connection is living a life of constant community with God.
He is our supplier, who is as close to us as the air that we breathe.
Read morefour: community
Community is a body, committed to all its parts.
Read more#14 A Different Army
Paul ends the book of Ephesians by telling the church in Ephesus to put on the whole armor of God.
Read more#13 Working
Most of us try and separate worship from working. Ministry is what we do on Sunday's, and everything else is "life" - but it doesn't work.
Read more#12 Children & Parents
In this special Father's Day message, Pastor Mark talks about the ways that we provoke our children, and how deep a Father's love truly is for his child.
Read more#11 The Church (Part 3)
series: Love Incorruptible
title: The Church (part 3)
date: July 9, 2017
teacher: Jacob Bender
scriptures: Ephesians 5:22-33, Hosea 13:9, Genesis 2:24, Deuteronomy 6:5, John 17, Genesis 3
Man is incomplete.
Woman is incomplete.
But when they come together, in the way that God designed for them to be together, suddenly you have the fullest and most complete reflection of God available to man.
Paul calls it is mystery... A mystery that He says...
refers to the church.
In this sermon, we explored the DEPTH that is "the mystery" that Paul is referring to, and we went through some VERY BIG IDEAS that are revealed in the original language of the text that Paul quotes.
Of all of those big ideas, this one (explained below) is probably the biggest, and has by far gotten the most questions and responses from people, so we have provided this additional walk through of the concept for you to follow along as you watch the sermon.
It is the concept explained in this sermon about the Hebrew words for man and woman...
This is Genesis 2:24, which Paul quotes in Ephesians 5 when he is talking about marriage and how it relates to the church. Not the words "man" and "woman"
This is how it looks in Hebrew (right to left in Hebrew, but written in English left to right--- so "aleph" is the letter farthest to the right)
See the similarities... note the differences. They both have two identical letters, and one that is unique to their word.
By removing the two DISTINCT letters and putting them in a word by themselves, it spells "yah" - a Hebrew word for God. (and one half of YHWH "Yahweh")
Naturally, this makes sense. Because when a man and a woman come together, the way that God intended it to be, it is the closest reflection available to mankind of what God is like (a lot more about that in the sermon) - perhaps this doesn't surprise you... but when you combine the unique parts of the word "man" and "woman" you spell "God" but what may surprise you, is what you are left with, with you take God out.
if you now read the letters that are remaining... the letters that are the same in each word, you get fire. and because there are two words, you get fire, fire. Which in Hebrew, there were no explanation points so to emphasize something you would double it when you really wanted to show how important something is. Its almost like someone shouting "fire" or the concept of "the worst kind of fire"
In other words…
this.
is.
as.
bad.
as.
it.
gets!
Something that was designed to be the absolutely great gift… the absolute best… can become THE ABSOLUTE WORST, MOST DESTRUCTIVE THING IN YOUR LIFE.
or...
it could just be a coincidence :)
(it's not)
Featured
Paul ends the book of Ephesians by telling the church in Ephesus to put on the whole armor of God.
In this special Father's Day message, Pastor Mark talks about the ways that we provoke our children, and how deep a Father's love truly is for his child.
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Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete.
Pastor Chilly Chilton, the founding Pastor of Courage Church, joined us for one last sermon before he leaves to go and plant Revolution Youth Ministry in Burlington, VT.
conversation means that we bind and we loose together, we learn together, we serve together, and we grow together.
We welcome each other’s perspectives, and we depend on each other’s accountability.
In his first Sunday visiting us at Courage Church, Pastor Brad Reed (lead Pastor of the New York Dream Center and one of the overseers/pastors of Jacob and Dawn Bender) talks about impartation, and about building the church on a firm foundation.
