NMC Audio Podcast

Almost nothing marks the life of a follower of Jesus more than the love they show for the world around them. Yet, if we're honest with ourselves, there are certain moments in life where love is incredibly difficult. Each of us knows what it's like to have a person that's hard to love or a behavior that's challenging to respond to in a loving way. Jesus knows exactly what this is like, and He also knows that the renewal of our spiritual lives often involves a revival in our capacity to love. In John 13, Jesus not only gives us an example of the love we need, but also a simple principle for living it out.

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Brad Bullock grew up in a non-Christian home, but his life was radically transformed as a teenager when he attended NMC with a friend. As he grew in his relationship with Christ, he felt the call to full-time ministry. Brad, his wife Kelsey, and their three kids live in Fort Wayne, IN where he serves as the student ministries pastor at Pathway Community Church.

A flame is birthed inside each of us when we follow Jesus. But that’s only the beginning! Fanning that flame is a process that never ends. The Apostle Paul tells us how to determine our next step with Jesus each and every day, whether we're new to faith or have been following Him our whole lives, so the flame will grow and spread into a raging fire that impacts eternity. 

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Rodney Arnold is the founding pastor of OneLife Church in Knoxville, TN. He has a passion for church plants and desires to see a discipleship movement so great that only God could get the credit for it.

Whether it's a relationship, college degree, or career path, so many people are afraid to commit. But why? Why is it so hard to make a choice? In this week's message, Pastor Kevin Moore will tackle these questions head on and give you some tips that will help you both start and finish what is most important.

Isn’t it nice to fit in, feel accepted, and be well-received? Unfortunately, for the follower of Jesus, that isn’t always possible. The nature of the Gospel, partnered with our calling to share the Gospel, is at times a recipe for rejection. Let us not allow the fear of rejection to keep us from answering the call of Christ in our lives!

Every generation faces fears of the unknown—fears about the future. In the midst of turbulent times, as followers of Christ, we can live with courage. Yes, there are legitimate concerns, but they must not be turned into paralyzing anxiety. Throughout scripture, the message from God is simple: Fear Not! I will be with you!

Have you ever been paralyzed by the thought and fear of failure? Do you hear the voice that says, “Don’t even try because you will inevitably mess this up.” Or the voice that says, “You failed before. What makes you think this time will be any different?” Or how about the voice that says, “You aren’t good enough, talented enough, strong enough, or holy enough…” The fear of failure is real and rears its ugly in head in many different ways. But the good news is that God did not give us a spirit of fear, so by the power of the Spirit, let’s say goodbye to the fear of failure. 

Relationship is the core of Christianity. We are designed for relationship. First and foremost is our relationship with Christ, but also with one another. Followers of Jesus, through the instruction of the Scriptures and the power of the Holy Spirit, should be relationship specialists. What fear is keeping you from relationship?

For some time now, you've had a stirring. It's almost like a voice has been saying, "Something needs to change." Could it be that Jesus is calling you? Could it be that He is asking you to take a step and follow Him—follow Him to peace, follow Him to freedom, follow Him to something new? 

Why is it so difficult to give up control? Is it a trust issue? Do we fear being hurt, abused, or let down? Or could it be that we like to be self-made men and women? Do we like to make our own decisions, rules, and plans? Regardless of reasons, God calls every one of us to cease resisting Him and to submit to His authority.