Podcasts about community church

Don't miss this week's message with Teaching Pastor and Youth Leader, Sam Pharris.

In week three of our series on Jonah, Pastor James Sabin unpacks the slippery slope of compromise — intentionally living lower than who God created you to be. Reading through Jonah 1:1–9, James shows how the sailors each cried out to their own gods while Jonah slept below deck, and he challenges students to name the "little gods" they trust instead of the one, true & living God: people, devices, or their own ability. Students learn the two marks of compromise — centering life on something other than God (idolatry) and giving lip service instead of true worship — and hear why Jonah called himself a Hebrew before a worshiper. The takeaway: obedience is the Lord's love language, and repentance is always just one step away, no matter how far you've run. For more information on EDGE Student Ministries, please visit www.edgestudents.org. For more information on Kingdom: a Community Church, please visit www.kingdomemc.com. #EDGEStudentMinistries #YouthMinistry #TeenFaith #ChristianYouth #BookOfJonah #BibleStudy #Compromise #PeerPressure #Obedience #Worship #FollowJesus #SpiritualGrowth #MiddleSchoolMinistry #HighSchoolMinistry #YouthGroup #ChristianTeens #ParentsOfTeens #FamilyFaith #RaisingFaithfulKids #GenZFaith

We Are a Community of Refuge and Hope For ALL People. That will always and forever include YOU. Join us in person on a Sunday morning at any one of our campuses! Bowling Green (8AM | 9:30AM | 11AM), Glasgow (9:30AM | 11AM), or Morgantown (9:30AM | 11 AM)! SERMON RESOURCEShttps://www.crossland.tv/resources

The good that's been given to you wasn't meant to end with you.In “Never Buried,” Part 2 of Marks of the Movement, Lou Pizzichillo explores Jesus' parable of the talents and another defining mark of his followers: multiplication. The gifts, opportunities, and faith we've received can bring good into someone else's life.Through everyday generosity, inviting others in, serving, and investing in the next generation, we can help people experience the goodness of God. Lou also shares why Community Church is looking for more room to grow, and how that next step connects to the same calling.What will you do with the good that's been given to you?

In a city that often tells us we need more—more success, more financial security, more recognition, more possessions—how do we discern what truly matters? This Sunday, we consider Jesus' searching words in Matthew 16:26: “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” Let us look beyond the promises of fortune and achievement to discover the deeper, lasting life Jesus offers—a life shaped by His love, presence, and call. If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/ ================ This Week's Scripture: // Exodus 16:2-7b, 11-20 (NIV) // In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the LORD's hand in Egypt! There we sat round pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.' Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.' So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, ‘In the evening you will know that it was the LORD who brought you out of Egypt, and in the morning you will see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?' [...] The LORD said to Moses, ‘I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, “At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.”' That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, ‘What is it?' For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat. This is what the LORD has commanded: “Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.”' The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed. Then Moses said to them, ‘No one is to keep any of it until morning.' However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them.

In this episode of The Holiness Today Podcast, listen to Pastor Paul Adams's spiritual journey of new beginnings. After leaving a ministry role in Madison, WI without a clear next step, Paul shares his family's leap of faith that led them to Lifespring Community Church in South Carolina. The conversation dives into the realities of pastoral burnout, the importance of supporting small-church leaders, and why your family must be your first ministry. Tune in for an honest discussion on navigating life's unknowns with trust, peace, and obedience.   nazarene.org/ga   Lifelong Learning Code: 28473 Click here to learn about Lifelong Learning.

This is the 20th sermon in our sermon series entitled Hebrews: Jesus Is greater. For more information about Northfield Community Church in Northfield, MN, go to our website - northfieldcc.org.

