This Is WholeLife

Arise to Christmas: Arise to an Unexpected Savior - Ken Wetmore Sometimes we find the greatest love in the most unexpected places. Surely, as the shepherds, magi, and others viewed Jesus, they must have felt surprised that Israel’s Messiah was a helpless baby born into a poor family. However, this is how God loved this world, He gave His only Son so that anyone willing to embrace the unexpected wi...

Arise to Christmas: Arise to Unexpected Opportunities (The Innkeeper) - Ken Wetmore The replacement of fear with joy is one of the great messages of Christmas. The Innkeeper denied himself joy while the shepherds embraced it. This Christmas, choose joy. One of our #WholeLifeReflections this week asked: Do you find joy in Jesus this Christmas? Why or why not? Let us know your thoughts by reaching o...

Arise to Christmas: Arise to Unexpected Challenges (Herod) - Ken Wetmore God has a way of disrupting our plans and expectations. Those disruptions are an opportunity to choose between two paths: Peace or Violence. This Christmas, arise to peace even when unexpected challenges come your way. One of our #WholeLifeReflections this week asked: What would it look like if Jesus had control over your fea...

Arise to Christmas: Arise to Unexpected Decisions (The Malingering Magi) - Ken Wetmore Throughout the Christmas story we encounter people who are called to arise to faith. The Magi are one of the greatest examples of this. They exhibited faith by believing the Scriptures and following a star to Jesus. They showed their faith through the gifts they brought. They acted in faith to leave by a differe...

Arise to Christmas: Arise to Unexpected Blessings (Elizabeth & Zechariah) - Ken Wetmore Jesus' first Advent was foretold by prophecy and was the hope of Israel. Zechariah and Elizabeth longed for the Messiah but also ached for a child of their own. Little did they know that, even after they had given up hope for that child, God had not forgotten them. In meeting their longing for a child, God...

Arise to Thanksgiving - Ken Wetmore It's Thanksgiving, so it's that time of year when we count our blessings. However, is the way we usually count our blessings the full extent of what God means when the Bible tells us to be thankful? Is it possible God is calling us to arise to a fuller expression of thankfulness? Our #WholeLifeReflections this week were both so crucial to the message that we inc...

Dangerous Worship: Dangerous Living - Ken Wetmore Living a life of service is an act of worship. What do we risk if we go “all in” and follow Jesus’ example of being a servant to all? Reach out to us with your questions and comments using the information below: ■ Text/Voicemail:   407-965-1607 ■ Email:   podcast@wholelife.church SUBSCRIBE NOW to our weekly podcast Speaking of G...

Dangerous Worship: Dangerous Expressions - Richard Hickam How many of our senses are we allowed to use in worship? What do we risk when we push our comfort zones and allow worship to happen in creative new ways? One of our #WholeLifeReflections this week asked: Is there an expression of worship I can live out in my neighborhood without words or a pamphlet? Reach out to us with your questions and c...

Dangerous Worship: Dangerous Community - Tami Cinquemani Who should be allowed into the community of worship? What do we risk by holding a large, inclusive picture of God?"  One of our #WholeLifeReflections this week asked: What does the church risk by creating reasons to keep people out of fully engaging in a worshipping community? Reach out to us with your questions and comments using the i...

Dangerous Worship: Dangerous Desire - Ken Wetmore What is taking God’s place in our lives right now? What do we risk by allowing God to be the greatest desire of our hearts?  One of our #WholeLifeReflections this week asked: What does God like about how you are worshiping? Reach out to us with your questions and comments using the information below: ■ Text/Voicemail:   407-965-1607...

Great Question: What Is the Kingdom of God? - Ken Wetmore Jesus says, "it is like . . ." and then tells a parable. Scripture says, "It's in you,” "It's among us," "It's coming", and "It's here," so what does Jesus mean when he says, "the Kingdom of God?” One of our #WholeLifeReflections this week asked: Is the kingdom of God “Good News” to you? If so, how are you sharing it? Reach out to us with y...

Great Question: Uncomfortable With the Comforter - Ken Wetmore I understand God is found in the Trinity as Father, Son, and Spirit. However, it seems that most Christians – and most churches – are only comfortable talking about and seeking an experience with the Father and Son. Why does it seem like there is hesitancy to fully experience the Spirit when Jesus told his followers that the Spirit wou...

