Arbor Church

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into this or that town and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.” You do not know about tomorrow. What is your life like? - James 4. Today, Scott walks us through James’ harsh words for wealthy oppressors, and shows us what it means to honor God with our wealth and our plans.

Where do the conflicts and where do the quarrels among you come from? – James 4. In the book of John, Jesus asks John: What do you want? This question is remarkably insightful – because we are what we want . Not what we think or believe or do – what we want . Pastor Ryan explains.

Who is wise and understanding among you? James’ rhetorical question in Chapter 3 opens a set of verses that help us distinguish true wisdom from counterfeit.

And the tongue is a fire! The tongue represents the world of wrongdoing among the parts of our bodies. It pollutes the entire body and sets fire to the course of human existence… okay, James, but how do you really feel? Today, from chapter 3 of James’ epistle, the story of how much trouble our tongues can get us into, and why.

Today, Ryan teaches on one of the most hotly debated passages in the New Testament, James 2:14: What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can this kind of faith save him? Surely James cannot be saying that we are not saved by faith alone … so what is James saying? And what does it have to do with a certain cormorant on the Galapagos Islands?

My brothers and sisters, do not show prejudice if you possess faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. From James 2, some challenging words about favoritism and prejudice, and the Royal Law that shows us how to rise above them.

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. Thanks much, James, but that’s a lot easier said than done. This week, Pastor Ryan unpacks this passage with some practical advice on how to live out this command, and explores the growing chasm between hearing and doing in the Christian life.

My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials… So begins the book of James, and this week Ryan opens our new A Faith that Works series with a message on why James opens his epistle with what appears to a major bummer.

Have you ever tried to follow Jesus’ example of prayerfulness, only to find that you’re secretly bored … or don’t know what to do … or even aren’t sure if your prayers are actually doing anything? If so, today’s message is for you.

Jesus was never too busy for the people he encountered as he went about His ministry. Scott Hetherington shares three stories about Jesus bringing hope and healing in during unplanned and unexpected encounters, and encourages us, too, to live in the now as we follow Him.

Little by little, we have squeezed more into our days until we’re overwhelmed. What is the better way forward when we feel so rushed and hurried – and so disappointed in the pace and intensity that has encroached upon our schedules – that we don’t have time to do what really matters? Sometimes, the greatest enemy to the life you want may be the life you’re living.

Ryan opens our new series A Better Way Forward with some tough, uncomfortable questions … that you probably wouldn’t expect to hear from the pulpit right after the new year. If we’re honest with ourselves, we’ve probably felt at times that Christianity isn’t actually working. How can we move forward in the way of Jesus in those times?

Ryan closes our The Way in a Manger series with a special Christmas Eve message about Jesus, the Light of the World.

Ryan continues opens our Advent series The Way in a Manger with a message about gifts, giving, receiving, anger, fear, our way, our wills, and the great love God has for us.

Ryan opens our Advent series The Way in a Manger (it sounds kind of like “away in a manger” … get it?) with a message about faith, fear, angels, disgusting shepherds, betrothed lovers, unexpected pregnancies, and God’s peace.

Nevertheless, you did well to share with me in my trouble …And my God will supply your every need according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4. Ryan closes our Resilient Joy series at the end of Philippians, which – as it turns out – is really just an extremely loquacious thank-you letter for the generosity of the church at Philippi, and shares 7 reasons that giving is good.

I have experienced times of need and times of abundance. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of contentment, whether I go satisfied or hungry, have plenty or nothing. – Philippians 4. Today, Bryan leads us through Paul’s famous passage on contentment, and reveals Paul’s answer to the question: how can today be enough?

I appeal to Euodia and to Syntyche to agree in the Lord … Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice! Let everyone see your gentleness. – Philippians 4. Today, we look at a conflict that’s often passed over when we read this book, and how Paul admonishes us to shape our response. Will conflict cause us to run away from resilient joy – or will we become more deeply rooted in it?

But our citizenship is in heaven—and we also eagerly await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. – Philippians 3:20. Today, Ryan brings his passport to church, and a tale of two kingdoms: the kingdom of this world, the kingdom of Heaven, and what it means for us to live in each one.

Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! To write this again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you. – Philippians 3. This week, Alison leads us through the opening of Philippians 3, and Paul’s extraordinary comparison of his extensive accomplishments and credentials to … well … poop. PARENTAL ADVISORY This episode of our podcast contains scatological humor.

On October 30th 2022, we lost power during our 10:00am service, so to make up for it we recorded an audio only version after the fact. We hope this is beneficial and helpful with your study of Philippians and Resilient Joy.

Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well. You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had… – Philippians 2. Today, Ryan teaches through the first part of Philippians 2 and about the resilient joy that can be found in humility, or, as C.S. Lewis put it: not thinking less of yourself, but thinking about yo...

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. – Paul, Philippians 1:21. Today, Scott Hetherington unpacks this passage as we continue our journey through Philippians 1, and helps us understand how these conflicting desires were, paradoxically, part of Paul’s reason for joy in awful circumstances.

We continue our time in Philippians Chapter 1 trying to understand how Paul was able to experience joy despite being in prison and experiencing what is, objectively, a pretty rough life. Did he just try to pretend that all the evil that happened to him was good? Or was there something deeper going on?

If there’s a word that describes our collective spirits in 2021 and 2022, it might be languishing . This week, Ryan opens a new series on Philippians in which we’ll explore what it means to have joy beyond circumstance and “happiness”.