Bethany Church - La Crosse, WI

What is forgiveness? Why is there a need for forgiveness at all?  Pastor Steve and Pastor David explore the topic of forgiveness, and go back to the very beginning of the Bible to learn from the story of Adam and Eve in the garden. -- Learn more about Bethany at our  Website Watch sermons & podcasts on our YouTube Channel

"Elijah didn’t pray to 'send fire,' he prayed that people would turn back to God. We know we are praying big when we are praying for what only God can do- healing, delivery, change, creation, restoration." Pastor Steve wraps up our series in the book of James by walking us through the last half of chapter 5, and showing us how the right prayers can make a difference. -- Learn m...

This week, Pastor Steve, Pastor David, and Tami break down the concepts found in James 5:13-20 as we wrap up our "Lies We Believe" series. This week's podcast is audio only.  -- Learn more about Bethany at our  Website Watch sermons & podcasts on our YouTube Channel

"Even the lowest bar of Christianity must have “being a teller of truth” as a minimum requirement. Are you a spouse who says you will do things and then gets busy? Are you known for that? Are you a parent who tells your kids you’ll do something, then finds ways of getting out of it?  Are you an employee who doesn’t show up on time, and promises what you don’t deliver?"  This week, Pastor...

Are vows and oaths inherently wrong? How important is our reputation with other people? What do I do if I've broken a promise?  Join Pastor Steve, Pastor David, and Tami as they break down James 5:12 on this episode of After The Sermon. -- Learn more about Bethany at our  Website Watch sermons & podcasts on our YouTube Channel

"It was His mercy and compassion that led Jesus to the cross to suffer unjustly. He understands our suffering. His mercy and compassion are active in your life right now. He is near. He is with you in our suffering. It's hard to see it in pain and hardships, but God is at work in you and in your suffering." Through James 5:7-11, Pastor David shows us how we should respond to sufferi...

How do I deal with hurt from other Christians? How do I avoid sin while I'm being hurt?  Pastor David and Tami break down James 5:7-11 and what it shows us about how to deal with hurt from other Christians well. -- Learn more about Bethany at our  Website Watch sermons & podcasts on our YouTube Channel

"'How much am I supposed to give to poor people?' is the wrong question. God doesn’t need money. He's interested in generous hearts. Giving is not just about meeting the needs of others, it is also about changing the heart of the giver. Giving is addictive and God wants his people addicted to giving." Pastor Steve continues our series in James, and takes us through James 5...

Is James 5:1-6 talking to all rich people, or just rich Christians? Is caring for the poor only a responsibility of the rich? How do I know when I'm supposed to be generous with what God has given me?  Join Pastor Steve, Pastor David, and Tami as they dive deeper into James 5:1-6. -- Learn more about Bethany at our  Website Watch sermons & podcasts on our YouTube Channel

"When Jesus was crucified, our sin was crucified with him. When he went into the ground, our old nature went with him. With sin conquered, the last enemy was death itself. When Jesus rose, our old sin nature was left to rot in the tomb and we were raised in a new identity in Christ that includes power to gain more and more victory over remaining sin in our lives." Pastor Steve uses every...

How can we prove that The Resurrection happened? How can we defend against the claims that it didn't happen? Why does The Resurrection matter? Join Pastor Steve, Pastor David, and Tami as they dive deeper into the Easter story, and discuss theories about The Resurrection. -- Learn more about Bethany at our  Website Watch sermons & podcasts on our YouTube Channel

"When we make decisions, we want to plan what most benefits us. The process of a Christian life is that of emptying ourselves of ourselves at every turn. To know God’s will, we must lay our own will down. Who’s will do you seek out more than God’s?" This week, Pastor Steve continues showing us the "lies we believe" through James 4:14-17. -- Learn more about Bethany at our  Webs...

Does God care about all of my choices? Even the little ones?  This is a tough question and one that everyone grapples with at some point. Join Pastor Steve, Pastor David, and Tami as they dive deeper into James 4:3-17. -- Learn more about Bethany at our  Website Watch sermons & podcasts on our YouTube Channel

"Maybe you feel the war in yourself or you see the war in the relationships around you. There is anger, hurt, bitterness, and discontent with God and others. Internal struggles and external conflict in our relationships often stem from our attempts to meet our needs and desires outside our relationship with God. The only way to truly satisfy our passions and desires is to come to God." P...

Join Pastor David, Pastor Steve, and Tami as they dive deeper into James 4:1-12. -- Learn more about Bethany at our  Website Watch sermons & podcasts on our YouTube Channel

"Jesus gave the world a different perspective of wisdom: the truly wise are not out for themselves, they work for the good of others. The people whose advice, input, counsel, and wisdom you follow—what do their lives look like? Beliefs are easy to come by. Jesus said his followers would be known by how they live." Pastor Steve continues our look at the book of James; focusing on James 3:...

What are bitter envy & selfish ambition? Why does gentleness matter when it comes to wisdom? Is it wrong to desire to be a leader? Join Pastor Steve, Pastor David, and Tami as they dive deeper into James 3:13-18. -- Learn more about Bethany at our  Website Watch sermons & podcasts on our YouTube Channel

"Consistency in speech is the mark of a Christ-follower. Followers of Jesus do not welcome or entertain speech that curses anyone made in the image and likeness of God. What we say reveals what’s going on in the deepest part of us; anger, fear, bitterness, deceit are all revealed by our words. Our deepest devotions, most ardent thoughts, and true feelings leak out of us in what we say."...

"The problem is that we still try to define the works of faith with a list of deeds to do: Go to church, read your Bible, get your kids to their programs each week, or serve at the soup kitchen once a month. These are Christian disciplines and things we need in our lives. But, the examples of Abraham and Rahab were meant to show us that works of faith are not a list of good deeds to do, but a...

"When we demonstrate partiality, we expose our utter lack of understanding of the nature of the gospel. If I truly understood that I was saved when I was at my most helpless, how could I despise the weakness of others? In the New Kingdom, every citizen comes to God in weakness and humility. We will never rightly love our neighbor as we’ve been loved if we don’t understand the truth that while...

Do Christians show favoritism? Where is it a temptation to show favoritism in our own lives? Does God not like wealthy people?  Join Tami, Pastor Steve, and Chase as they dive deeper into James 2:1-13, and explore the topic of favoritism. -- Learn more about Bethany at our  Website Watch sermons & podcasts on our YouTube Channel

"God expects his people to consider others first. Surely other believers, but also people who don’t yet know him. The way many of us engage with the lost world actually sabotages God’s mission in it. Jesus taught us not to get angry when someone steals from us; give them the rest of your possessions too. Not to strike back when someone hits you; let them hit you again. Not to claim your right...

What does James tell us about "Godly anger"?  Join Pastor Steve, Pastor David, and Tami as they dive deeper into James 1:19-27, and how James talks about anger, justice, and the least of these. -- Learn more about Bethany at our  Website Watch sermons & podcasts on our YouTube Channel

"We can get overly focused on the 'why' of suffering. When we walk through the roughest things in life with God, we emerge stronger, more resilient, more sensitive to others, and more reliant on God. That is all the why we need to know in order to endure. If you are here today and in the midst of a rough road, that answer is unsatisfying. The ultimate answer to the question of &apos...

Should I be happy during suffering? Join Pastor Steve, Tami, and Pastor David as they dive deeper into our first sermon in a series looking at the book of James. -- Learn more about Bethany at our  Website Watch sermons & podcasts on our YouTube Channel