This Is WholeLife

The angel announced that the Savior had been born. This is great news, but Messiah “born?” This divine God encounter now seems so earthy and sensual, and that is just what it is. Born! The Trinity who gave life becomes one of us, not in some sanitary Amazon delivery box, but through the messy, real, needy, not-survivable-without-assistance process of being born. Really? One of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS fr...

The angel announces that what is brought that night is “good news of great joy for everyone.” We all love good news and crave great joy. That’s not the difficult part. Where the challenge lies is in the declaration that it is for “everyone.” We tend to get possessive of this great good news. But the words of the angel cause us to question if, whatever Christmas is, is it really for everyone? One o...

As we approach Christmas, there is so much in our world of which to be afraid. Many people are filled with fear. Humans dehumanizing one another. Fear the FED will make a bad decision and the recovery won’t last. Fear about how to make our check stretch to cover the month. Fear over health or children. Fear that if I’m really living the full life intended or possible. The angel appears to Zecharia...

Ephesians 2 makes the case that two parties, once separated by a variety of hindrances, have been made one. This was accomplished through the sacrifice of Jesus. In this world, we will always have differences that, at times (or maybe even all the time), identify us. The more we focus on those differences, the more pronounced our separation from one another becomes. In Christ, we are one. Please sh...

The back side of saying thank you is that it is a response to something from beyond ourselves. What are the “givens” that inspire our “thank you’s?” In preparation for this worship service and for the week of Thanksgiving, give some mental energy to thinking about what you have that you haven’t been given. Humble words . . . “Thank You!” This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: How w...

In the fifth and final Sola in our series, we will consider that, because salvation is of God and has been accomplished by God, it is for God's glory and that we must glorify him always. If glorifying God is more than gathering for worship once a week, what does this look like in our daily life? This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: How do you feel about only two kinds of people i...

Salvation is made possible for humanity only through Jesus Christ. Can there be any truth in a gospel that claims something besides faith in Christ and his work alone as sufficient? This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: What do you know about your family tree? Share about any interesting or famous ancestors. Please share and reach out to us directly from the FHC Mobile App. You ca...

How and what I believe directly affects how I live my life and interact with others. Does this mean that poor orthodoxy puts me at risk of acting counter to God’s will and sharing a less-than-accurate picture of Jesus? It gives a new understanding to “practicing what I preach” – especially if what I preach isn’t focused on Christ. This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: In your mind...

Martin Luther said, “A simple layman armed with Scripture is greater than the mightiest pope without it.” Sola Scriptura is the teaching that Scripture is the Church’s only infallible and sufficient rule for deciding issues of faith and practices that involve doctrines. While the Bible does not contain all knowledge, it does contain that which is necessary for salvation. Can Scripture be trusted?...

Amazing Grace. Sola Gratia is simply acknowledging that the Bible teaches that the totality of our salvation is a gift of grace from God. As it says in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves. It is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast.” This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: What will you need to do t...

The first and chief article is this: Jesus Christ, our God and Lord, died for our sins and was raised again for our justification. He alone is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. All have sinned and are justified freely, without their own works and merits and by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. This is necessary to believe. This cannot be otherwise acqui...

What was the original purpose of baptism, and has its meaning changed over the years? How does one make that decision, and is it a necessary step to following Jesus? What is its relationship to church membership, and who is best qualified to coach toward these decisions? This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: If you’ve been baptized, share your baptism experience. (How old were you...

This week’s question: Will God answer my prayer? Seriously, I see poverty, abuse, neglect, and war. I know God is capable, but will he do anything about any of this because I ask? If God is love and he is sovereign, how can he let things be the way they are? In the end, what difference does it make if I pray (or not)? This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: What about prayer as simp...

Two questions came to us that created the basis for our journey today. Here they are: “Can I invite my LGBTQ friends to FHC and how can I expect them to be treated? And: “Where does FHC stand on acceptance of individuals who identify themselves as homosexual or those with differing gender identities?” Our mission is clear, we believe that God has assembled, called, developed us as the Florida Hosp...

How can I reconcile differences in belief and remain in the church? What do we have to agree on to be in fellowship with our denomination? How in sync or out of sync can a local body of believers be? Where is the seat of my spiritual identity? Coming to grips with the question about my spiritual identity will determine the parameters of acceptable diversity. This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS aske...

“If God is deeply interested in my life, why doesn’t he clearly reveal his will for me?” This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: Are you more comfortable with God revealing a specific will for you or are you better with a broader more open will for you? Have you experienced specificity, the broader/open path, or both? I would love to hear how you have realized God’s will for your li...

Pardon our audio issues this week, we will be back to normal next week! Together we can accomplish what none of us could do alone. Assuming we can fly solo doesn’t match the call to life in community. Being a village is critical for modeling faith to the coming generations. Our call to share life and be the village is what it takes to transfer the truth of Jesus to the next generation. To learn mo...

A short message and prayer by Florida Hospital Church Senior Pastor Andy McDonald regarding the tragedy in Charlottesville. There is no redeeming value in bigotry, hatred, and racism. Participation, active or silent acceptance, or support of these is an active denial of being a follower of Christ. Our church prayer is to always be a place of love, acceptance, forgiveness, and grace - so that in th...

Some may feel that a “church without walls” is vulnerable and gullible. However, the Christian life was never meant to be lived out in fear of the “What if’s.” God calls us to a life of abundance and joy – right now. It’s called “the Kingdom of Heaven,” and though it is without walls, you do know its boundaries. Love, grace, acceptance, and forgiveness mark the territory. This week one of our #fhc...

When God led the Israelites into the land they were to inhabit, one of the first things He did was to establish “Cities of Refuge.” What might this provision mean to us today? Do we allow fear, prejudice, and popular opinion to be our means of judging others, or might there be another way to make our first response a sanctuary of seeking understanding and peace before we judge? This week one of ou...

Churches should exist primarily to show Christ to the world, and what better representation than to be the voice, hands, and heart of love, acceptance, and forgiveness? Before Christ, the Ethiopian eunuch would have never been allowed in the “family.” This was not only because of his race but also because of his status. However, Jesus not only understood his Father, he also knew the Scriptures whe...

In the confusing maze of this world, we can get turned around. Disorientation can fool us into being sure we are headed east while we are rushing west. What we need is a compass. This becomes even more critical when there are others we love following our lead. The same is true in life. We must understand our moral compass to help those around us and the generations behind us make wise decisions. W...

When we reach a fork in the road, is there only one way to go? Is God’s plan for our lives set in stone or do we, with God’s guidance, create the future together? We will explore those questions by recalling God’s leading in the past. This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: Can God "direct our paths" even if we barely acknowledge Him or even if we have not begun to acknowledge Him y...

God has a plan for us. Though we may question in the moment if he is there or in control, when we look back, we see where God gave knowledge, interceded, and made HIs presence apparent. When we trust and stay connected to our Father, even when we least expect it, God uses us to touch other people and make a difference in their life. This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: How can Go...

Does God put us in a variety of situations, jobs, and in contact with various people for a reason and for the benefit of how we respond? How important is our communication with him to the way things turn out? Prayer was meant to be a two-way conversation. If we do all the talking, do we miss the direction and guidance he wants to give? This week one of our #fhcTAKEAWAYS asked the question: How do...