Loving Truth

In his episode, we address the crucial question, "how do Christians endure?" This one is short but sweet, and it contains a lot of practical wisdom and comfort. We hope it's an encouragement to you!

In this episode, Mike and Connor talk about putting out the welcome mat for the Bible and receiving it as what it really is—the very words of God himself. How should believers accept the word? How should they respond do it? What pitfalls must believers avoid? All this and more in today's episode.

This episode will be (we hope!) a breath of fresh air. It's short, and we address just two questions to give you a sense of how things are going at Grace: 1) How's ministry nowadays? 2) How is the Word at work? We hope this is an encouragement to your soul as you continue to serve the Lord and love the people he has placed in your life.

This episode serves as a follow-up to Mike's Sunday sermon from September 19, 2021. In it, we unpack several important ideas about the doctrine of election, including the meaning of God's foreknowledge, and the question, "can someone be a Christian if they do not believe in election?" We know this is an emotionally charged topic for many people. We hope this episode helps you as you wrestle through what the Bible says about how God chooses his people.

Why repent and reconcile? Pastor Mike addressed that question in a Sunday morning sermon on September 5, 2021. This episode functions as a post-sermon follow up, diving deeper into the question of how we should think about reconciliation in especially difficult relational contexts. We hope this helps you honor the Lord even in the most challenging relationships he has placed you in.

This episode serves as an introduction to the book of 1 Thessalonians, which Mike will being preaching on Sunday, September 12, 2021. What's it all about? Believers beloved by God becoming beloved to one another. Listen in preparation for Sunday, or as a reference in the coming months and years. We pray this is an encouragement to you!

In this episode, Connor and Mike address the question, "why bother with baptism?" as a follow up to Mike's sermon from Sunday, August 29, 2021 (available on the GCO website). We get into some conversations about ideas that Mike didn't address in depth in the sermon: Is the thief on the cross a valid example of someone who was saved without being baptized? What function did baptism have in Jesus' earthly ministry? What about John's "baptism of repentance?" All this and more in this episode of Ordinary Church. Happy listening!

What does the Bible say about resolving conflicts in the home? In the church? When things have gotten really ugly? When it feels like reconciliation is impossible? In this episode, Connor and Mike address these questions and point to the Bible's answer for handling conflict in a way that honors God.

As this episode drops, the world is gripped by headlines regarding the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, crippling earthquakes in Haiti, wildfires in America, Covid-19 outbreaks, and much more. There are painful reminders of the reality of sin all around us—at a personal level, a family level, a national level, and a global level. In times like these, it is good to return to a familiar question: Why does God allow so much suffering? Connor and Mike enter into that discussion in today's episode. We hope it is an encouragement to you to continue trusting our sovereign God even in the most challenging times.

Mike and Connor unpack a practical question in this episode that impacts all believers: What should I do when I'm struggling? When we don't know where to turn, when we are convicted by sin, when we are confused or confronted with challenging circumstances—what should we do? The answer we give here: "Talk it out." We hope this is a help to you!