The Town Church / Fort Collins

This passage covers a very difficult concept, bringing up a lot of questions around how to rightly handle sin. How does Paul's instruction to the church to disassociate with an unrepentant believer apply to one-on-one relationships like friendships and family?How does this fit with Jesus' instruction in Matthew 18 about dealing with someone who sins against you?What are some ways forward to give and receive feedback about our sin well?

How are we to live in light of the sacrifice of Christ? As Paul deals with sin that has impacted the church, we see how he calls them to deal with this sin, knowing Christ has been sacrificed on their behalf. 

We have all received our gifts, skills, and abilities from God. How do we hold these in a way that does not diminish them or puff us up? How can the reality that we are receivers in Christ impact our daily lives? On this special Cinco de Mayo edition of the AfterWord, we discuss a hard-hitting question: Where are the best tacos in town?

Pride is a deeply rooted issue in the Corinthian church—one that distorts their understanding of who they are as Christians. In this passage, Paul reminds them (and us) of true identity in Christ.

We desire for our view of God to become more and more accurate over time. Our hearts respond to God further revealing himself to us with a growing love for God. As a church we have called this spiritual formation rhythm Doctrinal Formation. The primary place our view of God is accurately formed is in the Bible. To this end, we hosted a panel conversation discussing the book of Jonah. We asked several men and women to study the book beforehand and then get together to share the fruit of their study, with a special eye to teasing out what the book of Jonah says God is like.We hope this is the first of many future panel discussions to come. Enjoy!

In the church, we are constantly reminded that our identity is found in Christ alone. What does it look like to live this out practically? Other questions we explore: How have we (or people we know) lived in ways that the world may view as foolish? What difference does it make to us that our commendation comes from God? Additionally, we learn how to properly pronounce "legume."

Our hearts are quick to look for belonging and significance in things of the world. Paul reminds us in this passage that we receive our commendation from God alone because we belong to Christ. 

This Easter, we celebrated Jesus' victory over death by looking at the story of Thomas. Thomas, like so many of us, needed to see proof of God's work to believe. When we sit in our own doubt, where can we look to see proof that God is faithful and will meet us in our doubt? 

This week, we take some time to unpack the big themes that Paul focuses on in 1 Corinthians 3. What does the milk vs. solid food analogy really mean? How can we view the idea of the rewards we receive as Christians? While we don't come to full understanding of these topics, the images Paul provides give us a glimpse of how God is at work. 

Paul uses a variety of pictures to help communicate truth to his readers. All of these pictures point back to the profound truth of the gospel and the unity we are meant to have as those who belong to Christ. 

1 Corinthians 2 reminds us of one vital truth: the gospel is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit, because of the grace of God. This profound truth has a lot of implications to us as Christians, and it opens up some questions about sharing the gospel. Some questions that we unpack this week:What are things that motivate us to share our faith?What discourages us from sharing our faith? Verse 16 says "...we have the mind of Christ." How does this hit your heart? 

True wisdom is granted to Christians solely through the power of the Holy Spirit. We do not come to understand the gospel on our own—it is only by the grace of God that He reveals Himself to us.How should we respond to this profound truth? 

This week, we discuss the foolishness of the cross, how we desire to experience God, and potatoes. How does being saved by the foolishness of the cross make a difference in our lives? Do we seek out intellect or emotional/miraculous experiences? How can we we seek those things in light of the cross? 

In the final section of 1 Corinthians 1, Paul makes a bold proclamation: To those who belong to God, the word of the cross is power. In a world that views this truth as foolishness, how can we cling to the cross? 

Division in the church can be caused by a number of factors, most of those forming us in some significant way. Today, we explore what some of those may be and how to use discernment when it comes to the things that do influence us. What examples come to mind that cause division in the church? How can we use discernment when we evaluate the teachers we read, listen to, or follow? Who are you influenced by? 

