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July 20, 2008
Lisa Koons is the Director of 24-7, a local branch of a global organization called 24-7Prayer which focuses on instigating prayer, mission, & justice around the globe through the venue of wildy creative 24-7prayer initiatives, & relationally saturated social justice efforts in marginalized inner-city communities. She has pastored, house church planted, traditional church planted, & now mentors church leaders & congregations regarding intimacy with God, effectiveness in prayer, & transformation through social justice. She lives with her husband Scott, their 6 year old son Jaxon, & a cat named Badkitty, Badkitty. In this beautiful message, she shares a very clear, very personal word from the Lord for the Renovatus community.
July 13, 2008
Spirit: Comfort and Catastrophe
It is tempting to describe the Holy Spirit as added zeal or zest to the Christian life. But for the early church, the Spirit's arrival is much more catastrophic than that. Much like Mrs. Turpin in Flannery O'Connor's classic short story "Revelation," those early disciples find themselves assaulted (and even knocked upside the head) by grace. The Spirit of God coming to fill and empower human bodies brings chaos before it brings comfort. In the first entry of a new series on the Spirit, it is important to establish that when you start asking God to send the power of the Spirit, be careful-- you may actually get what you ask for.
July 6, 2008
A Pastoral response to Dr. Stanley Hauerwas
This week we go deeper into the pastoral implications of the distinction between public and private, community and individual, and how Christians struggle with the difficult issues of war and politics. Ultimately if we believe Jesus Christ is Lord at all, we must believe He is Lord of all. That means the church has a responsibility to wrestle with how we relate to the world around in real-life, complicated ways. What does it mean to live in such a way that we already believe that Jesus reigns as King?
June 29, 2008
A Conversation with Dr. Stanley Hauerwas
Duke University's Stanley Hauerwas was named America's best theologian by Time Magazine. His response was "best is not a theological category." Critics and admirers alike agree that he is one of the most provocative and important ethicists of our time. In this candid conversation with Pastor Martin, Dr. Hauerwas discusses some of the major themes of the Gospel of Matthew and what it means to be the church in America.
June 22, 2008
The final formal sermon of the follow series brings into focus the final words of Jesus in the gospel of Matthew, and they are among his most weighted. This message addresses the worshipping and doubting disciples, how it is Christians believe that Jesus is already the Lord over the world, what it is to make disciples of the nations, a warning to avoid the "great omission," and a vision for Renovatus as a missional community.
June 15, 2008
When Jesus is betrayed and arrested in the garden of gethsemane, Peter goes for blood. The conflict ultimately is not between Peter and these guards, but between the way of the sword and the way of the cross, the way of violence and the way of self-denial, the human need to control and manipulate the situation vs. "Not my will but thy will be done." The words of Jesus ring as loud for us today, in our own desire to make things happen--and maybe even defend Jesus at times: put away the sword!
June 8, 2008
In a vivid scene of judgment, Jesus envisions a day when he will ultimately judge the world based on how we treated him--through the real bodies of the hungry, sick, imprisoned, and naked. This message explores the ways that such works of compassion described in Matthew 25 always come through interruptions in our "important" schedules, and are guaranteed to be awkward.
June 1, 2008
follow: until the end of the world
From the Left Behind series to John Hagee's relationship to John McCain, popular Christian ideas about the end of the world have made their way into mainstream American press. As we approach Matthew 24, the most complex passage we have dealt with in the Follow series, we attempt to hear freshly what Jesus really has to say about the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem and the end of the age. There is a maze of interpretations around these apocalyptic sayings of Jesus, so what if anything can we learn conclusively from this text? The answers may surprise you--and may turn out to be more simple than you think.
May 25, 2008
follow: love, hypocrisy and sanctification
Matthew 23 brings us into the fiercest (and harshest) of the 5 major discourses of Jesus in Matthew. Contrasted to the whole-hearted love of God and neighbor that Jesus says "sums up the law" in Matthew 22, this section is a direct inversion of the liberating spirituality of the Sermon on the Mount. Refusing to allow ourselves to simply cheer with Jesus to go get the Pharisees, we are forced to own up to the ways we like them play the hypocrite by not practicing what we preach. Along the way we explore the idea by contrast of sanctification as "being made perfect in love" as articulated by John Wesley, the pursuit of the holiness where both the "inside and outside" of the cup are made clean.