This week at EDGE, Pastor James Sabin continues our Jonah series, exploring how God's love relentlessly follows us even when we run from Him. Using Jonah's flight from Nineveh & the storm God sent to wake him up, James teaches our EDGE students that the hardships we face are often God's loving discipline, meant to grow our character rather than punish us. This week, our students learn every believer has been given the ministry of reconciliation — inviting others back to a relationship with God the same way Jonah was called to Nineveh. The message closes with an invitation for students to respond to Jesus and to write down the names of friends & family who don't yet know Him. For more information on EDGE Student Ministries, please visit www.edgestudents.org. For more information on Kingdom: a Community Church, please visit www.kingdomemc.com. #EDGEStudentMinistries #YouthMinistry #TeenFaith #ChristianYouth #GodsLove #BibleStudy #FaithOverFear #ShareYourFaith #JesusLovesYou #SpiritualGrowth #YouthGroup #ChristianTeens #GenZFaith

God did not design you to be a spiritual CONSUMER. He designed you to be a spiritual CONTRIBUTOR.1 Peter 4:10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.BOX SEATSBENCHTOWELThe BOX SEATS The mentality that the church exists to SERVE MEMark 10:35-37 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over and spoke to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do us a favor.” “What is your request?” he asked. They replied, “When you sit on your glorious throne, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”Mark 10:42-45 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”The BENCH The mentality that says, “I'm not QUALIFIED or WORTHY enough to serve,” or “I'm just TOO BUSY to serve God”There is NO bench in the body of Christ.God doesn't call the QUALIFIED. He qualifies the CALLED.God works through your AVAILABILITY far more than your ABILITY.The secret of serving: You are always more FILLED UP than you POUR OUT.HOLDING a TOWELThe universal sign of “I am here to SERVE YOU”John 13:12-15 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher' and ‘Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”Jesus measures greatness not by SEATS or TITLES, but by who picks up a TOWEL. SAVED people SERVE people.

We Are a Community of Refuge and Hope For ALL People. That will always and forever include YOU. Join us in person on a Sunday morning at any one of our campuses! Bowling Green (8AM | 9:30AM | 11AM), Glasgow (9:30AM | 11AM), or Morgantown (9:30AM | 11 AM)! SERMON RESOURCEShttps://www.crossland.tv/resources

In a city surrounded by people, it is still possible to feel alone. Full schedules, fleeting conversations, changing seasons, and personal burdens can leave us feeling unseen or disconnected. This Sunday, we continue the Pulse of the City series with “The Trap of Loneliness.” Drawing on Proverbs 27:17—“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another”—we consider God's design for meaningful Christian community. Jesus meets us in the places where we feel isolated, and invites us into a church family where we can be known, encouraged, challenged, and supported as we grow in faith together. If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/ ================ This Week's Scripture: // Luke 8:1-2 (NIV) // The Parable of the Sower After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out... // Luke 24:9-11 (NIV) // When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.

This is the fifth sermon from our sermon series Knowing Christ and Making Him Known. For more information about Northfield Community Church in Northfield, MN, go to our website - northfieldcc.org.

Exodus 2:11-15 One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?”The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known.”When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian, where he sat down by a well.BIG IDEA: Whom we were born to be may be hidden under whom we appear to be.The culture that surrounds us cannot be the context that defines us.Exodus 2:19 They answered, “An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock.”God may be waiting for our attention before He gives us His commission.Exodus 3:4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.”Whom God wants to send us to is often the people we've tried to escape from.Exodus 3:10 “So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”Our big but doesn't dissuade God from His big plans.Exodus 3:11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”Matthew 11‬:‭28‬-‭30‬ Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heisart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

We don't fight PEOPLE. We fight FOR people.Lukewarm Christianity is accepting just enough of Jesus to make us FEEL better, but not enough of Jesus to CHANGE our lives.COMFORTABLE Christianity is where faith goes to DIE.Revelation 3:15–20  “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”1. Jesus confronts what he LOVES.The rebuke is not REJECTION. It's RESCUE.Conviction is LOVE refusing to leave you where it found you.2. Distance creates DRIFT.Ephesians 5:25–27 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.3. Self-sufficiency STARVES the soul.Revelation 3:17 "You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked."Growth doesn't make us LESS dependent on God. It should make us MORE dependent.SUCCESS makes promises that only JESUS can keep.Hebrews 10:24–25 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.4. Consistency REKINDLES devotion.All-in Christians do CONSISTENTLY what lukewarm Christians do OCCASIONALLY.What you do occasionally may INSPIRE you. What you do consistently FORMS you.Revelation 3:19–20 "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me."Jesus went ALL IN for you. So go ALL IN for Him.

