We are called to be the body of Christ for the world; to be salt and light; to bear witness to the Love of Christ to everyone we meet. But what happens when our humanness gets in the way? What do we do when we mess it up? It's not a unique problem. Just ask the apostle Paul.
Does what we say or do really matter? You better believe it. It matters because people are watching, and how we act and what we say reveals who Christ is in our lives.
Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist, conservative, liberal, welcoming, confessing...the list is almost endless. We keep finding ways to separate and divide ourselves in the name of Christ. It's nothing new. Can Paul help us navigate these turbulent waters? Rev. Williams thinks so.
Today we argue about many of the things that they argued about when the church was just beginning, and we face many of the same problems. One of the biggest problems is who is going to do the work and who should be in charge. The simple answer is.....everyone.
Every promise God makes is grounded in this one promise, but can we depend on it? Will God really always love us? What if I mess up? What if God finds out what I did? Drawing on Paul's letter to the Romans, Rev. Dave helps us see that nothing can ever separate us from the love of God. Nothing!
We all want peace. But what does peace look like? And how can we actually find it? Rev. Williams takes us to the Upper Room and Jesus' last meal with the disciples to find a surprising answer.
God promises to always fight for us. He did it in Bible days, but does God do it for us today? And if so, why are our lives so hard and why does it seem we fight alone? Rev. Williams turns to the story of Gideon to help us find the answers.
When times get tough our first inclination is to pray. But does prayer make a difference? Does God really hear our prayers. Rev. Williams turns to the pages of 2 Chronicles to find the answer in one of the most powerful promises God ever made.
We often feel so small, weak, and tired. Can we really make a difference? Do we really have anything to offer? Will God really give us the strength we need? Rev. Williams turns to the words of the prophet Isaiah to find the answer.
God has promised to never leave or forsake us, but can we count on that promise? Where is God when bad stuff happens? Can we ever fall or run beyond God's ability to find us? Using the visions of Ezekiel, Rev. Williams helps us discover the truth of God's great promise.
What do we do when God shows mercy to those who are guilty? How do we reconcile our feelings when we receive the same mercy? That is the question that Jonah struggled with. It is the question that we struggle with, too.
So you've run away from God and things have gotten bad? Is there any hope? Has God abandoned you? That's what Jonah thought until he had the chance to spend some "quality time" in the belly of a fish. Then he discovered a wonderful truth-he had never been alone.
Is the story of Jonah just a "whale of a tale" or can we learn something from it? How often do we say and do the exact same things Jonah did? Rev. Williams embarks on a 3 week journey to explore this amazing story, and helps us find our place it in.
The story of our journey of faith could have a profound impact on someone, but only if we speak up and tell them. It doesn't take training, or standing on a street corner preaching, or handing out pamphlets. All it takes is telling our own story in our own words.
Valuing people over profits. Ending slavery in all of its forms. And stopping the wars. All of these are necessary if we are to have true, lasting peace in our world. Using Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and the Golden Rule as a background, Rev. Williams explores this radical concept.
Being tolerant and promoting the equality of women were two things important to John Wesley. Why? That is what Rev. Williams explores this week.
Education and feeling like you can make a difference are the keys to living a full, fulfilled life. But how to we do that? Using the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well, and leaning on the message of Mr. Rogers, Rev. Williams seeks to answer that question.
Too many people are struggling just to survive. Is it because they are unwilling to work? Is the solution for them to just get a job? John Wesley didn't think so, and neither does Rev. Williams.
The women go to the tomb. It is empty. An angel announces the Good News. And so the women....go home? That's what Marks says. But why? What are we missing? Looking a bit deeper Rev. Williams helps us learn the rest of the story.
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