The Renew Church Canada Podcast

In the opening message of The Art of One-Anothering, Pastor Bartley Sawatsky explores what it means to honour one another in a culture that often rewards criticism, pride, and self-promotion. Drawing from Scripture, he shows that honour is not about status or flattery, but about seeing others through the lens of God’s grace. When the church learns to practice real honour, relationships become heal...

In the final week of Keeping Up With the Corinthians, Pastor Bartley Sawatsky walks through 1 Corinthians 16 and Paul’s closing call to generosity, partnership, and courage. Christian giving is not just about money, but about open hands that serve the work of the gospel. Paul reminds the church that open doors often come with opposition, and faithful believers must stay alert, stand firm, and do e...

In this message, Elder Darcy MacCallum tackles a haunting question many believers quietly carry: is living the way of the cross really worth it? Walking through 1 Corinthians 15, he shows how denying or softening the resurrection guts the gospel and leaves our faith, sacrifice, and suffering feeling futile and “in vain.” But if Christ is truly risen, then every act of obedience—even costly, hidden...

In a church obsessed with spiritual status, Paul calls the Corinthians back to a simple question: does what we do in worship actually build others up? This week, guest speaker Nathan Bryant unpacks 1 Corinthians 14 to show how gifts like tongues and prophecy were meant for clarity, not chaos, and why love and order must govern our gatherings. He also tackles the controversial issue of women speaki...

In this message from 1 Corinthians 13, Pastor Bartley Sawatsky shows why love is “the more excellent way” that outweighs even the flashiest spiritual gifts and most radical sacrifices. He explains biblical agape as a willful, self-giving commitment to another’s good, not a fleeting emotion or cultural sentimentality. Walking through Paul’s descriptions of love—patient, kind, truthful, enduring—he...

From the mystery of "sign gifts" to the practical dynamics of a healthy community, Pastor Bartley Sawatsky tackles the questions we often hesitate to ask about the Holy Spirit’s work. In this look at 1 Corinthians 12, we move past the debate of who has which gift and into the much more vital question: how do we actually function as one body? Whether you feel like a "hand" or a "spleen," you’ll dis...

What do head coverings, shaved heads, angels, and shared communion cups have to do with modern worship? In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul tackles men and women in worship, authority and submission, and the meaning of the Lord’s Supper in ways that collide with today’s gender confusion and church culture. In this week’s message, Pastor Bartley Sawatsky explores how God’s good design for order, gender, and...

1 Corinthians 10: In this powerful message, Pastor Bartley Sawatsky unpacks how the ancient history of Israel serves as a strict warning for Christians navigating today's culture. Discover the three distinct sins of idolatry—sexual immorality, testing Christ, and grumbling—that threaten to pull your heart away from God and disqualify you from His blessings. Learn how to actively guard yourself aga...

In a culture obsessed with defending our rights, what if real spiritual power is found in giving them up? Walking through 1 Corinthians 9, Pastor Marek shows how Paul voluntarily lays down legitimate rights—not because he’s weak, but because his strength is under control for the sake of the gospel. This message presses us to ask which “rights” we’re clinging to—being angry, being right, guarding o...

In week 8 of “Keeping Up with the Corinthians,” Lead Pastor Bartley Sawatsky unpacks 1 Corinthians 8 and the surprisingly practical issue of food offered to idols. He shows how Paul shifts the focus from being “right” in our knowledge to being loving in how we use our freedoms. From halal meat and alcohol to yoga, Halloween, and social media, Bartley explores modern grey areas where our choices ca...

This week, Pastor Bartley continues our series, Keeping Up with the Corinthians, by unpacking why Christians make such a big deal about sex and how God’s design for sexuality impacts every part of our lives. Walking through 1 Corinthians 7, he explores practical principles for marriage, singleness, divorce, and sexual intimacy that call us to honor God with our bodies and relationships. ABOUT THE...

In a culture that fiercely defends the maxim "my body, my choice," Pastor Bartley Sawatsky offers a radical, counter-cultural reality check: You are not your own. If you are a follower of Jesus, your body is a temple bought with the highest price imaginable. In this message, we dive into 1 Corinthians 6 to see how this one truth changes everything—from how we handle legal disputes to how we view o...

Is church discipline an act of love—or just legalism in disguise? In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul tells the church to remove a man involved in shocking sexual sin, and even to “deliver this man to Satan.” What do we do with that today, in a culture that hates the idea of judging anyone—especially inside the church? In this message, we’ll wrestle with when discipline is necessary, how it protects the whol...