This week at EDGE, Pastor James Sabin kicks off a new 6-week series through the book of Jonah, starting with why sharing your faith is scary — for everyone, no matter how long you've walked with Jesus. Using the "Life in Six Words" gospel presentation and the story of Jonah's call to Nineveh, Pastor James unpacks how God's grace and calling on your life never gets revoked, even when fear or pride gets in the way. This week, students are challenged to move from fear to obedience through a simple rhythm: pray, care, share. This EDGE lesson is a must-watch for any student — or parent — wrestling with how to talk about faith with the people they love. For more information on EDGE Student Ministries, please visit www.edgestudents.org. For more information on Kingdom: a Community Church, please visit www.kingdomemc.com #EDGEStudentMinistries #YouthMinistry #TeenFaith #ChristianYouth #GodsWord #FaithOverFear #ShareYourFaith #Evangelism #BookOfJonah #BibleStudy #JesusLovesYou #GraceUponGrace

We Are a Community of Refuge and Hope For ALL People. That will always and forever include YOU. Join us in person on a Sunday morning at any one of our campuses! Bowling Green (8AM | 9:30AM | 11AM), Glasgow (9:30AM | 11AM), or Morgantown (9:30AM | 11 AM)! SERMON RESOURCEShttps://www.crossland.tv/resources

In a city that never seems to slow down, many of us know what it is to feel tired, stretched, or uncertain how to keep going. This Sunday, we continue our Pulse of the City series with “The Drumbeat of Pace.” Together, we consider Isaiah's promise:“Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint”— Isaiah 40:31. God does not merely ask us to push harder; He meets us with His faithful presence and renews our strength for the journey ahead. If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/ ================ This Week's Scripture: // Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV) // “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Check out this week's message by Teaching Pastor and Youth Leader, Sam Pharris.

This is the fourth sermon from our sermon series Knowing Christ and Making Him Known. For more information about Northfield Community Church in Northfield, MN, go to our website - northfieldcc.org.

We Are a Community of Refuge and Hope For ALL People. That will always and forever include YOU. Join us in person on a Sunday morning at any one of our campuses! Bowling Green (8AM | 9:30AM | 11AM), Glasgow (9:30AM | 11AM), or Morgantown (9:30AM | 11 AM)! SERMON RESOURCEShttps://www.crossland.tv/resources

Hong Kong is full of movement: busy streets, competing demands, powerful messages, and rhythms that can shape us before we notice. In this first message of our new series, Pulse of the City, we explore “Feeling the Heartbeat.” Drawing from Ephesians 5:6–7, we consider Jesus' invitation to discernment and faithful living amid the pressures and possibilities of life in Hong Kong. What voices form our desires and choices? How can we recognise what is true, resist what draws us away from God, and learn to live with wisdom, courage, and hope? Join us as we seek God's presence and guidance in the midst of our city. If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/ ================ This Week's Scripture: // Matthew 9:9-13 (NIV) // The Calling of Matthew As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Don't miss this week's message with Lead Pastor, Jeff Evans.

This is the third sermon from our sermon series Knowing Christ and Making Him Known. For more information about Northfield Community Church in Northfield, MN, go to our website - northfieldcc.org.

We Are a Community of Refuge and Hope For ALL People. That will always and forever include YOU. Join us in person on a Sunday morning at any one of our campuses! Bowling Green (8AM | 9:30AM | 11AM), Glasgow (9:30AM | 11AM), or Morgantown (9:30AM | 11 AM)! SERMON RESOURCEShttps://www.crossland.tv/resources

Control asks, "What if it doesn't work out?"Surrender asks, "What if it's already in good hands?"You were never given the power to CONTROL. But you were always given the power to SURRENDER.Surrender isn't a FEELING. It's a DECISION you make, and then a PRACTICE you keep making.5 THINGS THAT ARE TRUE ABOUT SURRENDER1. Surrender is a DECISION, not a discovery.Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.2. Surrender is NAMED, not vague.If you don't NAME it, you can't TAME it.3. Surrender is DAILY, not one-and-done.Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”Exodus 16:19-20 Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.” However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell.4. Surrender is MODELED, not manufactured.Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.Matthew 26:39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."CONTROL was in the garden. SURRENDER was on the cross. He chose the cross so that you would HAVE THE POWER to choose it too.5. Surrender is REWARDED, not wasted.1 Peter 5:6-7 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.Control promises you SAFETY and pays you ANXIETY. Surrender promises you LOSS and pays you PEACE.THE SERENITY PRAYERGod, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

