Peter and Cornelius

Ben Foust

Acts 9:31-10:48

The gospel takes another leap outward, this time to gentiles, as God miraculously orchestrates a meeting between Peter and a Roman centurion named Cornelius. Through this story, we see that God cares about those who are far off and that he wants to use his followers as his messengers, sometimes requiring us to step out of our comfort zone.

The Gospel and Christian Growth

Mike Sullivan

1 Thessalonians 2:1-12

Once we've heard the good news about Jesus' sacrifice and God's grace, what comes next? It's tempting to change the gospel in order to make it more appealing to people (such as salvation through works, not faith). But when the gospel is used properly, it can be a powerful tool for serving in difficult circumstances and encouraging others to grow.

Too Good to Be False

Tom Gilson

1 Thessalonians 2:1-12

The accounts of Jesus Christ as recorded in the gospels paint an incredible picture. We should examine the evidence for the historicity of these accounts. Gilson compares and contrasts several theories and gives practical suggestions on how to dialogue about this topic.

A Profile of Christian Conversion

Gary DeLashmutt

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

The Bible talks about the "good news" of God's forgiveness. To move from disbelief to belief is a process. Learn about the different elements of this process and how God spreads His message.

The Conversion of the Thessalonians

Mike Sullivan

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

What led the people of Thessalonica to become followers of Jesus? The messengers (Paul, Timothy, Silas and others) were dedicated, worked as a team and used evidence when they talked about God and Jesus. God pursued them and provided power and conviction. And the recipients were open to hearing the message and making their own decision. They were then motivated to share the gospel with others.

Using Your Freedom to Love - Part 2

Conrad Hilario

1 Corinthians 9:1-22

The Apostle Paul explains to the Corinthians how he makes the message of Christ relevant to both Jews and Gentiles in the different cultures he encounters. In the same way, Christians today should not seek to change culture, nor create their own Christian sub-culture, but rather find ways to show how the gospel message is compatible with culture in many ways while being careful not to adopt anti-biblical cultural values.

Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing

Mike Sullivan

Ephesians 2:8-9

The main message of the Bible is clear. The main message is about salvation through Jesus Christ. Why do Christians sometimes give off mixed messages about what is the main message? The answer comes from when people lose focus on what the main thing is in the Bible. This teaching covers how to keep the main thing the main thing.

Jesus Hides in Plain Sight

Ryan Lowery

Psalms 118:22-26

Jesus' teachings have not left any comfortable middle ground for those listening; his claims are so explicit that they are polarizing. The Festival of Booths was designed to represent the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the coming of the Messiah. Jesus gets up to preach at this festival and claims he is the fulfillment of the prophecy about the Christ. As a result, the religious leaders rejected him, the disciples came to him, and Nicodemus sought to understand the truth.

Pentecost

Ben Foust

Psalms 16:8-11

The promised Holy Spirit arrives in style. Peter delivers the first major speech in Acts, laying out a scriptural argument for Jesus as the Christ, and an invitation to repent and receive the Holy Spirit and three thousand people respond in faith! The Holy Spirit empowers our speech when we open our mouths in the name of Christ.