The Two Ways

Dennis McCallum

Matthew 7:13-29

Jesus allows his audience to choose their path: through the narrow gate or the wide path. The narrow path is through asking for forgiveness through Jesus. The broad road is the religious lifestyle that Jesus has been combating through all of his teachings. A major reason for people choosing the broad road is because of listening to false teachers. The second focus of Jesus' teaching is in regards to distinguishing true and false prophets. True prophets have an authentic relationship with God, while false prophets claim to know God only by association, not in reality. Perhaps the biggest difference between true and false followers of Jesus are those who choose to hear his words and put them into practice.

God or Money

Scott Risley

Matthew 6:19-34

Living in this modern era it is easy to believe that anxiety about money is normal, but God calls it a sin! Instead, store up treasures in heaven by investing in your own spiritual growth by focusing on following God who loves and cares for you. If your treasure is in God, your heart will follow. You can either live a life filled with anxiety or you can seek first God's Kingdom and enjoy Him for eternity.

Leading Our Kids to Love God

Joe Botti

2 Timothy 3:14-15

In our culture today, kids are leaving their Christian lives behind in huge numbers as they grow up into adulthood. And it is certainly no easy task to help our children develop a love for the Lord! This workshop first discusses our role in this area and the correlation between our relationship and influence with our kids. Our own modeling of sincere faith and time spent relationally investing in our children are imperative. Next, the class addresses the need to withstand cultural pressures and provides some age specific ideas for how to engage our kids spiritually and relationally. \r\n

The Dynamic Work of the Holy Spirit

Jeff Gordon

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

When Paul said that only Christians can say 'Jesus is Lord', what he meant is that it is only by the Holy Spirit leading us to faith in Christ that that truth is revealed to us. In making a choice to accept the grace of Christ, we have a second, spiritual birth. A life of faith means doing things outside of our abilities, through the power of the Holy Spirit working in us.

God's Intrusion into Human History

Dennis McCallum

Philippians 2:4-8

Jesus' birth was a miraculous event that God orchestrated by having him conceived through the virgin Mary. Mary's attitude towards God's plan is one of willingness and personal trust. Jesus' birth was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah. Jesus' entrance into the world as God incarnate begins with him in a manger, essentially a feeding trough where he is rejected and excluded. This would be the first instance of many as Jesus' life was a portrayal of humanity's rejection of God. Despite all the suffering, rejection and pain, Jesus' birth signifies God's desire to have people come to know Him personally through the cross.

Dealing With Negativity

Dennis McCallum

Romans 8:5-7

Christians are called to forbear with one another's faults and to cultivate a positive mindset. For most believers though, negativity is natural and accepted, \r\nbut this casual attitude blinds them to the truth that negativity is self-fulfilling and a serious sign of unbelief. In contrast, believers with positive mindsets focus on what is good and choose to be grateful in the midst of difficult circumstances, and this mindset provides relief from anxiety and self-absorption. A video testimony from Joe Botti is included.

What Does Spiritual Maturity Look Like?

Dennis McCallum

Ephesians 4:3

Our culture believes that the path to personal peace is based on our good circumstances and developing an inner sense that nothing is bothering us. The Bible, however, says that personal peace comes from a relationship with God and is the sense of security and purpose that comes from trusting in God's love. This peace is accessible to all believers no matter what their circumstances, and anxious believers can experience it through practicing gratitude.

The Flow of History (Part 1)

Jim Leffel

Daniel 8:20-22

Predictive prophecy is God's revelation of His plan for history. This is important for us because God wants us to know what He is doing and has done so that it can be an objective foundation for faith. Biblical prophecy should be interpreted in light of its self-interpretation, its context in the Bible, and by known history. The visions that Daniel receives correspond to a succession of kingdoms in history, and indicate the end of history: that justice and grace will triumph, and that the Son of Man will rule.

Jesus Calms The Storm

Gary DeLashmutt

Luke 8:22-25

Jesus taught several lessons when he calmed the storm: 1) following Jesus does not mean immunity from "storms"; 2) "storms" expose our little faith in Jesus; 3) Jesus responds to our little faith in him; and 4) Jesus challenges us to grow stronger in our faith in him. The best ways to grow our faith are to consider God's promises, ponder previous instances of God's faithfulness, and to act in faith during the storms.