Focus of Faith (Part 1)

Jim Leffel

Hebrews 13:1-4

The author of Hebrews affirms the idea that love is the main focus of the Christian life, extending to insiders, outsiders, and even to the oppressed. Another crucial component of healthy spiritual love is striving for marriage and sexuality according to God's design. This teaching includes a video testimony from Brian Gardner about overcoming hidden sin in his marriage.

The Birth of Christ

Gary DeLashmutt

Luke 2:1-14

The birth of the savior occurs in an unspectacular fashion. Christ voluntarily gave up his perfect position for a life of humiliation, misunderstanding, and rejection. He takes this low standing to show people how desperate their situation is, wholly displaying that God loves us with an amazing love.

Jesus' Family Tree

Gary DeLashmutt

Matthew 1:1-17

The genealogy of Christ shows that he was the descendant of Abraham and David, which is important because it fulfills God's promises to each of them. This was just one of many promises or prophecies about Christ's birth, showing that God went through a lot of trouble so people could know that Jesus was God's unique Messiah! Christ also came from a long line of sinners because he came for such people. This beginning of the gospel teaches that it's not about how good people are, but how gracious and merciful God is.

Working Out What God Has Put In

Dennis McCallum

Acts 16:31

Paul calls us to work out our salvation, in other words, living out our salvation. We are called to forgive one another and move towards one another in love. We have been forgiven so much, so we should be free to forgive others.

Loving Others with our Wallets

Dennis McCallum

1 John 3:16

Christians are called to love others in truth and deed, and this very much includes giving our money. We are stewards of what God has given us, and if we want to be dedicated givers we need to practice disciplined regular giving rather than only impulse giving. In this way we can heartily invest in God's work with the money He has blessed us with.

Two Elements of Spiritual Parenting

Gary DeLashmutt

1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13

Paul explains two aspects of spiritual parenting: 1) prioritizing face to face relating; and 2) a willingness to be affected by another person's spiritual health. Technology is not a replacement for face-to-face relating. It actually can be a hindrance. We should prioritize face-to-face relating with our own children, in our own spiritual development, and in our efforts to impact others for Christ. Being affected by others' spiritual health is different than codependent relationships. Our identity is secure in Christ, not in another person.\r\n

Profile of a Spiritual Catalyst

Gary DeLashmutt

1 Thessalonians 2:1-13

Paul describes the profile of a spiritual catalyst: 1) they focus on God's grace; 2) they live to please God, not people; 3) they get personally involved being accessible, affectionate, empathetic, and vulnerable; and 4) they combine their example with challenges to others.\r\n

Character that Counts - Fleeing Lust & Pursuing Righteousness

Jim Leffel

2 Timothy 2:19-26

God's standards for leadership in the church are centered around godly character. Spiritual gifts, ministry skills, and calling are useless in the life of a leader without character, and God wants to integrate who we are with how we live as we grow in our relationship with Him. This integration happens only when Christians understand the proper motivation for change and pursue a life of others-centered, sacrificial love. God also calls Christian leaders to be patient and humble in correcting people in their lives who are seeking change since they too are learning what it looks like to follow God. A video testimony from Jim Dorado was included.

The Good Samaritan

Dennis McCallum

Luke 10:25-37

To be saved, we must follow the entire Law perfectly all the time or we must place our trust in Jesus to fulfill the Law for us. A religious leader, wanting to lower the standard of the Law to a level he could attain, asks Jesus who his neighbor is. Jesus responds with the parable of the Good Samaritan, demonstrating that every person is a neighbor we are called to love, even if they are our worst enemy.