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.

Effective Youth Evangelism

Joe Botti

Tom Dixon

Matthew 28:19-20

Fostering effective youth evangelism is important for many reasons. It produces spiritual growth, it helps young students with their own faith, and it is biblical. Some practical steps that leaders can take to foster evangelism amongst youth include: encouraging every and any attempt of faith being shared; becoming an example; teaching biblical principles of evangelism; giving personal advice; teaching how to build friendships; making sure that you have a meeting people want to come to; raising the tension levels when necessary; and creating prayer lists and prayer groups.

Serving Love and Sexuality

Dennis McCallum

1 Thessalonians 3:12-4:8

We contrast two views of sexuality: God's view and our culture's view. We examine the devastating effects of living outside of God's design in this area: a deep emptiness and deteriorating enjoyment of sex. On the other hand, we can experience renewed liberation and a deepening appreciation of sex when we live out God's design for sex. In a God-centered relationship, as we begin to deepen our dependence on God and draw power from Him, we also grow closer to our partner.

Patriarchy or Serving Love

Dennis McCallum

1 Peter 3:1-8

It's commonly understood that most religions, including Christianity, portray women as inferior to men; but this concept is unbiblical. Oftentimes people are misguided on their view of marriage roles because their concept of leadership is far away from God's view of leadership. In marriage, God designed the man to be a spiritual leader for his wife. A husband is called to lead in humility and love?not ?try to gain power? over his wife. In this type of marriage, a wife would most likely find it joyful to submit to her husband.\r\n

God's Purpose in Marriage (Part 2)

Jim Leffel

Ephesians 5:21-33

Focusing on the wife's role in marriage, the text brings out how she should submit to her husband's leading. This is not passive obedience, but it is: 1) a spiritual commitment in the totality of life, 2) a context to fully develop as the person God intended you to be, 3) a pattern of service advancing your husband's spiritual growth, and 4) a partnership rooted in common vision. Submission in the Biblical sense is purposeful.

God's Purpose in Marriage (Part 1)

Jim Leffel

Ephesians 5:21-33

God gives Christians guidance in how to have a successful marriage. Wives are told to be subject to their husbands, meaning they should be a support to him. Husbands are told they should lead and love their wives like Christ. Marriage represents the unity of Christ's love for the church. It requires God's love and grace as a foundation.

Discipling Children

Jo Rhodes

1 Corinthians 11:1

Parents and adult influencers disciple children by God's grace. Influencing children for Christ has to be in the context of having a relationship with them. Four keys to discipling children include: teaching them Biblical content; modeling Christ to them; helping them develop character; giving them ways to apply Biblical truth to their life.

Balancing Home Life and Ministry

Patrice McCormac

1 Corinthians 11:1

Balancing family and ministry service can be both confusing and difficult. Instead of approaching this conflict of interests sequentially, such as following a concrete plan of first serving your spouse, then kids, then self or others, we can practice more flexibility. There is a deep need to be simultaneously involved in ministry because of its ability to bring friendships, purpose, and a healthy example for children. In attempting to balance these two fields of life, we can look for ways in which they overlap and actually complement each other.

Marriage and Divorce

Jim Leffel

Mark 10:1-9

Whether it's a failed marriage or a failing marriage, times of crises in our marriages reveal spiritual needs. Marital problems have the ability to cut deeper than most anything else and provides direction for pressing on with a focus on grace. Jesus answered the Pharisees' question about the legalities of divorce by addressing the heart of the issue and by stating God's design of marriage. Marriage reflects the image of God in humanity despite the ways our selfishness and culture attempt to twist it into something self-serving.