Commons Church Podcast

What if the greatest idols in our lives aren't statues—but fear, security, money, and the stories we tell to protect them? In Acts 19, Paul arrives in Ephesus and unintentionally sparks a city-wide riot. On the surface, it's a conflict over religion. But beneath the shouting lies something far more familiar: economic anxiety, fear of outsiders, and the temptation to use spiritual language to defen...

In this episode of our spring series, The Way Forward, we walk through Acts 17:16-34 to explore Paul’s encounter in Athens. As Paul engages with Epicurean and Stoic philosophers at the Areopagus, he provides a model for how we can navigate unfamiliar cultures and carry on thoughtful, faith-filled conversations in our own time. How do we move forward when our efforts seem to go unnoticed, or when w...

In this message, we explore the story of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15, examining how early believers navigated deep conflict and cultural shifts within the church.1 Key topics include: The Nature of Conflict: Why "certain people problems" are a normal, albeit challenging, part of community growth. Navigating Change: Understanding what to keep from the past and what to leave behind as the missi...

In Acts 13, the spotlight shifts from Jerusalem to Antioch—a diverse, unexpected community where the Holy Spirit is doing something entirely new. From former outsiders and unlikely leaders to the commissioning of Paul and Barnabas, this chapter reveals a church that chooses mission over comfort, creativity over control, and expansion over preservation. In this message, we explore how God's grace c...

How does faith change us over time? In Acts 10, Peter encounters a vision that challenges everything he thought he knew about who belongs, who is welcome, and how God works in the world. As he meets Cornelius—a Roman centurion and outsider to Israel's covenant story—the early church discovers that the Spirit of God is already moving beyond the boundaries they assumed were fixed. This message explo...

What gives ordinary people the courage to speak truth, resist fear, and remain hopeful in a fractured world? In Acts 4 and 5, the early church faces its first wave of persecution after Peter and John heal a man at the temple gates and boldly proclaim the resurrection of Jesus. Confronted by powerful religious leaders, threatened, imprisoned, and punished, the apostles discover that true power is n...

What if the judgement of God looks nothing like we imagined? In Acts 2 we step into Peter’s first sermon after Pentecost—the moment the church begins to find its voice. But instead of fear, vengeance, or religious certainty, Peter announces something radically different: resurrection changes everything. Together we explore: - The real miracle of Pentecost - Why not everyone recognizes new movement...

What do you do when the future feels uncertain, God feels quiet, and the old season is clearly over? In Acts 1–2, the early church finds itself in that exact moment — caught between resurrection and Pentecost, between promise and fulfillment, between what was and what will be. And somehow, in the waiting, God is already moving. This week at Commons Church, we explore how faith often begins not wit...

What if the real miracle of love isn’t finding the right person—but becoming the kind of person who can stay? In this final message of The Miraculous series, we explore the ancient story of Ruth and uncover a vision of love that goes far beyond romance. This is a story about commitment, community, and the quiet, steady work of choosing one another—again and again. From friendships to family, from...

What if the most meaningful moments in your life aren’t random at all? In this talk, we explore a surprising story from Acts 8—the encounter between Philip and the Ethiopian traveler—and ask a simple but unsettling question: Can coincidence be a miracle? Rather than focusing on miracles as interruptions of nature, this message reframes the miraculous as something formed over time—through attentive...

What do you do when it feels like God is asleep in the middle of your storm? In this reflection on Mark 4:35–41, we explore one of Jesus’ most well-known miracles—the calming of the sea—and wrestle with what it reveals about fear, faith, and the nature of God. Is the miracle about power…or presence? This Eastertide message invites you to move beyond what God can do and toward who God is—especially...

What if miracles aren’t rare interruptions of reality—but the very fabric of it? In this opening message of our Miraculous series, we explore the deep connection between faith, science, and the nature of existence itself.  From Genesis to the Big Bang, from quarks to galaxies, this conversation invites us to rethink what we mean when we say “God.” Maybe the greatest miracle isn’t when the rules br...

