Topeka Bible Church EXTRA

What does it mean to walk in a manner worthy of our calling? This week, Pastor Connor looks at that question as we continue our series in Ephesians. Paul emphasizes the need to preserve the unity that we have in Christ, to use our gifts for building up the church, and to press on in maturity toward the fullness of Christ. We are no longer children, following our own whims and desires. Instead, eac...

When you pray for others, how should you do it? This week, Pastor Jim continues our sermon series in Ephesians with a look at one of Paul's prayers that we can use as an example. When we pray, we join in God's building project (people) right now. We should ask for God to give those people strength to endure trials, faith to believe in Christ's life within them, a grasp of Calvary lo...

Our best-laid plans have a way of going sideways, leaving us disappointed and defeated. God’s plan, on the other hand, can never be defeated. Even better, He invites us to be part of it! This week, Pastor Connor continues our sermon series in Ephesians with a look at God’s undefeated plan that calls us not to worry, but to worship. In light of God’s plan, we ought to be bold, humble, and fearless,...

When division threatens to tear the church apart, what holds us together? This message from Ephesians 2:11-22 explores how Jesus creates unity among believers, why we all desperately need grace, and practical steps you can take to build peace in a church community today. This week, our hosts continue their discussion on the book of Ephesians, some of the talking points were, how to interact, discu...

Are you alive? Pastor Connor continues our series in Ephesians with a look at chapter 2, where Paul writes that we all start out dead in our sins. Before Christ, we are stuck in slavery to Satan, the world, and our own desires, spiritually dead and headed for wrath. That’s the bad news. The good news is that God’s merciful love made a way for us to be raised from spiritual death and transferred to...

Jesus arose from the dead and has been given all authority in heaven and on earth. But what does that mean for the church today? This week, Pastor Connor continues our sermon series in Ephesians with a look at this question. Because Jesus rose from the dead, we don't fear physical death. We also have no need to pursue worldly power. God's power shines the brightest in our weakness, and H...

How should we pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ? In this week’s sermon, Pastor Jim continues our series in Ephesians with a look at how the Apostle Paul prayed. We can take lessons from Paul by praying constantly, thankfully, and telling people we’re praying for them. We should also pray that God will help them to know Him deeply and be able to see their burstingly full bank account in t...

What does it mean to be “in Christ”? This week, Pastor Connor begins our new sermon series in Ephesians with a look at that question. Among other things, being in Christ means that we have access to many spiritual blessings. God the Father planned our journey with Christ before the beginning of the world, Jesus laid down His life to redeem us, and the Holy Spirit seals us as a down payment on the...

For followers of Jesus, this world is not our home. We’re looking for a city not built with human hands, where Jesus has already prepared a place for us. In this week’s installment of our Onward series, Pastor Connor talks about our true heavenly home and what it looks like to live with our eyes set on things above instead of on earth. Because Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead, we go in...

Every successful space mission requires planning, people, and lots of preparation… but it won’t even get off the ground unless it has exactly the right kind of fuel. This week, Pastor Jason continues our Onward sermon series with a look at the importance of abiding in Christ. A close relationship to Jesus is the fuel we need accomplish the mission God has for us. We learn about bad fuel, which dis...

God’s kingdom isn’t grown by a small handful of elite Christians. Instead, it’s a team effort, empowered by the Holy Spirit’s gifts to each member of the church. This week, Pastor Connor continues our Onward sermon series with a look at the Apollo 11 moon landing. It couldn’t have happened without hard work from hundreds of thousands of people. Likewise, the Body of Christ has many members, and al...

When we work together, we’re able to go farther, faster, and deeper than we can alone. This week, Pastor Connor continues our “Onward” sermon series with a comparison between the International Space Station (ISS) and the local church. Like the builders of the ISS, we must be committed to cooperation, dedicate ourselves to the same mission, and desire to serve others with the work we do. Unlike the...

How do we recover when our faith encounters a severe crisis? Pastor Jim continues our Onward sermon series this week with “Houston, we have a problem.” He talks about what it looks like to have a mid-faith crisis and draws lessons from The life of Joseph for how we can keep moving through them. Like Joseph, we can seize opportunities to live out our faith, hang on despite mistreatment, and expect...

