded with no way out?

Providence: God's Provision in Desperate TimesIn 2 Kings, Elisha comes across a widow faced with an impossible choice -  pay a debt that she doesn’t have the money for, or send her sons into slavery as payment? Her anguish is palpable, and in the midst of her crisis Elisha says these five simple yet magical words: How can I help you?

Providence: The Pathway of TransformationThis is an unprecedented time in the history of our world. Each of us are desperate for some type of change. Societally, we are all desperate for hope. God is the source of hope, healing and change. Yet we have a part. Guest speaker Rich Villodas shares with us today the true pathways of change, breakthrough, wholeness and ultimately transformation.

Providence: BurnoutThere came a point in Elijah’s ministry where he had careened way past burnout, and into despair. But it is also there, at the end of his rope, that God meets him and gives him exactly what he needs.This Sunday we continue our new series Providence: Desperate Times, Disparate Measures, by looking at how God provides relieffor Elijah’s burnout.

Providence: Desperate Times, Disparate MeasuresWhat does it look like to remain faithful in times of cultural unrest and unease? How do we continue to put our trust in God in difficult times? When we face a scary diagnosis, when we don't know how we're going to make rent or pay the bills, when we feel surrounded by scarcity, how do we stay grounded in God?This Sunday we begin our brand new series Providence: Desperate Times, Disparate Measures, looking at the lives of Elijah and Elisha, who show us what it means to live by faith in any circumstance.

Still Small: Stepping OutAs we grow older, we become more risk-averse. We try to avoid being hurt or making mistakes. But the rule of risk and reward still applies - it is only through taking risks and trying something new that we learn just what we’re capable of. In the spiritual life, this means listening closely to God, discerning where we think he might be leading us, and then taking the leap. We may be right, we may be wrong, but we’ll never know if we don’t dive in.This Sunday we conclude our series, Still Small: Discerning God’s Voice in a Noisy Life by looking at what God is inviting us to step into next.

Still Small: Child-like TrustCulture tells us that only those who remain relentlessly driven and laser-focused achieve their dreams. We believe that we can get what we want by gripping tight to our goals and never letting go. But God beckons us into another way of being, a way that requires surrender, and a willingness to relinquish even our deepest wants and desires for the sake of what God desires for us. This is counter-intuitive, confounding even, but it is the only path toward truly discerningand doing God’s will.This Sunday we continue our series, Still Small: Discerning God’s Voice in a Noisy Life, by looking at how we learn to embrace the freedom that comes with letting go.

Still Small: One Track MindFor followers of Jesus seeking to discern and do God’s will, we need to pay close attention to when, how, and how often we’re turning to our own logic, reason, and intellect to make decisions. Since God has given us this incomparable tool, we also ought to trust God to guide us in how to use it for our good and God’s glory.This Sunday we continue our series, Still Small: Discerning God’s Voice in a Noisy Life, by looking at how to use our heads in the practice of discernment.

Still Small: Wise CouncilWhen it comes to making decisions in our own lives, it’s essential to surround ourselves with people who will listen to us, but who will also listen to God on our behalf - and then tell us the truth in love, even if it’s not what we want to hear. The same is true for being a voice in the lives of others; we need to listen well to them and to God for them, without personal agenda or ulterior motive. In the church, this is communal discernment, and it’s one of the fundamental pillars of discerning God’s presence and activity in the world.This Sunday we continue our series, Still Small: Discerning God’s Voice in a Noisy Life, exploring how we practice being a community who discerns.

Still Small: Two Thumbs, a Drop of Water, and the Holy SpiritIt’s a mind-bending mystery that the Spirit of God dwells in each of us, but this is what the life of discernment is all about - learning how to be increasingly attentive to the leading of this Wonderful Counselor in the day-to-day.This Sunday we continue our series, Still Small: Discerning God’s Voice in a Noisy Life, looking at the ways that God takes the initiative to make Himself known to us.

