Awakening @ First Church Podcast

"Stewardship Of Life: Time Traps" w/ Chris Edmiston

"Stewardship Of Life: Money Matters" w/ Chris Edmiston

During Worship For Wichita, a special event hosted by Awakening, Austin Melton shared his heart for unity among brothers & sisters of faith.

Join us we listen to this message from our friend and consider the journey.

"Faith Steps: Upward & Onward Through Christ", Part 4 of 5: "God's Game (When Fools Are Winners)" w/ Chris Edmiston

The idea of running the race as a metaphor works for many reasons. All of us know what a race looks like, many have run in them. Where the analogy works against us as Christians is when our faith becomes a competition. The church and the Christian life are not immune to the idea of being first, being the best. Even the disciples, after a long time walking with Jesus, they struggled with it.

How do we live this life, run this race, in a way that honors our Father and the payment that was made for us?

Join us we continue our five week sermon series: “Faith Steps: Upward and Onward through Christ.”

"Faith Steps: Upward & Onward Through Christ", Part 3 of 5: "Run The Race" w/ Chris Edmiston

All of us are running races. The Bible, throughout, uses racing and running imagery as analogy for our life. In Hebrews we see a call to run with endurance this race before us. There's two major aspects of track events: training and racing.

So what do we need to do so we can run well in this life? What gets in the way, and how do we set those things aside?

Join us we continue our five week sermon series: “Faith Steps: Upward and Onward through Christ.”

* Please watch the following videos shown in worship, the first before the message, and the second at the 1:45 mark

https://youtu.be/t2G8KVzTwfw

https://youtu.be/kjkBPthoYVg

"Faith Steps: Upward & Onward Through Christ", Part 2 of 5: "Wrestling For Blessings" w/ Pastor Cindy Watson

In 1894, Pierre de Coubertin offered these words to be the Olympic motto, “Faster, Higher, Stronger.” This motto was not adopted until 1924 and then he wrote the ideals of the Olympics through this creed: “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph by the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.” This motto and creed could be tweaked just a bit and be a motto and creed for the Christian spiritual life. For followers of Jesus the call is not to win, but “press on toward the goal” and to “run the race set before us.”

Join us we continue our five week sermon series: “Faith Steps: Upward and Onward through Christ.”

"Faith Steps: Upward & Onward Through Christ", Part 1 of 5: "Whose Team?" w/ Pastor Cindy Watson

In 1894, Pierre de Coubertin offered these words to be the Olympic motto, “Faster, Higher, Stronger.” This motto was not adopted until 1924 and then he wrote the ideals of the Olympics through this creed: “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph by the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.” This motto and creed could be tweaked just a bit and be a motto and creed for the Christian spiritual life. For followers of Jesus the call is not to win, but “press on toward the goal” and to “run the race set before us.”

Join us we begin our five week sermon series: “Faith Steps: Upward and Onward through Christ.”

"Cultivating Community", Part 4 of 4 - "Caring and Compassionate"

The words of Luke 6 have resonated in our room and in our church a great deal over the last year. But, as much as it’s repetitive, it can’t be understated or said enough. Without those words the rest of what Jesus says doesn’t make sense. Jesus is drawing a clear differentiation from how the world, those far from Him, how they act in comparison to how His people, the children of God, how they live.

But what does that really look like? How are we called to live in a way that truly honors the payment made for us?

Join us as we unpack this and more as we conclude our four week series, “Cultivating Community”.

"Cultivating Community", Part 3 of 4 - "Courageous Christians"

We find ourselves at a crossroads. This is the moment where it goes from listening to acting, from being a hearer of the Word to being a doer of the Word. We're CLAIMED and CALLED by God the Father through Jesus Christ, able to act because of the Holy Spirit. We're CONFRONTED and CHALLENGED with the reality that maybe, just maybe, this life looks different than I thought it would.

So as the idea of community starts to form and take shape, now we’re pushed to the brink of action. We can’t be a part of the calling, we can’t be confronted, and then sit still. How then are we to live in the calling and challenge?

Join us as we unpack this and more as we continue our four week series, “Cultivating Community”.

"Cultivating Community", Part 2 of 4 - "Confronted and Challenged"

Jesus, while being confronted by a man trying to justify his sins, responds to a simple question with a story. It's a story many have told over the generations, but with implications that mean something to us in a new way. It's a challenge we face that is unique in the world we live in.

Join us as we unpack this and more as we continue our four week series, “Cultivating Community”.