Walt East's Podcast

In Chaplain Walt's final message in this series on the book of Mark we look at the most significant event in all of history...the Resurrection of Jesus.   This is Chaplain Walt's final message as Lead Chaplain at Sky Valley Chapel.  It was delivered on January 29th.   You may follow his new ministry at www. activatedteams.org.    After brief sabbatical Walt will begin adding content to this podcast on an occasional basis.  In the meantime, go back and listen to what is posted the you may have missed.

Why did Jesus have to die on the cross?  Couldn't it have been done any other way?  How are we to live in light of Jesus' sacrifice for us?   Join Chaplain Walt for the penultimate message in our study of the Book of Mark--The Story of Jesus.

Jesus came to save...but he wasn't the Savior they were looking for.  While Pilate tried to acquit Jesus, the crowds and the religious leaders chose Barabbas to be freed and called for Jesus to be crucified.  Join Chaplain Walt for the look at How to Choose the Wrong Savior. 

It started with a man named Abraham.  God's redemptive plan for the world culminated in Jesus' death, burial and resurrection.  All the sacrifices, the Passover, it all pointed to his perfect sacrifice.   Join us at Chaplain Walt brings new/old meaning to the Lord's Supper/Communion/Eucharist. 

The birth of Jesus only gets 4 chapters in the Bible.  God became incarnate for a reason.   That reason was to go to the cross in order to provide salvation for mankind.  Join Chaplain Walt for this unusual message delivered on Christmas Day 2022 at Sky Valley Chapel. 

When things seem dark, and despair sets in, the bells of Christmas and the message of hope can restore our faith.   Special musical presentation by Bruce Carroll.

It's the final week of Jesus' life on Earth before going to the cross.  He takes time to teach in the Temple about money and stewardship.   Join Chaplain Walt as we look at what God expects of those who claim to be Jesus followers regarding wealth and the things he entrusts to us.

They were the expert Bible scholars of Jesus' day...and they missed it.  They ended up as enemies of God who called for Jesus' death.  If we are not careful, we can misuse the Bible for our own purposes and miss the purpose of God.   Join Chaplain Walt as he explores Bible Study Gone Bad.

A scribe asked Jesus, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"   Jesus couldn't answer his question for there is not one most important, but two.  Love God, Love Others.  Join Chaplain Walt for this important teaching about what it means to love God and to love others.

Another group questions Jesus in the Temple trying to turn the people and Rome against him.  "Should we pay taxes to Rome?"  Either way he answers, they figure they win.  But they didn't count on his wisdom.  Then the Sadducees bring a ridiculous question to him.   Again, he responds and shuts them down.   Join Chaplain Walt as we continue through the last week of Jesus' ministry before he heads to the cross. 

Jesus so radically challenged the religious elite that they wanted to know who he thought he was.  Who was he to change their life?   What authority was he acting under?   Who is Jesus in YOUR life?  Join Chaplain Walt as he continues this challenging series in the Gospel of Mark.

In Mark 11 there are two instances of Jesus getting upset.  The first deals with a fig tree that falsely advertised that it bore fruit.  The second was the way the religious leaders neglected to provide for non-Jews to get close to God.  There are lessons for us in both of these as Jesus will judge us not by our lip service, but by our actions.  Join Chaplain Walt for this episode of our journey through the Gospel of Mark--The Story of Jesus.

The Jews who welcomed Jesus to Jerusalem had their own ideas about what Messiah meant.  What happens when the Jesus you get isn't the Jesus you wanted?   Join Chaplain Walt as we look at what happened that last week before the crucifixion and how we can avoid the trap they fell into.   

Last week Jesus asked James and John what he could do for them.   This week he asks blind Bartimaeus  the same question.  The results were very different.  Join Chaplain Walt as we look at a physically blind man who had great spiritual sight.

