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25 Meditations on the Incarnation: https://shop.mediagratiae.org/pages/advent-meditations This week, Dr. John Snyder is joined by Jordan Thomas, a familiar voice to longtime Media Gratiae listeners. Jordan contributes to the Behold Your God study series, is the author of Christ Our Treasure: Enjoying the Preeminence of Jesus in the Local Church, and has appeared on the podcast several times. In this episode, Jordan and John explore the mystery of the incarnation of Christ. To guide your reflections this Christmas season, Jordan has chosen 25 Scripture passages for meditation. We pray both the podcast and passages serve as helpful resources for you. The passages Jordan has selected are available as a free Media Gratiae Online course. The link is below. Show Notes: 25 Meditations on the Incarnation: https://shop.mediagratiae.org/pages/advent-meditations Good Tiding of Great Joy by Charles Spurgeon https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/devotionalsdaily-readings/good-tidings-of-great-joy/ Jordan recommends this Christmas Devotional: https://grace-ebooks.com/library/J. C. Philpot/JCP On The Sacred Humanity of The Blessed Redeemer.pdf Christ Our Treasure: https://shop.mediagratiae.org/products/christ-our-treasure-enjoying-the-preeminence-of-jesus-in-the-local-church-dvd-streaming
Do not be arrogant...Cancel culture is when we throw out the baby with the bathwater. We fail to separate the good from the bad—without justifying any of the bad. And the truth is, we wouldn't exist without our Jewish heritage.
DateDecember 7, 2025SynopsisIn this sermon, we dive into the revolutionary idea that joy is a muscle, not a mood. The daily practice of "Repeating the Sounding Joy" offers us a different path at the crossroads of control and trust, training our hearts for resilience instead of despair. We explore how Mary's defiant Magnificat—a song rehearsed over a lifetime—kickstarts an "upward spiral" of hope that disrupts the "downward spiral" of fear that threatened Joseph. Discover how to build the muscle memory of joy, aligning your present heart with God's joyful endgame for the world.About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.
Thom and Jess continue the “Future Church” series with an episode focused on one of the most important—and most misunderstood—topics in today's congregations: evangelism. The way people come to faith is changing, and so are the methods churches use to share the gospel. Attendance patterns are different. Communities are more skeptical of institutions. And more often than not, the first place someone encounters the church is online, not in person. In this conversation, the Rainers look at how evangelism is evolving, why it still matters deeply, and four major trends shaping how local churches reach people today. The post Future Church Series – Episode 3: Trends in Evangelism in the Local Church appeared first on Church Answers.
Dr. Paul Chappell - The Desire to Serve in a Local Church by West Coast Baptist College
*This episode was originally published on 4/8/2019. This week on Preaching and Preachers, Jonathan Leeman joins me in a discussion on God's love and the local church. Jonathan is the The post God’s Love and the Local Church appeared first on Preaching and Preachers Institute.
We need to celebrate our inheritance. If you are born again, no matter what tribe you come from, you are a descendant of Abraham and an heir according to the promise. There is no separate gospel. There is no separate process.
DateNovember 30, 2025SynopsisIn this sermon, we kick off our Advent series, Repeat the Sounding Joy: Practicing an Honest Advent, by reclaiming joy as a defiant and contagious act of resistance. Joy is not a denial of despair, but an empowering force that opens our lips and loosens our tongues to sing of a future that refuses to be limited by current reality. We explore how Elizabeth's loud blessing and Zechariah's prophetic song disrupt the silence of Empire, giving us the courage to bless what God is doing and declare the breaking dawn now.ReferencesScripture: Luke 1:39–45; Luke 1:67–80About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.
God’s family matters! God’s design for His church is beautiful and vital for each believer. God’s family also has matters to be tended to so the local body of Christ will be a healthy, holy, and thriving church. Join us this Sunday as we gain wisdom in this area through Colossians 3:14-17.
