Christ 2r Culture Podcast

On December 17, 1941, North Platte residents gathered at the Union Pacific Depot because they heard that a troop train carrying the Nebraska National Guard would be coming through town. When the train stopped, it was actually the Kansas National Guard. After a few moments of awkward silence, the people of the town surged forward and shared their Christmas gifts with the young men on board. After all, they were someone’s children and it was Christmas time. That night, young Rae Wilson penned a letter to the editor asking North Platte to open a Canteen at the depot that would feed other troops passing through town. Little did she know that she was starting an endeavor that would last 54 months, involving 12,000 volunteers and feeding more than 6 million servicemen and women. The North Platte Canteen remains the largest volunteer movement in United States history. This extraordinary act of kindness made North Platte one of the most loved towns for troops returning from the war. Just as the good works of a small

With the prices at the gas pump hitting record highs, lawnmowers being outlawed in California, and empty store shelves while hundreds of container ships float off the California coast, the last thing we want is more change. The church feels like it is the one place that should be safe from change. As we turn to 1 Corinthians 9, we find the Bible telling us we must change. Join us as we learn how we must change for the sake of the gospel.

This week the remains of Brian Laundrie were found in Florida. The feverish hunt for Brian revived the search for many others who have gone missing. Unfortunately, most are never found. On the rare occasion when people are saved, it is one of the greatest joys a family can experience. This weekend we begin a series on CrossWind’s 5-Year Vision. We will learn how much joy God experiences when someone far from God is saved and comes home.

If you need a box of diapers, you will have a hard time finding them. Due to inflation and supply chain issues at least 1 in 3 Americans are facing a diaper shortage. Diapers are not the only item that is hard to find. Just about everything is scarce and pricey. As a result, people grumble against those in power. In the final message of Jude, we find there is no reason to grumble about what our God has done for us. Instead, there is every reason to sing his praises now and forever. Join us in the final message of Jude as we discover why the greatness of our God demands the worship of his people.

A recent report claims the cost of living for an average family has risen $175 a month. For millions of Americans, their income is not keeping pace with expenses. How are people to survive? Just as it can be difficult to survive financially, today it is also difficult to survive spiritually. False teachers infiltrate churches and fill the Internet. Join us this weekend as we study Jude 17-23 and learn how to survive in spiritually tough times and not be led astray.

Brian Laundrie has a nation looking for him. After the murder of Gabby Petito, Brian managed to evade the police. The longer he refuses to turn himself in, the more guilty he appears. A nation is wondering, will Brian get away with murder? Will justice be served? As we continue our study of Jude, we look at God’s promise of final justice. Nobody gets away with anything. We will also see the good news of a God who loves us so much that he offers to take the punishment we deserve.

This year the movie “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” came to theaters. It is the behind-the-scenes story of Tammy Faye Baker, a woman driven by greed, sexual sin, all things gold, and ten pounds of makeup. The movie reveals the life that Jim and Tammy kept hidden for years and how money, sex, and power controlled their life and brought about their demise. This weekend, as we continue in our study of Jude, we learn more about the way apostates work and how—like the Bakkers—they lead Christians astray.

In 2015, Shamima Begum left Britain to join the Islamic State in Syria. At the age of 15, she married a man who was later convicted of terrorism offenses. Since then she has repeatedly tried to return to Britain but the British government has refused to allow her to come home. As terrorism experts warn, she is not a student stuck overseas. She is a proven terrorist that can not be trusted. While some think she is being treated harshly, governments around the world take no chances when it comes to terrorism. Terrorists are hard to spot and they do great damage once inside a country. Joins us as we learn how to spot spiritual terrorists, Satan’s ISIS operatives. If we can identify them, we can protect ourselves from them before they blow themselves up and nothing remains but the smoldering ashes of the church they left behind.

Franklin Graham had a full house at the Hertz arena where he made a stop on his Decision America tour. Surprisingly thousands have signed petitions to stop Franklin Graham from speaking in arenas around the country. The Reverend Nathan Empsall explains why, “Graham engages in repeated hatred against the LGBTQ community despite the fact that each and every person is made in God’s image.” What has Franklin Graham said that the LGBTQ community finds so hateful and offensive? Graham claims the Bible calls homosexuality a sin of which people need to repent, not an alternative lifestyle God wants us to enjoy. With so many churches and denominations endorsing homosexuality and celebrating the LGBTQ lifestyle, is Franklin Graham wrong? Join us this weekend as we find out what the Bible says about homosexuality and hell.

