Hope Downtown Minneapolis Podcast

What do you do with a love poem in the middle of your Bible? This week we'll see how the Song of Solomon pulls back the shades on our closed, hurried world. In a culture chasing superhuman strength through technology and self-reliance, this ancient poem invites us to slow down, listen, and see the Bridegroom bounding toward us in love. Cloud of Witnesses Davis Johnson Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

If God makes promises and God keeps his promises, why is life so hard? Why do I have good desires (for peace or intimacy or joy) that go unmet? Our cloud of witnesses reminds us that this world is not our home, and our unmet desires prove it. Instead, we desire a better (heavenly) home. Don't grow weary and lose heart for our true home exists and awaits us! Cloud of Witnesses Cor Chmieleski Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

Right after Jesus dies the Bible says, “And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.” It was not torn from the bottom-up, as though we could tear the veil open. Rather through the death of Christ—through his torn body—we are given access. No more insiders or outsiders but rather we are all welcomed in on account of Christ. What great news! Cloud of Witnesses Cor Chmieleski Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

Cloud of Witnesses Cor Chmieleski Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

The birth of a child is a time for excitement, whether you are the parent, sibling, grandparent, aunt/uncle, cousin, or friend. Under no circumstance should a parent ever name their child “No Glory.” But that's exactly what Ichabod means. Why would his mother choose such a name? And how could this possibly be connected to the birth of another son, who himself was destined for (no) glory? Cloud of Witnesses Cor Chmieleski Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

Buried within the Old Testament is the story of a woman who drove a tent peg through the temple of an army commander. What kind of religious text is this? How could one scrape together morality from such a biblical passage? What if it's not about religion nor morality but instead about preaching the gospel more than 1,000 years prior to the death of Christ? Cloud of Witnesses Cor Chmieleski Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

When Jesus is transfigured on the mountain, Peter does what we all do: he scrambles to preserve the moment & stay on top. But the voice from the cloud doesn't invite Peter to build something; it calls him to listen. In a world chasing curated wellness and manufactured peace, the Transfiguration confronts our illusion of control and reveals a Savior who walks down the mountain into our darkness to bring us into lasting light. Cloud of Witnesses Davis Johnson Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

An Old Testament figure named Naaman appeared to have it all––riches, power, favor. But he encountered a problem he couldn't fix. And through his story we see how God often operates in unexpected or (from a worldly perspective) upside-down ways. Would Naaman (and will we) trust in the solution God offers? Cloud of Witnesses Drew Heindel Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

An Old Testament figure named Hagar identifies God as the One who sees her. As part of our cloud of witnesses, she encourages us to believe that God sees all the details of our lives including those parts we're ashamed of. More than that, as Tim Keller said, God loves us “all the way to the bottom” seeing all of our unlovable parts yet declaring “I love you anyway.” Cloud of Witnesses Cor Chmieleski Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

It starts with two brothers and two offerings. One is accepted, the other isn't, and what unfolds exposes something hidden in all of us—a quiet comparison, a craving to be enough, a soul that won't settle. You can't outwork that restlessness, but you can let better blood speak. Cloud of Witnesses Davis Johnson Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

Our current cultural moment lends itself to highly narrated identities. What is a highly narrated identity? It's a self-conception that is shaped, curated, and reinforced through continuous personal storytelling. Essentially, you're the author. Scripture confronts this thinking and invites to embrace a new author and new identity, one beyond your ability to manufacture. Cloud of Witnesses Cor Chmieleski Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus consistently overturns people's expectations and reshapes their understanding of who God is and what He is doing. He flips the script by working in unexpected places, changing lives, and transforming the world through a group of the most unlikely people. In the most surprising act of all, he dies and rises again—so that now through the good news of the gospel, he can rewrite any story. Cloud of Witnesses Paul Stiver Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

This passage is filled with perils, promises, and planks. The bible often uses narrative to communicate spiritual realities. In this story, a ship is destroyed and those unable to swim cling to wood planks eventually arriving safely ashore. Isn't that our spiritual story—awash in sin and death until a wooden plank in the form of a cross surfaces and saves us? Acts: The Story Continues Cor Chmieleski Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

Through four “snapshots” we cover a lot of the middle of the book of Acts, allow us to reflect and enjoy all the beauty of wonder of the gospel's spread on Paul's second missionary journey. Acts: The Story Continues Steve Treichler Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

