Christ 2r Culture Podcast

As a rule of thumb, God honors those who honor him. What should we do when God doesn't follow his rule? How do we handle times in life when we follow Christ but find ourselves suffering?

The average Christian give 3 percent of his income to the church and one-tenth of one percent of his income on missions. More money is spent in th United States on the care and feeding of pets than is given to churches. Is it important to put something in the offering plate? How does our giving to God impact life in this world? As we continue or study of our study in Malachi, we learn the importance of honoring God with our wealth.

On February 14, 2018, Nikolas Cruz stepped into Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Using an assault rifle, he massacred 14 children. If God could have stopped this massacre, why didn't he do something? Why does he let good people suffer while those who are evil often succeed in their plans? As we continue our study in Malachi, God tells us where we can go to find the God of justice.

For the first time in our nations history the majority of children born to women under age 30 are born out of wedlock. Forty percent of child will go to sleep tonight without a father. Marriage in America is in disarray. God desires for our marriages to begin and end well, especially for his people. Join us as we hear God's words on dating and marriage so we can begin and finish our marriages well.

It doesn't take much to be a pastor. Certificates of ordination are available online for a nominal fee. Self-proclaimed teachers may garner applause but what does God feel about them? What is God looking for in a good spiritual leader? In this message we learn the blessing and dangers of being a man or women of God.

Today, there is a growing frustration with celebrities, the media and politicians. Our frustration doesn't just come from their dishonesty, fabricated stories and political spin. Our frustrations come from the way people treat one another. No matter how important the office someone holds, rarely are they treated with basic respect. While we are quick point fingers at our politicians and our media when it comes to lacking honor, we are not guiltless. There is a lack of honor many Christians show but it is toward God. Join us as we discover how we can dishonor God and learn the long-term consequences of living that way.

Where is God? That question came from the mouth of a Christian living in a refugee camp in Erbil, Iraq. He and his family ran for their lives as ISIS overran their homeland. Overcrowding in his refugee camp turned it into a viper's pit of criminal activity. His wife and children are not safe. Where is God when Christians languish in dark and hopeless conditions? These are the same questions God's people asked in Malachi's day. Join us as we begin answering the question of what we should do in hard times when we don't feel God's love.

How do Christians restore broken friendships? How does the gospel change the way we try to put broken relationships together? Join us as we see how the way Christian forgiveness is different.

We live in a revenge culture. Movies like Rambo and Braveheart glorify getting even after we are hurt. Forgiveness is considered weakness, yet he Bible tells us forgiveness is the only way forward. As Christians, we alone have the power to forgive like Jesus because we know what it means to be completely forgiven by Jesus. Join us as we study what forgiveness looks like in real life between two of Paul's friends, Onesimus and Philemon.

In our previous studies, we saw how Jesus changes our marriage, our parenting and our work. As Paul finishes his letter he shows us three additional ways Jesus changes everyday living. He changes our prayer, our ordinary choices and the way we speak to others.

What changed when Jesus took on flesh? What did he add to his abilities that as God he didn't have before? Join us on Christmas Eve as we learn of how Jesus took on flesh to gain sympathetic resonance with the weaknesses and temptations we face in our life so he can help us in our time of need.

We have potential existence before our birth but Micah 5:2 tells us Jesus had actual existence before his birth, he existed in eternity past. What was Jesus doing before his birth? How was our savior involved with the world before Bethlehem? Join us as we go behind the scenes and learn the little known story of Christ before the manger.

Every home has conflict between parents and children. Just as Jesus changes our character and our marriage, he also changes the way we parent. Discover the way Jesus changes a family.

Just as our hearts need the new life Jesus brings, so do our marriages. They are also tainted by sin. Join us in learning how Jesus transforms our marriage from hardship to joy.

How do Christians handle conflict differently than other people? In this message, we learn how Jesus changes the way we handle conflict.

Does God care about our thought life? It is easy to think we can separate the actions of our life from the thoughts of our mind. In reality, our fantasies are only one step removed from our realities. In this study, we learn all Christian living begins on the battlefield of the mind with Christian thinking.

Where do you find your sense of self-worth? For most of us, it is in our work. For stay-at-home mom's, their identity is usually found in being a mother. If you are in high school, your identity is often found in your sport or the instrument you plan in the band. The problem is, when what we do is taken away from us, it crushes our understanding of who we are. In Colossians, Paul shows us how our identity doesn't come from what we do but what God has done for us through Jesus. This is the key to overcoming our depression and sagging self-worth.

Many have tried to push the gospel out of existence. In 1949, when the communists took over China, there were 1 million Christians. In spite being forced to operate in secret, the church in China has grown to 60 million Christians. The good news of Jesus continues to make progress against powerful opposition. As we continue our study in Colossians, Paul tells us God's plan to spread the good news of Jesus around the world.

Jesus asked his disciples the most important question in the history of the world. Who do you say I am? Today, there is no shortage of answers. Jehovah's Witnesses claim Jesus is the archangel Michael and the first created being. Mormons say he is the half-brother of Lucifer and we can become like him. Islam claims his is a good prophet, but inferior to Mohammed. Hindus claim he is a holy man. In this study we learn what the Bible says is the true identity of Jesus and why understanding his true identity changes your life.

How do you know if someone is a Christian? How do you grow as a Christians? How can we leads others to become Christians? In the opening verses of Paul's letter to the church in Colossae, he answers these crucial questions for knowing Jesus.