May 18, 2008
follow: Can You Drink the Cup? 9 AM Service
follow: Can You Drink the Cup? 11 AM Service
*Please note; Each service is unique and touches on different points*
In the most raw, personal message of the follow series, we are drawn into the haunting question Jesus asks his disciples in Matthew 20: "Can you drink the cup I am about to drink?" Indeed it is difficult to drink the (sometimes bitter) Eucharistic cup all the way to the bottom, for we have few people to teach us how. Over and against our addictions to approval, affirmation, success, performance, entertainment, and even "spiritual" experiences, Jesus calls us to drink deeply from his cup.
May 11, 2008
follow: Jesus, eunuchs and the american family
In Matthew 19, Jesus addresses difficult topics of divorce, singleness, children and possessions. Jesus gives us the imagination to envision the kind of community that enables both married and single, children and the aged, rich and poor, the stable and the seemingly weak and insignificant to follow together, deriving their worth not from their social location but rather their place in the kingdom of God.
May 4, 2008
You cannot receive forgiveness if you will not give it; the gospel is just that stark on this issue. In this urgent, immediately relevant message, we see the ways that hurt, bitterness and unforgiveness are the most serious threats to the spiritual life. This is not a "sermon about forgiveness" so much as a direct plea to those who need to forgive to be reconciled both to God and to each other. It will take nothing less than the supernatural grace of the Holy Spirit for the unnatural act of forgiveness.
April 27, 2008
follow: the church 9AM Service follow: the church 11AM Service
Jesus clearly teaches us that following him can't happen without the kind of community described in Matthew 18. Taking Jesus seriously means we will have to humble ourselves to be the kinds of people who can be told what to do. This message tells us why the United States may in fact be one of the hardest places in the world to follow Jesus, and how the gospel speaks very prophetically that by no means do we know what is best for us.
April 20, 2008
Jesus draws his disciples away, this time not to answer their questions this time, but to ask them one of his own: who do you say that I am? This is a pivotal moment for the disciples--as it is for us, as so much hangs on how we answer.
April 13, 2008
follow: the kingdom of God is like ...
The second half of Matthew 13 furthers the parables of Jesus, simple stories that call us to profound patience. Despite all of our inclinations to rush, the people of God cannot be hurried because the kingdom of heaven can't be hurried. Through the parable of the weeds among wheat and the parable of the sower, Jesus teaches us how to live faithfully while relying ultimately on God, the only true judge, to act in His own timing. The parables of the treasure in the field and the pearl of great price teach us that the unspeakable joy of the kingdom of heaven comes through a life of abandonment.
April 6, 2008
Jesus' parables alternately reveal and conceal the truth of the gospel of the kingdom--depending on how they are heard. The parable of the sower is an eternally relevant story that demands active listening--for everyone who hears the word becomes responsible for it. It is a story that teases our imagination, ultimately leaving us with a haunting question: what will you do with the words of Jesus?
March 30, 2008
Disciples don't just observe their master forever. They are apprentices who are being trained to replicate what they have seen Jesus do. In Matthew 10, Jesus gives his disciples practical instructions on how to pack for the long journey ahead, and along the way gives us provocative teaching on materialism, loving him more than our families, expecting persecution, and being both street smart and innocent all at once. It's kind of like a father giving his 16 year old keys to the family car for the first time--only it's not a car but the kingdom we are given keys to, and the stakes are a whole lot higher.
March 23, 2008
follow: into the Christ - altered cosmos
The resurrection is not a "spiritual" experience. It is an event that fundamentally altered the cosmos, it is the change in the world that swallows up all the others. Resurrection shatters the world as we know it, which is why in the original Easter story we've got earthquakes and dead bodies walking around. To believe it is to have your own world shattered.
March 16, 2008
When Jesus talks about discipleship, he uses language that is offensive and seemingly unsympathetic. The uncompromising, direct summons to radical obedience is not just a command for us - it is modeled by Jesus himself. This message is a forward, no-frills call to the uprooted, unstable, dangerous life on the road that is knowing Jesus. Don't say we didn't warn you.