In our study of Acts so far, we have seen a lot of things. In chapter 15 we see this new movement of the followers of Jesus facing a very real threat, that, if not handled correctly, would be the end of true Christianity! Acts: The Story Continues Steve Treichler Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

In faith, and in life, we keep score. I'm winning. Ope, I'm losing. Nope, I'm back to winning. Oh, I think I just lost. The great relief we find in the bible is that Jesus has played the game and won. Dear friend, relax…do away with the many scorecards of life…and trust afresh in the good news of Jesus. Acts: The Story Continues Cor Chmieleski Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

Some words stretch over time -- literally, awesome, curated, decadent. The word Christian may fall into that category too, loaded with assumptions, baggage, and cultural shorthand. But in Acts 11, we see its very first use in history not to describe the squeaky clean or hyper-religious, but those rescued by Jesus, relieved by grace, and racing to the bottom with love. Being a Christian isn't about climbing higher, but living in light of the storm that's already passed. Grace is the big relief at the heart of Christianity -- and it changes everything. Acts: The Story Continues Davis Johnson Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

In the longest narrative in the book of Acts, we see a twist to the story of Scripture that for us, seems like no big deal, but for the early church was earth shattering. The Gentiles are to be included in the church WITHOUT having to convert to Judaism. And, there are plenty of applications for us today as well. Acts: The Story Continues Steve Treichler Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

Early in Scripture, our ancestors were told not to eat from one tree—but they did. Since then, nothing has been as it should be. We keep seeking life and fulfillment in ways we weren't made for. Is there hope? Yes—through another tree. The cross, a tree of death, has become for us the tree of life. How can we be sure? The resurrection of Jesus is our proof. Easter 2025 Cor Chmieleski Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

In your sphere of influence, who is the person who comes to your mind as “the very last person who would ever become a follower of Jesus?” If you were to ask the early church that, they would have said, “Saul of Tarsus, the persecutor of the church.” And yet, in God's ironic economy, Saul not only is converted to following Jesus, he becomes the most influential person ever as a spokesperson for Jesus. Hear how Jesus' work in Saul's life transformed him to be this person. Acts: The Story Continues Steve Treichler Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

What kind of power really changes a person? In Acts 8, we meet two forces most of us know well: the pressure to follow the rules and the drive to prove ourselves through performance. One scatters the church through fear. The other tries to buy the Spirit like a promotion. But what if real transformation comes not through control or success, but through weakness? Acts 8 isn't just a story of power, but a quiet confrontation of how the gospel flips our idea of strength upside down. Acts: The Story Continues Davis Johnson Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

In the production of Hamilton, Aaron Burr reflected that he is the villain in American history due to his killing of Alexander. It could be argued that Burr is not the only villain in the story. Similarly, in this biblical passage, Stephen recounts many villains within the biblical story. Who are they and why does it matter? Acts: The Story Continues Cor Chmieleski Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

In this passage, a group of Christians come together to solve a problem…and they do it without issue. What!? Is that even possible? If so, how? That's what this sermon spends time dissecting and contemplating. Acts: The Story Continues Cor Chmieleski Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

In one of the most difficult passages in the book of Acts, we can find real hope in developing a fear of the Lord that drives us TO Jesus, as opposed to away from him. Acts: The Story Continues Steve Treichler Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

The book of Acts is written as story, with all of the details being relevant for us to ponder. This week, in Acts 4:1-31, we will exam those details and let God work in our lives through the telling of this amazing account! Acts: The Story Continues Steve Treichler Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

What if miracles aren't about breaking the laws of nature but about restoring what's broken? In Acts 3, a lame man was hoping for spare change and God gave him something far greater. We tend to look for quick fixes, but the real miracle isn't just walking; it's being made whole. The healing we need most isn't physical but spiritual. Acts: The Story Continues Davis Johnson Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

The Early Church devoted themselves to certain practices. What were they? And, more importantly, why were these spiritual practices their priority? Because physical practices reveal spiritual priorities. Through this passage, we (re)examine what our own physical practices may be revealing about our spiritual priorities. Acts: The Story Continues Cor Chmieleski Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

What if Pentecost isn't a distant, hard-to-relate-to supernatural event but a picture of how grace breaks through our confusion? Babel's division is undone and the law's burden is lifted as the gospel is proclaimed to all people. The Holy Spirit chases our shadows away not by giving tools for labor or weapons for battle, but by empowering tongues to declare the death of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins. The result? Clarity, grace, and the promise that God's kingdom rests on His mighty deeds, not our efforts. Acts: The Story Continues Davis Johnson Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

