Evangelical Community Church (ecc)

Today we lit the Advent candle of Love as we continue to reflect on our Savior's birth.

Christ Community Church (formerly ECC)

It is by grace that we were offered the free gift of eternal life. It is by grace that we have been called into relationship with Jesus Christ. It is by grace that we have been provided a pattern for living. It is by grace that we are empowered to live in the Spirit. Let’s think about what it means to live in the Spirit.

Most of us have a favorite phrase that we use over and over. We might not even know how often we repeat it until someone tells us about it. The Apostle Paul had a favorite prepositional phrase that he used many times – in Christ. Why did he use it so often? What did it mean to him? What should it mean to us?

Jesus gave his disciples a promise before leaving this earth. He promised not to leave them alone, instead sending a Counselor to be their guide. His role will be to convict the world of sin and to guide them into all truth. On Sunday we will consider how this is a statement of both grace and truth.

We are told that Jesus came "full of grace and truth." If that weren't the case - that he was full of grace AND truth - he wouldn't be the complete savior we so desperately need.

What is the sovereign Lord? Who is our sovereign Lord? This message kicks off our next series, Grace and Truth.

ECC-sponsored missionary Chuck Broughton with The Navigators speaks to us about reaching those in prison by training them as Bible storytellers.

Deuteronomy lays out some safeguards that were meant to protect the economically vulnerable from exploitation. How might these still apply today? 

This week we begin a three-part series on missions, which will conclude with our “Missions Weekend Emphasis” on October 22nd. Please listen along as we consider the themes of "Ministry to the Stranger" (10-8), "Ministry to the Poor" (10-15), and "Ministry to the Imprisoned" (10-22).

There are few words in the English language that represent the idea of “rest” as much as the word "home." Ideally, it is the place where you can experience the ultimate form of relaxation, protection, and peace. The psalmist must have known how important this idea was when he said, “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” It is the ultimate image of eternal rest.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above…” (James 1:17). The ultimate gift from above is the blessing of the Lord’s presence. The author of the 23rd Psalm is certainly confident that the Lord is with him, and as a result his cup is overflowing.

Join us in considering how Paul's words here to the church in Corinth challenge us to live out our faith with intention as followers of Christ today.

Trusting God whenever everything is going well? That’s easy. Trusting God when the shadow of death is looming large? That’s difficult. How can trust be consistent in spite of our circumstances? That is the question we ask.

Life is not static! It moves at a fast pace, and for some of us the word “frenetic” is an apt description. The phrase “paths of righteousness…” in Psalm 23 is very interesting. At least two things are implied: 1) The shepherd leads us; 2) the shepherd’s path is the correct one. Whatever else is true about paths of righteousness, it seems that these paths should not be frenetic.

There is a difference between what I want and what I need. In theory, we all embrace this idea. The difficulty comes when we begin to define the words. What is the difference between a desire and a need? Are unfulfilled desires actually needs? If so, which ones? The Good Shepherd promises to supply all our needs. Let’s think about what that means.

This week we begin a series on the 23rd Psalm. This is perhaps the most well-known passage in the entire Bible. Each week we will read the Psalm together and focus on just one verse. Our focus this Sunday is simple – our shepherd will always provide for our needs. This is a repeated theme in the Old Testament, the Gospels, and the Epistles. May we learn to rest in this eternal promise from God.

We usually think in terms of contrast – right or wrong, good and evil, righteous vs. unrighteous. However, we are also aware that life is more nuanced than those simple categories. This is also true of faith because faithfulness and unfaithfulness reside in the same people. Individuals are both righteous and unrighteous. This is especially true in the life of King David, “a man after God’s own heart” according to the Bible. How can we hold these “contradictions” in tension? Let’s think about it using the life of David as our example.

Our passage describes a story of the young boy Samuel, who was surprised to hear the voice of God. Listening for the voice of God is an important part of walking by faith, and Samuel is an example of a person who listened to God. Of course, his historical situation and his prophetic role were different than ours but surely we can learn from his example.

Jephthah had faith, but his knowledge of God was lacking.