Westview Church Podcast

EXHORTATION - Welcome Others

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Are you in a good practice of welcoming others? Listen to Pastor Michael's exhortation on the ministry essential of generous hospitality.

SERMON - When Brothers Dwell in Unity

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0000

The Bible is meant not only to shape our convictions and behaviors but also our affections. Through Psalm 133, the Spirit beckons us not only to understand brotherly unity but to prize it. Listen to Pastor David's sermon to hear more.

EXHORTATION - What is the Highlight of Your Week?

Sun, 28 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000

What is the Highlight of Your Week? Listen to pastor Toby's exhortation on structuring the highlight of your week.

SERMON - Embattled Devotion

Sun, 28 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Psalm 25 shows us that true devotion to God doesn't wait for sunny days. It can thrive in the middle of distress, in the middle of perplexities, even surrounded by enemies. Listen to pastor David's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Have a Conversation

Sun, 21 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Have a conversation, take interest in people, and see what doors God opens up. Listen to pastor David's exhortation, "Have a conversation," for more.

SERMON - Who Shall Dwell on God's Holy Hill?

Sun, 21 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Psalm 15 asks one of the greatest questions in all of Scripture. Listen to Pastor Michael's sermon, "Who Shall Dwell on God's Holy Hill?" to hear the biblical response.

EXHORTATION - Be the Smile of God to Children

Sun, 14 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation, "Be the Smile of God to Children."

SERMON - The Short-Lived Success of the Wicked

Sun, 14 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor David's sermon, "The Short-Lived Success of the Wicked," on Psalm 10:1–18.

EXHORTATION - A Broken Heart

Sun, 07 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor David's exhortation, "A Broken Heart," from Luke 7:36–38.

SERMON - Giving and Receiving Godly Correction

Sun, 07 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Zach's sermon, "Giving and Receiving Godly Correction," on 2 Corinthians 7:8–16.

READING - Plans for a Season and a Time

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to a reading of the article, "Plans for a Season and a Time," which can be found at westviewchurchmn.com/blog.

EXHORTATION - Train for War

Sun, 31 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Michael's exhortation, "Train for War."

SERMON - Encouragement for Restoration

Sun, 31 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon, "Encouragement for Restoration," on 2 Corinthians 7:2-7.

EXHORTATION - Don't Have Peace When You Shouldn't

Sun, 24 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Toby's exhortation, "Don't Have Peace When You Shouldn't."

SERMON - Cling to the Promises

Sun, 24 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon, "Cling to the Promises," on 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1.

EXHORTATION - Confess for Joy

Sun, 17 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Toby's exhortation, "Confess for Joy."

SERMON - Taking Pains in Gospel Ministry

Sun, 17 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor David's sermon, "Taking Pains in Gospel Ministry," on 2 Corinthians 6:1-13.

EXHORTATION - Love is Not Irritable

Sun, 10 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation, "Love is Not Irritable," from 1 Corinthians 13:5.

SERMON - Be Reconciled to God

Sun, 10 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon, "Be Reconciled to God," on 2 Corinthians 5:16-21.

EXHORTATION - Practice Gratitude

Sun, 03 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Michael's exhortation, "Practice Gratitude," from James 1:17.

SERMON - Constrained by Love

Sun, 03 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon, "Constrained by Love," on 2 Corinthians 5:11-15.

READING - An Investment for Formation

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

This is a reading of the article "Investment for Formation," which can be read at https://westviewchurchmn.com/blog/2026/04/30/an-investment-for-formation.

EPISODE - Pursue Explicitly Christian Education

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

At Westview's first "Options in Christian Education Night," Pastor Brett argues for why Christians ought to pursue an explicitly Christian education for their children. If you would like to also hear the introductions from the schools, send an email through our contact page to request the audio.

SERMON - Be of Good Courage

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon, "Be of Good Courage," on 2 Corinthians 5:1-10.

EXHORTATION - You Are Not God

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Toby's exhortation, "You Are Not God," to lead us into a time of confession.

SERMON - Glory Grounds the Work

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon "Glory Grounds the Work" on 2 Corinthians 4:13-18.

EPISODE - Soaking in 2 Corinthians

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen as one of Westview's members shares about how and why she has gone about extended Bible memory before reciting 2 Corinthians in full. Soak in this letter to be encouraged by it and to promote your own efforts in memorizing Scripture.

EXHORTATION - Come and Have Breakfast

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor David's exhortation, "Come and Have Breakfast," from John 21:9.

SERMON - Treasure in Jars of Clay

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Zach's sermon, "Treasure in Jars of Clay," on 2 Corinthians 4:7-12.

READING - Who Are You Becoming?

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

This is a reading of the article "Who Are You Becoming?," written and read by Pastor Brett. You can read the article at https://westviewchurchmn.com/blog.

EXHORTATION - Be Assured By History

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation to be assured by history.

SERMON - Resurrection Praise

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor David's sermon, "Resurrection Praise," on Luke 24:46-48.

SERMON - Deliverance From Sin & Misery

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Toby's Good Friday sermon, "Deliverance From Sin & Misery," on Luke 22-23.

SERMON - We Proclaim Christ

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon, "We Proclaim Christ," on 2 Corinthians 4:1-6.

EXHORTATION - Affirm the Covenant

Sun, 22 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Michael leading us to affirm the covenant relationship we enjoy as a church.

SERMON - You Become What You Behold

Sun, 22 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon, “You Become What You Behold,” on 2 Corinthians 3:12-18.

EXHORTATION - Be Eager for a Good Word

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Michael's exhortation from Proverbs 12:25 to be eager for a good word.

SERMON - The Surpassing Glory of the Gospel

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon, "The Surpassing Glory of the Gospel," from 2 Corinthians 3:7-11.

READING - The Why and What of My Sabbatical

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

This is a reading of the article "The Why & What of My Sabbatical," written and read by Pastor Brett. You can read the article at https://westviewchurchmn.com/blog.

EXHORTATION - Pour Out Your Soul

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Michael's exhortation to pour out your soul before the Lord.

SERMON - You are a Letter From Christ

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

A letter is a personal message written to a specific audience with a clear purpose. In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul defends his apostolic ministry while expressing his deep love and concern for them. Listen to Pastor David as he explores the key elements of Paul’s message to the Corinthians and considers how its lessons apply to the church today in this sermon on 2 Corinthians 3:1-6.

READING - An Open Letter for Pastors' Sabbaticals

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

This is a reading of the article "An Open Letter for Pastors' Sabbaticals," written and read by Pastor Michael. You can read the article at https://westviewchurchmn.com/blog.

EXHORTATION - Commune Constantly

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation to us to commune constantly with the Lord.

SERMON - Who is Sufficient?

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Being a Christian is the greatest thing—who is sufficient for it? Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 2 Corinthians 2:12-17 for more.

EXHORTATION - Draw Near By Your Heart

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor David exhort us to draw near to God by our hearts and not merely by our lips.

SERMON - The Church Living in Christ

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Phil Newton, Director of Pastoral Care & Mentoring at the Pillar Network, draw out from 2 Corinthians 2:1-11 how the local church lives in Christ to glorify Christ and avoid Satan's traps.

The Tasks of Elders

Sat, 21 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

In this second session, Phil Newton speaks to what it is that elders are called to do.

Why Not to Be an Elder

Sat, 21 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

In this third session, Phil Newton speaks to why a man should *not* aspire to or consider serving as an elder in a local church.

A Motivation to Elder Ministry

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

In this first session, Phil Newton speaks to why a guy would want to serve the local church as an elder by looking at the New Testament's teaching on aspiring to the role.

READING - The Catechumen Challenge

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Brett read the article "The Catechumen Challenge." Find a PDF download of the reading challenge online at https://westviewchurchmn.com/blog/2026/02/18/the-catechumen-challenge

EXHORTATION - Be Reconciled in the Blood

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Toby remind us of the role of blood that we might be reconciled to God.

SERMON - A Merciful Purpose in the Pursuit of Joy

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 2 Corinthians 1:23-24.

EXHORTATION - Walk Wisely in Youth Sports

Sun, 08 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

SERMON - God's Yes and Our Amen

Sun, 08 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor David's sermon on 2 Corinthians 1:15-22.

EXHORTATION - Love the Lord

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

The command to love one another is basic for our lives together as Christians. But what is the thing we need most to do that? Listen to Pastor Zach’s exhortation to love the Lord for more.

SERMON - Boasting on the Last Day

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Not every drive is made the same. A black asphalt driveway with a little salt will clear up ice pretty quick. And in 2 Corinthians 1:12-14, Paul aims to clear up an icy relationship with the warm foundation of the gospel and the proof of our union in Christ.

EXHORTATION - On Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Sun, 25 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

In this exhortation, Pastor David addresses present tensions within our city with five premises he and the pastoral team would have us hold to.

SERMON - The One Who Raises the Dead

Sun, 25 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

If Jesus is risen, we can face all affliction with hope in the God who raises the dead. And we can rejoice all the more as God works deliverance through our prayers. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on 2 Corinthians 1:8-11 for more.

EXHORTATION - Be Amazed

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

“But when Christ appeared”—would such a short phrase give rise to amazement? Listen to Pastor Toby’s exhortation for more.

SERMON - Glory Through Weakness

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

“Kintsugi” is a Japanese art form that restores broken pottery with gold-infused laquer to make for a more beautiful piece. Through the weakness of being broken and the glory of its restoration, we see an image of a theme in 2 Corinthians. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on 2 Corinthians 1:1-7 for more.

EXHORTATION - Ask, Seek, Knock

Sun, 11 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Listen to Pastor David’s exhortation to pray as we reflect on Jesus’ words to ask, seek, and knock.

SERMON - Live in Light of the End

Sun, 11 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

On what basis will you be granted access to that enteral rest your soul longs for? Throughout Ecclesiastes, Solomon has been wisely guiding us to live in light of that sure end. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on Ecclesiastes 12:9-14 for more.

EXHORTATION - Devote Yourself to Good Works

Sun, 04 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Every creature is inclined towards activity. A squirrel is going to climb trees; there's no stopping it. Humans are designed for good works, and what we do reveals who we worship. Listen to Michael Urch's exhortation to devote yourself to good works for more.

SERMON - Remember Your Creator

Sun, 04 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

As we near the end of Ecclesiastes, have you been changed? Have you become more wise? In this final section, Solomon returns to the themes of the uncertainty of life, the judgment of God, and the inevitability of death. Listen to Pastor David's sermon on Ecclesiastes 11:1–12:8 for more.

EXHORTATION - Pursue Others in Love

Sun, 28 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Who did you pursue in Christ-like love in 2025? Who will you so pursue in 2026? Job was a father to the needy and an advocate of the stranger. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation to pursue others in love for more.

SERMON - Hear the Prophet Malachi

Sun, 28 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Was Christmas a let down? The presents, the meal, the company—did the reality of the holiday not meet the expectation? A similar disappointment leading to disillusionment was experienced by Israel upon their return to the land. It lead to complacency and rampant sin requiring God's prophet Malachi to speak. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on the book of Malachi for more.

Christmas Eve Service - Homily, "The King of Glory Always Lives"

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The glorious King of Psalm 72 ever lives to make intercession (Hebrews 7:25). "May prayer be made for him continually" yet he is the one who always lives to make intercession! Listen to the full Christmas Eve service Lessons & Carols celebration.

EXHORTATION - Speak the Truth Wisely

Sun, 21 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

It is amazing that God would use our words to do good. But we shouldn't set as our target the standard of "God can even use a donkey" but speaking clearly, fittingly, discerningly, and dependently. Listen to Pastor David's exhortation to speak the truth wisely for more.

SERMON - Wisdom for a Weary World

Sun, 21 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

As Solomon closes in on the conclusion of his wise, goad-like words that comprise this vexing book, he offers wisdom for a weary world. He has made plain that while wisdom cannot deliver you out from under the sun, it still provides the best path forward in navigating life. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Ecclesiastes 9:13-10:20 for more.

EXHORTATION - Show Mercy Without Distinction

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

There can be no mercy without judgment. One cannot relent from distributing just consequences—one cannot show mercy—without a standard of righteousness or justice. Yet "mercy springs from compassion" and moves us to show mercy without distinction. Listen to Toby Phillips' exhortation for more.

SERMON - Man Knows Not His Time

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

You are, at this very moment, closer to your death than you ever have been before. Each heart beat, each

exhale—it very well may be your last. Man knows not his time, so live like it. There is judgment and mercy here if our darkened hearts will be illuminated by this light. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Ecclesiastes 9:1-12 for more.

EPISODE - Getting to Know Michael

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The responsibility of a church to appoint a man to the office of pastor is an important one. In October, the pastoral team recommended that Michael Urch be so appointed. So, Pastor Brett sat down with Michael for a conversation to help you get to know him better.

EXHORTATION - Pursue Conflict for Peace

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus said he did not come to bring peace but conflict, the "Christ conflict" that is the scandal of the cross. How quickly we can be, especially with our extended families around the holidays, to shy away from such gospel-oriented conflict. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation to pursue conflict for peace.

SERMON - Who is Like the Wise?

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

We need wisdom to navigate life, and so we need to know what wisdom can and cannot do for us. Wisdom remembers its limits, reveres God, and rests in Providence. Listen to Pastor David's sermon on Ecclesiastes 8:1-17 for more.

EPISODE - Getting to Know Toby

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The responsibility of a church to appoint a man to the office of pastor is an important one. In October, the pastoral team recommended that Toby Phillips be so appointed. So, Pastor Brett sat down with Toby for a conversation to help you get to know him better.

EXHORTATION - Set Your Hope Fully

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000

We too often use "hope" to mean "wish" or "desire." However, the Bible holds out hope as a fixed and established reality. As we begin Advent, listen to Michael's exhortation to set your hope fully from 1 Peter 1:13.

SERMON - The Hope of Wisdom in Depravity

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000

As we navigate life under the sun, it can seem like life in the futility and frustration of the vapor is without hope. However, Solomon points us to the glimmer of light that wisdom teaches in the presence of depravity. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Ecclesiastes 7:15-29 for more.

EXHORTATION - Believe in the Gospel

Sun, 23 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Knowing — or even affirming — facts about the gospel is not sufficient for our salvation. And apart from the gospel, there is no other way for us to be reunited with our creator. Listen as Pastor David exhorts us to believe in the gospel.

SERMON - Seeing Good in the Day of Adversity

Sun, 23 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000

There are few sounds so jarring as raucous laughter at a funeral home. When we make a house of mourning into a house of mirth, we show an unwillingness to look death in the face, and Solomon means to keep us from that foolish way of living. Listen to Pastor Zach’s sermon on Ecclesiastes 6:10-7:14 for more.

READING - Finding Rest

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000

This is a reading of the article "Finding Rest," written and read by Pastor Brett. You can read the article at https://westviewchurchmn.com/blog.

SERMON - The Godless Search for Satisfaction

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000

As we come to end of the first half of the book, we are at the bottom, where the fog settles thickest. It feels insulting for Solomon to compare the inability of enjoying wealth with a stillborn child. But if we descend into the valley, we will see that Solomon is showing us there is actually something far worse in the godless search for

satisfaction. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Ecclesiastes 6:1-9 for more.

EXHORTATION - Do Not Lie to One Another

Sun, 09 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000

When tensions rise, it is easy to carelessly use words like "never" and "always." Thought natural, it is not ok. When we level such accusations like, "You never ..." or "You always ..." we lie to one another. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Occupied With Joy

Sun, 09 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000

An old philosopher once said, “More is never enough to the man for whom enough is too little.” We so often want "just a little bit more." It is this dynamic that makes the love of money so dangerous. And it is why this idolatrous love must be struck down so we can deal with money rightly. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Ecclesiastes 5:8-20 for more.

READING - State of Theology

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000

This is a reading of the article "The State of Theology," written and read by Pastor Brett. You can read the article at https://westviewchurchmn.com/blog.

READING - Vanitas & All Hallows' Eve

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

This is a reading of the article "Vanitas & All Hallows' Eve," written and read by Pastor Brett. You can read the article at https://westviewchurchmn.com/blog.

EXHORTATION - Avoid the Snare of Sports Betting

Sun, 26 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

There are so-called "respectable sins" that are too easily overlooked or dismissed as "peccadillos." One such culturally permissible cover for sin is sports betting. And while sports betting may not explicitly or implicitly always be sin, it is opposed to the moral worldview of the Bible. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation to avoid the snare of sports betting for more.

SERMON - Observations in Futility

Sun, 26 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

An important observation about the first half of Ecclesiastes is that there is only one imperative. Most of the these chapters is descriptive, observations of Solomon's about life under the sun. Adding to the vapor and shepherding the wind that characterizes life is the futility of envy, loneliness, and fame. Listen to Pastor David's sermon on Ecclesiastes 4:4-16 for more.

READING - Pastoring Home to Home

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

This is a reading of the article "Pastoring Home to Home," written and read by Pastor Brett. You can read the article at https://westviewchurchmn.com/blog.

EXHORTATION - Arm Yourself

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Imagine you are face-to-face with Satan himself as he puts strong temptations before you. How would you defend yourself? Jesus modeled how by making use of memorized Scripture. You can have access to the Word but all the better to have it at the ready in your heart. Listen to Toby Phillips' exhortation to arm yourself for more.

SERMON - God Will Judge

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

We expect to see wickedness in the gutter of society and among the seedy back alleys, but in the place of justice? It is grievous, yet we can trust God's justice as all will die and stand before him. Listen to Pastor David's sermon on Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:3 for more.

READING - Leaving Well

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

This is a reading of the article "Leaving Well," written and read by Pastor Brett. You can read the article at https://westviewchurchmn.com/blog.

Exhortation - Receive Children In Jesus' Name

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Consider that God rejoices over us, his children, with gladness. Should we not obey Jesus' call to receive children in his name with the same disposition as our Father in Heaven? Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Time Will Tell

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

“This thing all things devours / Birds, beasts, trees, flowers / Gnaws iron, bites steel / Grinds hard stones to meal / Slays king, ruins town / And beats mountain down.” Time—we can’t escape it. Solomon is leading us to lay down our vain grasp on control and trust in God. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 for more.

EXHORTATION - Fatten Your Soul

Sun, 28 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Our bodies hunger so that we might know that our souls hunger. And while our souls are not as loud of complainers as our stomaches, our souls need more than a granola bar. Listen to Michael Urch’s exhortation to fatten your soul for more.

SERMON - Gaining Wisdom in a Weary, Windy World

Sun, 28 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

We have such an inadequate understanding of our sin and a far worse understanding of God’s

holiness. It feels like God’s judgment on humanity and the creation was severe, but

that’s because we are too focused on an enlarged view of ourselves. Indeed, death will come to all despite our toil and anguish in a weary, windy world that continues ever

onward. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on Ecclesiastes 1:3-18 for more.

EXHORTATION - Don't Cover Your Sin

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Both God and man covers sin. One covers with mercy, the over with pride. You can have all kinds of coverings for sin but the only one that will be of any good is: Christ. Listen to Pastor David’s exhortation to cover your sin for more.

SERMON - Joy in the Vapor

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Ecclesiastes is a confusing, perplexing book that often leads us to ask, “God, what are you doing?” Just like life. Amid the anguish and sorrows of this vaporous life, can joy be found? Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon orienting us to this book.

EXHORTATION - Access to the Word

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Do you feel how wealthy you are? Our thoughts first go to money, but the wealth of God’s Word is better than any amount of money. We are filthy rich having God’s own recorded words in our possession. We are billionaires when it comes to God’s Word. Do you believe this? Listen to Pastor Zach’s exhortation for more.

SERMON - Hear the Prophet Micah

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Does God still speak today? Can you still hear his voice audibly, infallibly, and authoritatively? Just open up your Bible and read aloud. That's the opportunity afforded to us as we hear the prophet Micah speak. Though he prophesied long ago, his message of God being the only God who is so great as to distribute both judgment and restoration is still applicable today. Listen to Pastor Brett's introduction and reading of the prophet Micah for more.

EXHORTATION - Forgive as Forgiven

Sun, 07 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Forgiveness is at the heart of faith. Is it at the heart of your life? In Christ, all is forgiven—completely and pervasively—at great cost. Will you forgive? Listen to Pastor David’s exhortation to forgive as you’ve been forgiven for more.

SERMON - Wait for What?

Sun, 07 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The feeling of life slipping through your fingers as sin and suffering compound is a difficult perplexity. But it has a design. It is the Lord who has done it. And one purpose is to hedge and lead you to pray, “My hope is in you.” At such times, grab hold to the waiting rope of hope in God. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on Psalm 39 for more.

READING - Samaritan Benevolence

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

This is a reading of the article "Samaritan Benevolence," written and read by Pastor Brett. You can read the article at https://westviewchurchmn.com/blog.

EXHORTATION - Consider the Covenant

Sun, 31 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

As a church, we read and affirm our covenant commitments to one another whenever we welcome new people into that relationship of accountability. We do well to consider the covenant and repent of those things that we have done that we ought not do or have left undone. Listen to Pastor David's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Contend, O LORD!

Sun, 31 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

All of us can have a default way of thinking about or relating to the Lord. However, we need to check that from time to time lest we have a deficient understanding of who God is. Psalm 35, among other imprecatory psalms, helps do that as it leads us to pray for vindication rather than vengeance. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

READING - Our Fall Trellis

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Here is an article titled, "Our Fall Trellis," written and read by Pastor Brett. You can read this article at https://westviewchurchmn.com/blog.

EXHORTATION - Regard None With Contempt

Sun, 24 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

There can be many reactions that one has to the sin of others. We can be shocked, grieved, appalled, sorrowful, or numerous other responses. But one thing we ought never respond with is contempt. The very grace we have been shown undercuts such contempt. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation to regard none with contempt for more.

SERMON - Because of You

Sun, 24 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The nation of Judah was sent into exile to be chastened by the LORD's covenant curses due to their persistent idolatry. And bearing that discipline was what the psalmist laments over in Psalm 102. Yet he laments discipline to the King who hears in the confidence of future praise and global hope. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Be Content in Abundance

Sun, 17 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Minnesotans are very familiar with the pastime of complaining about how bad roads are and how bad it is when they are being repaired. Even in the abundance of ease of transportation, we are prone to grumble in discontentment. But it isn't just roads. Listen to Toby's exhortation to be content in abundance for more.

SERMON - God the Creator, the Holy One, the King of Glory

Sun, 17 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Knock on the door of a top-ten YouTuber's HQ, and you will likely get no answer. If that person is inaccessible as famous as he is, does that mean God is just as inaccessible? Wonderfully, no. Rather, we seek God who is Creator, the Holy One, and the King of Glory. Listen to Dr. Joshua Greever's (Associate Professor of New Testament at Bethlehem College & Seminary) sermon on Psalm 24 for more.

SERMON - Rest Assured in Refuge

Sun, 10 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

If you are hiking up a mountain and get caught in a thunderstorm, it can be an unsettling experience. Do you press on up the mountain or turn back? If there is refuge to be found at the top, that is the place to run. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on Psalm 91 for more.

EXHORTATION - Stop Walking Like the Dead

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Imagine a newlywed husband describing the beauty and sweetness of their fiftieth wedding anniversary to his bride. Over the years, she cherishes and thinks often of this thought. All the while, she has slipped in realizing she is presently married. She has her husband now. We do similarly when we walk like the dead. Listen to Michael's exhortation for more.

SERMON - The Dreadful, Delightful, & Delivering Lord

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Psalm 36 draws attention to our need to recognize sin as sin. Our sin is rebellion against God that will be called to account and determine our eternal future. In our rebellion we have no fear of God, yet we behold God’s unimpeachable character to deliver and save. Wickedness from without and within is confronted by the righteous LORD unto destruction or deliverance. And our only hope is by faith to flee to the LORD for refuge. For God—our God—is the dreadful, delightful, and delivering LORD. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Psalm 36 for more.

READING - The Door-Knocker's Premises

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Here is an article titled, "The Door-Knocker's Premises," written and read by Pastor Brett. You can read this article at https://westviewchurchmn.com/blog.

EXHORTATION - Cry to the Lord

Sun, 27 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000

God loves to teach adults through the example of children. A child overwhelmed with frustration finds relief when she cries out to her mother for help. That is the very pattern God summons us to follow. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation to cry to the Lord for more.

SERMON - What About When I Don't Desire God?

Sun, 27 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000

In light of the command to rejoice in the Lord (Psalm 97:12, Joel 2:23, Philippians 4:4) and the fruit of the Spirit who produces joy (Galatians 5:22), does that mean if we are pursuing happiness that Christians ought always be on an emotional high? No, this happiness is not a trivial, chipper demeanor. It is one that is an undercurrent of confidence even when we don't desire God. Listen to Pastor David's sermon on Psalm 42 for more.

EXHORTATION - Confess Your Sins to One Another

Sun, 20 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000

One means of grace that we may take for granted is the confession of sin to one another. Each week in our public worship, we set aside time to confess our sin to the Lord. But James 5:16 commends us to "confess your sins to one another." Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - What About Self-Denial?

Sun, 20 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Pursuing joy is not optional because God's glory is not optional. But with all this talk about joy, what about the biblical call to self-denial? Such a call is patterned after Jesus, is never an end in itself, esteems eternity, and seeks the approval of Christ. Listen to Pastor David's sermon on Mark 8:34-38 for more.

EXHORTATION - Testifying to God's Faithfulness & the Need of Our Faithfulness

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000

As Westview marks its fifth anniversary as a church, listen to a few member testify of God's faithfulness and give attention to Pastor David's exhortation to adorn the doctrine of God through our own faithfulness.

