Azle Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Mary’s song is probably so familiar that we forget how revolutionary it is. Her lullaby is a song about God changing the world: the absurd and dangerous event of God’s reign coming to earth through her tiny little baby boy. It is dangerous, but we needn’t be afraid. Find us on social media: Facebook and Instagram . Or, contact us through our website: www.azlechristianchurch.org . To contribute fin...

John the Baptist is an abrasive, affronting presence, but his words of judgment are not mere condemnation. John actually has the gift of seeing clearly, and he asks us, “What is worth preserving?” The answer might just fill us with joy. Find us on social media: Facebook and Instagram . Or, contact us through our website: www.azlechristianchurch.org . To contribute financially to the ongoing minist...

Malachi has some tough questions for us. Who can endure the day of God’s messenger coming? It will be like a refining fire! This feels like a jarring question considering the Second Sunday of Advent is supposed to be about peace. What does a refining fire have to do with peace on earth and goodwill toward humankind? Find us on social media: Facebook and Instagram . Or, contact us through our websi...

It’s the Christmas episode of Music Monday! Listen to ACC's Worship Minister, Nicole Hendley, and Senior Minister, Reverend Ashley Dargai, talk about Christmas songs ranging from classic carols to Joni Mitchell to the Beatles. In this episode, they discuss the coziest to the cringiest of Christmas songs. Interested?! Let's dig in! Special thanks to Wendy Child for giving us permission to use her r...

Advent always begins in this strange way: the end of Jesus’ life, where he is seemingly talking about the end of the world. Even though we want to rush on ahead to the baby Jesus of Christmas with his squishy cheeks and innocent eyes, we have to deal with apocalypse Jesus first. Why do we begin the new liturgical year with Jesus talking about the tumult of creation? What does he call us to attenti...

Everyone knows the Exodus story! But maybe we haven’t pain enough attention to the impetus for the deliverance: the cry of the Hebrew people, a vague, collective prayer to no one. What does this prayer tell us of the Holy One? Of ourselves? Of the coming Christ whom we will welcome again in a few weeks? How do we pray when our whole body aches for deliverance? How do we hope when tragedy strikes?...

1 Samuel 8 is messy! The plight of Israel at this moment in the story is messy. They want a king to fight their battles, to be like the other nations, to replace corrupt priests, but will a king make them lose their distinctiveness as God’s chosen people? How do we pray when our whole body aches for deliverance? How do we hope when tragedy strikes? How do we learn to want what God wants? In this w...

When their brother dies, Mary and Martha have lots of questions for Jesus. And they’ve got good reason to question him. And with Jesus weeping at the tomb of his friend, a flurry of grief descends upon this story from John. How does a miracle take place in such a painful place? How do we pray when our whole body aches for deliverance? How do we hope when tragedy strikes? How do we learn to want wh...

Revelation is not for the faint of heart! But also, it is. In the dramatic imagery and arresting language of the apocalyptic, we can encounter the love of God just as meaningfully as other Bible stories. In this case, what do the prayers of the saints have to tell us about this love of God? How do we pray when our whole body aches for deliverance? How do we hope when tragedy strikes? How do we lea...

On the first Monday of each month, listen to ACC's Worship Minister, Nicole Hendley, and Senior Minister, Reverend Ashley Dargai, talk about the intersection of music and theology at Azle Christian Church. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, Nicole and Ashley are talking about artists they are grateful for on this episode of Music Monday. Find us on social media: Facebook and Instagram . Or, contact us...

Longing to Be With God - Guest Preacher Jenna Stewart How do we pray when our whole body aches for deliverance? How do we hope when tragedy strikes? How do we learn to want what God wants? In this worship series, we examine moments of longing in scripture: from the earliest days of the Hebrew people to the last book in the Bible, we will glean wisdom and fortitude from the stories of our faith for...

Can you say that to God? Can you say THAT to God? Turns out, you can! Psalm 137 is a great example of an arresting prayer that offers us the permission to say the unsayable to God in hopes that God will take it seriously. How do we pray when our whole body aches for deliverance? How do we hope when tragedy strikes? How do we learn to want what God wants? In this worship series, we examine moments...

