First Free Methodist - FFMC

Jesus as a refugee! Not too long after the birth of Jesus the forces of evil, power, and corruption are already trying to end his young life. With all of the power of empire set against Him, God finds a way for Jesus to live so that one day he will defeat the greatest enemy of all; sin leading to death. This is story about the extraordinary act of Joseph to save "The Child" so that He might save u...

The Christmas story is perhaps the best known story in all of the Bible. It has been re-enacted time and again by adults and children alike. We warm to the images of Jesus birth and the wonder of that first Christmas. If we take a closer look, we might find that the story has more wonder than we ever realized. It is a story filled with ordinary people finding themselves in God's great plan of salv...

The Christmas story is perhaps the best-known story in all of the Bible. It has been re-enacted time and again by adults and children alike. We warm to the images of Jesus' birth and the wonder of that first Christmas. If we take a closer look, we might find that the story has more wonder than we ever realized. It is a story filled with ordinary people finding themselves in God's great plan of sal...

it is hard to imagine that the cosmos hangs in the balance with two Jewish women in the first century. Elizabeth and Mary have an important moment together when their unborn children meet for the first time. These two women find themselves in a moment when God will use each of them for extraordinary things, one of which, will be savior of the world.

Have you ever been caught between a rock and a hard place? The Bible is filled with stories of people who found themselves in exactly the same place. The story of Joseph, in Matthew's gospel, is a good example. He is faced with a daunting choice about his future. In the midst of that situation, an angel appears and offers him a new and glorious solution which had never crossed his mind.

Judging and being judgmental are two different things. One requires prudence and wisdom. The latter requires ingratitude and fear. Jesus offers us a new and wonderful way to balance these these in the Sermon on the Mount. how can we convey the sacrificial love of God while not losing ourselves in the process.

Words are important. Our promises are important. This week's episode explores how we can use our words, both written and verbal, to express our heart more clearly. When we do so, clarity and authenticity can happen in surprising ways!

Gratitude is usually a response to something done to or for us. We say, "Thank you!" when something happens which brings joy, satisfaction, or even wholeness. Sometimes we feel the sense to do more than just say, "Thank you." This week's episode explores some of the different forms thanksgiving can take.

"In everything, give thanks.", the Apostle Paul tells us. How hard this is to do. The daily pressures of life and constant distractions easily lead us away from thanksgiving. Re-centering our lives in gratitude each day can change the way we live and see the world.

Christians can give thanks to God for many reasons! Foundational to all of them is God's saving grace in Jesus Christ. That grace is a gift to us. Not only does it offer us salvation, it also offers to us a way of being made stronger even in the most challenging times.

We are taught from an early age to dream big and think big. Our culture continually reinforces that message to us. Bigger is better. Jesus helps us see the world and ourselves in a different way. When it comes to feeding 5,000 people, all Jesus needs is one boy who brings forth only what he has for food. Jesus does the rest.

God's vision of the future is a bright one filled with hope. Even in the darkest of times, we can trust in God's power and grace to be at work in our lives and in the world. For followers of Jesus, we hold on to the hope that this new age of the Kingdom can only come about through the victory of Jesus.

The prophet Daniel is most known for surviving the lion's den and speaking truth to power. He was a devoted man of prayer. These essential elements of Daniel's character all have a beginning in a diet of vegetables. This week's episode focuses on how we are called to serve God even with our bodies and our diet!

When is it hardest to deliver a message of hope? That is the question Zechariah the prophet must hold as he proclaims God's message of hope to a people who feel lost. In the end, hope is found in a deep and abiding relationship with God. This week's episode helps us to find clues about a rich life with God.

Most people don't spend much time with the prophet Haggai. Perhaps it does not get as much attention as it should. Haggai raises questions about devotion, wealth, and how we can best manage our priorities in life. This week's episode explores how Haggai's message is one for today.

This week's episode feature Rev. Dr. Craig Brown and Rev. Camille Pook reflect on Camille's recent mission trip to Columbia. With Luke 10 guiding their conversation Pastor Camille shares powerful examples and stories that reflect Jesus' teaching.

Many of us have heard of Philadelphia, the "City of Brotherly Love." What if "Philadelphia" were a command given to all followers of Jesus? This week we a take a close look at how the Christian community is called to love like no other. Radical. Conspicuous. Open.

Going from being a simple follower to one "who is sent" is a BIG transition. On the very first Easter Sunday, Jesus tells his disciples that each of them will now become a person who has been sent by him to spread the gospel in the world. How does this happen? Where does the ability to do this come from? Jesus offers to his new "sent ones" more than they could ever imagine!

Jesus' final words to his followers before his ascension are important to hear today. Jesus is seeking to enlarge their vision. Their perspective is to keep things conventional and simple. Jesus invites them to see that the mission is one that happens here, there, and everywhere.

God is always at work building bridges and helping reconciliation to happen. This work of God can be disturbing to us at times! It is through these new relationships that God helps everyone breakthrough to a new perspective. God's best work happens in the moments when we trust the outcome to Him.

If God is at the center of all things, how we find a way to live like that is true? Making space to respond to God is often driven by our deep needs which at times can be broken and in need of healing. God is at the center of all things. This week we explore how to set our lives in a manner that truly makes God the center and star.

Power and authority are sought after today as much as it has even been. Two thousand years ago, Roman Emperors demanded that they be addressed as, "the Lord God, the Almighty," John's vision of the heavenly world in Revelation 4 makes it clear that there is only one who has true power and authority. This truth is proclaimed again and again throughout Revelation. All other power is simply an impost...

Worship is one of the most important acts any Christian can do. In worship, we offer thanks to God for everything in life. Worship is also a place where God speaks to us and gathers us in. The Apocalypse of John (Revelation) is filled with vivid pictures of worship and praise. This week's episode explores how that vision of worship begins; with the presence of Jesus in the church.

When we do what God asks of us, it can be filled with a sense of fear and doubt. When Abraham was asked to sacrifice his son, his response filled with faith. In one of the most shocking and brutal stories in the Bible we find a God who is tester and provider. The question remains...who is actually being tested?