Radical Servitude or Selfish Mediocrity?

Dennis McCallum

Luke 15:4-10

Paul lived a life dedicated to serving God and other people. People often choose to live a life that is self focused and care more about their own riches than the needs of others. As servants of the Lord we set our aim at leaving an eternal impact, and serving those around us.

Christians and Generosity (Part 2)

Dennis McCallum

Proverbs 20:4

Paul calls us to be good stewards of the money God has blessed us with. We are called to give voluntarily of own volition; God loves a cheerful giver. The best thing we can do with our temporary resources is invest in things that are eternal.

Becoming a Cheerful Giver: Why I Give

Jeff Gordon

Luke 16:10-11

Teacher Jeff Gordon gives his personal testimony as a way to persuade church members to give to the building campaign. He recounts seeing his fellow professionals be in misery over their finances and life. God began showing him that you cannot buy happiness and that God offered a different life: a life of giving instead of taking. He explains how he transformed as he began to give and enjoyed more of what God has given him. Ends with an essay selection by A. W. Tozer called ?Miracles Follow the Plow? and uses the essay to encourage church members to take a step of faith towards radical giving.

Motivations for Generosity

Gary DeLashmutt

Acts 4:32-33

This teaching is part of a funding campaign for Xenos Christian Fellowship. What is generosity and what motivates is highlighted throughout this teaching. There are 6 motivations for generosity. First, God has given generously to you through his son Jesus; grace is God's riches at Christ's expense. A second motivation is because God has made you a steward of His resources. A comparison of stewardship and ownership mentalities is included. Thirdly, you can be generous even if you are not wealthy; it is an attitude of giving that God is looking for, not a specific or large financial amount. Fourthly, God wants all of his people to have enough and does so through His people's generosity. Fifth, your financial gift will be handled with integrity among church leadership. Lastly, God will richly bless you for your generosity. You cannot out-give God! Refers to Craig Bloomberg's book Neither Poverty Nor Riches: A Biblical Theology of Possessions as a valuable resource on generosity topic.

Focus of Faith (Part 2)

Jim Leffel

Hebrews 13:17

A life of faith is fundamentally a life of trust in God, rather than the opposing values of materialism. It also means a trust in and imitation of legitimate spiritual leaders: those who are faithful to God's Word, have godly character, and who are accountable.

Will We Be Self-Serving or Other-Serving?

Dennis McCallum

James 5:1-6

We learn in James 5 that God is vehemently opposed to the rich person's self-indulgence, hoarding of wealth, and mistreatment of the poor. The Christian who understands God's mercy and love should lead a life of simple-living and sacrifice, that involves high prioritization of generosity to the poor. The American church has historically been weak in this area. As a result, there is a need for strong leadership in the church on this issue, and for individuals to come before God in deciding how much to give.

Generosity

Gary DeLashmutt

James 5:1-6

God's wisdom suggests that we should be generous in light of God's generosity towards us. Rather than accepting the "American Dream" mentality and using God's resources towards self, God desires us to grow in our willingness to share and be generous with the resources we've received from Him. Christians who become increasingly generous store up for themselves rewards for eternity and reflect the generosity they have received through Jesus Christ paying for their moral debt.

Being Renewed

Jim Leffel

Ephesians 4:17-24

Ephesians emphasizes that lifestyle flows out of identity. The gentiles are described to have a darkened understanding, leading to a chaotic lifestyle. The prescription is a renewed understanding of the human condition, their culpable ignorance (which causes deep conflict and eventual callousness within), sensuality, and greed. All of these are ingrained habits that believers need the Spirit to transform. This new awareness leads believers to value a different way of living.

The Whore of Babylon

Gary DeLashmutt

Revelation 18

This prophecy introduces us to another evil character in the End Times, the "Whore of Babylon", that is used to describe the judgment that God will carry out on the earth. She embodies the spiritual adultery of Israel and the apostate Church's worship of idols as history comes to a close. Also described as "Babylon the Great", she represents fallen humanity's determination to construct a society without a need for God by accumulating material wealth, comforts, and technology. Don't be deceived by the appeal of Babylon; turn to Jesus Christ, who is the source of true fulfillment!