South Side Baptist ChurchAbbeville, South CarolinaPastor Joel BradberryNovember 30, 2025Sunday AM Servicehttps://www.southsideabbeville.com
Sign Up For Your Free Trial And Discounted Annual Subscription Here: https://watch.thewonderproject.com/Rusan0:00 - Intro Tease 3:32 - Setting the Stage: Ruslan & Nathan's Backgrounds5:04 - Nathan's Backstory: Church Anger to Fatherhood Perspective8:21 - How Shawn Ryan Podcast Led to This Debate9:23 - Ruslan's Defense of the Local Church's Role in His Life12:00 - Why Pastors Are Easy Targets & Stereotypes Around Them15:14 - Are We Overgeneralizing Pastors? Comparing to 90s Dads17:42 - What Makes a Healthy Church? Ruslan's Framework20:02 - IRS Structures vs. Biblical Church Models22:36 - Are Legal Structures Like Marriage & Churches a Problem?24:04 - Do All Institutions Eventually Corrupt? Reform vs. Abandon25:52 - Nathan's Push for Transparency: The Ed Young Example28:14 - Ruslan Responds: Rhythm Church's Annual Report Breakdown30:34 - Why Churches Are Exempt from Filing 990s33:03 - The Tension Between Accountability & Transparency35:48 - Ruslan Explains Rhythm Church's Financial Oversight38:59 - Why Full Transparency Isn't Always Healthy41:09 - Debating the Average Pastor Salary & Bi-Vocational Realities44:31 - Different Church Models: Transparency by Design vs. Requirement46:08 - Home Churches, Mega Churches, and Real-Life Church Options49:45 - Ruslan: Maturity, Unity & Why Transparency Requires Wisdom52:48 - Legal Structures vs. Moral Imperatives for Transparency58:04 - Churches Investing in War Profits? Nathan's Coming Exposés1:00:04 - Why Churches Don't File 990s:1:06:00 - Weaponizing Financial Transparency & When Disclosure Goes Wrong1:12:00 - Is the Church Corrupt or Is the System Misunderstood?1:14:30 - Comparing Marriage & Church Corporations: A Legal Paradox1:17:00 - What Is “Full” Financial Transparency? 1:20:00 - Can a Church Be Both Spiritual & a Legal Entity?1:23:00 - Why Some Church Salaries Aren't Public Knowledge1:26:00 - The Congregational Church Alternative1:29:00 - Should the Government Oversee Churches to Prevent Abuse?1:32:00 - Biblical Tithing as a Principle vs. Legal Requirement1:34:00 - Does 1 Corinthians 9 Justify Paying Pastors? Ruslan's Scriptural Argument1:39:00 - Modern Pastors as Levitical Priests? Breaking Down a Common Analogy1:42:00 - What Ruslan's Pastor Actually Said vs. Nathan's Interpretation1:49:00 - Ruslan's Journey: From Calling Out Pastors to Supporting Healthy Churches1:52:00 - What the Didache & Early Church Taught About Supporting Leaders1:58:00 - 1 Timothy 5: How Churches Should Support Widows—And Why It Matters2:00:04 - Biblical Qualifications for Financial Support2:08:00 - Jesus vs. Paul: Who Has Final Authority?2:16:00 - IRS Church Criteria vs. Biblical Model2:25:00 - Ekklesia or Corporation? Defining “Church” Today2:34:00 - Tithing, Salaries & the Transparency Spectrum2:45:00 - Are All Institutions Eventually Corrupt?2:55:00 - The $92 Billion Church Fraud Claim Disputed3:05:00 - Is Paul's Writing Equal to Jesus' Words?3:15:00 - Public vs. Internal Accountability in Churches3:25:00 - Stanford Study: Do Churches Grow People Spiritually?3:33:00 - Final Clash: Systems, Reform & Respectful Disagreement
In this special episode of YMU, Danny hosts the 7th annual Rooted Book Awards. These Book Awards serve our listeners who might not have the time or budget to read every book out there. It includes categories of books for Youth Ministers, Parents, Bible Teaching, and Teenagers. Happy reading! Accessible Church: A Gospel-Centered Vision for Including People with Disabilities and Their Families by Sarah Peoples (Crossway)Don't Despise Our Youth: Renewing Hope for Urban Youth by David Washington (InterVarsity Press)Managing Your Households Well by Chap Bettis (P&R Publishing) Mothering Against Futility Balancing Meaning and Mundanity in the Fear of the Lord By Simona Gorton (Christian Focus)Beyond the Back Row: Rediscovering the Beauty of the Local Church for Your Family by Katie Polski (Christian Focus)Scrolling Ourselves to Death: Reclaiming Life in a Digital Age Edited by Brett McCracken and Ivan Mesa (Crossway) The Gospel After Christendom: An Introduction to Cultural Apologetics eds. Collin Hansen, Skyler R. Flowers, and Ivan Mesa (Zondervan)From Eden to Egypt: A Guided Tour of Genesis (9Marks) by Alex Duke (Zondervan)Gospel Stories: How The Greatest Story Is Richer, Deeper, and More Wonderful Than We Think by Andrew Wilson (10 Publishing)Understanding Biblical Law: Thinking With And Through Torah by Dru Johnson (Baker Academic) 12 Truths Every Teen Can Trust: Core Beliefs of the Christian That Will Change Your Life by Paul David Tripp (Crossway)Make It Your Ambition by Jeremy Writebol (The Gospel Coalition)Iconic: Being God's Image in Your World by Mike McGarry (New Growth Press)Worth It: Following Jesus When Life Feels Complicated by Chris Morphew (The Good Book Company) Follow @therootedministry on Instagram for more updates andSubscribe to Youth Ministry Unscripted wherever you listen to podcasts
