Bel Air Church

In the fourth sermon on tough questions, Dr. Sams again reminds us that Christ's best answers are His own presence. We're honored to have Jay & Katherine Wolf from our own congregation join Dr. Sams on the platform. The Wolfs have faced challenges more daunting than most of us will ever face. But the Wolfs have not looked for an answer. Instead, they have looked for Jesus. God has re...

In one of the most famous stories in scripture, Christ shows the Jewish leaders the chief importance of how we define ourselves. They brought before Him "a woman caught in adultery". But probably all Christ saw was "a child needing redemption". Magnificently full of grace and truth, He shows the Jewish leaders the brokenness of their premise: that our labels are meaningful in t...

Dr. Sams links the invisible Christ on the Emmaus road to the invisible God working in our lives. Sometimes you may feel God is just absent. The reality is that God may become even harder to perceive as we walk through our lives. The big question is: if He does, will we still reach for Him? God has heard the many cries of man against His absence probably for as long as people have existed. These c...

Dr. Sams links the invisible Christ on the Emmaus road to the invisible God working in our lives. Sometimes you may feel God is just absent. The reality is that God may become even harder to perceive as we walk through our lives. The big question is: if He does, will we still reach for Him? God has heard the many cries of man against His absence probably for as long as people have existed. These c...

Dr. Sams links the invisible Christ on the Emmaus road to the invisible God working in our lives. Sometimes you may feel God is just absent. The reality is that God may become even harder to perceive as we walk through our lives. The big question is: if He does, will we still reach for Him? God has heard the many cries of man against His absence probably for as long as people have existed. These c...

In the first chapter of John, we read about how Nathaniel believes in Jesus after witnessing a simple miracle. This is almost universally true. We are generally shallow and dense in our approach to God. We bring along many assumptions of what the gospel means. But in this message, Dr. Sams offers us Christ alone - His presence. Awkward and wonderful, we sit with God, perhaps under compulsion, perh...

In the first chapter of John, we read about how Nathaniel believes in Jesus after witnessing a simple miracle. This is almost universally true. We are generally shallow and dense in our approach to God. We bring along many assumptions of what the gospel means. But in this message, Dr. Sams offers us Christ alone - His presence. Awkward and wonderful, we sit with God, perhaps under compulsion, perh...

Guest speaker Elizabeth Sendek from Biblical Seminary of Colombia proclaims God's might. In Psalm 145, we see God not only able to meet our needs, He is able to sustain the world, meeting the basic needs of everything. We usually take this for granted. But there lies a key difference between our world and God's kingdom. In heaven, this basic caretaking equals strength and might. It is wh...

Guest speaker Elizabeth Sendek from Biblical Seminary of Colombia proclaims God's might. In Psalm 145, we see God not only able to meet our needs, He is able to sustain the world, meeting the basic needs of everything. We usually take this for granted. But there lies a key difference between our world and God's kingdom. In heaven, this basic caretaking equals strength and might. It is wh...

In revealing a secret that is within the very nature of God, Dr. Sams helps us remember the benefits of community. No community has the potential that a community of faith in Jesus has. When we courageously bring our brokenness, we open a new way for God to speak to us, to heal us, to love us. Resources for a life of following Jesus, every day, everywhere, with everyone.

In revealing a secret that is within the very nature of God, Dr. Sams helps us remember the benefits of community. No community has the potential that a community of faith in Jesus has. When we courageously bring our brokenness, we open a new way for God to speak to us, to heal us, to love us. Resources for a life of following Jesus, every day, everywhere, with everyone.

In his first Easter sermon ever, Dr. Sams reminds us what the resurrection means, and gives us a charge to love our neighbor as Christ loved them. Resources for a life of following Jesus, every day, everywhere, with everyone.

In his first Easter sermon ever, Dr. Sams reminds us what the resurrection means, and gives us a charge to love our neighbor as Christ loved them. Resources for a life of following Jesus, every day, everywhere, with everyone.

