Downtown Community Church

"So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead," (James 2:17). This verse directly addresses a key message communicated by James throughout his book, but it's one that can be so easily misunderstood. If followers of Jesus are saved by faith alone, what do our works have to do with it all? Join Nate Schaidt in our ongoing study through the Book of James as we learn abou...

Favoritism. What is it really? We know that it is showing one person more attention than the others but how does that relate to Christians? It is a secret and constant battle that everyone struggles with. In our day to day life we show people favoritism. But why is that the topic of this sermon? Because it is a sin, a complex but real sin that every single one of us battles with. Join Pastor Willi...

It is so easy to be angry. We get in traffic jams, angry, stub our toe, angry. There are so  many things tat make us mad and cause us to make poor choices in this world. How can we be slow to anger and hold our tongues when there is so much malice in the world, and potentially in us? The short answer, we listen. Join us in our study of James 1:19-27, as Pastor Shannon Butler walks us through each...

We all struggle in life. From anxiety to grief, we all experience a multitude of trials. It is easy for these trials to consume our lives too. To let them coerce us into temptation time and time again. Trials are a part of life, but God uses them to deepen our faith! Without trials, life would not be as sweet! When we live a life with Jesus, He will guide us through these obstacles and into a rich...

Jump back into Jonah with us as we study chapter 2 where we see what Jonah does in his rock bottom moment and ask ourselves what WE do in a similar place. Will we cling to worthless idols or choose to accept that grace that God freely gives us? Support the show

It is so hard to be silent nowadays. To just sit still and be quiet seems almost impossible in the busy and fast moving world we live in. But that is exactly satan wants, to make us too busy for the Lord. When we sit and be with Jesus and Jesus alone is when we can deepen our relationship with Him. The Lord will talk to you in some way! Whether it is a verse or a name or just one word, the Lord is...

Food is a wonderful and precious thing in life. Every day, in and out, we eat to satisfy our bodies. The Lord provides, for us, amazing feasts every day alongside His many blessings in life, but what happens when we purposefully take that commodity away and fast? What even is fasting? What does it mean? These questions are some of what Pastor Shannon Butler answers in todays sermon. Join him as he...

As a follow up from Sundays Sermon on Sabbath, join William Colle, Grace Markwell, Nate Schaidt & Nolan Cannon as we discuss what Sabbath looks like for them in different stages of life.  Support the show

Sabbath, what is it exactly? We have heard this word over and over again in the church. The idea is neat, taking a full day of rest? How could we not like that? But what does Sabbath really look like? Yes, it is a time of rest, but not only that, it is how we can further build our relationship with Jesus. But sabbath is hard. That is the reality. To stop our busy lives on purpose is difficult, but...

Prayer is a foundation of the church and faith as a whole. Even though we know this, praying is hard. How do we do it? Why do we do it? If we know Jesus already has everything planned out for us, why do we pray? We pray because we depend on the Lord. He gives us the hope and comfortability to talk with Him, and gives us the steps on how to do it. Join Pastor Ben Kaempfer in his study on Matthew 6,...

How do we know that God is with us? We all wrestle with the idea of God, and desire for his presence more. We go to immense lengths to feel the presence of Him, but question if that sensation we felt was real. But God is always with us. How do we know this? Through scripture we can see how much Jesus lives in us and how much He loves us. Join Pastor Ben Kaempfer as he studies scripture and reads j...

Join us for College Nights this semester as we dive into the book of Jonah! As we began in chapter 1, we saw that like Jonah, we run from God far more often than we care to admit or than we even realize. However, when we finally admit that rebellion, we'll see that God is far more merciful than we could ever imagine and that He will stop at nothing to pursue us with His love. Support the show

There has always been a thought around God. Since the dawn of time, there have been ideas, notions, and questions about this sense of transcendence. But what is the one question we all have? What is the one thing thing that we have been searching for? His presence and how are we able to experience it. Join Pastor Ben Kaempfer in our new series, Rhythms, as he uses John 1to analyze these questions....

Originally given in March 2023, this sermon dives into the Lord's prayer and we see how Jesus teaches us HOW to pray through the Lord's prayer. You can find the full series on our podcast.  Support the show

When was the last time you had so much joy, it made you want to shout? This world is full of surprises and we never know what is going to happen. But, the Lord desires to bring genuine Joy to YOU and the world! What greater joy and surprise is there than what comes from dead hearts coming alive? Join Pastor Shannon Butler as he explains the true meaning behind the classic hymn Joy To The World! Su...

Why is this season so special, magical even? We get so excited to celebrate Christmas, but why? We may know the old story of Saint Nick, and we may even love him. Saint Nick was loved because he loved God and worked to serve Him. Join Pastor Ben Kaempfer in studying Luke 2 to acknowledge the true meaning behind what we celebrate and why. Support the show

Have you ever caught yourself spinning in circles trying to solve problems and accomplish everything? In reality, it is a hard thing that we all struggle with. Yet, this was never ours to achieve, it was solely meant for the Lord to obtain on our behalf. Join Pastor Shannon Butler as he analyzes the classic carol Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, and explains the true meaning behind what we are singin...

We may know the lyrics to O Come O Come Emmanuel, but do we understand what we are saying? This hymn and its history is yet another sign that Lord is constantly with us, even in our rebellion. Join Pastor Ben Kaempfer he leads our study of the classic melody O Come O Come Emmanuel Support the show

Have you ever experienced betrayal by a trusted friend or family member? While human promises may fail, rest assured that God will never let us down. The Bible assures us of God's unchanging character, which means His promises will always remain steadfast. Join Pastor Shannon Butler in Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 2:1-20, as he highlights God's faithfulness in the lives of Mary and Joseph. W...

In the story of Gideon, he had a great start with the Lord. But, by the end of his life, he didn’t finish well. How does a successful life fall apart? How do we manage the success we experience in partnership with God without selfishly taking the glory for ourselves? Join Dylan Nielander in Judges 8 to examine the story of the once-lowly Gideon turned to a prideful ruler, ultimately ruining the po...

What are the areas where you're asking and begging God to reassure you? Like Gideon, we constantly need confidence in what the Lord has set out for us. But, following in Gideon's footsteps, we ought to gain this reassurance through intentional prayer and communion with God. Join Pastor Shannon Butler in Judges 6:36-7:25 to dive into the story of Gideon's army overcoming the Midianit...

To do His work through you, God wants to do a work in you. Resistance often accompanies the call to action, but obedience in removing your idols is essential for progress. Join Pastor Ben Kaempfer in Judges 6:25-35 to examine Gideon's task of dismantling idols. What idols in your life need dismantling in order for you to walk in obedience to the Lord? Support the show

We know prayer is important but what is its purpose? What does praying actually do? Join our College Womens Director, Grace Markwell, as she answers these questions and explains her two main points; Prayer changes things AROUND us through the power of God and prayer changes things WITHIN us as well.  Support the show

Welcome to Asking For A Friend, a podcast where we tackle your questions on marriage, dating, parenting, and everything in between—all from a Christian perspective! We’re William & Jul Colle. After almost 15 years of marriage, three boys, and balancing two careers—William as a pastor and Jul as a nurse (with school on top of it!)—we’re passionate about building a Christ-centered marriage and r...

When you are a child of God, there is a work that God is doing in you and through you. But we often lose sight of God and His plans for us when we get caught up in our fears, are disobedient, or will not surrender our will to His. Join Pastor Ben Kaempfer in Judges 6:1-24 to study the source of Gideon’s fear and how God is there with us every step of the way, He just needs our “yes.” Support the s...