Back to Jerusalem

Dennis McCallum

Acts 21:1-22:29

Paul makes his way back to Jerusalem, despite the warnings of those closest to him. Convinced that this is the Holy Spirit's leading, Paul comes to Jerusalem, meets with James to hear about God's work among the Gentiles, and foolishly nearly performs a ritual purification before he gets arrested. During his defense, Paul preaches boldly about God's work in his life, before presenting himself to go before trial to argue his innocence. This narrative of Paul's journey reflects the importance of drawing strength from the Body of Christ, and how the leading of the Holy Spirit could draw us into intense trouble.

The Power Behind a Movement

Dennis McCallum

Acts 18:24-19:41

Paul's third missionary journey present four narratives, all which communicate about truths about God: 1) Apollos; 2) the twelve men; 3) spiritual warfare; and 4) the riot of Ephesus. These four narratives, while seemingly not related, demonstrate the power of God at work. These four narratives communicate the power of God's Word, the power behind the Gospel, the power of God over the demonic and occult powers of Satan, and the power over troubling circumstances as seen in the riot of Ephesus. It's important to recognize when God is at work and to appreciate His power behind spiritual movements. This testimony includes audience members sharing personal experiences about God's work and how to notice when God is moving.

Lessons from Corinth

Dennis McCallum

Acts 18:1-22

Paul visited the city of Corinth, a massive hub of immorality, occult practices, and materialism. Despite these rampant moral problems, there was a large responsiveness to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul's time in Corinth was characterized by equipping spiritual leaders like Priscilla and Aquila, modeling integrity by working for his wages rather than asking for money, and continuing to speak and plant the gospel throughout the known world. The Corinthian church is similar to the world we live in currently, as the empty way of life leads to a receptivity of the better life in Jesus Christ. This teaching includes a short TV clip from a televangelist.

Following Jesus in a Pluralistic World

Dennis McCallum

Acts 17:1-33

Paul reasons through the scriptures in Thessalonica, only to be driven out by some Jews and end up in the cultural hub of Athens. This city had idol worship of various kinds and was a spot for pluralistic thinking. Today, pluralism is such a potent belief - the idea that all beliefs are equally valid. Paul spoke to this pluralistic culture by finding common ground with them without compromising on God's Truth and showing how God is so distinct and true as opposed to the false idols they were worshiping. It's important to realize God's claims through scripture stand in total contrast to pluralistic thinking, and that people must make a decision about the truth and validity revealed through Jesus Christ. This teaching includes two separate interviews, on the topic of worshiping false idols and if all religions are valid.

Three Pseudo-Spiritualities

Tom Dixon

Colossians 2:16-23

Paul warns the Colossians against three false spiritualities that will move them away from the hope of the gospel. The first is ritualism, where Christians do external acts of service to God without dealing with the internal heart attitude towards Him in order to gain closeness with God. The second is mysticism, a type of of focus on intuition and feelings that become more trustworthy than God's Word. Lastly, there is moralism, the sense of focusing on strict obedience to morals, while neglecting what God desires, like love or compassion towards others. Each of these false ways of relating to God can hinder our ability to stand firm in the gospel.

A Servant's Wisdom in Controversy

Jim Leffel

2 Timothy 3:6

The apostle Paul encourages the Ephesian church to have tact and discernment in how they met together. Paul wants the Ephesian women to be lights of God in their culture so he asks them to dress conservatively to fit in. He also wants them to be less vocal because they have fallen prey to false teachers. Outside of this passage, Paul talked about other female leaders that he holds in high esteem.

The Critical Divide

Dennis McCallum

Galatians 2:11-16

The early church has to settle the critical issue about circumcision. Paul and Barnabas were sharply disputing that circumcision isn't needed for salvation, something men of Judea were preaching. Peter declares that people are saved by faith in Jesus Christ. The conclusion from this dispute was to not have heavy burdens on the Gentiles and to reject legalism and circumcision, but to abstain from sexual immorality, food polluted by idols, and meat of strangled animals. This would allow for contextualization and not put further barriers for the gospel between Jews and Gentiles. The focus of Christianity should be on the life-transforming power of God's grace, as opposed to man-made legalism. Radical grace should continue to be the focus of our lives as Christians.

The What of the Gospel (Part 3)

Gary DeLashmutt

Colossians 2:15

Through Jesus' death on the cross, he broke Satan's authority and ensured Satan's ultimate defeat. When people place their faith in Christ, they are able to experience freedom from satanic opposition in their lives. Some of the primary ways that Satan will try and oppose Christians is through accusation, deception, and temptation. Three primary ways we can stand firm against Satan's accusations are: 1) affirming promises of God's goodness and recalling His provision; 2) standing firm on God's complete forgiveness and begin relating to God with confidence in His love for us; and 3) committing ourselves to radical obedience to God.

Paul's First Journey (Part 2)

Dennis McCallum

Acts 14:1-28

Paul and Barnabas continue to speak out about the message of Jesus Christ, while encountering hostility from Jews in the area. Paul preaches at Lystra, sharing that God has made Himself known through external general revelation. The world around us reflects the presence of an original designer, as God has made Himself, His power, and intellect clear through construction of our present universe and the complexity of life. Internally, God has also provided people with internal general revelation, such as moral choices, freedom, creativity, and love. The internal and external evidence points to God's hand in creating and sustaining everything and His deep care for those to know Him personally through Jesus. This teaching includes an interview on the evidence for intelligent design and a movie clip about molecular design.