Westside Church Podcast

We are excited to launch our fundraising campaign for a renovation project that is going to radically alter our building in Hamilton to help us increase its functionality and accessibility.Tune in to hear all about our, Making Space For Everyone Capital Campaign Launch!

From the series, "Good Religion." A 5-week teaching series that confronts harmful religion and invites us into the freeing way of Jesus.Part 5: Q&A Sunday. We finish up our series, "Good Religion" by answering some of your questions. We'll dig into your real questions about understanding Scripture, prayer, and navigating faith in a polarized world. We'll explore what it looks like to live out good religion in everyday life!

From the series, "Good Religion." A 5-week teaching series that confronts harmful religion and invites us into the freeing way of Jesus.Part 4: Good Hearts. Bad religion doesn't start with bad behaviour. What we do is the product of who we are. And so if we want to overcome all that is wrong, we need to go deeper. Good religion gets to the heart and allows God to change us from within.

From the series, "Good Religion." A 5-week teaching series that confronts harmful religion and invites us into the freeing way of Jesus.Part 3: Good Priorities. Jesus made it very clear what God's priorities are. He left no question that caring for those in need is a top priority and if that's true of God, it needs to be true for us too.

From the series, "Good Religion." A 4-week teaching series that confronts harmful religion and invites us into the freeing way of Jesus.Part 2: Good Grace. Jesus has some harsh and confronting words for religious people who learned how to game the system. By creating pious-sounding loopholes, they reduced obedience to the bare minimum and missed the heart of God entirely. That's bad religion, but there is a better way that Jesus calls us to: the way of grace and love.

From the series, "Good Religion" – a new 4-week teaching series.Religion often carries a bad reputation, and for good reason. In its name, real harm has been done. Bad religion leaves people feeling judged, condemned, and stuck. That's not what Jesus intended, and it's not what we want to offer the world. In this series, we'll name and expose the kind of religion that weighs people down and discover the better way Jesus invites us into!Part 1: Good Judgment. Jesus taught his followers not to judge, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't have good judgment. What's the difference and how do we make sure we don't confuse the two?

From the series, "Connected: Thriving in a Digital World" – a 4 week teaching series.Part 4 – Connecting and Disconnecting with Dave Stimers. We all have information, but what we need is wisdom. This week, we reset the clock and explore the difference between knowing what's true and actually living it, especially when it comes to our habits, freedom, and technology. Proverbs reminds us that wisdom isn't automatic or accidental. It's a costly, intentional pursuit that leads to a better, freer life.

From the series, "Connected: Thriving in a Digital World" – a 4 week teaching series.Part 3 – AI, Connection, & the Art of Being Human with Mark Wall & Leona Banfield. What does faith look like in our age of Artificial Intelligence? Sunday's conversation explores what AI is (and isn't), how it's shaping our lives, and why it matters for followers of Jesus. Let's learn how to engage AI wisely, faithfully, and humanly, grounded in God's call to love and live well together.

From the series, "Connected: Thriving in a Digital World" – a 4 week teaching series.Part 2 – Media: Navigating Everything with Brett Ullman. The average person spends 7 hours a day on screens, with kids spending 2–3 hours on social media. Many issues like anxiety, depression, cyberbullying, sexting, misinformation, and isolation are tied to media use. Kids need help navigating it safely, and parents do too. Brett's media talk is an essential conversation for everyone!

From the series, "Connected: Thriving in a Digital World" – a new 4-week teaching series.In a world full of screens, notifications, and constant connection, it can feel impossible to keep up without losing yourself. This series explores how to use technology in ways that actually enhance your life, relationships, and well-being. Together, we'll discover practical strategies and timeless wisdom for staying present, focused, and fully alive—both online and off.Part 1: Harnessing Our Intention and Attention. Whether we realize it or not, we are being shaped by what we see, hear, and experience every day. The messages we encounter are shaping the way we think, feel, and act, which means we better be intentional about our attention!

Happy New Year Westside Church family! Join Steve and Ruth Cox for a short encouraging message as we begin 2026.

Christmas Eve message with Dave Stimers.Christmas can be like a magnifying glass for whatever we are experiencing in life. That's true for the good parts of life as well as the difficult aspects. But, the story of Christmas helps us to put everything in perspective as this small baby points us to a big God!

From the series, "The Cast of Christmas" with Dave Stimers.Part 4: The Magi. The Magi bring Jesus gifts because they recognize who he really is. This Christmas, as we refocus on Jesus, we have the opportunity to think about what kind of gift we might bring him.

