GARDEN CHURCH Podcast

Out of all of Jesus' ministry, the disciples asked Jesus to teach them one thing, "teach us to pray." The church has identified this teaching as the Lord's Prayer. Pastor Darren began an analysis of the Lord's Prayer last week and was joined by Michael Petrila this week as they co-taught the rest of the Lord's Prayer. We learned why it is so important to adopt the template that Jesus lays out, and...

Pastor Darren continues our series Practicing the Way of Jesus: Prayer by dissecting the Lord’s Prayer. The more we understand the template of the Lord’s Prayer, the more vibrant our prayer lives will be. Join us as we dive into prayer, in order to get to know the heart of the Father.

For Father's Day we had our friend Pastor Chris Weinand speak on the role of a father in a child's life. Children experience the truth of the Lord's Prayer and the picture of the Father in heaven by the reality experienced by a father's parenting. This is also a call for us to reshape and acknowledge the false realities we may have experience from the parenting that we have received. As we pray th...

We are entering back into our Practicing the Way of Jesus series, and we are starting with the discipline of prayer. However, before we start dissecting the why and how we pray, Pastor Bill answered one of the primary questions about prayer, "what about unanswered prayer?" We may get constantly discouraged about prayer because of prayers that do not get answered, but the truth is that our prayers...

"Here as in Heaven." For more information visit : garden.church

This Sunday we had a guest speaker, Todd Proctor, who led us through Acts. Todd observed three stories of how God works through the church in unexpected people, in unexpected ways, in unexpected places. This is crucial because the stories in Acts are precursors to the stories that we are now invited to participate in, presently.

"Here as in Heaven." For more information visit : garden.church

Though there are many Mary’s mentioned and named throughout the New Testament, the story of Mary Magdalene is a powerful one. While there is mystery and rumors surrounding this character, we can glean truth from the scriptures about Mary’s character. Pastor Bill introduces us to the woman who led the female disciples that funded Jesus’ ministry, the woman who stayed at Jesus’ feet as he was being...

This week, Pastor Darren teaches out of Luke 4:14-21. This text deals with Jesus proclaiming the Year of Jubilee, and what was God's socio-economic and political vision for his people. Through Jesus, a new reality breaks through for the poor, oppressed, and outcast here and now. We are invited to join Jesus in bringing this upside-down kingdom through our lives. We see this reality through the sto...

As Peter was walking by the gate called Beautiful, he encountered a lame man who was asking for money. Peter offered to heal the man, and he began to walk. Acts then continues to cover stories of Peter and the rest of the Apostles doing what Jesus did. However, Peter didn't begin with these highlights of success. Pastor Darren walks us through Peter's rough and bumpy discipleship with Jesus and of...

What happens when a ceremonial unclean leper that has been ostracized and rejected his whole life encounters Jesus? The law and the system are turned upon their head by the Way of Jesus. God breaks systems that oppress and reject, all in pursuit of love. That is God's heart, and in Jesus' interaction with the Leper we see God's love put on display.

Encounter is a series about what happens when ordinary people experience and extraordinary God. This week Pastor Darren shared his story about how his 9-week healing process of two torn ligaments was cut short by a miraculous healing. This story was a precursor to the Encounter story that the paralytic man and his friends had with Jesus. Listen this week as we hold on to the truth that God wants t...

In our year-long series, Practicing the Way of Jesus, we are taking a break post-Easter to focus on the person of Jesus and what it means to encounter him. Pastor Bill helped start off this mini-series properly entitled Encounter: When Ordinary People Experience an Extraordinary God. We began by walking with the disciple known as Doubting Thomas. Bill helped us understand what it means to walk wit...

Three days later after the death of Jesus, we have a plot twist in history, he is resurrected. With this resurrection Jesus brings the hope of new life because what took place on the cross was proved true. Listen as Pastor Darren guides us in understanding what is the good news that Jesus proclaimed with his life, death, and resurrection.

In order to understand the significance of Jesus’ death on the cross, we must understand the Gospel. The Gospel is good news for all who hear, and the faith of Christianity hinges on what took place on the cross. It all starts in the Garden of Eden, and that is where Michael Petrila leads us in our reflection of Good Friday.

On Palm Sunday, Jesus came in on a donkey completely subverting the perspectives of his disciples and followers. When they wanted a conquering king that would overthrow Rome, Jesus let everyone down by coming in God’s way. Pastor Bill, teaches us how Jesus will constantly let us down if we hold on to our perspectives of God’s plan for the world. In order to properly align ourselves with the subver...

We are continuing with our focus on the spiritual discipline of 'fasting'. Pastor Bill helped clear the foggy nature of this discipline, by defining what it is and what it isn't. Fasting is a way that realigns, clarifies, and centers our minds and souls to God. Listen this week as we learn how this discipline has given prominent figures throughout scripture guidance in walking in step with the Fat...

"Appetites are not the driver for behavior." Continuing with our discussion on Fasting, Pastor Bill walks us through how fasting equips us to fight Satan and the flesh. We revisit Matthew 4, as Jesus is in the wilderness, assessing how he is not at his weakest, but because of the discipline of fasting, Jesus was at his strongest. Join us as we learn to join in the fight against spiritual warfare t...

In Matthew 4, Jesus is taken by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness where Jesus is tempted by Satan. By analyzing how Satan attacks Jesus, we are able to know how he also attacks us. Guest teacher Listen, as guest teacher Chris Weinand helps us understand the tactics of Satan and how we as the church can stand against his advances.

Fasting is a discipline that invites humanity to pray with our bodies. It also is an avenue where we can stand in solidarity with the poor. Pastor Darren leads us through Isaiah 58, as we understand how we can intentionally fast to relate to those who are poor and marginalized in our world. Join the Garden as we learn how to stand against oppression and stand for justice, one meal at a time.

Once confronted by Jezebel, Elijah is sent into an escape from his homeland. During this time, God turned Elijah's escape and turned it into an encounter with God. Pastor Bill, walks us through this story of Elijah going to Mt. Herman and the lesson he learned about the power of silence. It is here where we are invited to join Elijah to listen to the sound of silence and find God speaking in the m...

In the wilderness away from people, work, traffic, music, television, and all other distractions, we find silence. For most, if not all of humanity, silence can seem to be violent to our souls. However, upon examining the lifestyle of Jesus we find that he found strength in silence and solitude. It seems that when Jesus was away from everything that the world deems important, he was able to find c...

While community, practice, and teaching may all help with transformation, they are not the primary source of transformation. The final step of transformation changes when our environment is changed and replaced with the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit that comes in and uses our community, our practices, and teachings to transform and strengthen our will. Listen as Pastor Darren helps us understand,...

The Way of Jesus, or the Way of the Cross, is not a way to be taken lightly. As Bonhoeffer said, "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die." How do we live a life marked by carrying our cross, self-denial, and death? Pastor Bill Dogeterom helps us walk through this paradigm and what it means for us in the midst of our everyday ordinary lives.

Discipleship needs to be done in community. Especially, during our current age where communities can be found through social media, blogs, and websites. Authentic community that builds, sustains, exposes, challenges, and forms us into Christlikeness is found in the church. Listen as our guest speaker, Megan Fate Marshman helps continue our Practicing the Way of Jesus series, and helps us understan...