Athletics as ministry offers a great “classroom” with many teachable moments, as you will hear in this episode with guest Phil Price, MBU faculty member and assistant basketball coach. He claims to have had a “front-row seat,” spending all but seven years of his life on a Christian campus. Growing up shadowing his coaching father and later playing in multiple sports, he treasures having been mentored by Godly men. Among various topics, he and host Dr. Matt Davis review his sports involvement, the “relationship of math as a discipline and the concept of truth as a reality,” lessons of grace learned from a bicuspid aortic valve, and transition to the role of “old guy” and mentor to a younger generation.
あなたが守られるところだから For Your Protection
For God to honor a natural heritage, He would have to diminish the sacrifice of Christ. There are not two plans for two groups of people. There is no distinction in our sinful condition. There is no distinction at the cross of Christ. And there is no distinction in our inheritance. We are one bride, one body, with one salvation and one purpose.
DateNovember 23, 2025SynopsisIn this sermon, we conclude our In Good Company series by venturing into the often-terrifying landscape of our own minds with guest speaker Cody Deese. Rather than treating anxiety as a spiritual failure or a monster to be exiled, Cody reframes our panic as a flare gun from the "internal universe," signaling a deep need for attention and love. He invites us to stop trying to talk our way out of fear and instead feel our way through it, discovering that the Divine is waiting for us right in the center of the storm.About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.
Sermon Text: Various Texts Teacher: Al Kenitz Scripture Reading: Revelation 19:6-9 Click here to download the slides referenced in the sermon: Universal Church & Local ChurchDownload
Jess interviews Thom in this fascinating behind-the-scenes look at Church Answers. They examine the evolution of resources from the company's inception to the present day. The post What in the World Does Church Answers Really Do? Part 2: The Local Church Partner Grows appeared first on Church Answers.
In Episode 6 of Season 6, Shane Pruitt, Paul Worcester, and Lacey Villasenor sit down with speaker, comedian, and K-LOVE radio host Lacy Abercrombie to talk about a topic every student leader needs to think through: how Christian-influencer culture shapes your faith. Be equipped to help your students discern truth online, stay rooted in the local church, and use their influence for the glory of God—not personal brand-building. Walk away ready to lead students to engage the digital world with wisdom, guard their hearts from comparison, and lead others toward authentic discipleship that happens face-to-face, not just through screens. Also in This Episode, Learn: How to use social media as a tool for evangelism and encouragement without losing your focus on the gospel The difference between being discipled and simply consuming Christian content Why online influence should supplement, not replace, local church community How to stay rooted in biblical truth when loud voices online sound convincing but lack depth Practical guardrails for pastors, ministry leaders, and students using digital platforms Helpful Resources: GenSend on Instagram and YouTube ★ Find more resources to lead the next generation on mission at https://GenSend.org ★ Subscribe to The GenSend Podcast on your favorite podcast platform —————————————————————————————————————— Shareable Quotes: “We can replace time with God by consuming content about God. And that's dangerous.” —Lacy Abercrombie “An influencer can't replace your church. We were made to be known and known in community.” —Lacy Abercrombie “Look down at your two feet. Right there is your mission field. Even your digital footprint is ground God can use.” —Shane Pruitt “There's an idolatry of cool in our culture. We've started equating influence with wisdom.” —Paul Worcester “There's a difference between being inspired by someone online and being discipled by someone who knows you.” —Lacey Villasenor “There's so much beauty in being shepherded, known, and held accountable.” —Lacy Abercrombie
Why give to the local church? How do we discern what to give? And what does the Lord do through the financial offerings of His people? All of this is explored in the final installment of our Invested series.