March 9, 2008
follow: the seeds of justice in invisibility and invitation
This week we experience the latter half of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, in which he forms a new community of justice around the disciplines of invisibility and invitation. The revolution he lays out in chapter 5 will not be commenced in the conventional manner. Instead, our "acts of justice" will begin in secrecy, and our community will grow not through conquering, but through the simplicity of asking. Forget patrons, marketing, and miracles. Jesus' community will bring justice to earth through (egad!!!) following the teachings in the Sermon on the Mount.
March 2, 2008
follow: the revolutionary rabbi
Having laid out a description of what his visibly revolutionary community will look like in Matthew 5:1-16, Jesus engages the foremost rabbis of his day with interpretive maneuvers that radicalized key Old Testament texts away from formality and externality, toward internal motive and character formation. On first glance, his format seems foreign to us, but it represents normative rabbinic discourse. Jesus "riffs" on key Torah texts to uncover their true meaning. As Charles Talbert observes, Jesus' interpretation of the Torah represents a "recovered” original...because the distortion of God's will has been so pervasive." For those who hold to a "gentle Jesus meek and mild" (as the old children's song says), Jesus the firebrand teacher taking on the best and brightest rabbis of his day shows us his truer colors.
February 24, 2008
follow: everything you know is wrong
Welcome to the upside down, counter-intuitive reality of the kingdom of heaven, where you not only learn but have to unlearn. The beatitudes describe the community around the king, and call us away from all of our striving, competing and comparing and into the blessedness of kingdom life.
February 17, 2008
The proclamation of God's kingdom breaking into earth has a lot to do with the obedience of a handful of ordinary fishermen who are caught off guard by Jesus. The crisis moment of having God show up one afternoon at the family business, challenging these men to drop their nets and follow, is not unlike the confrontation that Jesus wants to bring to us.
February 10, 2008
To follow Jesus is to be led by the spirit into the wilderness, the place of solitude and fasting--the place to face down God, the devil, and your own self. There is no detour to the power of the spirit past the wilderness, either for an individual or a faithful community.
February 3, 2008
Speaker: Pastor Roslen Boerner Foocio
Pastor Roselen leads Ministero Sabaoth in Milan, Italy; a church that is shaping both their city and their nation through music, the arts, and powerful preaching. In this timely message, Pastor Roselen shares her testimony of how God brought from Brazil to Milan to pray for audacious miracles in Italy--challenging the Renovatus community to do the same.
January 27, 2008
Rather than playing the church edition of "low expectation Scrabble," Jesus reaches the crowds by teaching His disciples. This provocative message challenges the church to move beyond words to action, as Renovatus begins a whole new season of forming the kind of community that can sustain a Christ-following life.
January 20, 2008
Do You Have a Right to be Angry?
Speaker: Dr. Cheryl Johns
This week, renown Pentecostal scholar and ecumenist Dr. Cheryl Bridges Johns delivers a masterful message featuring the texts of two prophets--the Biblical prophet Jonah and the contemporary prophet Martin Luther King.
January 13, 2008
Knowing God is not detached, abstract or objective--it is about being in the real presence of Jesus. A life apart from His presence is full of disorientation and confusion. It is only in His presence that a "right mind" can be formed.
January 6, 2008
theology: everybody’s doing it! (part one)
For many Christians, “theology” is a dirty word that conjures images of detached, ivory tower academics who don’t practice what they believe. The fact is, everybody who deals with ultimate questions about life and God is a theologian. The question is—what kind of theology will you have, and what will form it?
December 30, 2007
You may not feel that you desire God enough. But even wanting to want Him is a place to start! This in-the-trenches teaching calls us past the clichéd, unrealistic expectations for a new year to the more radical hope of new creation.
December 23, 2007
embodied: surprised by incarnation
It turns out that pagan astrologers are the ones God chooses to surprise with the miracle of incarnation. What does it mean for God to reveal Himself to people who don't seem to be looking for him? Could it be that the ones most likely to see the incarnation even today could be those who have their heads in the clouds?
December 16, 2007
embodied: the God we can touch
From the apocalyptic, catastrophic terror of God on Mt. Sinai to the sensuous Mary-born revelation of God in Jesus, we see the once untouchable God actively seeking human touch.
December 9, 2007
Guest pastor: Clayton King
Jesus came to save the world, not to judge it. This is made clear in the story of the adulterous woman in John 8: 1-11. While the Scribes and Pharisees point fingers and condemn (even today) Jesus gets his hands dirty and offers all of us forgiveness. Through this scandalous story, we see more proof of the Incarnation.
