So what are these Podcasts all about? How can they be used in your life and church? Listen in as Andy gives the lowdown on what we are calling - "a modern take on Paul's letters".

The next number of weeks we are going to work through our vision and values - they are what hold us all together. In this opening week, we walk through the opening stanza of our vision prayer. It's a stanza all about us longing for intimacy with Jesus.

Before you get into this one, read: Isaiah 66:1-2; John 15:1-6

Our second week walking through the opening stanza of our vision prayer. It's a stanza all about us longing for intimacy with Jesus and us becoming the resting places of God. In part 2 we look at things we can do to help create an environment that welcomes more fully the resting presence of God.

Before you get into this one, read: Isaiah 66:1-2; John 15:1-6; Psalms 131,132,133

We're moving on to the second stanza of our Vision prayer. Here we're beginning to look at community - what it means to be the church in realationship to others and the world. Before you get into this it'd be good to read the following: Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19:5; and 1 Peter 2:1-9.

Hello everyone! Second week on stanza two of our vision prayer. This week we are looking at "unity" as we work through this whole community thing - becoming a community with Jesus at the center. in preparation for this teaching you might want to read: Genesis 2:23-25; 1 Cor 12:13; Col 1:19-20,3:11-17; Eph. 2:11-22; and Rev. 7:19-20.
Afterwards two questions to wrestle with: 1) Read James 3 - How is your tongue aiding in brining unity to life? How is it eroding unity? 2) Mark Peters at the retreat talked about the trinity as a perfect portrait of unity. The key to this was each member of the Trinity submitting to each other.

This week we continue with stanza two of our vision prayer exploring this idea that as a community we are called to be "different". What does this mean for us? What does it mean to live different lives?

Before you get into this one you might want to read through these verses again: 1 Peter 2:9-12; Romans 12:9-21; 1 Cor 13:1-13.

Through it all here are a few questions to explore: 1) How does this call to be different intersect with Paul's statement that he will become all things to all people in order that some may be saved? In other words, how does our call to be different intersect with our call to be relavent? 2) Read through 1 Cor.

Hey Gang... last week on stanza 2. Next week we are on to stanza 3 and mission. But for now, God has some more to share with us about community and our experience together. This week we consider the idea of "life" and how we are to be a people who are experiencing "life" together.

Before you get into it you might want to read: John 10; 1 Thes. and Gal. 5

As you listen, here are some questions to wrestle through: 1) When you think about the fact that "Jesus has saved you" - do you consider this just in terms of heaven? How would it impact you and your life to view your salvation as something that is a present reality? In what ways are you experiencing this to be true? 2) How does Jesus demonstrate zoe life? What is it that you see in him that clearly is "different"? How is his life different from the average persons experience? Can you believe that he wants that kind of a life for you? 3) As was said in the talk, we will not experience the fullness of zoe life until heaven, but is there a part of this life that you know you are to be experiencing now - but are not? What is that part of life? Why is it not being experienced? Are their roadblocks in the way? Is it just a time thing?

This week we are on to stanza three - following Jesus into mission. Anytime we talk about mission, it seems like it can so quickly spiral into self-condemnation. The line of thinking goes... "I'm obviously not doing enough! Time to do better." From a teaching persepctive it can seem difficult to offer a challenge w/o laying down the guilt.

Lets just say it right up front: the point of the next three week is by no means guilt. Guilt is not a tool of the Spirit. That said, we do want to be a people that are open to being challenged into leading a life that is even more oriented around God's plan and kingdom. So the prayer is that we'd rise to the challenge and where there creeps in guilt - well, lets offer it to God and ask him to plant in us a seed of hope.

On our Feb. 25 City-Wide Gathering, the Mt. Seymour church shared about how they were given $200 to divide up and then distribute as each member saw fit. In the stories they reported back, it was pretty cool to see how even a little can go a long way in furthering God's kingdom. From this event they asked me to provide some teaching around the theme "Share the Wealth". This podcast is what God laid on my heart to teach.

The following are some scriptures that you will need to have at hand:

Luke 15:20-24
So he got up and went to his father, "But

I've had on my heart the past couple of weeks the sense that many of you are tired. Maybe even you feel like you are in a bit of a dessert. Life is hard for you in this season. Or maybe you are finding this stage of the simplechurches journey to be a trial. Whatever the case, you find yourself longing for an easier road.

Here we go. Here is part II of our walk through the desert as Israel leaves Egypt behind. This week we focus on the application of the teaching we received last week. If you have not listened to part I you should start there first.

This was recorded at our September '07 city-wide. In preparation for the podcast please read Luke 7. It was read prior to the recording.

