Southside Baptist Church Podcast

 Discrimination has been a part of our world since the fall.  Whether based on class, ethnicity, economics, gender, or race there have always been those who have discriminated against the “others.”  Surely one of the great hopes of God’s Kingdom must be that it will be a place free of discrimination.  Join us for part 5 of The Great Reversal to hear how Jesus described the reverse discrimination of His Father’s Kingdom.  

 Have you ever had a ticket for an event, but been unable to get to that event on time? It is possible to have access to something without taking the opportunity your access affords. Join us for part 4 of The Great Reversal where we explore how Jesus reverses the order for those awaiting access to His Kingdom. 

Have you ever been overwhelmed by the need? Have you ever felt hopeless because the obstacles just seemed too big to overcome? Have you ever thought, “What difference can one person make?” Throughout Jesus’ ministry, He not only reversed the curse of sin and brokenness, He invited His followers to do the same. But exactly how are we supposed to do that? Join us for part 3 of The Great Reversal where we will learn three important questions we must answer if we are going to reverse the curse. 

If you’ve ever missed an exit ramp on an interstate, then you know the frustration of driving in the wrong direction just to get to an exit that will allow you to turn around. When Jesus calls us to follow Him, He is calling us to reverse course. Join us for part two of The Great Reversal where we will explore the need, motivation, and results of living life in reverse.  

Everyone loves a good rag-to-riches story. The poor high school athlete who gets a big scholarship and goes pro, the kid from a small town who makes it big in Hollywood, or the single mom who successfully launches a multi-million-dollar business from her kitchen table. These stories inspire us to believe that our lives can change for the better. Jesus’ entire ministry was based on great reversals. Everywhere He went, He reversed people’s lives --restoring sight to the blind, causing the lame to walk, and the dead to rise.  But Jesus’ greatest reversal changed the world. Join us as we explore Luke 12-14 to learn how Jesus turns everything around. 

May 8, 1945 is known as Victory in Europe or V-E Day. That is the date that the allied forces defeated the Nazi war machine bringing an end to WWII in Europe. For 77 years, Europe remained free from military conflict, but that call came to a sudden end in 2022 with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. These tragic events serve to remind us that permanent peace remains elusive. No political, military, or diplomatic efforts have been able to produce permanent peace. But long before V-E Day, there was another day of victory. A day known to many as the first Easter.  It was on this V-E (Victory on Easter) Day that Jesus ultimately and finally ended our war with sin and ransomed us from hell. Join us on April 17 as we celebrate the ultimate V-E Day!  

In his book, The Art of War, the great Chinese general Sun Tzu admonished his readers to “know thy enemy.” What is true in human warfare is also true in spiritual warfare. Join us for part 6 of Revolution where we take a deeper look at the enemy, how he was defeated, and the aftermath of his defeat. 

“The end of days” sounds like the name of a dystopian Hollywood blockbuster, but it is a term frequently used in the Bible to describe the culmination of God’s redemptive work on earth. Join us for part five of Revolution as we consider Jesus’ teaching on what will happen, when it will happen, and what we need to do to be ready. 

A counterinsurgency is an effort to overthrow a power that has taken control of a region or territory. In a world filled with war and violence, we have seen numerous insurgencies and counterinsurgencies throughout history. None compare, however, to the counterinsurgency Jesus launched 2,000 years ago. Join us for part four of Revolution where we will learn how Jesus shut down religion and launched a Revolution! 

Few people like to be presented with an ultimatum. In a culture that resists the idea of absolute truth, the idea that something is either "true or false" is increasingly unpopular. But even a brief survey of the Bible reminds us that God often presents us with ultimatums. Join us for part 3 of Revolution where we will explore the battle lines between good and evil and the choice we all must make.

The cosmic battle to save human souls and restore God’s creation took a significant turn at the manger in Bethlehem. It was there that God secretly invaded the enemy’s territory and began the revolution. Jesus assembled a team of followers who began claiming territory for the Kingdom and casting out the enemy. Join us for part 2 of Revolution where we explore the incursion of earth by the forces of heaven and what that means for those of us who still find ourselves behind enemy lines. 

The crucifixion of Jesus is the pivotal event in history. But what exactly happened on the cross that day?  Why does the death of one man, nearly two thousand years ago, still elicit complete devotion from some and derision from others? How did an instrument of torture and death become the single most popular icon in architecture, jewelry, and art? Join us for a series exploring the crucifixion of Jesus and the revolution it began. 

The words of the Lord’s Prayer are perhaps the most recited in all of human history. But what exactly is the Lord’s Prayer? Jesus offered these words as a template for prayer and a pattern for understanding our relationship with God. Join us for the final message in Fully Devoted as we learn to pray like Jesus. 

No one likes rejection. In fact, the fear of rejection is enough to keep many of us immobilized. Jesus was acquainted with rejection and tried to prepare His followers for it. Join us for part 7 of Fully Devoted, where we learn that rejection is inevitable, but never fatal. 

“Failure is not an option!” That may be true in certain circumstances, but it is NEVER true when it comes to our spiritual growth. Failure is a certainty and perfection is the enemy of progress. The Bible doesn’t hide the failures of the “heroes of the faith.” Men and women who tried to follow God but frequently found themselves straying. Jesus’ own disciples failed over and over again, but 11 of the 12 just kept stumbling toward Jesus anyway. Join us for part 6 of Fully Devoted as we discuss three common failures of disciples and how to fail forward.

Jesus’ call to follow Him means we cannot stay where we are. The disciples experienced this firsthand as they left behind their jobs, families, and community to go with Jesus. But even as they sacrificed much to follow Jesus, they were still enticed to hold onto the past. They frequently failed to fully embrace Jesus’ presence among them, and they were afraid to follow Him into an uncertain future. Join us for part 5 of Fully Devoted as we learn about letting go. 

It is said that necessity is the mother of invention, but it is also the breeding ground of faith. We are never more aware of our dependency on God than when we’ve come to the end of our own ability and resources. As western society has become wealthier and more dependent on technology, we seem to be less aware of our need for God. Join us for part 4 of Fully Devoted as we explore how Jesus reminds us that we never know He is all we need until He is all we have.  

Wake to an alarm (if the kids haven’t already gotten you out of bed). Get yourself and everyone else ready and out the door. Get to work to discover your email inbox is full. Before lunch you have 9 texts and 4 voice mails. Get as much done as you can, but finally leave at the end of the day because Junior has baseball practice, and you haven’t even thought about dinner. Get home, help with homework, and veg out watching Netflix before going to bed and doing it all over again. What can we learn from the sacred rhythms of Jesus that might help free us from the craziness? Join us for part three of Fully Devoted to learn more. 

Just because someone gives you a free piano does not mean that you will ever learn to play it. The free piano is a gift; the cost of becoming a pianist is hours and hours of practice. Salvation is the free gift of God, but like learning to play the piano, discipleship takes time and effort. Many Christians have failed to experience the full and abundant life of Jesus because, while they have received the gift of salvation, they have failed to pay the price of following Him. Join us for week two of Fully Devoted where we will explore the cost of following Jesus. 

Following Jesus is not a once-a-week proposition, but a daily pursuit. When Jesus invites us to “follow Him,” He is not inviting us on a walk, but into the sacred rhythms and patterns of discipleship. Join us for a series from Luke 8-11 where we will learn what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.