Division is born from a variety of circumstances, disrupting the unity we are meant to have as a church.What causes division in the church? What can we cling to that truly unites us as a Body? 

We are joined by two special guests this week as we unpack a painful yet important topic: pride. Where do we see pride express itself in our lives? What false view of God does pride tend to create? Of the five graces mentioned in the sermon, which is the most challenging for you to accept? The most encouraging?

The underlying issue being addressed in Paul's letter to the Corinthian church is pride. While it may not always manifest in the same ways, pride is just as present in our own hearts as it was in theirs. The question to keep in mind as we explore this passage is this: What true view of God will correct our prideful view of ourselves? 

The conversation this week revolves around how to remain unified as a church, largely focusing in on a a few key questions: What are reasons to leave a church? How can we maintain unity in the midst of disagreement? These questions just scratch the surface of what we will be diving into through our time in 1 Corinthians. 

By of the grace of God, we are called together as saints. This truth helps launch us into a new series through the book of 1 Corinthians. 

This week, we get to wrap up the book of Ruth by hearing from our listener! What did God stir up in our hearts through our time in Ruth? 

Ruth ends with a beautiful picture of redemption. This redemption not only extends to those in the book, but it also extends to us through the work of the True Redeemer. 

In the midst of grief in Ruth, we begin to see clear evidence of God's lovingkindness. How have you seen God's kindness in your own life? What encouragement can we find in seasons where it is difficult to be hopeful? 

God's kindness is often revealed in unlikely ways through unlikely people. In this passage, God's deep love and kindness is evident in the lives of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz. 

In this episode, we process through some tough questions relating to God's providence. While we may not arrive at definite answers, these conversations allow us to see a fuller picture of what God's providence really means. What is the difference between sovereignty and providence? Is God providential over sin? How do we reconcile God's providence with the choices and plans we make in our own lives? 

Ruth 2 reminds us of a critical truth: God is over all things all the time. Whether it's in our plans, our kindness toward others, or our provision, we can see God's loving, fatherly hand at work. 

As we press onward in Ruth, we revisit the question: How do we walk well with others in grief? How can we discern when it's best to listen or to direct others to truth? Additionally, we explore some other questions: Are there things that tend to blind us to the big picture of what God is doing? In another passage filled with grief, how can we see what God is like? 

This passage gives us a glimpse into Naomi's grief as she returns to Bethlehem. Through it all, Ruth remains loyal to her mother-in-law, setting the stage for the greater redemption that is to come. 

When facing intense grief and loss, our feelings often lead us to question God and His character. How can we allow our head knowledge to guide us in those seasons? What encouragement can be given to those who may experience this dissonance between the head and heart? How can we walk with others well through these seasons? If you read this, please refer to Eric as "Monster Slayer" from now on. 

Ruth opens with a story of deep grief marked by loss, famine, and separation from God. Although this is a heavy beginning, it sets the scene for restoration that is to come. 

Bible intake, prayer, corporate worship, community, and doctrinal formation are a few rhythms that aid in our spiritual formation. This week, we spend our time discussing how these rhythms have been fruitful and challenging in our own formation. 

Our rhythms shape us. Whether that's who we spend time with, what we eat, or what we watch, we are influenced by the things we regularly partake in. The same is true for our spiritual rhythms. This week, we explore what those are and how they form us to look more like Christ. 

On a very full AfterWord, we discuss what it has looked like to to create space to hear from God. What does space look like for each of us? How have we seen the Spirit work in that? Are there moments we've experienced God in unexpected ways, and how can we discern that those moments are really from the Spirit? 

Now that we know the aim of spiritual formation and how our love for God is able to grow, a question that likely has been developing is this:  What is our own role in spiritual formation? This week, that question is answered by examining how we receive God's revelation of Himself and how we hear the Spirit.

This week, we discuss our response to God's love for us and the ways we are shaped by the objects of our love.  Discussion questions: - What are things we love, and how do they shape us? - Is our own love for God ALWAYS a response to His love for us? - Since God is the one that reveals His glory to us, are there things that we do that keep us from seeing and responding to his glory? 

