Iowa City Church Podcast

🎙️ Sermon Podcast: "The Lord's Supper" — Part 7 of Our Church This week at Iowa City Church, we're focusing on one of the most meaningful practices Jesus gave His followers — the Lord's Supper . In this message, we'll discover why this sacred meal is central to our worship and how it helps us remember Jesus' sacrifice, renew our relationship with Him, and unite as one body . Whether you've been wa...

We're diving into one of the most important parts of following Jesus — sharing the good news . Jesus calls us to be sowers of the gospel, but many of us wonder where to start or how to do it naturally. In this message, we'll unpack what it means to be a "sower" in today's world and how everyday moments — conversations, acts of kindness, and relationships — can become powerful opportunities for God...

In this teaching from Iowa City Church we'll begin learning together how to share the gospel in simple, everyday ways. The first step isn't complicated—it's prayer. Before we talk about Jesus with anyone, we can begin by praying for them, asking God to open doors and prepare their hearts. Prayer is something we can all do, and it's where sharing the good news really begins. To learn more, give a l...

In this episode, we continue our fall teaching series  Our Church , where we're looking closely at who we are, what we believe, and how we live as a Jesus church in Iowa City. Each week has been about going deeper into what really defines us as God's people. In this sermon, we'll talk about one of the most powerful and defining moments in a Christian's life:  baptism . Baptism isn't just a ritual...

In this episode of Our Church , we continue exploring what makes the church unique—our purpose, our beliefs, our values, and our mission. This week we dive into what it means to be the light in the darkness, right here in Iowa City. Jesus gave us a clear mission: love God, love people, and make disciples. It may sound simple, but living it out has the power to transform lives and bring hope where...

Throughout this series, we are taking a closer look at what defines us as a church family and why those things matter. Last week we laid the foundation, and now we're excited to build on that as we move into part two. This week we'll be focusing on one of the most important questions for any church:  Why is the Bible our primary authority? In a world filled with competing voices, opinions, and inf...

In this sermon launch a brand-new series called  Our Church , where we'll explore who we are as a church family, what we value, and the mission God has called us to. We will begin with the truth that in God's Kingdom, it's the  small things  that make the biggest impact. Just like James Clear's story from  Atomic Habits , we will see that lasting transformation doesn't come from one big moment, bu...

In this sermon we wrap up our August series, Does God Really Love Me?  by talking about something that touches all of us at some point—anxiety. When life feels out of control and the world seems to be falling apart, it's easy to wonder if God really loves us or if He's even paying attention. But the good news of Scripture is that nothing can separate us from God's love in Christ Jesus. His love is...

Have you ever had those moments where you just don't like yourself very much? Maybe you replay past mistakes, wrestle with insecurities, or feel like you'll never measure up. I think we've all been there. And when we're stuck in that place, it's easy to wonder:  If I can't love myself, how could God possibly love me?  That's exactly what we're going to talk about this Sunday in our series  Does Go...

We've all been there. At some point in your walk with God, you've probably had questions. You've probably wondered why prayers seem unanswered, why life feels unfair, or why following Jesus can feel so hard in a world going a different direction. Those moments of doubt can be unsettling — not just because they shake our faith, but because they make us wonder,  "Does God still love me if I'm not 10...

 In part two of our sermon series, we're diving into one of the most honest and necessary conversations the church can have: Does God really love me when I'm depressed and anxious?  If you've ever felt the crushing weight of depression or the unshakable grip of anxiety, you know how hard it can be to believe that God hasn't walked away. Maybe you've asked yourself,  If I were stronger in faith, I...

With this sermon we kick off a brand new sermon series centered around one of the most common spiritual questions:  Does God really love me, even when I've done bad things?  Many people—Christians included—struggle with feelings of guilt, shame, or inadequacy that distort their view of God's love. Whether it's due to religious trauma, performance-based theology, or underdeveloped faith, these barr...

We continue our sermon series Summer in the Sand , where we explore how God works in the lives of people navigating sandy and difficult places—just like He did throughout Scripture. From the Israelites wandering the desert to prophets and apostles sent on uncertain journeys, the wilderness has always been a place of challenge and transformation. In this series, we're discovering that God is still...

In this episode we continue our sermon series, Summer in the Sand:  learning from wilderness journeys in the Bible . For this sermon we will move to the sandy wilderness near the city of Nineveh where the Old Testament prophet Jonah, still recovering from his traumatic fishing story, contemplates his next move.  God had called the prophet Jonah to preach a message of repentance to the city of Nine...

In this episode we continue our sermon series, Summer in the Sand:  learning from wilderness journeys in the Bible . For this sermon, our ministry resident Gabe Solis preaches about Israel's wilderness wanderings in the sand as described in the Old Testament book of Exodus. After rescuing Israel from slavery in Egypt, God didn't lead them straight to the Promised Land—instead, He led them into the...

In this episode, we continue our sermon series, Summer in the Sand:  learning from wilderness journeys in the Bible . In this edition, we find Moses wandering around the wilderness sand of Midian tending his father-in-law's sheep. While plodding through the sand, far from the power and prestige of Egypt, God called him through a burning bush to lead His people out of slavery. Though Moses felt ina...

This is the first sermon in brand new sermon series, Summer in the Sand:  learning from wilderness journeys in the Bible . Of course summer is the time when we all take vacation road trips--and some of those journeys might be long, through desolate barren landscapes (Nebraska anyone?). We ultimately know our vacation destination is going to be amazing, however the trek through the wilderness may n...

In this sermon we wrap up our study of how God provides key resources to help develop fresh faith. This last resource is consistently overlooked, yet it's vital in developing something new in our faith journey. The resource? People. And not just any person, but the specific people God puts in each of our paths. As much as we want to think of faith as personal, it's not. Faith doesn't grow in isola...

One of the most important aspects of serving God in ministry is that is provides an essential platform for faith in Him to grow. This happens because ministry moves belief into action, allowing Christians to experience God's work firsthand. As followers of Jesus step out of their comfort zones to serve others, they learn to rely more deeply on the Holy Spirit for strength, wisdom, and guidance. Mi...

One of the most important elements of developing fresh faith always leads back to discipline--no one likes to admit it, yet we all know it's true. Discipline is required for there to be any type of growth in our lives; fresh finances, improved physical wellness, emotional or relational health...all of them are dependent upon discipline. As much as we want our faith to be this spontaneous, passiona...

For something to grow it's essential for there to be space. Whether it's plants in a garden or buying a toddler new clothes, we always know that we need to make space for growth. For there to be fresh growth in our faith we need to make space for God! However the question then pops up: What is God going to do with that space we create for Him? Jesus helps answer that question with this instruction...

If you haven't noticed, there's a lot of "new" connected to our church right now; new building, new faces, new life changes, and new ministries. With all this new in the air, how's your faith? Is it time for some fresh faith? Here's the thing about faith, it doesn't just grow on it's own...it needs some help to grow. One of the most unlikely, but reasonable "faith rejuvenators" is the work of crea...

We all have those " to-do-lists " that have been slowly building over the years. The lists typically range from mowing the lawn, cleaning out the garage to finally preparing for retirement. Usually on that list there's a category specifically centered around our faith journey; pursuing a relationship with God and being obedient to what He asks you to do. Here's the big issue with any to-do-list: ...