JBC Connect

Matthew 25:31-46 Pastor Sam shares about how this passage encourages us to go out to the margins and seek the disenfranchised because we see that this is very much what the life of Jesus was about. How can we meet the real needs of the world around us with the loving presence of God?

Ecclesiastes 4:9-11

Micah 6:6-8

Ephesians 4:14-18

Hebrews 4:9-11

This message considers how we are living in a new world of networks and connections. How can this affect the life of the church and its mission? How can we be more discerning to what we connect with and let speak into our lives?

How should the church think about technology? What does ministry look like in a new world of new devices? Let's think about how we can use the gifts that God has given us in this world to make them available for God today.

Matthew 5:17-20 This sermon explores how we are in a liminal time in the church and we need to think about our understanding of "old" and "new" within our story. How is God calling us to be the church today?

Exodus 20:1-3 Our former Executive Minister of the Evergreen Association of American Baptist Churches, Rev. Dr. Marcia Patton shared with her understanding of what it means to have God first in worship.

Colossians 1:28-29 This sermon reflects on how a vibrant and dynamic faith is concerned with reaching out to others. It is because God's love reached out to us, and so, God is calling us to reach out to others.

1 John 1:3-4 Pastor Sam shares about the importance of community as the place where God wants our faith to grow and be renewed. We are called to be a PEOPLE of God.

Hebrews 10:24-25 Pastor Sam shares about how Hospitality is actually about Christian community and discipleship in action.

Exodus 4:10-13 Dr. Paul Cho gives this message in both English and Japanese. He challenges us to gladly take up the invitations that God sends out to us to join in the ministry of Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:5-9 This sermon reflects on the need for Christians to desire spiritual growth as a part of their daily lives.

Pastor Sam and Rev. Lauren Ng from American Baptist Home Mission Society share about how they have been personally dealing with issues of race and identity in their families and ministries especially in light of our current times. They also share about how creativity has played an important role in helping them process their journeys.

Haggai 1:1-15 This message reflects upon what it was like for the exiles to return from Babylon their homes. In starting again, God challenged them to find God in the center of their lives as they sought to rebuild. Similarly, as we begin to return from this pandemic year, we are also called to keep God as our center. On this Pentecost Sunday and our 122nd Anniversary, let's seek the power of the Spirit.

Leviticus 25:1-7 This sermon talks about the biblical year of Jubilee for God's people. It was a time of renewal and change with God's people. As we begin to consider how life will be after the pandemic, let's make our own year of Jubilee as we open ourselves to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Colossians 3:12-17 Pastor Angeline shares this message about God's Mothering heart and how it relates to our daily walk with God.

This sermon is the final message in the "Receive" series that talks about the blessing of what we receive from God in the good news of Easter. May we all be blessed by the abundant and mysterious love of God. As we are, we will be transformed and compelled to love in Christ's name.

Luke 7:36-50 This sermon talks about the hope of Grace that comes in the resurrection of Christ. Let us release the burden of judgment and shame so that we can find the amazing Mercy of God.

Romans 8:22-25 This sermon reflects upon the Good News of Hope that comes through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In our times of weakness, let's find strength in the hope of God.

John 20:19-29 For this sermon, Rev. Avilesbernal, the Executive Minister of our Evergreen Association of American Baptist Churches, speaks about the need to move in love and to learn from the encounter of Thomas and the Risen Christ.

John 20:19-22 This sermon reflects upon the risen Christ's encounter. From this long season of Lent, we have learned to release which brings us to Easter: we are called to receive the things of life in light of the resurrection.

Matthew 26:36-41 This sermon reflects about the experience of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. As we see Christ's example, we are called to release our fears unto God and to entrust our lives unto our Heavenly Father.

Pastor Sam reflects on the growing reports of racism towards the AAPI community and its connection to Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman in Samaria from John 4.

Matthew 4:1-4 This sermon reflects upon Christ's temptation in the wildnerness and its connection to our own struggles with addiction. Let us humble ourselves and recognize our unhealthy attachments and seek the necessary steps to find restoration.

2 Corinthians 7:10-12 This sermon talks about the power of shame and God's call to help us release shame so that we can discover the healing acceptance of God's grace.

James 4:13-17 This sermon reflects on the lenten teaching of releasing control. How can we entrust our lives into God's good care in the midst of an ever changing world?

Matthew 16:24-25 Pastor Jason Ashimoto of Evergreen Baptist Church of Los Angeles and Pastor Sam of Japanese Baptist Church of Seattle share about how their two churches are embarking on a common journey of release for the season of Lent.

