Commons Church Podcast

What happens when grief takes more than something you love, and starts to take something of you? In the opening verses of the book of Ruth (Ruth 1:1–5), a woman named Naomi loses her husband and both her sons in a foreign land. In this first message of a series on Ruth, Jeremy Duncan explores why Naomi, not Ruth, is the central character of the story, why many scholars think this woman-centred boo...

What if the Bible was never meant to win arguments?  When we're confused, afraid or disillusioned, it's tempting to treat scripture like ammunition, tossing verses back and forth until someone runs out. But that isn't how the scriptures work, and it isn't how they came to us. In this message, Jeremy Duncan walks the road to Emmaus (Luke 24) with two heartbroken disciples who know all the right ver...

In this sermon on Hebrews 11–12:2, Bobbi explores "learning to listen to ancestors." The message reclaims Christian tradition not as a restrictive relic to escape, but as an inherited wisdom that anchors people against isolation and everyday pressures.  By examining how the writer of Hebrews reframes flawed historical figures and presents Jesus as the pioneer and finish line of faith, Bobbi illust...

Scott draws on the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19 to examine how nature speaks to our greatest fears, and how it can also move us into moments of divine encounter. He argues that Elijah’s experience of stillness in the natural world is a model for us to follow in a world full of so much noise.  We’re invited to welcome the ways that nature grounds us and guides us in all our next steps. I Kings 19:...

What might we hear from God if we made more room to listen to people we don’t yet know? In Genesis 18, Abraham welcomes three unexpected visitors. This sermon explores the mystery of that encounter and asks how curiosity and hospitality might open us to conversations we never saw coming. What would it look like to roll up the sides of our tents and pay attention to who is nearby? ★ Support this po...

What if loving your neighbour begins with listening—before deciding who they are or what they deserve? In this message, we revisit the Good Samaritan in Luke 10 and explore how Jesus shifts the question from identifying our neighbours to becoming a neighbour. Along the way, we consider the invitation to hear at the heart of the greatest commandment, the familiar stories we’ve stopped listening to,...

What if your doubts don’t disqualify you from faith? In Mark 9, a father brings Jesus an honest prayer: “I believe; help my unbelief.” His story invites us to let go of perfection, make room for uncertainty, and take the next step toward the future we hope for. From the mountaintop transfiguration to Jesus’ compassion in the valley, this message explores how hope becomes tangible in ordinary life—...

In this return to the familiar conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, Scott explores how we regularly face experiences we can't explain.  He considers how curiosity can be a form of faith when we're swept beyond our intellectual limits, how our hunger to start over is divine, how Jesus uses the metaphor of wind and Spirit, and how we can participate in a tangible mysticism every day. Scripture:...

What do we do when life unfolds beyond our control? In the closing chapters of Acts, Paul learns to release the communities he helped build—and eventually loses control over his own journey. Yet even amid imprisonment, uncertainty, and shipwreck, he retains something vital: the freedom to choose how he will show up. Jeremy explores the difference between control and agency, the courage required to...

In this sermon from our Soapbox Sundays series, Yelena explores the layered and universal idea of "home". Grounded in Ephesians 2:19–22, this message looks at how Christ breaks down dividing walls, invites outsiders into full belonging, and joins us together into a living sanctuary where God makes a home. Key Topics Covered: The Complexity of Home: How personal memories, mobility, and cultural con...

In the first message of the Soapbox Sundays series, Scott makes the case for how an intellectual, reflective life is a spiritual life. Looking at the wisdom literature of Proverbs 4, this teaching explores how engaging our minds across generations, embracing curiosity, and asking hard questions helps us love God and serve our neighbours more deeply. Key Takeaways & Outline: Welcome & Fall...

Psalm 7 is a song for anyone who has ever felt falsely accused, misunderstood, or desperate to be vindicated. But underneath David’s very reasonable words is something more volatile: anger, frustration, and the desire for God to feel exactly what he feels. In this sermon, Jeremy Duncan explores the poetry of Psalm 7—from Taylor Swift and ancient Hebrew wordplay to necks, noses, swords, and bows—an...