In this Romans text, everybody is groaning—even the Holy Spirit! Is this groaning a collective venting session or does it point to something more? And what is our response to such deep-seated longing? How in the world does hope play into the pain we are feeling now? How do we pray when our whole body aches for deliverance? How do we hope when tragedy strikes? How do we learn to want what God wants...

Sermon by guest preacher Reverend Christy Drechsel, Regional Executive Minister of The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Southwest.

On the first Monday of each month, listen to ACC's Worship Minister, Nicole Hendley, and Senior Minister, Reverend Ashley Dargai, talk about the intersection of music and theology at Azle Christian Church. On this Music Monday episode, Nicole and Ashley discuss song choices for All Saints Day. All Saints Day grew out of the early church’s practice of remembering the martyrs of the church. Today we...

As Azle Christian Church dedicates its renovated building to the work of the gospel, we turn to Psalm 84, a song of praise for the house of God. What does the house of God look like? Can it look like a living room? An outdoor space by the road? A creaky old chapel? We discover that the answer to all of those possibilities is a resounding yes. Our worship series for this fall is called Homecoming:...

Jacob has schemed his whole life, but it’s time to come home. He warily approaches his family home, wondering what fate awaits him with his brother Esau. But in a stunning turn of events, Jacob not only meets his brother, he also sees the face of God, which perhaps, is the same thing. As we return warily, with our questions and our hopes and fears, may we trust that the Holy God of old is waiting...

This is the story about a nation told through a family—upheaval, change, transformation—all held in the hope of a tiny little baby and big, big devotion. What does Hannah’s story with all of its complexity tell us about returning? Does it mean we get everything we want? Or does it point us to the gospel: that one day God will get everything God wants? Our worship series for this fall is called Hom...

Ruth and Naomi reckon with their futures after a devastating loss. For Naomi, her only option is to return home to Judah. For Ruth, things seem more complicated. But ultimately, Ruth decides to turn away from any narrative that says these two women don’t owe each other anything, and forges ahead, believing that the future is something they can build together. As we return in our own way, how do we...

On the first Monday of each month, listen to ACC's Worship Minister, Nicole Hendley, and Senior Minister, Reverend Ashley Dargai, talk about the intersection of music and theology at Azle Christian Church. In this episode, we talk about the remaining songs we have chosen for our current worship series “Homecoming: Stories of Return.” Throughout the past few weeks, what has become more and more cle...

So far in this series, we’ve been talking about returning home. But what if return runs even deeper? What if return completely turns our world upside down? This is the case with the story of the ten people with leprosy healed. What does it mean it to be a Samaritan who returns—someone who never had a home in Jesus’ circles in the first place? Our worship series for this fall is called Homecoming:...

The Israelites have moved back to Jerusalem after decades of exile, and things are complicated. They have a commission to rebuild, but how does one rebuild when there is so much grief? When those we left with did not return with us? When some of us have never been to the place called “home” before? Maybe a religious ritual will help. Our worship series for this fall is called Homecoming: Stories o...

Paul goes looking for a synagogue, and instead finds a group of women worshiping by the river. Lydia holds church like she does every week by the river and ends up hosting an evangelist in her home. This story of return is a return to our promises as a church. What do we owe each other? Our worship series for this fall is called Homecoming: Stories of Return. We’re looking at all sorts of stories...

Things seem to be going well in Nazareth when Jesus returns home, but something flips the switch: namely the claim of ownership of Jesus by his hometown supporters. Sometimes returning home means not looking back on the past or holding out for the future, but instead, noticing what God is doing today in our midst. Our worship series for this fall is called Homecoming: Stories of Return. We’re look...

On the first Monday of each month, listen to ACC's Worship Minister, Nicole Hendley, and Senior Minister, Reverend Ashley Dargai, talk about the intersection of music and theology at Azle Christian Church. In this first episode, we talk about anthem selections for our upcoming worship series "Homecoming: Stories of Return." What do Jesus and Johnny Cash have to do with one another? Did John Denver...