Christian Community

Jim Leffel

1 Peter 4:7-11

Peter is writing to folks dealing with a lot of suffering encouraging them to find refuge and sustenance in Christian community. This is an important passage on what is the church and a look at its core values. Would you like to have a growing circle of friends united by a clear conviction of purpose, strengthened by other-centered love and service and where honest, truthful, trusted words prevail?

A Transformed Life

Dennis McCallum

Galatians 5:19-23

In order to see spiritual growth in our lives, we must have a mind set on the spirit and seek out God's transforming power. Paul describes a stagnant life lived for self, one that ends in bitterness. He then describes a life lived sacrifically loving others, the kind of life we can live as we grow with God. What does it look like to love God's way?

Examples of a Transformed Life

Dennis McCallum

Galatians 5:25-6:9

Paul has been discussing how to achieve spiritual growth. He now gives examples of what it looks like to live a transformed life. When we live our lives according to the Spirit, we live to serve others.

Gospel and Postmodern Culture (Part 4)

Jim Leffel

Romans 8:28

Part four of a four-part series on the Gospel impacting postmodern culture. We are called upon by God to give an account for the hope that is within us with gentleness and respect. How do we respond to questions about God being loving when we live in a world full of evil and suffering? A basic framework for understanding the problem of evil is presented to help us engage with others on this topic.\r\n

Gospel and Postmodern Culture (Part 3)

Jim Leffel

Hosea 2:5-14:4

Part three of a four-part series connecting the gospel to our culture. God wants us to dialogue with people about the truth and be able to defend our faith in a loving and compelling way. Many people are turned off to Christianity because they think a loving God will not judge people or they wonder how God can judge both a little old lady and Hitler. Satisfying responses are given along with a look at the loving heart of God revealed in the book of Hosea.\r\n

Good News for Troubled Marriages (Part 1)

Jim Leffel

1 Peter 3:1-4

Part one of a two-part series on good news for troubled marriages which focuses on the wife's roles. Peter gives concise, helpful, but hard to hear principles for wives even if their husbands are disobedient to the Word. Difficult topics such as submission and respect are addressed as well as the meaning of a gentle and quiet spirit. When women engage their disrespectful spouses, God can do big things.\r\n

More Than Words on a Page

Jim Leffel

Hebrews 4:12

The Word of God is the resource God wants to build into our lives that will enable us to effectively engage in victorious and fervent love for one another. This passage describes the Bible as the final and living Word which we need to feed on. God speaks to our deep inner life through His Word and transforms us from the inside out. As we feed and act on the Bible we can hear from God, start to think His thoughts and have something substantial to bring into our relationships.

Being Different & Making a Difference

Jim Leffel

1 Peter 1:14-23

Peter discusses what it looks like to live as ?resident aliens? by contrasting being conformed to lusts versus being holy. We live in a culture that condones pursuing harmful passions and ?overdesires? that can never satisfy. Only the blood of Jesus can redeem us and make us holy which should radically change the way we live.\r\n

Introspection and Spiritual Living

Dennis McCallum

Hebrews 12:2

Paul argues that God will search our hearts and bring things to the light as He sees fit. Christians can find themselves in a state of morbid introspection where they think too much about themselves and focus too much on solving their own problems. There is a biblical level of introspection, but often we go above and beyond that in our conceited self focus.