As a prop, the room where the teaching occoured had a low table - much like the kind of table Jesus would have "reclined" around. The picture below helps give a feel for it.

During our 2006 year of prayer, one of the values God communicated to us was that we were to become "Alternative Societies". This teaching begins to unravel what that all means.

The attached file contains the powerpoint for the teaching. Right click it and save it to your desktop in order to open it.

In the next number of months - beginning with the DeeperLife in November - we are going to be digging into the subject of the Kingdom of God. Through the DeeperLife, CityWides and Podcasts were going to saturate ourselves in the prime message of Jesus. Why? If we want to follow Jesus then we need to know and be about what he was about.

This Podcast is intended to serve as a general overview of the Kingdom of God. Many of the themes touched on here will be unpacked in the months ahead.

This is a teaching Brent intended to give last year at our first deeper-life. The timing wasn't right. Given our present focus of teaching, he sensed God was saying that now was the time!

In this teaching, Brent looks at some of the key marks of the coming Messiah that the prophet Isaiah spoke of. He then looks at the ministry of Jesus and reveals how Jesus fulfilled Isaiah's words in his own life.

While walking looking at Isaiah and Jesus it becomes clear that the Messiah would be concerned about bringing salvation and justice in four key ways:

This Sunday we heard stories of how God is using our churches to advance the Kingdom both hear and around the world. It was really exciting!

At the conclusion of the gathering we welcomed Larry Eide of the C&MA denomination who blessed us and prayed for us.

This is Podcast 1 in a series of teachings that looks at the Kingdom of God from the angle of Pentecost. What happened on that day and how does it relate to the kingdom and life within it? This series seeks to answer some of those questions.

In this first talk, we build the foundation for what is to come by looking at the story and the context around that incredible day.

This is Podcast 2 in a series of teachings that looks at the Kingdom of God from the angle of Pentecost. What happened on that day and how does it relate to the kingdom and life within it? This series seeks to answer some of those questions.

In this second talk, we begin to build on the context we explored in the first teaching. Specifically, we begin look at what God was declaring about "the Law". Don't know what the term "the Law" even means? Don't worry - we'll give a basic explanation in this talk.

This is Podcast 3 in a series of teachings that looks at the Kingdom of God from the angle of Pentecost. What happened on that day and how does it relate to the kingdom and life within it? This series seeks to answer some of those questions.

This is Podcast 4 in a series of teachings that looks at the Kingdom of God from the angle of Pentecost. What happened on that day and how does it relate to the kingdom and life within it? This series seeks to answer some of those questions.

This is Podcast 5 in a series of teachings that looks at the Kingdom of God from the angle of Pentecost. What happened on that day and how does it relate to the kingdom and life within it? This series seeks to answer those questions.

This is Podcast 6 in a series of teachings that looks at the Kingdom of God from the angle of Pentecost. What happened on that day and how does it relate to the kingdom and life within it? This series seeks to answer those questions.

In this Podcast, we begin to respond to some of the questions that might have emerged over the last number of teachings. Here we deal with a question that deals with how we are to read certain portions of the New Testament.

This is the teaching from day one of our Fall 2008 DeeperLife. The focus of these teachings is on Pentecost (the day the Holy Spirit came in Acts 2) and its connection to the Kingdom of God.

In the summer time, we began our focus on Pentecost through a series of podcasts. This is part II of that focus, looking at the topic from another angle.

This is the teaching from day two of our Fall 2008 DeeperLife. The focus of these teachings is on Pentecost (the day the Holy Spirit came in Acts 2) and its connection to the Kingdom of God.

In the summer time, we began our focus on Pentecost through a series of podcasts. This is part II of that focus, looking at the topic from another angle.

This evening of teaching occurred over two parts, separated by a 15 min. break. This is part "a". It seeks to answer the question, "what was the significance of Pentecost"?

This is the teaching from day two of our Fall 2008 DeeperLife. The focus of these teachings is on Pentecost (the day the Holy Spirit came in Acts 2) and its connection to the Kingdom of God.

In the summer time, we began our focus on Pentecost through a series of podcasts. This is part II of that focus, looking at the topic from another angle.

This evening of teaching occurred over two parts, separated by a 15 min. break. This is part "b". It seeks to answer the question, "what was the significance of Pentecost"?

This is Podcast 7 in a series of teachings we began in the summer that looks at the Kingdom of God from the angle of Pentecost. What happened on that day and how does it relate to the kingdom and life within it? This series seeks to answer those questions.

In this Podcast, we continue to respond to some of the questions that might have emerged during the earlier teachings. Here we deal with a question about the OT law.