#10 Melodies
series: Love Incorruptible
title: #10 Melodies
teacher: Jacob Bender
date: July 2, 2017
scriptures: Ephesians 5:15-21, Proverbs 4:7, 1 Corinthians 12:8, Luke 12, Romans 8:14, Romans 8:22, Genesis 3:16, Philippians 2:12-13
Melodies produce hope. They are connectors. You hear them, and they draw you into a hope that you didn't even know existed.
but it is hard to sing when the days are slipping away from you… It is hard to sing when you don’t have anything to sing about.
and this is the last thing I will say about this message... then you just need to watch it.
It was a long, challenging, exciting week... and this concept carried me.
Featured
Paul ends the book of Ephesians by telling the church in Ephesus to put on the whole armor of God.
Most of us try and separate worship from working. Ministry is what we do on Sunday's, and everything else is "life" - but it doesn't work.
In this special Father's Day message, Pastor Mark talks about the ways that we provoke our children, and how deep a Father's love truly is for his child.
Featured
#9 Imitators of God
series: Love Incorruptible
title: #9 Imitators of God
date: June 25, 2017
teacher: Jacob Bender
scriptures: Ephesians 5:1-14, Genesis 6:5, Genesis 1-3, Genesis 4:6-7,
One thing Drew always says, and he says it about the most simple things, (it's hilarious) is he says: “This changes everything.” He said it on Thursday, I told him at Kids Club “we have a slip and slide today” and he said: “This changes everything.”
That is exactly the way that we should look at the gospel. This truly is the one thing, that changes everything.
and the thing that it should produce in you, probably more than anything else: is Thanksgiving. It is the word “eucharisteō” (you-har-estay-o) - bundled into this Greek word are the Greek words charis and chara which means “grace” and “joy” - when you understand how every finite detail of your life all the way down to your salvation is grace, it produces unspeakable joy, which equates to thankfulness.
and when that Thanksgiving is genuine, the behavior side of things begins to happen automatically.
Not because you aren’t trying to do the right thing… part of growing up in Christ means learning how to live your life with INTENTION… but the difference between the old and the new self is: the old self WANTS to give way to the flesh… the new self WANTS to resist it.
Featured
Paul ends the book of Ephesians by telling the church in Ephesus to put on the whole armor of God.
Most of us try and separate worship from working. Ministry is what we do on Sunday's, and everything else is "life" - but it doesn't work.
In this special Father's Day message, Pastor Mark talks about the ways that we provoke our children, and how deep a Father's love truly is for his child.
Featured
#8 The New Self
series: Love Incorruptible
title: The New Self
date: June 11, 2017
teacher: Jacob Bender
scriptures: Ephesians 4:17-32, Matthew 7:12, Ecclesiastes 7:2, 2 Corinthians 5:14,
This section begins by working on the issue of ME. The issue of YOU.
Paul tells us to put OFF the old self… put away everything that used to be us… the former life… the corruption… the greed that drives most of our lives. Put it all away.
That used to be your life… That is not your life anymore.
You have learned Christ… Christ has done something NEW in you.
Featured
Paul ends the book of Ephesians by telling the church in Ephesus to put on the whole armor of God.
Most of us try and separate worship from working. Ministry is what we do on Sunday's, and everything else is "life" - but it doesn't work.
In this special Father's Day message, Pastor Mark talks about the ways that we provoke our children, and how deep a Father's love truly is for his child.
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#7 The Church (part 2)
series: Love Incorruptible
title: The Church (part two)
date: June 4, 2017
teacher: Jacob Bender
scriptures: Ephesians 4:1-16, 1 Corinthians 12:27, Psalm 68:18, Luke 9, Colossians 1:18
Featured
Paul ends the book of Ephesians by telling the church in Ephesus to put on the whole armor of God.
Most of us try and separate worship from working. Ministry is what we do on Sunday's, and everything else is "life" - but it doesn't work.
In this special Father's Day message, Pastor Mark talks about the ways that we provoke our children, and how deep a Father's love truly is for his child.
