Christ 2r Culture Podcast

Adam Hamilton is a prolific author and the pastor of a large United Methodist Church in Leawood, Kansas. He was interviewed on the United Methodist web \site about the question, “Do you have to read the Bible literally?” His answer was that sometimes you read the Bible more literally, while other times you read the Bible less literally. For example, he doesn’t consider Adam and Eve to be literal historical figures. It also doesn’t matter to him if Jonah was literally in the belly of a great fish. He believes much of the Old Testament is just an archetypal story. That is a story where we see ourselves, not a record of historical truth. While he believes the New Testament is more historically reliable than the Old Testament, he doesn’t believe it is completely true and can always be trusted. Adam Hamilton’s view of the Bible as sacred story instead of factual history is sweeping across America. Should the Bible be read as nothing more than a story that doesn’t need to connect with historical events? If we were

Today it is hard to know what to believe. A recent Gallup pole revealed seven out of ten Americans do not trust the major news networks. The media is seen as a political manipulation machine instead a source of unvarnished truth. Even more prevalent than the deception of today’s media is the religious deception around us. Satan is working hard to draw people away from Jesus. How can we be a strong Christian that is faithful to the end of our life and avoid being deceived? Join me as Paul shows us three pillars for a strong Christian life.

Alwyn Cashe is an American hero from the Iraq War. After his Bradley Fighting Vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb, even though he escaped with minimal injuries, he went back to the burning vehicle seven times to pull his unconscious men to safety before they were consumed by the flames. As a result of his heroic efforts, he died from burns that covered most of his body. All of those burns he received because he risked his life to pull his men to safety. Alwyn is a true American hero. He cared more about saving the lives of others than his own. As Christians, we also need heroes we can admire. We need to know the stories of Christian heroes of the past so we can learn from the example of their lives. Join us as we learn how to follow Christian heroes of the past and how to be one in the present.

Each week our phone rings with a number we do not recognize. It is usually a robo-caller or a scammer claiming they want to sell us an obscure product, such as an extended warranty on our car. The growth of the Internet has led to exponential growth in the scam artist industry. Through the Internet people reach across the ocean and attempt to steal our money and identity. Learning how to protect ourselves from these scoundrels is an essential part of life in the modern world. Scam artists are not just after our wallet. Some are after our soul. Join us as we learn how to avoid getting spiritually scammed and led astray.

Easter comes every spring. It was placed on the calendar in the spring so the new life rising out of the earth after a cold and dead winter would be an annual reminder of Jesus rising to life after death for us. While Easter is a wonderful reminder of the empty tomb, how does the resurrection of Jesus change the way we live the rest of the year? In this study we learn how Jesus' resurrection changes the way we live every day.

We live in a politically divided time. Accusations of election fraud are still on the news. Executive orders and sweeping political changes are on the horizon. The evening news fixates on the political issues of our day telling us our problems would be solved if we could overthrow the people in power. Not much has changed since the days of Jesus. At that time the Jews were convinced their source of trouble was the Romans that were in political power over them. They desperately wanted Jesus to help them overthrow the Romans, and if he did, they were convinced their problems would go away. As we study the Triumphal Entry, we discover how easy it is to follow Jesus for the wrong reasons and to look to Jesus for the wrong solutions.

In popular conversation we frequently hear about the importance of loving ourselves. People are told to love themselves more. They are told they won’t be able to love another person until they learn to love themselves. We are told we need to learn to love ourselves to succeed in life. While psychologists have beat the self-love drum since the 1960’s, the Bible has a different way of looking at this subject. A focus on loving ourselves spells the death of a relationship with God and with other people. Join me as we learn the danger of self love and neglecting to love our neighbor as ourself.

The news is filled with conflict. It is one story after another of evil, corruption, and fighting. It is no surprise when bitterness and disputes creep into the church. How are we to handle distracting arguments? What should we do when Christians hurt us or say evil things about us behind our back? In this message, we see what the Bible teaches us about how we can be most useful to Christ and his kingdom when there is conflict in the church.

Every good sports team has a deep bench. The team needs players that can step into crucial positions in a moment’s notice. Sometimes bench athletes train just as hard as the starting lineup but see no playing time. What is important is that they are ready to go the moment the coach needs them. As Christians, our life is similar to a second-string athlete. We need to be prepared and ready to play for coach Jesus whenever he needs to call us off the bench. Join me as we learn how to be ready to play an important roles in changing lives.

The Internet gives us access to thousands of Bible teachers around the world. The pandemic forced us to stay home and worship online. For many that was a chance to shop around. It was a chance to experience some of the best communicators in the nation. How do we evaluate them? While they have the applause of the crowds, how do you know if they have the applause of God? Join us as we continue our study in 2 Timothy and learn how to tell the difference between a good pastor and bad one.

Last week Tom Brady and the Buccaneers celebrated another Super Bowl victory. While Tom and the players on his team are skilled at football, a Super Bowl victory doesn’t come without hard work and sacrifice. The reward of a Super Bowl championship makes all the sacrifice worth it. As Christians, when we share the gospel, we will be met with resistance by a world that is opposed to Christ and His kingdom. The good news is God promises to reward those who faithfully share the Good News. Join us this weekend as we learn why the reward of sharing the gospel is always worth the sacrifice.

