Willow Creek Community Church Weekend Podcast

Informações:

Sinopsis

The Mission of Willow Creek Community Church is to turn irreligious people into fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.The Vision of Willow Creek Community Church is to be a biblically functional community of believers so Christs redemptive purposes can be accomplished in the world.

Episodios

  • Overcoming shame | Shawn Williams

    17/03/2024 Duración: 36min

    Shame is a word and feeling we all want to avoid. Shame is often a barrier between us and God, too. Our regrets, all those actions and feelings we carry with us for years, weigh us down and make us feel less than worthy of God’s love. But that’s just not true at all. In John 18, Peter denies Jesus three times, something he is deeply ashamed of. And then, in John 21, Peter is forgiven by and restored through Jesus. You, too, can experience forgiveness and restoration; true healing and freedom from shame, guilt and regret. Pastor Shawn shows us how this is possible in our own lives.

  • A God who grieves | Thomas Anderson Jr.

    10/03/2024 Duración: 28min

    Does God understand our grief? In the story of Lazarus and his death and resurrection, Jesus shows us that He lives grief just as deeply as we do. Even though Jesus knew Lazarus would be brought back from the dead, He still joined Mary and Martha, Lazarus’ sisters, in their grief and sadness. Jesus also demonstrates how, through Him, we can use our grief for a greater purpose; a deeper connection with God and with others around us. Pastor Thomas visits John 11 and the story of Lazarus in the Bible.

  • Contagious joy | Dave Dummitt

    03/03/2024 Duración: 39min

    When Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding, it was not only His first miracle but also caused great joy. No, not because the guests got the best wine (but that did make them pretty joyful)! But because Mary, Jesus’ mother, saw Him step into His calling.  We can sometimes wonder how we can be happy. Or curious about where others are finding joy in this life. We can ask; what do I need to find my joy?  As we begin a new series on Big Feelings, Pastor Dave takes us to John 2:1-12 to discover how being close to God can bring out our own joy.

  • It transforms the world | Megan Marshman

    25/02/2024 Duración: 39min

    What is the power of our giving? Can our generosity change the world? In the earliest Christian church (in Acts 2:42-47), people gave so that others in their community were looked after. Orphans were homed, the sick were cared for, and anyone with a need was helped.  Jesus calls us to do the same in our world today! We can help in our community by giving generously–and remember, it’s not about the amount you give, but the heart behind it–we can meet the needs of others. What would the world look like if we all gave to help in our community?

  • It costs you something | Shawn Williams

    18/02/2024 Duración: 41min

    What is a motivating factor in giving when you decide to give? It’s usually in response to a need; a heartstring has been pulled, and you want to help someone else. When something really hits home, we can feel like it’s worth giving sacrificially–more than we might usually, or perhaps we have to forgo something else to help meet someone else’s need.. What if we gave sacrificially toward the Kingdom of God instead of out of abundance? In 2 Samuel 24, King David says “I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” How can we take a stance like that and what impact would that have on the world?

  • It starts with gratitude | Dave Dummitt

    11/02/2024 Duración: 48min

    Church offerings, or the concept of “tithing,” is typically hard to talk about, hard to begin doing and often is questioned. When many doubt the church's intentions, what good comes from tithing? Tithes and offerings are all about generosity. It’s about how you give, not how much. It is an expression of worship in response to God’s goodness. And it’s not just about keeping the church lights on either. Generosity extends much further. Pastor Dave begins this series by exploring where the concept of tithes began in the Bible, in Genesis 14 and how our motivation to give means way more than the amount.

  • Dreams greater than you imagine | Shawn Williams

    04/02/2024 Duración: 33min

    Yes, God’s will for your life is much bigger than you could imagine! God wants to use YOU to help heal, restore, and redeem the world. You can change the world in partnership with God’s work in your life. But how? We finish up the last week in our Divine Dreams series by looking at Joseph in the Bible, in Genesis 50 and Romans 8:28, and learning how he was used by God to reconcile his family and provide safety for his people. How will God use you in this world? Discover God’s will for your life and pursue your biggest dreams through Him.

  • Testing that defines and refines | Dave Dummitt

    28/01/2024 Duración: 29min

    Temptation is all around us, testing our character and will. Temptation also affected Joseph in the Bible. When faced with temptations such as seduction by Potiphar’s wife, a weak work ethic, and revenge on his despicable brothers, Joseph leans into his faith and resists, choosing instead to show kindness and keep his integrity. Pastor Dave explores the story of Joseph in the Bible through Genesis –41, where Joseph takes his setbacks and temptations and allows God to use him in ways beyond his wildest dreams.

  • When others threaten your dreams | Dave Dummitt

    21/01/2024 Duración: 33min

    How do you hold onto your life’s dreams and persevere through tough times when others threaten to derail them or even actively hurt you? The story of Joseph in the Bible deals with his struggles with a highly dysfunctional family and the ways in which they harm him (Genesis 37–40) when they dislike his big dreams for life. Joseph holds onto hope through his faith, knowing he will ultimately achieve big things in partnership with God and His purpose for Joseph’s life. How will God partner with you to fuel your big dreams and achieve immeasurably more than you could on your own?

  • Discovering God's Dream for Your Life | Megan Marshman

    14/01/2024 Duración: 41min

    Many of us wonder: what is my life’s purpose? We have big dreams, but do they match God’s will for our lives? And what happens when obstacles get in the way of our dreams? Remember when you were a kid, and you wanted to be an actor, a firefighter, or a marine biologist, but life got in the way, reality hit, and your big dreams fell by the wayside? Life has a way of presenting challenges that seem impossible to overcome. As we begin our new series, Divine Dreams, we explore the story of Joseph in the Bible in Genesis 37 and how he persevered through so much, remaining faithful throughout and achieving his big dream.