From the series, "The Cast of Christmas" with Kerala Wall.Part 3: Mary. The Christmas story invites us to see how God works in unexpected ways through unexpected people. Together we'll reflect on what Mary's example teaches us about God's love.

From the series, "The Cast of Christmas" with Dave Stimers.Part 2: Angels and Shepherds. Christmas is a great celebration of a wonderful event that changed history, although not everyone in the Christmas story was happy about it. So, who is Christmas good news for? The angels and the shepherds help us discover the answer to that question!

From the series, "The Cast of Christmas" – a new 4 week Christmas series.Christmas isn't just about a manger, it's about the people who gathered around it and how they point us to Jesus, God with us. Join us for "The Cast of Christmas", a 4-week journey into the surprising men and women whose simple obedience opened the door for God's greatest gift in our lives. Find out how their stories will help you find your place in God's story today.Part 1: Joseph. In a world focused on being in the spotlight and trying to be like those in the spotlight, God chose a man who lived in the background. Join us this Sunday to explore how Joseph's hidden faithfulness shaped the Christmas story, and how God might use your ordinary obedience in extraordinary ways.

From the series, "For the Good of the City" with Dave Stimers.Part 2: Making Space. This week we look at what it means to make space so people can meet Jesus and experience His transforming power. In a story from the gospel of Mark, four friends overcame every barrier to bring someone they loved to Jesus. This reminds us that creating space for others is an act of faith.We also share more about our Christmas Fund and how our Capital Campaign is designed to increase accessibility and functionality with our building so everyone can encounter Jesus without obstacles.

From the series, "For the Good of the City" – a 2 week series with Dave Stimers.We're launching our new series, For the Good of the City by exploring Jesus' declaration that His people are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. When our identity and our actions align, our good deeds reflect God's character, rebuild what's broken, and reveal the Father to our city.Part 1: Salt and Light. In this message we'll explore how living as salt and light shapes the way we love our city. We'll also hear from Maggie John of The Baby Depot as we introduce our 2025 Christmas Fund. Tune in as we consider how God works through us for the good of our city this Christmas season.

From the series, "Fear Not" with Dave Stimers.Part 4: I Have Overcome The World. The world can be a scary place. There are a lot of very real problems that we encounter every day. But Jesus didn't leave us without hope. In his teaching, he showed his disciples how to stand firm and courageous when fear surrounds them. As we finish our "Fear Not" series, we'll see how his words continue to bring courage and peace today.

From the series, "Fear Not" with Dave Stimers.Part 3: God Provides. One of our greatest fears is that we won't have enough. Resources can often seem scarce, which fuels our worries and anxieties. However, Jesus offers us a way of seeing everything from a different angle.

From the series, "Fear Not" with Dave Stimers.Part 2: The Lord Will Fight For You. One of our responses to fear is to freeze. Our fear has a way of distorting our perspective so that we can't see the way forward, but often the next step we need to take is a step of faith.

From the series, "Fear Not" – a 4 week series with Dave Stimers.Fear is a powerful and universal experience. It's not always bad, but when it takes over, fear exaggerates threats, steals our attention, and takes away hope. We can't live in fear. The good news is that we have plenty of reasons to fear not!Part 1: I Am With You. One of the most common commands in scripture is to not be afraid, and the most common reason why we shouldn't fear is because God is with us!

A special Thanksgiving stand alone message with Dave Stimers - Beholding Not Scrolling.Thanksgiving, in a materialistic culture, is an act of resistance. Gratitude rewires our desires and helps us live in the satisfaction that we are all striving for. Good religion helps us move in that direction!

A special stand alone message with guest speaker, Dr. Cyril Guérette - A Quiet Life.In a world chasing fame and recognition, God calls us to a different way — to live quietly, work faithfully, and walk with integrity. As Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, let's discover together how a simple, steady life can make a powerful impact for Jesus.

From the series, "Empowered: A series on Spiritual Gifts" with Dave Stimers & Steve Cox.Part 4: Power. In the scriptures, we see people use powerful and miraculous gifts. But what about today? Does God still give these gifts to the church, and if so, what might that look like for us? As we close out this series, we'll take a closer look at what the Bible teaches and how we can faithfully live into the gifts God has entrusted to us.

From the series, "Empowered: A series on Spiritual Gifts" with Dave Stimers.Part 3: Purpose. The spiritual gifts are given to the Church because the Church has work to do! God makes sure we have everything we need to do what He wants us to do. Now it's our job to activate those gifts to live out our calling and together we can be a healthy, growing body of Christ.

From the series, "Empowered: A series on Spiritual Gifts" with Dave Stimers.Part 2: All For Love. The Spiritual Gifts are such a necessary blessing for the Church. As we prioritize our dependence on these gifts, we need to come face to face with the greatest threat to stealing the power that God wants to give His people.

