CCF Sunday Messages

Are you “charismatic”? I am not speaking in terms of a personality that is smooth and personable and influential—what we would call “charisma”. I am speaking in the spiritual sense!

You might answer by saying, “No, I am a Baptist…or Methodist…or Catholic.” Some might even have a negative response to the idea of a “charismatic church”. The picture in your mind of a charismatic church might be one of weirdness and discomfort. It involves things like “speaking in tongues” and raising your hands—things that freak people out and make them uncomfortable!

In chapters 12-14, Paul opens a new discussion regarding the “gifts of the Spirit.” The Corinthian church was a “charismatic church” for sure! How do I know? Well, the word “charismatic” is a direct translation of the Greek word for “gift”: charis. Casting off the denominational label of “charismatic”, and embracing the actual Biblical understanding, a “charismatic church” is a church that experiences the gifts of the Spirit! Should this be every church? Our understanding, usage, and enjoyment of the gifts is based on the Bible and not an isolated and personal experience aside from the Bible!

Paul starts by saying that he doesn’t want the Corinthians to be ignorant about spiritual gifts. It has been my experience, and maybe yours too, that many Christians are ignorant (without knowledge) about Spiritual gifts! Many pulpits avoid the topic as too controversial and therefore people just don’t know. So stay tuned as we develop a biblically balanced understanding of spiritual gifts and their place and purpose in worship.

Are you confused about spiritual gifts? Have you learned to avoid them from past church experience? Are spiritual gifts and natural talents the same thing? Is “speaking in tongues” the only reliable sign that a person is really “spirit-filled”? Were these things just for the early church or are they for the church today as well?

Listen in and hear what God has to say through the apostle Paul about spiritual gifts!

Are you “charismatic”? I am not speaking in terms of a personality that is smooth and personable and influential—what we would call “charisma”. I am speaking in the spiritual sense!

You might answer by saying, “No, I am a Baptist…or Methodist…or Catholic.” Some might even have a negative response to the idea of a “charismatic church”. The picture in your mind of a charismatic church might be one of weirdness and discomfort. It involves things like “speaking in tongues” and raising your hands—things that freak people out and make them uncomfortable!

In chapters 12-14, Paul opens a new discussion regarding the “gifts of the Spirit.” The Corinthian church was a “charismatic church” for sure! How do I know? Well, the word “charismatic” is a direct translation of the Greek word for “gift”: charis. Casting off the denominational label of “charismatic”, and embracing the actual Biblical understanding, a “charismatic church” is a church that experiences the gifts of the Spirit! Should this be every church? Our understanding, usage, and enjoyment of the gifts is based on the Bible and not an isolated and personal experience aside from the Bible!

Paul starts by saying that he doesn’t want the Corinthians to be ignorant about spiritual gifts. It has been my experience, and maybe yours too, that many Christians are ignorant (without knowledge) about Spiritual gifts! Many pulpits avoid the topic as too controversial and therefore people just don’t know. So stay tuned as we develop a biblically balanced understanding of spiritual gifts and their place and purpose in worship.

Are you confused about spiritual gifts? Have you learned to avoid them from past church experience? Are spiritual gifts and natural talents the same thing? Is “speaking in tongues” the only reliable sign that a person is really “spirit-filled”? Were these things just for the early church or are they for the church today as well?

Listen in and hear what God has to say through the apostle Paul about spiritual gifts!

This Sunday we continue in 1st Corinthians chapter 11, picking up in verse 17 and going through the end of the chapter.

Communion? Eucharist? Lord’s Supper? Some of you might be so new to Christianity that you have no idea what these words mean. Others are very familiar with the practice in some form or another. If you come to CCF from a Catholic or more formal church background, the way you participated in the Lord’s Supper might be much different than if you come from a Baptist background. At CCF we have the little plastic cups and little morsels of Matzah while others have a common chalice and priestly officiants!

Is there a right way or a wrong way? Let’s have a moment of honesty: have you ever felt like you were just going through the motions of a ritual? You know it should be meaningful but it doesn’t feel meaningful. Everyone takes the elements and the priest or pastor says the right words in the right order and we eat the dry cracker and drink the little sip of grape juice…..ok, there, we did it! Is that what it is supposed to be?

