Topeka Bible Church EXTRA

The story of Samson is more than a story about a man who lost his strength and power with the snip of his long, flowing locks. It’s a story about a man who God gifted with so much potential but who blew it with a series of bad choices that led to losing his physical strength and diplomatic influence. Ultimately, he lost his vision – first figuratively, then literally. But the story doesn’t end the...

As we think about the first time we heard this story, we might recall that it’s a story about a man who ran from God’s call, threw himself into the sea, was swallowed by a whale, prayed to God, and was spit out because God spared him and gave him a second chance. But a look at the deeper truths reveals that this story is about Jonah’s will vs. God’s will. God’s will was merciful and good. Jonah’s...

We often think that the story of David and Goliath is about an underdog who, with God’s help, overcame the odds to do the impossible. But when we look back through all the Scripture that preceded this story and realize that David understood and had faith in God’s plans and power, we get a different perspective on this narrative. It’s still an underdog story, but giant Goliath is the underdog who d...

Lead Pastor Connor Kraus continues our Retold series with the story of the walls of Jericho. If you think this story is about how God helped Joshua and the Israelites destroy the walls of this mighty fortress city, think again. It’s really about an epic battle between God and Satan and the faithful obedience of Joshua and the people he led. Joshua surrendered to God and allowed God to accomplish s...

John was the man Jesus proclaimed the greatest of all men who had ever been born. But what do we know about this man who was associated with eating insects and living in the desert? His missions were important: to point people to Jesus, acknowledge God’s sovereignty, and warn people that judgment is coming. Connor fills the roll as a co-host while filling us in with more details on the life of Joh...

This month's bonus episode includes TBC Lead Pastor Connor Kraus sitting down with TBC Young Adults Pastor Alex Wolfe to talk about what it means to be a lifelong learner. Alex is sadly stepping away from TBC to further his eduction at Dallas Theological Seminary and earn his doctorate. Afterwards, we have two discussions with TBC supported workers. For the first, Teresa Jenkins interviews Ke...

Jim Congdon continues our "Retold" series with a look at an epic battle from the book of 1 Kings. We've got a front-row seat to one of the most explosive confrontations in the Bible. On one side, the prophet Elijah and the God of Israel (Yahweh). On the other side, King Ahab, about 850 prophets, and their gods Baal and Asherah. Don't let the numbers fool you – this battle is go...

Lead Pastor Connor Kraus continues our “Retold” summer message series with the story of the Tower of Babel. The narrative opens just after a series of genealogies that show that once again (despite God saving them from total destruction in the flood), humanity has turned away from the Creator. The people decided to build a tall tower to elevate their own greatness and, in their words, “make a name...

Lead Pastor Connor Kraus continues our “Retold” summer message series, giving us a better understanding of what God is trying to tell us through the narrative of Noah’s Ark. This essential story connects to the rest of the Bible and it has applications for us today. In the time between creation and the time of the flood, human wickedness had become widespread across the earth. God was deeply griev...

Lead Pastor Connor Kraus continues our Retold series with a grown-up retelling of the story of Daniel and the Lions’ Den. Many of us know the basic story – Daniel’s peers grew jealous. They influenced the ruler, Darius, to enact a law that played to Darius’ vanity but, unbeknownst to him, would also mean the death of his trusted appointee and friend of more than 60 years, Daniel. Darius reluctantl...

TBC Pastor of Missions and Leader Development Jim Congdon kicks off our summer message series with a grown-up look at Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the fiery furnace. King Nebuchadnezzar demanded his people kneel in worship of a 90-foot statue he’d had created to honor himself. As followers of God, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to kneel to this golden false idol. The penalty? The k...

This month's bonus episode includes a great segment from TBC Lead Pastor Connor Kraus on false teaching and end times predictions. It's important to learn and understand the signs of end times, but when we try to extrapolate how they line up with current events, it can lead to unproductive and, frankly, unhealthy behaviors.  We'll also hear from Jennifer Hummell, who shared her stor...

