South Bend City Church

Jason Miller - In the conclusion of our series about spiritual growth, we considered the challenge of being a community for people in different places or stages of faith. It’s a conversation for our church, but also any marriage, family, or friendship where people are growing in their own ways. Philippians 2 ----- If you’re a part of the growing digital SBCC community, we’d love to hear from you!...

Shannan Martin - This week we heard from author Shannan Martin on the power of living close to the ground and close to our neighbors, following Jesus by loving the people and places in our ordinary, every day lives. She closed our gatherings with this moving benediction: May you go out into this cold day warmed by the fire in your own bones. May you come to see walking shoes, soup spoons, mini van...

Jason Miller - In the past few days, our community has faced some pressing questions about faith, politics, and the kind of church we want to be. Our lead pastor took a quick break from our current series - The Anatomy of Spiritual (R)Evolution - to address some of those questions this week. _____ If you’re a part of the growing digital SBCC community, we’d love to hear from you! Drop us a note le...

Beth Graybill - In week three we look at our own narrative journeys through stages of faith, including the liminal spaces between each stage. Beth also gives an encouraging word to those parenting through the order, disorder, and re-order stages of our spiritual journeys. Parenting Resources:   BOOKS: The Critical Journey: Stages in the Life of Faith by Janet O. Hagberg and Robert A. Guelich   Sta...

Jason Miller - In week two, we looked at some of the stages and disruptions that often characterize the spiritual life. _____   If you’re a part of the growing digital SBCC community, we’d love to hear from you! Drop us a note letting us know how you found us and what keeps you listening at: info@southbendcitychurch.com . You can also support the ongoing work of SBCC by giving at:  southbendcitych...

Jason Miller - It’s a new year, and we’re talking about growth. How do we keep going when the things that brought us this far can’t take us further? (John 20, Hebrews 5, and Philippians 1) We close by reflecting on our own spiritual journeys. Here are some of the questions from the guided meditation. Movement 1: What are some beliefs or experiences that marked the start of your spiritual journey? ...

Jason Miller - In week 4 of Advent, we considered Isaiah 7, King Ahaz's problems, and Simeon's vision in Luke 2. We also introduced a new component of our global strategy - partnering with The Telos Group for peacemaking pilgrimages in 2020-2021. ________ If you’re a part of the growing digital SBCC community, we’d love to hear from you! Drop us a note letting us know how you found us and what kee...

A conversation between Jason Miller and our friend Dave Armstrong, pastor of Redeemer Central Church in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Dave closes our gatherings with this benediction, an adaptation of the Prayer of St. Patrick: May Christ protect you today Against anger, against jealousy, Against fear, against timidity, So that His justice may flow through you  and you may share in its reward. Christ...

Jason Miller - In week 3 of Advent, we studied one of Isaiah’s texts of return, considered the sometimes inconclusive nature of the arrival of God, and wrestled with the temptations of politics and hope. ________ If you’re a part of the growing digital SBCC community, we’d love to hear from you! Drop us a note letting us know how you found us and what keeps you listening at: info@southbendcitychur...

Jason Miller - This Advent, we’re learning to wait and hope with the prophet Isaiah. The text this week promises the peaceable kingdom, where the most vulnerable are made safe, but not without a prophetic disruption. In this recording you'll catch the end of Jesus, Oh What a Wonderful Child and a refrain of Come Thou Long Expected Jesus. Find them both songs our growing Advent Playlist . _________...

Jason Miller - This Advent, we're learning to wait and hope with the prophet Isaiah, who calls us to a future where our instruments of violence and destruction are transformed into instruments of peace. To close the gathering, Zach sings Your Peace Will Make Us One by Audrey Assad. Find it on our growing Advent Playlist . ___________ If you’re a part of the growing digital SBCC community, we’d lov...

Jason Miller - In our final week of To Build an Altar, we hear from members of our community who have created tangible memorials to the goodness of God in their lives.

Jason Miller - When you build an altar to recognize the gift you've received, the next question you might ask is: is this altar calling me to stay here, plant some roots, and resist the temptation to keep moving? Or is it compelling me to keep walking forward, trusting that the God who was good to me here can be good to me anywhere?

Ryan Yazel - In week two of To Build an Altar, we find goodness in the mundane. What are some ways we can challenge ourselves to recognize the goodness in the simple, unremarkable things around us? James 1:17; Acts 17:24-29 Music for reflection: Ascent, Pt 1 by Hymns for the Architect

Jason Miller - In the month of November, SBCC is building altars. We’ll be creating tangible memorials to the goodness of God in our lives. This week’s teaching explores the meaning of an altar. (Genesis and James)

Ryan Yazel - In this gathering we check in with local community leaders to hear how our neighborhoods and schools are doing and how we can continue to become a community of grace and peace for our city. Kathy Schutch - Executive Director of the Near Northwest Neighborhood Kareemah Fowler - Former South Bend City Clerk, CFO of South Bend Community Schools Dr. Todd Cummings - Superintendent of South...

Jason Miller - In week six of our Everyone an Icon series, we asked again what is the God like whose image we bear. We also celebrated baptisms. Song from this gathering: Will We Ever Rise by The Brilliance

Beth Graybill - In week five of Everyone an Icon, we paused to reflect on the tradition of baptism. We heard stories from a few friends in our community regarding their own baptism experiences, and reflected on how we can identify with the life of Jesus through baptism.

Jason Miller - In week four of Everyone an Icon, we asked where our anxiety about God comes from. We turned to Exodus 20, Matthew 2 and 3, and Ephesians 1 and considered whether Jesus is an exception to the character of God or a revelation of the character of God.

Jason Miller - In week three of our conversation about bearing the image of God, we’re continuing to ask what we know of the God whose image we bear. We consider the implications of a God who is 3-in-1. If God is a community, then we cannot bear the image of God alone.

Jason Miller - This is week 2 in our exploration of one of SBCC's core mantra's - Everyone an Icon. We're asking, what does it mean to bear the image of God? We looked at Genesis 1, Sirach 51, Matthew 11, and Ephesians 2, and considered the creative calling on every human life to get our hands on the raw materials of the world and make something beautiful. This week's episode also features perform...

Jason Miller and Beth Graybill:   One of our SBCC mantras is “Everyone an Icon” - every human being is a bearer of the image of God. Our new series will explore the meaning of this radical claim over the next several weeks. To begin, Jason Miller and Beth Graybill shared a conversation about Jesus and the ways that he calls out the dignity of the people around him, and the limiting beliefs we hold...

Jason Miller - In our final week of Sacred Questions, we considered fear and its consequences for the lives we lead and the world we’re creating, through the lens of Jesus’ interactions with his friends in Luke 24 and Mark 4.

Jason Miller - This week’s teaching wrestles with the complicated nature of desire, focusing on Jesus’s surprising interaction with a beggar in Mark 10.

Jason Miller - We begin a new series this week, hearing some of the sacred questions that are asked in Scripture.