#2 イエス様が与えてくださったから #2 Because Jesus Gave It to Us!
The Church is the bride of Christ and Christ does not have a girlfriend that He will leave the bride for.Israel as a nation is not exempt from God's judgment. There is no separate plan of salvation in which God accepts Jews who do not believe in Christ. God has not rejected Israel, but He shows no partiality. Christ came to build one house, not two. Salvation ultimately comes down to belief or unbelief.
On this episode of The Lead On Podcast, Jeff Iorg, president of the SBC Executive Committee, discusses the crucial discipline of keeping a church focused on its core mission. He shares practical steps for pastors and church leaders to help their leadership teams avoid mission drift, ensuring they fulfill their calling with clarity and impact.
DateNovember 16, 2025SynopsisIn this sermon, we dive into the third week of our series, In Good Company: A Series on Saints, by meeting John Wesley—a restless striver who felt compelled to earn his destiny. Discover how Wesley's relentless pursuit of holiness gave way to an inexplicable moment of surrender that radically transformed his life and launched a movement. The relentless pressure to be "enough" melts away when we realize that God's love for us is not a reward to be earned, but a gift that comes first. This profound assurance is what liberates us to stop fearing failure and start loving the world.About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.
Sermon Notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qN3ltw_QjKAHIqggj-wCDzVM76sCE_jW/view?usp=drive_linkSubscribe to our channel:https://www.youtube.com/shepherdshouseazWebsite: shepherdsaz.orgInstagram: @shepherdshouseazFacebook: /shepherdshouseazTiktok: @shepherdshouseazYoutube: /shepherdshouseaz
All Christians are called to be part of local churches where they are led and cared for by elders, worship God, learn the Scripture, receive the sacraments, pray together, serve one another, and carry out the Great Commission together. 1 Corinthians 1:1-2 For more resources on this teaching please visit https://brcc.church/teachings/we-believe-in-the-local-church/
(25-10-2025 morning pt.2) Understanding AG Malaysia Relationship with the Local Church by CCC Sermons
The teen years often get a bad reputation. Our culture tells us to expect moodiness, distance, constant arguments, and irresponsible kids. But what if it doesn't have to be that way? What if the teen years could actually be some of the sweetest, most rewarding times you share with your children? In this episode, we sit down with our good friend David Elrod as he shares the intentional steps he took to make the teen years a joy, - not a battle - and how you can do the same. Links in this Episode To Train up a Child The Open Church About Abraham's Wallet: Abraham's Wallet exists to inspire and equip Biblical family leaders. Please partner with us in inspiring and equipping multi-gen families at https://abrahamswallet.com/support AW website Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Chapters (00:00:00) - How to Manage Your Home and Money(00:00:40) - How Do I Create Wealthy Children?(00:07:21) - Adam Smith on Raising Successful Children(00:09:41) - How Do You Shape Your Family's Spiritual Growth?(00:13:48) - The Need for Perfectionism(00:15:22) - To Train Up A Child(00:18:01) - How to Train Up a Child(00:19:40) - Adam Levine on His Son's(00:20:21) - What They Did When Their Kids Were in 5th Grade(00:25:10) - Biblical Study for Boys(00:29:30) - How to Lead Your Sons in the Local Church(00:35:50) - Christian Dad on His Daughter's Pre-College Training(00:41:00) - Gym Dad's Fourth- and Fifth-Grade Kids Advice(00:43:56) - Weekly Rhythms of Input in Parenting(00:46:01) - Be on Your Guard
Peter Wright's interview in this episode runs the gamut from youth pastor to communications director to recruitment specialist and more. He explains to host Dr. Matt Davis that God has “wired” him to enjoy encouraging people, whether through playing the piano, driving a bus, flying airplanes, or mowing a lawn. Their conversation glides through Peter's call to youth ministry despite music training and flows on to his call to Maranatha as communications director (overseeing things he disliked) and how the Lord gave him what he pined for—ministry in music. Then their dialogue settles on recruitment. Peter answers such paramount questions as why he advocates Christian education, why students should attend college even if pursuing a trade, and why Maranatha is a prime choice. They talk percentages—70-80% of Christians attending secular schools denouncing their faith, senior test scores placing MBU in the top 4% nationally with music students in the top 1%, and our CPA-track students making us number one in Wisconsin. Dr. Davis sites studies which show discipline trumps IQ, and Peter concludes the compelling analysis by enumerating college benefits beyond academics.
