Bethany Church of Canby

We begin the 2024 New Year with a return to our study in the gospel of Luke. It seems appropriate to enter this new year with a message that puts our focus on “His kingdom” and off of the things that tend to distract us and cause us to worry. In this text today, Jesus presents us with some thoughts on how we might overcome worry in our lives: we will Face the Facts about what it is and does and th...

Christmas is the season of lights. But why? The imagery of light runs throughout the entire story of God’s Word. This Sunday we look at the words of Jesus as he declares himself to be the Ultimate Light of the world and what that means for us.

Bob Yoder filling in for Pastor Jeff

How do you view your money and stuff? And what is the place of money and stuff in our lives? This week we look at our relationship to money through the parable of a rich farmer. What we will see, is that the problem is not so much money, but our attitude towards money and God. Do we take God into consideration when making money decisions? Let’s look at The Warning, The Foolishness of Greed, and th...

How does the fear of God rid us of fear? That is the paradoxical question we seek to answer this morning as we look at Jesus’ private message to his disciples amidst the overwhelming crowds. Let’s look at WHAT the fear of God is, WHY it brings us peace, and HOW to get that proper fear. 

It wasn’t that Jesus didn’t wash his hands; it was that Jesus didn’t respect their extra-biblical customs. This was the conflict between the legalism of the Pharisees, and the deeper, truer, internal righteousness Jesus was seeking. Legalism wants to work from the outside in, where the Gospel works from the inside out. Let’s take a look at some of the symptoms of legalism and see how the Gospel So...

We all know Jesus told us to “Go and make disciples,” but WHY? It might sound like a simple question, but Jesus does give us more answers than just, because I told you to. The answer is that we make disciples because God’s goal for all history and humanity is to gather to himself a multitude of people who will spend eternity with him. This is the answer that gives so much urgency and importance to...

Every section of this text today is a call to examine our choices in light of how we respond to Jesus’ words. Every choice is crucial. Like the hearers of Jesus’ day, we too are accountable for how we respond to  what we hear from Jesus. Will we walk in the light or the darkness? Will we emit light or darkness? Today we look at a beatitude, a warning, and an exhortation to discover the “something...

Jesus makes it very clear this week that you are either for him or against him. It is his declaration of dependence. However, we are tempted to depend upon so many other solutions to the problems in our lives, including the problems of sin and evil. Let’s look at this short passage to find again that we need to be not just dependent upon, but possessed by, the stronger man Jesus.

In our study of Luke’s gospel, we see that the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry is fast approaching an end. He is wanting to teach all He can to His disciples. We will find Him speaking in many parables and taking every opportunity to teach what these followers need to know of Him and of the Kingdom to come. How can we most benefit from Jesus’ teaching? In today’s message, we will look at some ways...

Last week Jesus challenged his disciples, as messengers of the Gospel, to call everyone to believe. This week Jesus challenges his disciples to gospel love of their neighbors regardless of what they believe. In Jesus’ mind the two are inextricably linked together.  So why do all Christians have a hard time keeping them together? Let’s find out by looking at the COMMAND, the CAVERN, and the CATALYS...

The call to evangelism can scare us when we think of having to speak out loud for Jesus. But if we will look together at the WAY Jesus lays out for evangelism and the HEART behind it, we will be encouraged as we find out that the power comes from him, the message is his, and the entire program is under his control. Let’s look today at the WAY of evangelism and the HEART behind it.

What does it mean to count the cost of FOLLOWING Jesus? And what does Jesus expect the cost to be? How are we to respond when we face some cost or REJECTION for being a disciple?  These are questions we will answer as we look at the primacy that Jesus places on kingdom discipleship and how to respond when the kingdom of the world rejects us. This morning we will each be challenged and asked to giv...

Instead of simply singing because it is what we do in church, let's consider the different ways in which singing is important in the life of a Christian. Singing is not only a sign of worship, but an act of war and a tool for shaping us into the people that God has called us to be.

This week we close our short series by looking for wisdom in a tech saturated world. Whereas technology can ever only answer the “what is” questions, we need something more to answer the “why” and “ought” questions. That something more is wisdom. Let’s wrap up today by looking again at some wise principles to guide our tech adopting and adapting.

This week we want to discuss two competing gospels – the gospel of technology and the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. What kind of narrative does the gospel of technology offer us? One that seeks to liberate us from our need of God and feeds our deepest idols. It is only in the true Gospel that we are given what we truly need – a face to face relationship with God. Let’s compare these two gospels.

This morning we begin our new series on technology and the life of faith. We will be answering some questions. What is technology? What is God’s relationship to technology? What is our relationship to technology? How can we trust God in the digital age? Let’s unpack these together with several Scriptures.

Like the seasons transition from planting to plucking, the teacher in Ecclesiastes 3 reminds us there are seasons not only in individual lives and families, but in groups, institutions, and churches as well. Our job is to discern what season we are in, recognize what is called of us in that season, and determine to live with God and each other through that season. This morning let’s look at some d...

Peter closes his letter where he began - GRACE. In his opening greeting he announced multiplying “grace and peace” to his readers (see 1 Peter 1:2). Now, as he brings this letter to a close, he reveals for them, AND US, the marvel of this true grace. It truly is a marvelous grace that we have received from Him. It is my prayer that all who hear this message today will humbly come to Him who offers...

Appointing elders was an established form of church organization since the beginning. Who are these men and how should we go about finding them in our churches? Peter includes some insight and guidance for the church regarding elders in his closing chapter of this first letter bearing his name.

Pastor Derek Olson from Dallas EFC is bringing the message.

We’re continuing our study in I Peter and today we are looking at the start of chapter 4, talking about how Jesus’ life and way of thinking makes believers different than the rest of the world. Not only are believers lives different than unbeliever’s lives, but Jesus’ way of thinking causes us to engage with one another in love. 

Elder Board Chair Neal Leland bringing the message

It's often in those relationships which are closest, where we spend the most time, that our selfishness is most clearly on display. But here Peter calls us to a different way. Instead of defending our right, fighting to get our way with those closest to us, Peter calls us to model Jesus by silently laying down our lives SO THAT the radiant beauty of Jesus will shine through us to those around...

Our focus this morning is on Peter’s instruction in 1 Peter 2: 13-17 for all followers of Christ to demonstrate proper respect for and humble submission to all legitimate institutions of human authority.