Langdon Palmer

One of the reasons Harry Potter is a world-wide phenomena is that beneath the magic and fantasy it touches strangely familiar experiences in our own lives – including what it feels like to be tormented by other people and what it feels like to be tormented by our own thoughts. Today we look at how the creations of the Harry Potter story known as Dementors and Delores Umbridge paint the reality of experiences in the real world. We then go to the wisdom of the scriptures to learn how to live in a world where dark emotions and dark souls can oppress us. There actually is such a thing as a Patronus – one who guides and protects us and covers us and keeps the dementors of this world at bay. During this sermon, our own Emily McGlaughlin painted alongside Pastor Langdon, telling the same story visually. You can see her painting above

In the Harry Potter series JK Rawling does a great job helping us see and feel what it is like to experience prejudice and rejection. We meet Lucious Malfoy, the poster child for what the bible calls “the wicked.” But the goal is not to despise fictitious characters like Lucius Malfoy, the goal is to be able to see the Lucius Malfoy in us. Today we compare the way of the world to the beautiful, life giving way of Jesus, and what it is like to be part of the fellowship of the King.

As we kick off our Harry Potter series on Mother’s day, we look at what can learn from the very different parenting styles of three very different mothers. series. We then explore how the series illustrates and brings to life what the bible teaches about friendship and making choices. And we encounter Jesus, the ultimate friend who made the ultimate choice: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:12-13

Does life ever feel like a briar patch to you – like every where you turn you get poked and snagged, and everything is connected, and there seems like no way out ? Does life sometimes look like a thicket – a maze of thorns everywhere you turn? Today we look to Jesus to show us how to live in a life full of thickets. But more than that, we get a mental image that is truly helpful for understanding our relationship with Jesus as the one who makes a way straight through the thicket into the Kingdom of Gd. And we discover that to follow Jesus we must be like warriors and children – both at the same time!

Today Paul tells us to put on spiritual armor because we are in a spiritual battle. Is that really true ? Is there really such a thing as demonic forces ? If so, what is this armor and how do we use it? Paul shows both the cosmic battle and the practical facts on the ground: a big part of loving Jesus is choosing to stand your ground.

Today we get some practical advise about parents and children but then we jump into deep waters when Paul addresses the relationship between household slaves and their masters in the ancient world. Why doesn’t Paul take a much stronger stance against the evil of slavery ? Is the bible a source of oppression or the very thing that produces freedom ? We dig into the cultural background, the trajectory of the bible, and Paul’s goals in writing this letter to get the answer. We find ourselves asking the question that every Christian in every age must ask:

“Am I living more like the people around me, uncritically accepting the values of my culture, or more like a radical follower of Jesus? Am I truly counter-cultural in my willingness to forgive those who hurt me, love those who are my enemies, and pray for those who persecute me ?”

Today we look at one of the most debated and difficult sections of scripture. What does Ephesians teach about the roles of husbands and wives ? Is the bible the source of sexism, oppression, and inequality, or is it the source of revolutionary freedom and equality ? Men and women often have a hard time understanding each other, and it is not always clear how we should relate. How can I have the kind of healthy relationship with my significant other that God intended for me to have ?

Today Paul challenges us in one of our most personal and private areas – sex. But he does so in a way that is not only challenging but liberating – all based not on archaic rules and regulations, but on a dynamic, joyful present tense relationship with God as our Heavenly Father. God is saying “I know how the world lives, I know how all those around you live, but I am calling YOU to come follow me and live a different way. On this Saint Patrick’s Day Sunday we end with a daily prayer from Patrick that offers hope and promise for the road of life.

The right to think for yourself. The Enlightenment. What true Atheists and true Christians hold in common. Our cultural moment.

How to become more like Jesus. How Les Miserables reveals a key truth of Ephesians chapter 4. Your life. Join us for a wild ride!

There is a cacophony of voices all around us confidently claiming they know the right way to go, telling us that they have life figured out. But there is another sound too. There is the sound of the symphony that God is performing through the orchestra of His people, and it is bringing hope, meaning, mercy, and redemption into the world. Can you hear it ? Are you in the orchestra? Are you pursuing the personal responsibility and spiritual maturity that allows you to be a part of the unfolding of the Kingdom of God here and now ? Today we study an incredibly important section of the New Testament and learn what it means to finally grow up.