  • Finding Rest in a Chaotic World | Dave Dummitt

    07/01/2024 Duración: 35min

    It’s a new year; we’re all thinking about what we want to do and achieve in the next 12 months. Do you want to hit the gym, read those books you’ve had on your shelf for ages, or pick up a new hobby?  How about rest? Could resting well be a part of what you want to achieve this year? It’s different, sure! But God Himself takes a rest, and if He can, surely we should too! God tells us to take a sabbath–a day of rest–because He knows just how important it is for us to do so. God wants you to be healthy in all ways: physically, spiritually, mentally, emotionally. And He knows that not resting well will affect those things. Rest is a spiritual discipline! Pastor Dave starts us off right with a message on why we should rest well.

  • Evangelism: A value to live, not a thing to do | Betsy Sunny

    02/01/2024 Duración: 30min

    Once you make a decision to follow Jesus, you’re told to go out and evangelize to everyone you know; and all those you don’t know too. Ooof, that sounds scary, right? What does evangelism really mean? We’ve all seen the guy standing on the street corner yelling at everyone to repent. But that’s not what the Bible tells us about evangelism. Is evangelism a value we should be embracing? Yes!  Pastor Betsy uses learnings from the first century church to demonstrate what God is really calling us to do as evangelists.

  • A King Among Kings| Shawn Williams

    24/12/2023 Duración: 24min

    The biblical Christmas story is one of peace and hope, but only if you see Jesus for who He really is.  When Jesus, the King of Kings,  was born, King Herod felt intimidated and tried to eliminate the threat to his kingdom. What’s your response to Jesus? You can ignore Him, feel threatened by Him, or choose to follow and experience the wholeness He has to offer. This Christmas, experience a relationship with the King of Kings, the one born to save the world!

  • An Approachable King | Megan Marshman

    17/12/2023 Duración: 41min

    If you ever felt like you didn’t fit into church or God wasn’t for you, you aren’t alone. The shepherds in the Bible were the first to hear the news of the birth of Jesus. The “lowly” shepherds, as they’re sometimes referred to, were not important, high-powered people. Had Jesus been born in a castle or fortress, He would only be accessible to a select few. Instead, He was born in a stable, so even the outcast and powerless could approach Him. What would change if you saw that Jesus truly was available to us all? Pastors Megan Marshman and Shawn Williams take us through Luke 2 and the Christmas story of the Shepherds in the Bible.

  • Distractions & Detours | Shawn Williams

    10/12/2023 Duración: 28min

    In week 2 of our Christmas series, we look at how we can focus on the goodness of God in the busyness of the season or the chaos of our lives.  Jesus’ birth came at a most inconvenient time—or so Mary thought. Right before the birth of Jesus, His parents, Mary and Joseph, had to journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, and by the time they arrived, there was no place for them to stay. Instead, a perfect God made His appearance in an imperfect setting. How can we keep our focus on God when we face detours and distractions? Pastor Shawn uses Luke 2 to help demonstrate how and why keeping God at the center of our lives is so important, especially during busy seasons.

  • What's the Real Gift? | Dave Dummitt

    03/12/2023 Duración: 30min

     Christmas is an exciting time of year, filled with food, lights, traditions, connection, and gifts. But in the midst of the holiday season, we can forget that Jesus is God’s gift to us, and He offers us many gifts, too: peace, strength, companionship and direction. It’s easy to become fixated on the gifts, forgetting about the Giver.  What happens when we desire Jesus’ gifts more than Jesus Himself? Pastor Dave explores this question by looking at the historical setting of Jesus’ birth as we begin our Christmas series, What If It’s True.

  • Self-Control Through Temptation | Dave Dummit

    27/11/2023 Duración: 44min

    Here comes the fruit of the spirit some of us really don’t want to talk about: ‘self-control’.  Why is self-control sometimes so hard? And what benefits can we draw from this fruit of the spirit to help our own lives and those of others? The Holy Spirit can help empower us to be masters over our own desires and destructive impulsivity. Pastor Dave concludes our series on the fruit of the spirit!

  • Faithfulness That is Trustworthy | Shawn Williams

    19/11/2023 Duración: 29min

    The Holy Spirit, using the fruit of the spirit called ‘faithfulness’  equips and empowers us to become trustworthy users of our thoughts, time, energy, and resources. By being faithful, we can most effectively use all of those things at our disposal to reflect the love of God in our embattled world.

  • Gentleness That Serves | Dave Dummitt

    12/11/2023 Duración: 39min

    Gentleness is a fruit of the spirit that we think we get, right? But how exactly can our being gentle, or using gentleness, bring us closer to living our lives like Jesus? And doesn’t that just make us weak? Through the Holy Spirit, we’re empowered to live lives of humility, using our power, strength, and influence to benefit others. Does that sound like gentleness? Pastor Dave explains.

  • Goodness Anchored in Integrity | Shawn Williams

    06/11/2023 Duración: 39min

    Which fruit of the spirit is probably the hardest to understand or define? Could it be ‘goodness’? We know what it means to be a good kid, or a generally good person, but ‘goodness’ feels a little more intangible. And it’s not just about doing a good deed, or being good natured. As Pastor Shawn explains this week, the Holy Spirit empowers us to live lives of goodness by living lives of integrity.

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