What can ancient prayers teach us about our own experience of chaos, confusion, or distress? In this week’s installment of our Summer Songs series, Yelena walks us through Psalm 86—a powerful "psalm of disorientation." Whether life feels stable or everything is falling apart, the Psalms provide a sacred space for profound honesty with the Divine. In this message, we explore: Asks and Reasons: Why...

What do you do when God feels far away? Psalm 13 is a song for those moments. In this message, we explore how naming our pain and shifting our perspective can help us move from lament to praise. Key topics covered: • The relationship between lament and praise: Why the "Book of Praises" is full of sorrow and how lament provides a place to stand while we grieve. • Challenging our categories: Underst...

What do you do when the world feels unfair and you find yourself “fret-burning” with anger? In this message, we explore the wisdom of Psalm 37—not as a transactional set of rules, but as a roadmap for finding composure, delight, and hope in the midst of life's messiness. While many read the Psalms looking for guarantees, they are actually poetic invitations to engage with the world honestly. When...

What does it mean to trust God when there are still very real reasons to be afraid? Psalm 46 doesn’t promise a life without chaos. Instead, it points to the presence of God—our refuge and strength—within our complicated histories, uncertain futures, and present moments. In this message, Alexandra explores how remembering, hope, creativity, mindfulness, and nonviolence can make us more aware of the...

What if the greatest idols in our lives aren't statues—but fear, security, money, and the stories we tell to protect them? In Acts 19, Paul arrives in Ephesus and unintentionally sparks a city-wide riot. On the surface, it's a conflict over religion. But beneath the shouting lies something far more familiar: economic anxiety, fear of outsiders, and the temptation to use spiritual language to defen...

In this episode of our spring series, The Way Forward, we walk through Acts 17:16-34 to explore Paul’s encounter in Athens. As Paul engages with Epicurean and Stoic philosophers at the Areopagus, he provides a model for how we can navigate unfamiliar cultures and carry on thoughtful, faith-filled conversations in our own time. How do we move forward when our efforts seem to go unnoticed, or when w...

In this message, we explore the story of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15, examining how early believers navigated deep conflict and cultural shifts within the church.1 Key topics include: The Nature of Conflict: Why "certain people problems" are a normal, albeit challenging, part of community growth. Navigating Change: Understanding what to keep from the past and what to leave behind as the missi...

In Acts 13, the spotlight shifts from Jerusalem to Antioch—a diverse, unexpected community where the Holy Spirit is doing something entirely new. From former outsiders and unlikely leaders to the commissioning of Paul and Barnabas, this chapter reveals a church that chooses mission over comfort, creativity over control, and expansion over preservation. In this message, we explore how God's grace c...

How does faith change us over time? In Acts 10, Peter encounters a vision that challenges everything he thought he knew about who belongs, who is welcome, and how God works in the world. As he meets Cornelius—a Roman centurion and outsider to Israel's covenant story—the early church discovers that the Spirit of God is already moving beyond the boundaries they assumed were fixed. This message explo...

What gives ordinary people the courage to speak truth, resist fear, and remain hopeful in a fractured world? In Acts 4 and 5, the early church faces its first wave of persecution after Peter and John heal a man at the temple gates and boldly proclaim the resurrection of Jesus. Confronted by powerful religious leaders, threatened, imprisoned, and punished, the apostles discover that true power is n...

What if the judgement of God looks nothing like we imagined? In Acts 2 we step into Peter’s first sermon after Pentecost—the moment the church begins to find its voice. But instead of fear, vengeance, or religious certainty, Peter announces something radically different: resurrection changes everything. Together we explore: - The real miracle of Pentecost - Why not everyone recognizes new movement...

What do you do when the future feels uncertain, God feels quiet, and the old season is clearly over? In Acts 1–2, the early church finds itself in that exact moment — caught between resurrection and Pentecost, between promise and fulfillment, between what was and what will be. And somehow, in the waiting, God is already moving. This week at Commons Church, we explore how faith often begins not wit...

What if the real miracle of love isn’t finding the right person—but becoming the kind of person who can stay? In this final message of The Miraculous series, we explore the ancient story of Ruth and uncover a vision of love that goes far beyond romance. This is a story about commitment, community, and the quiet, steady work of choosing one another—again and again. From friendships to family, from...