The temptation for self-promotion is real for all of us.   But Jesus taught that self-denial was the path to greatness in the Kingdom of God.   Join Chaplain Walt for this week's teaching from the Book of Mark. 

The young man seemed to have everything going for him, but he was troubled.  He came to Jesus and Jesus told him he lacked one thing.  Just one thing.   The man ended up going away sad.   Is there something in your life that stands in the way of Jesus being Lord of your life?   Join Chaplain Walt for this challenging message from the Gospel of Mark.

Divorce is a tough issue as it has affected nearly every one of us.  The subject was no less touchy in Jesus' day.  God's original intent was the permanence of marriage.  How are Christians to gracefully approach failed marriages and those who have suffered through marital breakup.  Join Chaplain Walt as he looks at what Jesus taught about divorce (and marriage).  

Jesus came to teach.  And he chose the most unlikely place and the most unlikely student to teach us about the essence of worship.   Join Chaplain Walt as we look at What Jesus Taught about Worship.

(Please note--This is Chaplain Walt's last scheduled podcast UNTIL October 2022. Please enjoy our archived podcasts over the summer, or catch up on what you've missed.)   Jesus said some pretty hard  and difficult things.  Today's passage is one of them as Jesus tells us to get radical about sin.  

We all tend to draw circles.  And then we decide who is inside, and outside the circle.   But is our circle congruent with Jesus' circle?  Join Chaplain Walt as he teaches from Mark ch 9 about the danger of making our circle too small.

It goes against our nature.  We would rather be served than to serve.  But the One who calls us didn't come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.  If we are called to follow Him, we are called to serve.  Join Chaplain Walt for this challenging message on what it means to follow Jesus.

What do you do when you can't?   You rely on God!    That's the lesson the disciples had to learn when they were too proud to pray.  Join Chaplain Walt for this teaching on the importance of tapping into God's power through prayer.  

This week we had Michael Newville speak and give us an update of the ministry in Queenstown.

Jesus took Peter, James and John up on the mountain for a prayer meeting.  What happened there was nothing short of spectacular.  However, Peter still didn't get it.   He later tells us that we have something even more enduring than his experience on the mountain.   Join Chaplain Walt as we look at the account of the Transfiguration. 

How do you become a follower of Jesus Christ.  Join Chaplain Walt as we look at Jesus' call to discipleship. 

"You are the Christ," Peter said, and shortly thereafter Peter rebuked Jesus for talking about the need to suffer.  Join Chaplain Walt as we look at how we pay lip service to God.

Jesus went about healing, giving sight to the blind, enabling the deaf to hear.   And yet, those who should have got him, didn't.  Those who knew the scriptures best and knew him best were spiritually blind and deaf.  Spiritual growth doesn't just happen.  Join Chaplain Walt for part 2 of When Things Go from Bad to Worse.

Jesus does a redo on feeding a vast crowd...and his disciples still don't get it!   Join Chaplain Walt as we look at three lessons from enjoying a rerun.

Who in the Bible was allowed to speak but not able to speak…but once he was able to speak was not allowed to speak? The answer is the unnamed man featured in the passage  Join Chaplain Walt as he teaches on this great miracle.  Listen to the end for an important announcement about Chaplain Walt and Lou's future ministry plans. 

Jesus heads Northwest out of Israel in order to focus on training his disciples.  And in the most unlikely of places, from the most unlikely of persons, he finds a faith that he commends.  Join Chaplain Walt as we  see that our background or past doesn't matter to Jesus.  

The world basically sees people as naturally good...but Scripture tells us different.  There is hope as Jesus offers us a new heart.  Join Chaplain Walt as we look at how God can change our hearts and give us hope though the finished work of Jesus on the cross and the indwelling Holy Spirit. 

What happens when we try to "help" God?  The Scribes thought they were doing a good thing, but their "fence" around the Law became more important than God's word itself. How do we let our tradition interfere with following what God expects of us? Join Chaplain Walt as we learn look at Jesus vs. Tradition.