Connor Kraus wraps up our series on emotions with a look at Weariness. It's more than being tired. It’s a level of exhaustion that reaches beyond our physicality into the depths of our soul. We can look to several things to find relief, but the effect is temporary and superficial. The only true, permanent restoration is an eternity with God. That means we have to accept Jesus as our savior. B...

Connor Kraus continues our series on emotions with a look at one of the most isolating feelings – loneliness. He studies three people from the Bible who experienced deep, painful loneliness – Moses, David, and Jesus. Their truths about loneliness – and their response to it – can teach us how to deal with isolation in our own lives. Moses came to understand that God never leaves us. David teaches u...

Pastor Jim Congdon continues our series on emotions with a special "Church on the Lawn" message! Of all the emotions, happiness is the one we humans tend to chase the most. But in order to experience true, satisfying happiness, we might have to undergo some attitude adjustments, as Pastor Jim Congdon outlines in this message drawn from the writings of the apostle Paul. First, we have to...

Lead Pastor Connor Kraus continues this series with a look at a very destructive emotion – envy. It’s based on desire – a desire for the things outside of God’s blessing. Desire can take a twisted form, looking beyond God's boundaries for us, and we wander into dangerous territory. Consider Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God had provided for their every need, but Eve desired something (f...

Parents, we recommend previewing this episode before sharing it with children. This month's bonus episode features content from Lead Pastor Connor Kraus on how we interact with and speak about politics can impact our Christian witness. Teresa sits down with TBC worship team volunteer Phil Witzke, who was called to start a worship band during his deployment in Afghanistan. And Jason presents t...

The theme of anger permeates our culture – It’s at the root of the plot of some of our favorite films. It’s the motivation behind the stories that dominate today’s headlines. And it’s what even the most devoted followers of Jesus struggle with at our highest and lowest points. But what if we examine what the apostle Paul said in Romans (Chapter 12, verses 17-21)? What if we acknowledge that God is...

Lead Pastor Connor Kraus shares an Easter message that clearly lays out the fact that we're all sinners and in need of a savior. For those who follow Jesus, it's a reminder of the price he paid for us, to earn us a salvation we don't deserve. For those who haven't yet made the decision to follow Christ, there's a compelling message for you, too!  Oh, and Jason and Teresa t...

Connor wraps up our Leviticus series with a look at the “jubilee year.” At the end of seven sets of seven-year cycles on the Israelite calendar (every 50 years), it was a time to return home, feast, and rest. Even though our sin in the Garden of Eden sentenced us to a lifetime of toiling on the cursed earth, God still wants us to rest occasionally and enjoy the fruits of our labor. These periods o...

Parents, we recommend previewing this episode before sharing it with children. This month's bonus episode features content from Lead Pastor Connor Kraus on Easter origins – biblical and otherwise. Teresa sits down with Hannah McGurk to learn how Trans World Radio Motion is using digital technology to reach new places with the gospel. And Jason presents the first part of a candid two-part conv...

Connor continues our Leviticus series with a study of the holy feasts of Israel. These seven annual events are more than cultural traditions. They reveal God’s plan for the present and even the future – a plan that he has been shepherding and guarding since before creation. It’s a plan that includes the salvation of everyone, and we have a part to play. God is laying a foundation for something in...

Connor continues our Leviticus message series with a frank conversation about some sensitive topics from Leviticus 18 and 20 – incest, adultery, child sacrifice, homosexuality, and bestiality. The penalty for these sins was death. It’s easy for us to look back at the Old Testament times, contemplate the kinds of sins God’s people were committing, and say that those were life-or-death circumstances...

Our Leviticus series continues with a look at the blood laws of Leviticus (and the New Testament scriptures that showed that Jesus was the new law). In Leviticus, once again, God was taking what the Israelites were using for pagan practices (animal sacrifice) and turned it around for His glory. He outlined specific laws forbidding eating animals that still had their blood (life force) in them. And...

Parents, this episode includes a bit of content about God's beautiful design for our bodies. We recommend previewing the post-sermon segment before sharing it with children. Our Leviticus series continues as lead pastor Connor Kraus takes a closer look at skin disease – at least how it’s addressed in the Bible! Disease and death are reminders of our living in a fallen world where we should ex...