December 2, 2007
The scandalous thing about the gospel is so physical, bodily, and particular. Over against all of our attempts to be "spiritual," the incarnation says there is no way to know God except in real lives, real bodies, specific places, and specific stories. This is the first of a series of messages where we enter into anticipation of advent.
November 25, 2007
The trouble with human bondage is not just getting out, but learning how to live into our newly found freedom. The book of Galatians offers enormous insight into the real danger of enslavement to those baptized into Christ, the perils of doing what you feel like (and thus never getting around to doing what you actually want). But there is also the real prospect of fulfilling our deepest desires "by walking in the Spirit," having our eyes healed to see God not as a dominant tyrant but a liberator --the one and only God of freedom.
November 18, 2007
Jesus is able to identify with misfits so completely because He becomes one Himself. This message takes a fresh look at the servant song of Isaiah 53 in dialogue with Toni Morrison's haunting first novel, The Bluest Eye; forcing us to raise hard questions about what it means to be complicit in the murder of God.
November 11, 2007
In his surprising dream encounter with God, Jacob the liar becomes the dreamer and the dreamer becomes a worshipper. From Jacob to the present, God has spoken (and continues to speak) through dreams and visions. This message explores the mystical nature of the Christian life, and the power of God's Spirit to give His people languages they have never heard and images they have never seen.
November 4, 2007
You can't know the truth until you own up to the lies. Bound up in the Christian gospel (which is all about truth-telling ... about God, about ourselves, about the world) are stories about liars and the lies they tell (from Abraham, to Rahab, to Peter, to Annanias and Sapphira). The biggest lies we believe, however, are the ones we tell ourselves--lies that must be exposed before God before the truth can be told.
Note: Please be advised, this message contains some graphic language.
October 28, 2007
Liars, Dreamers and Misfits, Part One: Love Feast
The kingdom of God is a feast. Retelling this parable of Jesus, we find the great feast to be much like a fairy tale--in that it seems too good to be true - and yet to believe the gospel is to believe this is exactly the way of things! Drawing from sources ranging from the film “Babbette's Feast” to Frederick Buechner's Leo Bebb novels to children's author Shel Silverstein ... we are called back to childhood to live into the reality of the kingdom love feast.
October 21, 2007
Stranger Than Fiction, Part Five: Towards a World Made Right
The vision of the Scriptures--through the prophet Isaiah, through Paul in Romans 8, through inspired poetic imagination in Revelation 21 and 22--is of a world of beauty and truth, where all injustices are made right. The call of the church is to live in light of this truth now, believing that the kingdom of God is at hand. Here are some stories of people who are anticipating such a day in their work: Photographer/Author David Johnson (author of Voices of Sudan), Jim Womble (Director of the Kibera Kids Center, an AIDS orphanage in Africa's largest slum), and Julia Clark (with Rainbows of Hope).
October 14, 2007
Stranger Than Fiction, Part Four: The Power of Christian Community
It is not good for man to be alone. Our individual stories don't make sense until we find out how they fit into life together. Through this conversation on life in and with the body of Christ, we see the need for community - and the need for the character of that community to be distinctively Christian.
October 7, 2007
Stranger than Fiction, Part Three: The Wounded Healers
Video: Vic and Susanne Morrison
Video: Donald and Tammy Kistler
Church was never intended to be a sterile, clinical place where people hide their scars. It is in fact only when God's people own the pain of their stories that we are able to bring healing to one another - through Jesus, the ultimate wounded healer.
September 30, 2007
Stranger than Fiction, Part Two: Prodigal Sons & Daughters
Two real life stories of what its like to leave home ... and the long road back. These stories are oriented around Jesus' own narrative of the Prodigal Son - a watershed moment of the New Testament.
September 23, 2007
Stranger than Fiction, Part One: Conversion Stories
What do a radical communist activist, a teenage drug dealer, and a high priestess in a Wiccan coven have in common? All 3 somehow found themselves drawn mysteriously to the person of Jesus, and all 3 found there way to Renovatus. Here are 3 very complicated, very human, very beautiful redemption stories--all stranger than fiction.
September 16, 2007
An especially candid message about the journey of Renovatus so far, where we are headed, the false choice of evangelism or discipleship, growing a community of "resident aliens", and what it means to be the church for the world.