The Law of CONTROL: whatever we try to FIX with control, we end up BREAKING even more.3 Areas Where Control Costs Us:1. Control breaks us PERSONALLY — Leads to EXHAUSTION and ANXIETY. Philippians 4:6Do not be anxious about anything…Philippians 4:6-7Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.1. The space INSIDE ME.Some Control 2. BETWEEN ME and PEOPLE. 3. The space BETWEEN ME and GOD.No Control 4. INSIDE OTHERS.1 Peter 5:2-3Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, watching over them — not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." Peace isn't found in BEING IN CONTROL — it's found in TRUSTING THE ONE who is.CONTROL was never in your hands, but SURRENDER always is.Control costs us RELATIONALLY — Leads to BROKEN relationships. Genesis 16:1-2Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her." The Law of CONTROL: whatever we try to FIX with control, we end up BREAKING even more. When you hold on with FORCE, you ultimately FORCE AWAY.Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. John 15:5I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.Control costs us SPIRITUALLY.—It leads to a POWERLESS faith.Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God.Matthew 17:19-20 "Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, 'Why couldn't we drive it out?' He replied, 'Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.'"What you try to control the MOST reveals where you trust God the LEAST! Personally: exhaustion, and anxiety Relationally: broken relationships Spiritually: powerless faithYou don't have the power to CONTROL, but you always have the power to SURRENDER.THE SERENITY PRAYERGod, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Churches today like to be known by some interesting titles: "The Community Church," "The Bible-Believing Church,"  "The Church Where Love Is," and there are some churches which like to be called (maybe with a note of humor), "The Church of the Covered Dish."  Of all the miracles of Jesus recorded in the four gospels, there is only one which we find in ALL FOUR of the gospels - - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Stay with us for a few minutes, and we'll find what that one is.  Want a hint?  The sermon title for today is "Food for the Hungry."   For more information on the Campground, insider tips and FAQ's, listen to our General Ocean Lakes Podcast, Campground Conversations. 

What might it look like for God's love to be seen in the ordinary pages of our lives? Join us on Sunday for the message, “Love Letters From Heaven.” Inspired by 2 Corinthians 3:2, we consider how God's grace can be made visible through the way we live: in our conversations, work, welcome, forgiveness, and care for those around us. We are grateful to hear from guest speaker Andrew Rigden-Green as we worship, pray, and explore what it means to live as people whose lives point others to the love of Christ. If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/ ================ This Week's Scripture: // Philippians 1:6 (NIV) // Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. // 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NIV) // Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Don't miss this week's message with Lead Pastor, Jeff Evans.

This is the second sermon from our sermon series Knowing Christ and Making Him Known. For more information about Northfield Community Church in Northfield, MN, go to our website - northfieldcc.org.

BG Main EncoderWe Are a Community of Refuge and Hope For ALL People. That will always and forever include YOU. Join us in person on a Sunday morning at any one of our campuses! Bowling Green (8AM | 9:30AM | 11AM), Glasgow (9:30AM | 11AM), or Morgantown (9:30AM | 11 AM)! SERMON RESOURCEShttps://www.crossland.tv/resources

What might it look like for God's love to be seen in the ordinary pages of our lives? Join us on Sunday for the message, “Love Letters From Heaven.” Inspired by 2 Corinthians 3:2, we consider how God's grace can be made visible through the way we live: in our conversations, work, welcome, forgiveness, and care for those around us. We are grateful to hear from guest speaker Andrew Rigden-Green as we worship, pray, and explore what it means to live as people whose lives point others to the love of Christ. If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/

This is the first sermon from our sermon series Knowing Christ and Making Him Known. For more information about Northfield Community Church in Northfield, MN, go to our website - northfieldcc.org.