Still Small: Trusting God's Goodness... AlwaysOur capacity to seek God in seasons of fear, pain, and loss, when it’s hard to sense His goodness and love, is one of the primary ways we practice discerning God’s voice. This Sunday we continue our series, Still Small: Discerning God’s Voice in a Noisy Life, looking at how to experience our good and loving God in every circumstance.

Still Small: Trusing God's GoodnessToo much noise in our lives can also affect our spiritual development. When we can’t seem to hear the still, small voice of God through the cacophony and chaos of daily life, we can lose our sense of his presence and leading. We believe that Christ is alive today, and wants us to know his will and follow him - but how can we hope to follow Christ, when we don’t know where he wants to take us?This Sunday we begin a new series, Still Small: Discerning God’s Voice in a Noisy Life, looking at how we recognize and respond to the presence, activity, and words of God in the big and small moments of life.

20/20 VisionIt seems appropriate to begin the new year by renewing our commitment to the shared vision for the universal Church, and how God has called Flood to be a unique expression of that vision. What can we learn from one of the most effective and influential congregations of the early church in Antioch about how to become a transformational, Christ-centered movement of hope & healing in our culture and context today? And what does it mean for you and I to commit our lives to this movement?

All of the Above: Human(s)Jesus came to teach us what it means to be fully human, to live the life God intended for us to live. Where we got it wrong, he got it right and showed us the way. Too often, Jesus’ humanity has been minimized, but the truth is that it is precisely because he was human, just like you and I, that the Gospel is so compelling. God, because of his great love for us, came to be with us.This Sunday we continue our Advent series, All of the Above, looking at the roles Jesus has fulfilled and still fulfills - as High Priest to free us from shame, as King to give us unity and strength, as Prophet to give us direction, as a Human who walks with us, and as the God who saves us.

All of the Above: To See The KingWe live in a world increasingly marked by division and hostility.  How does Jesus as King bring unity? How do we experience the unifying power of the King?

All of the Above: Prophet(s)In the Old Testament, the role of a prophet was to listen for God’s voice, and then faithfully live out the message while communicating it to their community. For Jesus, his prophetic message was simple and resolute - a new day has come, the Messiah is present, the kingdom is here and salvation is available. This message is as true today as it was then, with one very important addition: now, we too are invited into that role of prophet, to listen for God’s voice and respond to the message. Imagine what this means for ourNew Year's Resolutions! This Sunday we continue our Advent series, All of the Above, looking at the roles Jesus has fulfilled and still fulfills as Prophet, the one who speaks and gives us direction. 

All of the Above: Priest(s)Waiting can be so hard sometimes, especially when we know that what we’re anticipating will be so sweet and wonderful. Every year, the church enters into a season of waiting called Advent - a time of joyful expectation and preparation for the birth of Christ. This season celebrates that Jesus Christ has come, He is present in the world, and He will come again in power and glory to right all wrongs and make all things new. But what does it look like to wait well, even as we affirm that Jesus is alive today?This Sunday we begin our Advent series, All of the Above, looking at the roles Jesus has fulfilled and still fulfills - as High Priest to free us from shame, as King to give us unity and strength, as Prophet to give us direction, as a Human who walks with us, and as the God who saves us.

Why Can't We Be Friends? - Mary (The Momager)Our relationships with our moms can be complex, layered, and complicated - but psychology tells us that it’s one of the most important and foundational connections we have, and it has major implications for everything from how we manage stress to how optimistic and confident we are. Even Jesus, God made flesh, had a deeply complex relationship with his mom, Mary. Yet throughout the Gospels, we see how he navigated both loving and honoring her, and staying obedient to the ultimate purpose to which he was called.This Sunday we conclude our series,Why Can’t We Be Friends? Difficult People Worth Fighting For,by looking at Jesus’ relationship with his mom. 