September 9, 2007
While followers of Jesus are supposed to engage the culture, they are not to be assimilated by it. This message is a plea to be defined by Scripture and Christian practices--so that we will learn again how to be the church for the world (rather than simply be part of the world).
September 2, 2007
Despite constant temptations to over indulge, the way of Jesus is a life of moderation. Peter instructs the church to be sober, aware of the enemy who is "seeking whom he may devour." This week, we look at practical ways to choose the freedom over excess in entertainment, food, drink, and work--leading to a life of true happiness rather than boredom.
August 26, 2007
We live in an angry, violent world. In many cases, not even the church is a safe haven from the driving anger that fuels much of our culture (in fact, it is often encouraged, promoted and rewarded). Yet the gospel of Jesus Christ calls followers into radical peace--a life where anger doesn't dominate or fester in the human heart, a life devoid of contemptuous speech. It is a life of gentleness, forgiveness, mutual submission and trust--a life marked by listening and caring rather than competing and condemning.
August 19, 2007
Guest Pastor: Steve Wright
While Pastor Jonathan is on vacation, we are blessed with the teaching of Pastor Steve Wright. We are each of us blessed with unique gifts. Rather than squabbling (as Jesus’ own disciples did) over who’s gift is the most valuable, our walk is better spent using those gifts to reach out to the world around us. It is a blessing to be served - it is an even bigger blessing to serve.
August 12, 2007
If only I had more; if only I could have bigger. These are the statements that drive our culture--and generally the church too. It's a "2 for 1 special" in the seven series, as we examine two of the most neglected but most sinister of the deadly sins. We move from there to love and generosity by refusing to replicate the system of the colonizers, never comparing ourselves with others, avoiding the "evil eye" with inward discipline, practicing the subversive art of giving; embracing simplicity, service, and thankfulness as a way of life.
August 5, 2007
The opposite virtue to sloth is not busyness...but a life of working well and wasting time wisely. In part 3 of the seven series, we reflect on finding God in the pots and pans, working for God and not the man, and rebelling against our apathy. Ultimately, God's desire is nothing less than to join Him in His mission to restore the creation through the subversive act of worship.
July 29, 2007
Unrestrained sexual desire brings narcissism and (ironically enough) isolation; and Scripture has a lot to say about this. In part two of our seven deadly sins series, we trace the movement in Scripture from lust to liberation while being honest about the sexual dysfunction in our culture and in ourselves along the way. We look at seriously joyful accountability, how God can speak to you by paying attention to the things that turn you on, and how to recklessly pursue higher desires.
July 22, 2007
In part one of our new series on the seven deadly sins, we reflect on the sin that is the wellspring of all the others--pride. More importantly, this message addresses the steps that have to be taken in the delicate art of cultivating humility--not needing to always be right and get the last word, giving up the right to always give an opinion, avoiding cynicism in favor of plain speech, submitting to Christian community, and having a proper relationship to authority.
July 15, 2007
The Story of God, Part 22: The Great Beyond
Some of the most sensitive issues of Christian theology revolve around how we think hell, judgment and the afterlife. After setting the stage last week for the restoration of all of creation the lingering question is...does everybody get to enjoy this? Will God take everyone with Him into the new day of joy, beauty and peace? If not, what kind of existence is there? We reflect on all of these difficult issues in the series finale of the Story of God.
July 8, 2007
Special Music: Sleak City Metro play “The Sky is Falling”
Sermon The Story of God, Part 21: The Restoration of Creation
In the 2-part series finale to Story of God, we raise the questions that have preoccupied people for centuries--what about the end of the world? How about life after death? The Biblical narrative of the Second Coming of Jesus gives the church scandalous hope that the creation itself will be renewed; that the story the project God started in Genesis will come to glorious completion. For those who find such things to be weird, almost science fiction...and to those that think they have the last things figured out, there is much here to be encouraged and inflamed by!
July 1, 2007
The Story of God, Part 20: The Spirit and the Church
The Church of Jesus Christ is not just united by creeds...the shared experience of the Holy Spirit is what unites the Church as the Body of Christ. This message explores the nature and role of spiritual gifts, the necessity of practicing those gifts within the context of the local church, and why the Spirit-formed church is much like the short-lived 80's cartoon/toy line "Voltron."
