Westview Church Podcast

Kids can find all kinds of fun around a train track, but when the train comes rumbling the kids scatter. What is your reaction when the train of pain comes your way? More importantly, how can you "count it all joy ... when you meet trials of various kinds"? Seek wisdom to do so. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

When developing black and white photos from film, filters are used to increase the contrast of the photo. The narrative of God's merciful character in Genesis 18 is held in contrast to the display of his holiness and judgment directed toward unrepentant sinners in Genesis 19. Yet God works salvation through judgment on the twin cities. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Genesis 19 for more.

The apostle Paul exhorts us to not live by the flesh but by the Spirit, evidenced by a life characterized by the multidimensional fruit of the Spirit. When we endeavor to cultivate that fruit by means of the flesh we yield counterfeits. Listen to Pastor Brian's exhortation for more.

The vows we hear at weddings and remember at anniversaries are significant—“I take you to be my wife … I take you to be my husband.” The commitments we make are rooted in the unique relational status of the couple. When God vows, “I will be their God, and they will be my people,” he is articulating the covenant relationship marriage points to. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on Genesis 18 as the L...

As we go about our lives, we are shaped by praise. That influence comes from one of two sources: the praise of man we hear in applause or affirmation of God we hear when he says, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Will you have your reward now, or will you orient your life for the reward God will impart? Listen to David Stabley’s exhortation to seek the smile of God for more.

Using the different names of God as we pray doesn’t make him especially inclined to hear us. Rather, this practice reminds us who God is and the things that are true about him. Genesis 17 features the first naming of God as El Shaddai—God Almighty. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon to learn what the covenant of circumcision teaches us about God Almighty and his promises.

C.S. Lewis famously argued that anyone who made the claims Christ did could not be merely a great moral teacher; he must be either a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord. Listen as Pastor Haakon exhorts us to view our sins not as failures to meet the standards of a moral teacher but as personal affronts to the Lord we belong to.

When we feel spiritually barren or distressed and discouraged, we are not called to stand in our own strength but to stand in one who is strong. In Genesis 16, Sarai, Abram, and Hagar are living in the time between God’s promise and its fulfillment; their choices—and God’s sovereignty over their choices—point toward the great deliverance to come. Listen to David’s sermon for more.

Scandal sells papers, turns heads, and can leave its subjects with public humiliation. Why would anyone choose to associate with the scandalous? Listen as Pastor Brett exhorts us to embrace the greatest scandal in history: God putting his forbearance on display as he makes us righteous.

“How long, O LORD?” This intensely emotional lament of the psalmists is an expression of faith seeking understanding and turning to the Lord to find that understanding. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on Genesis 15 to learn how Abram displays this kind of lamenting faith as the promises of God undo his doubts.

Making a financial plan prompts us to think about a thousand ways we could use our resources, and it’s tempting to believe life would be easier if we were richer. Listen as Pastor Zach exhorts us to consider what we actually need in order to be content—it’s an unexpected shortlist.

The parables of Jesus provocatively reveal what his kingdom is like. A man forsaking all, a merchant selling all, a grain of wheat dying. To what end? The blessing of God and his kingdom. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Genesis 13-14 as we see Abram anticipating the J-Curve Kingdom.

There are many ways in which we might approach the task of memorizing Scripture. What do these methods have in common? They all require discipline. Listen to David’s exhortation to learn the five reasons he commends the discipline of Scripture memorization.

The resurrection of Jesus was 1,990 years ago. That's a long time for his people to be waiting for the fulfillment of his promises. Are they still reliable and true? We go back even further in the past to see the faithfulness of God to fulfill his promise in order to help us press on in the present. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Genesis 12:4-20 for more.

Examine your heart: Where have you lacked the courage to obey God because it was too risky? Has the fear of emptying your savings account prevented you from giving to the poor? Has the fear of being uncomfortable prevented you from inviting your neighbor over for a meal? Has the fear of getting sick kept you from caring for someone who’s sick? Has the fear of being ostracized or even fired at work...

Leprosy was a diagnosis in the ancient world that could result in a life of isolation and hopelessness. In desperation, one leper asked Jesus to be cleansed, to which Jesus replied, "I will. Be clean." It's a parable for what Jesus would go on to do through his death for all who likewise put their faith in him. Listen to Pastor Brett's Good Friday sermon on how Jesus purifies us from sin.

The Great Commission refers to the assignment Jesus gave His disciples shortly before returning to heaven following His resurrection. The commission is found in Matthew 28:18-20. Listen to pastor Haakon's sermon as he examines The Foundation of Our Commission, The Work of Our Commission, and The Promise of Our Commission.

This week, we mark the historical event of Jesus Christ drinking the bitter cup of God's wrath. Jesus drank every last drop for you. As we reflect on the suffering that Jesus endured to accomplish our redemption, there is no hope of salvation apart from suffering. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more. 

Pastor Brett sat down with David and Pastor Zach to discuss some more of the outworking and practical questions related to our current sermon series on the doctrine of the church. Is there a right age when a child testifying faith in Christ can be baptized? Why do we offer both wine and juice in Communion? Would we really think of following the process of Matthew 18?

Keys to your first car give you a measure of authority. You can get in the car and drive it around. But there's a responsibility as well. As a church, we are God's people authorized by King Jesus to use the "keys of the kingdom." We do so by proclaiming the "who" and "what" of the kingdom under the leadership of pastors. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Matthew 16 & 18 for more.

Any doctrine can lead to the breaking of unity among Christians. As Christians, we are to strive for both true doctrine and unity of the Church. So what do we do when we have disagreements or conflicts? We never want to avoid the truth, and we never want to divide. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation on staying united when disagreements occur. 

Communion is the ongoing and repeated sign that the many are now made one. It signifies our unity together as a people in Christ. The Lord's Supper is an ordained covenant sign that signifies a church's feasting on Christ by faith. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Communion for more.

The Westview Church covenant of membership calls us to walk in love with one another. As we go about life together, we seek to love one another by pointing each other to Christ and bearing each other's burdens. Listen to Pastor Brian's exhortation for more as he invites us to reflect on our commitment to one another.

Our experience of baptism as Christians means nothing apart from the baptism Jesus experienced in his suffering (Luke 12:50). Because of Jesus' death and resurrection, baptism is an ordained (Matthew 28:18-19) covenant sign (Hebrews 8:7-12) that signifies a believer's (Colossians 2:10-12) union with Christ (Romans 6:1-4) in that very death and resurrection. Listen to David's sermon on baptism for...

Gentleness - Strength under control. We find in the New Testament that gentleness moves toward another person with a proper understanding of oneself in light of who God is, in light of God's Holiness and Grace. It's not thinking too highly of yourself. Gentleness is not “indifference to sin. It’s not mere softness, pretending that sin isn’t sin. . .[gentleness is not] a way of avoidance.” It “does...