Hebrews 12:1-2 For the Day of Remembrance, we take a moment to recognize the past tragedy of the Incarceration of Japanese Americans but we also commit ourselves anew to be people of justice and equality for the sake of the kingdom of God. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses and Christ calls us to follow Him into the future.

Pastor Jason Ashimoto from Evergreen Baptist Church of Los Angeles shares a reflection on Job and how we see God and are held by God in times of good and trouble.

Matthew 18:1-5 This sermon talks about how we must come to Christ with the heart of a child if we are to truly understand what it means to be a part of God's kingdom.

Luke 6:43-45 This sermon addresses how to go about change according to Jesus. More than changing external behaviors, we need a radical change of our inwward heart and motivations.

For Martin Luther King Jr. Sunday, this sermon calls for compassion to see what God is doing in our world today. Let's be peacemakers like Christ and Rev. Dr. King.

Mark 2:18-22 This sermon challenges us to think about the way we cling to the old patterns of the world and resist the new thing that God wants to do in our lives. We need to surrender old and false understandings of God so that we can receive the new Life of God. Let us exchange our old wineskins for new ones so that God can pour new wine into us!

Pastor Sam shares some thoughts in processing the events of the past week concerning the invasion of the US Capitol and the dangers of religious zeal without Christ.

We talk with our long-time member Yosh Nakagawa about his passion for diversity, peace and love in our communities. Yosh has been instrumental in advocating for Japanese American communities and for creating a voice for Asian-American Pacific Islanders within the American Baptist Church. He has also been a very influential figure in the formation of the Evergreen Association of Baptists. In this episode, he shares about why JBC's story is important to him and why it should be for others as well.

Acts 9:1-19 This sermon opens the new year with a reminder that at the heart of the Christian message is that God loves us, forgives us and gives us the hope of a new life. Before you embark on any resolutions for yourself this year, remember that Christ's grace for you is perfect and unconditional.

Our short gathering for prayer to close out 2020. We encourage you to use this time to recognize where God has been in this past year and to also dedicate yourselves unto God in the year to come.

1 Timothy 1:12-17 This sermon reflects on how God's grace is at work in our lives even when we are not aware. As we look back on this difficult year, let's remember that even in our challenges God is here for us.

Luke 1:26-49 The good news of Christmas is that Christ is here! Mary saw this true, knew it in her deepest being and rejoiced. Let us pray for God to give us this special gift of Joy in this most challenging year.

This is a recording of our reflective alternative service to recognize the Hope of Christ even when it feels like the nights are long. May you know that God's love and comfort are near.

Isaiah 61:1-4 Pastor Angeline preaches on the significance of this prophetic passage in Isaiah and how it directly connects to Christ coming into our world. In Christ the Good News of God's promises are fulfilled.

In our last conversation of the year, we hear from the Next Generation Ministries Pastor of Seattle First Baptist Church to share about her joy of Advent, ministering to children and learning to be flexible in uncertain times.

Last year as a part of our 120th Anniversary we invited retired missionary Roberta Stephens to share and answer questions about her book, "A Flower With Roots." Her book gives an account of Mary D. Jesse and Shokei Girls' School. Mary D. Jesse, a woman from a family of means, abandoned everything to follow her vision to help lift the burden of Japanese girls during a time when education was a privilege and not a right. The book is a compelling account of the resiliency of a mission school where the love and loyalty of students shines through, even as the school leadership is embroiled in endless drama in management and personal relations.

Mark 13:24-37 Christmas is not a time of only cheer and good will, it is a time of God's holy disruption. God is awakening us from our indifference and complacency so that we can see the gospel anew.

1 Cor. 1:3-9 Psalm 80:1-7 Our Executive Minister of our Evergreen Association of Baptist Churches extended a message of inspiration to our family of communities to recognize the significance of Advent and the opportunity we have in this moment as followers of Christ.

In this episode, we invited Rev. Jason Ashimoto of Evergreen Baptist Church of Los Angeles to share with us in his journey of pastoring in diversity and through conflict. We hear great insights about how he pastors compassionately with God's Grace in the times when the church can get easily divided.

Luke 18:9-14 This sermon reflects on the true nature of thanksgiving. As we recognize the power of God's Grace in our life, we can truly know what it means to give thanks unto God.

Isaiah 40:28-31 This sermon reminds us that we can always come to God for strength and renewal. In these hard times, let us constantly seek God for our refreshing and sustenance!

Matthew 5:14-16 After the results of the election were announced, this sermon reminds us that our calling to be a "city on a hill" to the world remains. Let us stay steadfast in our commitment to living in the way of Jesus Christ.