Christ City Church Memphis

Let’s talk about suffering. Don’t worry, we’re talking about the “good” kind.

In times of hardship and tragedy, many of us have been told to “look for the silver lining.” If that’s you, you can probably attest to how unhelpful it was. Yet, it doesn’t mean there isn’t any truth to the idea. More often than not, tragic times convince us of only more tragedy, but there are things to be seen and experienced that can give us strength and hope. Listen in as we unpack this famous...

Are faith and experience in opposition to one another? Let’s explore that question together as we visit the familiar passage of “Doubting Thomas” For more ways to connect with this devotional please visit christcity.org and go to the adult track or the family with kids track . 

As Easter is celebrated around the World this Sunday, a shroud of chaos and uncertainty overshadow us all. The world is looking for hope in these hard times, and Easter couldn’t come at a better time. Listen as we unpack the glorious hope this passage brings about life in the midst of death. He is Risen! He is risen, indeed!

We’ve heard it said that Abraham was a man who walked by faith, but what does this even mean? When it comes to walking by faith, what is the role of doubt? And what can we learn from such an ancient story about following God in the 21st century? Listen in as we seek to answer some of these questions.

As we enter into the season of Lent, we’re faced with our limitations as humans and our propensity to sin. And though we all deal with this, we don’t want to talk about it because of the guilt and shame we feel. Listen in as we unpack the negative power guilt and shame have over our lives, and the healing we can experience through confession.

Have you ever experienced God? It's a big question that many of us either fret over (because we haven't) or become cynical over (because of life's circumstances since that moment), but it's still something most of us still wonder in our stillest moments. Listen in as we unpack this surreal and fascinating experience that the disciples have with Jesus, and what it means for us today as 21st century...

What does it mean for you to choose life today? And how can the answer to that question be so different depending on who you ask and when you ask them? Listen in as we seek a response in the ancient text of Deuteronomy.

Our desire to be taken up into something bigger than ourselves can be constrained by our own misunderstandings, agendas, and ritualistic expectations. Paul is addressing some of the misconceptions about wisdom that have created foils to being grounded and rooted in the Corinthian church. Paul shows that it is the Holy Spirit who enables a communion that gives space for grounding and rootedness ind...

Living in pain is hard. The pain of life, love, ups and downs — sometimes it’s unbearable. And when we pray to God, many times it’s for the pain to subside. But what if the pain is an entry point to more life? Listen in as we unpack suffering and how God both invites us into experiencing it all and can empathize with us each step of the way.

Epiphany is about the Christ being revealed. And when he is revealed to you, you’re left with a choice: follow him into whatever is ahead or stay where you are. It’s a risky choice to make, but one that can lead to great transformation if we do follow. Listen in as we unpack what it means to follow after Jesus, and how we’re trying to do that faithfully at Christ City Church.

Paul's greeting to the church at Corinth might initially feel like an outdated text – a personal salutation to a specific people of a bygone era. But in this text we see the heart of a pastor, and Paul's heart speaks directly to our church in this present moment. As we walk through lots of transitions as a church, listen in for comfort and hope.

"New year, new you,” at least that’s what we’re told a new year is about. And what do we do at the end of every year with the failed attempts to become that “new us?” More than likely, throw them into a compounded bowl of shame. But what if it’s instead, “new year, true me?” Listen in as we unpack this inaugural moment for Jesus and so what it means for us to take on the same reality as Jesus: the...

Religion and trite sentimentality are often used to explain away the deep complexities of the human experience; especially the things we would rather not dwell on. These quick answers can dampen our ability to reflect on our past and therefore hinders our potential for the future. What can Matthew’s gospel teach us about reflecting on another year that has passed? Tune in to find out.

The familiar Christmas hymn says, "Come and behold him born the King of angels!" On this first Sunday after Christmas, we behold the Christ-child. Who is this child? What's so special about him? Whether these are familiar realities or new ideas, may these thoughts stir your hearts towards worshiping Jesus this Christmas season.

The extraordinary wrapped in the ordinary.

Signs. We all find ourselves looking for them; from God, the universe, the guy we like. What does it mean to see and understand a sign of Divine origin? How can advent teach us to wait for the wisdom needed to interpret what we see and experience?

Are you sometimes ready to tap out? Do you grow tired of living in the tension? Are you exhausted by the struggle? On this Third Sunday in Advent, we encounter pastoral and meaningful words in the Epistle of St. James. James encourages us to wait, to wait with purpose, and to love one another all along the way. These ancient words speak remarkably to our own context as a church, so listen in on th...

Advent is about waiting. Waiting can be rife with anxiety, distraction and avoidance. Waiting can also be an imaginative space of mystery propelling you into your real life. What if you could choose?

Today begins the season of Advent, a time when followers of Jesus eagerly anticipate the arrival of our Lord. Waiting can be hard, but it's something that we all experience throughout life. During this Advent season, what exactly are we waiting for? And what does our waiting look like? Listen in to discover ways you can faithfully wait so that you can more fully feast when Christmas arrives.

Sometimes we assume that because something is familiar to us that we understand it. We talk about it using words and phrases that have been repeated over and over and we feel confident we are describing it accurately. That is until someone shows up looking carefully, possibly seeing it for the first time, and says “Did you ever notice this ?” And we realize, although we were familiar, we did not u...

This week’s reading comes from the book of Malachi. It’s an ancient text that upon first glance seems very disconnected from our lives today. But as we take a closer look, we find a timeless story of a community who comes to remember that God is a good and loving parent who is closer to us than we think.

"Hope is a dangerous thing." Red in The Shawshank Redemption was right! Said differently – hope is a powerful thing. This morning we explore the unique hope that followers of Jesus have, and how it affects powerful change right here and now.

Have you ever found yourself willing to compromise what you believed was right in order to get ahead? Most of us would answer yes even if it was in ways we would consider insignificant. How do we move forward in a life of compromise? A life where we, and the world around us, have made decisions to secure a more comfortable life at the expense of others? Jesus points us toward a way forward.

This week's reading strikes at the core of what it means to be human and exposes a fundamental need that we all share: to be seen. Unfortunately, however, we often go about chasing after the fulfillment of that right need in all the wrong ways. This parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector has much to teach us about what it means to be healthy and whole humans, and it offers a surprising invi...