Local Church St. Pete Podcast

After Jesus rose from the dead he chose to step back into the sorrow, fear and doubt of his followers. Three appearances found in John 20 describe this eye-witness account. What did he say? How did his words and presence lead them out of despair into a new world of joy and wonder? How has he been doing that ever sinc

A gathering to reflect on the death of Jesus through song, prayer, and communion.

What happens when the things we’ve been leaning on fall through? When the promises of our culture don’t satisfy, when the pleasures of wealth and power leave us empty? Luke 19:1-10 is the story of a man whose line of work was public and scandalous. It brought him wealth and power but left him wanting, empty and searching. In a completely unexpected and culturally offensive way, he encounters grace...

Imagine running from a past that relentlessly haunts you in the present, shaping not only how you feel about yourself, but the decisions you make about your future? Imagine a paralyzing anxiety, triggered by something you can’t even put your finger on. Exodus 3 is the story of a man haunted by his past and paralyzed by insecurity who has a breath-taking encounter with God. God’s answer to his anxi...

Why is the death of Jesus on a cross so vital to Christianity? What exactly did it achieve and how should we respond? John 19:16-42 answers these questions by inviting us to read the unmistakable sign placed on the cross, to see the beautiful thread of prophetic fulfillment about the cross and to hear the final word of Jesus from the cross.

Local stories are stories of God's grace at work in the lives of those who are a part of Local Church St. Pete.  We want to highlight his activity and celebrate his grace.

Acts of injustice and cruelty give way to an announcement about Jesus. Fear of what others will say or do give way to a judgment about Jesus. John 19:1-16 is loaded with cruelty, compromise and betrayal – all of it directed at Jesus and all of it revealing how broken we are. In a beautiful twist of irony, we discover, that is exactly why Jesus is there.

Christianity isn’t a matter of blind “faith” or “personal truth”. It isn’t simply about “being true to yourself” either. In John 18:28-40 Jesus tells us the reason he was born; his purpose for coming into the world was to bear witness to the truth. It was met with a question that echoes throughout every generation: “What is truth?” A question we all must wrestle with.

In John 18, Jesus’ friends turn their backs on Him through denial and betrayal, yet He shows love. His friends choose self-preservation, but He chooses self-sacrifice. Jesus’ love and God’s plan remain undeniable.

If you’re new to following the ways of Jesus then you probably have a lot of questions. In this conversation, Mark and Daryn answer common questions  like: I’m brand new to this, where do I begin when it comes to the Bible? Do I “need” to be baptized? What is most important for me to know – for my growth and maturity? What is prayer? How do I do it? Why is prayer so important? Why is “the church”...

Local stories are stories of God's grace at work in the lives of those who are a part of Local Church St. Pete.  We want to highlight his activity and celebrate his grace.

One of the most personal things you can do is come alongside someone as they pray; to be given permission to listen in as they express their greatest concerns and desires. That’s exactly what we’re invited to do in John 17. To hear Jesus’ desires and to make them our very own. To hear Jesus’ heart, what he wants most of all, and to be shaped by it.

We all like to win. It feels really good. Winning in this world usually means being stronger, faster, and more dominant. In John 16, Jesus presents a different way of winning. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus overcame the world, and it’s this pivotal truth that can turn the sorrows of our life into joys.

Local stories are stories of God's grace at work in the lives of those who are a part of Local Church St. Pete.  We want to highlight his activity and celebrate his grace.

Sorrow filled their hearts. Overwhelming powers of grief consumed them. It’s there, knowing their state of mind, knowing the fierce opposition that lay ahead, that Jesus speaks words of preparation and promise to his disciples. John 15:18-16:15 is a wake- up call to get ready for opposition. It’s also a rallying cry to get ready for the work of the Spirit in the midst of it all.

An unending source of strength and joy; a lifeline apart from which we won’t survive. That’s how Jesus describes himself in John 15. But he doesn’t stop there. His great concern is for us to remain, to find in him all the strength we need to be who he calls us to be.

A presence that shouts “I’m with you! I’m not going anywhere. You’ll never be alone again.” A peace, unlike anything this world could offer, that breaks into the chaos of the moment and whispers, “You’ve been made whole and this moment your facing doesn’t change a thing.” That is the promise of John 14, the gift of divine presence and peace, the promised help we need.

Local stories are stories of God's grace at work in the lives of those who are a part of Local Church St. Pete.  We want to highlight his activity and celebrate his grace.

We all face situations that are totally overwhelming. Life can feel like it’s unraveling in the moment. In John 14 the disciples are upset by Jesus’ announcement of betrayal, departure and denial. It has a dizzying effect on them. It’s in that place of distress that Jesus brings comfort for troubled hearts, answers to honest questions and an invitation like no other.

What should a community, following in the ways of Jesus, be about? This Sunday, in Acts 2 we go back to where it all began to take our cues from the early church. What we find is that it’s about the simple things. 

Prayer is an invitation to turn off the noise. To shut down the phone, ignore the emails and enter a conversation with someone who loves you. In Luke 11 Jesus’ disciples are so moved by his commitment to prayer they ask, “Can you teach us to do that?” Jesus goes on to give them a prayer that includes insight into how God feels about us and how we should approach him. A prayer that confronts our mi...

When a child comes into the world, it is the perfect paradox of strength in weakness; the unlikely collision of struggle and joy. No wonder then why the Christmas story centers around childbirth. Something so human, yet somehow miraculous. Glory in a manger.

Everyone is searching for meaning, significance, purpose – to be known and to be loved. Matthew 2 is a story of searching. Searching for answers, searching for truth, searching for the promised king. Some are willing to give up everything in order to find the promise, while others are threatened in every way. The repeated announcement around the Christmas story in Scripture is: “Don’t be afraid, G...

This is for anyone experiencing a heaviness that won’t quit. For everyone suffering the effects of the brokenness of this life. In the face of deep darkness and uncertainty, Isaiah 9 comes bursting through with the promise of an unstoppable light. Like a beacon of hope and comfort in the midst of a storm, this light pushes through every form of darkness imaginable and announces the dawn of a new d...