SERMON - How Does the Gospel Bring Us Joy?

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000

You should be a hedonist. The God of the universe means for you to find unending pleasure in the only thing that can so satisfy: God himself. This is what the gospel is about. Do you make that connection between finding your satisfaction in God and the gospel? Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Peter 3:18 at the outdoor service marking Westview's fifth anniversary as a church.

EXHORTATION - Never Say No

Sun, 06 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Is there ever a situation or context where it is good and right for you to say, "No," to the Lord? Consider that our God made humanity in a "garden of yes" or that the Lord Jesus always said, "Yes," to his Father's will. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation to never say, "No."

SERMON - Does Pursuing Joy Undermine Love?

Sun, 06 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000

How is it that you decide to do what it is that you do? You could use a framework of comparative virtues and vices or one focused on adhering to stated rules. But could you make a decision from your own joy in doing the thing? Would such a motive undermine the inherent value or goodness of the deed? Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 2 Corinthians 8:1-7 and 9:6-8 to hear how we are encouraged to do good for others for our joy.

EXHORTATION - We Were Once Foolish

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Titus 3:1–7 roots our kindness toward others in the saving grace of God toward us. Listen to a parable of this in Pastor David's exhortation.

SERMON - Why Should We Seek Happiness?

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

There are two ways you can evaluate an idea or experience—you can look at it or you can look along it. In considering why we should seek happiness, we do well to do both as we are commanded, promised, and modeled to be most satisfied in God that he would be most glorified in us. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Philippians 1:20-23 for more.

READING - Finding Identity

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Here is an article titled, "Finding Identity," written and read by Annie Chase. You can read this article at https://westviewchurchmn.com/blog.

SERMON - Why Should We Worship?

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

If God needs nothing, ultimately acts for his own glory in all things, and eternally delights in himself, why should we worship? Listen to Pastor Zach's sermon on John 4:23-24 for more.

READING - Pursuing Joy in Generosity

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Here is an article titled, "Pursuing Joy in Generosity," written and read by Pastor Brett. You can read this article at https://westviewchurchmn.com/blog.

EXHORTATION - Fear the Wrath to Come

Sun, 15 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The wrath of God against sin was famously and rightly highlighted in Jonathan Edwards’ sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” We do well to reflect on such truths. Listen to Toby Phillips’ exhortation for more.

SERMON - How Does God Pursue Happiness?

Sun, 15 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Why are certain men called “father”? It isn’t a mere biological reality, nor is it a projection for us to refer to God as Father. Men are fathers because God is. And God is Father means he pursues happiness. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on John 17:24-26 and God’s delight in God for more.

READING - The Market Demand for Chaplains

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

We have begun publishing articles on our website, westviewchurchmn.com/blog. To make these resources more broadly accessible to our members, equipping you in following Christ in all of life, here is “The Market Demand for Chaplains” written and read by Pastor Brett.

EXHORTATION - Walk by the Spirit

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Are you walking according to the Spirit? How would you know? Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

[Tag: Romans 8:1-8, Galatians 5:16-26]

SERMON - What is God's Greatest Purpose?

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

"All men seek happiness." That is conclusion of 17th century philosopher Blaise Pascal. We experience happiness when we function according to our design. However, if we're going to do that, we need to know our Designer's purpose. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Ephesians 1:3-6 in answering the question, "What is God's greatest purpose?"

EXHORTATION - Keep in the Love

Sun, 01 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The brief book of Jude exhorts us to keep ourselves in the love of God by building, praying, and waiting. Doing so moves us to overflow in evangelistic joy, "snatching them out of the fire." But we are not left to ourselves to attain this—God is the one who keeps us (v.24). Listen to Gabe Johnson's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Hear the Prophet Joel

Sun, 01 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

As we listen to the prophet Joel, we hear him speak of devastating judgment, redeeming restoration, and sharing in the blessing that comes through repentance that is inward, outward, and Godward. Listen to this reading of the book of Joel and Pastor David's sermon on the whole book.

EXHORTATION - Do the Work

Sun, 25 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The commendation for being a fellow laborer is invalid if we do not commit ourselves to any activity sanctioned by Jesus for his disciples. We must exert ourselves in the things Scripture exhorts us in with gospel sweat. Listen to Pastor David's exhortation to do the work for more.

SERMON - Our Lord, Come!

Sun, 25 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Hell is real. Unity is hard. Christ is coming. In verses that can too easily be glossed over, we see the apostle brings 1 Corinthians to a close in a similar way to how he began it: giving attention the theological reality of God's blood-bought people and the preciousness of Christ himself. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 16:19-24 for more.

EXHORTATION - Confess Fully

Sun, 18 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

If you walk into a dirty room that is just utterly filthy, you will quickly recognize that the occupant needs to learn how to clean. The same is true in seeking and offering forgiveness. We can't just offer up a generic, "Sorry." We need to confess fully. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Act Like Men

Sun, 18 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

In a passage like 1 Corinthians 16:10-18, we need to do the diligent work of moving from the original context, across the bridge of the universal principle, in order to land on application for our lives. In doing so, we see we ought to be subject to fellow workers and act like men. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Be Wary of Discontentment

Mon, 12 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

There is a place for godly ambition—doing great things, daring great things in the name of the Lord. But we must not, particularly moms, be discontent with the simple faithfulness of our place in life. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Good News for the Worst of Sinners

Mon, 12 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Robert Moffat spent fifty-four years laboring for the advance of the gospel among the Tswana people of South Africa. He saw little fruit of his labors. What could keep him at such work for so long? The perfect patience of Christ to save sinners. Listen to Connor Kennedy's sermon on 1 Timothy 1:15-17 for more.

EXHORTATION - Don't Walk in Idleness

Sun, 04 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

We ought to be stirred up in our diligent labors by looking to the ant. It requires no parent, no supervisor, no authority, yet labors faithfully. Work is good, and no small work should be despised. Listen to Michael Urch's exhortation to not walk in idleness for more.

SERMON - Planned Generosity for Gospel Partnership

Sun, 04 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

You give it away and try to get more every day. You have argued about it, but you don’t talk about it with others. What is it? Money. The love of which is the root of all kinds of evils (1 Timothy 6:10). There are a number of ways to safeguard against such a danger, one of which is planned generosity for gospel partnership. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 16:1-9 for more.

EXHORTATION - Desire the Kingdom

Sun, 27 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Are you ready for the world to come? Are you ready to engage in that life that Christ has secured for eternity? There will be no one in Heaven who does not want to be there, so is there even now a growing desire for the Kingdom of God? Listen to Pastor David's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Therefore, Be Steadfast

Sun, 27 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000

"Preach the gospel, die, and be forgotten." Is that a motto you would ascribe to for your life? It comes from an 18th century German count who saw no disconnect between the resurrected Christ and the work to be done today. Neither does the Apostle Paul. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 15:58 to be challenged be steadfast in the hope of the resurrection by abounding in the work of the Lord knowing such work will not be in vain.

EXHORTATION - Do Not Covet

Sun, 20 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The Tenth Commandment might not be climactic but it is different as it takes place in the heart. What happens in your heart when a friend receives something good? Listen to Pastor Zach’s exhortation to not covet for more.

SERMON - The Victory Through Christ

Sun, 20 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000

When was the first time in your life you experienced death? How do you make sense of this world in light of the problem that is death? First Corinthians 15:51-57 not only provides the solution but provokes us to the boldness of confident hope that God is giving us the victory. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Do Not Steal

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Why is stealing wrong? Because when we take what we haven’t worked for and what we don’t deserve, we tarnish the image of God that we bear. And even if you’ve never shoplifted, you still might be a thief; stealing takes many forms, but it always robs God of something he has entrusted us or others to steward. Listen to this week’s exhortation from Toby Phillips for more.

SERMON - Wake Up!

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Wake up, and know your God! The reality of the resurrection of the dead transforms how God’s people live: we are to proclaim the resurrection through a life of sacrifice, and we have hope and contentment now as we fix our eyes on Christ, our ultimate treasure. Listen to Pastor Zach’s sermon on I Corinthians 15:29-34 to learn how to live in the knowledge of the resurrection.

EXHORTATION - Do Not Commit Adultery

Sun, 30 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The lifelong covenant of marriage is like a greenhouse that allows sexual expression to flourish and bear fruit. Meanwhile, adultery is a blight to the one-faith union, telling lies about the gospel. And lust is adultery in seed form. Listen to Pastor Zach’s exhortation on the Seventh Commandment to learn why our sexual behavior matters to God.

SERMON - Christ Has Been Raised

Sun, 30 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

As we grieve, lament, and question the pervasive presence of death in this world, our perspective is that of Mary and Martha: we wait between the promise of resurrection and its possession. But we do not wait in vain. Christ has in fact been raised from the dead, and his resurrection guarantees both the resurrection of all believers and the triumph of God’s kingdom. Listen to Pastor David’s sermon on I Corinthians 15:20-28 for more.

EXHORTATION - Do Not Murder

Sun, 23 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus intensifies the Sixth Commandment when he says any who are angry are liable to judgment. Murder begins at the heart and overflows from there. Its root is the disease of anger that can only be remedied by One who was so filled with love there was no room for anger. Listen to Michael Urch’s exhortation for more.

SERMON - If Christ is Not Raised

Sun, 23 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Omitting the resurrection from a presentation of the gospel is to leave the work of Christ without effect. There is no salvation if Christ is not raised. And that’s the claim we make by believing—or functioning as though—we all will not be raised. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on 1 Corinthians 15:11-19 for more.

EXHORTATION - Honor Your Parents

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The command to honor your father and mother is one to be obeyed throughout your life, not just when you are a child. This is because this commandment serves as a training ground for honoring the LORD who is the one to grant the promise associated with the command. Have you maximally honored your parents? Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Not in Vain

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Out of the frying pan and into the fire. One may think 1 Corinthians 15 marks a turn to a great exposition of the significance of the resurrection. It is, but Paul does so because the Corinthians do not merely have a church problem, they have a gospel problem. This gospel problem threatens to reveal that they believed in vain. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 for more.

EXHORTATION - Remember the Sabbath

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The Sabbath command has caused no little disagreement over its present day observation. But at the heart, the command to remember the Sabbath is a command to remember who it is that we rely on for our provision. Who is it that you are really trusting in? Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation to remember the Sabbath.

SERMON - Decently & Orderly

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Whether addressing little children, middle schoolers, or a legislative body, rules are responses. The stem from a particular situation to not be repeated or are a proactive attempt to steer the desired direction. The Apostle Paul provides gracious guidelines in 1 Corinthians 14:26-40 to direct churches to walk according to God's design of gatherings being decent and orderly. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

SERMON - Memento Mori

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Who gathers to talk about death—your own death? In contemporary culture, death has been pushed to the margin. Meanwhile, 150,000 people die every single day. Psalm 90:12 says we gain heart of wisdom when we learn to number our days. Listen to Pastor Zach's homily from the Memento Mori service.

EXHORTATION - Bear the Name Not in Vain

Sun, 02 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

A family will exhibit characteristics that give shape and definition to what it means to be a member of that family. The clearest example of this is a common last name. When a child is adopted, the last name is taken on. And this is what the Lord calls us to in bearing his name. Listen to Toby Phillips' exhortation to bear the name not in vain for more.

SERMON - Desirous But Discerning (Part 2)

Sun, 02 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Tools have a clear design and purpose. You can use a tool for an undesigned purpose, but using the right tool for the right job works far better. The same is true in our zeal and desire for spiritual things. Rather than fixate on all receiving the same gift all the time—like how some Christians have regarded the gift of tongues—we ought to desire any gift that the Spirit deems best for the building up of the common good. Listen to Pastor Brett's second sermon on 1 Corinthians 14:1-25 for more on this gift of tongues.

EXHORTATION - Make No Idol

Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

In the incident with the golden calf, we see the difference between the First and Second Commandments. God is not only concerned with who we worship but how we worship. Our God is rightly jealous for the worship that is due to him alone. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation to make no idol for more.

SERMON - Desirous But Discerning (Part 1)

Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

If you believe Jesus of Nazareth is God who became man and rose from the dead after being professionally executed, why can it feel like such a stretch to believe that God can lead a Christian to communicate in a way suited for the encouragement of others? The "flaw of the excluded middle" helps explain our hesitation to especially desire that we would prophesy. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 14:1-25 for more.

SERMON - When the Perfect Comes

Sun, 16 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Like the Corinthians, we think too highly of our gifts and ourselves and too little of one another—and certainly too little of glory. The gifts of the Spirit, they are partial and will give way to the perfect, to completion. So, we need our gaze drawn upward to that world of love that it would flow back upstream into our experience together here and now. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 13:8-13.

EXHORTATION - Think More of God

Sun, 09 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

You are standing at the kitchen sink doing dishes, grumbling to yourself about the overcooked chicken. The murmuring multiplies, fixating on the mess, the laundry, the homework. In that moment, you're not thinking about the majesty, awe, and glory of our great God. Is there any point when you are most tempted to sin where you are in that moment thinking more of God? Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation to think more of God.

SERMON - The Beauty of Love

Sun, 09 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The absence of love divests spiritual gifts of their value. Love is imperative, but what is it? It's not defined by the one who wields it. If we are going to be governed by love, we need to understand its source, beauty, and practice. Listen to Pastor David's sermon on 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 for more.

EXHORTATION - Remember Lot’s Wife

Sun, 02 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Our varied roles and positions will not be enough to save us, and we will have no hope if our focus is on preserving our own lives. Rather, God must be our treasure. Christ will have your whole heart or have you in Hell. What things in this world do you cling to most? Listen to Gabe Johnson's exhortation to remember Lot's wife for more.

SERMON - But Have Not Love

Sun, 02 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

There is a stage of parenting where if dad says, “Kids, it’s eight o’clock. Time to go!,” there is a high probability that he will hear the reply, “No, it’s 7:57, Dad.” “Ok. That’s not the point. Get in the car!” The Apostle Paul may have a similar response to how 1 Corinthians 13 is regarded today—quoted at so many weddings as "The Love Chapter." But is that the point? Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 for more.

EXHORTATION - Look to Jesus

Sun, 26 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Many have experienced or known someone who has wrestled deeply with doubt. It has even led some to reject Christianity altogether. Doubt is not a good place to remain—it is an unstable double-mindedness. We need not hide our doubt nor flaunt it. And when we find it, we ought to look to Jesus to find the light of the knowledge of the glory of God. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

SERMON - You Are the Body of Christ

Sun, 26 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

We face threats from without and from within. One internal threat is disunity. It starts innocuously, a preference for that person or this style. But sprinkle in some gossip with a helping of pride and marinade that in some bitterness, and a church can be divided into camps. Add in the elevation of certain personalities to the marginalization of others, and you get Corinthian confusion. Paul undermines disunity within a local church by applying a gospel solution in God's sovereign, wise, and good design of the body. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 for more.

EXHORTATION - Obey the Lord Jesus

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

When the Spirit works in someone to profess, "Jesus is Lord," that requires obeying him. Our hearts are prone to wander, and we must repent when they do. Where have you done in disobedience to the Lord Jesus? What have you left undone that he would have you do? Listen to Pastor David's exhortation to obey the Lord Jesus for more.

SERMON - For the Common Good (Part 2)

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Fire shows up in the in two dramatic ways for Israel after leaving Egypt: the pillar of fire in the wilderness imparting God's preserving presence and the "strange fire" that Nadab and Abihu offered resulting in judgment. When we consider the gifts of the Spirit and their place today, which kind of fire are they more like? Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 for more.

EXHORTATION - Listen to God's Voice, Not Fear's

Sun, 12 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

There are many settings where fear's voice is loud, saying something you value is under threat. Fear has a voice but should never make your choice. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation to listen to God's voice, not Fear's.

SERMON - For the Common Good (Part 1)

Sun, 12 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

You have need of endurance. That's the overarching message for a passage that is focused on for its secondary implications. Paul doesn't want us led astray from Christ, being helped by the Spirit's gifts. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 for more.

EXHORTATION - Come Early

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Churches can laugh off arriving late as something akin to operating by "Westview Time" or individuals saying they are not a morning person. And while coming late to public worship is much more to be desired than not coming at all, there are distinct benefits to not only arriving on time but coming early. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for seven motives to come early to public worship.

SERMON - Persevering Prayer

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Scripture and prayer going together. Reading Scripture without praying is the road to dead orthodoxy, and praying without reading the Bible is the road to paganism. Jesus is eager for us to pray and not lose heart that we would be ready for his return and overcome worldliness. Persevering prayer is a privilege in accomplishing God's mission. Listen to Pastor David's sermon on Luke 18:1-8 for more.

EXHORTATION - Reassess Your Use of Time

Sun, 29 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The use and allocation of our time is the substance of our faith. Peter says the time that is passes suffices for all manner of sin, and Paul exhorts us to make the best use of the time because the days are evil. At this point in the year, reassess your use of time. Listen to Pastor David's exhortation to do so and give it careful consideration.

SERMON - To the Teaching & the Testimony!

Sun, 29 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

A particular glory of winter are the earlier hours when the stars are visible. Can you fathom your life depending on navigating by them? As we turn the calendar to a new year, it is good to take our bearings from the firmament of God's Word and make the necessary course corrections. We cannot follow our hearts into judgment but must flee to the teaching and to the testimony! Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Isaiah 8:16-22 for more.

SERMON - Poverty for Riches

Tue, 24 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The incarnation we celebrate at Christmas was the act of Jesus whereby our poverty became his, and his riches became ours. This great exchange was initiated when Christ conveyed grace in becoming poor though he was rich so that we—all who look by faith for the long-expected Jesus—we become rich in the communion of untainted fellowship with God himself. Listen to Pastor Brett's Christmas Eve homily on 2 Corinthians 8:9 for more.

EXHORTATION - Be of Good Cheer

Sun, 22 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

It's good to take an old phrase every now and then and dust it off. Would you ever tell a man paralyzed, a group fearful of a fierce storm, or those facing persecution, "Be of good cheer!"? Yet there is nothing like a Christian of good cheer. Listen to Michael's exhortation for more.

SERMON - O Little Town of Bethlehem

Sun, 22 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The familiar carol "O Little Town of Bethlehem" may conjure up a serene view in our imaginations, but the prophecy it is derived from is less so. A people were up against a formidable foe and the certainty of exile. What good is a call to repentance and promise of far away king? The same could be asked of us as we too see rampant evil and no guarantee we will live to see it end. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Micah 5:2-3 for more.

EXHORTATION - Take Care How You Hear

Sun, 15 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Over the course of a Christian's life, many sermons will be heard. It is rather simple to hear much. It can also be easy to listen for what others may need to benefit from. But you need to take care how you hear, that you might hear for the good of your own soul. Listen to Pastor David's exhortation for more.

SERMON - To Us a Child is Born

Sun, 15 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." Those well known words of commission from the end of Matthew's gospel are not just a powerful motive or fitting conclusion. They are a necessary bookend to a gospel that conveys the coming of long-expected king. An expectation that was built in part by Isaiah's prophecy in Isaiah 9. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Isaiah 9:6-7 for more.

EXHORTATION - Digest the Word

Sun, 08 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

You sit down to partake of a wonderful feast, but you don't chew the food. You don't digest it all. What gain would you receive? Do this over weeks, and you would be malnourished. The same is true if we take in sermons, Bible reading, and songs if there is no meditation. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation to digest the Word.

SERMON - The Virgin-Born Immanuel

Sun, 08 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

A photo of an alpine lake surrounded by mountains looks like it is a solid wall of rock. In reality, the mountain peaks are miles apart. When you look at the glorious peaks of the sign of a virgin-born son, we can see it with the same kind of perspective. When we do, we see that both Isaiah and Matthew direct our gaze to the salvation that comes through judgment. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Isaiah 7:14 for more.

EXHORTATION - Rehearse the Truth

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

All the world is a stage, and we are players in it. Do you know your role in it? Yes, that includes knowing your lines, but you need to do them. However, on this stage, we don't have the full script the Author has written. We need to prepare and be ready when our time to act comes. Listen to Michael Urch's exhortation to rehearse the truth for more.

SERMON - A Star of Jacob, A Scepter of Israel

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

A significant contributor to the nostalgia we experience each December are the familiar things: traditions, songs, foods, etc. That is true as well for the Scripture passages we come back to time and again each December. But what are these prophecies really about? Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Numbers 24:17 and the expectation of a kingly star that would be seen by the magi of Matthew 2.

EXHORTATION - Pursue Godliness With Contentment

Sun, 24 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

As you gather with family and friends around your Thanksgiving table, there is plenty of fuel for discontentment: jealousy over another's material success, pride over political victory, envy of giftedness not possessed. Such discontentment might even seek to twist the gospel into a means of gain. Consider instead Eric's exhortation to pursue godliness with contentment.

SERMON - Serving Not Themselves But You

Sun, 24 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

What is the Bible? In all of its diversity and distance from our place in history and geography, why do we give it the focus and consideration that we do? Ahead of our Advent sermon series, “Foretold: The Prophecies of Advent,” why do we read the Old Testament Scriptures and have a worthwhile connection? Listen to Pastor David’s sermon on 1 Peter 1:10-12 for more.

EXHORTATION - Go Beyond Fellowship

Sun, 17 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Is the essence of "friendship" clicking a button to associate profiles online? Certainly not. But it also goes beyond casual time together at activities or events. If we will love the not-yet-glorified church, we must pursue biblical friendship. And that likely will entail repenting of self-focused fears. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - The Heart of the Lord's Supper

Sun, 17 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

If the President pardoned inmates and invited them to a banquet, it is right for him to be angry if some are prohibited from joining while others lack all decorum and decency at the buffet line. A similar scenario was playing out in Corinth as the church abused the gift of the Lord's Supper. But the foundational issue is that they missed the heart of the Supper. Listen to Pastor David's sermon on 1 Corinthian 11:17-34 for more.

EXHORTATION - Love the (Not-Yet-Glorified) Church

Sun, 10 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Love is not one of our aims—love is the aim. Yet what is it that we are loving? Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, "He who loves his dream of a community more than the Christian community itself becomes a destroyer of the latter." Jesus loved the not-yet-glorified Church by dying for her while still sinners. Will you? Listen to Pastor David's exhortation for more.

SERMON - The Glory of Differentiated Worship

Sun, 10 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

After the fall of the Roman Empire, Benedict of Nursius formed Christian communities that preserved what was good, true, and beautiful through the Dark Ages. Our time may not be so bleak, but what good do we do our neighbors if our gatherings are shaped by their values? The Church must hold out something better, something different. We cultivate a compelling counter-culture by embracing the glory of differentiated worship as men and as women. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 11:4-16 for more.

EXHORTATION - Immerse in the Work of Christ

Sun, 03 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus told the demon-possessed man of the Gerasenes to "declare how much God has done for you." While his story may be hard for us to relate to, we all once were "following the prince of the power of the air." We have as much motive to declare God's work for us, if we will immerse ourselves in it. Listen to Gabe Johnson's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Men, Women, & Christ Our Head

Sun, 03 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

There is a decided effort to undermine our free exercise of religion by limiting it to a freedom to worship. It is a subtle shift. It is one that does not want to see Christians following Christ in all of life. Yet as we look at 1 Corinthians 11:2-16, we see God's design for men and women does touch all of life. It is a design that we ought to glory in. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Beware Your Own Heart

Sun, 20 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0000

A houseplant withers, looking like it needs watering. However, a week goes by and the leaves drop, revealing it has actually been overwatered. Are our hearts not the same? They express a craving for something that actually will only be detrimental. They aren't reliable but are deceptively wicked. Who can know them? Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Flee From Idolatry

Sun, 20 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Fifty years ago Francis Schaeffer identified two impoverished values our culture was moving to embrace as it abandoned a biblical outlook on the world: personal peace and affluence. Such values have only been set aflame since, giving rise to full fledged expressive individualism. What is the Christian response? Flee from such idolatry. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 10:14-22 for more.

SERMON - Take Heed Lest You Fall

Sun, 13 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Hiking to the top of a canyon overlook with four young children and a fresh, thin coating of slick snow—it is no surprise to hear a father warn of the danger of presuming to have good footing lest you fall. That very danger is present in our engagement with culture and its idols as well. It is a point the Apostle Paul makes by looking to the example of Israel in the wilderness. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 for more.

EXHORTATION - Pursue Pure & Undefiled Religion

Sun, 06 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0000

As we reflect on our own Christian lives in witnessing baptism, what is it that is pleasing to God? What would the Lord have mark us as we walk faithfully before him? James 1:27 says it is to visit orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep yourself free from the stain of the world. Does such compassion and holiness so mark your life? Listen to Pastor David's exhortation to pursue pure and undefiled religion for more.

EXHORTATION - Be Satisfied With Full Maturity

Sun, 29 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

What parent would celebrate the benchmark of potty training and be content for their child to stay at that level of maturity? Neither is the Lord satisfied until we are fully mature in Christ. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation to be satisfied with full maturity.

SERMON - All for the Gospel

Sun, 29 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Living with purpose and significance will undermine both the disillusionment of lesser "gospels" and the boredom of a ho-hum Christianity. That is, if purpose and significance is found in doing all for the gospel. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 for more.

EXHORTATION - Make Sunday Coffee

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The coffee in your cup is quite the story. It takes scores of people and industries to get the handful of seeds from Kenya all the way to being brewed in your cup. When we gather for public worship, there similarly are many people and processes involved. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation to make Sunday like coffee and consider one another unto love and good works.