Well, thanks to our friends in Corinth and their messy church life, we get the most comprehensive passage on the Lord’s Supper in the Bible! Paul is a bit irate, to say the least, about the way they were coming together to remember the Lord Jesus. They were coming together at least. But in this extremely instructive passage you will discover with me that Paul’s correction has nothing to do with the form of the ritual, but the heart with which they came and the relationships they had with each other.

It was so bad, in fact, that Paul tells them that the way they behave when they come together is actually hurtful to their lives and in no way honoring to Jesus! Have you ever thought about that? Sometimes we can get a bit superstitious about this whole communion thing. We can think to ourselves “I just need to do it because Jesus said to do it and as long as we perform the ritual like we are supposed to then everything is ok”, right? WRONG!

What’s going on with these Corinthians? What is the problem at the Lord’s Supper? Oh my! You need to listen in to this message to get the whole story!

This Sunday we continue in 1st Corinthians chapter 11, picking up in verse 17 and going through the end of the chapter.

Communion? Eucharist? Lord’s Supper? Some of you might be so new to Christianity that you have no idea what these words mean. Others are very familiar with the practice in some form or another. If you come to CCF from a Catholic or more formal church background, the way you participated in the Lord’s Supper might be much different than if you come from a Baptist background. At CCF we have the little plastic cups and little morsels of Matzah while others have a common chalice and priestly officiants!

Is there a right way or a wrong way? Let’s have a moment of honesty: have you ever felt like you were just going through the motions of a ritual? You know it should be meaningful but it doesn’t feel meaningful. Everyone takes the elements and the priest or pastor says the right words in the right order and we eat the dry cracker and drink the little sip of grape juice…..ok, there, we did it! Is that what it is supposed to be?

Well, thanks to our friends in Corinth and their messy church life, we get the most comprehensive passage on the Lord’s Supper in the Bible! Paul is a bit irate, to say the least, about the way they were coming together to remember the Lord Jesus. They were coming together at least. But in this extremely instructive passage you will discover with me that Paul’s correction has nothing to do with the form of the ritual, but the heart with which they came and the relationships they had with each other.

It was so bad, in fact, that Paul tells them that the way they behave when they come together is actually hurtful to their lives and in no way honoring to Jesus! Have you ever thought about that? Sometimes we can get a bit superstitious about this whole communion thing. We can think to ourselves “I just need to do it because Jesus said to do it and as long as we perform the ritual like we are supposed to then everything is ok”, right? WRONG!

What’s going on with these Corinthians? What is the problem at the Lord’s Supper? Oh my! You need to listen in to this message to get the whole story!

With the snow gone and as we gather back again on a Sunday, we return to our study of 1st Corinthians, picking up in chapter 11.

This is the famous — or infamous — passage that addresses the way men and women dress during for the church gatherings. Does God have a dress code? Is there a “right way” for men and women to come before the Lord?

The passage also speaks to male and female differences and even role differences. Is the Bible is patriarchal book that belittles women and favors men? Are women second class citizens in God’s eyes? Should women wear a veil on their heads? Why or why not?

We will make our way diligently through this passage, mining out what is cultural and what is eternal. Our God is a God of order and not chaos! Aren’t you thankful for that! Listen in as we explore this very interesting passage in 1st Corinthians.

With the snow gone and as we gather back again on a Sunday, we return to our study of 1st Corinthians, picking up in chapter 11.

This is the famous — or infamous — passage that addresses the way men and women dress during for the church gatherings. Does God have a dress code? Is there a “right way” for men and women to come before the Lord?

The passage also speaks to male and female differences and even role differences. Is the Bible is patriarchal book that belittles women and favors men? Are women second class citizens in God’s eyes? Should women wear a veil on their heads? Why or why not?

We will make our way diligently through this passage, mining out what is cultural and what is eternal. Our God is a God of order and not chaos! Aren’t you thankful for that! Listen in as we explore this very interesting passage in 1st Corinthians.

Who has church on a Saturday!? Well, when an impending snow storm is definitely going to make meeting on Sunday impossible, sometimes it makes sense to gather on Saturday! On January 12th, Pastor Steve and the leaders had a special service that turned out to be a great time of worshipping together and digging into God's Word!

Listen in as Pastor Steve steps out of 1st Corinthians for this special service and gives an important teaching from Ephesians chapter three.

Who has church on a Saturday!? Well, when an impending snow storm is definitely going to make meeting on Sunday impossible, sometimes it makes sense to gather on Saturday! On January 12th, Pastor Steve and the leaders had a special service that turned out to be a great time of worshipping together and digging into God's Word!

