Teaching of the Week

On October 9, Amy had the honor of being invited to give a guest sermon at the Bastrop Church of Christ. This was a beautiful full-circle blessing for Amy, because one marker moment in her journey into the Catholic Church was a dream she had, where she saw a Catholic woman preaching in a Church of Christ - which, in her experience, would never ever happen. And here, over 20 years later, the dream...

In this teaching, Thomas Cogdell addresses the concern that work towards Christian unity could produce a "false unity." What is true unity? False unity? How do we rightly respond to those whom we disagree with, to the extent that we question whether or not they are "real Christians"? This is the first in what is anticipated to be a series of four teachings on the topic of Boundaries of Reconciliat...

George Miley presents a teaching drawn from the third chapter of his new book on leadership. He talks about the unusual kingdom characteristic of submission, in a Godly leader. Teaching given for the Antioch Network Virtual Gathering on 13 March 2021.

We conclude the Foundations of Community with this, the 10th teaching of our series. It also completes the second half of the series, which focuses on the commitments to action. The fifth and final commitment is to Work. Phillip Owens imparts to us his high value and immense capacity for work, explaining that it comes from God and is for God. Thomas wraps up by grounding our understanding of work...

We conclude the Foundations of Community with this, the 10th teaching of our series. It also completes the second half of the series, which focuses on the commitments to action. The fifth and final commitment is to Work. Phillip Owens imparts to us his high value and immense capacity for work, explaining that it comes from God and is for God. Thomas wraps up by grounding our understanding of work...

In the 8th teaching of our Foundations of Community series, we continue the second half of the series, which focuses on the commitments to action. The third commitment is to Formation. After a brief intro by Thomas, Amy talks about why we need formation, how formation works, and what we should do as a community regarding formation. Teaching recorded for the retreat at Christ the Reconciler on 12 F...

In the 7th teaching of our Foundations of Community series, we begin the second half of the series, which focuses on the commitments to action. The second commitment is Reconciliation. Thomas Cogdell talks about keys to reconciliation, and how we live out John 17 through reconciliation at CTR. Teaching recorded for the retreat at Christ the Reconciler on 12 November 2021.

The first five teachings of the Foundations of Community series give insight into our renunciations as a community. This teaching begins the second half of the series, which focuses on what we are committing to. The first commitment is to Prayer. Teaching given by Thomas Cogdell for the CTR Retreat (via Zoom) on 18 September 2021.

In the 5th teaching of our Foundations of Community series, Amy follows on Merisha’s teachings on repentance and confession, with a teaching on forgiveness. How does forgiveness work in God’s court of justice, in heaven? How do we “justify the wicked” and “condemn the righteous”, without realizing it? Teaching given at the Christ the Reconciler retreat on 21 August 2021, which was held at Hope Cha...

Merisha Janke was invited by Pastor John McComb to give the sermon on Palm Sunday 2021 (March 28). She was asked to speak on the topic of "Repentance and Forgiveness." Merisha invited Thomas Cogdell to give a brief testimony at the end, about both personal and identificational repentance.

The fourth in our Foundation of Community series is, like the third, brought to us by Merisha Janke, our friend from Help for All Nations. Merisha speaks from her experience growing up in the Lüdenscheid community in Germany. She focuses on confession one to another as a crucial part of living in the light, and the power of the cross to deliver us from all hidden sin. Teaching given on June 19, 20...

The 2nd teaching in the “Foundations of Reconciliation” series, following Caroline’s teaching on The Accuser of the Brethren. Amy & Caroline work together to further unpack the ways in which we invite the Accuser into our minds, our lives, and the church - and how to instead welcome the Advocate, the Holy Spirit! Teaching given at Christ the Reconciler on 15 May 2021.

Caroline Owens is on the leadership team of Christ the Reconciler, a community of followers of Jesus seeking to live out John 17. She prepared this teaching for the first retreat back at CTR after a year-long pause because of the coronavirus. The teaching was given on April 17, 2021. Caroline has been married to her husband Phillip for over 30 years. They have six children. Caroline is a Roman Cat...

In 1995, Steve Hawthorne gave a series of teachings at Hope Chapel, on Tuesday evenings if memory serves. He was exploring the ideas around “The Story of His Glory”, a major theme in his life, teachings, and writings. This teaching was delivered in the first half of the third session on 18 October 1995.

Pat Bailey was the guest speaker at a CTR retreat on March 21, 2015. We were so privileged to hear from her! She spoke on closing the door of the heart.

In the 8th teaching of our Foundations of Community series, we continue the second half of the series, which focuses on the commitments to action. The third commitment is to Formation. After a brief intro by Thomas, Amy talks about why we need formation, how formation works, and what we should do as a community regarding formation. Teaching recorded for the retreat at Christ the Reconciler on 12 F...

Angelina and Thomas co-taught as guest speakers at Midtown Church in Austin on February 6, 2022. They were invited to speak on the topic of fasting, as Midtown was preparing for their annual 21-day churchwide fast. Thomas provides an overview, including some of the benefits and dangers of fasting. Then Angelina speaks about the heart of fasting that God desires.

As we prepare for our retreat focused on Spiritual Formation, it is good to revisit the wonderful teachings of George Miley on Apprenticeship to Jesus. This teaching introduces the concept of Jesus as the Master Teacher, the one who knows the most about how to live life well and teaches His followers these ways. Teaching given at Christ Church Anglican in Phoenix on 24 July 2011.

In the 7th teaching of our Foundations of Community series, we begin the second half of the series, which focuses on the commitments to action. The second commitment is Reconciliation. Thomas Cogdell talks about keys to reconciliation, and how we live out John 17 through reconciliation at CTR. Teaching recorded for the retreat at Christ the Reconciler on 12 November 2021.

Messianic Jewish Rabbi Mark Kinzer gave this teaching to the Achana prayer group, via Zoom. The teaching was given on 5 October 2021. Published by CTR with Mark's permission.

Sermon given at Hope Chapel on December 5, 2021.

Since Marianna is coming next week … why not remind ourselves of what Marianna taught us the very first time she visited? This teaching is from 5 December 2012.

On the Monday morning of Bob & Dan’s visit to CTR, we held a Zoom call with a few remote participants, in which Bob & Dan introduced Alleluia Community to them, and fielded questions. This provides a very good introduction to Alleluia, and shows well some of the ways in which they have been walking similar paths to CTR, only decades ahead. (Of course, in other ways CTR is very different.)

Matt Ryniker, Senior Pastor of Hope Chapel in Austin, invited Amy to preach on the morning of September 26, 2021. He had begun a series on major figures from the Old Testament. Amy had written a book on Abraham, so she was excited to preach about him! The sermon begins not with Amy’s voice, but with Kevin Daniel. Kevin performs a lengthy reading from Amy’s book, Chapter 1 - The Voice. After his re...

The first five teachings of the Foundations of Community series give insight into our renunciations as a community. This teaching begins the second half of the series, which focuses on what we are committing to. The first commitment is to Prayer. Teaching given by Thomas Cogdell for the CTR Retreat (via Zoom) on 18 September 2021.