FPC Bellingham

Languages - Eyes to See and Ears to Hear

Pastor Kerrie interviews Kara and Efton about the spring 2025 mission trip to Chitul.

Learn more about our Food for the Hungry and Chitul relationship ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

Part of the Community - Play and Prayer

Pastor Kerrie interviews Jake and Lola about the spring 2025 mission trip to Chitul.

Learn more about our Food for the Hungry and Chitul relationship ⁠here⁠.

Chitul Connections - From the BeginningPastor Kerrie interviews Kristi, Sherry, and Willie about the spring 2025 mission trip to Chitul.

Learn more about our Food for the Hungry and Chitul relationship here.

Message by Pastor Doug Bunnell, recorded live September 7, 2025 at First Presbyterian Church of Bellingham. Scripture read by Nicki Bailey.

Heaven is Not the Goal

Getting to heaven is not our hope, we look forward to resurrected bodies on a renewed earth.

• What are the core elements of the gospel according to verses 3–4? Why is the resurrection essential to the gospel message?
• Do you ever struggle to believe in the resurrection? How do these witnesses help confirm your faith?
• What does it mean for you personally to “hold firmly” to the gospel?
• What “mystery” is Paul revealing in verses 51–52? What takes the sting away from death? (v. 55–57)
• How does this passage give you hope when facing loss or thinking about your own mortality?

1 Corinthians 15:1-8, 51-58

1 Now I want you to understand, brothers and sisters, the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, 2 through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain.

3 For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures 4 and that he was buried and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

51 Look, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When this perishable body puts on imperishability and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:

“Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

55 “Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?”

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Message by Pastor Doug Bunnell, recorded live August 31, 2025 at First Presbyterian Church of Bellingham. Scripture read by Efton Park.

1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1

10:23 “All things are permitted,” but not all things are beneficial. “All things are permitted,” but not all things build up. 24 Do not seek your own advantage but that of the other. 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience, 26 for “the earth and its fullness are the Lord’s.” 27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, out of consideration for the one who informed you and for the sake of conscience— 29 I mean the other’s conscience, not your own. For why should my freedom be subject to the judgment of someone else’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why should I be denounced because of that for which I give thanks?

31 So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage but that of many, so that they may be saved. 11:1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

Message by Fred Hartsook, recorded live August 17, 2025 at First Presbyterian Church of Bellingham. Scripture read by Pastor Doug Bunnell.

This Scripture is Not About Government

The disciple’s concern is not for the governing authority but for Christ’s authority that empowers disciples to love.

• Are there times when civil disobedience is appropriate for Christians?
• Do you live like love is something you owe to others?
• How can love transform your interactions with neighbors, coworkers, even enemies?
• What does it mean for you to "wake up" spiritually right now?

Romans 13:1-10

1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct but to bad. Do you wish to have no fear of the authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive its approval, 4 for it is God’s agent for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for the authority does not bear the sword in vain! It is the agent of God to execute wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be subject, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience. 6 For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s agents, busy with this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is due them: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.

8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; you shall not murder; you shall not steal; you shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.

Message by Rev. Mike Neelley from Tierra Nueva, recorded live August 10, 2025 at First Presbyterian Church of Bellingham.

If God is for Us, Who Can Be Against Us?

Romans 8:31-39

31 What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not withhold his own Son but gave him up for all of us, how will he not with him also give us everything else? 33 Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? It is Christ who died, or rather, who was raised, who is also at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all day long;

we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than victorious through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Message by Pastor Seth Thomas from Saint James Presbyterian Church, recorded live August 3, 2025 at First Presbyterian Church of Bellingham. Scripture read by Tim Barton.

Idolatry - Worshipping Creator or Creature?

Exodus 20:1-6 NIV

1 And God spoke all these words:

2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

3 “You shall have no other gods before me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Romans 1:21-25 NIV

21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

Message by Fred Hartsook, recorded live July 27, 2025 at First Presbyterian Church of Bellingham. Scripture read by Kelly Fisher.

Testimony Power

The story of God through the story of Paul - the story of God through the story of you

• What testimonies have been important in your life?
• What do you notice about Paul’s testimony (this is the third time we hear it in Acts)
• What is your story?
• How might you share your story in grace and humility?

Acts 26:1

1 Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began to defend himself:

Acts 26:8-18

8 Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

9 “Indeed, I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And that is what I did in Jerusalem; with authority received from the chief priests, I not only locked up many of the saints in prison, but I also cast my vote against them when they were being condemned to death. 11 By punishing them often in all the synagogues I tried to force them to blaspheme, and since I was so furiously enraged at them, I pursued them even to foreign cities.

12 “With this in mind, I was traveling to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, 13 when at midday along the road, Your Excellency, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions. 14 When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It hurts you to kick against the goads.’ 15 I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The Lord answered, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you to serve and testify to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you. 17 I will rescue you from your people and from the gentiles—to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Message by Fred Hartsook, recorded live July 20, 2025 at First Presbyterian Church of Bellingham. Scripture read by Ann Hinz.

Beware the MagiciansBeware the Jesus magicians - beware becoming one who proclaims but does not have faith - to be a church even the demons know and respect.

• When have you seen someone mistake religious language for real faith?
• Do I know Jesus personally, or am I leaning on someone else’s faith (parents, pastor, tradition)?
• Are there areas of your life where you’ve been trying to “use” God rather than follow Him?
• What would true repentance look like for you this week?

Acts 19:11-201 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that when the handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, their diseases left them, and the evil spirits came out of them. 13 Then some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” 14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit said to them in reply, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?” 16 Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered them all, and so overpowered them that they fled out of the house naked and wounded. 17 When this became known to all residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, everyone was awestruck, and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised. 18 Also many of those who became believers confessed and disclosed their practices. 19 A number of those who practiced magic collected their books and burned them publicly; when the value of these books was calculated, it was found to come to fifty thousand silver coins. 20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.