Feeling lost after accepting Christ? You're like an astronaut in a new world. Discover what it means that you're dead to sin and alive to God. Learn how your past no longer defines you and explore the beautiful mission God has prepared specifically for you in this new life. This week, our hosts continue their discussion on the series Onward, Spencer goes over his physical representation...

What does it look like to move closer to God, one step at a time? Pastor Connor will explore that question in our new sermon series, “Onward.” This week’s message looks at the beginning of our journey, the launchpad we take off from. Like a 5,000-ton rocket under gravity’s pull, we are weighed down by the immense burden of our sin. We cannot overcome this weight on our own; we need the rocket boos...

Where is God when the circumstances around us seem impossibly grim? King David addresses this question in Psalm 16. Even though deadly danger surrounds him, the Psalmist rests in God’s faithfulness, both in life and beyond the grave. In this final installment of this year’s Summer in the Psalms, Pastor Connor talks about running to God, letting Him define what is good, and anchoring our lives in r...

As followers of Jesus, we are called to live righteously. But the Bible also teaches that no one is righteous; we all fall short of God’s perfect standard. How can we reconcile these teachings? This week, Pastor Connor continues our Summer in the Psalms with David’s questions in Psalm 15: who can go up God’s holy mountain and enter into His presence? Through Jesus, we receive the righteousness we...

Psalm 14 describes a special kind of fool: Someone who knows the truth about God and still decides to live like He doesn’t exist. This week, guest speaker Dr. Corey Schliep continues our Summer in the Psalms with a look at control and surrender. When we seek control over every aspect of life, we put ourselves on the throne and risk cycles of anxiety and disappointment. But when we honor God’s sove...

Our culture’s trust in institutions is eroding. Everyone from politicians to podcasters is playing fast and loose with facts. Even the egg cartons in the grocery store are plastered with questionable claims! How should we respond to a world where truth seems to be so disregarded? In this week’s installment of Summer in the Psalms, Pastor Connor takes us through Psalm 12. We can combat the falsehoo...

Where can we take refuge when life is overwhelming and the whole world seems broken and hopeless? This week, we continue our Summer in the Psalms with a message from guest speaker Dr. Dale Johnson. He guides us through Psalm 11, where King David responds to threats against his life by reminding himself of truths about God. David’s answer to his inner turmoil lies not in positive self-talk, but in...

Is it OK to bring our frustrations to God? In Psalm 10, King David does exactly that. He asks where God is when the wicked are victimizing the afflicted people in the land. This week, Pastor Connor continues our Summer in the Psalms with a look at how we should live when we are surrounded by evil and injustice. We need to adjust our expectations, pray for justice, and seek justice now, but most im...

How is it possible to praise God with a whole heart, even in the midst of difficult circumstances? That’s the question Pastor Connor tackles in this year’s first installment of Summer in the Psalms. King David knew what it was like to be surrounded by enemies and to long for God’s justice. In Psalm 9, we see that the key is to focus on God’s character — His just, eternal, and caring nature — and t...

Bitterness and resentment deal deadly blows to our mental and physical health, our unity with other Christians, and our relationship with God. In this week's installment of our "Getting Over It" sermon series, Pastor Jeremy McGrath tackles this important topic. He walks us through the "1-2-3" of bitterness and resentment, leaving us with one definition, two types of bitter...

We humans desperately want to know what the future holds. We also plan ahead so we’ll be ready for it. So when life catches us by surprise or our careful plans fall short, we often become frustrated and anxious. This week, we continue our series on “Getting Over It” with a look at anxiety. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talks about this topic and gives us the surprising command to be more like...

Grief is unavoidable in our fallen world. Sorrow, suffering, and death surround us, but so does the compassion of Christ. This week, Pastor Connor continues our series, Getting Over It, with a look at how Jesus shares the grief of Mary and Martha in John 11. Instead of dismissing their sorrow or rebuking them for it, Jesus joins them in weeping. Pastor Connor discusses how Christians can grieve we...