Pastor Bartley continues The Crimson Thread Easter series by tracing powerful resurrection foreshadows woven through the Old Testament—from Noah’s ark and Isaac on the altar to Joseph’s pit, the Red Sea, the bronze serpent, and Jonah in the fish. He shows how each of these “death-to-life” stories points ahead to Jesus’ resurrection as the core of God’s single plan to redeem creation. The message c...

Pastor Bartley Sawatsky traces a “crimson thread” of blood-red imagery and foreshadowing across the Old Testament that points to Jesus’ sacrificial death. From Jacob and Esau to Tamar’s twins, from the Passover lamb to Palm Sunday, he shows how God repeatedly “flips the script” by choosing the lowly and the unexpected to accomplish salvation. The message highlights how Jesus, the humble king ridin...

In week four of the series Keeping Up With the Corinthians, Elder Darcy MacCallum dives into 1 Corinthians 4 to challenge the modern temptation of settling for quick, entertaining TED Talk or TikTok Christianity. While we often seek easy shortcuts to faith, this message reminds us that true spiritual formation takes time, deep intentionality, and a commitment to the way of the cross rather than wo...

In this message from 1 Corinthians 3, Pastor Bartley unpacks why some believers stay “spiritually dim” and how we can grow from infants in Christ to mature disciples who can handle the “solid food” of God’s Word. He challenges our tendency to idolize church leaders and reminds us that we are all merely servants in God’s field and building. We’ll see that Christ alone is the foundation of the churc...

Elder Darcy MacCallum unpacks 1 Corinthians 2 to show that the cross is not just how we are forgiven, but the very shape of the Christian life—meant to confront our ideas of power, success, politics, justice, and spirituality. He warns that, like the Corinthians, we often want resurrection without the cross and may have domesticated the cross into a safe ornament instead of a defining reality, pre...

Keeping Up With the Corinthians WEEK 1: Pastor Bartley Sawatsky opens 1 Corinthians by showing how church division and spiritual pride were ripping the Corinthian church apart—and how the same issues threaten believers today. He calls us back to the simple, powerful message of “Christ crucified” as the only true basis for Christian unity and spiritual maturity. ABOUT THE SERIES What does it look l...

Join Jake Troughton, youth director at Renew Church, for a captivating Youth Takeover service with the message "Be A Loser." Through engaging skits and compelling stories, Jake explores the concept of selflessness and humility, drawing from the historic journeys of mountaineers, missionaries, and modern-day influencers. Discover how true victory lies in putting others first and living out a faith-...

In the final message of the "Teach Us to Pray" series, Pastor Bartley Sawatsky explores the vital role of persistence in our prayer lives. Using parables and examples from Scripture, he contrasts the human nature of an unjust judge with God's loving character, emphasizing that our prayers are cherished and never a burden to Him. Pastor Sawatsky encourages believers to persist in prayer despite spi...

In week 2 of our series "Teach Us to Pray" with Pastor Bartley Sawatsky, we uncover "Roadblocks to Prayer." In this insightful message, Pastor Bartley breaks down common obstacles that hinder our prayer life, from comfort and complacency to fear and distractions. Discover practical ways to overcome these roadblocks and deepen your connection with God. Whether you're a seasoned prayer warrior or ju...

Join Pastor Bartley Sawatsky for the first week of our "Teach Us to Pray" series as he explores the profound significance of prayer in our lives. Using the P-R-A-Y acronym—Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield—Pastor Bartley emphasizes the importance of approaching prayer as a privilege and a natural expression of dependence on God. Delve into Jesus' model prayer in Luke 11, gain practical insights on how to...

In this New Year's message, Pastor Bartley Sawatsky reflects on the past year and encourages us to embrace the opportunities of 2026 with hearts full of gratitude and purpose. Journey with him through key moments from the Christmas story in Matthew and Luke, and discover lessons on patience during trials, the importance of establishing godly routines, and living fully for God's business. Whether y...

In the concluding message of the "Gather Round" series, Pastor Bartley Sawatsky explores how Simeon and Anna's encounters with baby Jesus reveal profound truths. He invites us to ponder the light that Jesus brings into the world and challenges us to consider our response to it. With a call to embrace hope and transformation, Pastor Bartley extends an invitation to discover the light of Christ this...