Listen in as Pastor Steve steps out of 1st Corinthians for this special service and gives an important teaching from Ephesians chapter three.

Continuing in 1st Corinthians chapter 10, Paul is now wrapping up a discussion about our favorite topic — food! This discussion began in chapter 8 and now, three whole chapters have been taken up with answering a question about food. The question seemed simple enough but a well-crafted answer was required, better than a simple “yes” or “no” answer. Paul has heaped reason upon reason for his advice, including warnings of danger and encouragement toward love and care for each other.

But now Paul adds a surprising final element to the discussion of enjoying meals at the idol’s temple. Before I tell you what that element is, we have to agree on something. Agree on what? That meals are about more than just getting food into our body so we can keep working! Unfortunately in our culture that places a higher value on productivity than relationship, meals have morphed to reflect this ideal.

How long do you take for lunch? Do you even take lunch? Have you ever felt like eating was “wasting time”? How much do you eat in the car, on the go? How does dinner time look at your home? Do you sit at the table together? Are you on your electronic devices?

The answers to these questions are indicative of a culture that has experienced a shift in the meaning and understanding of the relationship aspect of food and community meals. Meals are about relationship and community. There are seven Jewish calendar "main events" and six of them are “feasts”. Even the Lord’s Supper represents God’s choice to be remembered at a meal. But for the church in our culture, communion has become, in most churches, a little nibble of matzah and tiny sip of grape juice, all facing the same direction while a priest or pastor recites the familiar but often meaningless words: “The blood of Christ, shed for you.”

Meals are vital to relationship and offer three big things besides a full belly. One is “inclusion”, the second is “intimacy”, and the other is “sharing”. Remember, in many cultures they still eat with their hands and not utensils. Remember, Jesus dipped his hand in the “sop” with Judas. We blow through hand sanitizer and fear germs. Sharing food is intimate. Think about it!

Given this backdrop, sharing food in a group setting says that I am part of that group and what that group represents and values. It is true of communion in church. Is it true elsewhere? Here is the big question: “If Satan, or a demon, called you up and invited you to dinner, would you go??" To understand how this fits into the picture and our passage, listen in to this message as Pastor Steve closes out this section by finishing up 1st Corinthians chapter 10!

Continuing in 1st Corinthians chapter 10, Paul is now wrapping up a discussion about our favorite topic — food! This discussion began in chapter 8 and now, three whole chapters have been taken up with answering a question about food. The question seemed simple enough but a well-crafted answer was required, better than a simple “yes” or “no” answer. Paul has heaped reason upon reason for his advice, including warnings of danger and encouragement toward love and care for each other.

But now Paul adds a surprising final element to the discussion of enjoying meals at the idol’s temple. Before I tell you what that element is, we have to agree on something. Agree on what? That meals are about more than just getting food into our body so we can keep working! Unfortunately in our culture that places a higher value on productivity than relationship, meals have morphed to reflect this ideal.

How long do you take for lunch? Do you even take lunch? Have you ever felt like eating was “wasting time”? How much do you eat in the car, on the go? How does dinner time look at your home? Do you sit at the table together? Are you on your electronic devices?

The answers to these questions are indicative of a culture that has experienced a shift in the meaning and understanding of the relationship aspect of food and community meals. Meals are about relationship and community. There are seven Jewish calendar "main events" and six of them are “feasts”. Even the Lord’s Supper represents God’s choice to be remembered at a meal. But for the church in our culture, communion has become, in most churches, a little nibble of matzah and tiny sip of grape juice, all facing the same direction while a priest or pastor recites the familiar but often meaningless words: “The blood of Christ, shed for you.”

Meals are vital to relationship and offer three big things besides a full belly. One is “inclusion”, the second is “intimacy”, and the other is “sharing”. Remember, in many cultures they still eat with their hands and not utensils. Remember, Jesus dipped his hand in the “sop” with Judas. We blow through hand sanitizer and fear germs. Sharing food is intimate. Think about it!

Given this backdrop, sharing food in a group setting says that I am part of that group and what that group represents and values. It is true of communion in church. Is it true elsewhere? Here is the big question: “If Satan, or a demon, called you up and invited you to dinner, would you go??" To understand how this fits into the picture and our passage, listen in to this message as Pastor Steve closes out this section by finishing up 1st Corinthians chapter 10!