SERMON - Building a Ground for Boasting

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Our culture is beholden to "rights"—voting rights, animal rights, civil rights, women's rights, human rights. We clamor and vie for our rights. But what if there was something more important than rights? Something that would make "my rights" diminish, being eclipsed by something greater? Listen to Pastor David's sermon on 1 Corinthians 9:15-18 to see why the Apostle Paul has been so eager to establish rights, what reward he seeks, and what we ought to learn from his example.

EXHORTATION - Lay Aside Gossip

Sun, 15 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The end goal of our exhortations is not conviction but transformation. We want not merely feel remorse but holiness. That change needs to come to our speech as well. Do you relish the denigration of a person's character? Do you share derogetory information about someone in a tone of confidentiality? Listen to Pastor David's exhortation to lay aside gossip for more.

SERMON - Forgo Your Rights

Sun, 15 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

You have probably made a poor decision if you hear the words, "You have the right to remain silent." It would be wise to make use of that right, but is there ever a time it is good to forgo your rights? If it means not putting an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ, yes! Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 9:1-14 for more.

EXHORTATION - Pray in Private

Sun, 08 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

What is the one practice in the Christian life where if you did it, it would have the single greatest impact on your walk with Christ? What is it? What is the one thing whereby if you devoted yourself to it, this one thing would have the most outsized impact on your progress in holiness? J.C. Ryle says it is the habit of diligent private prayer. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation to pray in private for more.

EXHORTATION - Memorize Long Passages of Scripture

Sun, 01 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

This year the kids in our Discipleship Classes will be memorizing Romans 8. Will you join them in committing to memory longer sections of God's Word? Having a storehouse of verses to meditate on is good but how much richer to have an entire chapter to chew on to get the full context and import that a verse cannot convey. Listen to Pastor David's exhortation for more.

SERMON - There is One God

Sun, 01 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

"Hear O Israel, the LORD your God, the LORD is one." That is the central confession of the Old Testament, found in Deuteronomy 6:4, that undergirds and gives rise to the only right response, "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." And it is what Paul has in mind as he turns to address another church problem by reframing the problem and giving a reorienting principle. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 8:1-6 for more.

EXHORTATION - Seek Praise to Stop Seeking Praise

Sun, 25 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

It seems like wherever you make a commercial interaction, it must be followed up by some review, evaluation, survey, response to provide feedback. But this isn't just an attribute of businesses, we all do it. We all look for approval and affirmation. We all look for praise. How can we get out from under the controlling force of others' opinions? Seek praise to stop seeking praise. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - God's Glory and the Hope of the World

Sun, 25 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

We are all on a persistent quest for what is new. There is an allure to it that summons us. It's a desire that goes back millennia. And it is one we see spoken to in Psalm 96 as the psalmist draws attention to God's new plan: to judge in righteousness. And the right response to this new plan is to sing, acknowledge, and rejoice. Listen to Jon Hoglund, Associate Professor of Theology & Global Studies at Bethlehem College & Seminary, as he declares from Psalm 96 that the LORD reigns.

EXHORTATION - Seek God's Presence

Sun, 18 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

"Daddy, be close!" The plea of a child for the presence of her father is a call for comfort. Is that not what should be our plea to our Father in Heaven? And yet so often we clamor for comfort from a couch, YouTube, food, drink—where do you turn by impulse for comfort? Listen to Eric Simpson's exhortation to seek God's presence for more.

SERMON - The Man at God's Right Hand

Sun, 18 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Stargazing is an awe-inspiring activity but one that requires a fixed starting point. The constellations we are familiar with in the northern hemisphere would not be visible in the southern hemisphere or from another point in space. Similarly, seeing Scripture rightly requires a fixed starting point: Jesus Christ. This is no clearer than in Psalm 110. Listen to Pastor David's sermon for more as we consider the King, the Priest, and the Warrior of this most-cited psalm.

SERMON - In Keeping With Repentance

Sun, 11 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

We are all hedonists at heart. We do what we think will bring us the most happiness. It is part of our design that is meant for us to pursue our joy in God’s blessing. Psalm 32 holds out to us the path to such blessing. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Don't Be a Hypocrite

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

No one respects a hypocrite. The key to avoid being one is to obey first God's command for yourself before correcting your brother or sister with what they need to do to obey the Lord. This is all the more important (and challenging) in relationships of authority and honor. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Kiss The Son

Sun, 04 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

We can think of the Psalms mainly about encouraging and comforting us. Yet the introduction to the Psalter highlights their focus on living righteously in all of life's circumstances devoted to God's Word and God's King. But we will miss the main thing about Psalm 2 if we only look at it in the context of Judah's dynasty. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Pray for One Another

Sun, 28 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

All Christians are saints, set apart for God. Let us follow Christ's example in John 17 and pray for one another. He was praying not for himself but for those who would believe in him. What a great encouragement it would be to know the church is laboring in prayer with God's help for one another. Listen to Michael Urch's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Undivided Devotion

Sun, 28 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

We see Paul's response to a question about those engaged to be married. Should they go through with it, considering his teaching that singleness provides an opportunity to serve Christ undivided? Both are permitted, Paul insists, and you do well in either case. Listen to Pastor David’s sermon on 1 Corinthians 7:25-40 for more.

EXHORTATION - Know Your Role

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The prophet Nathan told a story to King David to reveal the part he had played. We too readily assume we’re the hero of our own story. Yet, knowing our role equips us to play it faithfully. Listen to Pastor Zach’s exhortation for more.

SERMON - Remain as You Are—With God

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Surely the call to Christ would require a complete reorientation of life to a new vocation, right? Not so, says Paul. Rather, remain as you are, holding in tension contentment and ambition by abiding with God. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 for more.

EXHORTATION - Pay What You Vow

Sun, 14 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

As we reaffirm our covenant commitments as members of one another, it is good for us to not be rash with our mouths, nor let our hearts be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and we are on earth (Ecclesiastes 5:2). We make such commitments to one another before the face of God. Listen to Pastor David exhort us to pay what you vow for more.

SERMON - Divorce Undercuts the Gospel

Sun, 14 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

God designed established marriage to be a life-long, exclusive relationship between one man and one woman. He did so to communicate the beauty of the gospel in the union of Christ with his Bride. That is why divorce wreaks havoc on the communication of the gospel. Too often focus is on the exceptions rather than the norm when it comes to divorce, yet Pastor Brett points us to the focus of 1 Corinthians 7:10-16 on preserving marriages.

EXHORTATION - You Can Do All Things

Sun, 07 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Like the Church of Corinth, we have our own slogans. One familiar one is, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." And you can—you ought to do all things. But not how it is often thought of. Paul is commending the spiritual secret he has learned, that rare jewel of contentment. Jeremiah Burroughs described it as a gracious disposition that submits to God's wisdom. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation to learn contentment for more.

SERMON - To the Unmarried

Sun, 07 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

A ceramic pig dressed as a chef was irreparably broken. Have you been told—or believed—promises about marriage that have similarly crashed and shattered? Living married has clear instruction. Being gifted to be contentedly unmarried has its merits. But what about being unmarried yet desiring to be? That is a hard place to be, especially in a cultural context when so much was promised if you only ____ . Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 7:6-9 for more.

EXHORTATION - Give, Don’t Take Glory

Sun, 30 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

If the chief end of man is to glorify God, then we dare not seek glory for ourselves. Ananias and Sapphira sought their own glory and paid for it with their lives. Listen to Toby Phillips’ exhortation to give and not take glory.

SERMON - To the Married

Sun, 30 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Cocaine isn’t all bad. It can be used for good purposes. And the body and its use in the full enjoyment of marriage isn’t bad. It is a gift to be enjoyed with guidelines. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on 1 Corinthians 7:1-5 for more.

EXHORTATION - Honor your Father and Mother like the Rechabites

Sun, 23 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The legacy of the Rechabites is a less prominent account found in Jeremiah 35. They honored their father and were promised to never lack a man to stand before the Lord. Listen to Pastor Zach’s exhortation that we might honor like Rechabites.

SERMON - Glorify God in Your Body

Sun, 23 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Stretching back to Plato, through Corinth, past Descartes, and to our very experience is an assumed schism between the virtuous immaterial and inferior material. And it’s destructive, being used as a cover for sin, especially sexual immorality. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on 1 Corinthians 6:15-20 for more.

EXHORTATION - Exceed the Faithfulness of Asa

Sun, 16 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

King Asa was a good king of Judah. He made many reforms that served the right worship of God. Yet he didn’t go all the way; he left many of the places of idolatry. Listen to Pastor Brett’s exhortation to exceed the faithfulness of Asa.

SERMON - Slogans of Sin

Sun, 16 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Catchy phrases and quippy slogans are not a modern development of propaganda. The most clever versions are tough to deny initially. Yet getting past the yard sign or bumper sticker, their often insidious nature is revealed. Listen to Pastor Zach’s sermon on 1 Corinthians 6:12-14 for more.

EXHORTATION - A Cause Like Ancient Stone

Sun, 09 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Walking through a centuries-old European city, you'll see the stark contrast of allegiances in a single building. There etched in the foundation, "To the Glory of God Alone," while flapping in the ephemeral wind is the fleeting exaltation of Self. Listen to Pastor David's exhortation to not be "carried about by every wind of doctrine" for more.

SERMON - Such Were Some of You

Sun, 09 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

It is moral insanity to rebel against God over and over, expecting never to meet judgment. It is moral insanity to call good that which is evil. It is moral insanity when so-called Christians and pseudo-pastors attempt to gaslight us when God's Word is clear. Yet we don't look down on moral insanity as though we're better, because we recognize that such were we apart from the grace of God. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 for more.

SERMON - Fight Like Jesus

Sun, 02 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

It is unbecoming of Christians to resolve their conflicts by airing them before non-Christians, whether in formal lawsuits or the court of public opinion. It would be far better for a Christian to be defrauded by a fellow Christian than to do so. That is the gospel way Jesus modeled. Listen to seminary apprentice Ben Aurich on 1 Corinthians 6:1-8 for more.

EXHORTATION - Come to Jesus

Sun, 26 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In the face of sin, hardship, and suffering, we look to turn to something, anything that will provide rest, comfort, strength, and salvation. It is so tempting to run to other gods, whatever form they may take. Instead, come to Jesus and find that he provides rest for your soul. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation to be provoked to repent of ways you turn to other gods rather than come to Jesus.

SERMON - Judging Outsiders & Insiders

Sun, 26 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000

If the Minnesota Legislature had passed the "Equal Rights Amendment" and voters approved it and the legal cover provided for the abortion and LGBTQ agendas, would it be necessary for Christians to flee to conservative havens? Or, do we judge outsiders? Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 to see how Paul calls for us to not judge outsiders but insiders, especially when there is persistent, unrepentant sin.

EXHORTATION - Repentance Unto Life

Sun, 19 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Are you sensing the word of God charging you with guilt? Repent! Repentance to life involves changing allegiance from personal autonomy to the authority of Jesus Christ. This is the transformation from the old self to the new. Listen as Pastor David exhorts us to bow our knees to Jesus to save us.

SERMON - You Really Are Unleavened

Sun, 19 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Overlooking others’ sins can feel like a gracious response, but when we allow sin to go unchecked in the church, we choose cheap grace over Christ, our Passover lamb. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on 1 Corinthians 5:1-8 to learn how cleansing sin from among us involves applying gospel solutions to church problems.

SERMON - Imitate Me

Sun, 12 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Who is disciplining you? We are always watching and learning from someone, taking in examples of how to live—and it matters whom we imitate. In I Corinthians 4:14-21, Paul seeks the fruitfulness of the Corinthian church when he asks them to be imitators of him rather than being discipled by arrogant boasters. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon to learn how imitation entails admonition, instruction, and demonstration.

EXHORTATION - Receive the Word as a Flower, Not a Weed

Sun, 05 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000

What is a dandelion, a weed or a flower? The distinction is if it is desired and not competing with other cultivated plants. When you read God’s Word, and it stings, will you regard it as a weed—unwanted and competing with other desires—or as the flower it is? Listen to Pastor Brett’s exhortation for more.

SERMON - Boasting Only in Christ

Sun, 05 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000

As Paul rounds out his argument against divisions in the church, he takes aim in love to pop the balloon of pride we each are inclined to cling to. Listen to Jared Compton, associate professor at Bethlehem College & Seminary, on 1 Corinthians 4:6-13 for more.

SERMON - Union is Intimate

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000

If you knew you would die tomorrow, what would you want to say to your loved ones? And what would you pray? In John 17, Jesus prays to his heavenly Father and challenges the disciples’ expectations of what his work will accomplish for them and for all who would believe in him. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on John 17:20-26 to learn how our unity in Christ reflects the intimate unity of the triune God.

EXHORTATION - Contribute to the Needs of the Saints

Sun, 28 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000

As the body of Christ, we have the privilege and responsibility to take ownership of one another’s needs. Whether these needs are financial, physical, or relational, we are to take them on as if they were our own—knowing that Jesus took ownership of our needs so that we might partake of his fullness. Listen as Pastor David exhorts us to contribute to the needs of the saints.

EXHORTATION - Pursue Godly Ambition

Sun, 21 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Your most valuable resource is your time, and your time is what will constitute your life. By using the present time to make much of Christ, we set in motion the lasting future impact of a life lived to the glory of God. As British missionary C.T. Studd wrote, “Only one life, twill soon be past / Only what’s done for Christ will last.” Listen as Pastor Brett exhorts us to pursue godly ambition.

SERMON - Union is Vital

Sun, 21 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000

What is true Christianity? Both inside and outside of the church, there’s confusion on how to answer this question. “True religion is a union of the soul to God,” wrote 17th-century minister Henry Scougal, and in John 15, Jesus uses the metaphor of a vineyard to illustrate this living and abiding union. Listen to Pastor David’s sermon on John 15:1-11 to learn more about the nature, practice, and result of the Christian’s union with Christ.

EXHORTATION - Flee the Sin of Idleness

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Idleness is not only a sin itself, but it can also serve as an open door that welcomes other sins into our lives and hearts. As J.C. Ryle warns, “Idleness is the devil’s best friend”—many sins would not have had a chance to tempt us were we not idle first. Listen as Pastor Zach exhorts us to flee the sin of idleness.

SERMON - Union is Fundamental

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000

When we are united to Christ, we have a union that leads to life. But if we refuse the guilt of Adam—a union that leads to death—we can’t claim Christ as our representative. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on Romans 5:12-6:11 to learn more about the reality of being dead to sin and alive in Christ.

EXHORTATION - Give to Everyone who Begs From You

Sun, 07 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus implores his followers to give generously to everyone who asks of them. We must not ask whether they deserve it before giving to people in need. If you are only generous to those you consider the deserving core, you do not understand the depth of your sins or the Grace of God. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation on giving to everyone who begs from you.

SERMON - Union is the Plan & Goal

Sun, 07 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000

What would you say is the most central doctrine of the Christian faith? The doctrine of our union with Christ is the most central doctrine. It is, as a number of theologians have described it, the central hub of a wheel that all other doctrines related to our salvation are connected to. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Ephesians 1:3-14 for an introduction into this doctrine.

EXHORTATION - What do You Deserve?

Sun, 31 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

What do we deserve? What we deserve is to have God's face turned away from us. We deserve to hear the guilty verdict passed before the judgment seat of the maker of Heaven and Earth. But God gave us what we did not deserve, namely Jesus. Listen to Pastor David exhort us on the things we don't deserve, yet God, through His mercy, gave us everything we didn't deserve.

SERMON - Joyful Unto Life

Sun, 31 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

There is much to celebrate on Easter Sunday. There is so much joy to be had on Easter Sunday morning. The question is: why do we celebrate? On what basis do you find joy on Easter morning? Listen to Pastor Brett's message on how Jesus was joyful unto life through three questions: What, So What, and Now What?

SERMON - Sorrowful Unto Death

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

What do you tell people who are suffering in the world? What do you tell people who want their sorrows to be redeemed? Nothing addresses suffering like Christianity because no other belief has Jesus Christ. In Jesus Christ, we see the greatest suffering in history accomplishing God's greatest purpose in history. Listen to Pastor Zach's message on the sorrow of Jesus as we trust him with our sorrows.

EXHORTATION - Be Courageous

Sun, 24 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Nobody wants to be a coward. We love to identify with the brave heroes of our favorite stories, yet the seeds of courage are sown not in bold actions witnessed by others but rather in the quiet work of putting to death the secret sins of our hearts. Godly courage in public begins with godly courage in private. Listen as Pastor Zach exhorts us to be courageous.

SERMON - When People are Small & God is Big

Sun, 24 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Whose approval do you seek as you endure in faithfulness? The dopamine hits of social media have discipled us to fear what others think, but when followers of Christ look to Christ for our commendation, we cultivate a proper perspective of both the praise of man and the coming judgment of God. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 to learn how a faithful steward views the praise of others in God-honoring smallness.

EXHORTATION - Do Not Be Slothful in Zeal

Sun, 17 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The apostle Paul encouraged all believers to pursue and intensify their zeal. In his words, it is a trait that should be fanned into flame. Hence, it is important to ask ourselves, where does our zeal lie? Listen as Pastor David exhorts us not to be lazy or indifferent about our zeal.

SERMON - All is Yours

Sun, 17 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The "divine right of kings" was a political doctrine that established the ultimate authority of European monarchies in the 17th and 18th centuries. The attending pomp and circumstance of royalty gave much to loyal subjects to boast in. Yet Christians have a royal claim in Christ leading Paul to declare, "All is yours!" Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 3:18-23 for more.

EXHORTATION - Sing Praise to God

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Where there is a worshiper, there is a singer. Forgetting that our hearts are always singing praise to someone or something, we often have a small view of the importance of expressing our worship of God through song. Listen as Michael Urch exhorts us to sing praise to God, for he is pleased to hear us.

SERMON - Building on the One Foundation

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

We live in a day marked by great carelessness—in particular, a carelessness toward the truth. We are unconcerned by it. But, as Paul makes clear in 1 Corinthians, we work in vain if we build on any foundation other than the truth of the Gospel. Listen to Pastor David’s sermon on 1 Corinthians 3:10-17 to learn four reasons we should take care to build on the foundation of Jesus Christ.

EXHORTATION - Follow the Heart of Christ

Sun, 03 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Be aware of the Disney gospel that tells you to follow your sinful heart. Don't follow your heart unless your heart is following Christ. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation on the importance of following the heart of Christ.

SERMON - Mature in Holiness

Sun, 03 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Through justification, God declares righteous the ungodly, and through sanctification, God works in us, making us into the image of Christ. The apostle Paul calls us to mature in holiness. Listen to Pastor David's message on Justification and Sanctification as we mature in righteousness.

EXHORTATION - Delight in the Word

Sun, 18 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Our motivation—or lack of motivation—to give God the first and best of our time corresponds to our appreciation for his Word. If we think of Scripture as outdated or confusing, why would we look to it in the morning? Listen to Pastor Brett’s exhortation to delight in the Word.

SERMON - The Humility of Mature Wisdom

Sun, 18 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Christ or Corinth? We can’t have both, and choosing the worldly wisdom of Corinth results in the divisiveness that Paul addresses in the Corinthian church. Instead of resting in the wisdom of this age, Paul would have the church fully mature in Christ by living fully in light of the gospel, humbly resting in the wisdom of Christ. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on I Corinthians 2:6-11 to learn more.

EXHORTATION - Give God your First and Best

Sun, 11 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

What is the first thing that you do when you wake up? Check your notifications? Read the news? Make coffee? Studies show our most consistent habits are those that are done first in the day. It won't be the same as David, but we will prepare a sacrifice of praise for God in the morning (Psalm 5:3). Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation to give God your first and best.

SERMON - The Counter-Culture

Sun, 11 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

It is remarkable that God is pleased to use unremarkable efforts to share the gospel to effect eternal change in the souls of sinners. In fact, it is by sharing the counter-cultural gospel that we hold out the hope of the counter-culture. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 to be encouraged in your evangelistic efforts.

EXHORTATION - Imitate the Delight of Augustine

Sun, 04 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

"You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in you." Augustine of Hippo experienced a stunning conversion to follow Christ rather than his carnal lusts and fruitless joys. He found Christ to be his "sovereign joy," that truly God's presence is where pleasure is found forevermore. Listen to Pastor David's exhortation to imitate the delight of Augustine.

SERMON - Boast in Christ Crucified

Sun, 04 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

What is the gospel? It's a simple question that could be answered with all kinds of complexity. One of the simplest answers is: Christ crucified. It's an answer that people the world over regard as folly. Yet, the folly of Christ crucified is powerful to make united fools of Christ. Christ will make all of us fools in one respect or another. Which kind will you be? Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 1:22-31 for more.

EXHORTATION - Look on No Vile Thing

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The word “idolatry” might bring to mind the statues and high places described in the Old Testament, but worthless idols come in many forms. When we look to created things rather than the Creator for our hope, happiness, significance, and security, we are chasing after idols. To learn how idolatry begins with beholding, listen to Pastor Brett’s exhortation to “look on no vile thing.”

SERMON - The Folly of the Cross

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

How does the gospel relate to human wisdom? And more specifically, why is worldly wisdom detrimental to the faith and unity of the church? Paul addresses these questions as he responds to not only the divisions in the Corinthian church but also the source of their disunity. Listen to Pastor David’s sermon on 1 Corinthians 1:18-21 for more.

EXHORTATION - Don’t Go to Egypt

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The people of Israel added sin to sin by rejecting the LORD and looking for security from Egypt. Isaiah 30:1-3 says it was the act of stubborn children that resulted in shame. Listen to Pastor Zach’s exhortation to not go down to Egypt.

SERMON - The Cross of Christ for Quarrels

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Quarrels and even divisions are understandable among a group of sinners like a local church. But encouraging and continuing such factions is contrary to the gospel. In 1 Corinthians 1:10-17, Paul addresses the first church problem with a two-fold gospel solution. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Imitate the Devotion of David Brainerd

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

As we seek to persevere in modeling true Christianity to a watching world, Pastor David commends to us the example of David Brainerd, an eighteenth-century missionary and minister whose devotion to Christ persisted through great suffering. Listen to this week’s exhortation to learn more.

SERMON - Hope for the Sinning Saint

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Our ongoing struggle against sin—our slow sanctification—can lead us to become despondent, or even lead us to think a particular sin is just part of who we are. We need hope to strengthen us in the life of slow sanctification, and it is with the hope of Christ that Paul encourages the Corinthians as he gives thanks to God for them. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on 1 Corinthians 1:4-9 to hear how this word of hope is for us, too, as sinning saints pressing on toward greater Christlikeness.

EXHORTATION - Remember Jesus Christ

Sun, 07 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

As the Apostle Paul writes his second letter to Timothy, what instruction is he burdened to share with his “true child in the faith”? Knowing that it’s possible to profess Christianity and yet fail to experience and abide in Jesus, Paul desires that Timothy would “remember Jesus Christ,” not merely know correct information about him. For more, listen as Pastor David exhorts us to remember Christ in everything we do.

SERMON - To the Church

Sun, 07 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

“Call me Ishmael.” “There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it.” Introductions are powerful things; they shape our imaginations, challenge our expectations, and present new worlds for our consideration. In his opening words to the church in Corinth, Paul sets a vision for the Christian life, especially as it is lived in the context of the local church. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on I Corinthians 1:1-3 for more.

EXHORTATION - Be a Hedonistic Giver

Sun, 31 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Gratefully, Westview is not in a desperate financial position because of God's provision through the generosity of our members. Yet as we look ahead to 2024 and beyond, the pastors are eager to see the mission advance in us and in the world. One significant way this will be accomplished is if we are hedonistic givers. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - The Scribes of the Kingdom

Sun, 31 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

When Jesus inaugurated his kingly reign by taking on human form, he did not exempt himself from strife with close family and friends. But such people would not have an inside track to his kingdom. All sons and daughters of the kingdom must embrace Christ as King by faith. When they do, Jesus sees to it they are trained like scribes to bring out treasures for his kingdom. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Matthew 13:51-58 for more.

EXHORTATION - Be Ready With Hope

Sun, 24 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Holiday gatherings, too often, are marked by family discord and tension. How might we engage in a way that sets us apart as Christians? 1 Peter 3:13-17 is a needful exhortation that we would be ready with hope. Listen to Pastor Zach’s exhortation for more.

SERMON - The Joy of the Kingdom

Sun, 24 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

All of the anticipation and excitement of recent weeks culminated in the coming of Christmas. The traditions, meals, and the gifts—can’t forget the gifts! But what if it never comes? What if the day and hour of Christ’s return to usher in his kingdom is today? Jesus’ two parables in Matthew 13:44-46 point us to see the value of his kingdom that our joy may be in it. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon for more.

SERMON - The Word, Life, & Light

Sun, 24 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

As one reads through the storyline of redemption, coming to John’s Gospel is full of anticipation. That expectation is increased as John refers back to the beginning. Who is this Word, Life, and Light John speaks of? Listen to Pastor Brett’s Christmas Eve sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Set Your Hope Fully on the Messiah

Sun, 17 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

If your sorrow feels out of place during this Christmas and Advent season, you’re not alone. Times of celebration can highlight the brokenness in our lives, and December’s long nights remind us of the darkness of our sinful state. We are a people in need of comfort. Listen as Pastor Brian exhorts us to set our hope fully on the Messiah who dispels the darkness and brings us comfort.

SERMON - The Advance of the Kingdom

Sun, 17 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Do not despise small beginnings. Like a mustard seed and the leaven in bread, Christ’s saving kingdom starts small and hidden, but the way of the Cross leads to massive growth: death gives way to life, sinners become saints, and the people of God are transformed into Christ’s image. For more, listen to Pastor Zach’s sermon on Matthew 13:31-35.