Control is an ILLUSION. Control is a GOD category — it's not a HUMAN one. The more we try to CONTROL, the more CHAOS we create.3 TOOLS WE USE TO CONTROLKNOWLEDGE and INFORMATION.Can be idols for control. The tree of KNOWLEDGE.Genesis 3:5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”From the beginning, we have believed the lie that KNOWLEDGE = CONTROL.We have confused information with INFLUENCE.Genesis 3:6 When the woman saw the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and she ate it.The tighter you grip for INFORMATION, the tighter ANXIETY grips you. POWER and MONEY. Sell the illusion of control but only lead to more chaos. Genesis 3:5 …when you eat from it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. When you hold with FORCE, you ultimately FORCE AWAY.Proverbs 23:4-5 Do not wear yourselves out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. SHAME and BLAME.The hidden and destructive tools of control. Genesis 3:10 “I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid." Shame convinces us that if we HIDE the worst parts of ourselves, we're in control. But hiding only CREATES CHAOS. 

Galatians 5:22–23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."Proverbs 19:21 "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."#1: Make the plan.Proverbs 21:5 "The plans of the diligent lead to profit, but the plans of the hasty lead to poverty."Proverbs 24:27 "Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house."Luke 14:28–30 "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won't you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, 'This person began to build and wasn't able to finish.'"# 2: Live a principled life.Romans 12:11-12 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:18 "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."Romans 12:19 "Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord."# 3: Surrender the outcome.We control because there is something we desperately want as the outcome.Control begins where trust ends.

We Are a Community of Refuge and Hope For ALL People. That will always and forever include YOU. Join us in person on a Sunday morning at any one of our campuses! Bowling Green (8AM | 9:30AM | 11AM), Glasgow (9:30AM | 11AM), or Morgantown (9:30AM | 11 AM)! SERMON RESOURCEShttps://www.crossland.tv/resources

Some of the most defining moments in God's story unfold in the background: in disrupted plans, hard decisions, and the quiet resolve to trust God's word. Today's message, “Your Finest Hour,” looks at one such moment—when a faithful man chose obedience and courage in the face of confusion and social risk, and God used that decision to bring His saving purposes into the world. Grounded in Ecclesiastes 3:1, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens,” we'll explore how God's timing intersects with our lives when things don't go according to our expectations, and how He can turn seasons of uncertainty into moments of deep significance and grace. If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/ ================ This Week's Scripture: // Daniel 3:16-25 (NIV) // Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us[c] from Your Majesty's hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. The king's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.” He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

This is the twelfth sermon from our sermon series walking the through the book of 1 Peter, entitled Fully Hope on Future Grace. For more information about Northfield Community Church in Northfield, MN, go to our website - northfieldcc.org.

Summer on the Mount: The Narrow Way (Matthew 7:13-29) | Pastor Duane Goodrich (Risen Community Church) by Lifehouse

We Are a Community of Refuge and Hope For ALL People. That will always and forever include YOU. Join us in person on a Sunday morning at any one of our campuses! Bowling Green (8AM | 9:30AM | 11AM), Glasgow (9:30AM | 11AM), or Morgantown (9:30AM | 11 AM)! SERMON RESOURCEShttps://www.crossland.tv/resources

This is the eleventh sermon from our sermon series walking the through the book of 1 Peter, entitled Fully Hope on Future Grace. For more information about Northfield Community Church in Northfield, MN, go to our website - northfieldcc.org.

Control is an ILLUSION. Control is a GOD category, not a HUMAN one. The more we try to CONTROL, the more CHAOS we create.Galatians 5:22–23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,   gentleness and self-control.Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?”Genesis 3:2–3 The woman said, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'”Genesis 3:4–5 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”Genesis 3:6 When the woman saw that the fruit was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.Genesis 3:7–10 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”Three Reasons We Reach For Control1.  Control is rooted in DOUBTING God's GOODNESS.What you try to control MOST reveals where you trust God the LEAST.2.  Control is driven by our DESIRE for AUTONOMY.Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?We are at our freest not when we're in CHARGE, but when we give God CONTROL.3.  Control fuels FEAR and ANXIETY.Control CREATES anxiety.  Peace comes when I stop PLAYING God and start TRUSTING God.Control is an ILLUSION. Surrender is the SOLUTION.If you don't NAME it, you can't TAME it.

