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Salty Faith - Jesse Russell | LW2023

In his thought-provoking talk "Salty Faith,"  Jesse Russell delves into the idea of Christians acting as the 'salt of the earth,' a concept taken from Jesus's teachings in Matthew 5:13. Through his personal narrative of helping a man, Russell underscores the implications of selfishness and pride, which served as the catalyst for his exploration of the biblical analogies of salt. Not only does salt represent preservation, tastefulness and healing in scripture, but being "salty" also demands self-sacrifice and total faith in Jesus. Russell emphasizes that being the salt of the earth extends beyond simply doing good deeds or assisting others but implies a profound relationship with Jesus.

Moving further into his sermon, Russell brings out the importance of focusing on Jesus's life and teachings rather than longing for personal achievements or recognition. He uses the narrative of the rich young ruler from Mark 10:21 to highlight the necessity of renouncing earthly possessions and cravings to wholeheartedly pursue Jesus. A call-to-action for listeners to reflect on their lives and pinpoint the obstructions that inhibit their spiritual growth punctuates his message. 

Taking the sermon to a close, Russell encourages Christians to cultivate contentment and expectation, even amidst trials, stressing that Christian faith isn't about attaining success, but about entrusting oneself into Jesus's hands and living out His teachings daily. He reinforces his message by citing a testimony of a young man's spiritual transformation and encounter with God following a challenging period of doubt and struggle. 

To condense, "Salty Faith," emphasizes discarding selfish desires, total faith in Jesus, and living with contentment and patience even in adversity, reinforcing that God's faithfulness permeates every aspect of a Christian's journey.

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Kill Sin Before It Kills You - Beth Vonderporten | LW2023

The sermon by Beth Vonderporten delves into the biblical principles surrounding the ongoing war between the flesh and spirit, emphasizing the significance of combating sin in our lives. The pastor illustrates the gradual infliction of sin on our lives by drawing parallels to her personal experience of a medical condition diagnosis. 

She further underscores that our awareness and acceptance of the depth of our sinfulness accentuate our need for a Savior, thereby igniting our desire to be with Jesus. Referencing Romans 7 and 8, she reiterates the continuous battle between flesh and spirit and the necessity of consciously following the path of the spirit while resisting fleshly desires.

A significant portion of the sermon also explores the concept of discipline - underscoring spiritual wellness over physical well-being and urging listeners to invest time in God. As per Beth, understanding our sin's gravity may steer our desire towards the Lord, as discipline without desire would lead to drudgery. 

She further illustrates the essential role of the Holy Spirit in helping us battle sin, shedding light on the prospects of walking in the Spirit, leading to the emergence of love, joy, peace, and self-control, also known as the fruits of the Spirit. 

The talk rounds off by reinforcing the transient nature of our fight with sin and inspiring hope for a future in Heaven, where there's an absence of sin, and salvation through Jesus Christ is realized.

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Embrace of the King - Aiden Huff | LW2023

In his talk, "Embrace of the King," Aiden Huff delves into the notion of surrendering to the will of God, drawing from biblical teachings and personal experiences. He accords surrender a battle term, wherein one relinquishes their aspirations to fulfill God's designs instead. 

He emphasizes the key roles of prayer, biblical guidance, and careful deliberation in our decisions, cautioning against hasty interpretations of phenomena such as dreams. Through the parable of Job 11:13-19, Huff illuminates the concept of heartfelt surrender to God, which requires immersion in prayer and God's Word.

The talk is interspersed with personal anecdotes underscoring the transformative power of surrendering to God, from dealing with mental health issues such as anger and anxiety to navigating significant life trials like terminal illness. Huff presents his own struggles with anxiety, conveying how surrendering concerns to God is an ongoing, unique journey for each person yet integral to attaining God's peace and joy. 

He ultimately advocates for the priority of God's plan over individual plans and concludes with the reassurance that surrendering to God's will enhances closeness to Him and provides a richer experience of His love and grace.

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Your Life Saving Station - Rick Scherr

Leadership from April 28, 2023

In this Lesson, Rick retells the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well, emphasizing the importance of worshiping in spirit and truth. He encourages his listeners to focus on seeking and saving the lost, rather than building up their own ministries, and reminds them not to fall into the trap of sacred cows where they do things only because they've always done them without any proper rationale. Rick challenges his audience to be courageous in making the decision to represent and reflect the heart of Christ, no matter how many people are involved, and to pray for a greater desire to be focused like the heart of Christ, to see the harvest and to passionately seek out the front lines. In the end, Rick urges his listeners to recognize when their ministries are becoming more like social clubs and less like life-saving stations, and to come up with ways to prevent it from happening.

Clip shown is from The Chosen, watch the full clip here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ordhsDeAt60

You can download the Handout Here - https://drive.google.com/file/d/10CT5GVR-CUj5zuu_lLP8sV6MZ_s1uBBQ/view?usp=sharing

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Don't be a slug, lessons from Proverbs - Rick Scherr

Download the lesson document referenced by clicking HERE

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Leadership from Jan 27, 2023
Help from Nehemiah for us to build our summer camp trips - Rick Scherr

Worksheet with blanks - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yS1kSLOdPUKlj5OAiOHV-Fe69WAJtJte/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=103320226269093510191&rtpof=true&sd=true

Worksheet with notes - https://docs.google.com/document/d/14nwpMU4AvOSlRNyeiwWBVtfT0W16D33l/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=103320226269093510191&rtpof=true&sd=true

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'23 Leader Weekend | Intro to the theology of suffering - Derek Walne & Dan Hill

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'23 Leader Weekend | Making  Students Teammates - Ryan Mecum

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'23 Leader Weekend | Sitting at the feet of Jesus - Rich Dargenio & Megan Sullivan

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'23 Leader Weekend | Day 3 | Numbers 13-14 - Tom Dixon