Last week, we covered the aim of spiritual formation and how our love for God influences how we live. That leads us to a new question: How does our love for God grow? This question is answered by defining what love for God really means and considering how this love shapes us. 

When you think back on your life, what has spiritual formation looked like for you? Has the key emphasis been a growing love for God? What are some pitfalls we can face when we view love for God as the main goal of spiritual formation? We examine these questions and more on this week's Afterword. Please bear with Vince's hosting skills. It gets better. 

The term "spiritual formation" is often defined in different ways by different people. As we enter into a short series on spiritual formation, two pivotal questions are examined: What is the true aim of spiritual formation? How does that connect to the way we live? 

Our series through Advent has made it clear that God chooses the lowly and imperfect to accomplish His purposes. As we conclude the Advent season, we celebrate the coming of Jesus, who is enough.

Brock joins us this week as we reflect on Sunday's sermon.  How does the fulfillment of prophesy we've seen throughout Advent increase our own certainty in the validity of Scripture? Are there times we've wrestled with the reliability of the Bible? 

The visit of the wise men is an important story in the Christmas narrative, especially as we consider how these Gentile men even knew about this prophesied Jewish Messiah.From Genesis to Revelation, God has declared that the gospel will reach every nation. God's heart for the whole world is why we, like the Magi, get to know Christ and worship Him as our Lord. 

As we look at Christ's birth, it is evident that God was clearly at work in each piece of this story. From fulfillment of prophecy to the details given to the shepherds, none of this happened by chance.In our conversation today, we address some other questions this story brings up: How have we seen God clearly orchestrating events in our own lives?Is there any relevance to the angel appearing to the shepherds?Especially for those who've grown up in the church, the familiarity of the Christmas story can often make us numb to the beauty of it. Do we have any practices in place that have helped us push against this?

As we consider the gospel, do we see it as good news of great joy? What causes us to neglect to see it this way? This passage reminds us of the significance of Christ's arrival to earth and challenges us to consider whether the gospel spurs us on to joyful worship. 

We are joined this week by none other than Jon P. Pfeil to unpack Zechariah's prayer and the way his story hits our hearts. Are we entering into this Advent season with joy? How did Mary and Zechariah respond differently to the news Zechariah brought? When we don't see God fulfilling the desires of our hearts, how can we find encouragement in who God is and what He is accomplishing? 

In Zechariah's prayer at the end of Luke 1, we see what it looks like to joyfully worship God for who He is. With this as our guide, how can our own hearts be drawn to joyful worship?

It's Advent! This week we discuss our own practices for the Advent season and zoom into the Magnificat with some helpful questions from Austin. How do we slow down and prepare for Advent? How should we approach songs/poetry that we encounter in the middle of narrative sections of the Bible? Why did Mary choose these themes as she praised God? What comfort can we bring to those who are sitting in seasons of long silence and waiting for God's deliverance? 

We enter into Advent by looking at The Magnificat, Mary's Song of Praise. Her joyful worship is a response to God's glorious mercy. According to this passage, how does God reveal Himself through His mercy? 

This week, we get to hear stories from listener of how God moved in hearts through our time in Colossians. Before that, we unpack a couple of questions from the text: How have we seen collaboration among local churches? What role do our own stories play in prompting encouragement and worship in the Christian life? 

The conclusion of Colossians provides a glimpse into the Church and how it functions as one body with many members. 

In this passage, Paul calls the church to be faithful in prayer and in seeking opportunities for the gospel. How would we describe our own prayer life? What is an encouragement for someone who is struggling with prayer? What can it look like to engage in gospel opportunities now, rather than just in the future? 

Do we seek out gospel opportunities wherever we are planted? Is this a focus of our prayers?In this passage, Paul encourages the church to pursue opportunities to share the gospel and provides instruction in how to pray.