Why Can't We Be Friends? - Paul (The Outside Hire)Before his miraculous conversion experience, Saul thought he was zealously doing God’s will by seeking to wipe out this new sect of Judaism called “the Way” that followed the crucified (and resurrected) Jesus. It took being literally knocked to the ground by Jesus for this violent and threatening man to learn the truth. It makes me wonder, how often do we think we know who the “enemy” is… and what if we’re wrong?This Sunday we look at Jesus’ post-resurrection relationship with Saul/Paul in our series,Why Can’t We Be Friends? Difficult People Worth Fighting For.

Why Can't We Be Friends? - Pilate (The Political Other)One of the fundamental problems of the 20th century is this posture of “othering” - viewing and treating others as intrinsically different from ourselves. In turn, we align ourselves against whatever (and whoever) doesn’t fit into our view of the world. Othering is not just about liking or disliking someone. Rather, it is based on the often unconscious assumption that a certain group poses a threat to us. These pre-judgments are largely driven by outside influences (like politicians and media coverage) that reinforce our presuppositions. This was just as true in first century Judea, as the political and religious influences of the time made Jesus the ultimate “other” for their own gain. Nevertheless, Jesus dismantles this “othering,” and his ways of being continue to have life-changing implications for those who seek toserve and follow him.This Sunday we look at Jesus’ relationship with thepolitical authority of the time, Pontius Pilate, in our series Why Can’t We Be Friends? Difficult People Worth Fighting For.

Why Can't We Be Friends? - Judas (The Backstabber)Everyone faces betrayal at some point in life; regardless of the magnitude, the sense of the loss of trust and faith in both the culprit and the relationship itself can be devastating. In the Gospels, Judas’ betrayal of Jesus set in motion Jesus’ arrest, sham trial, and brutal execution. How Jesus responded to the act of betrayal and his betrayer shows us something essential about the purpose of grief, forgiveness, and acceptance. This Sunday we look at the complicated relationship between Jesus and Judas in our series, Why Can’t We Be Friends? Difficult People Worth Fighting For.

Why Can't We Be Friends? - James & John (Friendship Cliques)Even Jesus’ disciples, as the end of his life was drawing near, tried to form an inner circle to curry his favor. In response, Jesus teaches them a life-altering lesson about what it really means to be on the inside.This Sunday we look at how Jesus responds to friendship cliques in our series, Why Can’t We Be Friends? Difficult People Worth Fighting For.

Why Can't We Be Friends? - Martha (The Perfectionist)Perfectionism and the pressure it imposes on us and those around us can distort reality and leave us hopelessly striving for something that doesn’t exist. The truth: nothing in life is perfect. This is the message Jesus wanted to tenderly impart to one of his closest friends, Martha. Driven to the brink of exhaustion by her perfectionism, she risks missing the Perfect One sitting right in front of her.This Sunday we take a deeper look at Jesus’ friendship with Martha, the Perfectionist, in our series, Why Can’t We Be Friends?  Difficult People Worth Fighting For.

Why Can't We Be Friends? - Kids (The Ankle-Biters)Children didn’t have a lot of rights in the first century. They were to be seen and not heard, considered of little value because by society’s standards, they had nothing to offer. However, in the Gospels we discover God’s soft spot for children. Jesus is gentle and kind with them, and passionate about protecting them from harm. Not only that, but Jesus uses them to teach some of his most important lessons about who really matters in God’s Kingdom.This Sunday we look at Jesus’ tenderness for kids in our series,Why Can’t We Be Friends? Difficult People Worth Fighting For. 

Why Can't We Be Friends? - Nicodemus (The Churchy Know-It-All)All of us struggle with the desire to be in control and state what is. For many, this is what it means to act like a “know-it-all”.  At the same time, all of us want to be loved and accepted while learning to love and accept others. What hasn’t been said is that being right isn’t always bad. In fact, truth, justice, honesty and integrity are all really good things that reflect the nature and character of God. The question is what truth is needed and how can we excavate what is needed together. In other words, How do we “know-it-alls” treasure others with love and wisdom love?