Aspire Church Podcast

The innocence of a newborn is both beautiful and dangerous. Beautiful because it offers us a fading glimpse of purity. Dangerous because a baby is helpless and entirely dependent. Jesus once told His disciples that unless they entered the Kingdom like an infant, they would never get in. This raised more than a few questions among His followers. Join us for part two of Kingdom People, where we will...

Have you ever had an unanswered prayer? Is there something for which you have finally stopped praying? Have you ever felt unworthy to approach God in prayer? Join us for part one of Kingdom People , where we will meet two unlikely prayer warriors who teach us the power of persistent, humble prayer.  

There are hundreds of examples of failed doomsday predictions. From apocalyptic Christian novels to forecasts of environmental Armageddon, religious and irreligious people alike have spent centuries speculating how the world will end. And while the Bible has a lot to say about this, the interpretations of those passages are among the most controversial. Join us for part three of Kingdom Values, wh...

Today we will learn more about how God is working in the midst of the war in Ukraine and how we, as His church, can join Him in that work.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said that we should “Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”  Of course, this idea was not original to Ralph. The Bible is filled with admonitions to be grateful. Why is gratitude an essential virtu...

Humility may be the most elusive of all virtues. Just ask the man who wrote the book entitled, Humility and How I Achieved It !  C.S. Lewis said humility is not thinking less of yourself but is thinking of yourself less.  That is what Jesus did when He humbled Himself and took on the form of a servant.  Join us for the first of a three-part series exploring Kingdom Virtues, where we will discover...

One of Jesus’ most troubling parables involves a rich man and Lazarus and the great reversal that happens after they die.  What does this story tell us about heaven and hell? What does it have to say about life before death and the impact our investments now (or lack thereof) will have on us then? Join us for part three of Kingdom Economics as we explore the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus.

What does it mean to be faithful? Most of us define it based on what we expect from others – our spouse, co-works, boss, and friends.  But when Jesus talked about faithfulness, it was a call to personal responsibility.  According to Jesus, faithfulness in all things is defined by faith in the small stuff. Join us for part 2 of Kingdom Economics, where we will learn about the power of fidelity.  

What does it mean to be faithful? Most of us define it based on what we expect from others – our spouse, co-works, boss, and friends.  But when Jesus talked about faithfulness, it was a call to personal responsibility.  According to Jesus, faithfulness in all things is defined by faith in the small stuff. Join us for part 2 of Kingdom Economics, where we will learn about the power of fidelity.  

There is something elusive about the place we call “home.”  Some have even said that you can never really go there -- that the ideal home is beyond human reach. If that is so, it only reminds us that God has designed us for a different home.  Join us for the final message in Prodigals as we explore what it will be like to finally go home.

Debts are never truly forgiven, they are always paid. A person with a debt is expected to repay that debt to the lender. If that lender “forgives” the debt, the debtor is only free because the lender has paid a price. Forgiveness always comes with a price tag. Join us for part two of Prodigals where we will explore the cost of forgiveness.

Debts are never truly forgiven, they are always paid. A person with a debt is expected to repay that debt to the lender. If that lender “forgives” the debt, the debtor is only free because the lender has paid a price. Forgiveness always comes with a price tag. Join us for part two of Prodigals where we will explore the cost of forgiveness. 

Jesus was an incredible storyteller. Perhaps His most famous story is that of a son who, after squandering his father’s fortune, returned home hoping to end his days as a servant in his father’s house. The story doesn’t end the way the young man planned. The father’s response is so shocking that this story continues to be told two thousand years later. Join us for a three-part series exploring the...

Have you ever tried to use reverse psychology on someone? Has anyone ever tried to use it on you? Changing someone’s mind can be the hardest thing to change. When Jesus described what it means to be His disciple, He was contradicting thousands of years of religious teachings. Still today, many who claim to follow Jesus haven’t fully embraced what it means to be His disciple. Join us for the final...

 Discrimination has been a part of our world since the fall.  Whether based on class, ethnicity, economics, gender, or race there have always been those who have discriminated against the “others.”  Surely one of the great hopes of God’s Kingdom must be that it will be a place free of discrimination.  Join us for part 5 of The Great Reversal to hear how Jesus described the reverse discrimination o...

 Have you ever had a ticket for an event, but been unable to get to that event on time? It is possible to have access to something without taking the opportunity your access affords. Join us for part 4 of The Great Reversal where we explore how Jesus reverses the order for those awaiting access to His Kingdom. 

Have you ever been overwhelmed by the need? Have you ever felt hopeless because the obstacles just seemed too big to overcome? Have you ever thought, “What difference can one person make?” Throughout Jesus’ ministry, He not only reversed the curse of sin and brokenness, He invited His followers to do the same. But exactly how are we supposed to do that? Join us for part 3 of The Great Reversal whe...

If you’ve ever missed an exit ramp on an interstate, then you know the frustration of driving in the wrong direction just to get to an exit that will allow you to turn around. When Jesus calls us to follow Him, He is calling us to reverse course. Join us for part two of The Great Reversal where we will explore the need, motivation, and results of living life in reverse.  

Everyone loves a good rag-to-riches story. The poor high school athlete who gets a big scholarship and goes pro, the kid from a small town who makes it big in Hollywood, or the single mom who successfully launches a multi-million-dollar business from her kitchen table. These stories inspire us to believe that our lives can change for the better. Jesus’ entire ministry was based on great reversals....

May 8, 1945 is known as Victory in Europe or V-E Day. That is the date that the allied forces defeated the Nazi war machine bringing an end to WWII in Europe. For 77 years, Europe remained free from military conflict, but that call came to a sudden end in 2022 with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. These tragic events serve to remind us that permanent peace remains elusive. No political, military, or...

In his book, The Art of War, the great Chinese general Sun Tzu admonished his readers to “know thy enemy.” What is true in human warfare is also true in spiritual warfare. Join us for part 6 of Revolution where we take a deeper look at the enemy, how he was defeated, and the aftermath of his defeat. 

“The end of days” sounds like the name of a dystopian Hollywood blockbuster, but it is a term frequently used in the Bible to describe the culmination of God’s redemptive work on earth. Join us for part five of Revolution as we consider Jesus’ teaching on what will happen, when it will happen, and what we need to do to be ready. 

A counterinsurgency is an effort to overthrow a power that has taken control of a region or territory. In a world filled with war and violence, we have seen numerous insurgencies and counterinsurgencies throughout history. None compare, however, to the counterinsurgency Jesus launched 2,000 years ago. Join us for part four of Revolution where we will learn how Jesus shut down religion and launched...

Few people like to be presented with an ultimatum. In a culture that resists the idea of absolute truth, the idea that something is either "true or false" is increasingly unpopular. But even a brief survey of the Bible reminds us that God often presents us with ultimatums. Join us for part 3 of Revolution where we will explore the battle lines between good and evil and the choice we all...