York Alliance Family of Churches Podcast

Our message is clear: All of Jesus for the whole person for the whole world. In what are perhaps Jesus' most famous words, we're reminded of the fact that the Good News is not a message of condemnation, but a message of love for all people. Learning to see people as Jesus does and then reaching across barriers to love them as He did is vital to us becoming the community He's calling us to be.

We don’t have the mission of community, but rather, we are a community on mission. Healthy communities transform the surrounding community because of the presence of Jesus flowing through His people. Multiplication is the natural outflow of healthy life, and we are committed to impacting our region through multiplying disciples, groups, ministry, and churches.

Guilt and duty cannot change us; only love can do that. When we truly encounter the love and grace of Jesus, we’re transformed from the inside out. That transformation impacts every aspect of our being, including the way that we seek other people. Spiritual formation requires effort on our part, but the real work of transformation is work done by the Spirit.

Grace is not opposed to effort; it’s opposed to earning. Our relational and cultural contexts are shaping us in powerful ways, even without our knowledge and consent. Instead, we must choose to be formed in the way of Jesus. The choice to be an apprentice of Jesus is a choice to change: to engage in spiritual formation that is intentional as we increasingly become like Jesus and begin to do the things that He did.

Spiritual formation happens, intentionally or unintentionally, over a long period of time and through suffering. There’s no earthly finish line in the spiritual journey; formation is an ongoing work. At the brink of the Promised Land, Israel shows that they are still being formed. As we are redeemed from slavery and led toward the Promised Land, the same is true for us.

How do we see the world around us, particularly when we’re faced with an insurmountable challenge? When we fail to remember the character of God and the things He’s done for us, we see things through the lens of our own insufficiency. However, when we understand the character of God and remember the great things that He’s done for us, we are able to see things through the lens of His glory and ability.

The odd story of Numbers 12 is a reminder to us that formation doesn’t always go as we would like. Learning to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ is one of the most powerful signs of the Spirit of God at work among His people.

We live in a world that always seems to be chasing after "more." However, "more" isn't always good or healthy for us. In fact, the disturbing reality is that the very plenty we see as the blessing of God may actually be His judgment. Learning to live simply and be content is a practice necessary for living within the blessing of God.

We are given the image of God at creation. However, the distortion of that image, which comes through the fall in Genesis 3, is only restored by the person of Jesus. When we contemplate the glory of God, we find that His image is reshaped in our lives.

Many of us long for the profound and glorious markers of the presence of God. However, most often, the Spirit of Jesus works through the mundane. The continuing gift of manna for Israel is a reminder to us that the work of God is often less than spectacular. We are called to be faithful in the mundane things of our life, keeping our eyes fixed on His faithful provision.