Being willing to rejoice in suffering for Christ is one of the greatest breakthroughs a believer can experience. We don't suffer as Christians because God afflicts us, but because our obedience to Him brings opposition. We will never face that opposition in a Christlike way if we don't understand that suffering comes with it.
This video was created for Jonesville Baptist in Newberry, Florida. However, the need for apologetics in every local Christian church cannot be overstated. People, Christians and non-Christians, need to hear the Gospel and know why they should believe it.
DateNovember 9, 2025SynopsisIn this sermon, the second in our In Good Company series, we dive deep into the extraordinary life of Wangari Maathai, the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Her childhood lessons about the sacredness of the wild fig tree rooted a life of radical faithfulness. We explore how her seemingly small act—planting seven trees—grew wild and untamed, like the kingdom of heaven itself, becoming a powerful movement for environmental justice, women's empowerment, and political liberation. Our small efforts matter, reminding us that we are called to root healing and hope wherever we are.About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.
November 6, 2025 RICH JENSEN, ANTHONY UVENIO & CHRIS MACDOWELL, pastors of Hope Reformed Baptist Church of Coram, Long Island, NY, who will address: “The IMPORTANCE of DEVELOPING MENTORING MINISTRIES in the LOCAL CHURCH” Subscribe: Listen:
The Local Church | Mid-week Service | Pastor Tolu Ayeni
Pastor Jeremy Howard joins Sound Words to unpack what the Bible teaches about the conscience—how it works, how it can be corrupted, and how it can be strengthened through truth and grace. Learn how to respond when convictions differ, avoid legalism, and walk faithfully before God with a conscience shaped by Scripture.00:00 Welcome to the Sound Words Podcast01:29 Why the Topic of the Conscience03:27 Biblical View of the Conscience07:21 Weakened or Seared Conscience12:51 Conviction14:02 When Christian Consciences Differ20:30 The Role of the Local Church and the Conscience24:25 The World Shaping our Conscience26:35 Conscience vs Legalism33:11 "What's True for Me"#ChristianEthics #Conscience #ChristianLiving #SoundWordsPodcast #SoundWordsSound Words is a ministry of Indian Hills Community Church, a Bible teaching church in Lincoln, NE. Sound Words is also a partner of Foundations Media, a collective of Christian creators passionate about promoting biblical theology and applying it to everyday life. Learn more at https://foundationsmedia.org. Follow on Instagram Follow on Facebook Follow on YouTube Follow on Twitter Follow on Threads Visit https://ihcc.org
If you speak the truth and walk in love, there will be people who try to intimidate you to stop you. The enemy looks for your vulnerable points as you stand for righteousness and speak truth. You have to decide from the start whether you will keep doing what you're doing, no matter what comes against you because what you're doing is more valuable than anything anyone could take from you.
DateNovember 2, 2025SynopsisIn this sermon, we explore how St. Ignatius of Loyola—once a vain soldier obsessed with glory—discovered that faith isn't about achievement but friendship with God. Through his story and the encounter between Jesus and blind Bartimaeus, we're invited to consider Jesus's tender question: "What do you want me to do for you?" This first installment of the In Good Company series reminds us that when we embrace our need for divine friendship rather than trying to earn our way to God, our vision is restored and we're empowered to "set the world on fire" with love.About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.
The church is alive and well in Ukraine despite the war. Today, the team in Ukraine shares an update! Our brothers and sisters still need a miracle, but their hope is fixed on Jesus, and the church is full of new believers. They could focus on their own safety or personal loss, but instead, their hearts are full of gratitude for what God is doing and for how many people are coming to know Jesus.
DateOctober 26, 2025SynopsisIn this sermon, we scratch the record on apathy and tune our ears to the Spirit's invitation to dream again. We confront the haunting script that “nothing matters” and pivot toward a defiant, embodied hope—where God restores what locusts devour and empowers all people to imagine and co-create a more just, beautiful world. Expect honest lament, bold re-imagining, and a summons to actionable faith that interrupts despair with possibility.About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.
Rejoice, pray, give thanks, and never quench God's Spirit. Paul's closing words to the Thessalonians offer timeless principles for every believer. Rick Hughes unpacks four divine mandates that sustain spiritual stability—rejoicing in every circumstance, praying consistently, giving thanks in all things, and keeping the Holy Spirit's power active. These truths form the framework for peace, gratitude, and effectiveness in the Christian life based on thinking, not emotion. Download Transcript: https://rhem.pub/divine-order-84f39a