After the Storm - Ken Wetmore Listen as Pastor Ken delivers a timely message in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, which caused widespread damage across Cuba and the southeast United States, making landfall in Florida.  What stood out to you this week?  Something we said, didn’t say, or could have said in more detail? We would love to hear your thoughts and comments!  Reach out to us w...

Great Question: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow - Ken Wetmore I hear questions all the time about the great difference between the angry “Old Testament God” and the loving “New Testament God.” So much of the Bible is poetic, metaphoric, and prophetic. If it was written by people within a variety of ancient cultures without benefit of the scientific and technological understandings of today, how can...

Great Question: Sheep In Other Folds? - Ken Wetmore We begin our annual "Great Question!" series. This week, Pastor Ken will address the following question from the WLC congregation: "If all of humanity is the family of God and Jesus tells us that he has “sheep in other folds,” does that mean people of other faiths outside of Christianity could have a relationship with God and be part of...

A Place At The Table - Ken Wetmore Isaiah 55:1 says, “Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink— even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk— it’s all free!" God has prepared a table that will give rest to the weary and nourish the soul. We all arrive penniless, without means to compensate for this gift of grace we are given, and there is a place prepared for each of us.? What stood...

We Are Family: Arise To Awareness with Special Guest Stanton Reed Each person comes to faith and the gospel with a different life “filter.” How can we best learn from each other’s perspective and, therefore, more fully understand what God intends for our purpose and mission? One of our #WholeLifeReflections asked: How has the inclusion in your life of others, unlike yourself, given you a fuller pi...

Seasons, Nostalgia, and the Return of Andy McDonald This episode is bonus content from Episode 326 with Senior Pastor Emeritus Andy McDonald. Andy McDonald was a pastor at WholeLife Church for 37 years in many roles, including Senior Pastor for a great deal of those nearly four decades. This week was Andy's first behind the WholeLife pulpit since his retirement a year ago in 2021. It was good to h...

We Are Family: Arise To Your Season - Special Guest Speaker Andy McDonald As people age and eventually retire, does that mean their work in the body of Christ is done? How do responsibilities and mission change as Christians grow older? What special benefit can be found in a multi-generational church? One of our #WholeLifeReflections asked: If Christ has to save us in spite of ourselves, how might...

We Are Family: Marriages Arise In American culture, we have been taught to fight for our rights and to push back on those who stand in our way. Yet the Bible has a repeated message that, in the right context, submission is a good thing. Jesus submitted to the will of God. We are to submit to Jesus. While some would take Paul’s words in Ephesians and twist them to create male dominance/headship, it...

We Are Family: Singles Arise It can be very lonely being a single Christian. Churches are generally directed toward the married and their families. There can also be the subtle message that, if you don’t get married, you are never complete. This is a very different idea than the message Jesus and Paul share in the New Testament. According to them, while marriage is good, singleness is better. So,...

We Are Family: Arise to Education There is a false narrative that science and Christianity aren’t compatible. The Bible teaches us that wisdom is one of the most worthwhile pursuits. Learning goes behind memorizing facts. True learning teaches us how to understand and apply those facts. As a new school year begins, we should remember that learning isn’t just for the young; it is for us all. ...

God on the Big Screen: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood - Ken Wetmore This week will conclude Ken’s Summer Blockbuster series. The movies chosen in this series have contemplated many interesting aspects of our life and faith journey. In “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” Mr. (Fred) Roger's empathy, kindness and decency soon chip away at a reporter’s anger and jaded outlook on...

God on the Big Screen: Something the Lord Made - David Banks Based on a true story, Vivien Thomas (Mos Def), a black man in the 1930s, is originally hired as a janitor, he proves himself adept at assisting the "Blue Baby doctor," Alfred Blalock (Alan Rickman), with his medical research. When Blalock insists that Thomas follow him to Johns Hopkins University, they must find a way to skirt a racist...

BONUS! We went long on Episode 320 with special our special guest and TV/Filmmaker #DanMerchant after screening his film 'Lord Save Us From Your Followers! As usual we decided to take that extra time and make a bonus episode which we teased at the end of 320 and here it is! Go behind the scenes with Dan and see what it takes to be successful and following your dreams as Christian filmmaker and con...