UFlourish Church Podcast

Uflourish Church elder, Chad Ellefson, walks us through a portion of Mark 5, where the mercy of Jesus comes through in unexpected ways and at unexpected times. As followers of Christ today, we too should act in faith - like Jairus who went to Jesus to heal his daughter, or the woman in the crowd who simply reached out to touch Jesus' garment and was healed - and yet in our call to make big request...

Uflourish Church elder, Ed Wade, looks at John 8:12-20, where Jesus describes himself as the light of the world. Ed walks us through similar passages across Scripture and helps us recognize that Jesus doesn't just shine a light on the destination, but he gives us light for each step along the way. Our call then is to receive the light of his direction with a humble posture each day, and while we d...

Pastor Kurt takes a deep dive into Matthew 9:1-13 where Jesus shows His authority not only to heal bodies, but to forgive sins and transform lives. By healing the paralytic, calling Matthew, and eating with sinners, He reveals that He came for the spiritually sick, not the self-righteous. The passage highlights both the power of Christ to pardon and the mercy of Christ to pursue those society over...

Pastor Kurt takes a deep dive In 1 Timothy 4:11–16, where Paul calls Timothy to set the standard by teaching the truth, living as an example, and devoting himself to the ministry of the Word. He also charges him to stay the course by guarding his life, watching his doctrine, and persevering in faithful ministry.

Pastor Kurt takes a deep dive into 1 Timothy 4:1–10, where Paul warns that some will be departing from the faith through deceptive teaching that distorts God’s truth and rejects God’s good gifts. But rather than letting Timothy be consumed by the drift around him, Paul calls him to be devoted to the faith by rejecting empty myths, training himself for godliness, and laboring with his hope set on t...

Dr. Kimara Ellefson takes us through the last three verses of chapter 3 in Paul's first letter to Timothy, where he lifts his attention from specific instructions in order to give an anchoring description of what the church is and what the church is to believe. Being the "household of God", the church is called to bear family resemblance to our Lord. As the "buttress of the truth", the church acts...

Pastor Kurt takes a deep dive into 1 Timothy 3:1–13, where Paul gives the church a clear picture of the kind of men who should lead and serve in God’s house. Through Paul’s profile of an overseer, we see that spiritual leadership is not about status or talent first, but about proven character, maturity, and faithfulness. Through Paul’s portrait of a deacon, we see that service in the church is als...

Pastor Kurt takes a deep dive into In 1 Timothy 2:8–15, where Paul moves from speaking about prayer for all people to his desire for how men and women should carry themselves within the life of the church. His desire is that the men be marked by holy, peaceable prayer and that the women be marked by modesty, godliness, and a teachable spirit rather than outward display or disorder. Then Paul gives...

Pastor Kurt takes a deep dive into 1 Timothy 2:1–7, where Paul calls the church to PRAY for all people—including rulers—so the church can live credibly and the gospel can advance. He then grounds that prayer in PROCLAMATION: salvation is for all people.

Uflourish Church elder, Chad Ellefson, continues the series through 1st Timothy. Preaching from Paul's words to his protégé, Timothy, Chad highlights the way gratitude compels us to serve, the overwhelming mercy of God that seeks the lost, and the urgent call to hold fast to our faith.

Pastor Kurt takes a deep dive into 1 Timothy 1:1-11, where Paul charges Timothy to protect the message by confronting false teaching. These teachers had swerved from the true aim of sound doctrine and turned the law into a source of vain discussion. Paul also reminds Timothy that the law is good only when used properly--to expose sin, not fuel controversy.

Uflourish Church elder, Ed Wade, wraps up the series in Thessalonians looking at Paul's concluding instructions to the church in Thessalonica. As they embrace the reality of awaiting the return of Christ, Paul calls them to neither grow idle in their work nor weary in doing good.

Pastor Kurt takes a deep dive into 2 Thessalonians 3:1-9 where Paul urges the church to persevere under pressure by praying for the gospel to spread and trusting God’s faithfulness to strengthen and protect them. Then he calls them to follow godly examples, rejecting disorder and imitating his hardworking, non-burdensome life so the church stays unified and credible.

