Everwell Church Podcast

What does it mean to be a peaceful person? In this passage, we see the disciple Barnabas "the son of encouragement" shows us what it means to be a peacemaker.

In this passage, we see Saul the Pharisee encounters Jesus on the road to Damascus. Saul is a problem person for the early church. How did the early church engage Saul, the persecutor? How should we approach problem people in our lives?

Everyone is pursuing something in this life. What are you pursuing? The highest pursuit in life is to pursue God.

How people use power can tell you a lot about them. In this sermon, we talk about the love of power, the power of love, and a priceless power.

John preached a phenomenal message on the first Martyr of the Church, Stephen. His message was challenging and timely for our community. Will you speak up for what you truly believe?

The early church is missing out on the fullness of ministry. In the daily distribution, the early church overlooks the Hellenistic Jews, probably because of a communication/cultural barrier. The Apostles believe it is because they are stretched too thin in focusing on spiritual and practical needs. The Apostles decide that they can’t do everything and that they shouldn’t do everything. The Apostles are robbing other people in the church opportunities to serve and use their gifts. The solution is people that are focused on finding blind spots by the church and filling them.

Temples are where God's space and human space intersect. For years the Jewish people would worship God in the Temple praying for guidance, power, and healing. Now the followers of Jesus are finding God's space through their relationship with Jesus.

Essentially the Gospel is the message of God's greatest gift. God’s great generosity is displayed for the giving of his son, to pay our debts, and to create new people. The Gospel should change the way we look at life. Because our lives are not our own, we are called to be Jesus-centered instead of self-centered. Jesus changes the way we treat others and how we must be generous to those that are in need. In this passage, we see incredible generosity contrasted with deep selfishness. We see the unity of the church, the great generosity of Barnabas, and the greed of Ananias and Saphira.

In this passage, the Apostles gain new courage to proclaim the power of God after the healing of the lame man. The leaders of the Temple confront Peter and John. The same leaders they once followed and looked to for spiritual guidance. The temple leaders critically and directly question this new community. The temple leaders are amazed by this new courage from the under-qualified fisherman. The passage ends with a prayer for more boldness to preach the gospel.

Peter and John heal a lame man on the way to the temple. This new thing that God is doing through his church. The church is not confined like the Temple, but dynamic and is happening outside the old temple system. Jesus is creating new people through his Spirit and restoring them into the family of God.

What are the implications and positive consequences of the four practices (Apostles’ Doctrine, Fellowship, Breaking Bread, and prayer) the early church devoted themselves too? When a church devotes themselves to these four practices, what should we expect the church community to look like? Community is not the goal of the church, but the kind of community is the utmost importance when following the goal, who is Jesus.

Prayer changes things, and the early church prayed like they believed that it did. We must practice prayer to experience true intimacy and the power of God.

In this passage, we see the way of Jesus practiced in communion. Why is communion so important to followers of Jesus? How can the practice of communion refocus us and give us new life? Find out in this teaching entitled, The Family Table.

We are called to assemble, minister, and live as a family together. The early church would daily live their lives together in community, and we should make it our goal to do the same. The church fellowshipping together is more than a good idea; it is the desire of God for his people.

People who are obsessed with their idea of community will inevitably kill all potential of real community. The church is not meant to be a community that is opinion based, but a practice-based. We are called to live life together in the way of Jesus.

Peter preaches in response to the Holy Spirit falling at Pentecost. Peter preaches the first Spirit-filled sermon. Peter tells the story of the hope of God now created in the church.

In this passage, we are going to see the followers of Jesus be filled with the fullness of the Holy Spirit to carry out the mission of God. Because God sent the promised Spirit, we must find the meaning of being filled by the fullness of God.

Because Jesus is the manifestation of God, we must take hold of the life of Jesus.

God's slowness and apparent delay are deliverance for others. His patience is astounding and for our good.

Because God's love is all I need, I would envy others.