Beyond the Pulpit

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This week on Beyond the Pulpit we explore why prayer is a relationship to pursue, not a button to push, and how that vision deepens trust in the Father who sees in secret. We also unpack prayer as power in temptation, the Lord’s Prayer as a template, and how praying Scripture reshapes desire into obedience.

• the aim of prayer as relationship with the Father
• private prayer versus performative prayer
• Matthew 6 and the Lord’s Prayer as a template
• God’s sovereignty as confidence in asking
• Gethsemane and the gap between intent and obedience
• “spirit willing, flesh weak” and resisting temptation
• praying Scripture and the Psalms to shape language and desire
• honoring God by praying his promises
• upcoming training on praying the Bible and meditation

Go to our website or the Church Center app and sign up for Equip, October 24–25, with Dr. Donald Whitney. Price is $20 for adults and $10 for middle and high school students. Space is filling up pretty quickly—join us October 24th to 25th

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This week on Beyond the Pulpit we explore how the early church's unity became a powerful witness to the reality of Christ. When believers devoted themselves to fellowship, outsiders saw something compelling that drew them to faith.

• Acts 2:42-47 shows how the early Christians' devotion to life together attracted others to Christ
• Jesus prayed for Christian unity "so that the world may believe" (John 17:21)
• Our unity reflects the Trinity and serves as evidence that Christianity is real
• The church represents a new "generation" defined by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus
• Christians across all times and places are united by sharing in the life of Christ
• Powerful examples like public forgiveness demonstrate the gospel's transforming power
• Our relationships with fellow believers serve as a witness to the reality of salvation

Join us in displaying the glory of God through our unity as believers. When we truly love one another, the world sees Christ.

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Peter's first sermon after Pentecost demonstrates the power of Scripture in proclaiming Christ, as he uses Old Testament passages to prove Jesus is the promised Messiah.

• Peter quotes Psalm 16 to show David prophesied Christ's resurrection a thousand years earlier
• David couldn't have been speaking about himself since his tomb and remains were still present
• Jesus could not be held by death because Scripture had foretold his resurrection
• Psalm 110 (the most quoted Psalm in the New Testament) predicted Christ's ascension and exaltation
• The apostles consistently grounded their understanding of Jesus in the Old Testament Scriptures
• Experience matters but isn't the foundation—Scripture provides the authoritative basis for faith
• The Holy Spirit transformed Peter from one who denied Christ to a bold proclaimer
• We need both Old and New Testaments to fully understand God's revelation
• Like Peter, we should anchor our hope in the Scriptures, "as to a lamp shining in a dark place"

Join us Wednesday night as our fall ministries kick off! Kids Club, Community Groups, and Student Ministry all begin this week. Also mark your calendars for Movie in the Village on September 20th—a perfect opportunity to invite friends and neighbors for a no-pressure evening of fun.

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Jesus makes the extraordinary claim that unless we believe he is God, we will die in our sins, connecting his identity to the divine name revealed to Moses at the burning bush.

• Jesus repeatedly uses the phrase "I am he" (ego eimi) which directly connects to God's self-revelation in Exodus 3
• The religious leaders understood Jesus was claiming divinity, which is why they attempted to stone him
• Jesus also claims the title "Son of Man" from Daniel 7, another declaration of his divine authority
• When confronted by the high priest, Jesus' claim to be the Son of Man results in charges of blasphemy
• Jesus' claims to deity cannot be separated from his ethical teachings - they are fundamentally connected
• If Jesus is merely human, his death means nothing; if he is God, his death brings eternal life
• We must respond to Jesus' claims - there is no neutral position or "sitting on the fence"

Join us next Sunday as we begin a four-week miniseries on the book of Acts, examining the basics of Christianity and what the early church practiced.

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This we on Beyond the Pulpit we explore how walking in Christ's light transforms our lives through genuine fellowship, obedience, and love for other believers.

• Jesus declares "I am the light of the world" - anyone following Him will have the light of life
• Light appears at both creation (Genesis 1) and in the new heaven (Revelation 21-22)
• Walking in the light begins with true fellowship with Christ
• Christians demonstrate an imperfect but growing pattern of obedience
• Confession of sin is essential - those claiming sinlessness deceive themselves
• The paradox: as we follow Christ longer, we see both our sinfulness and God's grace more clearly
• True light-walkers love fellow believers through committed church relationships
• Anti-church sentiment reveals darkness, not light
• Membership in Christ's body means practical investment in other believers

Join us for upcoming events: Grief Share and College Midweek (Aug 28), Member Meeting (Aug 30), Book of Acts series (Sep 7), Kids Club, Student Ministry and Community Groups (Sep 10), Movie in the Village (Sep 20), and Equip Conference with Dr. Donald Whitney (Oct 24-25).

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This week on Beyond the Pulpit we dive into the formation of the biblical canon by examining the passage of John 7:53-8:11 (the woman caught in adultery) and exploring how we can trust the reliability of scripture despite textual questions surrounding certain passages.

Want to ask a question for an upcoming podcast?

Email: [email protected] and put Beyond the Pulpit in the subject line

Text: 515-200-1652 and include keyword beyondthepulpit at the beginning.

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This week on Beyond the Pulpit we talk through John 7 and the need for boldness in our confession of Christ as Lord.

Want to ask a question for an upcoming podcast?

Email: [email protected] and put Beyond the Pulpit in the subject line

Text: 515-200-1652 and include keyword beyondthepulpit at the beginning.

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This week on Beyond the Pulpit we talk through John 7 and some of the challenges issued to Jesus. 

Want to ask a question for an upcoming podcast?

Email: [email protected] and put Beyond the Pulpit in the subject line

Text: 515-200-1652 and include keyword beyondthepulpit at the beginning.

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This week on Beyond the Pulpit we wrestle with questions stemming from John 6 and why we spent so much time talking about transubstantiation. 

Want to ask a question for an upcoming podcast?

Email: [email protected] and put Beyond the Pulpit in the subject line

Text: 515-200-1652 and include keyword beyondthepulpit at the beginning.

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This week on Beyond the Pulpit we work through John 6:44 and wrestle with the tension between God's sovereignty and our role in our salvation.

Want to ask a question for an upcoming podcast?

Email: [email protected] and put Beyond the Pulpit in the subject line

Text: 515-200-1652 and include keyword beyondthepulpit at the beginning.