Pastor Kurt takes a deep dive into John 20:19-29 expounding on how in the midst their fear and uncertainty, the disciples were hiding behind locked doors and yet, Jesus came and stood among them. He entered their fear, not after it was gone, but in the middle of it. Then, Jesus confirmed He is alive. He showed His wounds and met Thomas in his doubt, offering proof and peace.

Dr. Kimara Ellefson returns to finish preaching through chapter two of 2 Thessalonians. After Paul finishes giving attention to the specific subject of "the man of lawlessness", he zooms out on the broader conflict taking place between "the lie" and "the truth" - highlighting both Satan's methods to draw people into the lie by taking advantage of our human nature and, by contrast, how followers of...

Lay minister and Uflourish congregant, Dr. Kimara Ellefson, delivers a message of hope from 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8. The Thessalonians' numerous trials, persecutions, and the pains of living in a world affected by evil may have prompted many questions for them regarding the return of Christ and what will become of these evils. And yet, Paul's writing calls both them and believers today to remember t...

Pastor Kurt takes a deep dive into 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 where Paul thanks God that their faith is growing and their love is increasing even while they endure persecution. Their perseverance isn’t wasted as it’s evidence that God is righteous and will ultimately set things right, bringing relief to the afflicted and justice to those who reject the gospel when Jesus is revealed. Paul then prays th...

Ed Wade, an elder of Uflourish Church, preaches from Paul's concluding thoughts in his first letter to the Thessalonians. Paul calls the Thessalonians to a practical submission to the ways of Christ in their daily living - that their loving relationships, peaceful community, and joy in all circumstances would radiate the light of Christ to the watching world.

Pastor Kurt takes a deep dive into1 Thessalonians 5:1–11, where Paul reminds believers that the Day of the Lord will come unexpectedly, so we must watch with wisdom. While the world rests in false security, we are children of the light, called to stay ready. Yet we also wait with confidence, knowing God has not destined us for wrath but for salvation through Jesus Christ.

Chad Ellefson, one of our Uflourish Church Elders, continues the series through Thessalonians as Paul turns his attention to the Thessalonians' concern about what will become of those who have died before Christ's return. Navigating the complexities of what happens when we die, and what we can know about Christ's return, Chad calls the church to live in hopeful anticipation of our coming Savior -...

Pastor Kurt takes a deep dive into 1 Thessalonians 4:1–12, where Paul calls believers to please God by walking in ongoing holiness. But holiness is not merely avoidance of sin; it is the soil in which we practice love—refusing to harm a brother, abounding in brotherly affection, and living responsibly before others.

Pastor Kurt takes a deep dive into 1 Thessalonians 3:8-13 detailing how Paul hears the church is still standing in the Lord and it puts life back in him—so he can’t help but pour out gratitude and joy for their faithfulness (3:8–9). And he doesn’t stop there: he turns that gratitude into a prayer for growth—that God would bring them together, make their love overflow “for one another and for all."

Pastor Kurt takes a deep dive in 1 Thessalonians 3:1-7 where we see Testing through Tribulation and the Testimony of True Faith woven together. Unable to return, Paul sends Timothy to strengthen and encourage the church so they won’t be shaken by trials he had already told them to expect. That testing is real, but the report back is brighter: their faith and love endure, and they long for Paul as...

Pastor Kurt takes a deep dive into 1 Thessalonians 2:13-20 highlighting how it is when God’s Word truly takes root, it produces affliction for the Word—a cross-shaped endurance even when our own people push back. And it stirs affection for the church—a longing to be face to face, where people themselves become our hope, joy, and crown before Jesus.

Pastor Kurt Takes a deep dive In 1 Thessalonians 2:1–12, where Paul reminds the church that the gospel was proclaimed with boldness under persecution. At the same time, he points to a blameless life—marked by integrity, gentleness, and sacrificial love.