June 24, 2007
Down to the River: Baptism as Initiation and Participation
Baptism is more than an empty, obligatory symbol--it is a means of grace, and a command for all followers of Jesus. This message explores the deep meaning of baptism as a way of participating in the
death and resurrection of Christ, and the charismatic dimension of water baptism as a Spirit-event.
June 17, 2007
The Story of God Part 19 : An Introduction to the Life, Work, Witness and Fire of the Holy Spirit
The work of the Spirit is central to the story of God from the beginning, though the role of the Spirit in both the theology and practice of the church is often marginalized or neglected. This entry contains a pastoral plea for Spirit-led renewal for believers of all stripes, and tackles some of the larger questions ... like does the church today still need the same kind of power as the church in Acts? What about signs and spiritual gifts like speaking in tongues? Are the gifts of the Holy Spirit for select people or movements ... or could it be that the whole church is Pentecostal in character?
June 10, 2007
The Story of God, Part 18: Threatened by Resurrection
“It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming!”
The cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ stands as the defining moment for all of humanity, in which God invasively entered the world and changed it forever. This message discusses the significance of the
cross and resurrection according to Mark's Gospel. The result of this apocalyptic event is that the church is now threatened with a new way of life in light of the resurrection of the body.
June 3, 2007
Seek the Lord While He May Be Found
Reflecting on where God has been taking the church in recent weeks, this "state of the union" message challenges the Church to own its vocation and seize the moment we have been given, understanding that "to whom much is given, much is required." This is also a challenge to persevere or "pray through" in our experience of Jesus rather than to escape and seek premature resolution.
May 27, 2007
Guest Pastor: Roselen Boerner Foocio
Pastor Roselen is pastor of Ministero Sabaoth in Milan, Italy; and an internationally known Christian leader with a heart to see the church engage culture in meaningful ways. In her visit to Renovatus, she
challenges the church to make a lasting covenant not only with God, but with a community of believers.
May 20, 2007
The Story of God, Part 17: Sinai Re-Interpreted
For the people of God, the sermon on the mount reveals Jesus as a new Moses, teaching from a new Sinai--with a new interpretation of the cherished Law. Find out why these words of Jesus are meant to be taught and lived among all of Christ followers of any age.
May 13, 2007
The Story of God Part 16 : The Secret Kingdom Revealed
The central theme of Jesus' ministry is simply this: the kingdom of God is at hand. Sadly, the evangelical church in America has largely ignored Jesus' teaching on the kingdom in particular and the words of Jesus in general. This is a passionate plea to recapture the vision of the kingdom of God, not as a far-off place in a mystical never land but as the real-life, tangible reign of God on the earth.
May 6, 2007
The Story of God Part 15: Reentering the Wilderness:
With 40 days of fasting and temptation in the desert, Jesus' showdown with the devil conjures memories of Israel's 40 years in the wilderness--and gives us a new way to re-interpret, revision, and re-
imagine the significance of the wilderness experience.
April 29, 2007
The Story of God, Part 14: The End of Exile
Guest Pastor - Joshua Rice
Guest Speaker Josh Rice shows us the long, brutal reality of 600 years of exile, the darkest and most oppressive years of Jewish history that lead up to the story of Jesus. Removing the false barrier between the first and second testaments, the arrival of Jesus defies expectations and in dramatic fashion--brings the end to the exile of the soul.
April 22, 2007
The Story of God Part 13: Exile
The Story of the Old Testament ends with the children of Israel dispersed in exile--a tragic turn, though God accomplishes His work in human history powerfully through it. The life of the people of God in exile, striving to maintain their identity but being forced to express their faith in fresh ways, is eternally relevant to us as we struggle to constructively engage our world.
April 15, 2007
The Story of God Part 12: The Passion of the Prophets
Prophets are people who not only speak but feel the pain of God, those who ingest His fire. The fire that drove the prophets gives us the capacity to challenge our own apathy and indifference and embrace
a life of passion.
April 8, 2007
The Easter story is far from serene, with earthquakes, scenes of supernatural darkness, and scores of dead people wandering around Jerusalem. In this message we explore the changes in the cosmos that
happen as a result of the resurrection, the power of apocalyptic language, the reason why the Easter story is as scary as it is wonderful...and how it challenges human indifference.
March 25, 2007
The Story of God, Part 10: Looking at the Heart, a Tale of Prophets and Kings.
