The Town Church / Fort Collins

The wisdom books teach us a lot about human emotion. We often swing between two extremes: ignoring our emotions or letting them rule our lives. Today, we talk about how to avoid those two ditches and explore a few other helpful topics.What is the "fear of God" mentioned in Proverbs?How do we read through Proverbs devotionally? What resonated with us from Sunday's sermon? Listen until the end for our new outro music!

God intentionally created us as emotional beings.From Job to Song of Solomon, the wisdom books of the Old Testament give voice to those emotions and show us how to bring our whole selves to God. 

In this big picture overview of the History books, we see the continued pattern of a deep longing for Jesus. Is every failing or disappointment in life meant to point us to Jesus and His promised return? How do we counsel someone enduring hardship, knowing that restoration may not come until Jesus returns? What is God like according to these books? 

The History books of the Old Testament continue to reveal that something is missing for God's people—something only Jesus can fulfill.Through the stories of promised lands and imperfect leaders, we see the ache for a greater King and a true place of rest. Every victory, failure, and longing points us to Jesus—the one who fully satisfies.

This week, we zoom out and look at the big picture. How do the first five books of the Bible show us our need for Jesus? What generally struck you from this sermon? Have you always viewed the Bible as one cohesive story? Why is the Old Testament still valuable today? 

All of the Old Testament points forward to the coming of Jesus.This week, we're looking at how Christ is revealed in The Law -- the first five books of the Old Testament. In these pages, God shows us His character and His will for His people. At the same time, The Law exposes our inability to perfectly live out that will. These books stir in us a longing for someone greater someone who will fulfill the Law on our behalf and bring the restoration and redemption our hearts desperately need.

In our 1 Corinthians wrap-up, we explore the themes of chapter 16—how saints give together, serve together, endure together, and love together. Of these themes, which one resonated with you the most? How has God shaped your perspectives around giving? What has that looked like for you? What are current ministries to be involved in at our church (and are there any that you would like to see one day)?Who in our body has helped you endure? What are tangible examples of love you've experienced through the church? 

Our journey through 1 Corinthians ends with Paul's closing words in chapter 16. He ties together the heart of his message—our unity in Christ—and shows what that looks like in practice. It's a fitting conclusion to this letter and to our series, reminding us again that we are called to be saints together.

In the resurrection, we will finally be completely free from sin and its consequences. Is it harder for us to think about having bodies that are physically restored or bodies that are unaffected by sin?What effect of sin are we most looking forward to being destroyed? What could it look like for each of us to remain steadfast and immovable in our own lives? 

Jesus is victorious over sin and death. Because of His victory, we will one day no longer feel the sting of sin.In the final verses of 1 Corinthians 15, Paul proclaims this triumphant truth that should move our hearts to worship.

Resurrection bodies?! This subject can bring up a lot of questions that we may never be able to answer. Rather than venturing into the weeds, we consider a few different questions: How does the reality of death before life hit our hearts? How does this influence the way we share the gospel with others? How does this increase our hope in what is to come? 

As Christians, we get to live in eager anticipation for what is to come when our bodies are fully restored and we get to dwell in perfect union with God. Paul reminds the Corinthians of this promise of life and restoration in this passage on resurrection bodies. 

A brief introduction to the forthcoming short podcast series designed as a companion to our fall reading plan of the Gospel of John. It answers questions like:Why this short series?What do we mean by engaging with the Bible "devotionally"?What can I expect?

The bodily resurrection of Christ is foundational to our faith, yet this can be a stumbling block to our culture. Where have we seen culture contradict the truth of the resurrection? Are there any beliefs you've had that contradicted the gospel? How have you seen God graciously correct those overtime? What has He used to correct any inconsistent beliefs? 

Paul builds upon the unifying Gospel truths he wrote in the beginning of chapter 15 to now help some in the Corinthian church who had beliefs and lifestyles inconsistent with the Gospel truth of Christ's bodily resurrection. In this text Paul both encourages us with the beautiful ramifications of Christ's bodily resurrection as well as offers us the gift of examining where we believe and live in ways contradictory to the Gospel - so that we might more fully live!

The Gospel is a message of great hope for the undeserving -- and that's all of us!What does it really mean that the Gospel transforms everything?What things are you tempted to have as first importance?How did God deliver the gospel message to you?What has your own relationship with Jesus been like recently - more surviving or reviving?

Paul brings everything back to the message of first importance -- the Gospel. It is this fundamental truth that transforms us, empowers us, and unites us. 

Happy three years of the AfterWord! Another special guest joins us to share their journey of understanding spiritual gifts. Together, we explore how they can be used, the tensions that may arise, and how, in the end, these gifts draw our eyes to God.

Before moving onto the next chapter of 1 Corinthians, we pause to do a deep dive into each of the gifts mentioned by Paul. What are they, and how can they be used at The Town Church? 

This passage in 1 Corinthians raises some challenging but important questions. With the help of a special guest, we take time to wrestle with these tough topics while bringing the focus back to God's character. How should we define prophecy? How do we weigh / discern prophecy? Do verses 34 and 35 apply to single women? 