#6 The Plan, The Purpose, and the Prayer
series: Love Incorruptible
title: The Plan, the Purpose, and the Prayer
teacher: Austin Young
date: May 28, 2017
Featured
Paul ends the book of Ephesians by telling the church in Ephesus to put on the whole armor of God.
Most of us try and separate worship from working. Ministry is what we do on Sunday's, and everything else is "life" - but it doesn't work.
In this special Father's Day message, Pastor Mark talks about the ways that we provoke our children, and how deep a Father's love truly is for his child.
#5 The Church (part one)
series: Love Incorruptible
title: The Church (Part One)
teacher: Jacob Bender
date: May 21, 2017
scriptures: Ephesians 2:11-22, Mark 11:17, John 13:35,
Featured
Paul ends the book of Ephesians by telling the church in Ephesus to put on the whole armor of God.
Most of us try and separate worship from working. Ministry is what we do on Sunday's, and everything else is "life" - but it doesn't work.
In this special Father's Day message, Pastor Mark talks about the ways that we provoke our children, and how deep a Father's love truly is for his child.
Featured
communion is a common union of broken people, who are made whole by the body and blood of Jesus Christ. We are united by our differences, and there is a seat for everyone at the table.
The world is watching how the church will continue to respond to the issue of racism that is so evident in our world today.
#4 Grace, Faith, and Poems
series: Love Incorruptible
title: Grace, Faith, and Poems
teacher: Jacob Bender
date: May 14, 2017 (Mother’s Day)
scriptures: Ephesians 2:1-10, Exodus 25:8
Featured
Paul ends the book of Ephesians by telling the church in Ephesus to put on the whole armor of God.
Most of us try and separate worship from working. Ministry is what we do on Sunday's, and everything else is "life" - but it doesn't work.
In this special Father's Day message, Pastor Mark talks about the ways that we provoke our children, and how deep a Father's love truly is for his child.
#3 Prayer for the Church
series: Love Incorruptible
title: Prayer for the Church
teacher: Jacob Bender
date: May 7, 2017
scriptures: Ephesians 1:15-23, Malachi 3
Featured
Paul ends the book of Ephesians by telling the church in Ephesus to put on the whole armor of God.
Most of us try and separate worship from working. Ministry is what we do on Sunday's, and everything else is "life" - but it doesn't work.
In this special Father's Day message, Pastor Mark talks about the ways that we provoke our children, and how deep a Father's love truly is for his child.
More series from Courage Church:
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#2 In Christ (part two)
series: Love Incorruptible
title: In Christ (part two)
date: April 30, 2017
teacher: Jacob Bender
scriptures: Ephesians 1:3-13, Acts 19, Acts 20:29
Featured
Paul ends the book of Ephesians by telling the church in Ephesus to put on the whole armor of God.
Most of us try and separate worship from working. Ministry is what we do on Sunday's, and everything else is "life" - but it doesn't work.
In this special Father's Day message, Pastor Mark talks about the ways that we provoke our children, and how deep a Father's love truly is for his child.
#1 In Christ
series: Love Incorruptible
title: In Christ (part one)
date: April 23, 2017
teacher: Jacob Bender
scriptures: Ephesians 1:1-4, Ephesians 6:21-24, Ephesians 3:20-21, Ephesians 4:1-3, Revelation 2:2-5
Featured
Paul ends the book of Ephesians by telling the church in Ephesus to put on the whole armor of God.
Most of us try and separate worship from working. Ministry is what we do on Sunday's, and everything else is "life" - but it doesn't work.
In this special Father's Day message, Pastor Mark talks about the ways that we provoke our children, and how deep a Father's love truly is for his child.
Church Bells still ring in Brooklyn
title: Church bells still ring in Brooklyn
teacher: Jacob Bender
date: December 25, 2016
scripture: Ephesians 2:19-22
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Pastors Jacob and Dawn tag team in a recap of Joy to the D, and once again call Courage Church to radical generosity.
Most of us try and separate worship from working. Ministry is what we do on Sunday's, and everything else is "life" - but it doesn't work.