BridgePointe Sermons

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:1-21 Speaker: Jared Cowgur There is a threat to unity that lives in each of us. It is the great sin that divided the angels and separated mankind from God in the beginning. Nothing can destroy unity like pride, which views oneself as better and others as lesser. The potential for this sin lives in each of us, which means that we must all examine ourselves and root out pr...

The unity of a church is not theoretical or philosophical. It is real, practical, and functional. We have an identity and purpose that we can only realize together. The foundation of the Gospel has been laid for us and we work together to build the church into what God wants it to be. At its best, we together are the temple of the Holy Spirit-- the means by which the world experiences the presence...

When there are so many things that can pull us apart, what is the gravity that holds us together? The writer of 1 Corinthians reminds these Christians, and us today, of what we share in the Gospel. We all come to Jesus empty-handed and receive from Him so much more than we deserve including salvation and the Holy Spirit. This treasure that we share becomes the basis for our unity and love for one...

1 Corinthians 1:1-16 Jesus said the world would know His followers by their love for each other. He prayed that they would be perfectly united. Why does unity matter so much to Jesus? And why does it feel so fragile, as if anything could become a cause for division. We have a common enemy who schemes against anything that is good and beautiful to God, including the unity of His people. We must rec...

Ever wondered what happens when you die? Or what life will be like in heaven forever? There are so many misconceptions about life after death. The end of 1 Corinthians 15 and the final week of this series brings clarity to some of the mystery surrounding what comes next for those who are faithful to Jesus in this life. While life is hard here, we can be sure that heaven is worth waiting for!

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:20-34 Summary: Death and taxes are not the only things that are guaranteed. Jesus promised before His death and after His resurrection that he would come again. His resurrection proves He has authority to make good on His promise. His return is the event that will make our resurrection a reality. We can trust that Jesus is coming again and that should shape how we live...

What would be different if this life was all there is? What would change if death was truly the end? The resurrection of Jesus and our own life after death are interconnected. Either both are real or neither are real. There were some then, and others today, who refuse to accept the resurrection. Without the resurrection, our faith would be useless and all hope would be lost. If the resurrection of...

This is an additional teaching on spiritual gifts from 1 Corinthians, chapter 14. In it, Jared discusses the guidelines for speaking in tongues and prophecy in group settings. Please be sure to watch the previous message, "Things Just Got Weird | 03-17-2024" before watching this teaching.

We've all seen a movie when a superhero has to decide whether to use their special power. There's one reason they take action--concern for the person who needs it. Similarly, the more someone loves the people of the church, the more willing that person will be to use their gifts for the good of their church. In this Scripture, we find a description of the love that compels us to use our gifts for...

Note: You can watch this message from our YouTube channel until it is published here on Monday There are many kinds of spiritual gifts and we all have a unique combination of them. That can make it difficult to know which ones the Holy Spirit has given to each disciple. This message will provide an overview of the different spiritual gifts and practical guidance for people to discover how they are...

When it comes to spiritual gifts, people can drift to two extremes--they can think they don't need the gifts of others or they can think that no one needs the gift they have. Using the image of a body with many parts, this Scripture teaches that every disciple of Jesus has a gift that is important to the church. And every person needs the rest of the church to be strong in their faith and effectiv...

Many people within the church don't realize that they are uniquely gifted by God to participate in His work through the church. Others have an idea of how they're gifted, but still haven't yet realized their full potential. In this introduction to spiritual gifts, we will learn where they come from, who get them, and what purpose they have in our lives. Recommended Reading: Beginners Guide to Spir...

Because of their commitment to Jesus, disciples bring His Kingdom to earth by living with a purpose. God created us with a desire for purpose and there's no greater one to live for than helping people enter the Kingdom of God and experience its renewal here on earth. This purpose extends into every part of life--work, school, family, community. There are simple actions we can all take to have a Ki...

Because of their commitment to Jesus, disciples bring His Kingdom to earth by offering what they have to make earth more like heaven. Money is an incredible resource God has entrusted to us for this purpose. For a disciple, giving begins with the church because it represents God's presence and purpose on earth. Generosity is also expressed by responding to needs and showing kindness so more will e...

Because of their love for Jesus, disciples do their part to build up His church. The church is not a building or a service but a people who are united by their commitment to Jesus. The best way to strengthen other disciples is through deep, meaningful relationships. People often wait for others to initiate relationships. But a core practice of a disciple is making personal investments in relations...

Because of their commitment to Jesus, disciples do their part to build up His church. The church will be healthier, stronger, and more effective when each person finds a way to use their time and talent to serve others in the church. There are countless ways to do this-- hospitality, prayer, ministry teams, leadership, meeting needs, etc. We each have something different to offer, but the church w...

Disciples live with Jesus as King, giving Him full authority over their lives. There are so many other things in our lives that divide our attention and demand our allegiance. We need a regular rhythm of worship with our church to help us keep Jesus as the highest priority and authority in our lives. This worship gathering can best serve its purpose when accompanied by a day or rest.

Disciples live with Jesus as King, giving Him full authority over their lives. This allegiance is established not by power or force but by love. Jesus has demonstrated His love for us and He wants us to trust Him to lead us into life at its best. This kind of dependence and allegiance happens one day at a time. Jesus taught that our relationship with Him should be like that of a vine and its branc...

God's love never fails. He never gives up on the possibility of life with His people. He continues to initiate, promise, and pursue. No matter how far someone runs from God, there's always a way back. No part of Scripture makes this more clear than the prophets of the Old Testament. God's promises find their fulfillment in Jesus, who assures us of God's love and makes the way for us to come back.

Sin is the greatest and only threat to our relationship with God. Not only does the offensiveness of sin break the relationship, the guilt of sin can often keep us from coming back to God to reconcile the relationship. Even long before Jesus, God offered forgivenss to His people so that they could live with God. Through Jesus' life and death, God forgives sin once and for all for those who believe...

It is often the pain in our own lives or the problems in the world around us that make us feel like God is not close. But the times actually provide a unique opportunity to experience God's presence. For the people of Israel, God most powerfully revealed His presence when things were at there worst. They came to know God as the One who is always with them to guide and protect them. Through faith i...

How can I be sure that God really loves me? Is it really possible to be close to God? The Bible begins and ends with a picture of God delighting in being to His people. And at the center of the story is what God was willing to do to make that possible. God loves each person so much that He came from heaven to earth as Jesus, Immanuel, so that all who believe in Him can be with Him now and forever.

Each of us deeply desires for our lives to make a difference. Jesus tells us that the difference He wants us to make is bringing the Kingdom of Heaven into this world, right where we live. Jesus described the coming of His Kingdom as a harvest, which makes us wonder how we can bring a good harvest by the end of our lives. Jesus reveals a secret about the harvest in a story He told. The key to a go...