RG AUDIO 082519   James 2:14-26 Have you ever been around a stranger and instinctively sensed they were a Christ-follower? What gave them away? Was it something they said or did? James was teaching Christ-followers how to live and fulfill God’s mission for the church. He instructed them to live more like and look more […]

RG AUDIO 082419   Acts 4:31—5:4 Some say that the new Christian community forming in Jerusalem is experiencing a second Pentecost. Sensing divine blessing and filled with the Holy Spirit, they boldly proclaim God’s Word. No community member lives in need; worldly possessions are sometimes sold to care for others. Ananias and Sapphira live affluently, […]

RG AUDIO 082319   Acts 3:1-10 Where is the power? I bring spiritual gifts and talents to the table of God’s mission, but the power is not in my name. I did not conqueror death nor give my life to save humanity. Jesus’ sacrificial death makes God’s unlimited power available to me through the ministry […]

RG AUDIO 082219   Luke 10:25-37 I passed a hitchhiker on the road. I didn’t think too much about it until God said, “Go back.” Reservations anyone’s mother might have had ran through my mind as I turned around. I had seconds to recognize the “God opportunity” before me: God loved this hitchhiker and there […]

RG AUDIO 082119   Matthew 25:31-46 Jesus is Chief Storyteller. In Matthew 25, He crafted a story of His future return to earth, glorified as Son of Man, rewarding Christ-followers. To make criteria for the reward clear, Jesus illustrated His story with sheep that know Him and goats that don’t. He listed common acts of […]

RG AUDIO 082019   Matthew 23:13-24 “Strain a gnat but swallow a camel” is a common phrase, often associated with inconsistent behavior or sporadically applied standards. Unexpected moments, last minute news, and more can interrupt life and necessitate change. The goal is to find new behavior and standards that go with the new flow. The […]

RG AUDIO 081919   Matthew 5:1-12 One day I headed into a large city with a clipboard, a good friend, and a video camera; I wanted to talk to people. One question on the clipboard was simple: “Do you believe in God?” God was indeed affirmed as “Giver of Blessings” that day. In Matthew 5, […]

RG AUDIO 081819   Psalm 10:8-18 Whenever disaster strikes, whether it is a tornado that destroys homes and lives, a sickness that ravages a person, or a death that leaves a hole in a family, the same cry seems to go out every time: “Where is God?”. Even those who don’t believe want to know […]

RG AUDIO 081719   Hebrews 13:1-8 Our world has become a super connected place in some ways. With the internet, and e-mail, and the ever increasing number of social media sites, we can easily stay in contact with people we haven’t seen in decades. And yet, people are more lonely than they have been in […]

RG AUDIO 081619   Luke 14:1-14 Jesus is planning a party. When He returns and finally restores His broken creation, there is going to be a giant feast. Jesus tells us that those at the top of his invitation list will be those who share generously with those who cannot possibly repay. The Pharisees threw […]