EXHORTATION - Hail! The Word Made Flesh

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

A historic struggle for Christians is how to describe the person of Jesus in light of his two natures as the God-Man. That can find expression in our lives by emphasizing one nature over the other. We can guard against such error by singing, “Hail! The Incarnate Word made flesh!” Listen to Pastor Brett’s exhortation for more.

SERMON - The Sorting of the Kingdom

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

December is full of sentimental moments and memories. Such sentimentalizing even infects use of the Bible in greeting cards and carols. But Jesus’ parables of the kingdom aren’t quaint, nice stories. He’s telling us eternity is at stake. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on Matthew 13:24-50 for more.

EXHORTATION - Flee Acedia in Advent

Sun, 03 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Cultivate a yearning for Christ this Advent and put to death a dreary boredom with the things of Christ. Don't merely pep yourself up with or be distracted by a few festive weeks. Rather, plead with your heart, "Dear Savior, come to tired earth / And bring the grace of dawn / Dispel the night with Thy face / Come Messiah come!". Listen as Pastor Brett exhorts us to Flee Acedia in Advent.

SERMON - The Parable of the Sower

Sun, 03 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

What is the central theme of Christ’s teaching? We could suggest a number of themes—love, humble service, faith—but all of these are encompassed in the overarching theme of the coming kingdom of God. When Christ proclaimed the coming kingdom during his earthly ministry, he shattered his hearers’ expectations of what that kingdom would look like. Listen to Pastor David’s sermon on Matthew 13:1-23 to see the mystery of the kingdom of God in the Parable of the Sower.

EXHORTATION - Repent by God's Kindness

Sun, 26 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Sin tempts us to turn away from following our savior, Jesus Christ. Every week we receive an exhortation so that we will turn back, confess, and repent. What is it ultimately that leads you to repent? God's kindness. It is the kindness of our God that is meant to lead you to repentance. Listen as Pastor Zach exhorts us to let God's kindness lead us to repentance.

SERMON - Death Has the Final Word … ?

Sun, 26 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The Most High God deals with us in anger for our sins while remembering mercy. Genesis 2:17 reveals such anger, “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” The story of the beginning ends with death. Jacob’s death. Joseph’s death. The final word is ... death. But does death really have the final word? Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Genesis 50 for more.

EXHORTATION - Be a Hospitable Guest

Sun, 19 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus set about the work of his earthly ministry with “nowhere to lay his head,” but despite his lack of a home, he models generous hospitality for his followers—specifically, the hospitality of a gracious and selfless guest. Listen as Pastor Brett exhorts us to pursue the greater flourishing of giving rather than receiving when we are the guest of another.

SERMON - Our Hope in Life and Death

Sun, 19 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

We are fascinated by the last words. While the living delude themselves with many things, none of us will ultimately escape the reality of death, and the words that overflow from the heart of a dying person reveal where they have set their hope. As Jacob enters his final hours, he blesses his sons and shows us how a sinful yet faithful man faces death. Listen to Aaron White’s sermon on Genesis 47:27-49:33 to see God’s promise of blessing as the foundation of the believer’s hope in life and death.

EXHORTATION - Praying for our Pastors

Sun, 12 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

When the people of Israel fought against Amalek, God allowed Israel to prevail as long as Moses lifted up his hands overlooking the battle, but Moses’ steadfast leadership depended on the physical support of Aaron and Hur. Similarly, our prayers hold up the hands of our pastors so they can continue to carry out their sacred responsibility to lift up the Word of God. For more, listen as Pastor Zach exhorts us to pray for our pastors.

SERMON - God's People are Sojourners

Sun, 12 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

“You’re not from around here, are you?” This comment exposes its recipient’s lack of belonging, whether in an unfamiliar culture, a new life stage, or a new academic or professional challenge. We should embrace that feeling of not belonging when it’s stirred up—because we don’t belong. God’s people are out-of-place sojourners meant for another world. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on Genesis 45-47:26 to see God’s sovereign provision, his abiding presence, and his fulfilled promise displayed through Israel’s long sojourn in Egypt.

EXHORTATION - Shine Without Grumbling or Disputing

Sun, 05 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Does a critical spirit mark you? We love to express our discontent through grumbling, but this inclination reveals a lack of faith and gratitude, and it displays a poor testimony to a watching world. Listen as Ben Aurich exhorts us to shine as lights in the world by doing all things without grumbling or disputing.

SERMON - Put to the Test

Sun, 05 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Before going rock climbing, we naturally want to know that the equipment we’re entrusting with our safety is made of quality substance. In the same way, when Joseph meets his brothers in Egypt, decades after they sold him into slavery, he sets out to discern whether he can trust them. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on Genesis 42-44 to see how Joesph engages with his brothers as a wise ruler, showing that even the worst of sinners can be redeemed.

EXHORTATION - Don't Let Your Smart Phone Disembody You!

Sun, 29 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Technology can be an excellent tool, but it’s not a neutral one. Whether scrolling social media or consuming information, we are shaped by our screens. At its worst, a digital life is a disembodied one; our surroundings and our neighbors fade away, and we are oblivious to the needs around us. For more, listen as Pastor Zach exhorts us to resist letting our smartphones disembody us.

SERMON - The Exalted Son

Sun, 29 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Humiliation before exaltation is the redemptive refrain of Scripture, and it echoes with particular clarity in the story of Joseph: God interprets dreams to bring about the exaltation of a beloved son, working both evil and good for his good purposes and for the fulfillment of his promises. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on Genesis 40-41 to learn how Joseph’s redemption speaks to our own longing for a better country as we confidently await the exaltation of another beloved Son.

EXHORTATION - Don't Let Your Love Grow Cold (Pt. 2)

Sun, 22 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

In a world of increasing lawlessness, the love of Christ fuels the love of God’s people. We’ve been privileged to fan the flames of our brothers’ and sisters’ love by encouraging each other to endure. Listen as David Stabley exhorts us to stir one another up to love and good works so that our love might not grow cold.

SERMON - Normal Sin & Strange Righteousness

Sun, 22 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

When we find ourselves in a place like Joseph, down in the pit, we can do what is right. We can hunger and thirst for righteousness because of God's presence. So, when sin looks normal all around us, how do we remove the strangeness of righteousness? Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Genesis 37-39 to learn more about the righteousness of God as we see it in the life of Joseph.

EXHORTATION - Don't Excuse Sin by Your Personality

Sun, 15 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Just as Moses pointed to his slowness of speech to avoid delivering God’s message to Pharaoh, we can be tempted to see personality as the immutable core of who we are and to use our personality traits to rationalize disobedience. Listen as Pastor Zach exhorts us to not find our identity in personality, and to avoid using the natural tendencies of our personalities as an excuse to sin.

SERMON - Sorrow, Sickness, & Despair

Sun, 15 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Genesis 34-36 shows the chaos of people controlled by their own sinful purposes and lusts and twisting God’s plans into sin instead of submitting to his promises. We also see death coming to Jacob’s family, and rapid multiplication to Esau’s. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon to learn how confidence in the blood of Christ frees us from the lusts of our former ignorance to look to Christ, not to our present circumstances, for evidence of God’s good and true promises.

EXHORTATION - What is God's Will for You?

Sun, 08 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

What is God's will for you? As you walk through each day and each week, you are confronted with thousands of decisions you must make. And in each of these decisions, there is a question we should ask - What is God's will in this decision? How do you know the Will of God in your life for each of these decisions you must make throughout your life, whether big or small? Listen to Pastor Brian's exhortation on discerning the good, acceptable, and perfect Will of God for your life.

SERMON - He Strives With God

Sun, 08 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

How many of us press through? How many of us are willing to go through the night in the struggle to weep, seek, pray, ask, and knock? Do you overextend your piety in prayer to the point where when you feel anxiety and fear, you don't go to your father but hold on to it yourself? Cast your anxiety instead on the Lord, for He cares for you. Listen to David's sermon on Genesis 32-33 as he examines the relentless effort of Jacob as he pressed on and struggled through the night to get the blessing of God in preparation to meet Esau.

SERMON - The Story of Exile & Exodus

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

“The Bible is boring,” says no one who has read Genesis 29-31. This account of Jacob’s growing family and his exile puts God’s promises on display in narrative form. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon to hear how the same brokenness on display in Jacob’s story besets us all, and how the same greater story—of God’s fulfilling his promises through his Son—brings us peace.

SERMON - Jacob's Ladder

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000

In Genesis 28:10-22, Jacob dreams of a ladder to Heaven and encounters the Lord, who reminds Jacob of the covenant love he has promised to the line of Abraham. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon to learn how Jacob’s finding grace in an unexpected place prompts us to look to Jesus, the Ladder, to find God, and how it is good to commemorate this saving grace.

SERMON - Not By Merit Nor Maneuvering

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000

God’s love for Jacob and hatred for Esau grates against our modern sensibilities. His purposes of election undermine our pride, our scheming, and our striving to receive favor based on our own merit. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on Genesis 26:1-28:9 to see how our hope is in a God who is faithful, not in our ability to be faithful to his covenant.

EXHORTATION - Beware of the Birds

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000

In his parable of the soils, Jesus uses the image of seeds sown on a path and devoured by birds to illustrate how Satan delights in devouring the seeds of gospel words. Listen as Pastor Brett exhorts us to beware of the birds of distraction that would pick away at our attention to gospel truth, taking us away from what would nourish our souls. Read more on the source of this exhortation at https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/beware-of-the-birds.

SERMON - God's Purpose of Election

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The blessing of God—coming by the promise of God, because of the purpose of God—is the banner that flows over all the patriarch narratives. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on Genesis 25:12-35 to see the mystery and goodness of God’s election on display as he advances his plans and keeps his promises through the line of Abraham.

EXHORTATION - Fast Like a Christian

Sun, 03 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000

In the Bible, fasting often shows up in desperate times and needs. Fasting is for those not satisfied with the status quo. Fasting is for those not satisfied with God's Grace. Listen as Pastor Zach exhorts us to the importance of fasting like a Christian.

SERMON - Find Refuge in the Lord

Sun, 27 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Have you ever known the right thing to do but struggled to do it? Do you struggle to run to Jesus in times of distress and take refuge in the Lord? Listen to Connor Kennedy’s sermon on Psalm 11 to learn how God’s transcendence, his immanent reign, and his promise to reward the righteous should drive his people to take refuge in him.

EXHORTATION - Marvel at the Mystery of Mercy

Sun, 20 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Is mercy the aroma of your life? In the Beatitudes, Jesus names mercifulness as one of the qualities that characterize his true followers. Listen as Pastor Brian exhorts us to marvel at the mystery of the mercy we’ve been shown, that we might extend it to others.

SERMON - Whom Have I in Heaven?

Sun, 20 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000

From the latest viral hit to the Psalms of the Bible, people have turned to songs to lament how the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer. Asaph, the writer of Psalm 73, wrestles with these hard questions as he grapples with the goodness of God in affliction. He identifies our hope: not a life without suffering, but a life with God in which he enables us to endure, rejoice, and be satisfied in him. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - You Follow Me

Sun, 13 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000

These three words should orient our lives of discipleship and devotion to Christ: "You follow me." Listen as David exhorts us to sincerely walk according to God’s commandments and concern ourselves with his calling for our lives, regardless of the choices of others.

SERMON - The Christian's Identity & Hope

Sun, 13 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000

To “hope” is to cherish a desire with anticipation of that desire’s fulfillment. When the object of our desire is Christ, we have not an unattainable wish, but a certain hope and an identity confidently rooted in him. Listen to Pastor Brian’s sermon on Ephesians 1:3-14 to learn how knowing who we are in Christ fuels us for a life of hope.

EXHORTATION - Pursue Awe

Sun, 06 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The natural world is full of opportunities to experience awe: a vast expanse of prairie that seems utterly boundless, the power of hail and lightning on a mountaintop, the intricacies of the scales and fins of bluegill, the magnitude of the immensity of a cloudless night sky. Yet awe reaches its goal when paired with thanksgiving. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation to pursue awe for more.

SERMON - Anatomy of Laments

Sun, 06 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Laments are made up of appeals to God. What do you do when the pressure mounts or when life hurts? Where or what do you turn to in those moments? Laments teach us to open our mouths and tell our Father all our troubles. Listen to this sermon from Pastor Lewis Guest of Jubilee Community Church on Psalms 42-43 examining the anatomy of laments.

SERMON - Advancing Healthy Churches

Sun, 30 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000

After the monumental pivot of Acts 11, as the mission advances by demand and delight, the gospel begins its way to the "ends of the earth" in Paul's first missionary journey. As Jews & Gentiles repent and believe, what is left in the wake of Paul's ministry? Healthy churches. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on Acts 13-14 for more.

EXHORTATION - Joyful Fools for Christ

Sun, 23 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Our joyful mission to proclaim the good news sometimes makes us feel more like awkward middle schoolers, wanting to fit in and anxious about what others might think of us. Listen as Pastor Zach exhorts us to mature in our faith as joyful fools for Christ for the sake of our souls and those of our neighbors.

SERMON - Generous Hospitality

Sun, 23 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The keeper of a garden containing poisonous plants best serves his guests not by throwing open the gates but by explaining and guarding the plants. Paul’s manner of life among the Thessalonians models a similarly attentive hospitality as he selflessly pours himself out for their good. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on I Thessalonians 2:1-12 to see how joyous mission leads naturally to generous hospitality.

EXHORTATION - Lean into the Work of Sanctification

Sun, 16 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Does the fear of legalism make you inclined to downplay the importance of exerting significant effort in your walk with Christ? Listen as Pastor Haakon exhorts us to lean into the work of sanctification, knowing that God does not leave us helpless in our pursuit of him and that he will richly reward our pursuit.

SERMON - Joyful Mission

Sun, 16 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The desire to share our experiences — both good and bad — is wired in us. If we are increasingly shaped by how the gospel relates to all of life, our delight in Christ’s person and work must overflow into sharing how the truth of Christ applies to every situation. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on Acts 11:1-26 to see how the early church grew in its mission by demand and mission by delight as the good news spread to the Gentiles.

EXHORTATION - Uproot Competing Desires

Sun, 09 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000

As a church, we must uproot competing desires that would choke out the effect of the Word in us. We must get out of the habit of only asking if something we do is wrong or sinful, but instead, get into the habit of asking, "Is this cultivating the effect of God's holy word in me? Listen as David exhorts us on how to uproot competing desires choking the Word in us.

SERMON - Gospel Growth

Sun, 09 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Corporate lingo about mission, vision, and values can be overdone, yet every organization will have driving principles determining the purpose for associating. A key essential for Westview Church is “gospel growth.” Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on 1 Corinthians 15:1-5 which captures the content, necessity, and growth of the gospel.

EXHORTATION - Live a Life of Endurance

Sun, 02 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The Bible is full of imagery that compares enduring in physical training to enduring in godliness; both involve overcoming distractions and doubts to do the next right thing, again and again. Listen as Pastor Zach exhorts us to live lives of endurance—marked by countless moments of faithful obedience and fueled by trust that God will supply the grace we need to endure.

SERMON - A Providential Bride

Sun, 02 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000

God’s selecting the lineage of one man, Abraham, seems a fragile way to carry out the plan of his promise, but his providence is on display as he orders events according to his purposes in the lives of each successive generation. Listen to David’s sermon on Genesis 24:1-25:11 to see God’s providence at work for Isaac, Rebekah, and all the people of God.

EXHORTATION - Do Not Neglect Hospitality

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Sharing meals together is integral to the life of the church. Listen as Michael exhorts us to not neglect breaking bread with one another, that we may cultivate community, serve as a witness to the world, and see a shadow of the feast to come.

SERMON - The Cave of Machpelah

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0000

When Genesis 23 opens, Abraham has just lost his wife, Sarah. Together they had clung to God’s promises in faith, and Abraham’s decisions surrounding Sarah’s burial are driven by that same faith as he looks to a better country. Listen to Pastor Zach’s sermon to learn how Abraham’s purchase of a cave bears testimony that the promises of God are not extinguished by death.

EXHORTATION - Have This Mind

Sun, 18 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0000

A core lie of our culture tells us that every issue boils down to an “us versus them” opposition, with no margin for those who disagree with one another to live in harmony. Such a manner of thinking and communicating has no place among the people of God. Listen as Pastor Brett exhorts us to consider how having the mind of Christ ought to shape even our disagreements as we count others more significant than ourselves.

SERMON - Bound in Hope

Sun, 18 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0000

God’s shocking command for Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac, is not a sadistic display of divinely ordained wickedness. Rather, it holds up to us a strong confidence that God will ultimately provide the sacrifice of his own beloved Son as his people obey him in faith-filled fear. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon to learn how Genesis 22 gives us assurance that God will fulfill all his promises to us in Christ.

EXHORTATION - Pray without Ceasing

Sun, 11 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Unceasing prayer, constant prayer, child-like frequency of dependence, and discussion with God is the only thing that makes sense in light of what Christ has done for us. Pastor Haakon reminds us to Pray without ceasing because His love is boundless, His wisdom is without measure, and His strength is never failing. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Repeated Character for Repeated Response

Sun, 11 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0000

In this sermon, pastor Brett examines the significance of Genesis 20 & 21. We are called to Trust God to Keep us From Sin, Believe God's Promise, Cry to God Who Hears, and call on God Who is. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Ask God for Enduring Wisdom

Sun, 04 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Kids can find all kinds of fun around a train track, but when the train comes rumbling the kids scatter. What is your reaction when the train of pain comes your way? More importantly, how can you "count it all joy ... when you meet trials of various kinds"? Seek wisdom to do so. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

SERMON - A Song for Sinners

Sun, 04 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The Psalms are a songbook that we turn to like an emotional jukebox. When we are in trouble, we go to the jukebox to find help and what gets played is Psalm 130. It is a song for sinners who are in trouble because of their own actions. Listen to this sermon for more on Psalm 130 by Jared Compton, Assistant Professor at Bethlehem College & Seminary.

EXHORTATION - Don't Live By the Flesh

Sun, 28 May 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The apostle Paul exhorts us to not live by the flesh but by the Spirit, evidenced by a life characterized by the multidimensional fruit of the Spirit. When we endeavor to cultivate that fruit by means of the flesh we yield counterfeits. Listen to Pastor Brian's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Salvation Through Judgment on the Twin Cities

Sun, 28 May 2023 10:00:00 +0000

When developing black and white photos from film, filters are used to increase the contrast of the photo. The narrative of God's merciful character in Genesis 18 is held in contrast to the display of his holiness and judgment directed toward unrepentant sinners in Genesis 19. Yet God works salvation through judgment on the twin cities. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Genesis 19 for more.

EXHORTATION - Seek the Smile of God

Mon, 22 May 2023 10:00:00 +0000

As we go about our lives, we are shaped by praise. That influence comes from one of two sources: the praise of man we hear in applause or affirmation of God we hear when he says, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Will you have your reward now, or will you orient your life for the reward God will impart? Listen to David Stabley’s exhortation to seek the smile of God for more.

SERMON - I Will Be Your God

Mon, 22 May 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The vows we hear at weddings and remember at anniversaries are significant—“I take you to be my wife … I take you to be my husband.” The commitments we make are rooted in the unique relational status of the couple. When God vows, “I will be their God, and they will be my people,” he is articulating the covenant relationship marriage points to. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on Genesis 18 as the Lord reveals more of what it is like to be in covenant with him.

EXHORTATION - Confess Your Sins

Sun, 14 May 2023 10:00:00 +0000

C.S. Lewis famously argued that anyone who made the claims Christ did could not be merely a great moral teacher; he must be either a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord. Listen as Pastor Haakon exhorts us to view our sins not as failures to meet the standards of a moral teacher but as personal affronts to the Lord we belong to.

SERMON - Praise To The Lord, The Almighty

Sun, 14 May 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Using the different names of God as we pray doesn’t make him especially inclined to hear us. Rather, this practice reminds us who God is and the things that are true about him. Genesis 17 features the first naming of God as El Shaddai—God Almighty. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon to learn what the covenant of circumcision teaches us about God Almighty and his promises.

Exhortation - Embracing Scandal

Sun, 07 May 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Scandal sells papers, turns heads, and can leave its subjects with public humiliation. Why would anyone choose to associate with the scandalous? Listen as Pastor Brett exhorts us to embrace the greatest scandal in history: God putting his forbearance on display as he makes us righteous.

SERMON - Find Refuge in One Who is Strong

Sun, 07 May 2023 10:00:00 +0000

When we feel spiritually barren or distressed and discouraged, we are not called to stand in our own strength but to stand in one who is strong. In Genesis 16, Sarai, Abram, and Hagar are living in the time between God’s promise and its fulfillment; their choices—and God’s sovereignty over their choices—point toward the great deliverance to come. Listen to David’s sermon for more.

EXHRTATION - What Do You Need To Be Content?

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Making a financial plan prompts us to think about a thousand ways we could use our resources, and it’s tempting to believe life would be easier if we were richer. Listen as Pastor Zach exhorts us to consider what we actually need in order to be content—it’s an unexpected shortlist.

SERMON - Covenant Promises

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0000

“How long, O LORD?” This intensely emotional lament of the psalmists is an expression of faith seeking understanding and turning to the Lord to find that understanding. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on Genesis 15 to learn how Abram displays this kind of lamenting faith as the promises of God undo his doubts.

EXHORTATION - Memorize Scripture

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0000

There are many ways in which we might approach the task of memorizing Scripture. What do these methods have in common? They all require discipline. Listen to David’s exhortation to learn the five reasons he commends the discipline of Scripture memorization.

SERMON - The J-Curve Kingdom

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The parables of Jesus provocatively reveal what his kingdom is like. A man forsaking all, a merchant selling all, a grain of wheat dying. To what end? The blessing of God and his kingdom. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Genesis 13-14 as we see Abram anticipating the J-Curve Kingdom.

EXHORTATION - Don’t Aim at Survival; Aim at Courage

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Examine your heart: Where have you lacked the courage to obey God because it was too risky? Has the fear of emptying your savings account prevented you from giving to the poor? Has the fear of being uncomfortable prevented you from inviting your neighbor over for a meal? Has the fear of getting sick kept you from caring for someone who’s sick? Has the fear of being ostracized or even fired at work prevented you from honoring the Lord in your conversations? Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

SERMON - The Faithfulness of God to Fulfill His Promise

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The resurrection of Jesus was 1,990 years ago. That's a long time for his people to be waiting for the fulfillment of his promises. Are they still reliable and true? We go back even further in the past to see the faithfulness of God to fulfill his promise in order to help us press on in the present. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Genesis 12:4-20 for more.

SERMON - Jesus Purifies Us From Our Sin

Fri, 07 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Leprosy was a diagnosis in the ancient world that could result in a life of isolation and hopelessness. In desperation, one leper asked Jesus to be cleansed, to which Jesus replied, "I will. Be clean." It's a parable for what Jesus would go on to do through his death for all who likewise put their faith in him. Listen to Pastor Brett's Good Friday sermon on how Jesus purifies us from sin.

EXHORTATION - Drink the Cup

Sun, 02 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0000

This week, we mark the historical event of Jesus Christ drinking the bitter cup of God's wrath. Jesus drank every last drop for you. As we reflect on the suffering that Jesus endured to accomplish our redemption, there is no hope of salvation apart from suffering. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - God's People: Commissioned

Sun, 02 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The Great Commission refers to the assignment Jesus gave His disciples shortly before returning to heaven following His resurrection. The commission is found in Matthew 28:18-20. Listen to pastor Haakon's sermon as he examines The Foundation of Our Commission, The Work of Our Commission, and The Promise of Our Commission.

EPISODE - Applying the Doctrine of the Church

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Pastor Brett sat down with David and Pastor Zach to discuss some more of the outworking and practical questions related to our current sermon series on the doctrine of the church. Is there a right age when a child testifying faith in Christ can be baptized? Why do we offer both wine and juice in Communion? Would we really think of following the process of Matthew 18?

EXHORTATION - When Disagreement occurs, Don't Abandon Unity.

Sun, 26 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Any doctrine can lead to the breaking of unity among Christians. As Christians, we are to strive for both true doctrine and unity of the Church. So what do we do when we have disagreements or conflicts? We never want to avoid the truth, and we never want to divide. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation on staying united when disagreements occur.

SERMON - God's People: Authorized

Sun, 26 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Keys to your first car give you a measure of authority. You can get in the car and drive it around. But there's a responsibility as well. As a church, we are God's people authorized by King Jesus to use the "keys of the kingdom." We do so by proclaiming the "who" and "what" of the kingdom under the leadership of pastors. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Matthew 16 & 18 for more.

EXHORTATION - Walk In Love with One Another

Sun, 19 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The Westview Church covenant of membership calls us to walk in love with one another. As we go about life together, we seek to love one another by pointing each other to Christ and bearing each other's burdens. Listen to Pastor Brian's exhortation for more as he invites us to reflect on our commitment to one another.

SERMON - God's People: Communed

Sun, 19 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Communion is the ongoing and repeated sign that the many are now made one. It signifies our unity together as a people in Christ. The Lord's Supper is an ordained covenant sign that signifies a church's feasting on Christ by faith. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Communion for more.

EXHORTATION - Cultivate Gentleness

Sun, 12 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Gentleness - Strength under control.

We find in the New Testament that gentleness moves toward another person with a proper understanding of oneself in light of who God is, in light of God's Holiness and Grace. It's not thinking too highly of yourself. Gentleness is not “indifference to sin. It’s not mere softness, pretending that sin isn’t sin. . .[gentleness is not] a way of avoidance.” It “doesn’t fall into the hostility that so often threatens to engulf us when we try to deal with the sins of others...

Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - God's People: Baptized

Sun, 12 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Our experience of baptism as Christians means nothing apart from the baptism Jesus experienced in his suffering (Luke 12:50). Because of Jesus' death and resurrection, baptism is an ordained (Matthew 28:18-19) covenant sign (Hebrews 8:7-12) that signifies a believer's (Colossians 2:10-12) union with Christ (Romans 6:1-4) in that very death and resurrection. Listen to David's sermon on baptism for more.

EXHORTATION - Think More Of Christ When You Sing

Sun, 05 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000

When you sing, think less about yourself and think more of Christ. We are in Him, and He is in us. When you sing, be more saved than you are impressive. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

SERMON - God's People: Gathered

Sun, 05 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Life together as a church is hard. It’s hard because it can be uncomfortable, because it isn’t about you, because we will sin against each other. We have this band of brothers and sisters to labor alongside because the church is preeminently essential. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Ephesians 3:7-4:1 for more.

EXHORTATION - Sing To Jesus As One Body

Sun, 26 Feb 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Maybe you don't like the sound of your voice, or you are struggling to sing for other reasons. God still calls his whole church to gather and to sing his praises in the assembly. You have so much to sing about, whether God has given you an amazing voice or he’s given you an amazing song. In Christ you have much to sing about, so sing to the Lord. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

SERMON - After Judgment, Hope

Sun, 26 Feb 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Hope rises as sunshine peaks through the clouds after a late winter snow storm marked by gray, dreary clouds. The same sense shines through in Genesis 11, after so much weighty judgment. Yet God promises, hope through one man as God launches in earnest his global purposes of redemption. listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Genesis 11:10-12:3 for more.

EXHORTATION - Parents, Diligently Teach Your Kids the Word of God

Sun, 19 Feb 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Parents must assume responsibility for the teaching of their children. In our present system, we have schools and institutions, both spiritual and secular, to help in teaching our kids. These are not wrong. But it is the parent's responsibility to see that their children are adequately guided in spiritual matters. Is your life or the lives of your children so filled with time constraints that are choking out the word of God?

Listen to David's exhortation for more.

SERMON - United & Divided

Sun, 19 Feb 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Genesis 10:1-11:9 describes how God scattered the world's peoples after confusing their languages to stop the building of Babel and its tower.

1. United in Human Ancestry (Genesis 10:1–32)

2. Divided in Human Rivalry (Genesis 10:15–19, 21)

3. United in Human Praise (Genesis 11:1–4)

4. Divided in Human Pride (Genesis 11:4–9)

Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Genesis 10:1-11:9 for more.

EXHORTATION - Hold Fast to the Exclusivity of Christ

Sun, 12 Feb 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Christianity is the exclusive faith that can save us and bring us to heaven. There’s only one God and one Savior, and the Bible is dogmatically clear on this. No matter what the world and our culture want to accuse us of, we can’t compromise on the exclusivity of the Gospel. Listen to David's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Faithfulness Despite Unfaithfulness

Sun, 12 Feb 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The Lord God is faithful despite our unfaithfulness. All creation will be in awe of a holy and righteous God who will show steadfast faithfulness towards a creation that is Hell-bound to rebel against him. Yet the Lord will continue to show covenant faithfulness. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Genesis 9:8-29 for more.

EXHORTATION - Hope in Heaven

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Hope shapes our decisions and our priorities. What you Hope for forms your dreams and aspirations. What do you dream about? What are your aspirations? Trace that back to the root, and you will find Hope. We persevere, we obey, we pray, we evangelize, and we worship because of Hope. What higher Hope do we have that we will enter into that glory that Christ has secured for us? Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Be Fruitful and Multiply, and Fill the Earth

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 10:00:00 +0000

You can look at the world and ask what do I value and what do I want. You are made in God's image, which means you represent Him to the rest of the creation, but He has given you the authority to order things. Listen to Pastor Zach examines how God dishes out authority to us and what happens when we flee and rebel from that authority.

EXHORTATION - Walk in Meekness and Have Rest for your Soul

Sun, 29 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

What has been the disposition of your heart? What are the conversations you allow to happen in your mind? Are you constantly complaining or grumbling about what you need to get done and have been unable to accomplish? Are you rehearsing in your mind or even out loud the offenses of others you have not been able to overcome? What is the temperature of your soul?

Are you a person at ease before the Lord and within yourself? Listen to Pastor Brian's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Lost at Sea

Sun, 29 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

God remembered Noah. God also remembered the animals. He would fulfill His promise to keep them safe and begin creation again, in a sense, on a world made new by the flood. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EPISODE - Rubber Meets Road

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Our pastoral team recently set aside a full day to meet and work through several topics where our understanding of Scripture gets worked out in our life together as a church. Weighty matters are where the rubber meets the road. Listen to this update from Pastor Brett as he shares about what was discussed and some of the changes that will come about moving forward.

SERMON - The Kindness and Severity of God

Sun, 22 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Noah was a just man and perfect in his generation, and Noah walked with God. Noah found grace in God's eyes because he believed in the Word of the Lord. He was a man who walked with God by faith. He was declared blameless in his time and was credited with righteousness - by grace through faith. Listen to David Stabley's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Walk in Obedience

Sun, 15 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

"Shocking: Preacher Says Christians Obey God!" "Mom Patiently Feeds & Clothes Children Faithfully for Years" "Teen Abstains From All Pornography" Those are statements you'll never see in headlines. Simple, everyday obedience to God that flows from faith and grace isn't flashy nor draws much attention. Yet God has provided all we need to walk in obedience to Christ. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Be Found by Gracious Eyes

Sun, 15 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Big foot. Nessie. Area 51. Jackelopes. The realm of the unknown and mysterious piques the interest of our inner conspiracy theorist. Sons of God. Nephilim. Men of renown. Are we operating in the same category in Genesis 6:1-8? As we look more at why these verses are here than who is being referenced, we find we too need to be found by gracious eyes. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Seek the Fruit of Giving

Sun, 08 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Those who give and and those receive ought both seek the fruit of giving. The one who gives seeks the fruitfulness in the ministry of the one receiving. The who receives seeks the fruit that increases to the giver's credit. It is this seeking of the other's fruit that glorifies God. Listen to Michael Urch's exhortation for more.

SERMON - And He Died

Sun, 08 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness." So writes Paul in 2 Timothy 3:16. But do we actually believe that? We're put to the test when we come to the genealogies in the Old Testament. Does a chapter like Genesis 5 serve any good for us so far removed from its original context? Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Resisting The Spirit of the Age

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

As we embark on a new year, would you be wary of the spirit of this age that will tell you that the way of comfort, ease, and safety is not only good and true but that you deserve such comfort, and ease. As you navigate through the expectations of the world, would you second guess your instincts to do what is easiest at that moment. Doing what is easy is not what God necessarily wants us to do. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - The Star of Bethlehem

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Who were the Magi? They are said to come from the East and are considered astronomers or astrologers who have found the rising of a star to be of world-historical significance even though it may not yet be clear how it will all work out. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Matthew 2:1-12 for more.

EXHORTATION - Sin is Not in the Stuff

Sun, 25 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000

A temptation in the Christian life as we endeavor to grow in godliness is to despise the stuff that can be sources of temptation. But the things are not where the sin resides. We can enjoy and value God's gifts without them being sin but leading us to worship the Giver. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

SERMON - God With Us

Sun, 25 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Twenty percent of the households at our church welcomed a new baby into their home this year. What a remarkable gift! And each child received a name that won't be found in the top ten most common names. Names carry significance and purpose. This was no less true when Joseph received a dream about a child he had not planned on. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Matthew 1:18-25 for more.

HOMILY - Christ Has Come

Sat, 24 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Christ has come in fulfillment of the promise spoken in Genesis 3:15, a reality that Mary was aware of as she sang her "Magnificat." This wonderful song draws on the heritage of faith from Hannah's song in 1 Samuel and Deborah's song in Judges. We rejoice that Jesus came in fulfillment of all of God's promised expectation. Listen to Pastor Brian's Christmas Eve homily for more.

HOMILY - Christ Will Come Again

Sat, 24 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000

When Jesus stood in the synagogue in Nazareth and read an excerpt from Isaiah, his hearers marveled that this hometown boy would sit down and claim that prophetic anticipation was fulfilled in Jesus. But there was more. Jesus indicated there was yet more to come. Listen to Pastor Brett's Christmas Eve homily for more.

EXHORTATION - Fulfill your Commitments to one Another

Sun, 18 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000

We are given a charge to love one another so that we may know that we are indeed disciples of Jesus. Listen to Pastor Brian's exhortation as he reads the member's covenant for more.

SERMON - The Incarnate Creator

Sun, 18 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000

We live in a Christ-centered universe. Jesus Christ is Lord over all creation. He stands above every creature. He is the agent in the work of creation. He is the Creator of the whole universe. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on The Incarnate Creator - Colossians 1:15-20 for more.

EPISODE - Heralding the Word to Haitians

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000

There has been an influx of Haitian immigrants finding refuge in the Dominican Republic as their country continues to get worse. Pastors Brett and Brian recently returned from the Dominican where they were training Haitian pastors and lay leaders with Training Leaders International. Listen to this update from Pastor Brett on his takeaways from the trip.

SERMON - Jesus is better

Sun, 11 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus is better. He is better than the angels. He’s better than the prophets. He’s better than Moses. His new covenant is better than the old covenant they could never fulfill. His blood is better than the blood of bulls and goats. In every way and at every turn, Jesus is better. Listen to Pastor Zach's sermon on Hebrews 1:1-3 for more.

EXHORTATION - Love your neighbor as yourself

Sun, 04 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000

“Love Your Neighbor As Yourself.” But what does it mean to love your neighbor as yourself? Do we truly understand the way Jesus Christ intended? Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

SERMON - The Season of Waiting

Sun, 04 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000

In a society where things seem to get busier this time of the year, it's an opportunity for us to try to slow down and remember that God sent his son Jesus to live among us. What are some of the events that preceded the birth of Jesus? Listen to Pastor Kenneth's sermon on Luke 1:26-38 for more.

EXHORTATION - Desire the Kingdom

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Here east of Eden, we live in a world of frustration, darkness, and violence. We should be longing for God's kingdom to come. Hand in hand with desiring the kingdom is being poor in spirit. Listen to Pastor Brian's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Deepening Depravity

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Genesis 4 concludes the first main section of the book with a bleak outlook on what was to come of this very good Heavens and Earth God had created. Sons were given, but they were not characterized by faithfulness. Is there any reason to hope in the face of such sinful boasting? Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Genesis 4:17-26 for more.

EXHORTATION - Live Free

Sun, 20 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000

A popular business book a number of years ago called The Four-Hour Work Week held out the path of efficiencies to work less and design the life you want to live. The Bible, however, clarifies how it is we are to live, not just going with the flow. In what ways are you living by default? Instead, live in the freedom Christ has for you. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Serpentine Thinking

Sun, 20 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000

We generally don't like warnings as they restrict us in some way. Yet we need to be on guard for certain things, especially here, east of Eden. Genesis 4:1-16 serves to warn us in two ways of the ongoing work of the serpent from the Garden lest we give ourselves to serpentine thinking. Listen to Jonathan Parnell, from Cities Church, unpack the implications of the story of Cain and Abel.

EXHORTATION - Rejoice When Persecuted

Sun, 13 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Who doesn't want to be liked by others? Why would you ever want to be hated? Yet those who are following Christ in all of life will (and must) speak of the Son of Man who calls the world to faith and repentance. This will inevitably result in people hating such faithful followers, yet we can rejoice because our reward is not their approval. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

SERMON - The Enduring Promise

Sun, 13 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000

The idea of the gospel can be found in lots of places: take a statement as gospel, gospel music, "brand evangelist," gospel-centered everything. If a prior generation believed the gospel to give rise to such things, then we're in danger of assuming the gospel through its familiarity, and those who follow us very well may reject it all together. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Genesis 3:15 to gaze in wonder at the bigger picture of God's good news.

EXHORTATION - Live What You Learn

Sun, 06 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000

It is wondrous that we have access both to the Scriptures and resources that explain them. It is great we have such tools to study and know true doctrine. But there is a danger of learning much, and it having little impact on how we live our lives. Therefore, we ought to live what we learn. Listen to David Stabley's exhortation for more.

SERMON - East of Eden

Sun, 06 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000

John Steinbeck's magnum opus is aptly titled East of Eden. It is a multigenerational saga that conveys toil, evil, and death such that the reader feels the weight of such things. That is where we find ourselves because of sin—not just Adam's sin but our own sin. Yet we are not without hope. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Genesis 3:14-24 for more.

EXHORTATION - Hunger & Thirst for Righteousness

Sun, 30 Oct 2022 10:00:00 +0000

"Our wants and longings and desires are at the core of our identity," so writes James K.A. Smith. What is it that you desire—that you crave? What do you think would satisfy? Jesus says, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness." Where does righteousness rank among your desires? Listen to Pastor Brian's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Living By Lies

Sun, 30 Oct 2022 10:00:00 +0000

The get-to-know-you game "Two Truths & a Lie" rewards the individual who can best blur the distinction between truth and falsehood. That same blurring lead our first parents to live by the lies of "God's Word is suspect," "I'll get away with it," and "I am the victim." Lies we are still prone to live by. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Genesis 3:1-13 for more.

EXHORTATION - Live Not By Lies

Sun, 23 Oct 2022 10:00:00 +0000

On the day he was arrested in Soviet Russia, novelist Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn released his article titled “Live Not By Lies.” He calls on his countryman to push back against tyranny by not going along with the falsehoods that mark Communism. The Ninth Commandment requires us to not go along with the lies of our day. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Forming a People

Sun, 23 Oct 2022 10:00:00 +0000

There was a leaf that absolutely loved being a leaf. It loved waving in the breeze, soaking up the sun's rays, and towering over all below from its dizzying heights. One day, it thought it could be more, so it pulled and wrestled its way free. For a moment, it was glorious. But then it faded. The thing that held it back, the tree, made it what it was. Listen to Pastor Haakon's sermon on Genesis 2:18-25 for more.

EXHORTATION - God Loves You

Sun, 16 Oct 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Do you struggle to commune with God? A number of things contribute to such a struggle, but the foundational issue is a matter of faith. Do you believe that God loves you in particular? You can only receive the love of God in Christ if you believe of the love of God in Christ. Listen to Pastor Brian's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Trusting in Lavish Providence

Sun, 16 Oct 2022 10:00:00 +0000

The seventh day of the creation week remains open—what might human participation in that divine rest look like? The faithful God is shown in Genesis 2:4-17 to further lavish provision by his grace on his creatures as the LORD establishes his people in his place to enjoy his providential presence. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Forgive Like the King

Sun, 09 Oct 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus offered a memorable parable when asked about forgiveness. A servant was forgiven an enormous debt by a merciful king only to leave and demand repayment of a much smaller amount from a fellow servant. This is how our King forgives, and we do well to do likewise. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - The Rest We Long For

Sun, 09 Oct 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Americans have a complicated relationship between our work and our rest. We're driven toward productivity and can feel guilty to take time off. When we do try to rest, we put so much expectation on the time it is no longer restful. On the seventh day of creation, God formed a day set apart for the activity we're all looking for in our rest. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Genesis 2:1-3 for more.

EXHORTATION - Be Still & Know

Sun, 02 Oct 2022 10:00:00 +0000

When your world is upended or grief crushes with such force, how will you respond? A prime example is a man who slept soundly in the hull of a boat in the midst of a raging storm. He trust his Father and stood to silence the storm. You can rest like him by trusting in him. Listen to David Stabley's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Seeds & the Purpose of Man

Sun, 02 Oct 2022 10:00:00 +0000

You don't have to be an avid gardener to know that seeds are remarkable. You can preserve them and keep for a long time. Expose them to the right conditions, and they'll grow to produce food. Genesis 1 contains seeds that germinate to reveal God's purpose and design for humanity. Part of that design is for us to do God's prescriptions while being sustained by his provisions. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Genesis 1:26-31 for more.

EXHORTATION - Don't Despise the Small Things

Sun, 25 Sep 2022 10:00:00 +0000

As we look back on church history, focus is given to momentous efforts of starting hospitals, establishing schools and seminaries, forming organizations for sending missionaries, and many other great deeds done by faith. And those things can make our small acts of faithfulness seem inconsequential. Listen to Pastor Brian's exhortation to not despise the small things.

SERMON - Your Role in the Story

Sun, 25 Sep 2022 10:00:00 +0000

The first chapter of Genesis brings us into the true story about where we all came from and begins by introducing the main character: God. He was there in the beginning and ordered and filled his good creation to display his sovereign, wise, and good character. As the days of creation progress, anticipation builds for the climactic creature. But the way the story is written does more to answer, "Who am I?" than, "What am I?" Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Genesis 1:26-27 for more.

EXHORTATION - Kill the Love of Money

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Extend your arm. Hold your hand out, palm facing up. Extend your fingers so your hand is as outstretched as it can be. Now, relax. What happened? Your contracted with your fingers closing in. That's what we too readily do in relation to money. This is why Michael Urch exhorts us to kill the love of money. Click through to read more.

SERMON - The King of Glory Speaks

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Within all the wonder and beauty captured in the creation account across the days recorded in Genesis 1, the steady refrain points us to the King of Glory who speaks. It is by his sovereign decree that he so wisely orders his good creation. Listen to Jonathan Worthington, Vice President of Theological Education at Training Leaders International, he unpacks Genesis 1:3-25.

EXHORTATION - Run Your Path

Sun, 11 Sep 2022 10:00:00 +0000

If you're hiking or running on trails, it can be helpful to have someone ahead of you that highlights particular hazards based on how they navigate the terrain. However, you can't match them step for step—different strides, different abilities, different people. You have to run your path. When navigating the weight and sin that entangles us, the same is true. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Your Origin Story

Sun, 11 Sep 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Sojourning on through the wilderness for forty years as everyone over twenty dies gave rise to plenty of doubts and outright unbelief among the people of Israel. They wanted a god like the nations around them. Into this context, Moses wrote a story. A story to recapture the wonder and worship of a people who were redeemed by the God who was there in the beginning. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Genesis 1:1-2 and enter into who God has made you to be.

EXHORTATION - Would You Rather?

Sun, 04 Sep 2022 10:00:00 +0000

On your summer road trip, did you play the classic game, "Would you rather?" Often the game is given to trivial options, yet we find the question posed to us in Scripture with a far more serious juxtaposition. Would you rather bear the reproach of Christ or have the wealth of the world? Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

SERMON - The Blessed Man

Sun, 04 Sep 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Throughout the Bible, you find described that there really are just one of two ways to live. Psalm 1 highlights that distinction clearly: walk in the way of sinners or delight in God's Word. Which path will you choose? Can you even truly be the kind of person that walks the path God would have you? Listen to Pastor Aaron Browning, from Northwest Bible Church, point us to the Blessed Man of Psalm 1.

EXHORTATION - Be Holy Through Love

Sun, 28 Aug 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Christians are made holy by virtue of our union with Christ, but we find in the Bible the call to grow in holiness. How can we do that? First Thessalonians directs us to turn towards others in love so that we would be made holy. Listen to Pastor Brian's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Hallelujah!

Sun, 28 Aug 2022 10:00:00 +0000

An ornithologist described his experience studying the shrike species of bird with such awe that he even said it was a kind of worship. Indeed, we are not merely Homo sapiens, "wise man," but Homo adorans, "worshiping man." We're made for worship, for praise. Psalm 150 holds out to us the "simple enthusiasm" that is the trajectory of the redeemed. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - The Lord's Delight

Sun, 21 Aug 2022 10:00:00 +0000

God does not delight in the things people think are mighty and of great value. Rather, God delights in those who hope in his steadfast love. Can you fathom it? God *delights* in those who rely on him. Listen to David Stabley's exhortation to hope in God's steadfast love for more.

SERMON - Steadfast?

Sun, 21 Aug 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Sitting poolside at a large aquatic center, you have to choose wisely where to sit to get the best vantage point. Seeing what's right in front of you will be clear, but if you have an obstructed view of the main pool, you need your vision improved. The psalmist sees clearly the struggles before him but wrestles to see the main thing. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Psalm 89 for more.

EXHORTATION - Rejoice in Your Acceptable Worship

Sun, 14 Aug 2022 10:00:00 +0000

So much focus in a church service can be on the music. "Worship" encompasses far more than music, but how can we be confident our worship is acceptable to God? When Isaiah had the vision of the temple of the Lord, he was undone because of his sin. Is that how God perceives our worship? In Jesus Christ, we can rejoice that our worship is acceptable. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Our Refuge & Strength

Sun, 14 Aug 2022 10:00:00 +0000

How does a parent cope when their twenty-year-old son's heart unexpectedly stops beating? Where does a ten-year-old turn when his family is undone through his parents' divorce? What will give hope to the veteran undergoing surgery yet again for issues from his military service? Psalm 46 exhorts us to put our faith in God, come what may. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Transfix on the Transcendent

Sun, 07 Aug 2022 10:00:00 +0000

You know of those people who are famous for being famous. They know how to market themselves and distribute viral content. The presence of this kind of celebrity leads one to conclude, "In a secular age, celebrity itself is the closest thing we have to transcendence." May we not succumb to such delusions by transfixing on the transcendent. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Christ Our Hope in Life & Death

Sun, 07 Aug 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Sickness and death is pervasive, and we go through seasons where mortality seems to be everywhere. So how in the world can we have confidence in God to face such hardship? Psalm 16 holds out to us that if we find our refuge in God we will be secure in him forever. Listen to this sermon by Pastor Jacob Hatfield, of Grace Bible Church of Monticello, for more.

EPISODE - Proactive Planning for Sustainable Ministry

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Having marked our second anniversary as a church, we need to pivot from a start-up mentality for our pastoral team to one that is more sustainable for the long haul. As such, the pastoral team is inclined to proactively plan for how best to lead and serve the church to position us to most faithfully make advances in establishing healthy churches. Listen to this episode from Pastor Brett and connect with a pastor to share your input.

EXHORTATION - Given More Than Required

Sun, 31 Jul 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Following Christ is no low bar; he requires so much of us. Yet Jesus is the only who gives more than what he requires. When the burden of following him seems too much, look to all that Jesus has provided. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Blot Them From the Book

Sun, 31 Jul 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Everyone knows the line from Handel's Messiah, "The Lord God omnipotent reigneth - Hallelujah!" Yet the masterpiece quotes as well from a psalm that can make us squirm with its raw emotion and the longest section of imprecatory prayer in the Psalms. How do we benefit from this psalm? Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Psalm 69 for more.

EXHORTATION - Fear Not Bubbles

Sun, 24 Jul 2022 10:00:00 +0000

As much as you or your kids may love bubbles or are in awe of their simple beauty, you don't give much thought to them when they pop. You know that they come and go. The same should be our disposition towards the opinions of others about us. Don't live out of the fear of man just like you wouldn't be invested in the longevity of a bubble. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Taste & See

Sun, 24 Jul 2022 10:00:00 +0000

The context of a song impacts its significance. Horatio Spafford's "When Peace Like a River" is a prime example. Psalm 34 is another. When we reckon with the experience of God's deliverance celebrated, we gain a greater appreciation for tasting God's goodness and hoping in his redemption. Listen to Pastor Brian's sermon on Psalm 34 for more.

EPISODE - Beginning Discipleship Classes

Fri, 22 Jul 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Pastor Brett shares about the vision driving the pastors' to lead in the beginning of Discipleship Classes this fall as well as addressing some of the logistics planned for those classes.

EXHORTATION - Embrace Conflict Like Jesus

Sun, 17 Jul 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Our existence is marked by constant conflict. It comes about when a desire is rejected or actively opposed. We deal with conflict in many different ways, but they are not all the way we should handle conflict. We should face conflict in dependence on our Father in Heaven. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Exult in the Lord

Sun, 17 Jul 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Hold a single grain of sand between your forefinger and thumb. Extend your arm fully up to the sky. How much of the sky is framed behind that grain of sand? The first images of the Webb Space Telescope reveal galaxies are in that space. And they lead us to exult in the Lord. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Psalm 8 for more.

EXHORTATION - Beware the Bird Cage

Sun, 10 Jul 2022 10:00:00 +0000

A parakeet flying around a workshop might not be so readily caught by hand nor with the aid of a net. But when a bird cage is set out with the door open, by the next morning the bird willfully goes back to captivity. We might readily avoid the marquis sins that try to capture us outright, but what about the subtlety of love of the world? Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - You Need One Thing

Sun, 10 Jul 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Getting lost in the wood is an unsettling experience, especially with a thunderstorm rolling in. All you need to do is get one thing: your cabin. Once there, you have everything you need. Psalm 23 points us to the same reality. All we need is one thing that will provide everything. That one thing is the Shepherd. Listen to Jordan Hecox, lead planter of Gospel Joy Church, for more on this iconic psalm.

SERMON - Learn to Do Good

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 10:00:00 +0000

If you want to see marked improvement in some facet of your life, if you want to succeed at doing hard things, you need to cultivate grit. Merely spending 10,000 hours in practice won’t actually make you an expert in that area. You need to give yourself to "deliberate practice." The same is true in the Christian life as we learn to do good. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Titus 3:8-15 for more.

EPISODE - Discipleship Group Refresh

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 10:00:00 +0000

The different rhythms and pace of a Minnesota summer are a beautiful thing. As many of the things we give ourselves to during the rest of the year are put on pause or slowed down, we don't let off the gas in following Christ in all of life. Listen to Pastor Brett give a quick refresh on how Discipleship Groups are aiming to help us do that well.