Control of Israel passes from ecstatic prophets to an egocentric king in this cautionary tale of power and prestige in a time of national transition. The contrast between Saul's kingship and David's demonstrates God's rejection of the superficial and his desire for a pure heart--an indication of much of what is to come in the pages that follow.
March 18, 2007
The Story of God, Part 9: Remember
On the eve of going into the promise land, Moses delivers a stirring final address to the people of God. Facing a generation who did not see the wonders God did in getting Israel out of Egypt, the message
is forceful and clear--whatever happens from here, wherever you go, always REMEMBER. In Part 9, we see the power of story, the need for corporate memory, and the value of a testimony in a script-less culture.
March 11, 2007
The Story of God, Part 8: Death to the Cow
God's people had made it out of Egypt...but had not yet got Egypt out of them. Instead of going on in to the Promised land, they seem to build a colony for Pharoah--worshipping a gold cow of their own
design. This message is about how a "slave mentality" will lead you to cling to the tools of oppression; the real danger of getting out of Egypt but not continuing on the journey, and the dynamic possibilities of prayer to change everything.
March 4, 2007
The Story of God, Part 7: The Law
The 10 commandments are so common in Western culture, at best they are common or at worse they are reduced to petty moralisms. The "10 words" are what separate Israel from the other nations, a cherished gift from God to be celebrated, cherished and loved. This in-depth, emotional message explores the contemporary relevance of the law that shaped and formed Israel as the people of God.
February 25, 2007
The Story of God, Part 6: God Strikes Back
With the plagues and the parting of the Red Sea, the messy business of redemption is on. This message explores the way things get worse before they get better whenever God speaks, the fear that comes right before crossing over, and why sometimes you have to move forward even when you are the most afraid.
February 18, 2007
The Story of God, Part 5: Exodus Movement of God’s People
The Exodus story is a timeless narrative of oppression, slavery, and liberation that orients the life of Israel--and our own. It is an interactive story that is meant to be reflected on, sung about...and most of all experienced. In this message, we look at the ways we are still making bricks for Pharoah, having a spirituality of movement,and why we can settle for nothing less than "promised land."
February 11, 2007
The Story of God, Part 4: Hope Rises
The creation narrative turned dark at chapter 3, and gets even darker in chapters 4-12. Evil rages, the chaos of the sea wipes out most of humanity, the Babel experiment of Genesis 11 brings even more judgment. In the middle of the darkest chapter in human history, God starts talking to a man named Abram...and hope bubbles to the surface in Genesis 12, the hinge on which the rest of the story of God and His creation will rest.
February 4, 2007
The Story of God, Part 3: Paradise Lost
With the introduction of human evil, arrogance and injustice, the beauty of the Genesis project is subverted. This Sunday, we will grapple with the real problem of evil within the framework of the beautiful world God created. Along the way, we may talk about Johnny Cash, Leo Tolstoy, and other poets and prophets--and why the most self-aware people tend to have the strongest understanding of evil.
January 28th, 2007
The Story of God, Part 2: Being Human
The fundamental question that drives our species – in mythology, in science fiction, in day to day existence – is the question of what it is to be truly human. What are we on earth for? What are we designed to do? To become? Where does God fit into all of this? Genesis 2 addresses the vocation of authentic humanity with striking clarity, in deeper ways than may be apparent on the surface. In this sermon we get into issues surrounding the environment, our built-in need for community, and why it is really, really good to be naked.
January 21st, 2007
The Story of God, Part 1: Chaos and Creation
With a title unintentionally borrowed from Paul McCartney, we launched a new series at Renovatus Sunday morning. This new move is going to shape and form a lot of things that happen in our community in the next couple of months.
January 14th, 2007
In this encouraging message, special guest Dr. Ron Martin shares from personal experience the grace of God that comes in dark nights of the soul, with practical wisdom on how to trust God in painful seasons of our lives.
January 7th, 2007
A Vision for 2007: To Love, Connect & Serve
While the Christian life is intensely personal, it is not meant to be private. In this week's message, Pastor Jonathan draws from Acts 2 and calls us to be a church that is based on authentic community; where honesty, humility and transparency are valued more than image management. The kind of people who eat, drink, argue and serve with each other as family. The kind of community where people get closer to God through getting closer to each other.
Website Under Renovation
Be sure to visit the Renovatus home page at Renovatuscommunity.com