Deep Walk

A real Christian?

How do you know if someone's a real Christian? Is it the fish sticker on the car, or Bible on the desk? Is it that they don't use bad ...

Teammates in Christ

Introduction

Paul is in prison. The Philippians have written a letter and sent a young missionary, Epaphroditus, to help him, but he became ill and had ...

The Discipline of Communal Examination

From the editor

Next week we start to roll out all of our new Easter sermons, but seeing as many congregations have just begun observing the Lenten season, ...

Mind Renewal

Text: Romans 12:1–8
Topic: How to reclaim community in the church

Introduction

Something that has become very popular in today's media-crazed society ...

Follow Me

Introduction

Of all the things that Jesus ever said, one of my absolute favorites is the thing he says in John 21:12. Maybe you noticed it. The text reads: ...

Come Die with Me

Introduction

Matthew's gospel says that, toward the end of his three years of public ministry, "Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go ...

Complete the Circle

Introduction

In his book Bono in Conversation, author Michka Assayas recounts a remarkable discussion he had with the lead singer and songwriter of the ...

Gratitude Gives Way to Resentment

Introduction

I will never forget a meeting I had with unhappy parishioners a few years ago. We had made deliberate changes in our church in order to better ...

We Need a Downpour

Text: Hosea 6:1
Topic: Why we need revival

Where would we be without the Lord? Where would we be individually; where would we be in our family? Where would ...

Don't Ask Me, I'm Only Visiting This Planet

Introduction

Have you ever put down the newspaper—after reading about genocide in Sudan and beheadings in Iraq and shootings in Dorchester and sexual ...

The Most Beautiful People on Earth

Introduction

The latest rage in reality TV is the makeover show, in which a team of experts are brought in to transform somebody's wardrobe, car, backyard, ...

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Introduction

I had originally announced that I would be speaking today on the Christian's relationship to government, but in recent days the Lord has put ...

Like a Living Stone

Introduction

"How does it feel," Bob Dylan asks. "How does it feel to be on your own, with no direction home, a complete unknown, like a rolling stone?" ...

Rediscovering Marriage

Introduction

I think we'd all agree that marriage has fallen on hard times these days. They tell us that the number of people getting married has declined ...

Us and Them

Introduction

Just a few hours before his death, and a few days before he left his kingdom in the hands of his followers, Jesus prayed for them, and for ...

Endurance

Introduction

Let's begin with some audience participation. I know it's been a long weekend. Some of you are tired from traveling or cooking or shopping. ...

What's So Great About Being a Christian

The first Woodstock was held in the summer of 1969. It was billed as 3 days of peace, love, and music, and to a great extent it lived up to the billing. ...

A Reason for Living

NOTE: This message can also be used in the "Jesus the Messiah" series

There's an old country song that goes...

There goes my reason for living, There ...

Lose Your Religion

As Jesus went throughout Judea performing his ministry, he developed what many would consider to be an unlikely enemy: conservative, devout, religious ...

There Must Be More Than This

I grew up in church, and I learned at a pretty early age that I didn't enjoy it all that much, except for maybe snack time. (I didn't fully understand ...

What's So Great About Being a Christian?

The first Woodstock was held in the summer of 1969. It was billed as 3 days of peace, love, and music, and to a great extent it lived up to the billing. ...

A Reason for Living

NOTE: This message can also be used in the "Jesus the Messiah" series

There's an old country song that goes …

There goes my reason ...

Are There Many Paths to God?

Introduction

Jesus often surprised people with teachings that cut across the grain of human nature. "Lose your life to save it." "The first will be last." ...