EXHORTATION - Turn & Worship

Sun, 26 Jun 2022 10:00:00 +0000

As we come upon our second anniversary as a church, it is good to be reminded about what we're doing in public worship and especially during the exhortation portion of our liturgy. We gather to reorient on the gospel, worshiping God. To do so, we must confess and turn from sin. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - He Saved Us

Sun, 26 Jun 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Paul makes a similar argument in Titus 3:1-7 as he does in 2:1-14—why the repetition? He's pressing the only viable path of godly living, the gospel, out from church life and into all of life. We ought to adorn the doctrine not just among the purified people purchased for his possession but in all spheres of life—don't withdraw from the marketplace or public square. Rather, embrace the eschatological reality that you are heirs. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Trust God Not Understanding

Sun, 19 Jun 2022 10:00:00 +0000

In the face of significant suffering, what is it that we think will provide respite? So often we think it is if we knew why or how long, our suffering would be more tolerable. At the greatest experience of suffering, Christ on the cross, no one looking had the understanding of what was happening. In suffering, it is better to trust God rather than know more. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Training in Grace, Waiting for Glory

Sun, 19 Jun 2022 10:00:00 +0000

The agave plant grows in the western deserts of North America. It only blossoms once in the final year of its lifespan, which at times can be up to twenty years. When the blossoming stock develops, it shoots up at a rate of a foot per day. The kingdom of God is like an agave plant. It can be a lifetime in the desert, waiting, but glory is coming. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Titus 2:11-15 for more.

EXHORTATION - Good Not to Know

Sun, 12 Jun 2022 10:00:00 +0000

The iPhone's "portrait mode" focuses on the picture's subject and blurs everything else. We can do the same thing in our lives by focusing on something we don't know if, when, or how it will turn out to the neglect of all the other good things God is doing. There are times when God restricts our knowledge, and we have to trust him that it is good not to know. But do we? Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Adorn the Doctrine

Sun, 12 Jun 2022 10:00:00 +0000

When your wife wears her pearls, they don't make her beautiful or increase her beauty. They accentuate and draw attention to her beauty. They adorn it. Living godly lives, doing good works, likewise doesn't make us Christian or improve upon the gospel—such a life adorns the gospel. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Titus 2:1-10 for more.

EXHORTATION - Walk by the Spirit

Sun, 05 Jun 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Pentecost Sunday is the Christian holiday that marks the historic day when the Holy Spirit was poured out on God's redeemed people. It's a holiday that is often overlooked, yet Jesus said it is better for him to ascend to the Father so that the Spirit would come. What pride to think otherwise. Listen to Pastor Brian's exhortation for more.

SERMON - A Redemptive Rebuke

Sun, 05 Jun 2022 10:00:00 +0000

With fuel prices soaring, maybe you've looked over at the diesel pump and wondered if it would get you better mileage in your gas engine. It won't. It will ruin your engine. Likewise, if we look to law keeping to grow in godliness rather than the gospel, it won't work. We need the unleaded, high octane gospel to live godly lives. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Titus 1:10-16 for more.

EXHORTATION - Follow Jesus as The Christ

Sun, 29 May 2022 10:00:00 +0000

At Westview, we aim to be following Christ in all of life. But we do not follow like we follow a workout plan or even a guru. This is because our problem is not mainly that we need to know something to improve. We need a Christ to save us. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - The Noble Task

Sun, 29 May 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Healthy churches are going to push authority in one of two directions: up or down. Examples abound of wrongdoing when authority is consolidated and centralized in a local church. As a congregational church, authority is in the congregation who responsible to appoint qualified pastors. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Titus 1:5-9 for what those pastors should be like.

EXHORTATION - Glory in Christ Jesus

Sun, 22 May 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Boasting is typically something we ought to avoid. It reveals our prideful disposition. And yet Paul commends boasting—boasting in Christ. We ought to glory in Christ. We don't just know things about him but rejoice and exult in who he is. We find him to be our soul's delight. And when we don't, we turn in repentance. Listen to David Stabley's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Values of a Servant & Apostle

Sun, 22 May 2022 10:00:00 +0000

As a church, we have summarized our aim is to be following Christ in all of life by pursuing gospel growth, joyful mission, and generous hospitality. However, all of that should be thrown aside if it doesn't align with what the Bible says a church should do and be. Enter: The Letter of Paul to Titus. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Titus 1:1-4 for more.

EXHORTATION - You Are Your Biggest Danger

Sun, 15 May 2022 10:00:00 +0000

When you venture into the wilderness, there are numerous contingencies you need to be ready to handle. However, more often than not, your greatest danger in a remote location is ... yourself. The same is true spiritually—only you commit your sins. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Do You Do Well?

Sun, 15 May 2022 10:00:00 +0000

American sociologist Charles Horton Cooley conceived of personal identity in relation to our interactions with others, saying, "I am not who I think I am. I am not who you think I am. I am who I think you think I am." When we come to biblical accounts like Jonah, it's important we consider, "Am I what I think the Bible thinks I am? How am I more like angry Jonah than the repentant Ninevites?" Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Jonah 4 for more.

EXHORTATION - Celebrate Motherhood

Sun, 08 May 2022 10:00:00 +0000

There is a tragic irony that our culture hates motherhood, expressed through a religious devotion to Roe v. Wade, yet wants to esteem mothers at least one special day a year. Recognizing God's design, it is distinctly Christian to celebrate the vocation of motherhood. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - A National Experience of God's Mercy

Sun, 08 May 2022 10:00:00 +0000

When a skydiver impacted the ground without a chute only to have landed atop a fire ant hill, it seemed to add insult to injury. When Jonah, or Christians today, speak of God's judgment in addition to sin and holiness, it seems to do the same. However, God's mercy may be on display in an unexpected way through such "insult." Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Jonah 3 for more.

EXHORTATION - Forgo Self-Reliance & Seek Counsel

Sun, 01 May 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Elon Musk once described how he came to his current place in life by reading a lot of books and talking with a lot of people. That sounds wise as we hear Proverbs repeatedly call us to listen to wise counselors. Yet do we have a posture like that, that seeks counsel? Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Remember the Lord

Sun, 01 May 2022 10:00:00 +0000

A little girl struggling in frustration and cries to buckle a doll into a stroller without asking mom for help is a clearer display of our own efforts to go about our lives absent of reliance on God than most of us would care to admit. It is that kind of self-assertion that we see in Jonah 2. Listen to Pastor Zach's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Make No Provision for the Flesh

Sun, 24 Apr 2022 10:00:00 +0000

A counselor heard the confession of a client about an obsession with eating a particular flavor and brand of ice cream in an unhealthy way. The counselor didn't think it too big of an issue until he happened upon the ice cream and consumed a whole carton himself. When we make opportunity for temptation, we put ourselves in a dangerous position. Listen to Pastor Brian's exhortation to make no provision for the flesh.

SERMON - A Personal Experience of God's Mercy

Sun, 24 Apr 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Doing hard things the Lord calls us to can be hard for different reasons: the magnitude of the task, the imprecision of the calling, or our own sin. The prophet Jonah is called to a hard thing, but it is complicated by his own sin. It is better, though, to be in uncomfortable obedience to God than to live easily in defiance of him. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Jonah 1:1-16 for more.

EXHORTATION - Don't Disbelieve

Sun, 17 Apr 2022 10:00:00 +0000

There is a theme of unbelief as you survey the Gospels. Thomas is the prime example upon his hearing of the resurrection of Jesus. We can look down on him for such unbelief, but what are we afraid of losing that keeps us from walking in faith-filled obedience to Christ? Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Raised by the Blood

Sun, 17 Apr 2022 10:00:00 +0000

"How is it going?" It's a simple question that can also be revealing or comforting depending on the one asking. It can unveil all kinds of issues simmering beneath the surface. However, we a problem that goes far deeper than any well-intentioned questioner can resolve. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Romans 8:1-11 for more.

EXHORTATION - Consider the Tapir

Sun, 10 Apr 2022 10:00:00 +0000

The tapir is a strange looking animal with its hog-like body, nose like that of an elephant trunk but short and stocky, and oddly shaped feet with pronounced toes. Yet the tapir never feels the need to apologize for its strangeness. Christians are just as strange to this world, yet too often we do feel the need to explain or excuse our strangeness. We do well to consider the tapir and follow suit. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Propitiation by the Blood

Sun, 10 Apr 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Can it be possible for news to be too good? Romans 3:21-26 sure is as the Apostle Paul details the solution of the millennia-old problem of how sinful people can be made righteous and God remain just, seeing to it that the guilty receive due penalty. The answer is that God the Son made propitiation by his blood. Listen to David Stabley sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Beware of Hypocrisy

Sun, 03 Apr 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus spoke most harshly not towards adulterers, prostitutes, or murderers but hypocrites. You may have been shocked when a beloved movie character ends up not being the same as the real life actor. They were playing a part. Doing that same thing in our Christian life is intolerable. Listen to David Stabley's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Curse Reversed by the Blood

Sun, 03 Apr 2022 10:00:00 +0000

What do you think of when you hear the word "curse"? Perhaps you think of fairy tales where the protagonist is cursed by some evildoer. More than a mere story, we all live under the curse of God because of sin. So how is it then that God's curse on us could be reversed that we would live and not die? Listen to Brian Wiseman's sermon on Galatians 3:10-14 for more.

Doctrine of Scripture: Growing Affections Through Deepening Knowledge

Sat, 02 Apr 2022 10:00:00 +0000

We are constantly being bombarded with messages that aim to shape who we are and what we love. In the sixteen waking hours of a day, what will you devote yourself to in order to have the best messages shape you? By learning more about what the Bible is, may we grow in our affections for it. Listen to Pastor Brett's talk on the doctrine of Scripture for more.

Words of Life: Reading, Studying, & Sharing Scripture

Sat, 02 Apr 2022 10:00:00 +0000

If we have been given the means of life in written words, we do well to devote ourselves to read them, study them, and share them. In this session from the 2022 Spring women's seminar, Kelina Toney shares the impact the Word of Life has had on her and leads a workshop on how to study the Word yourself.

EXHORTATION - Hold on to True Promises

Sun, 27 Mar 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Promise is one of the most powerful and potent things mankind has ever known. True promise has been the impetus of exploration and investment. Yet promises without fulfillment is worthless; such promises are the kind made by sin. God promises so much more in the gospel that is being fulfilled. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Atoned for by the Blood

Sun, 27 Mar 2022 10:00:00 +0000

There are different aspects or emphases to consider in thinking about atonement. The Passover keys in on redemption. The Day of Atonement, however, draws out the themes of propitiation and expiation while conveying the inadequacies of animal sacrifices. This special day was always intended to point God's people forward to the fulfillment of his promises in Christ. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Leviticus 16 for more.

EXHORTATION - Forsake Cynicism

Sun, 20 Mar 2022 10:00:00 +0000

As Christians, we stake our hope on the promise that Christ will come and bring to completion what he began in his death and resurrection. However, the air we breathe in our context is one of cynicism. We can be jaded with doubt and unbelief, even the promise of Christ's return. Listen to Brian's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Passed Over By the Blood

Sun, 20 Mar 2022 10:00:00 +0000

The Sunshine Protection Act of 2019 would end the biannual practice of re-orienting our days through adjusting for Daylight Saving Time. However, a far more societal change came when God grounded his delivering work through the Exodus on the death of a lamb. Israel would forever change their calendars for their year to begin with commemorating this event. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Exodus 12:1-28 as we press in to how are sin before a holy God is dealt with.

EXHORTATION - Pursue God in Worship

Sun, 13 Mar 2022 10:00:00 +0000

The good news of the gospel is that we will be with God for eternity. We will respond perfectly to the true perfection of his character. However, in this life, we so often do not feel appropriately in response to the truth we observe. That is, we struggle to pursue God in worship. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Grow in Grace and Knowledge

Sun, 13 Mar 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Peter concludes his letter with a few key, final reminders he wants us to walk away with. Count the patience of God as salvation. Don't follow the error of lawless people. Grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ. These themes of the letter get pulled together in these closing verses. Listen to Pastor Haakon's sermon on 2 Peter 3:15-18 for more.

EXHORTATION - Delight to Obey

Sun, 06 Mar 2022 10:00:00 +0000

King Saul disobeyed the clear command of the Lord when coming against the Amalekites and claimed his failure came from a desire to make a sacrifice. Yet he was judged and removed from his position due to his disobedience. Our ceremonial functions likewise must flow from a heart of obedience. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - What Sort of People

Sun, 06 Mar 2022 10:00:00 +0000

There are seasons of waiting we all go through: engagement before marriage, leading up to the birth of a child, paperwork to be completed for buying a home, interview processes for jobs. Whatever it is, waiting is hard, and none of us like it. That is where we presently are in the Christian life—in a season of waiting. So what kind of people ought we to be? Listen to this sermon on 2 Peter 3:11-14 by Pastor Kenny Ortiz from Cities Church for more.

EXHORTATION - Engage in the War

Sun, 27 Feb 2022 10:00:00 +0000

The invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces is an unnerving situation to imagine being in. What might it be like to have fighter jets flying over your home? It is hard to think of such things happening largely because we are at peace. Peacetime can keep you from such readiness for war. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more on the spiritual dynamic of how this plays out.

SERMON - Surely, Christ is Coming

Sun, 27 Feb 2022 10:00:00 +0000

What would you do if you would never be found out? Maybe like D.B. Cooper, you'd come up with a way to get a bucketload of cash without anyone getting hurt. No fear of judgment has a way of leading to poor choices. How much more so if we don't think Christ is returning in judgment? Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 2 Peter 3:1-10 for more.

ROUND TABLE 13 - Getting to Know Brian

Fri, 25 Feb 2022 10:00:00 +0000

The responsibility of a church to appoint a man to the office of pastor is an important one. In January, the pastoral team recommended that Brian Wiseman be so appointed. So Pastor Brett sat down with Brian for a conversation to help you get to know him better.

EXHORTATION - Spend on Your Treasure

Sun, 20 Feb 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus told a parable about someone who spent all they had to gain a treasure in a field. Paul talked about being willing to lose everything to gain Christ. Do you think of your life in Christ in such terms, not just giving but more actively spending to gain more of Christ? Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Worse Than at First

Sun, 20 Feb 2022 10:00:00 +0000

You're hiking around some cliffs when your children get too close to the edge. Is yelling, "Stop!" ungracious or unloving if the kids thought so as it ended their game? Of course not, a stern warning can be an act of love to convey grace. Peter's further characterization of false teachers serves as such a warning lest we follow them off the cliff. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 2 Peter 2:10-22 for more.

EXHORTATION - Carry On in Faith

Sun, 13 Feb 2022 10:00:00 +0000

"Evangelicals" like us rightly focus on the gospel and a call to respond to it in faith. However, we can often think of faith as one tool in our theological tool box that is taken out when discussing evangelism and salvation and then put away. Listen to Pastor Dan's exhortation to rather carry on in faith in all of life.

SERMON - False Teachers Among You

Sun, 13 Feb 2022 10:00:00 +0000

It isn't too hard to slip into a level of comfort and ease in our understanding of Scripture. In 2 Peter 2:1-10, Peter pivots from holding out right doctrine to a warning that false teaching can from among *us.* We avoid such error by enduring in faith in the one who knows how to rescue. Listen to Pastor Haakon's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Rejoice in Your Real Lord

Sun, 06 Feb 2022 10:00:00 +0000

We do not worship God that people made up a long time ago to make themselves feel better. We worship a God who is real. We worship a God who has revealed himself to us, both in his creation and in his Word. Rejoice in your real Lord. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Scripture

Sun, 06 Feb 2022 10:00:00 +0000

"The Joe Rogan Experience" is a podcast with typically lengthy and pot-stirring episodes. Recently, Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson was on and made a profound statement about the foundational truthfulness of the Bible. It caused a bit of a stir. Yet when Peter makes a similar claim, we can breeze over it. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 2 Peter 1:20-21 for more.

EXHORTATION - Do the Ministry

Sun, 30 Jan 2022 10:00:00 +0000

As we carry on as a church, it can be increasingly challenging to become complacent. Yet as Christians, we are called to do the work of the ministry—not the pastors only or paid professionals. Abandon the mindset that ministry just what is done up front on Sundays. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Coming

Sun, 30 Jan 2022 10:00:00 +0000

The life-altering, world-shaping theological truths of 2 Peter 1:1-11 are like shampoo—lather, rinse, repeat. Go on remembering the central claims of apostolic message, namely that Jesus Christ will return in power to establish his eternal kingdom. We know this to be true because Christ's majesty has been seen in person and testified to throughout the Old Testament. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 2 Peter 1:12-19 for more.

EXHORTATION - Love God's Authority

Sun, 23 Jan 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Everywhere you look in Scripture, when God gives authority, responsibility and accountability are coupled with it. Whether it was a unique role like Moses or the special office of king or pastors today, God gives authority but also accountability. This is a reflection of God's character. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation to love God's authority.

SERMON - Make Every Effort

Sun, 23 Jan 2022 10:00:00 +0000

On a cold winter day, how do you get your car to warm up? Not by rubbing your hands together or running around it or blowing warm breath—you need to start the car. We can make all kinds of efforts but a prior activity is required first. Listen to Marshall Segal's sermon on 2 Peter 1:5-11 in drawing out how we make effort because God has first started the car.

EXHORTATION - Put Away Shame

Sun, 16 Jan 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Gen Z has never known a time without the connection of smartphones, yet studies show this generation reports the highest sense of isolation and loneliness. The prevalence of smartphones has served to hide ourselves rather than connect us to other. This hiding is an expression of shame. Listen to Brian Wiseman's exhortation to us to put away shame by drawing near to God.

SERMON - Partakers

Sun, 16 Jan 2022 10:00:00 +0000

There are times when you need to know what you know. You need to have a confidence and certainty in your knowledge because of the situation. Before the apostle starts in on addressing false teachers, he begins 2 Peter by focusing on what we as Christians need to be confident of. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 2 Peter 1:1-4 for more.

EXHORTATION - Don't Mistake Information for Wisdom

Sun, 09 Jan 2022 10:00:00 +0000

What is more valuable, the goose or the golden egg—a fish or knowing how to fish? While wisdom is at the basis of any kind of value, data and information alone does not constitute wisdom. This holds true in our relation to God. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Steadfast

Sun, 09 Jan 2022 10:00:00 +0000

"Tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom!” It may not be Braveheart but certain lines from movies draw us in and summon us to action. We are likewise summoned to action in 1 Peter 5:8-14 as we must be ready to face a fearful lion. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Make the Time

Sun, 02 Jan 2022 10:00:00 +0000

"I didn't get to it." "I was too busy." "I didn't have time." Those phrases or similar ones really are just deflections helping you avoid the reality that you prioritized something else over the task in question. There are 8,760 hours this year. How will you make the time to do what serves your soul best? Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Humble Yourselves

Sun, 02 Jan 2022 10:00:00 +0000

The tornado that recently tore through 200 miles of Kentucky demonstrated power that humbled all who were in its path. No one needed to be told to get down upon experiencing that display of greatness. Yet we need to be told to humble ourselves before God. Listen to Pastor Zach's sermon on 1 Peter 5:6-7 for more.

EXHORTATION - Christ is King

Sun, 26 Dec 2021 10:00:00 +0000

In Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Scrooge says at the end after his transformation, "I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year." We can't actually keep the centrality of Christmas all year—that centrality is that Christ is king. However, we would rather do what is right in our own eyes rather than follow Christ as king. Listen to Pastor Dan's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Shepherd

Sun, 26 Dec 2021 10:00:00 +0000

In addressing elders and the church as a whole, he keys in on the necessity of humility to mark both groups. In the complementing roles of leading and following, shepherding and submitting, humility is to be the hallmark of both. And this because it is the way of the Chief Shepherd. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Peter 5:1-5 for more.

EXHORTATION - Come, O Lord

Fri, 24 Dec 2021 10:00:00 +0000

At our Christmas Eve service we let the prophet Isaiah stir our anticipation for and joy in the coming of Christ our Savior. Listen as Pastor Dan and Pastor Brett share exhortations flowing from Isaiah's writings in the hope, faith, joy, and peace of Christ.

EXHORTATION - Follow Christ More

Sun, 19 Dec 2021 10:00:00 +0000

"Which way ought I go from here?" "That depends a good deal on where you want to get to." "I don't much care where." "Then it doesn't matter which way you go." This exchange from "Alice in Wonderland" is worthwhile to consider in our pursuit of following Christ in all of life. If you don't care where you go, you'll never get there. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Restore

Sun, 19 Dec 2021 10:00:00 +0000

According to one source, there have been 117 billion people that have ever lived. There are about 8 billion people currently on the planet. Thinking of all those people, we can feel small and alone. Add in the isolating effects of suffering, and it gets worse. Yet God became one of the 117 billion that we would know our lament is not the last word. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Lamentations 5 for more.

EXHORTATION - Beware of Pharisaical Standards

Sun, 12 Dec 2021 10:00:00 +0000

During this time of the year, we can place high expectations on all the things we want to do and get done. However, if we go about all of those good things in such a rigid, graceless fashion, we do them in vain. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation and consider that you might be a Pharisee if ... .

SERMON - Wrath

Sun, 12 Dec 2021 10:00:00 +0000

As a young British officer, George Washington addressed the officers under his charge, "Remember that it is the actions, and not the commission, that make the officer, and that there is more expected from him, than the title." Much of the pain in our lives that we lament is the result of our leaders who failed to heed that counsel. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Lamentations 4 for more.

EXHORTATION - Obey in the Small Things

Sun, 05 Dec 2021 10:00:00 +0000

So many of our memories of Christmas are from childhood, and so much of our focus on the Christmas story is on the infant Christ. Yet we overlook the intervening years. Imagine all those years as a boy growing up, living obediently to the Father in the repetitive small things. We too must live obediently in the small things. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Grief

Sun, 05 Dec 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Reading good books draws you into the story and heightens the tension as we experience the drama of the main characters. Sometimes it can get intense for us as readers, leading us to ask, "Why does the dramatic part have to last so long?!" In the Greatest Story God is writing, this is the question we ask in lament. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Abound in Faith & Love

Sun, 28 Nov 2021 10:00:00 +0000

The cultural phenomenon of "preppers" is grounded in a desire for self-sufficiency. Such a motivation stands in opposition to the biblical call to love God and love neighbor. It is for this two-fold summons that Paul commends the Thessalonians, and thus holds out to us that we might abound in faith and love. Listen to Pastor Dan's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Lament

Sun, 28 Nov 2021 10:00:00 +0000

You see a friend on a Sunday who clearly looks burdened by sorrow. He's a father of six whose infant daughter died five years ago and wife died two years ago. Now, his oldest son may be paralyzed from a combat injury. What do you say to him? How is this happiest time of year when there is still so much sorrow? Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon as we learn to lament this Advent.

EXHORTATION - Ask Child-Like Questions

Sun, 21 Nov 2021 10:00:00 +0000

What do you think of when you consider Jesus' commendation of children? Odds are it is a passive posture. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation to take an active, humble posture that continues to ask questions of God, lest we think we've learned it all.

SERMON - Rejoice

Sun, 21 Nov 2021 10:00:00 +0000

There are those days that you readily remember with vivid detail—the special days where it is easy to rejoice. But not all days are like that, and it is a battle to press into the deep-seated, enduring hope of the promises of God. 1 Peter 4:12-19 offers five exhortations to help us rejoice in suffering. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

ROUND TABLE 12 - Giving Thanks

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 10:00:00 +0000

We are not in a financial position where we are desperate for year-end gifts to meet our expenses, but we are looking ahead to 2022 and beyond and asking the Lord to bless us that his way may be known on earth (cf. Psalm 67).

EXHORTATION - Taste God's Goodness in Fasting

Sun, 14 Nov 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Before a child tries cake for the first time, you can pull out the most decadent cake and she will think nothing of it. But after having had a bite? "Give it to me!" Psalm 34:8 exhorts us to taste and see the Lord is good. Have you tried cake? Revive your yearning for the goodness of the Lord by fasting from good gifts. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Live in the Forever, Now

Sun, 14 Nov 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Often, a helpful framework to advance a discussion among a group is to distinguish between principles and practices. Where are there differences between fundamental principles verses the outworking in practices? When looking at 1 Peter 4:7-11, it is helpful to clarify the fundamental principles of coming judgment, implications for living as Christians, and the certainly of the glory of Christ. Listen to Pastor Haakon's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - We Need Our Giving

Sun, 07 Nov 2021 10:00:00 +0000

As the end of the year slowly comes into sight, we begin to think about the finances God has entrusted to us. From purchasing gifts and special meals, we must take into consideration two ditches we can fall into as it relates to money. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Passions

Sun, 07 Nov 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Richard Wurmbrand, a Romanian pastor from the 20th century, brought attention to the persecuted church through his own sufferings and writings. He said, "A faith that can be destroyed by suffering is not faith." How do we prepare ourselves to suffer well so our faith is not destroyed? Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Peter 4:1-6 for more.

EXHORTATION - Beware of Sin's One Move

Sun, 31 Oct 2021 10:00:00 +0000

If you have a solid, reliable move to juke around your opponent on the soccer pitch, stick with it. Having only one move can do the trick. Yet beware of sin's one move: deceit. When you give yourself to sin, what lie are you believing? Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

SERMON - That Your Way May Be Known

Sun, 31 Oct 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Why did God save *me*? It's a question that can intellectually challenging and emotionally straining. Why has God blessed me as he has? It's a question that comes to the same answer as the first: that God might be known on earth. Listen to Dr. Paul Akin, Dean of the School of Missions at Southern Seminary, expound on Psalm 67.

