PHIL WICKHAM - The Jesus Way: Song Session YouTube video by Essential Worship

We sang this song at our annual NAB Retreat this past weekend. So thankful for all those friends near and far who choose the Jesus Way!
youtu.be/JhwgRKUOdVQ?...

Launching 14 community groups at our church today! Thank you, Practicing the Way, for the excellent materials and videos!

This sort of oneness and spiritual unity comes only by the power and love of Christ, lived out and practiced in deep community around the table, over time!"

Because the Biblical call for deep fellowship cannot be done by coming together for small-talk once in a while. It cannot be done by a church that only gathers around the stage. [...]

"I think we have for too long focused too much on the large gatherings and neglected the small ones. So, we, pastors, elders, and church leaders, have work to do on how to create better structures and equip our people to do church at home. [...]

"He will judge between many peoples
and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore." Micah 4:3

Horizon @ Home - Mission Sunday 2025 - August 31th, 2025 YouTube video by Horizon Community Church

Link to the sermon
www.youtube.com/live/C_q5oIL...

B) If you are not responsible for it or not sure – be like Jesus – enter into an unjust world and work for it's restoration. Lift up the poor and proclaim that justice is coming, that in Christ, one day everything will be made right. You can’t go wrong by bringing about justice. "

A) If you are responsible for injustice, and you know it – be like Zacchaeus - fix what you did. "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” Luke 19:8

It’s not my fault that the world is not fair. We have inherited an unjust world. But here is the good news, when we are thinking about doing justice as followers of Jesus, the answer is really easy

I preached about doing justice as mission today. Here is a short exerpt: (link below)

"Thinking about injustice the pushback is often to say: I am not responsible. It’s not my fault that the store I shop treats it’s workers bad. :

My read for the long ride to Mexico. Our church is taking a team of 20 people on a week long trip to serve. Our youngest team member is 3 months old our oldest is 92. Pray fornus if you can!

One of the ways God limits the reign of evil (while still allowing the consequences of our rebellion to take place) is to confuse those who conspire to build the towers of Babel. Disunity among those who seek to oppress others is God's grace for the oppressed. Read Genesis 11!

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"Jesus’ instruction to look at the birds and flowers wasn’t just a figure of speech. It can be seen as an instruction to spend more time in nature and reflect on the created world to seek a deeper understanding of God." (From my last sermon on Romans 1:18-23)

I love finding creative ways to create a more participatory worship. At the end of my sermon, I invited our church to answer a question using Slido, and then I prayed based on the word cloud we created.

I tell my students its like going to the gym and having a robot run on the treadmill for you.

Defending my PhD today. Prayers are appreciated!

On a short trip in Hungary and I got to preach at two of my old churches. What a blessing!

May we Celebrate!
"All sins forgiven, the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ’s cross. He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets."Colossians 2:13-15

A Prayer for the Fourth Week of Lent: that we might receive pardon from all past sins, courage to resist all present temptations and protection against all evils to come.

("Prayers for the Pilgrimage" via @ivpress.bsky.social)

Have you ever thought of moments of boredom as potential portals to prayer?

It's more like a phrase but in Hungary we say "További jó étvágyat" (wish you continued good appetite) when have to leave a space where people are eating. I never know what to say in English.

The Church might be the only community of people that establishes its credibility in the world by routinely and fearlessly confessing and repenting of sin.

And we lose our credibility by refusing to name our sins.

"If we do not take such a careful and clarifying stand together, I fear we will never be able to successfully navigate the Christ-like ship through murky and rocky waters of public opinion to properly serve hurting people and communities in Christ’s name."

"The ship is good and its mission is right—when rightly understood. Let us say, “Your enmeshment, extreme relativism, antipathy toward outgroups, etc. is not empathy. And your use of non-empathy is the problem. You can’t steal this ship and banner.”

...Jesus understands and experiences our perspective and emotions from our vantage point, without losing truth or becoming enmeshed, so as to help us in the most effective way for our good."

Navigating Empathy Jesus saw people hurting and was moved deep in his gut, his σπλάγχνα; he had pity, even compassion (Matt 9:36; 14:14; 15:32; 20:34). He experienced what medical and psychological scholars commonly cal...

www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/ar...
"There is a definite ship crewed by particular sailors that legitimately sail under the banner of “Empathy.” And it looks remarkably like Christ’s incarnate help for us in our weakness as described in Hebrews 2 and 4. ...

For all you feel lonely, alone, & abandoned today

For the widows & widowers

For the single, separated, & divorced

You are seen. You are loved.

"Our worship services have integrity when they attune us to God's project, and when they align us with God's mission, in such a way that our lives as individual Christians and as Christian communities are invested in who God is and what God cares about and is doing." Alan & Elanor Kreider

Great words! Having an honest conversation with students about AI is better than being an AI police. We all must understand that " the only path to wisdom and knowledge goes through enduring hardship and persevering. "