The book of Acts is an amazing continuation of the story of Jesus Christ. After his death and resurrection, he hangs out with his disciples for 40 days, preparing them for the amazing ride that is about to begin - the age of the church! Acts Steve Treichler Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

Where are ~~you~~ we going? This week we consider the significance that all things are from, through, and to Jesus. You, me, the Church, and Hope Community Church were all created by God to showcase how great and good he is. So, this year, in light of Jesus being the head of our church, may our ministry efforts in community, church planting, and the God is Moving campaign hit us with the force of joy! Vision Series Cor Chmieleski Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

Quit Day -- the second Friday of January -- is the perfect picture of why so many of our plans fall apart: big ambitions meet the unpredictability of real life. But it's not just bad luck or lack of effort -- the world's brokenness and our own misplaced desires often derail us before we even begin. Learning how to plan from a greater sense of purpose while understanding our place within the bigger story allows us to move through the world with hope, especially when our plans fall apart. Vision Series Davis Johnson Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

What if heaven is less about escaping to the clouds and more about being with Jesus, who is making everything new? The purpose of heaven is to undo death in all its forms—restoring what was lost and healing what was shattered. If this is true, then heaven's power isn't just for someday but is also here and now, as we're set free from trying to make heaven on earth because this world is not our home. Isaiah Davis Johnson Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

The Bible is an unfolding of a huge mystery. This week, we will unfold the largest mystery in Scripture, and see how Jesus Christ is the final “reveal” of all!The Bible is an unfolding of a huge mystery. This week, we will unfold the largest mystery in Scripture, and see how Jesus Christ is the final “reveal” of all! Isaiah Steve Treichler Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

We would like to believe that we know how God operates. It gives us an illusion of control and predictability. He feels safer that way. But God does not act in keeping with our directives. Rather his ways are higher than our ways. And what this means might surprise you. It means that he is far more loving and forgiving and merciful than you and I imagine. Isaiah Cor Chmieleski Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

It's easy to think of a cosmic God who is very "other" than us. Yet, do we also God as one that is near, and can actually relate to everything we're going through? Discover how an Ethiopian eunuch not only finds acceptance and inclusion, but also a savior that can relate to his inner struggles. Isaiah Jon Neal Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

The Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” These words would later be understood as clear reference to Jesus. He is the awaited Son. He is the one who is “God with Us.” This Christmas, we will consider afresh how we are a waiting, wondering, and worshiping group of people in light of the news that the Savior has been born to us, who is Christ the Lord! Isaiah Cor Chmieleski Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

Christmas can be a wonderful time of year, but it can also be a very spiritually dry season as well. The traditions that are there to encourage us can end up becoming an in themselves. How does religion and tradition become a barrier to our relationship with God? How do we once again make sure we keep the “Christ” in Christmas? This week, we will focus in on these questions and more. Isaiah Steve Treichler Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

Wait...God is hiding? Yes, Scripture and our experiences both testify that He is often concealed. But perhaps He's hiding not to confuse but redirect -- away from speculation, pride, and misplaced seeking -- and inviting you to find Him in the last place you'd expect: humility, suffering, and the ordinary. Finding God isn't about striving or guessing but trusting when He says, “Here I am, for you.” Isaiah Davis Johnson Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

Why do we value what we value? Is it driven by personal preference, tradition, a return on investment, or simply our emotions? The Bible tells a consistent and challenging story: humanity often misplaces its values, elevating what is trivial and neglecting what is truly significant. But why is this the case? More importantly, how can we learn to value what truly matters? Isaiah Cor Chmieleski Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

Coca-Cola's mission is “to refresh the world and make a difference,” but what does that really mean? Like many mission statements, it's unclear and open to interpretation—just as people often misunderstand the mission of God. When Jesus reads from Isaiah 61, declaring good news for the poor and freedom for captives, He is met with resistance instead of celebration. What is God's mission, and why do we resist it? Discover how Jesus fulfills the mission of God according to Isaiah.   Isaiah Davis Johnson Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

Matthew quotes Isaiah to connect the ministry of Jesus to a historic prophecy of Israel whereby darkness gives way to light. Why does Matthew see a connection between the two? And, more importantly, how does darkness give way to light? Isaiah Cor Chmieleski Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

In Isaiah 40, a promise is made that a “voice crying out in the wildnerness" will come forth and will usher in a new era of God's relationship with his people. Learn how Isaiah's contemporaries would have heard this, and what this means to us as Christ followers. Isaiah Steve Treichler Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.