Bethany Church of Canby

Baptism Sunday

Guest Speaker: Mark Smith

Paul takes the Gospel to the intellectual center of the world at that time. But rather than argue through books, he takes them to the CREATION and RESURRECTION. We can learn much from Paul’s engagement with the crowds and find hope for this world and the world to come.

David Beuving

This Sunday as we look at the conversion of two women we will be encouraged by seeing that the Gospel goes to all types of people, in all kinds of different ways, with all kinds of unintended important changes as a result.

A great debate had arisen in this first decade of the church. The question was whether the Jewish church had a vision big enough to accept Gentile Christians without requiring them to also become Jews. Were the Gentile Christians just a reform within Judaism, or a sign of a New Covenant with all people where no favoritism or distinctions would be made? The issue at stake was GRACE.

This morning we set out with Paul on the first of his three missionary journeys. We will look at different applications of taking the Gospel to the people in our lives. Paul shows us a Spirit empowered, grace filled, contextualized Gospel full of FACTS and PROMISES all dependent upon the RESURRECTION.

This morning we are looking at the church that changed the world from Antioch. From this model church, we see some of the best practices that are necessary to cultivate a soil that grows mature disciples. Let’s look together at some of the practices and find encouragement and motivation.

The past few weeks in Acts, we have looked at the Gospel breaking out, through God’s sovereign initiative, to more and more people. First, to Samaritans (enemies of the Jews), then to an Ethiopian Eunuch from the ends of the earth, and last week to a legalistic Pharisee intent on killing Christians. This morning the Gospel door is opened to the Gentiles through a European soldier, but what will se...

Jesus said in the Gospel of John, that without being born again, no one can enter the kingdom of God. In other words, conversion is absolutely necessary. And yet no two conversions are the same. So how can we have assurance we have been converted? By looking at the most famous conversion in the history of the world we will see that while no two conversions are the same, there are some elements tha...

Evangelism is at the heart of the book of Acts and at the heart of the Great Commission. This morning we look at the incredible evangelistic encounter between Phillip and the Ethiopian eunuch. In our own struggles with evangelism we will be challenged to pursue three foundations of Evangelism- LOVE, the SPIRIT, the STORY.

As persecution strikes the church in the wake of Stephen's execution, Christians begin to flee Jerusalem, taking the gospel with them into the surrounding communities. Philip takes the gospel to the hated Samaritans, and the apostles endorse their conversion, showing that the good news of the Kingdom is for all peoples.

When Stephen looks to the opened heavens, he sees the Son of Man standing in His glory at the right hand of God (Vs. 56). What does the name mean, and how does it connect to Christmas? Let’s unpack the Son of Man’s journey from prophecy to His first and second coming.

Stephen in the climax of his sermon to his accusers tells them that they killed “The Righteous One.” (Vs. 52) And they were not happy about it. What does it mean to be righteous? And what does it have to do with Advent and the necessity of the Righteous One to die for us? This morning as we look at Advent through the eyes of Stephen we want to understand the Righteous One and receive His gift to u...

In Stephen’s sermon, the same “God of glory” (Vs. 2) appeared to Abraham as it did to him in verse 55 where he, being full of the Spirit, saw both the glory of the Father and the Son. The trinity in one verse. As we see Advent through the eyes of Stephen, we want to understand the glory that was revealed in Jesus’ birth. This same glory that the Father had was also the Son’s. What does this mean f...

What makes a man like Stephen face suffering with such incredible poise, courage, and grace? It is a vision of Jesus. This morning we begin our new Advent series to see that a glorious vision of Jesus at the right hand of God would not have been made possible if Jesus hadn’t come the first time. Let’s begin to unpack this incredible moment in the history of the church, in the life of Saul, and hop...

The passage in Acts today is really a primer on how to handle internal conflict and growth in the church. This morning, we will look at the challenges that it highlights and the solutions it proposes for service in the church.

Everybody loves a good hero story. We like to see our heroes snatch victory out of the jaws of defeat. But what is it about the NAME of Jesus that gave the disciples such heroic courage to remain faithful in the face of danger? Let’s find out by looking at three pillars of courage.

Guest Speaker: Mark Smith

What makes the disciples, in the face of impending suffering, become more bold to proclaim Jesus’ resurrection and exceedingly generous? We want to follow in the early disciples' footsteps by looking at their pattern of RUNNING to the Lord, REHEARSING God’s sovereignty, and RE-EXPERIENCING his powerful presence.

Guest Speaker: Mark Smith

The miracle and the message go together here. While the miracle was meant to combat the suffering of the lame man, and blessed him greatly, it pointed to even more than the healing itself. It pointed to the Messiah’s Glory,  The Moment to Come, The Greater Need, The Grief of the Suffering Servant. Let’s look at these four truths by connecting the miracle to the message.

It is hard for us to understand how different and radical the early church looked in their culture because we have inherited their world. And yet, rather than sacrifice, service and loving our enemies, we seem to be returning to a world where might makes right, where power is everything. This morning, we are reminded WHAT DEVOTION to Christ is to look like, and HOW DEVOTION is possible. 

This Sunday, we look at Peter's first sermon, where he explains what is meant by this outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Peter gives a Christ exalting clear sermon that interprets the Old Testament with a decidedly Christological exegesis. We now live in the long age of opportunity between Christ’s two comings, where we are called to live in His powerful PRESENCE as faithful WITNESSES.

This Sunday we look at the day of Pentecost which was the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise that the Holy Spirit would come. Let’s look at the three accompanying miraculous SIGNS and how they empower God’s people to be a GOSPEL OUTPOST for the nations.