First Pres Perspectives

The sacrament of Infant Baptism has been practiced in the Church for centuries, but is often misunderstood. Tune in to learn about the foundations of this doctrine with our beloved, Leigh Swanson. For more info about Baptism at First Pres, visit: fpco.org/baptism 

Justin Earley is a writer, speaker, and lawyer. He is the author of The Common Rule , Habits of the Household , and Made for People . Through his writing and speaking, Justin empowers God's people to thrive through life-giving habits that form them in the love of God and neighbor. In this talk, he discusses the importance of spiritual habits in our relationship with God, as well as the great...

Listen as Dr. Swanson & Rev. Fox discuss questions that were submitted throughout the series. You don't want to miss this ending!

Dr. Paul Gibson | Philippians 2:5-8 The LGBTQIA+ community has some of the highest rates of anxiety, suicide and depression. How do we, as Christ-followers, lovingly care for the LGBTQIA+ community without affirming the lifestyle? How might understanding family systems help us care better for our LGBTQIA+ neighbors and their mental health? What practical resources are available for us to reference...

Dr. David Swanson | 2 Corinthians 10:5 What do I say to my child who thinks they may be gay? What do I say to a friend who has a child transitioning from male to female? Do I attend a gay wedding? What does the church do when a trans female wants to stay in the female cabins on a youth retreat? How can the church remain winsome and attractive when we are labeled as bigoted and homophobic? How can...

Dr. David Swanson | Acts 17:22, Ephesians 4:15 The Church has been given the assignment of speaking truth in love, so that means engaging in deeper discipleship on these issues while also moving out into the community, forming relationships, and being an alternative voice to the cultural narrative that says, "It all rests on ME."

Dr. David Swanson | Romans 1 We will trace the subtle and not-so-subtle cultural movements, each of which has weakened our social and moral fabric. We will also look ahead to what will likely happen as a result of a culture with no moral authority.

Dr. David Swanson | Matthew 5:27-28 People often think "It's never been like this before, and yet it has: First-century Rome was like this and worse. We'll review that history as well as the last 300 years of Western thought which has brought about expressive individualism and a diminishing belief in God.

Dr. David Swanson | Genesis 2:18, 24; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, Leviticus 18, 20 The Bible has much to say about gender and sexuality. The truths revealed are "settled" from a Biblical perspective. The challenge is how we apply the truth in a way that expresses love and understanding.

Dr. David Swanson | Genesis 1, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Establishing the Authority of Scripture as the basis by which we understand gender and sexuality; then looking at the beauty of God's design for sexuality - as men and women flourishing for God's purposes in the context of marriage. 

Special guest and long-standing, Covenant Partner, Sean Murphy, joins Dr. Swanson and Cameron to share his story within the context of today’s narratives on diversity, racial inequality, and Biblical truth.

Cameron and Alexa discuss Living Missionally in our neighborhoods with Ryan and Jamie Smith, creators of Fellowship of Believers. Learn how you can use your unique gifts to respond to the call of God.

Cameron and Alexa discuss our reality of being apart and the ways God is present in this time. Lucy MacLeish joins the conversation with a call for authenticity and the importance of establishing routine in the day-to-day. 

Cameron and Alexa discuss their new rhythms born from “distancing” and the ways God is guiding them through ups and downs.  Meredith Gaylord joins the call with a mom’s perspective on homeschooling, nurturing, and spiritually guiding her children in this unexpected season

This week for our final episode of the Ordinary series Cameron and Taylor Boutelle shake things up and welcome two kids on the podcast! Cooper(7yrs) and Braddock(9yrs) share jokes, insights into their typical day, and plenty of laughs. This is an episode you don't want to miss. 

Cameron and Alexa are joined by Bret Allen, Minister of Family Life, as he discusses resisting the culture of 'Hurry Sick' by prioritizing solitude in our lives. Bret shares what the difference is between silence and solitude, the dangers of associating our value with our busyness, and the pitfalls of filling our kids schedules to the prim with extracurricular activities. 

This week Cameron and Alexa are joined by two of our Fellows, Hannah and Wes. They discuss morning routines, Gringos Locos queso, and applying spiritual practices to your ordinary .  

Cameron and Alexa sit down with Jonathan Wagner, our director of college ministry, and discuss what it means to live missionally in the context of our core value, The City. Jonathan shares what the nature of college ministry is and highlights the stories of some of his students as they prepare for their yearly retreat, Jubilee. 

Cameron and Alexa are joined by registered dietary nutritionist Betsy Hirschy as they discuss the spiritual significance of how we care for our bodies. In connection with the sermon series, Betsy discusses the importance of our physical world, the connection between emotion and food, and parenting tips to picky eating. 

Cameron and Alexa sit down with the founder of Spork Orlando, Lauren Yochum, to discuss the responsibility of being a food critic, the hidden food scene in orlando, the brokenness of food, and the power of simply sharing a meal with someone. 

In sync with our new sermon series, Cameron and Alexa start this week by introducing the heart behind our next 8 episodes on The Ordinary. Dr. Swanson shares his thoughts and intention behind the series and his most anticipated topic he will cover in the next 10 weeks. 

In preparation for Baptism Renewal Sunday, Dr. David Swanson teaches the importance of the sacrament of Baptism in the life of the church. 

Our new Director of College Ministry, Jonathan Wagner, joins Cameron and Alexa for a discussion on the new college ministry, partnership with the CCO, and how Les Misérables can be a topic for evangelism. 

We take a break from our regular scheduled content to look into last week's Pastor's Class on diversity at FirstPres. In the class, Dr. Swanson sits down with Gabe De Guia and Cheryl Mendes-Ellis as they share about their personal experience of being a minority in the church. 

Cameron and Alexa sit down with the new director of Genesis worship, Josh Hammonds, as they talk about the formation of worship, liturgy, and Sunday morning mishaps.