Free Methodist Church of Santa Barbara

Be Strong and Courageous - Rev. Colleen Hurley-Bates (3.29.2020) by Sermons

The Goodness of God - Rev. Colleen Hurley-Bates, 3.22.2020 by Sermons

The Best Way - Rev. Doug Ranck (3.15.2020) by Sermons

A New King - Rev. Colleen Hurley-Bates (3.8.2020) by Sermons

On this first Sunday of Lent, we pause our study in Samuel for just a week to meditate on a scripture about Jesus when He is led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. It is good that we think about all our Lord endured and important to remember how His difficulty was in the beginning of His ministry, as well as in the end. What stands out to us in this piece is the scripture Jesus uses a...

The text we have before us this week reveals a disparity between what God wants and what His people Israel want. In Samuel's old age the elders of Israel demand a king to take Samuel's place, which would introduce a monarchy into Israel for the first time. God wants to be their king but Israel refuses this because they want to "be like other nations." God warns them of the dangers of having a king...

Encounter- Santa Barbara Mission Conference Recap- Members of J.O.L.T. (2.23.20) by Sermons

Due to technical issues with our recording equipment, we had to use a back-up recording for this week's sermon. Please excuse the lower quality of the recording and the missing introduction. Thank you for listening. In this piece of scripture, we see Samuel at work. Much has happened since God called him and I encourage you to read chapters 4-6 to catch up on the story. I will be summarizing what...

Encounter-Discipleship Ecosystem- Rev. Dr. Denny Wayman - (2.16.20) by Sermons

The chapter we read is one of the most important in the book, in my estimation, because it is a piece of the story which is wonderfully soaked in the Spirit of God. Because of this, we want to pay special attention to what is happening. Please read the chapter before you come into the sanctuary to worship the Lord. See how God is alive. Notice how He is bringing new life as He prunes away what is...

Encounter-Doubt- Rev. Dr. Denny Wayman - (2.9.20) by Sermons

We have begun 1 Samuel and already we are drawn into a compelling story of the family who will change the history of a whole nation. Most people consider the main characters of this book to be Samuel, Saul, and David. However, some scholars count Hannah, and I think we should as well. She is the catalyst for this whole narrative. Without her sorrow and prayer of surrender, there is no Samuel. Ther...

Encounter- The Five Issues that Bring People into Counseling- Cheryl Wayman LMFT (2.2.20) by Sermons

Dedicated to the Lord 1 Samuel 1:3-20; 2:1-10 This week, we will delve into the Old Testament to glean insight from the Lord through the familiar and the unknown. These stories may be ones we have read many times, yet the culture and time in which they are set can be difficult for us to grasp. However, the Lord has lessons for us to learn as His people today! As we read, let's listen for what He i...

Encounter-Discovering Dementia- Joe Wheatley (1.26.20) by Sermons

One, Vision, One, Voice, One Victory | 1 Corinthians 15:57-58 We are thrilled this week to welcome Pastor Kenny Martin speak to us on Sunday. He has been a good friend of our pastors for many years. We consider he and his wife Estelle, who also serves as a pastor, to be fruitful co-laborers for the gospel. Kenny was a nominee for Bishop for our denomination this year and serves in multiple leaders...

Encounter-Wesleyan Quadrilateral | Reason- Rev. Dr. Jim Mannoia (1.19.20) by Sermons

Jesus the Bread of Life John 6:25-35 Wrong Questions and Right Answers Happy New Year! It's the first week of the year 2020. Can you believe it? As you think about what kind of life you'd like to lead this year, what kinds of questions are you asking at the beginning of the year? The quality of questions we ask often determines the quality of answers we seek and receive. However, sometimes we ask...

On this first Sunday after Christmas day we will be exploring the way that Jesus describes himself as the "good shepherd" in John 10. The good shepherd distinguishes himself from the hired hand because the good shepherd knows his sheep and they know him. And, even more powerfully the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. Do we entrust our lives to the good shepherd believing that he love...

"If you could change one thing in the world, what would that be and why?" How often have we heard this question in certain competitions? And the answer (drum roll) . . . world peace! Over the last three weeks, we have discovered more about our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, and Everlasting Father. Join us this Sunday as we spend time with the Author of Peace, the Prince of Peace. We will answer...

As we continue the kingly names found in Isaiah for Advent, we come to the third one: Everlasting Father. In our modern day democracy, it is hard for us to understand using the name father for a monarch. Yet, there is often a sense that a king or queen serves in a parental role for the nation. Because the ascend to the throne in a familial fashion, they can be seen as a parent, especially if they...

On this second Sunday of Advent, we will continue with the names Isaiah says belong to the King sent by God. Last week, we explored the truth that Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor. This week, we will affirm Christ as Mighty God, taking as our text a story in Matthew where Jesus walks on the water. There are multiple scriptures we could explore and I encourage you to think about which one you would...

Advent is upon us! How joyous and expectant is this season of the church when we celebrate the coming of Christ into our world. In advent, we rejoice in how Jesus came as God to die for us, in how He comes to meet us now in our everyday life, and as we wait in expectation for Him to come again. In the four Sundays of Advent, we are going to be centered in on the names of our Messiah from Isaiah 9:...

On this last Sunday of the Christian year, we will rejoice in our great God. It is a good thing to recount our blessings which are unique to us in this life. However, it is important in our giving thanks that we continue to honor the Lord, who is the Giver over all. In these words of David, there are beautiful truths about God, as well as His action in history. This is a beautiful reminder of the...

We have come to the end of James! I had some of you tell me when we began this book over the summer that you couldn't believe we were going through November with only five chapters. Yet, here we are. What an amazing time we have had. We have explored so much richness through the ideas in this letter. It has been a gift from the Lord for us. Sunday, we will talk about the last two verses. What does...