From the series, "Empowered: A 4-week series on Spiritual Gifts" with Dave Stimers.As a church, we believe that God has called us to work for the good of our city. While that may feel like a daunting task, He has already equipped us with everything we need to do it!Part 1: You Have A Gift. Life can feel overwhelming—whether you're starting new routines, navigating challenges, or wondering what your next step should be. At the same time, we carry a calling as followers of Jesus. In this message, we'll discover how God equips us through His Spirit, giving us the power and gifts we need to make a real difference together.

A special stand alone message with Zac Boot - Quiet in the Land.God isn't just inviting us to know about Him—He's inviting us to know Him deeply and personally. This message explores what it means to be ‘quiet in the land'—living with peace, intimacy, and presence in our busy world—and how a simple rhythm of closeness with God can transform our lives and the people around us.

A special stand alone message with guest speaker, Paul Kiss - From Panic to Peace.Life is filled with those times when things fall apart and there's nothing you can do. It can cause you to panic. The Psalms are a gift that teach us how to move from panic to peace, through prayer.

From the series, "The Weight of Words" with Dave Stimers. Part 3: The Right Word at the Right Time.As we conclude this series, we'll discuss a principle that is guaranteed to have a profoundly positive impact on our relationships and the people around us.

From the series, "The Weight of Words" with Dave Stimers. Part 2: Words That Give/Words That Take.Why is gossip so tempting—even when we know it's wrong? This message explores how gossip lures us in but ends up stealing from others what only God can truly give.

From the series, "The Weight of Words: What We Say, Says It All" with Dave Stimers. Part 1: A Small Spark and A Raging Fire. Do you ever find it hard to control what you say? Our words can seem so harmless, but they can also spin out of control with major consequences.

From the series, "Jesus Philosophy" with guest speaker Dr. Cyril Guerette. Part 4: The Existence of God. One of the core questions for us to wrestle with and understand is whether or not God exists and how we think we can know. This series on Jesus Philosophy deals with some of the perennial questions that face Christ followers, and all of humanity for that matter. Delving into Scripture, we discover some interesting observations are awaiting us if we love God enough to seek.

From the series, "Jesus Philosophy" with guest speaker Dr. Cyril Guerette. Part 3: Faith and Reason. This week, we're diving into one of philosophy's great questions, as we discuss the relationship between faith and reason. This series on Jesus Philosophy deals with some of the perennial questions that face Christ followers, and all of humanity for that matter. Delving into Scripture, we discover some interesting observations are awaiting us if we love God enough to seek.

From the series, "Bible Stories For Adults" with Dave Stimers. Part 6: The Strength of Samson. In this story, we examine the life of Samson, whose legendary strength set him apart. It's a story that forces us to reevaluate how we look at what makes us strong and what makes us weak.

From the series, "Bible Stories For Adults" with Dave Stimers. Part 5: A Talking Donkey. If God wanted your attention, what would He need to do? Subtlety doesn't always work. Every now and then, we need to be caught by surprise by something that wakes us up. Sometimes Bible stories are like that. They grab our attention with extraordinary elements, like a talking donkey!

From the series, "Bible Stories For Adults" with Dave Stimers. If you grew up in church you were taught Bible stories as a kid. As we grow up and read those stories again, sometimes we realize that there's a lot more to them than we originally thought. Let's take a closer look at some of those classic stories and see what they say to us now that we're a little more grown up!Part 4: The Fiery Furnace. The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is a tale of heroic faith under fire. While their lives serve as a model for our faith, the central point of the story is even better than that!

From the series, "Rooted and Reaching" with Dave Stimers. Part 6: Church. In this final message of our series, we're exploring who Westside Church is, where we've come from, and who we aspire to be!

From the series, "Rooted and Reaching" with Dave Stimers. Part 5: Authority. Who or what has authority in your life? It's interesting to reflect on the people or things that have the greatest impact on us. Some Christians discuss the authority of the Church, while others focus on the authority of the Bible. The Anabaptist had a different answer.

From the series, "Rooted and Reaching" with Dave Stimers. Part 4: Nonviolence. One of the most powerful and challenging aspects of Jesus' teaching is to love one's enemy. This is good news that isn't always easy to follow.

From the series, "Rooted and Reaching" with Dave Stimers. Part 3: Church and State. Politics can be scary because there's so much at stake. As Christians, it can be hard to know how to engage, who to cheer for, and what our place is. In a chaotic and unstable world, our Anabaptist ancestors had a radical perspective, not only on politics but also on the role of the church in the world.