Purposely Equipped

Chief Priests and elders are scheming and plotting together to arrest and kill Jesus. Judas agrees to betray him. Mary anoints Jesus with expensive perfume. Read today’s supporting scripture: Luke 22, John 12, Matthew 26 Find out more about Jesus by visiting https://purposely.com/faith/who-is-jesus/ Need prayer?  https://purposely.com/faith/prayer/ Have a question or comment? Leave us a voicemail!...

Jesus teaches his disciples about faith, spiritual life, and death through a fig tree. Read today’s supporting scripture: Mark 11 Find out more about Jesus by visiting https://purposely.com/faith/who-is-jesus/ Need prayer?  https://purposely.com/faith/prayer/ Have a question or comment? Leave us a voicemail! https://purposely.com/voicemail/

Jesus expresses a lot of emotion today as he weeps of Jerusalem and then drives out buyers and sellers in the temple in anger.  Read today’s supporting scripture: Matthew 21, Luke 19 Find out more about Jesus by visiting https://purposely.com/faith/who-is-jesus/ Need prayer?  https://purposely.com/faith/prayer/ Have a question or comment? Leave us a voicemail! https://purposely.com/voicemail/

It’s Palm Sunday and Jesus is riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. Read today’s supporting scripture: Matthew 21. Find out more about Jesus by visiting https://purposely.com/faith/who-is-jesus/ Need prayer?  https://purposely.com/faith/prayer/ Have a question or comment? Leave us a voicemail! https://purposely.com/voicemail/

Mark Holland and Pastor Riley Taylor of Mountlake Church discuss the impact of Jesus on daily life. They explore the question, "How does Jesus impact my daily life going forward?" Pastor Taylor highlights five ways Jesus impacts daily life with the encouragement of submitting your whole life to Jesus. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3vdk8HH

Mark Holland is joined by Pastor Vince Armfield of Lakeside Christian Church in Kirkland to discuss the historical and theological proof for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He highlights the significance of women being the first to witness the resurrection, a fact that was left in the gospels despite the cultural norms of the time. Pastor Armfield also discusses the cultural shift from the Sabba...

Mark Holland is joined by Pastor Jesse Bradley to discuss the significance of Jesus' death and resurrection. They explore the concept of substitutionary atonement, where Jesus took the place of humanity to pay for their sins, and propitiation, where God's wrath was satisfied through Jesus' sacrifice. They also discuss the uniqueness of Christianity, emphasizing that it is not about striving to ear...

On episode 2 of our series Discover Jesus, Mark Holland and Pastor Michael Martin of Immanuel Bible Church discuss the question, "Who is Jesus as God?" They delve into the mysteries of Jesus and his attributes, the concept of the Trinity, and the importance of Jesus being God. They also discuss Jesus' miracles, teachings, and his acceptance of worship, all of which point to his divinity. Pastor Ma...

Pastor Wyatt Martin from Alderwood Community Church joins Mark Holland on episode one of the Discover Jesus series to discuss the humanity of Jesus. Jesus being fully human and divine allowed him to sympathize with human weaknesses, serving as a mediator and high priest. Understanding Jesus' humanity is vital for Christians, offering hope and guidance. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3TdD2ax

When you think about Jesus do you start with the baby? Why would God start off this way? What is the bigger story here? Vince Armfield from Lakeside Christian Church joins Mark to talk about Jesus. Who is this Jesus? Why didn't he come as a conqueror? Why is a relationship with him so important in our lives and how do we get started if we don't have one? Show Notes: https://bit.ly/46TxTrI Special...

Mary was a poor humble teenager. She did not have a high status at all. Jill Young, Chaplain from CRISTA Ministries, joins Mark to talk about Mary. How does Mary handle the news that she is carrying Jesus? What can we learn about how God calls people? What can we apply to our own journey of faith as we grow in our relationship with Jesus? Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3Td5rhi Special thanks to World...

There are so many ways Joseph could have reacted when he found out Mary was pregnant. Pastor Riley Taylor from Mountlake Church joins Mark to talk about Joseph, his character, and why he and his response are so important to the Christmas story. What can we learn from Joseph's response for our own lives? Show Notes: https://bit.ly/489a4x0 Special thanks to World Concern Global Gift Guide, for bring...

