One way to know that the power of God is at work through the gospel is some people will respond with belief and joy. Another way to know is that some people will respond with marked opposition and threats. The former makes it a delight to boldly proclaim the gospel; the latter makes it dangerous. Here Peter and John encounter serious opposition and threats as a result of the gospel, and how they are not only encouraged, but further strengthened by God with a greater boldness to speak his word.

The sole driving force of the apostles in their early ministry after Jesus’ ascension into heaven was to bear witness to Jesus Christ. From public sermons to teaching in smaller gatherings, the desire was to minimize their own gifts and personalities so that the impact of the gospel they preached could be maximized. Join us as we encounter Peter and John performing a miraculous healing in Jesus’ name, and be encouraged and challenged as they model for us what it means to use extraordinary occasions to deny ourselves and take up the privilege to proclaim an extraordinary gospel.

How would you describe your church? When asked that question we often use words that set us apart or make us distinct from other churches around us. We may refer to size, preaching or music style, various programs, or denominational affiliation. But what is it that truly makes the church the church and what happens when we are devoted to those things that we hold in common as followers of Jesus?

There is a sinking feeling that comes in realizing you've done something terribly wrong and you realize there is nothing you can do to make it right. When the gospel was first preached by Peter in Acts 2, God's Spirit-empowered word brought a powerful conviction upon his listeners that they had terribly wronged God, and their immediate response was, "What shall we do?" We pick back up in our study of Acts and find out the answer to the most important question we can ask.

*We apologize for the technical difficulties in this recording*Imagine you hear a knock on your door and you open it up to find the sheriff there and he says "You need to come with me. You're wanted for murder." And you're racking your brain and you can't think of how this could be, and you say, "This can't be. Who did I kill?" And he says, "You killed Jesus." You're first reaction would probably be, this is crazy, that was 2000 years ago. But as the cuffs are put on and you're getting in the patrol car, your next thought might be "What do I do?" We continue to look at the events of Pentecost and the question, "Who killed Jesus?"

We often mark significant occasions with memorable events. We celebrate birthdays with balloons and cake, we remember our nations independence with fireworks and parades, we mark transitions of our leaders with grand inaugural festivities. Pentecost marked the divine empowerment of Jesus' followers and the inauguration of the world-changing, gospel mission to which he had called them. And the occasion was marked by supernatural events that left people asking, "What does this mean?" We look at the outpouring of God's Spirit at Pentecost and its impact and significance both then and now.

In football, teams refer to the 12th man as that invaluable role of the fans who are an important part of the teams energy and success. After Jesus ascended to heaven and before the Holy Spirit comes at Pentecost, the disciples are praying and preparing for the mission which lies ahead for them. But something, or rather someone is missing: Judas. We continue our study in Acts and find out what we can learn from Jesus' replacement of Judas as the 12th man on his apostolic team.

Is the future of Christianity in jeopardy? Can the church survive in the post-Christian 21st century? Will increased globalization, racial and political polarization, cultural relativism, and religious hostility halt the spread of the gospel and growth of God's kingdom? Not according to God's word. Indeed, it is in such an environment that the gospel of Jesus Christ thrives and God's church expands as the Spirit of God moves in the hearts and lives of believers to live as Jesus' witnesses sent into the world. Join us in the weeks ahead as we study the book of Acts and living our lives sent with the gospel to our community and to the world.

The book of Proverbs begins by reminding us that knowledge and wisdom begin with the fear of the Lord. It also opens and closes with a reminder that such wisdom is passed down from generation to generation through the wise instruction of godly parents to their children. The bible often speaks of the importance of a father's role in such instruction, but the last chapter of Proverbs gives special focus to mom's wisdom and to the woman who fears the Lord. Listen now to hear God's encouraging word to women in general and mother's in particular in Proverbs 31.

In his short letter, Jude has called the church to contend for the true Christian faith and to consider the devastating consequences that accompany false teaching and those who propagate it. This week we come to the last of Jude's summons, this time a call for followers of Jesus to commit themselves to their calling, their ministry, and their faithful God. We now draw this brief series to a close and consider our role in embracing our great faith - a faith that is indeed worth fighting for.