Christ Community Church (formerly ECC)

Connexion is meeting in a new space! Josiah brings a message from the story of Joshua and the Israelites crossing the Jordan into the promised land, and Aaron Brown shares what steps of faith look like in real life.

In the legendary Bible story of Luke 2:41-52, the parents lost track of their son Jesus. When they found him in the Temple, they were just as exasperated as any parents would be. His response to their scolding was, “Didn’t you know that I had to be in my Father’s house?” Hmmm…how would you have responded if your child had said that? It must have been tough raising the son of God. And besides, what...

When Mary and Joseph presented Jesus at the Temple, those who were onlookers did not realize that they were witnessing a presentation of God in the flesh. The hymn writer put it best: “Veiled in flesh the God-head see; Hail incarnate deity, pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel.” Let’s consider how the visible/invisible deity might change our human reality.

We started the Spring semester off right this Sunday as we came together for worship and begin our new Epic Stories of the Old Testament series. Josiah preached this week on the story of Joseph. Listen to the amazing story of God's providence in Joseph's life and consider the lessons we can gain from it in living our own lives of faith.

John begins his story of Jesus in a way unlike the other gospel writers--not at Jesus' human birth but before time. As John tells us, the Word has no beginning and has no end–the Word is eternally God. The implications for this are massive. It sets the Christian religion apart from every other and has very practical consequences.

It's vital that we in the church continually remember the Good News as our basis for relationship with God and power for ministry. When we live in light of the grace that is in Christ Jesus, we become people who desire to take the Good News to wherever it is not known and work fervently towards that end.

Christ Community Church (formerly ECC)

Peace is difficult to maintain. It eludes us. So, let us remind ourselves of the foundations for our peace and consider strategies to fight for this peace.

The angels come to the shepherds and announce news of a birth that causes joy. Consider with us the reasons for that joy.

The Israelites waited a long time before Christ's advent. What are we waiting for this Advent season?

Maybe you missed Connexion because you were on the road still...well, listen as Josiah helps students think about how they can begin to prepare for Christmas spiritually.

Today we trace "The Progress of Hope" from the time of Isaiah to the first advent of Christ, to us in the church, and into the future to Christ's second advent. This isn't a hope we keep in our back pocket and pull out when times are glum--it's a hope we live by daily!

Here are some words of the Apostle Paul: “Submit to one another out of reverence to Christ…consider others better than yourselves. Each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore, let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead make up your mind not to put a stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way." These are lofty words, but this is how we are supposed to live.

The Apostle Paul made a radical statement in Romans 13, “all authority that exists has been established by God.” How can that be true? Suppose this is applied to a dictator whose primary vision for a nation is to wipe out an ethnic minority. Was Adolph Hitler established by God? Should Christians have followed the authority of the Third Reich? These are the kinds of questions that emerge from Paul...

Josiah helps us dig into this important topic in scripture and think about what it means for our life now and in the future!

Often, the idea of “surrender” has a negative connotation of defeat: surrender to an enemy, surrender to “the inevitable” life circumstance. However, when we surrender to God we actually find freedom, love, and even power. The hymn writer George Matheson put it this way: Make me a captive, Lord, And then I shall be free. Force me to render up my sword, And I shall conqueror be. I sink in life’s al...

Paul gives us many statements on love. How are we to see others and respond with this love?

If God is truly sovereign, then he is completely in control of everything. If God chooses his own course for the future, using his own carefully selected people, then how do we fit into the picture? Is choice on our part even possible? Are the sovereignty of God and human free will in conflict with one another? Apparently, the Apostle Paul doesn’t think so.

The Apostle Paul says that there is power in the gospel. How is the gospel the power of God? Consider these words: salvation, redemption, deliverance, resurrection, eternal life. Those are powerful words! Let’s think together about why Paul makes this declaration and what it means for us today.

The mission of God in this world is inseparably linked with the mission of God’s people. When God blessed Abraham, the purpose of that individual blessing was instrumental – the world would be blessed through Abraham. In the same way the mission of God in our world flows through individuals--in this case, the church.

This week at Connexion we considered how the grace we've received in Jesus Christ leads us to be people who care for those in need. How can we reflect God's heart for the poor and oppressed in our lives? Josiah leads the teaching time with special interviews of two members of the Connexion community.

This Sunday kicks off our month-long focus on missions! We heard from both Pastor Bob, who spoke on Romans 8:18-27, and from Dr. Jennifer Wilson, the spearhead of the hospital project being planned to serve impoverished communities in northern Ghana as part of the ministry of GRID-NEA and David and Brenda Mensah.

Josiah asks us to consider how the good news of Jesus Christ leads Christians to be people who live by faith in our daily lives. What does it mean to live by faith? What practices can we implement on a daily basis to grow in our ability to do so? Josiah will preach - "Daily Essentials for Living By Faith," focusing on Jeremiah 17:5-8.

This week Pastor Dan continues our series Identity Reconstructed, considering the believer's past, present, and future. Romans 7 & 8 combined are two of the most encouraging chapters in the New Testament. These chapters remind us we aren't alone in the struggle against sin--it's the lot of all followers of Christ--and despite our (sometimes losing) struggle, we have been pardoned and liberated thr...

In this message Josiah wrestles with faith and our goals in life. How does Christian faith impact the way followers of Christ approach the things in our lives that God has given us passion, ability, and opportunities to do? What does the Bible have to say about our ambitions, the pursuit of excellence, and our definition of success?