The story of Jonah is often overshadowed by the great fish that swallows the prophet. But is this short piece of the story all that Jonah is about? In fact, the story of Jonah is about so much more than this, and it still speaks to us today as the Word of God. This week we introduce our new series in the book of Jonah by paying special attention to who Jonah is and by asking why this short story was written and put alongside prophets like Amos and Hosea in the Old Testament. Join us as we dive into the story of Jonah and hear what the Lord is saying this week through this book.

Our day and age is full of powerful empires, and it can be easy for us even as Christians to focus on these empires that seem so strong. Sometimes the kingdoms of this world seem as though they can never fall. But there is a kingdom that will actually last forever. Listen this week as Maurice Milmine opens the word to us from Daniel chapter 2, encouraging us to consider the strength of the kingdom of God.

Have you ever stopped to consider who God is? On His own terms? In His own words? Christians can often be a poor reflection of God, but there are times in the Bible that God breaks in and describes Himself to us in particularly clear and compelling ways. God has shown us who He is, how will we respond?

We live in a fragmented age. In a culture so obsessed with identity, we have endless choices of how to define ourselves. As Christians, we are a people who are most importantly defined by God, yet we also have convictions and beliefs that arise out of our faith as we seek to live like Christ. How can we welcome one another as Christ has welcomed us when we disagree? If we have Christ in common, how could we let anything else divide us? Romans 14, verses 1 through 4 help us to know how to act in love towards our brothers and sisters in Christ when we disagree.

Listen to this week as Maurice reflects on the people of strong influence in the Bible. How might you be used as a person of influence this week?

Prayer is a universal human desire. Every culture has their form of prayer, and the Christian Church is no exception. The early church insists that there is one God, and only one way to restore relationship with this God. What this means is that there is only one God that we can rightfully pray to. This week we finish a short series on the Early church and what their model means for us. Listen this week as we look at how the early church prayed and what this means for us today.

So far in our series on the DNA of the Early Church we have looked at the role of preaching in the Church. We have discovered that the root of pure fellowship with one another is a true fellowship with God. Now we come to the Breaking of Bread. In the early church, this breaking of bread refers to the celebration of the Lord’s Supper or Communion. It might seem out of place in a list along with prayer, preaching, and fellowship with other believers—but this is perhaps the most important mark of the Church.

This week as we try to unravel the DNA of the early church we look at what fellowship with one another is all about. Why did the early church devote themselves to fellowship? What did this look like? Joins us in Acts 4:32-37 as we seek to challenge ourselves as a church to grow by committing ourselves to the fundamentals of fellowship with one another.

At the birth of the church, the Holy Spirit falls powerfully on a small group of disciples and emboldens them to preach the Gospel which spreads throughout the Mediterranean. God uses preaching to spread the Gospel, and even at the very beginning of the church the people of God devoted themselves to the preaching of His word. Why? Because when a preacher faithfully handles God's word, His people are strengthened and nourished.

Many look at the state of the Church today and wonder whether Jesus meant for the Church to turn out this way--if He meant for there to be a "Church" at all. Graciously, God has given us  in Scripture not only the clear command to gather, but many examples and in some places even commands for how to conduct our worship. In this series at Snells Beach Baptist Church we will be looking in acts 1-4 to identify and commit ourselves to a few of the core elements of Church gathering. Join us as we look at the DNA of the Early Church and pray and prepare our own hearts for the Spirit's work of revival.