Session 05 from our 2022 REFRESH Conference held February 7-9 at Sky Valley Chapel.    What does it mean for the Church to be missional in the 21st century. Dr. Kirk Mackie discusses Missional DNA and how we can use the acronym BELLS to incorporate mission and discipleship in our daily lives.

Session 04 from our 2022 REFRESH Conference held February 7-9 at Sky Valley Chapel.  The Gospel doesn't change, but to reach people we must do so in a winsome and culturally relevant way.  Dr. Kirk Mackie discusses Intercultural Evangelism.

Session 03 from our 2022 REFRESH Conference held February 7-9 at Sky Valley Chapel.  Dr. Kirk Mackie discusses Spiritual Disciplines and their place in the church on mission.

C.S. Lewis said, "The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men [and women] into Christ..."  Join Dr. Kirk Mackie for the second session of REFRESH 2022 as we look at Discipleship and Disciple-making Movements.

Session 01 from our 2022 REFRESH Conference held 7-9 at Sky Valley Chapel.  Dr. Kirk Mackie discusses Three Church Paradigms and their implications of the 21st Century Church in North America.

It's a hard lesson to learn.   Jesus wanted the disciples to "get it"  but they missed it.  So he goes to great lengths to show them Who He is.  Join Chaplain Walt as we learn an important lesson for us today.

There are two miracles that occur in all four gospels, the Resurrection and the Feeding of the 5,000.  We look at Mark's account of the latter as Jesus teaches the disciples, and us, an important lesson.  Join Chaplain Walt as we continue our journey through Mark's gospel.

What is the mission of the Church?  How can we reclaim the Jesus Way of Life?   Join our guest speaker Dr. Kirk Mackie from Novo.org as we look at these questions.     Kirk was the speaker for our 2022 REFRESH Bible Conference.  We will be posting those sessions on the podcast as well.

Every Jesus follower is called to ministry!  Join Chaplain Walt as we explore how we are to represent Jesus well.

It's homecoming,  Jesus returns to Nazareth with the disciples.  The people are amazed, he teaches, they take offense at him and want to throw him off a cliff.  What happened, who ruined homecoming?  Join Chaplain Walt as we look at the difference between belief and faith.

The crowd watches the stories of two families collide as they come into contact with the power of Jesus.  Jesus calls us to come out of the crowd and surrender our all to him.   Join Chaplain Walt as we continue our study of the Gospel of Mark and the Story of Jesus. 

What is it worth to save one man?   Join Chaplain Walt as he explores the story of the a man possessed by many demons and living in the tombs.   

How can God be all powerful and a loving God while allowing evil to exist?  This question has plagued mankind for millennia.  Join Chaplain Walt as we look at the logical and emotional answers to problem of evil.  

Some scriptures deserve a second look.   Join Chaplain Walt this week as we look again at the most important parable Jesus taught.

We're farmers.  The job of the Jesus follower is to sow the seed of the gospel.  Who's responsible for the results?   Join Chaplain Walt as we look at the most important parable that Jesus taught.  

It happened to Mary the mother of Jesus, to John the Baptist and to Peter, and it happens to all of us!  Join Chaplain Walt as we discuss what to remember when God just doesn't make sense?  

What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus Christ?   The chief expectation is, be with Jesus. Join Chaplain Walt as we continue our study through the Mark - The Story of Jesus.

They loved God's Law, but they thought he needed their help.  So they added layer upon layer of rules and traditions.  Jesus saved his harshest words for the Pharisees, the legalists.  Join Chaplain Walt as we look at How Zeal Goes Bad.

Human nature hasn't changed much in 2,000 years.   We have a tendency to measure ourselves by out checklists, whether dos and don'ts or spiritual discipline.  God cares more about our character and our obedience than our checks in the boxes.   Join Chaplain Walt as we look at what Jesus had to say about fasting and other spiritual disciplines.