Love in Community: Setting Limits

Dennis McCallum

2 Corinthians 2:5-8

The cultural view of love and God's view of love are quite different. Our culture views love as an emotional connection while God views love as a choice to act for the benefit of someone else. God's love includes discipline which we do in order for the good of a brother or sister in Christ.

Spiritual Radicalism vs. Mediocrity

Dennis McCallum

Galatians 3:28

Paul gave up a comfortable lifestyle in order to serve God with his whole life and share God's love with other people. When we approach our relationship with God in an attitude of self interest we will often become lukewarm. God's love and truth is meant to be shared and when we go out and share this message, as Paul did, we can experience God powerfully working through us.

Applying the Wisdom of God: Egocentrism

Dennis McCallum

1 Corinthians 4:5

God's love is sacrificial and serving rather than a selfish emotional fulfillment. The things of this world are less important when we take on God's perspective and see that what truly matters is our eternal identity. When we view this world from God's perspective we are able to appraise things as they really are.

Mental Transformation (Part 1)

Dennis McCallum

Acts 17:23-28

God made it clear that Christians are called not to conform to this world as we search for truth. God's truth is not relative but universal. However, we are able to conform to our culture on non moral and non truth based cultural norms. We are called to be in our culture, but not shaped by it.

The Backward Wisdom of God

Dennis McCallum

Romans 12:2

God's wisdom stands opposed to the wisdom of this world; Jesus lived a life of self-sacrifice and love while our world calls us to be self-protective. God has given us the truth about this world, are we willing to accept His view of this world?

Two Wisdoms or the Way of Humility

Dennis McCallum

Ephesians 2:8-9

Paul juxtaposes the human wisdom of this world and pride to God's wisdom and humbling yourself before God. We desire to earn our own salvation as we fix our lives, but God tells us that He is the way to salvation and that only He can offer lasting fulfilment and meaning. The cross is God's payment for humanities sins.

Living in Real Spiritual Community

Dennis McCallum

Titus 3:10-11

The Corinthian church was plagued with many moral issues, but God was able to speak powerfully in Corinth. Paul called them to unity and to focus on the Gospel.

Keeping it Together in a World Falling Apart (Part 1)

Jim Leffel

Hebrews 4:12

Towards the end of human history, humanity will turn towards selfishness and a growing coldness towards other people. This trend will produce religion that is centered around meeting people's felt needs rather than the truth, but unfortunately this type of religion will not relieve the legitimate guilt that people feel or meet people's true relational needs. Authentic Christianity, however, features direct revelation from God through the Bible, and this revelation is both powerful and accessible. All Christians are capable of learning the truths of the Bible and becoming convinced of its validity and usefulness through personal interaction with God and study. A video testimony from Kyle Hanser is included.

Making Strategic Investments

Jim Leffel

1 Thessalonians 2:8

Faith and love are paired in the writings of Paul to communicate the personal confidence in God paired with an others-centered outworking of this belief. The strategy that naturally comes from these truths is personal discipleship, this requires dependence on God to transform us. God will deliver wisdom, strength, and confidence to His followers.