This week, Hurricane Ida pounded the East coast resulting in a staggering loss of life. As America leaves Afghanistan, the Taliban began moving house to house assassinating American sympathizers. Our hearts break to hear of these tragic and needless deaths. This weekend, as we continue our study in the book of Jude, we come face to face with a tragedy greater than any seen on the news: rebellion against Jesus — which is the greatest tragedy in the universe. Join us as we learn how fighting for the faith once for all delivered to the saints to make this is a tragedy we can avoid.

When America pulled out of Afghanistan, many were shocked at how quickly the Taliban regained the country and infiltrated the cities. It turns out the terrorists weren’t beaten. They were hiding waiting for the right time to seize control. In a similar way, spiritual terrorists stand ready to infiltrate the church. They are looking for opportunities to seize control and steer the church away from the only gospel that can save. Join us as we learn how to recognize spiritual terrorists.

This special message was given at the One Church - One Day joint worship service at the Arnold's Park green space. Due to the outdoor event, there is wind noise in the recording we were not able to remove. If God knows everything, why pray? If God has already planned the future, why pray and ask God to change the future? Does prayer make a difference? In our final study on prayer, we look at what Jesus taught his disciples in the Gospel of Luke immediately following the Lord’s Prayer about how God answers prayer.

We live in a YouTube world. People are constantly consuming videos on their phones. While a modest number of churches had an online presence before the pandemic, COVID pushed most churches into the virtual church world. Thankfully, the Internet is helping churches reach more people with Jesus. Megachurches, like Saddleback in California, have as many as 20,000 people joining them online each weekend. While God is using the virtual church to grow his kingdom, there are unintended consequences when the physical gathering of God’s people is replaced with a virtual one. What are the dangers of digital church? Join us as we learn why together is better.

Disrespect of authority is rampant in our country. The media mocks our government leaders. In our cities, police are defunded and attacked. How can Christians stem the rising tide of disrespect for authority in our nation? What can we do to create a more God-honoring country? In this study, we discover the answer.

Business books tell us networking is the secret to success. It is not what you know but who you know that makes the difference. In the final verses of Paul’s letter to Timothy, Paul introduces us to his network. We see the different roles they played on his team and how they helped him reach the world with Jesus. God is not just concerned with our faithfulness to Him. He is also concerned with our faithfulness to one another.

One of the toughest races in the world is the Yukon Arctic Ultra. This competition involves running the Yukon Quest Trail in northern Canada in the dead of winter. The athletes run 100 miles around the clock entirely unsupported for days in the extreme Canadian winter. They run on remote unmaintained trails while towing their survival gear on a sled. It is one of the most life-threatening races on the planet. This week we continue our study in 2 Timothy and learn Christian life is not easy. It is like the Yukon Arctic Ultra. Our Christian lives requires a lifetime of sustained and agonizing effort to finish well. Join us as we learn more about what it takes for us to finish well.

In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the United States men’s 4x100m relay team was favored to win. The athletes on the American team were outstanding. They included Tyson Gay, the man who ran the fasted ever 100m time in the world. The Americans hopes for a gold came crashing down during a qualifying race when the baton pass from Darvis Patton to Tyson Gay went bad. Tyson dropped the baton. The drop was so costly the United States did not even finish the race. It doesn’t matter if you are the fasted 100m runner in the world, if you can’t pass the baton to the next athlete, you can’t win. This week we learn the church is like a relay race. Just as important as running our race for Christ is passing the baton of leadership to the next generation that will take our place. Join us as we learn how to pass the baton of faith to the next generation and finish well.

This week we finish our study on what it means to be a faithful pastor. We will look at the way Paul tells Timothy—and all faithful pastors—to handle difficult seasons when people leave the church to follow false teachers that deliver only people-pleasing messages to tickles the ears.

In 2015, Josh Canfield—a lead choir director at Hill Song church, competed as a contestant on the Survivor television show. What came as a surprise was on the show he openly identified as being gay, a Christian, and on staff at Hill Song church. Shortly after the airing of that Survivor season, the church removed him from leadership. He didn’t understand why. He had told everyone in leadership on his campus that he was gay and in a relationship, yet they continued to let him lead because of his vocal talent and stage presence. Why had church leadership turned a blind eye to his lifestyle until it came out on national television? What should the church have done differently? Join us this weekend as we continue in our study of 2 Timothy 4 and learn what it means to be a faithful pastor when the church has become a place of entertainment.

On September 11, 2001, American was attacked by terrorists that flew planes into the World Trade Center. Thankfully one of the highjacked planes did not reach its intended target. It crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. The famous last words from that flight were spoken by Todd Beamer as he and the other passengers tried to regain control of the plane. They were, “Let’s Roll.” Those famous last words were later used as the rallying cry of the President to inspire America to fight back against Al-Qaeda. Join us this weekend as we come to the final chapter of 2 Timothy and study Paul’s famous last words to Timothy… Preach the Word!