EXHORTATION - Honor the Creator

Sun, 24 Oct 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Light pollution obscures the natural wonder of a clear night sky that exists to declare to declare the glory of God. Nearly any idolatry or sin can be traced back to a failure to honor God as the one who is the Creator of this splendor. Listen to Brian Wiseman's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Proclamation

Sun, 24 Oct 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Facebook says social media and "faith communities" are both fundamentally about connection. Really? Is it? Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Peter 3:18-22 where Peter makes the connection between what we are fundamentally about and our call to suffer for doing good.

EXHORTATION - Get Alone With God

Sun, 17 Oct 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Early morning meetings and commitments that go late into the evening can eat away at the margins of our day. And when multiple days in a row are like that, it can be increasingly challenging to make room for Bible reading and prayer. And yet that is the very thing we need—we need to make time to get alone with God. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Stand Firm in the Lord

Sun, 17 Oct 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Winston Churchill famously summoned his countrymen to a firm resolve in the harrowing days of the Battle of Britain. While our struggle to press on in the Christian life may not always be as visibly threatening, it is nonetheless far more perilous. Listen to Pastor Jason Harrison, from Redeemer Bible Church, call us to stand firm in the Lord.

EXHORTATION - Play More Offense

Sun, 10 Oct 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Country music and Christians sometimes can share something in common: a love for nostalgia. There can be the sense of loving how things used to be, when instead we need to look ahead to how they could be. We do that by playing more offense. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - A Holy Christ: How Jesus Calms Our Hearts in a Troubled World

Sun, 10 Oct 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Christians limp along in this fallen world due to sin and suffering, yet we do so in the hope of a holy Christ. Listen to Jonathon Woodyard, Dean of Admissions at Bethlehem College & Seminary, show from 1 Peter 3:13-17 how Jesus is on our side in the midst of trouble.

EXHORTATION - Right Now Counts Forever

Sun, 03 Oct 2021 10:00:00 +0000

When a teacher calls on students to pull a piece of paper out for a pop quiz, a common question is, "Will this count for our final grade?" Yes, it all counts. How much more so is it true in the Christian life? Every day, every moment, has an impact on eternity. Listen to Pastor Dan's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Righteous

Sun, 03 Oct 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Benjamin Franklin notably made an earnest effort at self-improvement by compiling a list of thirteen virtues, keeping tabs each day on how well he lived them out. When we come across a list of virtues or exhortations on how to live, we don't follow Franklin's example. Rather, we make grace-driven effort to apply the gospel by faith to our lives. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Peter 3:8-12 for more.

EXHORTATION - Expectations of Prayer

Sun, 26 Sep 2021 10:00:00 +0000

What might camping up north and prayer have in common? Proper expectations are needed for both. Lots of variables come into play when camping, especially with kids. Properly calibrated expectations help the trip go well. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for what expectations we ought to bring to prayer.

SERMON - Wives

Sun, 26 Sep 2021 10:00:00 +0000

There's a Latin phrase that has been said to capture the essence of the Christian life: coram Deo. It means to live as though you are in the presence of God. Live knowing God sees. When it comes to our roles and responsibilities within marriage, we carry them out coram Deo. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Peter 3:1-7 for more.

EXHORTATION - Treasure the Word

Sun, 19 Sep 2021 10:00:00 +0000

When the fog won't lift and the joy of the Lord you once knew seems distant, where do you turn? It is for those hard times that we must treasure the Word in the good times. Listen to Pastor Dan's exhort us as an outflow of his months of hardship.

SERMON - Slave

Sun, 19 Sep 2021 10:00:00 +0000

What motivates you to do something you don't really want to do? Reward? Removal of consequences? Internal drive to be the best? Guilt? As Peter makes his second application to how Christians ought to relate to authority, he gives a strong, two-fold motivator by pointing to our calling and Christ's example. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Do Not Covet

Sun, 12 Sep 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Children scooting ever closer to the birthday girl opening presents illustrates our own hearts on seeing the blessings of others. Yet our hearts are more sinister. The problem with our covetous hearts is we are trying to satisfy our longings with what only can be accomplished through redemption. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Submit

Sun, 12 Sep 2021 10:00:00 +0000

God was wondrously made a new people who are united by faith through the death and resurrection of Jesus. As a new nation, citizens of another country, what do we do with those people in this place of our exile who are in authority over us? In particular, how do we now relate to the government? Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Peter 2:13-17.

ROUND TABLE 11 - When the Darkness Doesn't Lift

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Pastor Dan stepped back from his pastoral responsibilities in March of this year after a taxing struggle with COVID. However, the struggle was not merely physical as it quickly took on a spiritual dynamic. He wrestled with many of the challenges of depression until more recently when the darkness finally lifted. Listen to him share about the past few months and the Lord's faithfulness in the midst of it.

EXHORTATION - Handle Conflict in the Gospel

Sun, 29 Aug 2021 10:00:00 +0000

When we move towards other people to seek to further invest in and develop the relationship—whether in marriage, at work, with neighbors—we will encounter conflict. This is no different in the church. However, we must handle conflict in a way consistent with the gospel. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - House

Sun, 29 Aug 2021 10:00:00 +0000

If you're going to put a fence in, you need dig deep to set the fence posts in correctly. That way they can stand up under the weight of the fence and the pressures of changing seasons. Peter wants to set us deep by teaching us about who we are as a new people in Christ so that we will endure in faithfulness. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Be a Godly Evangelist

Sun, 22 Aug 2021 10:00:00 +0000

A skinny chef. An honest politician. A mechanic with clean hands. The descriptions don’t exactly match the role. Neither does “ungodly evangelist.” In our zeal to press into the joyful mission, we can focus on all the right arguments and tactics yet overlook the basic call to be a Christ-like witness. If we are going to make a winsome call to the world of the hope of the gospel, we must live like we believe it. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Crave

Sun, 22 Aug 2021 10:00:00 +0000

We don't need any help craving. From the moment of our birth, we yearning for things. Some desires are good and proper, like that of a newborn for milk. It is proper to desire life-sustaining nourishment. Other thirsts are ... not so good. This is why we must reorient on the gospel that we would be fed with all that God intends so that we would persevere through our exile. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Press into Relationships

Sun, 15 Aug 2021 10:00:00 +0000

After spending 100 days completely alone in the wilderness as part of a reality TV show, the winner reflected on the moment. Over the course of his isolation, he shared how he loved being alone. Yet at the victory, he reflects on the most significant relationship of his life. God did not make us to be alone but to press into relationships. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Love

Sun, 15 Aug 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Our culture is confused about love. Two common directions the confusion goes is toward an overly emotive view that is all about butterflies in your stomach. Another direction is toward moral relativism; "love is love." Both confused directions have the self at the center. However, the clear teaching of God's Word points us another direction: love sincerely from a pure heart. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Turn the Mirror

Sun, 08 Aug 2021 10:00:00 +0000

It would be insanity for a driver to turn the rearview mirror while driving to only be able to see her own face and gaze directly into the mirror, being unconcerned with where she is going or what's happening on the road. Such is the folly of pride, regardless of the form it takes. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation to turn the mirror.

SERMON - Fear

Sun, 08 Aug 2021 10:00:00 +0000

The HMS Queen Elizabeth is a new, state-of-the-art British aircraft carrier that powers its propellers in a new way. The engines are located throughout the ship and massive electrical lines power the propellers. Sailors have to be focused when they're in a compartment with the electrical lines; a wrong move could be fatal. It's a situation where familiarity breeding contempt could be very dangerous. A parallel dynamic is at work in 1 Peter 1:17-21. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Envy

Sun, 01 Aug 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Dorothy Sayers once wrote about envy saying, " It begins by asking, plausibly, ‘Why should I not enjoy what others enjoy?’ and it ends by demanding, ‘Why should others enjoy what I may not?’” That's the discontented progression of this "respectable sin." Where do you look at others' rejoicing not to share in their rejoicing but with sinful longing? Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Declaring & Exhorting

Sun, 01 Aug 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Peter tells us at the end of his first epistle that he wrote the letter to declare and exhort his readers concerning the true grace of God. This is evident earlier in the letter as declares the truth of the gospel written of by the prophets and exhorts us to have thoughtful hope and consistent holiness. Listen to Pastor Haakon's sermon on 1 Peter 1:10-16 for more.

EXHORTATION - Don't Be Anxious

Sun, 25 Jul 2021 10:00:00 +0000

When sinful anxiety takes hold of your thoughts and emotions, how do you respond? Continuing to mull over what it is that you are anxious about fails to take into account your inability to resolve the issue. Rather, we can pray and entrust those burdens to our Father in Heaven who has broad shoulders to bear them. Listen to Brian Wiseman's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Tested Genuineness

Sun, 25 Jul 2021 10:00:00 +0000

John Lennon's song "Imagine" begins "Imagine there's no heaven / It's easy if you try / No hell below us / Above us, only sky / Imagine all the people / Livin' for today." That worldview works ... until it doesn't. When suffering and hardship comes, how well will "livin' for today" work? We're pointed to something far better in 1 Peter 1:6-9 when we are grieved by various trials. Listen to Pastor Zach's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Dig in to Doctrine

Sun, 18 Jul 2021 10:00:00 +0000

"Doctrine" can sound academic, stuffy, unrelatable. But "doctrine" is just what the Bible teaches, and we should never settle for a shallow understanding of what God has revealed in the Bible. The Bible is academic and devotional, challenging and rewarding, transcendent and imminent. We should dig in to doctrine. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Mercy

Sun, 18 Jul 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Pickles are preserved through canning as the flame heats the water to boiling and the jars are sealed in the water. We ought to take hope in the midst of exile knowing that just as we have been caused to be born again by God's great mercy, so he will keep us by that same mercy. He preserves us by guarding us with the flame of his power through the boiling water of our faith. You have faith in Christ? Blessed be God! Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Press On

Sun, 11 Jul 2021 10:00:00 +0000

The “honeymoon phase” of a new purchase, relationship, or experience can be an enjoyable time period, but it can also mask underlying issues. As a church, we’ve enjoyed wonderful unity in the midst of a very unified year in the world. But may such unity not merely be a phase but the Spirit’s work among as we press on toward the goal of the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Listen to Pastor Brett’s exhortation for more.

SERMON - Chosen

Sun, 11 Jul 2021 10:00:00 +0000

When you’re paddling in the front of the canoe and not responsible for navigation, you can feel like you’re expending a lot of energy to go somewhere but aimless in where you’re going. At the beginning of this new series in 1 Peter, we’re given orientation to where we’re going in the midst of our exile as Peter points to our hope in the Triune God. Listen to Pastor Brett’s sermon on 1 Peter 1:1-2 for more.

EXHORTATION - Use Freedom Like a Shovel

Sun, 04 Jul 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Do you use your Christian freedom more like a pass or a shovel? Do you view your freedom as the ticket that gives you the license to do something? Or do you view your freedom to do this or that as a Christian as a tool that will be constructive and build up? Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Hope

Sun, 04 Jul 2021 10:00:00 +0000

A common theme in novels and movies is for the conflict to look the bleakest just before the final victory arrives. Those stories are written that way because that's how God writes the greatest story: the Son of God dies in apparent defeat just before being risen to ultimate victory. It is the same pattern as the final vision of Daniel is communicated. God's people have reason to hope in the face of suffering because the victory is sure. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Give Grace With Words

Sun, 27 Jun 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Who appreciates a the scent of a rotting fish or spoiled fruit? Why then would we speak words that do not give grace to those who hear us? Our speech can do so much good and so much harm. We ought to give more attention to what we say and what we choose not to say. Listen to Brian Wiseman's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Kings

Sun, 27 Jun 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Climb to the top of Yosemite Falls, all 2,500 feet of it, and you'll find at the top no guardrail or fence. Only the foolish walk up to the edge and peer over. But if there was a fence deeply anchored in the granite, that would change things. Daniel 11 reveals God's meticulous sovereignty over the future to be like a fence on a lofty overlook—it provides confidence where only fear and anxiety would otherwise be. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Glory in Overlooking Offense

Sun, 20 Jun 2021 10:00:00 +0000

"Cancel culture" disciples us to play up any semblance of victimhood and glory in being offended. That is not the way of following Christ in all of life. Christian, we ought to entrust ourselves to a faithful Creator when we suffer according to God's will and glory in overlooking offense. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Princes

Sun, 20 Jun 2021 10:00:00 +0000

In our materialistic society, the mantra "science is real" lends to a worldview that says the supernatural is a fairy tale for children. But even a peacock or the human eye captures wonder that point beyond this world. And the struggle we are in with suffering and sorrow likewise extends beyond this world. There are unseen actors at work influencing the course of human history. Listen to Pastor Haakon's sermon on Daniel 10.

EXHORTATION - Love the Standard

Sun, 13 Jun 2021 10:00:00 +0000

In the midst of a month dedicated by our culture to celebrating sin and rebellion, the temptation might not be to cave and go with the flow. Rather, we may be inclined to apologize for God's Word and standard for human sexuality. We ought instead to love the standard, and love what God has created. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Seventies

Sun, 13 Jun 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Much attention in Daniel 9 is given to the last four verses, however when we look at the chapter in full, we see more of God's purpose in revealing a mysterious vision about 70 "weeks." God answered a prayer about a promise of 70 years, and he was going to do far more than one prophet could ask or imagine in fulfilling that promise. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Daniel 9 for more.

EXHORTATION - Provide a Place

Sun, 06 Jun 2021 10:00:00 +0000

"Home is where the heart is" yet Jesus says our heart is where our treasure is. "Home" can so easily become our greatest treasure. Even as we seek a "home" as a church, we must be watchful to not let a place take prominence. After all, it is not the things in the presence of the Lord that provides the fullness of joy, rather we are made full of gladness with his presence. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Horns

Sun, 06 Jun 2021 10:00:00 +0000

When you've got sinus pressure that last a few days, it feels like it never end. How much more so when walking through far greater suffering? Daniel 8 was revealed and written for your encouragement. God knows the future, reveals it as he wills, and sets the limits and parameters of the suffering his people will experience. Take hope; your suffering is not boundless and unending. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Call New Disciples

Sun, 30 May 2021 10:00:00 +0000

As we pray for God to call new disciples to himself—the great task he has commissioned us for (Matthew 28:18-20)—we too often can go about it as though such a work is entirely dependent on us. Such a work is not dependent on cleverly devised myths or words of eloquent wisdom or lofty speech and wisdom. Rather, it is depend on God, so we pray. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Beasts

Sun, 30 May 2021 10:00:00 +0000

The last half of Daniel is pretty weird—let's be honest. But this type of writing, "apocalyptic," is intended to encourage us to persevere in the midst of suffering and sin in this world by seeing that God reigns over all and will be victorious. Yet as we come to the end of Daniel 7, we see that such a grand vision does not instantly change our circumstances, and we lament. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Make Us Holy

Sun, 23 May 2021 10:00:00 +0000

The weightlifter who actually holds up the full weight is the one who feels the pressure of the weight, not the one who attempts it but fails. When we pray, "Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil," we have a hope that we will bear up under the weight of trials, temptations, and the ways of the Evil One because we are empowered by the Holy Spirit. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Hope in God

Sun, 23 May 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Of the currently top 150 worship songs played in churches in the U.S., zero are songs of lament. Contrast that with a third of the Psalms. Lament is a necessary practice in following Christ because we live in a sinful and broken world, and expressing our sorrow to God is the right way of handling such difficulties. Listen to Max Kozak, pastoral resident at Cities Church, expound on Psalm 43 to help us learn to know what to do in the valley.

EXHORTATION - Shape Us in the Gospel

Sun, 16 May 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Whether sins or debts, Christians ought to be ready to forgive because of how much we have been forgiven in Christ. We've breathed in deeply of the grace of God and need not hold that breath in. As we continue in our prayer focus, listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation that we would be increasingly shaped by the gospel.

SERMON - Depth Charged Exiles

Sun, 16 May 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Ships used to attempt to sink a submarine by dropping an explosive called a "depth charge." It wasn't just a device dropped in the ocean at random but deployed with a purpose. Daniel—and all the elect exiles—are "depth charges" not just waiting in exile but sent there for the glory of God. And such deployment may require disobeying the government. Listen to Pastor Zach's sermon on Daniel 6 for more.

EXHORTATION - Give What We Need

Sun, 09 May 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Asking for "daily bread" can get turned to presuming to know what it is that we need rather than a request for God to provide the sufficient and necessary grace for today. In God's providential wisdom, there may be good cause for him to give a stone when we ask for bread or a snake when we ask for fish. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Hands

Sun, 09 May 2021 10:00:00 +0000

A day is coming when the Lord will require of us our soul; he will hold us to account for our actions. We can go on for some time thinking we are perfectly free to do as we will—we can enrich ourselves or seem to have great power over our lives—yet God will see to it that it is plain that he holds our breath in his hand. God is meticulously sovereign over all things. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Daniel 5 for more.

EXHORTATION - Your Will Be Done

Sun, 02 May 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Theologians have articulated two wills that God has, his will of decree and will of command. Or it could be thought of as his story and his specific. So when we pray as Jesus taught us, "Your will be done," we are praying that God's will of command would come about. We want to want what God wants to happen in these Cities—that happens when we pray. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Humbled

Sun, 02 May 2021 10:00:00 +0000

God will move and act to afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted. This is on display in Daniel 4 has God acts to convey to a watching world that he rules and reigns over all despite the appearances that King Nebuchadnezzar is in control. What will it take for you to be humbled before the Lord Jesus? Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Your Kingdom Come

Sun, 25 Apr 2021 10:00:00 +0000

The second petition of the prayer Jesus taught his disciples is a bit different wording. Your kingdom come? Like with knights and a round table? How does a kingdom come? Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation to be spurred on to pray this request so that God's kingly reign would be more evident in our world.

SERMON - Furnace

Sun, 25 Apr 2021 10:00:00 +0000

A Scottish pastor, Thomas Chalmers, two-hundred years ago preached a sermon called, "The Expulsive Power of a New Affection." Chalmers argues we can turn from sin by seeing its vanity or finding something better. Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were ready to face death in the furnace rather than willfully sin because they knew something better. They knew the person and character of the LORD God. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Hallowed Be Your Name

Sun, 18 Apr 2021 10:00:00 +0000

The first petition of the prayer Jesus taught his disciples is, "Our Father, hallowed be your name." First and foremost, we pray for God to be rightly regarded as holy. This is his chief aim in all of creation, yet we so readily pursue our own glory. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Kingdom

Sun, 18 Apr 2021 10:00:00 +0000

The itch everyone is most eager to have scratched when reading about visions and dreams is what the particulars are about. While Daniel 2 does speak to the kingdoms of man yet to come as anticipated in the dream recorded, we see that the same point of the dream is conveyed throughout the chapter. Namely, God is in control despite present appearances and will move to provide for his people. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Be Faithful in Little

Sun, 11 Apr 2021 10:00:00 +0000

In calls to not waste your life or to be a radical disciple of Jesus, we can lose sight of the good in being faithful in the relatively mundane, little things of life. Doing big, grand things for the sake of Christ is commendable but so is doing the easily overlooked. Listen to more of Pastor Zach' exhortation to be faithful in the little things.

EXHORTATION - Seek & Search

Sun, 11 Apr 2021 10:00:00 +0000

We are starting an eight-week initiative, "Seek & Search," to especially commit ourselves as a church to seeking the Lord in his Word and prayer. We are desiring to foster gospel growth by seeking God in his Word, enflame joyful mission by seeking the Spirit to move, and advance generous hospitality by searching for a space. Listen to Pastor Haakon explain more about this Spring prayer focus in this commissioning exhortation.

SERMON - Given

Sun, 11 Apr 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Coming down from the emotional high of the exuberance of Resurrection Sunday and going on with a week that seems like any other can leave us with the sense that the promises of the resurrection just aren't what they seem. That's when we're reminded that we are exiles, like Daniel, and need to hope in God's sovereign presence in our sojourning. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Daniel 1:1-21 for more.

EXHORTATION - Put Death in its Place

Sun, 04 Apr 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Marcus Aurelius once said, "Death smiles at us all, but all a man can do is smile back." Such a hopeless worldview does not know the death-defeating power of the resurrected Christ. No, rather Christians ought to put death in its place. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Risen

Sun, 04 Apr 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Good stories bring you into the experience of the characters. Mark ends his Gospel as a good story, leaving questions unanswered and putting the onus on his readers to respond to the testimony he's captured regarding the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. How will you respond to the empty tomb? Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Mark 16:1-8 for more.

EXHORTATION: The Death of Christ (Good Friday)

Fri, 02 Apr 2021 10:00:00 +0000

The death of Christ is a clear display of the gravity of our sin and rebellion against a holy God. It required the death of God's own Son to assuage the just punishment for sinners. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation from our Good Friday service for more.

EXHORTATION: The Love of Christ (Good Friday)

Fri, 02 Apr 2021 10:00:00 +0000

The Thursday before Easter is known as "Maundy Thursday," from the Latin 'maundatum' meaning "commandment." It was at the Last Supper on that Thursday where Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and gave them a new commandment. He went on to display the highest example of that commandment in laying down his own life. Listen to Pastor Brett's Good Friday exhortation on the love of Christ.

EXHORTATION - Worldliness

Sun, 28 Mar 2021 10:00:00 +0000

On the cusp of entering the Promised Land, the LORD told Israel that one day they would ask for a king so that they would be like the nations. We too want to be like the nations, the world. Christians want to be acceptable in popular society—we want our faith to be cool. And of this we need to repent. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Crucified

Sun, 28 Mar 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Non-Christians have always regarded our crucified God as folly. From the mocking of Alexamenos in the first century to USA Today regarding a Christian basketball team as backwards, at the core is the perceived foolishness of following a humiliated messiah. Yet what is foolish to the world is the wisdom of God—Jesus laid down his life to ransom many. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Mark 15:21-47 for more.

EXHORTATION - Remember the Manna

Sun, 21 Mar 2021 10:00:00 +0000

In the Old Testament, we have recorded the promise of God to provide food called manna for Israel while they were in the wilderness. God promised enough for each day and no more. Storing up or hoarding manna didn't work—new manna was needed each day. God's sufficient grace for each day functions the same. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Convicted

Sun, 21 Mar 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Since Constantine's conversion in the fourth century, Christians in the West have faced relatively minimal persecution and suffering. For those who have, they've clung to Jesus by identifying with his suffering to persevere because he persevered. As Jesus' own prophecy (Mark 10:33-34) is being fulfilled, we see Jesus is the silent lamb who was the sinless substitute by being the mocked king. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Mark 15:1-20 for more.

EXHORTATION - Cultivate Fruitfulness in Life & Worship

Sun, 14 Mar 2021 10:00:00 +0000

We have a time in our service when a pastor speaks, what we call, an "exhortation" for two reasons: to cultivate fruitfulness in our lives and to cultivate fruitfulness in our worship. Sin will choke out fruitfulness in your life, and it will hinder your worship of a holy God. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Denied

Sun, 14 Mar 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Theologians will describe our world as the "best of all possible worlds" to accomplish God's goal of glorifying himself. So if this world, with all of its sorrow and pain, is the best for the glory of God, we can rest assured that God's purposes cannot be thwarted by our sin and shame. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Mark 14:51-72 for more.

EXHORTATION - Pray for These Twin Cities

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 10:00:00 +0000

As the trial of Derek Chauvin begins, your city and neighbors need you to pray because they need Jesus Christ. The turmoil of last summer makes this plain. Regardless of how the trial plays out, it cannot resolve all the pain, hurt, injustices, or other troubles that cling to our neighbors. Indifference or over-engagement in the developments of the trial can both lead to prayerlessness. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Alone

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 10:00:00 +0000

A 17th century Spanish artist named Zurbaran painted a peaceful lamb on a simple, black background with its feet bound with ropes. He titled the painting "Agnus Dei," the Lamb of God. As we move through Mark 14:1-50, Jesus is increasingly isolated, abandoned, and betrayed. He stands alone in the hands of sinners ... as the Lamb of God. Listen to this sermon from Pastor Brett.

EXHORTATION - Show the Bread

Sun, 28 Feb 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Don't be ashamed of the exclusive claims of Christ. It isn't pride to be a beggar showing other beggars where the bread is. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Stay Awake

Sun, 28 Feb 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus spoke of things to come when his disciples asked him in private about his thoughts on the splendor of the temple. Regardless of timelines and charts, Jesus wants his disciples to know he will be victorious, and he can be trusted. Therefore, we can stay vigilant and faithful. Listen to Pastor Haakon's sermon on Mark 13:1-37 for more.

EXHORTATION - Take Heed Lest You Fall

Sun, 21 Feb 2021 10:00:00 +0000

A tumble off a ladder in an orchard, the findings of a prominent apologist's abuses, and 1 Corinthians 10:12. These otherwise unrelated topics come together to remind us of how easy it is for us to think we're all good but actually not have firm footing. Listen to Pastor Dan's exhortation for more.

SERMON - By What Authority?

Sun, 21 Feb 2021 10:00:00 +0000

No body likes arrogance. There are a number of commonly used idioms and illustrations that highlight this—the tortoise and the hare, "bigger they are, harder they fall," "pride goes before the fall." Yet we are quick to pass over the display of arrogance in our own lives. Mark captures the folly of Israel's leaders puffed up on their own self-importance not for us to mock them but to see how we are the same. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Mark 11:27-12:44 for more.