The Shepherds were the ones who heard about Jesus first. Megan Monterrosa from The Grove Church joins Mark to share about why they were chosen. In the eyes of the world they were the least likely to be chosen and that is significant. They received this with absolute joy! Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3t6Yio3 Special thanks to World Concern Global Gift Guide, for bringing us the Cast of the Christmas...

Callie Walchenbach from King's Schools dives into The Prophets today as we look at this small mention in the Christmas story. First, we'll unpack what a prophet is and the role of a prophet. There is such a story here of God's patience with us. Jesus fulfilled over 300 prophecies. Callie breaks down the prophecy in Micah as we relate this to the Christmas story and our own story today as we ask th...

Tim White from WA Cathedral opens with an incredible story of God recently showing up to care for him. He joins Mark in this episode to look at the High Priest, who he might have been and the role he played. With the busy times of Christmas we can get wrapped up into things that are "Christian" but don't miss that Christmas is about your relationship with Jesus. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3uVqKtw...

You can read the Christmas story over and over again but sometimes certain things will stand out. For Evan Westerfield, The Heavenly Host, stood out to him. Evan is from The Grove Church in Marysville and joins Mark to talk more about the Heavenly Host, what their presence means, and where else we see the Glory of the Lord in the Bible. What does this mean to us today? Don't miss the simple way we...

Nick Marnejon from Community Christian Fellowship joins Mark today to talk the obscure character of Quirinius. Why are these obscure characters in the Bible? Nick walks us through the reason history is important in the Bible and how historical facts are added to help bring the Bible into real times. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3uVRSsl Special thanks to World Concern Global Gift Guide , for bringing...

Mark Holland and Pastor Jeremy Roh of East Renton Community Church discuss the historical context of the Christmas story, focusing on the role of Caesar Augustus. They highlight how God used Augustus, the first Roman Emperor, to set the stage for the birth of Jesus and the spread of the gospel. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/4a2mbhc

Have you heard of Archelaus? He is not a well known person in the Christmas story. Pastor Barry Crane from North Sound Church discusses the character of Archelaus. Archelaus, who is mentioned only once in the Bible, was a narcissistic and immoral leader who ruled over Judea after the death of his father, Herod the Great. Pastor Crane contrasts Archelaus with King David, who, despite his flaws, was...

Who are the Magi? Why are they important to the Christmas story? Gordon Kenada from Japanese Family Church joins Mark Holland today to look at the story of the Magi from the Bible. He highlights that the Magi were Gentiles who sought out Jesus, despite not fully understanding who he was. As we contrast the reaction of the Magi with King Herod, we are all reminded to consider whether we are willing...

Jen Ervig from The Grove Church joins Mark today to discuss Herod the Great. Herod, a non-Jewish king appointed by the Romans, was known for his paranoia and fear of losing his throne. When he heard about the birth of Jesus, he saw it as a threat to his power and ordered the killing of all male infants in Bethlehem. Despite his negative reputation, Herod was also known for his architectural achiev...

If an Angel appeared to you would you freak out a little bit? Let's look at where the Angel of the Lord appeared and how people reacted? Why did God use the Angel in this way? Kim Martinez from Shoreline Community Church joins Mark Holland as we kick off The Cast of the Christmas Story to deepen our faith and understanding of the Christmas story. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3RaROga

How often do we read the words in Luke or Matthew without really thinking about them? Sure, we know the basic story, but have we ever really looked at how God constructed it. So, this year, we read through the Christmas story as told by both Luke and Matthew and wrote down all the ‘characters’ we encountered in our reading. Over the next 13 episodes we will be talking about these characters and th...

Pastor Riley Taylor of Calvary Fellowship joins us in our final episode of Why Church where we tackle how to get started if you currently don't attend church. This is where the rubber meets the road. Let's dig in! Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3r6iTYz

Pastor Jesse Bradley of Grace Community Church in Auburn discusses with Mark the importance of attending church for a Christian's spiritual journey. Church is not just a place for worship, but also a community for learning, healing, and serving. Find out what else fosters deeper relationships and spiritual growth, and what can connect, serve, and grow you in your walk with God. Show Notes: https:/...