Guerrilla Christianity

We continue our look at the five ways we participate in ministry. This week we look at how we participate by our presence. Presence means being there, and it's more than just showing up. Paul in his letter to the church at Colosae exhorts the Colossians to be a part of the body of Christ. We are not called into isolation, but community. So grab your Bible, turn it to Colossians chapter 3, and join us as we look at how we participate in ministry by our presence.

Colossians 3:12-17

Recorded at Hudson UMC on October 12, 2014 (First published on October 28, 2014)

S.D.G.

In 2008, the United Methodist General Conference added "witness" to the vows that a Christian makes when he or she joins the local church. Witness is an important part of our Christian walk, but the vast majority of Christians are reluctant to talk about their faith to unbelievers. Even so, everything we do as Christians is our witness - the way we live and the things we say bear witness to who we are as Christians. The question is, what does our witness say about us? And what does our witness say... about Christ? So grab your Bible, turn it to Matthew chapter 28, and join us as we wrap up our series and look at how we support the local church by our witness.

Matthew 28:16-20

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on November 2, 2014 (first published November 6, 2014)

S.D.G.

S7E48: GC Talk - Is Covid-19 a Punishment from God?

In today's chat with Pastor Zach Taylor we talk about Covid-19 and the two extreme opinions we see in the world. The conservative Christian response is that we are being punished by God and Covid-19 is the sword He is using to accomplish His will. The liberal Christian response and the secular response is that God has nothing to do with it, that the coronavirus is just a mutated virus doing what viruses do. But where is the Biblical response? What have our forefathers of the faith had to say in times of natural disaster and plague? Then we address this question from one of our listeners: Is Covid-19 a sign that Christ is returning soon?

*** This podcast originally aired with incorrect data which has now been fixed.  Please re-download if you already downloaded it (error and correction occurs around 38 minutes) ***

Recorded via Zoom Meetings on April 17, 2020

References:

The Cause and Cure of Earthquakes, by Charles Wesley (1750)

National Sins and Miseries, by John Wesley (1775)

Hulk Hogan's Scary Coronavirus Message to Millions (from the New York Post)

Whether One May Flee from a Deadly Plague, by Martin Luther (1527)

S.D.G.

John's gospel account is such a beloved text for the celebration of Easter and the Resurrection. So much so that this very text inspired one of the most beloved hymns of the church, "In the Garden" by C. Austin Miles. What is it about the resurrection that so captures the imagination of so many creative people? We want to capture it in art, in music, in sculpture. Simply put, the resurrection is the hinge-point of our existence as Christians. Without it, we follow a good teacher who was martyred. But the resurrection is something that only God could accomplish, and not mere mortals. The resurrection means that Jesus was more than a teacher or a prophet. He was, and is, the Son of God who died for our sins and rose on the third day, conquering death and offering us eternal life in His name. In other words, without the resurrection we have gained nothing; in the resurrection we have gained everything.

John 20:1-18

Recorded at Hudson UMC on April 20, 2014 (previously unpublished)

S.D.G.

There is a lot of action in the Resurrection account from John's Gospel. First, the women arrive at the tomb to find it open, and they run to tell the disciples. Then John and Peter have a footrace to the tomb. John gets there first but doesn't go in. Peter goes in and sees the linen cloths. Then John goes in and sees it all. Then they return home, and in their absence Mary encounters the risen Christ, who tells her to go tell the other disciples, and she does. Eighteen verses packed with a lot of action, and we hear these words every year, but what truths can we glean from them this day? I ask the question, are you on the outside of the tomb, looking in? Or are you on the inside of the tomb, looking out? In other words, have you committed yourself to following Jesus? Have you repented of your sins and trusted in Jesus for your forgiveness? Or are you orbiting the faith wondering if it is true, if it is for you? If you are on the outside looking in, I invite you in. And if you are on the inside looking out, you are being sent to bring others to know that Christ is risen. He is risen indeed.

John 20:1-18

Recorded at Hudson UMC Cemetery (Easter Sunrise Service) on April 12, 2020

Watch the entire service on YouTube

S.D.G.

Psalm 118 is a psalm that speaks of salvation, and once more we find a need to find the meaning behind this churchy word. Salvation is what Christ offers us - to be saved. Saved from what? Right now there is chaos and uncertainty in the world, but God offers to save us from something much greater than a disease or temporal problems. Jesus entered into Jerusalem to cries of "Hosanna! Save us!" Indeed he came to save, but not from their perceived political issues. Rather He came to save them - and us - from sin and death, which is an eternal salvation.

Psalm 118

Recorded at Hudson UMC on April 5, 2020

S.D.G.

It's been nearly two years since the last time we talked with Pastor Zack Taylor. In today's chat we talk about what Zach has learned and faced in the last two years, what kind of challenges the church is facing in this era of the Coronavirus and social distancing, what hope we see, and what the future of the church looks like in these uncertain times.

Recorded via Zoom Meetings on April 3, 2020

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S.D.G.

Our first ever Live Podcast where we answered questions from you, our listeners. The three questions were: *How do we approach "internet" communion during quarantine? *What is the significance of the 12 baskets in Jesus' feeding of the multitude? *Where do we find Antichrist in the Bible?

Recorded LIVE on March 28, 2020

View on YouTube

S.D.G.

Ash Wednesday is a solemn observance that leads into a period of fasting, abstinence and penitence. These forty days remind us of the period of fasting that our Lord observed in the Judean wilderness. Today as we receive the ashes we are reminded that we come from dust, and to dust we shall return. So grab your Bible, open it to Matthew Chapter 6, and join us as we look at "Beauty from Ashes."

Matthew 6:1-6,16-18

Recorded at Hudson UMC on March 5, 2014 (First published April 4, 2014)

S.D.G.

On the church calendar, Transfiguration Sunday is a transition from the Odinary Time after the Epiphany into the season of Lent (which begins Ash Wednesday). This familiar story, told in all three synoptic gospel accounts and alluded to in John's gospel, is an apt bridge from Jesus' earthly ministry to his journey to the cross. Today we focus on God's command to the disciples, who wanted to busy themselves with mundane things. God told them to listen to Jesus. How often in our walk with God are we too busy to listen to him? Or how many times do we throw up arrow prayers and then close the connection with "inJesusnameAmen"? Today we take time. Today we embrace the silence and listen to God's gentle urging. We quiet ourselves and say to God, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening."

Matthew 17:1-9

Recorded at Hudson UMC on February 23, 2020

S.D.G.