We Are a Community of Refuge and Hope For ALL People. That will always and forever include YOU. Join us in person on a Sunday morning at any one of our campuses! Bowling Green (8AM | 9:30AM | 11AM), Glasgow (9:30AM | 11AM), or Morgantown (9:30AM | 11 AM)! SERMON RESOURCEShttps://www.crossland.tv/resources

"I wasn't just collecting artifacts—I was protecting the evidence that Black people have always defined ourselves." That reflection from Dr. Khalid el-Hakim anchors one of the most profound conversations ever recorded on Detroit is Different. Long before earning his doctorate, Dr. el-Hakim was rescuing books, photographs, newspapers, flyers, artwork, and priceless artifacts that many dismissed as ordinary, understanding that every item carried the story of Black people determined to define themselves. In this expansive interview, he traces his family's journey from Virginia through the Underground Railroad into Canada and Detroit, the influence of his grandparents' activism, Great Lakes Mutual Insurance, People's Community Church, Carter G. Woodson's visit to Detroit, and the library that first awakened his love for history. He shares how schools like Mumford High, African-centered educators like Mama Shushana (Ms. Taliaferro), and Detroit's rich political and cultural legacy shaped his life's work. Now, with the scholarship of a Ph.D. reinforcing decades of grassroots preservation, Dr. el-Hakim explains not only 'what' he collected, but 'why' context is the true treasure—connecting every artifact to the larger struggle, brilliance, resistance, and imagination of Black people. This episode is a masterclass on cultural preservation, proving that safeguarding our history is not nostalgia; it is a strategy for community empowerment, historical truth, and building a future where our children inherit knowledge instead of erasure. To discover more about the work of Dr. Khalid el-Hakim visit www.blackhistorymobilemuseum.com today. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

We Are a Community of Refuge and Hope For ALL People. That will always and forever include YOU. Join us in person on a Sunday morning at any one of our campuses! Bowling Green (8AM | 9:30AM | 11AM), Glasgow (9:30AM | 11AM), or Morgantown (9:30AM | 11 AM)! SERMON RESOURCEShttps://www.crossland.tv/resources

When you put God FIRST, He takes care of the REST.Who goes FIRST?1. It's not IF you give—it's WHEN. The ORDER matters.The word TITHE simply means A TENTH.Proverbs 3:9-10 "Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing."John 6:1-14 "Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. The Jewish Passover Festival was near. When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year's wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”2. The tithe is where you TRUST God with FIRST PLACE.Malachi 3:10 "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it."3. When God is FIRST, everything else falls IN ORDER.The goal isn't that God can just give TO you but actually FLOW THROUGH you.Deuteronomy 8:17-18 You may say to yourself, " My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.Proverbs 11:24 The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.Tithing is not really an OBEDIENCE indicator. It is aSURRENDER indicator.

You don't have an INCOME problem. You have an OUTGO problem.Proverbs 13:7 Some who are poor pretend to be rich; others who are rich pretend to be poor.Proverbs 22:7 Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.Servant: ebed; a SLAVE, in BONDAGE3 Biblical Values to Live Out Financially1. Embrace the value of SELF-CONTROL.Proverbs 25:28 A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls.Learn to say NO for a little while in order to say YES later in life.Live like NO ONE else so that one day you can truly live like NO ONE else.2. Embrace the value of SACRIFICE.Hebrews 12:2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross,We give up something we LOVE for something we love EVEN MORE.3. Embrace the value of PLANNING.Luke 14:28 Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won't you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?Before you PAY for it, PRAY for it!Proverbs 21:5 Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.You can wander into DEBT, but you won't wander OUT.Proverbs 6:5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

We Are a Community of Refuge and Hope For ALL People. That will always and forever include YOU. Join us in person on a Sunday morning at any one of our campuses! Bowling Green (8AM | 9:30AM | 11AM), Glasgow (9:30AM | 11AM), or Morgantown (9:30AM | 11 AM)! SERMON RESOURCEShttps://www.crossland.tv/resources