We all know the story of the prodigal son… or at least we think we do. This Easter message explores one of Jesus’ most famous parables—and reveals the surprising twist we often miss. What if the story isn’t just about a rebellious younger son… but also about the older brother standing outside the party? And what if Easter is the announcement that God is still coming after both? This sermon traces...

Palm Sunday is full of celebration—but also confusion. In this message, we hold together two powerful moments: • The parable of the unjust judge (Luke 18) • Jesus’ quiet, subversive entry into Jerusalem Together, they reveal something surprising about God: Grace doesn’t always look like justice. And peace doesn’t always come the way we expect. As we step into Holy Week, this teaching invites us to...

We’ve all heard that the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed—small beginnings, big results. But what if that’s not actually the point? In this message, we explore one of Jesus’ most familiar parables and uncover the twist we often miss. The kingdom of God doesn’t just grow—it shows up in unexpected places, disrupts our assumptions, and welcomes the people we might overlook. Through the story of...

What if prayer isn’t about convincing God to listen? In Luke 11, Jesus tells a strange story about a neighbour who refuses to help in the middle of the night. At first glance, it sounds like a lesson about persistence—keep knocking until God finally answers. But a closer look reveals something deeper. In this message from our Parables of Grace series, we explore the story often called The Unhelpfu...

Unpack the profound challenge of limitless forgiveness in Jesus's Parable of the Unmerciful Servant (Matthew 18:21-35). When Peter asks how many times he must forgive his brother, Jesus sets the bar: not seven times, but seventy-seven times—a hyperbolic instruction for no cap on forgiveness . This parable, the capstone of a teaching series on community dynamics, focuses on the vast contrast betwee...

What did Jesus really mean when He said the shepherd leaves the 99 to find the one? In this message from Luke 15:1–7, we explore the Parable of the Lost Sheep — one of the most well-known teachings of Jesus — and uncover the scandal, absurdity, and beauty of grace. This isn’t just a comforting story about being rescued. It’s a disruptive story about a God whose love defies social norms, economic l...

In this first message of our Parables of Grace series, we revisit one of the most familiar stories Jesus ever told—the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37). But what if we’ve been asking the wrong question? When a lawyer asks Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” he’s really asking where the line is—who qualifies for his time, compassion, and responsibility. Jesus responds with a story that doesn’t just redefine...

What if the “battle” you’re facing isn’t against the people you think it is? In this final message of our If/Then series through Ephesians, we unpack Paul’s famous “armour of God” passage — and discover it’s far less about spiritual aggression and far more about communal resilience, subversive grace, and the way of peace. If Christ reigns… then how should we live? Together we explore: Why unity is...

What does it actually look like to follow Jesus in everyday life? In this message from our If/Then series through Ephesians, we turn to the second half of Paul’s letter—where belief turns into practice. Using the image of a “masterclass,” we explore how Paul invites followers of Jesus to learn Christ : to put off old patterns shaped by power, status, and exploitation, and to put on a new way of be...

What if a single word could change everything? In Ephesians 2, the apostle Paul pivots from humanity’s brokenness to God’s radical grace with one of the most important conjunctions in Scripture: “But God.” In this teaching, we explore how Paul uses language, metaphor, and imagination to describe what God has done in Jesus—and what that means for how we live together now. We reflect on: Why Paul be...

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is built around one powerful structure: if / then. If God is already at work healing the world in Christ—if grace, not violence, is the true power shaping history—then how should we live? In this message, we begin a four-week journey through Ephesians by sitting in the if:a bold vision of Jesus, a high Christology, and a radical redefinition of chosen, predestined, g...

What does creativity look like in our relationships—not in art or technology, but in the way we show up for one another? In this sermon, we explore Mark 2 and the unforgettable story of five friends who refuse to accept the status quo. When a crowd blocks the way to Jesus, they climb a roof, tear it open, and lower their friend down—revealing a bold, relational creativity that leads to forgiveness...

What if faith isn’t about getting it right—but about staying curious? In this message, we explore Paul’s surprising approach to spirituality at Mars Hill in Acts 17. Instead of debate, domination, or precision, Paul begins with common ground —quoting poets, honoring spiritual curiosity, and trusting that God meets people even in their confusion. This teaching invites us to re-imagine spirituality...