God is a God of peace and order, and our worship ought to reflect who He is.In this passage, Paul instructs the Corinthian church in orderly worship

Paul exhorts the Corinthian church to earnestly desire the gifts -- so what has this looked like for each of us?This week, we discuss tongues and prophecy in the corporate gathering and welcome a special guest who shares both wisdom and pieces of her own story.

The gifts of prophecy and tongues are given by God for the good of the church.Paul shows how they are to be practiced, always grounded in love, so that the whole body is encouraged and strengthened.

We often look at 1 Corinthians 13 without thinking of the surrounding context. At its core, this passage encourages the Corinthian church to exercise spiritual gifts in a way that is rooted in love. Our conversation begins with one important question: How does love practically play out in unity and not only in uniformity?Other questions:How do you not insist on your own way while holding tightly to conviction?How is this description of love different from what our culture tells us? How does this love differ from romantic love?

In this well-known passage, Paul tells the Corinthian church that if they want unity to last, it all comes down to one thing: love.

God appoints the gifts that the Church needs, and Paul reminds us of this truth in 1 Corinthians 12.This week, we dig deeper into these "higher gifts" and explore how they ultimately point toward unity.Some of the questions we consider include:What does unity really mean? How can we remain unified even when we land in different places regarding the gifts?Do individuals have gifts of healing and miracles?

The gifts listed in this passage are appointed to and needed by the Church today. How are we supposed to use these gifts for the common good of the Church? 

God has graciously brought a diversity of individuals to The Town Church. In this episode, we take time to reflect on the unique giftings we see in a small number of those people and the beauty of God's design in bringing us together.Some questions for discussion:A common belief today is that the Church does not have a place in our personal relationship with God. How does this passage speak to that?Why is uniformity not necessary for true unity?

The church is composed of a wide variety of people, and everyone has something different to bring to the table. This passage answers an important question: What are God's designs for unity in the diversity of the local church? 

When it comes to the gifts mentioned in this passage, many people fall along a wide spectrum in terms of their personal views. What is your personal experience with these gifts? How have your views continued to be shaped over the course of your Christian life? 

How is the Holy Spirit at work in the life of the Church? Paul answers this question in this passage, introducing three profound ways the Spirit builds up the Church. 

Communion is a beautiful way we are able to experience the love of Christ and recognize the sacrifice made for us on the cross. This week, we talk about changes we made as a church in how we do Communion and do a deeper exploration of this passage in 1 Corinthians 11. What is your process before you take Communion?What things may distract us from Jesus in our church gatherings today? What responsibility do parents have in guiding their children as they take part in the Lord's Supper?

The church in Corinth had lost sight of the true meaning of the Lord's Supper, treating it in ways that caused division. In this passage, Paul offers a strong correction—reminding the church (and us) of what this meal truly represents.

This passage is filled with timeless instruction that reveals God's good design for marriage. Additionally, we try to bring a bit of clarity to some of Paul's more confusing points (...because of the angels?). How can we see the cultural significance of this passage as Christians in Fort Collins? What is our personal response to God's design for marriage? How can we discern between timeless instruction and cultural instruction?

This passage is filled with instruction that applies to us today, even outside of the cultural context Paul was writing to. These truths about God's true design for marriage all point us to the worship of Jesus. 

Through Christ, we've received the freedom to love others. But what can this look like in our lives today? This week, we unpack practical applications, discuss how the passage hit each of us, and consider what it really means to glorify God in life. 

Paul tackles the topic of Christian freedom. What's our Christian freedom and how do we then live freely?

Brock joins us for this week's AfterWord as we discuss some hard questions surrounding the text. How did this passage strike you?How has an improper view of God and/or sin played out in your own life in the past?How can we fight against the sin of complaining? What are some ways God provides escape from temptation?

Idolatry is a serious and pervasive sin, and it often presents itself in ways that we would not expect. How can we "flee from idolatry?"

Giving up our rights to build gospel bridges. That's the main theme of chapter 9 that Jon showed us in his sermon.As we process that a bit more, we first explore a couple of clarification questions related to the text (Was it only Corinth in which Paul didn't receive financial support? Is his instruction here primarily targeting our interactions with unbelievers or believers or both?), and then we spend the bulk of our time talking through present day application.In Fort Collins, what are some examples where we might give up our rights for the sake of the gospel?What are some present day examples where we might conform to others for the sake of the gospel?

Paul expands on the theme of surrendering our rights as Christians by exploring one key question: How are we called to give up our rights to build gospel bridges?

We have received many freedoms through Christ, but with that comes navigating how to love others more than we love our own rights. This week, our conversation largely focuses around that idea, and we explore questions like: What are some things that we need to be willing to sacrifice for the sake of loving others? How can we discern when it's appropriate to challenge the expectations of others and when we would be sinning against them? How did this passage hit you personally? 

Are we willing to lay aside our own rights and freedoms out of love for other people? Paul challenges the Corinthian church to not let their own knowledge interfere with their ability to love their brothers and sisters well. 

Rather than exploring specific questions, we process our own thoughts and questions from the three main points of the sermon: Marriage is a worldly pursuitMarriage is a divided devotion Marriage is a practical decision

While this passage may seem like a commercial against marriage, it is really a call to be fully devoted to Jesus whether we are single or married. How can we fight to make our pursuit of Jesus our priority, no matter our season of life?