Deeper

Our desire for spectacle causes us to push back often on the subtle callings Christ may have for us. How do we de-center ourselves so that we can be responsive? And how do we make sure our desire for spectacle doesn't get in the way of doing "boring" work like deep thought and reflection? 

Remember, Remember, the Fifth of November... or don't, I suppose, if you want to lose sight of where your core identity is. Dan and Austin talk today about the importance of remembering the Oneness of God and of the church. When our whole identity is based off NOT being like the other churches, how do we effectively work together?

It's really hard to explain the Trinity without stepping into an ancient heresy. How do we handle conversations about incredibly complex issues without too much fear? 

When we have good management, it changes our experience at work. The same concept can be applied to our lives with Christ. Knowing we have an excellent boss, how does that help us know how to treat our past, live throu the present and hope in the future? 

No mater how far we find ourselves from the centers of power and influence in our nation, we always find ways to "other" people who we see as backwards or uneducated. What does Jesus' treatment of the region of Galilee tell us about how we are supposed to treat people in parts of the country we don't like?

How should we go about adjusting our expectations for what it means to make it through a challenge in life? How do we ensure we aren’t using the power we have fairly attained in ways that don’t follow God’s plans?

We are constantly trying to balance our goals and missions with Christ. It can be easy to get out of balance, and begin valuing Christ's ministry more than Christ Himself. 

We often think of Efficiency as a good thing, something to be aspired towards. How can it also become a temptation, or a problem?

The Holy Spirit fills many roles, but we understand very little of it. Does it fill the role of a guardian angel, or is that something else? And why do we need it to advocate for us when the Father already knows everything? 

Have you ever tried to re-pack a tent after camping, and no matter how you fold it you can't get to fit the way it used to fit? That's almost what this week's sermon felt like, as we had so much more to unpack from teh scripture we could hardly fit it in the sermon. Dan and Austin take some time to break down some creedal differences and envision a world where we are more incarnate than we may ten...

The Nicene creed spends a LOT of time talking about the Son. Why did they spend so much time on Jesus compared to the rest of the creed? What did people think about Jesus? And are we returning to the ancient heresy the authors of the creed set out to stop? 

As we get going on our series of the Nicene Creed, we started talking about what it means to serve One God Almighty. What does it mean to worship One God in our modern context? What does God's Almighty power mean for how we exercise power?

As we start our series on the Nicean Creed, Dan and Austin take some time to examine the historical, cultural and practical context of that important gathering 1701 years ago. 

One common New Year's Resolution is to "live more in the moment". This is an incredibly important thing, one that we are told to do well in scripture. But how exactly DOES someone live in the moment? What does it mean to be fully present during seasons of struggle as well as joy?

We are called to make room for both those who already believe, as well as those who may be seeking Christ. But what does it actually mean to make room? What does it mean to listen well?

At the start of this Advent season, we take some time to see what areas we can "Make Room" for various people and practices in our lives. Today, Dan and Austin talk about the immediate importance of making room for Jesus in our hearts, regardless of what stage our lives are in.

In this double-episode, Dan and Austin go through the historical context of Boaz, the landowner that is cited as an example for us to aspire to. How far beyond what the law requires are we supposed to go to care for people in need? Pretty darn far, it turns out.

It's hard for us to give up our plans. What does it mean to have healthy, God-guided planning?

Faith without works is dead, which means that we really need to be involved with living our our biblical commands to love our neighbor and care for those in need around us. But what does that actually mean? Pastor Dan and Austin address all this and more.

With some of our first listener submitted questions today, Dan and Austin dive right in to examine how we subconsiously play favorites, how we can avoid that and how we can accurately judge- when do we use worldly standards? 

Our human anger will never be able to bring about God's Justice. That doesn't mean there's nothing that should make us angry, but it DOES mean that we have to be mindful how we let it motivate and guide us. Dan and Austin also spend some time today examining the relationship between our callings to care both about personal holiness and social responsibility. 

In this incredibly timely episode, Pastor Dan and Austin explore what to do when people's speech and actions fall short of the faith they profess. What is our responsibility when someone who shares our faith acts differently than they should? How do we make sure we are receptive to correction ourselves, and what does it mean to go through trials with hope? 

In our first ever video recording of the Deeper Podcast, Austin and Dan talk about the future of the podcast and practical ways to live out our FRIEND acronym.

We've officially wrapped up our series on being Clothed. How do we find encouragement with the vision of the future given to us in Revelation while still being in the thick of struggles

Love is far more than just the emotion we think of so often, it's a call to action. Though the ways we "do" love can different, the calling of "who" and "what" are very clear. Dan and Austin look at our calling to love, and specifically what it can mean to Love with our finances.