Anthem Church

The stronghold of laziness is subtle yet powerful. On one hand, God has ordained healthy rest for his people, which is necessary for flourishing and for proper spiritual alignment with our Creator. On the other hand, however, is an abuse or overindulgence in this rest, revealed in an unwillingness or inability to engage in the redeemed life. We are not defined by our failed attempts at discipline...

In our examination of personal comprehensive strongholds, we examine first the stronghold of autonomy, or the unwillingness to be ruled by any authority other than self. In a church community context, this stronghold can lead us to neglect gathering, serving, and giving; while this lack of engagement may feel rewarding in the short term, eventually this isolation catches up to us, to our detriment...

A stronghold is a protracted, pervasive, incorrect thinking pattern that informs our affections. These affections lead us to idols, which lead us to sin, death, and destruction. Using 2 Corinthians 10:3-7, we began to uncover the means of defining, deferring, and defeating these strongholds, a process which ultimately, by the grace of God, frees us and unburdens us for lives lives more fully in an...

The gospel, detailing the work and love of God through Jesus Christ, is in and of itself an offensive message. The Scriptures are clear: we are sinners unable to save ourselves, despite what we may think. However, Christ isn’t confrontational purposelessly - this work is always intended to help us turn from sin and back towards life abundant, found in the loving arms of God. Listen as we take comf...

We can try to use God for our purposes, or we can empty ourselves to be used for his purposes. We can’t do both, however, and only one of these options has any power, hope, and joy. God can use all things for his purposes, and if we avail ourselves to be so used for his glory, we will find true life.

As followers of Christ, it is important that we distinguish ourselves in healthy, helpful, gospel-centered ways. We do not want to place religious hurdles in front of ourselves or others that aren’t supposed to be there, trying to drum up morality and righteousness by our own strength. Conversely, we don’t want to be vague about our faith, adding further confusion to what God himself wants to make...

After leaving Corinth, Paul stops by Ephesus on his way back to Jerusalem and Antioch, eventually taking leave of the latter to begin his third missionary journey. He left Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus, who meet Apollos from Alexandria, a gifted communicator of the Scriptures. With the help of Priscilla and Aquila, Apollos is further equipped to more effectively share the gospel, and he leaves E...

Paul’s journey brings him and his companions next to Corinth, a city that parallels the Bay Area in a number of ways. Looking both at the text and the past ten years of Anthem’s history, Pastor Allen reflects on 10 hallmarks we desire to cling to as a church during the next ten years. Above all, we desire to make Jesus known, in our own hearts and in the hearts of Marin County; our hope is to shar...

Paul’s ministry in Athens is most well known for his sermon at the Areopagus on Mars Hill. However, in addition to his well-crafted message, his ministry to the Athenian people involved patience, listening, immersion in the culture, and a deep dependence on God. This text reminds us that sharing the love of God with those who are far from him is about being present - learning and listening, speaki...

The value, efficacy, and power of the word of God is highlighted clearly in this portion of the book of Acts. The bible is not a book that is simply read; it is a book that graciously examines its reader’s very soul. The Scriptures claim timeless truths about themselves, and while those who preach it can be silenced, maligned, or even killed, the word itself goes forth still, and won’t return void...

God has a vision for our lives, and God wants us to know what this vision is, but often times our own visions for our lives get in the way of hearing clearly from the Lord. Observing the travels of Paul, we learn important principles regarding how God speaks, why he speaks, and the caution we should take in approaching all of these things. God desires that his people know clearly what he desires f...

After the Jerusalem Council and the separation of Paul and Barnabas, the book of Acts picks up with Paul’s second missionary journey, where he recruits Timothy and begins his travels to Macedonia. There were a number of events and false starts along the way, but eventually these disciples of Jesus found themselves exactly where God wanted them for their next season of ministry. When we surrender o...

As we begin a new year, as we make resolutions, and as we look with hope for a joyful, purpose-filled future… let us not forget to put passionate pursuit of Jesus Christ as the top of our list of priorities. He is all we truly need as we move on to what is next.

In celebration of Christmas, we remember that our God richly gives – salvation, strength, hope, and healing. Try as we may to bring these things into our lives on our own, we are reminded, in Scripture and in life both, that we need help. Luckily for us, and for all of the earth, our God is a giver who desires good for his children.

When it feels like we have been overlooked, forgotten, and neglected by God, we can be left bitter and anxious, uncertain of what the future holds. In these times we need to be reminded of his love and his might, and we need to seek Jesus and the kingdom of God first and foremost.

What is Jesus worth to you? On the surface, this is a simple question, but a thorough approach to its answer requires us to take stock of all we hold dear in this life. Whatever we hold as our highest value will influence and affect how we navigate our life. This portion of Isaiah 40 reminds us that nothing in this life can be compared to Christ: he is more significant, he is ultimately sufficient...

When making promises there are two primary things that ought to be considered: power and wisdom. As God’s creation we are limited in both power and wisdom and as Christians ought to consider our limited nature before making promises. However, we worship a God who has all power and wisdom. Therefore we ought to have full assurance that when God makes a promise He has all the power and wisdom to ful...

All of us need a shepherd - we need provision, peace, and protection. We need to be led by someone who is visible, authoritative, and clear. Most of all, we need to be led by someone who is modeling, in the best of their ability and with the help of the Holy Spirit, the chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ himself. We need God to correct the unhealthy narratives with which we see the world, and we need hi...

Continuing in our journey through Isaiah 40, we come to an important reminder: while there is glory in the existence of mankind, this glory eventually fades away, while the word of the Lord will instead stand forever. The gospel stands forever, the scriptures stand forever, and most importantly, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Word become flesh, stands eternally. May we behold this enduring...

Isaiah 40:3-5 speaks of a way being prepared for a victorious God to visit and deliver an imprisoned people. While this message offered hope and healing to its original audience, these verses also serve as a foreshadowing, a prophecy of a man who would come to prepare the way for Christ himself, the hope and healer of the world. In conjunction with the Isaiah text, we discover in Luke 3 more about...

In our first week of examining Isaiah 40, we see God speaking hope, peace, and comfort into the rebellion, sin, and brokenness or his people. Though they have wandered and disregarded God, he is not yet finished with them, and desires to speak to their heart, forgive their sins, and bring them back to the joy of relationship with him. This text teaches us the meaning of true, abiding comfort, and...

The Church is called to be good stewards of God’s grace. This includes a wide variety of gifts which are dispersed by God in different measurements. Romans 12:3-8 tells us that for us to practice faithful stewardship we must practice humility, embrace diversity within the body of Christ, and finally faithful practice the gifts God has so graciously given us.

After delivering a letter to the church in Jerusalem, Paul expressed a desire to Barnabas that they should visit the believers in the cities where they have proclaimed the gospel to see how they are doing. Barnabas agrees and seeks to include John Mark on their journey, but Paul does not agree with the inclusion of John Mark. The inclusion of John Mark on their journey sparks a strong disagreement...

Throughout history, and even today, followers of Christ have struggled with gospel clarity. Sometimes unintentionally, sometimes intentionally, elements are added or subtracted from the gospel of Jesus Christ, making what is supposed to be good news so untenable that we can give up or rebel out of frustration. Is grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone sufficient? In this examination of Ac...

Settling into the fifteenth chapter of Acts, we peer into an incredibly important meeting regarding salvation and the future of the church. What does it take to be saved by Jesus Christ? Grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone? Or does something else need to be added? Some things are worth debating over, and often times we find that there are great benefits in wrestling for clarity, truth...