James calls the church to be a unique community, a righteous community: a people in right relationship with God and with one another. But instead the churches are filled with fighting and quarrels. Why? Because of their passions and desires–what they want. But what we want and who we are is not just an internal […]

James warns his readers about the dangerous power of our words. The tongue can be a spark that catches a whole forest on fire. The things we say can spread great harm and evil if not controlled. But like God who created life and beauty and flourishing by his words, the things we say can […]

Note: At the beginning of this sermon, Pastor Johnny Kurcina addresses the topic of child sexual abuse that took place at another church between 1990-2002. In James 2:14-26, James calls out the hypocritical nature of believers in the churches. Faith without works is dead–it is useless, it does not save. Both a words only faith […]

In James 2:1-13, James calls out the practice of showing favoritism within the church community–especially honoring the rich and looking down on the poor. Favoritism is wrong because of who Jesus is and who we are. Because of what God has done for us in Jesus we are called to a radical love of our […]

[Unfortunately, the audio file for the sermon was not able to record directly through the sound system resulting in a less than ideal recording.] As James, the brother of Jesus and head of the church in Jerusalem, begins one of the earliest letters in the New Testament, he calls his readers to develop steadfastness–faithful endurance–in […]

Matthew 28 and 2 Corinthians 4-5 Faithful Christianity or honest Atheism are the two worldview systems with the most complete philosophical consistency and intellectual integrity. Atheism says we are here by chance and life is meaningless. Christianity claims there is a creator and a savior in the person of Jesus–and it all hinges on the […]

Before he was handed over to the Romans, Jesus knew who would betray him. Yet, rather than call out Judas by name, he gives him a chance to repent and gives the disciples a valuable opportunity for self-reflection. While he does say one person in particular will betray him, Jesus tells the disciples that they […]

In Matthew 19, Jesus encounters a Rich Young Man who wants to know what he must do to have eternal life just after he has rebuked the disciples for hindering little children from being brought to him. Jesus challenges this man: you don’t get eternal life like a possession, you enter eternal life like a […]

In Matthew 15, Jesus has an unusual interaction with a Canaanite woman. She calls on Him for help, and He seems to ignore her. She asks again, and this time he seems rude. What is going on here? Where is the Jesus who loves the forgotten, who listens to the neglected? Jesus, in his behavior, […]

[ Unfortunately, our usual means of recording weren’t available this week, so the audio is taken from the Facebook livestream. Apologies for the inconvenience! ]   The pursuit of the kingdom is not a waste of time. Being godly can be criticized by more modern cultures as being foolish, or not worthwhile. Jesus makes it […]