Week 2 of our New Testament Challenge will give you a greater sense of God’s activity and presence in your life. 

When people were waiting for a Messiah, but they had a very specific image in mind, and Jesus wasn’t it. But Jesus was baptized, it helped establish his identity and He asked 3 questions: Who am I really? Why am I here? What's my real purpose?

Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside’s conviction that God’s grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God’s presence and activity in your life.

We’ve completed our first week of episodes for our New Testament Challenge, and we’re taking a close look at the texts.

Heaven had been a place of absolute safety for Jesus. But then He became a defenseless little baby. Yet Jesus is the defining mark of all history. He is the hope of the oppressed. He sparked the greatest revolution ever begun. He offers the greatest gift ever given.

It’s time to let go, open the door, and let God love. Letting go unleashes the power of God in your life.

Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside’s conviction that God’s grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God’s presence and activity in your life.

Today, we’ll look at Jesus as a baby.

John calls Jesus “The Word,” an intentional choice for the audience of the day. Jesus of Nazareth wasn’t just a good person; He was God in the flesh.

He is fully human and fully divine, working with God to restore the relationship with broken people like us. Everything we need is found in Jesus Christ, born in Bethlehem’s manger.

Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside’s conviction that God’s grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God’s presence and activity in your life.

Today, we explore the delivery of Jesus. Joseph and Mary have an unusual delivery story. 

God offers you salvation, friendship, and new life if you’ll let go and throw the door open. Jesus doesn’t kick the door in; He says if anyone will open the door and come to Him, He will fellowship with them.

Have you let go and opened the door? Whether we open it for the first time or keep opening it wider, the choice is ours. 

Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside’s conviction that God’s grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God’s presence and activity in your life.

It all starts with the birth of Jesus. We’ll look at this story in three parts: the conception, the delivery, and the baby. Today we’ll talk about the conception.

As we review this story, we’ll look at 3 aspects: the lower story, what’s happening right in the text and in the lives of the people; the upper story, the bigger picture of what God is trying to accomplish for His purposes; and the application to our lives, what God wants us to take away from this text.

Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside’s conviction that God’s grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God’s presence and activity in your life.

During the next 10 weeks, we will be doing an overview of the New Testament.

Jesus was not a political figure, never held public office, never wrote a book, never traveled far, and was relatively uneducated. Yet, Jesus’ impact has only increased since His death. 

This week, we’ll look at Christmas and how the birth of Jesus represents the day heaven decided to let go.

Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside’s conviction that God’s grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God’s presence and activity in your life.

You’re on a Jesus + NOTHING plan. You don’t need a Jesus plus anything plan. Because in Him, you already have so much more. Don’t set aside your freedom and take yourself captive again.

Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside’s conviction that God’s grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God’s presence and activity in your life.

There will always be those in Christian circles who try to impose a Jesus + Special Behaviors plan by being legalistic.

The more mature you are as a follower of Jesus, the more comfortable you are knowing there are issues and areas where God gives you freedom to discern what’s right and wrong. The deeper you grow in Christ, the more willing you should be to extend freedom to others on non-essential issues scripture doesn’t directly address. 

Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside’s conviction that God’s grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God’s presence and activity in your life.

Sometimes, we miss out on some of the best blessings God has for us with our own sense of obligation. In Colossians 2:6, Paul reminded us what Jesus provides is so good, so you don’t need anything else else to enjoy an unbroken, thriving relationship with God. Paul goes on to share another hollow and deceptive practice that religious people can fall into: legalism.

Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside’s conviction that God’s grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God’s presence and activity in your life.

Jesus can accomplish and provide what we need, especially in times like this. We can be tempted to settle for something else on top of Jesus, but don’t fall for those who teach a Jesus + Special Days plan. Every day belongs to the Lord.

Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside’s conviction that God’s grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God’s presence and activity in your life.