"If we are now called to be imitators of Christ, and that is our highest ethical calling, what do we do with all those commands in the OT?"

Good question.

This is the final podcast in a series of teachings we began in the summer that looks at the Kingdom of God from the angle of Pentecost. What happened on that day and how does it relate to the kingdom and life within it? This series seeks to answer some of those questions. It does so particularly from the angle of the law. What did Pentecost have to say about the Law? How are kingdom dwellers called to live ethically?

Sorry for all of you that couldn't make it - but we had an amazing retreat! The people were great, the food was great, the setting was great, and... the speaker was great.

Mary-Lee who is planting house/simple churches in YaleTown did a fantastic job bringing some great stuff about having "Missionary Spirits".

What does it mean to view our city through the lenses of a missionary?

Unfortunately, the audio cut out after the break - so this misses the wrap up that she provided. It's still excellent.

What is the "great hope" that scripture calls us toward? What is our last, great hope? The answer might surprise you.

This is a follow-up teaching to the last CityWide. In it we respond to two questions: 1) What is heaven? and 2) What happens to those that die prior to the return of Christ and the completion of his Kingdom on earth?

In this teaching I provide perspective on two passages that seem to say something other than what I was teaching about in the first two podcasts. How do we handle 1 Thessalonians 3 and 2 Peter 3?

In our year of prayer, God set out for us a few values that he wanted our churches to hold closely.

Mission - to the neighbourhoods and marginalized
Generosity
Participation
Intentional Relationships
Creative Flexibility
Alternative Societies

This is a series of brief podcasts devoted to reminding ourselves of each of these values. Listen and consider how you and your church is doing.

In our year of prayer, God set out for us a few values that he wanted our churches to hold closely.

Mission - to the neighbourhoods and marginalized
Generosity
Participation
Intentional Relationships
Creative Flexibility
Alternative Societies

This is a series of brief podcasts devoted to reminding ourselves of each of these values. Listen and consider how you and your church is doing.

Day one of our Spring '09 DeeperLife - Here we begin to dig into why the Resurrection is important.

Tonight we look at the Resurrection from the perspective of the Old Testament. What did the Old Testament tell us the Resurrection meant?

Tonight we look at the Resurrection from the Gospels. What did they reveal about the meaning of this incredible event? You might be surprised.

Tonight we look at the Resurrection from the Gospels. What did they reveal about the meaning of this incredible event? You might be surprised.

In our year of prayer, God set out for us a few values that he wanted our churches to hold closely.

Mission - to the neighbourhoods and marginalized
Generosity
Participation
Intentional Relationships
Creative Flexibility
Alternative Societies

This is a series of brief podcasts devoted to reminding ourselves of each of these values. Listen and consider how you and your church is doing.

In our year of prayer, God set out for us a few values that he wanted our churches to hold closely.

Mission - to the neighbourhoods and marginalized
Generosity
Participation
Intentional Relationships
Creative Flexibility
Alternative Societies

This is a series of brief podcasts devoted to reminding ourselves of each of these values. Listen and consider how you and your church is doing.

In our year of prayer, God set out for us a few values that he wanted our churches to hold closely.

Mission - to the neighbourhoods and marginalized
Generosity
Participation
Intentional Relationships
Creative Flexibility
Alternative Societies

This is a series of brief podcasts devoted to reminding ourselves of each of these values. Listen and consider how you and your church is doing.

In our year of prayer, God set out for us a few values that he wanted our churches to hold closely.

Mission - to the neighbourhoods and marginalized
Generosity
Participation
Intentional Relationships
Creative Flexibility
Alternative Societies

This is a series of brief podcasts devoted to reminding ourselves of each of these values. Listen and consider how you and your church is doing.

Details:

This is the first teaching in a year long series exploring the missionary journeys of Paul. As we walk through the final 9 chapters of Acts, we will be looking at the life of Paul, exploring the marks that made him a person of mission in his world.

Slides:

Below are the relevant or helpful slides intend to help you as you listen at home.

Details:

This is the second teaching in a year long series exploring the missionary journeys of Paul. As we walk through the final 9 chapters of Acts, we will be looking at the life of Paul, exploring the marks that made him a person of mission in his world.

Slides:

Below are the relevant or helpful slides intended to help you as you listen at home.

Details:

This is the second teaching in a year long series exploring the missionary journeys of Paul. As we walk through the final 9 chapters of Acts, we will be looking at the life of Paul, exploring the marks that made him a person of mission in his world.

Slides:

Below are the relevant or helpful slides intended to help you as you listen at home.

The final chapters of Acts. Paul makes his long awaited trip to Rome, but things don't go quite as well as he probably hoped for. By this point though, we're sure he expected as much.