Aspire Church Podcast

Judas Iscariot is one of the most notorious names in history. It is synonymous with treachery and betrayal, but it wasn’t always. There was a time when Judas was among the most trusted of all of Jesus’ disciples. What happened to him? Can that happen to Jesus’ followers today? Join us for part one of CROSSROADS as we take a closer look at Judas and discover the cross road every disciple must face.

What if you were reading a newly discovered letter from a respected, loved, and long departed person and discovered that they had mentioned you in their letter? That is precisely what we discover when we read Jesus’ prayer recorded in John 17. There is an old gospel song that says, “While He was on the cross, you were on His mind.” John 17 is proof that this is true. What did Jesus pray for you? W...

A person’s dying request is a window into their heart. It reveals what they think is most important. Just before His arrest and crucifixion, Jesus prayed a prayer that contained His dying wish for His church. While He could have asked for the Church’s military or political success, their financial well-being, wisdom or success, He instead asked for their unity. Join us for Part Three of “One” and...

Prayer is an opportunity to align our hearts with the heart of God. Unfortunately, too often it is our attempt to convince God to align Himself with us. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He told them to pray, “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” When He was in the garden shortly before His crucifixion He prayed, “Father, not my will, but yours be done.” Join us...

What Jesus prayed is important, but don't overlook the fact that Jesus prayed. He prayed a lot. If Jesus, who had never sinned and lived in perfect communion with the Father thought that it was important to pray, how much more should the rest of us? In Part one of “One” we will explore Jesus’ habit of prayer to learn ways we can better connect to God through a meaningful and consistent prayer...

Despite the fact that each year a growing majority of Americans wish they could skip Christmas, our collective celebration of the holiday continues to grow more and more extravagant. The commercials begin sooner, the decorations are brighter, the trees are bigger, and the gifts become more expensive. What does it all mean? Do our modern celebrations maintain any resemblance to the occasion they su...

Despite the promises of peace made by kings and politicians throughout the ages, the kingdoms of this world are constantly at war. When Isaiah announced the promise of a coming Savior, he called Him the “Prince of Peace.” Seven hundred years later, when the angels announced the birth of Jesus, they declared, “peace on earth, good will toward men.” The Son of God was called the Prince of Peace and...

Chess is often an analogy used for life. It can be especially useful when discussing politics. There are kings and pawns and pieced in between. The weaker pieces are seen as extendible and the stronger pieces are always sacrificed for the good of the king. However, throughout the pages of the Bible, we find God’s story turns the chess board upside down. Pawns overthrowing kings and kings being pla...

In part two of “Let Earth Receive Her King,” Pastor Gary Webber explores two ancient stories in which God’s people abandoned Him in favor of earthly kings. What is most surprising about these stories isn’t the rebellion of God’s people and their request for lesser kings, but God’s willingness to grant their request. Is it possible that Christians today might fall into that same pattern? Join us as...

Deep within the genetic memory of humanity is a longing for a perfect king. A king who will restore order and justice. A king who will provide for and protect his people. A king whose reign will never end. Our problem seems to be that we cannot find such a king. When earthly kings have failed and we’ve exhausted political solutions, we are still left with the unfulfilled hope of a once and future...

In one of the most provocative parables ever told, Jesus introduced two men who took very different approaches to life. One spent his life while the other invested himself. Join us for the final message in the Invested series to discover the outcome of these two different approaches to living.

In one of His most bizarre parables, Jesus praises the techniques of a crooked money manager. If that isn't odd enough, He then tells us we should learn something important about investing from this guy. Join us for part five of Invested where we will share an important lesson learned from white collar criminals.

In Matthew 25 Jesus tells three parables. The first is like a canvas, the second is like a palate of paint and sets of brushes, but the third is the subject of the painting. Join us for part four of Invested, where we will see the heart of God as captured in His most precious treasure.

We are all born into a particular set of circumstances with certain advantages and disadvantages. Like the baggage claim at the airport, each of the bags coming out belong to someone and you do not get to pick the bags you want, but must take the bags assigned to you. Jesus told a story about three servants who were each handed a portion of their master’s baggage. The bags all contained differing...

The most valuable commodity is also one of the most wasted. It doesn't matter how much money you have, who you know, or how hard you work, everyone is given the same 24 hours in a day. That's exactly 10,080 minutes each week that we will either spend on pointless pursuits or invest in things that cannot be bound by the confines of time. Join us for part two of Invested as we look at a st...

In the most famous sermon ever preached, Jesus gave his listeners some investment advice from the birds. His advice wasn’t just about money, however, it included the secret to real and lasting security – a kind of security you’ll never find in a safety deposit box or an IRA. Join us for part one of Invested and learn the secret of investing wisely.