This past week, one of our nations top athletes announced his retirement. His name is Matt Fraser. For the last five years he is the world champion of the CrossFit games. For half a decade he held the title of the fittest man on the planet. What will Matt do in retirement? Like other famous CrossFit athletes, he will spend his time sharing his secrets of physical fitness. As we continue in 2 Timothy, we find Paul sharing his secrets of spiritual fitness. Join us as we learn how to develop spiritual strength for tough times.

One of a soldier’s highest honors is to stand guard at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. If you have visited Arlington National Cemetery, you know how seriously each sentinel takes his duty. The tomb of the Unknown Soldier has been guarded 24 hours a day, 7 days a week since 1937. No matter the weather the sentinels guard the tomb. Even in September 2003 during Hurricane Isabel, the sentinels kept guard. This week we look at an honor greater than guarding the Unknown Soldier’s tomb. We have the honor of guarding the gospel message. Nothing is more precious. Nothing is more valuable. Nothing is worth standing for more than the honor of speaking the truth of what God has done for us through Jesus. Join me as we learn how to guard the true gospel and to avoid being pressured into believing a false one.

Chick-Fil-A is the most popular restaurant chain in America. Unfortunately there are times when city councils and universities forbid the chain from opening a restaurant in their community because of their Christian beliefs and practices. It is not just Chick-Fil-A that pays a price for identifying themselves with Jesus. Each of us will experience shame and embarrassment when we talk about Jesus in public. How do we find the courage to speak for Jesus when we are shamed for Him? Join me as we learn how the Apostle Paul prepared Timothy to suffer for Jesus in a world where you could lose your life if you spoke about Him.

In 1960, James Rodgers was executed by firing squad for the murder of a local coal miner. As was the custom, before his death the state offered to grant one final request. He requested a bullet proof vest! The final words of someone’s life reveal what is important to them. In Rodger’s case, he wanted to live. 2 Timothy is the final letter of Paul’s life. In this short book he teaches us what was important to him, that is being faithful to Christ to the end life. Join us as we learn more about faithfulness to Christ over the long-haul.

For the last 40 years, Gallup surveyed Americans about their belief in the Bible. In 2017, for the first time in the Gallup’s history, more Americans believed the Bible was a book of fables, legends, and moral principles recorded by man (26%) than believed the Bible is the Word of God and relevant to everyday life (24%). More Americans see the Bible as irrelevant than prior generations! Is reading the Bible a waste of time and energy? What happens when we neglect reading the Bible? What does God promise will happen when we take time to read the Bible? This weekend, we study Psalm 19. Join me as we learn why Bible reading is essential for our joy and life.

The Gospel of Mark ends with odd verses. Modern translations have a disclaimer letting us know Mark's final verses do not appear in the oldest copies of Mark's gospel. How did these verses end up at the end of this book? How do we know Mark didn't write them? If we can't trust that part of the Bible, how do we know we can trust the rest of our Bible? Join me as we use Mark's final verses to launch into the fascinating world of text criticism. We will learn how God worked to make one of the oldest books in the world the most accurate book of ancient history. Don't miss this study as we learn why we can trust this book!

Christmas is about worship! In Matthew's Christmas story, we see three different people worship Jesus. The way they worship Jesus tells how they value Jesus. In the same way, the way we worship Jesus reveals the truth about the way we feel about Him. Join the CrossWinds Church Spirit Lake campus as we celebrate Jesus' birth by giving Jesus our best in worship! NOTE: When researching for this sermon, I asked Google the distance between Babylon and Jerusalem. Google coughed up an answer of 1,679 miles. That is the distance I used in the sermon. That is wrong! The distance is 679 miles! The web site google referenced had a "1" in front of the number! Oops! The point I was making is still valid. It is a long distance to travel to see Jesus. This error is in the audio and video. I corrected the error in the manuscript. The moral of the story is… DOUBLE CHECK GOOGLE!

Our family placed presents under the tree before Christmas Eve. The week before Christmas meant a pile of presents for all to see. As an only child, I was thrilled that most had my name on them! It felt like I hit the jackpot! Christmas morning was different. I learned all the presents were not the same. Many of them were needed but less than thrilling. They were packages of socks, underwear, and a new shirt for church. That was not what a young boy was looking for on Christmas morning. Thankfully all present were not that way. Some were exactly what I wanted. They were gifts like a remote controlled car or a shooting gallery. That is what made Christmas morning exciting for a boy. In a similar way, this message may look like it is just another ordinary message. It is just another present under the tree. As we explore Romans 6, we will see this messages is much more than we expect. It is a gift we desperately want and need. It is the gift of victory over sin! Join me in learning how we can have victory over t

What was the most shocking moment of your life? Maybe it was the sudden death of a spouse. Maybe it was the unexpected loss of a job. Shocking surprises don't have to be negative. Sometime they are positive, like winning the lottery. As the Gospel of Mark draws to a close, we find the most shocking and unexpected surprise in the history fo the world, the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Join us as we learn why the resurrection is a historical fact we can trust, not fake news fiction intended to deceive.