We are at a time in American history where mental illness is increasingly common. Many people struggle to find hope and purpose for life. What can the Church of Jesus Christ do? How can we care for people who don't want to live? Today, Derek finishes our series by addressing this question.

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One of the things that many in the Church struggle with is the difference between what they experience in the Church today and the Church they see in Acts. Today Derek talks about that struggle.

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The LGBTQ+ community has experienced so much in the way of harm. Much of this harm has come from Christians who are trying to uphold the historical biblical ethic on sexuality. How should followers of Jesus move forward? Today, Derek explores how Christians should relate to the LGBTQ+ community.

There are a number of resources that are well worth your time to explore around the topic of Christianity and the LGBTQ+ community.

Videos and websites:

Jon Tyson message titled "Jesus and the Gay Community" https://youtu.be/QqF0MwqjuBU

Pieter Valk's website https://www.pieterlvalk.com/

The Reformation Project https://reformationproject.org/

Spiritual Friendship https://spiritualfriendship.org/

Books:

"People to be loved: Why homosexuality is not just an issue" by Preston Sprinkle https://a.co/d/9rxSlAn

"God and the gay Christian: The biblical case for same-sex relationships" by Matthew Vines https://a.co/d/eg7MadS

"Washed and waiting: Reflections on Christian faithfulness and homosexuality" by Wesley Hill https://a.co/d/4OmeOdI

"Making Sense of Sex: Attitudes towards Sexuality in Early Jewish and Christian Literature" by William Loader https://a.co/d/iptsw7B

"Slaves, Women & Homosexuals: Exploring the Hermeneutics of Cultural Analysis" by William Webb https://a.co/d/e5AbpoE

"Two Views on Homosexuality, the Bible, and the Church" edited by Preston Sprinkle with multiple authors https://a.co/d/5m7gzbs

"Sexuality in the New Testament: Understanding the Key Texts" by William Loader https://a.co/d/9AC0NmV

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One of the challenges that is so common is understanding what the Bible says. People read it and come to different conclusions as to what they believe it says. It was written thousands of years ago to different cultures and contexts than our own. Is it worth trying to understand? Can we even understand it? Today Evan looks at this important question.

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One of the things that creates a lot of confusion for people in the Church is what women can and can’t do. The reason this happens is because, in many places, women have been told there are some roles that are only for men. Today, Derek takes us through what scripture has to say about this challenging question.

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*TW the introduction contains statistics about sexual abuse that some may find disturbing

For many, the thought of God as Father or as a male is not a helpful thought, but it is an obstacle to faith. Is there anything we can offer to these people that helps? Today, Derek looks at the question “Is God a person, and if so, is God male?”

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Today we begin our "Asking for a Friend" series where we address actual questions submitted by real people in our community. Today we will explore the question "How do we know if God is real?"

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As we begin a new year, it’s a great time to consider how you want the future to be different. People everywhere are making resolutions to live differently this year than they did last year. What if there was a resolution that you could live into this year that would change the rest of your life? Today, Derek offers the resolution you should consider for 2023.

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So many of us struggle to trust God. In fact, the Bible says this is what has been the problem for humans since the beginning. In spite of our struggle to trust God, he continues to be faithful to us. The Good News of Christmas is that God keeps his promises, and you can trust him. Listen as Derek shares this word on Christmas Eve.

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Today, Evan looks at the story of King Ahaz in Isaiah chapter 7, as well as the angels appearance to Joseph in Matthew 1. In both passages God promises to be "Immanuel" God with us. The two appearances however, are very different, and force us to look long and hard at our hearts as we prepare to receive "Immanuel" in the form of Jesus.

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