EXHORTATION - Encourage the Household

Sun, 14 Feb 2021 10:00:00 +0000

See dishes to be washed? Wash them. Trash to be taken out? Take it out. Laundry to be done? Do it. Likewise, within the household of faith, do not leave the encouragement of your brothers and sisters undone. They are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, and it is good and right to acknowledge the grace at work in them. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Have Faith in God

Sun, 14 Feb 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Grabbing a delicious-looking apple only to cut it open to find it is rotten inside is an unpleasant discovery. The apple is quickly thrown away. Outward appearances with rotten motives are far from what God wants of his people and comes under Jesus' kingly condemnation in Mark 11:1-25. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Do Not Boast

Sun, 07 Feb 2021 10:00:00 +0000

You have felt disregarded. You seem to have received the short end of the stick. You didn't receive the recognition you deserved. Why do you respond the way you do? If all that you have you've received as a gracious gift, why would you boast as though you did not receive it? Listen to Brian Wiseman's exhortation and consider prideful boasting or its cousin, a sense of entitlement.

SERMON - A Ransom for Many

Sun, 07 Feb 2021 10:00:00 +0000

The path of discipleship is fraught with danger and missteps. We're going to need some guidance as we are following Christ in all of life. In Mark 10:13-52, we're given two virtues of faithful discipleship, each with a positive and negative example. Disciples ought to live in willing dependence and humble faith. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more as we follow after Christ together.

EXHORTATION - Wait

Sun, 31 Jan 2021 10:00:00 +0000

No one ever likes waiting. We would much rather be moving on to the next thing or receive the thing for which we wait. Disdain for waiting is compounded when we are equipped to have almost anything we want instantly through the devices we carry. So it is no surprise we don't want to wait for relationships to develop or sanctification to progress. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Let Not Man Separate

Sun, 31 Jan 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Divorce is commonplace in our culture and is assumed to be a given, similar to the expectations in Jesus' day. Yet the fracturing of a marriage has never been God's intent, and it is a sobering standard that Jesus conveys in Mark 10:1-12. Listen to Pastor Dan's sermon and be encouraged to value the glory marriage points to.

EXHORTATION - Don't Be Dull of Hearing

Sun, 24 Jan 2021 10:00:00 +0000

The preacher of Hebrews exhorted his audience for having become dull of hearing in respect to God's Word and thus unable to receive further teaching. We can succumb to the same problem with misplaced priorities. Listen to this exhortation from Pastor Haakon for more.

SERMON - Identity: Womanhood

Sun, 24 Jan 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Glass ceiling. Toxic masculinity. Patriarchy. These phrases are used in varying degrees within our society to convey a message about female identity. We are bombarded with a message of what a woman is all the while that same culture cannot with clarity and consistency define what a woman is. A biblical worldview addresses femininity quite differently as the God who has created us has revealed himself and his purposes in his Word. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on womanhood in the final message in the identity series.

EXHORTATION - Love Image Bearers

Sun, 17 Jan 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Every human life is valuable because each is an image bearer of God himself. In varied ways, we all diminish the dignity of such image bearers. As we focus these few weeks on "identity," it is necessary to reflect and repent of devaluing this divinely gifted identity in other people. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Identity: Manhood

Sun, 17 Jan 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Many things in life are more readily caught than taught. And as we breathe the air of our culture, we must be vigilant to look to Scripture and godly examples to catch the biblical vision for masculinity. A man's identity ought to be shaped by what God's Word says a man is, what a man does, and where all our hope lay. Listen to Pastor Haakon's sermon on manhood—our second sermon in our mini-series on identity.

EXHORTATION - Groan Before the Lord

Sun, 10 Jan 2021 10:00:00 +0000

The world and everything in it is weighted down by hardship, suffering, and woe. We can respond by complaining, with cold indifference, or in faithful groaning. Listen to Brian Wiseman's exhortation to grown before the Lord.

SERMON - Identity: Ethnicity

Sun, 10 Jan 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Our culture is constantly making claims about who we are and what informs and shapes our identity. What the increasingly predominant worldviews are in fact doing is proclaiming another "gospel." We are bombarded with a different vision of who people fundamentally are, what our core problem is, the solution to remedy it, and the end result of this "faith." In this first sermon on the theme of identity, Pastor Brett speaks to how different our culture views ethnicity from what the Bible affirms.

EXHORTATION - Our Feet Run to Evil

Sun, 03 Jan 2021 10:00:00 +0000

The reasons to celebrate Christmas are not as festive as the things we most often associate with the holiday. The reason there is Christmas is that we—all humanity—are not nice, not good. Rather, our feet are quick to run to evil. Listen to Pastor Dan's exhortation to hear more.

SERMON - The Call of Discipleship

Sun, 03 Jan 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Humility is a good, commendable thing. But no one wants to be humiliated. Yet this is the very thing the Son of Man said would happen to him. And as his followers, he calls us to the same path through four exhortations: exchange pride with hospitality, replace status with blessing, forsake sin with a vengeance, give your very self. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Mark 9:30-50 for more.

EXHORTATION - Proclaim Christ

Sun, 27 Dec 2020 10:00:00 +0000

It can be easy to think we have been successful in our evangelism if we share how the Lord has worked in our lives. However, we must proclaim Christ. We must communicate with bold winsomeness the truth about Jesus Christ. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - I Believe; Help My Unbelief!

Sun, 27 Dec 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Faith seeking understanding. It's the posture of humility that characterizes biblical faith and is on display as a father comes to Jesus with a tentative request. We emulate the faith while learning from the request. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Mark 9:14-29 for more.

SERMON - Light in the Darkness

Thu, 24 Dec 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Advent is a season of fasting and longing that pivots to the feasting season of Christmastime at the hinge of Christmas Eve. That which we have been longing for has come. Expectation has been fulfilled. Light has overcome the darkness. The prophet Isaiah anticipated these realities centuries ahead of Christ's birth. Listen to Pastor Brett's Christmas Eve sermon on Isaiah 9:2.

EXHORTATION - Peace on Earth

Sun, 20 Dec 2020 10:00:00 +0000

The line from Luke's Christmas narrative is a familiar one, "On earth peace among those with whom he is well pleased!" We all want peace, but will we lay down our rebellion that prohibits peace with the Triune God? Listen to Pastor Dan's exhortation on peace to consider more.

SERMON - The Son of Man Should Suffer

Sun, 20 Dec 2020 10:00:00 +0000

We see it clearly in the advertisements aimed at us—our culture is gripped by an idolatry of ease, comfort, and self. Any inconvenience should be avoided let alone actual suffering. Yet Jesus teaches another way. Those who follow him will suffer as he too suffered. Though he does not leave us without hope or encouragement. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Mark 9:2-13.

EXHORTATION - Advent of Joy

Sun, 13 Dec 2020 10:00:00 +0000

"Joy to the world; the Lord is come." Is come? Is? The familiar carol words it that way to convey the ongoing significance for present life in the historical arrival of the incarnate Son of God. Yet we all to easily slip in rhythms and habits of life that display we functionally do not believe the Lord is come. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Who Do You Say That I Am?

Sun, 13 Dec 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus certainly cares about suffering, but he is most concerned about delivering people from eternal suffering. As he heals a blind man, he does so in a way to point to spiritual realities. In our spiritual blindness, we must have God open our eyes to rightly perceive that Jesus is the Christ. This Advent, will you see Jesus just as a baby for a mid-winter holiday or will you see him as he has revealed himself to be? Listen to Pastor Zach's sermon on Mark 8:22-9:1 for more.

EXHORTATION - Receive Jesus Afresh By Faith

Sun, 06 Dec 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Even as our culture increasingly rejects any vestige of Christian heritage, we must guard against the same trajectory in our own lives. We must, therefore, receive Jesus by faith afresh. Listen to Pastor Haakon's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Do You Not Yet Understand?

Sun, 06 Dec 2020 10:00:00 +0000

When you walk through the woods, all sounds empty and silent. Yet when you sit and listen, it doesn't take long to hear and see all the activity. Look at Mark 8:1-21, we must do the same as it relates to following after Christ. Doing more and more isn't the solution if we haven't listened to what Christ says and follow him accordingly. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

EXHORTATION - Be On Your Guard Against All Covetousness

Sun, 29 Nov 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Advent is a season of waiting, of longing, of yearning for what we do not now have. And we can all to easily suppress the intended purpose of the season by attempting to fill that sense of loss with gifts and presents and stuff. So we must be on guard against all covetousness and set our hope on what is fixed and true: the promised Second Advent of the Son. Listen to Pastor Dan's exhortation for more.

EXHORTATION - Be Angry & Do Not Sin

Sun, 22 Nov 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Anger is the emotion of moral judgment. We get angry when something matters, and we assess that something is wrong. It can be easy to self-justify our anger or dismiss it as just getting "a little hot under the collar" or "frustrated." Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation to consider how you may actually give yourself to sinful anger.

SERMON - He Does All Well

Sun, 22 Nov 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Our society in recent months has especially conditioned a deep feeling of disdain towards anyone labelled a racist or who exhibits signs of any illness. That kind of disdain is one highlighted in Mark 7 as Jesus shows the nature of the kingdom of God. The hope of the gospel overcomes religious traditions and ethnic barriers to create a people who are chiefly identified by their union with Christ by faith. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Mark 7:24-37.

EXHORTATION - Do Not Fear or Distrust

Sun, 15 Nov 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Perhaps the best example of an unhelpful application of Scripture is to say
to your friend gripped by anxiety, “Well, Philippians 4:6, ‘Don’t be anxious about anything.’” It certainly is true, yet not the most winsome or illuminating of exhortations; “just stop it.” However, we are in no short supply of things to be anxious about. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation to be prompted towards repentance of your own fears and distrust.

SERMON - What Defiles Comes From Within

Sun, 15 Nov 2020 10:00:00 +0000

There is an understandable desire among those pursuing godliness to set up boundaries to guard against breaking the Lord's instruction. However, a very real danger arises when we begin to give those boundaries the same level of authority as God's Word. We must hear Jesus' teaching in Mark 7:1-23 and keep focused on the reality that what defiles us comes from within. Listen to Pastor Haakon's sermon to be exhorted by Jesus' words.

EXHORTATION - Guard Against Distraction

Sun, 08 Nov 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Perhaps this year more than any other in recent memory, we are eager for the distraction of the coming holidays. However, we must guard against distractions that would lead us off the mission. Listen to Pastor Dan's exhortation and give thought, and repentance where needed, of how distractions keep you from following Christ in all of life.

SERMON - Take Heart; I AM

Sun, 08 Nov 2020 10:00:00 +0000

As we begin to see the holidays on the horizon, it's good to recall how quickly they move on and how readily we forget so many good things. Such forgetfulness is all to easy spiritually as well. We may know who Jesus is, yet we fail to live accordingly. So beholding Jesus for who he is and endeavoring to walk by faith is an ongoing experience. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Mark 6:30-56 to behold Jesus in his Word.

EXHORTATION - Pressing into politics, not Politics

Sun, 01 Nov 2020 10:00:00 +0000

In the onslaught of political campaigning over the last year or so, we can be tempted to vote Tuesday and retreat from the public square of political engagement. However, Pastor Haakon exhorts us to see government as something instituted by God and to press into politics while steering clear of Politics.

SERMON - He Must Increase & I Must Decrease: Discipleship in the Face of Rebellious Rulers

Sun, 01 Nov 2020 10:00:00 +0000

The cost of discipleship is one we are exhorted to take into account when considering following Christ in all of life. Yet as we devote ourselves to learn to obey all that Jesus has commanded, the cost of rejection and even death may seem to great to bear. In this sermon from Pastor Dan on Mark 6:14-29, we consider the example of John the Baptist who lost his head in faithfulness to God's Word and kingdom.

EXHORTATION - Fear God and Not People

Sun, 25 Oct 2020 10:00:00 +0000

As Protestants the world over mark this week the beginning of the Reformation, it is fitting for us to reflect on the heart beat of the five driving focuses of that recapturing of the gospel: we are saved (1) by Christ alone (2) through faith alone (3) by grace alone (4) under the authority of Scripture alone (5) all for the glory of God alone. That heart beat is that God looms large in our view and people's opinions shrink. Listen to Pastor Dan's exhortation on this theme.

SERMON - Rejected for the Kingdom

Sun, 25 Oct 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Rejection stings. We've internalized the mantra, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me," but we know it isn't true. In the kingdom of God, rejection is part of the plan. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon, "Rejected for the Kingdom," on Mark 6:1-13 to hear more of how rejection serves God's purposes.

SERMON - Lord Over Demons & Disease

Sun, 18 Oct 2020 10:00:00 +0000

The authority and lordship of Jesus is plain. He commands a storm to be still. He commands demons away. He commands disease to be gone. He commands death to release its hold. Listen to Westview member Joshua Whetstine's sermon on Mark 4:35-5:43.

EXHORTATION - Feeling All the Feels

Sun, 11 Oct 2020 10:00:00 +0000

"You hurt my feelings." "Do what feels right." "Follow your heart." The very air we breathe in our society exalts our feelings and emotions as the supreme arbiter of truth for the individual. Christians must be perpetually guided by what is true, by God's Word. Listen to Pastor Zach Krych's exhortation to consider this more.

SERMON - The Coming Kingdom

Sun, 11 Oct 2020 10:00:00 +0000

So much biblical anticipation builds the expectation of a spectacular kingdom to come with a remarkable king. And yet as Jesus teaches and demonstrates he is the fulfillment of that anticipation, his kingdom doesn't match the expectation. In Mark 4:21-34, four parables are recorded to help us better understand the kingdom of God. Listen now to Pastor Brett's sermon "The Coming Kingdom."

EXHORTATION - Forsaking Sin at the Core

Sun, 04 Oct 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Consider how many people there are in these Twin Cities. Each has a story; each has a past. And each of us have influences that give rise to sin. Yet will we view sin merely as externals or will we grapple with it at the core? Listen to this exhortation from Joshua Jacobs, pointing us to faith and repentance.

SERMON - Sin: Its Effect

Sun, 04 Oct 2020 10:00:00 +0000

It is said that Jesus spoke more about Hell than anyone else recorded in the Bible, yet it is a subject we do not give much attention to. That is understandable—the doctrine of Hell is unsettling and unnerving. It truly is the hardest of teachings found in Scripture. But we fail to understand sin if we don't consider the eternal result of giving ourselves to it. "Sin: Its Effect" is the final sermon in the series on sin where Pastor Brett preaches on Matthew 18:7-9.

ROUND TABLE 10 - Talking About Politics

Fri, 02 Oct 2020 10:00:00 +0000

It actually is possible to have civil, meaningful conversations about politics and social issues despite what is displayed online or in the media. And it is something Christians ought to give ourselves to as the issues are truly about a clash of worldviews. In this roundtable, Pastor Zach and his wife Sara share about one such conversation and things we can glean from it as we seek to engage our neighbors in meaningful ways.

EXHORTATION - Confidence in Authority

Sun, 27 Sep 2020 10:00:00 +0000

We can quickly focus on the "going" part of the Great Commission, but we breeze by the very thing that undergirds our mission: the preeminent authority of Jesus over Heaven and Earth. Listen to this exhortation from Pastor Dan as we repent of our cowardice and gain confidence in Christ's authority.

SERMON - Sin: Its Sinfulness

Sun, 27 Sep 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Sin isn't merely sinful because a rule says it's bad. Sin is sinful because God is holy, because God is wonderfully unique and values himself above all else. Our sin is sinful because it is an affront to God's holiness. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon, "Sin: Its Sinfulness," on Isaiah 6:1-7 as we continue our series on sin.

EXHORTATION - Humbled at the Table

Sun, 20 Sep 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Our service for public worship is intentionally organized such that we pause to consider our sink, revel in God's grace, devote ourselves to his Word, and then come to his table. We land there as a weekly reminder that Jesus has done all that we need. We come to the table in faith-filled humility. Listen to this week's exhortation from Pastor Brett for more.

SERMON - Sin: Its Pervasiveness

Sun, 20 Sep 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Our sinfulness is not just a theological category. Rather, like the Christmas carol, we find our sin as "far as the curse is found." In this sermon, "Sin: Its Pervasiveness," from Pastor Haakon on Romans 1:18-32, we see how sin has brought about the darkening of our heart, the dishonoring of the body, and the debasing of the mind.

EXHORTATION - Be Devoted to the Word

Sun, 13 Sep 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Hand in hand with singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs is letting the Word of Christ dwell richly in you. Will we consecrate ourselves to God's Word? Listen to this week's exhortation from Pastor Dan.

SERMON - Sin: Its Origin

Sun, 13 Sep 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Seeing his city ravaged by disease and set ablaze, one pastor was moved to write the book The Plague of Plagues, giving attention to the far worse pandemic of sin that plagues our world. As we face a similar situation, will we give thought to what truly is the greatest threat to our souls? Listen to this first sermon, "Sin: Its Origin," from Pastor Brett in a series on the doctrine of sin.

ROUND TABLE 9 - Why Join a New Church?

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Why in the world would someone join a new church? In this round table, Pastors Brett & Zach sit down with Joshua Whetstine, Field Director for Church Planting with the Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Convention, to pick his brain on the benefits and difficulties of being a part of a new church.

EXHORTATION - Sing to God

Sun, 06 Sep 2020 10:00:00 +0000

We sing because we're commanded to. We sing to sink the truths in our head down into our hearts. We sing to serve the faith of our brothers and sisters with us. When we don't sing like this, we need to turn in repentance. Listen for more on this theme in Pastor Zach's exhortation.

SERMON - Soils & Sovereignty

Sun, 06 Sep 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus tells us that he taught in parables to have the same effect on his hearers as Isaiah's prophetic ministry: confirming the hard-heartedness of idolaters. He relayed this in the context of the familiar "parable of the sower." Listen to this sermon on Mark 4:1-20, "Soils & Sovereignty" from Pastor Brett to hear more.

EXHORTATION - Be Assured of Jesus' Pardon

Sun, 30 Aug 2020 10:00:00 +0000

We can be gripped by the fear, guilt, or shame of our sin such that we believe the lie that God could never give us peace, never forgive us, or never make us whole. This is why we need to reorient on the gospel each week and be assured of the pardon that is ours in Jesus. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

SERMON - Presuming on Position

Sun, 30 Aug 2020 10:00:00 +0000

We all get a kick out of watching someone else be made a fool of—such voyeurism serves to conceal or overlook our own failings. As we read of the failings of the scribes and Jesus' family, will overlook our own shortcomings in rightly following Jesus? Listen to this sermon by Pastor Brett on Mark 3:20-35.

ROUND TABLE 8 - Habits of Grace

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 10:00:00 +0000

The Westview pastoral team returns from a round table hiatus to discuss how we pursue benefiting from God's manifest grace to us through his varied means. We won't follow Christ in all of life if we don't put ourselves in the stream of his grace.

EXHORTATION - We Must Repent

Sun, 23 Aug 2020 10:00:00 +0000

In this exhortation, Pastor Haakon addresses why we set aside time in our service each week to consider God and his Word that we may repent of sin.

SERMON - The Gathering Storm

Sun, 23 Aug 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Opposition to Jesus doesn't always look the same. Some times it is rooted in tradition, sometimes in want to just use Jesus, and some times founded in the deceit of sin. In this sermon on Mark 3:1-19, Pastor Brett points to the gathering storm of opposition that leads to the cross.

EXHORTATION - Confess Your Sin Lest You Deceive Yourself

Sun, 16 Aug 2020 10:00:00 +0000

This recording is an "immersive experience" (read: poor quality with a lot of the ambient noise of worshiping together as families) of Pastor Dan exhorting us to confess our sin lest we deceive ourselves.

SERMON - Sing to Him With Joy

Sun, 16 Aug 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Guest preacher Kenny Ortiz (Cities Church) draws our attention to Psalm 33 and the role of singing in the Christian life.

EXHORTATION - Called to Worship a Glorious God

Sun, 09 Aug 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Consider how the Bible describes God—he is preeminently glorious and worthy of praise! And yet we so often go about our lives as though he isn't or we don't care. That's why we need to be called to worship each week by God in his Word and repent of not regarding God according to his worth.

SERMON - Awaken to Something New

Sun, 09 Aug 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Walking in the routine and rhythms of the Christian life can result in a sleepy lethargy of habit and doing things the way they've always been done. In this sermon on Mark 2:13-28, Pastor Brett shows how Jesus is calling us to wake up to the new work he is doing through a new kind of calling, a new method, and a new authority.

EXHORTATION - Let God's Hospitality Form Yours

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Pastor Haakon exhorts us to have our view of hospitality shaped, infused, and transformed by God's hospitality. It isn't about what your house is like, but do you commend the One who has gone before and promised a place for you in his Father's house?

SERMON - That You May Know

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Knowledge can be a blessing and a curse. Does what you know lead you to action in following Jesus or does it bind you in fear to either reject him or not fully follow him? In this sermon on Mark 2:1-12, Pastor Brett leads us in considering what different people in the passage know about Jesus and how they respond.

EXHORTATION - Follow Christ in All of Life

Sun, 12 Jul 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Pastor Zach reflects on Westview's mission statement—following Christ in all of life—to lead us into confession.

SERMON - Worship the Lord

Sun, 12 Jul 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Who will you worship? We all will worship someone or something. It may be fame, science, acceptance, comfort—whatever or whoever it is, we will offer up our affections to something. In Psalm 29, we're faced with this question. Who will you worship?

Pastor Brett preached this sermon on Psalm 29 on July 12, 2020.

EXHORTATION - Consider Others More Significant

Sun, 28 Jun 2020 10:00:00 +0000

In this exhortation from our outdoor service on June 28, 2020, Dan Perrel calls us to consider others more significant than ourselves from Philippians 2. Find more about Westview Church at westviewchurchmn.com.

SERMON - Wait for the Lord

Sun, 28 Jun 2020 10:00:00 +0000

In this sermon from our outdoor service on June 28, 2020, on Psalm 27 by Brett Toney, we see the psalmist boast in the Lord, lament to the Lord, and insist on the Lord in response to his suffering. Learn more about Westview Church at westviewchurchmn.com.

SERMON - Vindicate Me, O God

Sun, 21 Jun 2020 10:00:00 +0000

ROUND TABLE 7 - Liturgy

Thu, 11 Jun 2020 10:00:00 +0000

We have our very first guest on the Westview Church Podcast as we discuss a topic that is all the rage right now with books being published, movies being produced, presidential tweets being tweeted ... liturgy. It sounds like an old fogey church word but speaks to the habits that shape our lives. And as we're following Christ in all of life, those habits are really important. Learn more about Westview at westviewchurchmn.com.

ROUND TABLE 6 - Community Group

Fri, 22 May 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Community Groups *and* Discipleship Groups? What gives? In this episode, Brett Toney and Zach Krych discuss the vision behind Westview's Community Groups and how they differ in focus and intent from Discipleship Groups. Learn more about Westview Church at westviewchurchmn.com.

ROUND TABLE 5 - Discipleship Groups

Mon, 11 May 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus commissioned the Church—all Christians—to make disciples wherever they go by baptizing in the Triune name and teaching to observe all that he commanded. As we are following Christ in all of life at Westview, how are we going to carry out that commissioning? The primary focus will be on Discipleship Groups, the topic of this episode that our leadership team discusses.

ROUND TABLE 4 - Essentials: Generous Hospitality

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Rounding out the focus on Westview's three essentials, the leadership team discusses generous hospitality. This essential really serves to bridge together the first two essentials of gospel growth and joyful mission as we are following Christ in all of life. Learn more about Westview at westviewchurchmn.com or sign up to receive email updates at westviewchurchmn.com/contact.

ROUND TABLE 3 - Essentials: Joyful Mission

Tue, 07 Apr 2020 10:00:00 +0000

The Westview leadership team "gets together" for the first socially distant episode to discuss the second essential: joyful mission. Learn more about Westview at westviewchurchmn.com or sign up to receive email updates at https://westviewchurchmn.com/contact.

ROUND TABLE 2 - Essentials: Gospel Growth

Wed, 11 Mar 2020 10:00:00 +0000

The Westview leadership team sits down to start talking about the essentials that shape us as a local church. Those essentials are gospel growth, joyful mission, and generous hospitality, with the first in that list being the focus of this episode. Learn more about Westview at westviewchurchmn.com or sign up to receive email updates at https://westviewchurchmn.com/contact.

ROUND TABLE 1 - Following Christ in All of Life

Wed, 26 Feb 2020 10:00:00 +0000

In this inaugural episode, the Westview leadership team discusses the mission statement that provides the orienting direction of who we are and what we do as a local church—following Christ in all of life. Come along with us as the team shares how this plays out in the life of the church.

Learn more about Westview at westviewchurchmn.com or sign up to receive email updates at https://westviewchurchmn.com/contact.

EXHORTATION - Does It Matter? Is It Wrong?

Sun, 12 Jan 2020 10:00:00 +0000

EXHORTATION - Would You Have Dared Expected This?

Sun, 15 Dec 2019 10:00:00 +0000

EXHORTATION - O Come Divine Messiah

Sun, 08 Dec 2019 10:00:00 +0000

EXHORTATION - Receiving Hebrews 12

Sun, 27 Oct 2019 10:00:00 +0000

EXHORTATION - Such Were Some of You

Sun, 29 Sep 2019 10:00:00 +0000

EXHORTATION - You Keep Using That Word

Sun, 22 Sep 2019 10:00:00 +0000

SERMON - Malevolent Deceit & the Moved Deliverer

Sun, 01 Sep 2019 10:00:00 +0000

EXHORTATION - Increase Your Expectations

Sun, 21 Jul 2019 10:00:00 +0000

EXHORTATION - Train Harder Than Athletes

Sun, 14 Apr 2019 10:00:00 +0000