In the Old Testament, "the quartet of the vulnerable" is the poor, widow, orphan and immigrant. These represent four people groups that are consistently elevated in the Bible. Indeed, their economic distress and social exclusion grieves the heart of God. But it’s not just that. These lives are a gift to us. The priority God gives them demonstrates that those who are on the margins are designed to be at the very center of the church.

Advent is latin for “coming or arrival.” What's amazing is how this quartet are some of the first (and significant) welcoming witnesses of the baby Christ, giving us a potent reminder that God who came as an outsider was welcomed by outsiders: an impoverished unmarried couple who like others in their town are taxed into servitude, a widow who prayers continuously, a fallen country that welcomes refugees, etc.

Today, we welcome and learn from the poor among us.

Why is church necessary when we have all these other options? Podcasts, YouTube, Bible studies, my Christian friends, etc.

Church is a people not a place. Yet, it is a people in a dedicated space. What is this space dedicated for?

Have a listen. Hopefully next week, you can join us in person. :)

Does God still love me even when I ________? What evokes God's gentleness is not the the severity of the sin but whether the child comes to him.

When we sin, the very heart of God is drawn to us.

Hard to believe? Have a listen.

Actually, there were girls disciples! There word for disciples is "mathetai" (Greek) which means "learner or pupil" and does not indicate gender. Jesus had many disciples both men and women, many who are named in Scripture.

But what about those passages in the Bible about 'women not speaking' etc?

Have a listen.

Is heaven fun, cool or weird? Is there a Chipotle there? If not, will I want to go there?

And... how does that hope of heaven inform how we live today?

It does. It changes everything.

This is tender, sad and angering topic where the question has no definitive answer. Yet there are helpful truths that can help us move forward in grief.

The death of our young will forever wound us. But our trust in God can and will buoy us in the midst of these tragedies.

To note, the audio is a bit spotty. We are learning and are sorry about any difficulty you experience.

God... One God. Three Persons. How?

Was our world created this way? God did NOT create a broken world. Yet, God created a perfect world anticipating our sin (Rev. 13:8)... because God wants to be with us.

Have a listen.