https://www.christchurchnashville.org/media/service-archive/the-birth-of-the-spirit/When Nicodemus asked Jesus how to obtain eternal life, the Lord responded with a metaphor. He said that Nicodemus had to be ‘born again.’ In our part of the Christian world, that is a familiar way to explain how one begins a walk with God. But what does it mean, really? How does a spiritual birth differ from a physical birth? And how do we experience it?

https://www.christchurchnashville.org/media/service-archive/pentecost-sunday-2/Pentecost Sunday!

https://www.christchurchnashville.org/media/service-archive/a-faithful-presence/As we celebrate the Ascension of Christ and Mother’s Day this Sunday we read the opening of Paul’s letter to the believers in Ephesus as a foundational and hope-filled encouragement to be faithfully present, and we look to the mothers who love and serve among us as examples for the church to follow.

https://www.christchurchnashville.org/media/service-archive/growing-up/Just before his death. Jesus told his disciples that going forward, he would not see them as servants but as friends. It is a revealing statement about how Jesus understood leadership development. The leader’s job, much like that of a parent, was to raise up mature people who could think for themselves.

That is still the call of spiritual leaders today: to grow up and to help others grow up.

https://www.christchurchnashville.org/media/service-archive/outpost-at-gaza/St. Luke, the writer of the Book of Acts, tells the story of Phillip the Evangelist meeting the Ethiopian eunuch in a way to emphasize certain issues he thinks important. First, he contrasts what happens on a wilderness road with the poor reception the Ethiopian received in Jerusalem. He also contrasts the evangelist’s apparent success with multitudes in Samaria with the single convert made in Gaza, insisting that it had been the Holy Spirit that led Phillip to the Ethiopian. Finally, Luke wants us to think seriously about what success means when it comes to Christian evangelism.

https://www.christchurchnashville.org/media/service-archive/lifelong-shepherding/The word Pastor means Shepherd in most languages there is no difference between the word used for leading a Christian congregation and protecting the flock if sheep. This passage is the reason Christians have used that term pastor to refer to the leaders of churches. Jesus tells us however that here is a difference between pastoring as an occupation and pastoring as a vocation. The word vocation comes from the word meaning to call. The word occupation refers more to what we do in order to make a living. I am currently walking through a personal transition that will alter my occupation that does not change my vocation which is lifelong.

https://www.christchurchnashville.org/media/service-archive/restoring-peter/Through the process of repentance, repair, and reconciliation, Peter was restored from the man who denied Christ to the leader who would shepherd God’s people.

https://www.christchurchnashville.org/media/service-archive/lasting-effect-resurrection/After Jesus’ resurrection, the Church was given the mission of taking the Gospel (Good News) to the world. At the center of the Gospel is the message of the resurrection. With great power the Apostles gave witness to the resurrection and the Church lived together with an extraordinary Spirit of Unity.

https://www.christchurchnashville.org/media/service-archive/participating-in-life/In the Book of Acts, we learn that after Jesus was redirected, “he ate and drank with them.” Resurrection life is not merely about life after death. It’s about abundant life now. Jesus offers a new and eternal life to those who believe in him. This new life changes everything about our life now, as well as others life to come.

https://www.christchurchnashville.org/media/service-archive/the-eccentric-christ/Easter Sunday this year is also April Fool’s Day and I have been think for some time of whether there is any appropriate way to talk about that. The opportunity though actually comes on Palm Sunday, when we read one of the many passages about how “the stone the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.” Christ is eccentric — out of center — in a fallen world but offers the world a brand new Center - Himself.