In his first Easter sermon ever, Dr. Sams reminds us what the resurrection means, and gives us a charge to love our neighbor as Christ loved them. Resources for a life of following Jesus, every day, everywhere, with everyone.

One year after challenging us with the concept of homothumadon, Dr. Sams uses a Scripture verse easily overlooked to up the challenge. Homothumadon is community, but if the community is exclusive, it is not a Christ-centered community. So the challenge is to love the people in our city so well, that Christ's love for them cannot be denied or ignored. Watch & listen to hear about four wond...

Mike Morgan, Senior Director of Caring Ministries, helps us envision the reactions of Jesus and his disciples to the events of Thursday, the day before Christ was crucified. Christ shows the disciples what deep grief is: the war between willing spirit and weak flesh. It is a universal struggle from which we can not only learn about Christ's suffering, but about what it means to be faithful an...

Mike Morgan, Senior Director of Caring Ministries, helps us envision the reactions of Jesus and his disciples to the events of Thursday, the day before Christ was crucified. Christ shows the disciples what deep grief is: the war between willing spirit and weak flesh. It is a universal struggle from which we can not only learn about Christ's suffering, but about what it means to be faithful an...

Dr. Sams explores the (literally) excruciating agony that Christ experienced in the Garden of Gethsemane. We look to the cross as the symbol of our Lord's victory over death. But Christ's true suffering came from separation from His Father. This began at Gethsemane. Watch, and remember with us, the true cost of salvation. Remember with us the good news of His excruciating agony, suffered...

Dr. Sams explores the (literally) excruciating agony that Christ experienced in the Garden of Gethsemane. We look to the cross as the symbol of our Lord's victory over death. But Christ's true suffering came from separation from His Father. This began at Gethsemane. Watch, and remember with us, the true cost of salvation. Remember with us the good news of His excruciating agony, suffered...

Dr. Sams highlights key moments in the bible where God's provision of "the lamb" fulfills a sacrificial requirement. From Isaac asking his father, Abram, "Where is the lamb?" to Christ proclaiming "This is my body broken for you," God's faithfulness to provide a sacrifice enabling us to commune with Him is a common theme, perhaps *the* theme of the bible. Li...

Dr. Sams highlights key moments in the bible where God's provision of "the lamb" fulfills a sacrificial requirement. From Isaac asking his father, Abram, "Where is the lamb?" to Christ proclaiming "This is my body broken for you," God's faithfulness to provide a sacrifice enabling us to commune with Him is a common theme, perhaps *the* theme of the bible. Li...

Giving up is not the same as giving in. The former indicates a surrender born from frustration, the latter born from utter emptiness. Dr. Sams reviews a familiar story from Scripture and helps us remember God's compassion toward us. He desires eternal communion with His children. He will not end His pursuit of us - His love is extravagant. In that love, we may lose ourselves, but we gain Chri...

Giving up is not the same as giving in. The former indicates a surrender born from frustration, the latter born from utter emptiness. Dr. Sams reviews a familiar story from Scripture and helps us remember God's compassion toward us. He desires eternal communion with His children. He will not end His pursuit of us - His love is extravagant. In that love, we may lose ourselves, but we gain Chri...

Giving everything is really, really hard. We retain control of so much without ever thinking about what it means to let go. But there is no comparison to the freedom of allowing Christ to guide your life. He does not, and will not steer you wrong. Dr. Sams sheds new light on a piece of Scripture where faith meets trust and moves people into complete abandonment of control to God. That kind of surr...

Christ lived his life "in tune" with God the Father. No action was uninspired by this connection. Because he lived his life perfectly in tune with God's Spirit, he was compelled to certain actions reflecting the values of the kingdom. Sometimes those actions are aggressive, even violent, as Christ stormed through the temple, tearing down artificial barriers to God. Dr. Sams explores...