Oppression
/Pastor JT preaches on oppression, looking at Psalm 146 and Luke 4:14-30. What is oppression, where do we see it in our world, and what can we, as Christians, do when we face oppression or see others being oppressed.
recent Sermons from The River
Driving out the Demon of Racial Injustice
/Continuing in our series on Discovering a Passion for Scriptural Compassion, Rob Howe (from InterVarsity's Graduate Christian Fellowship at Virginia Tech) joins us and preaches on the evils of racial injustice. He looks at the story of the demon-possessed man in Mark 5 as a key to figuring out how the Church can confront both explicit and implicit racism.
Neither Do I Condemn You
/Pastor JT preaches on John 8 and looks at how we as Christians are called to interact with people who have different life experiences and beliefs than us.
Because the Love of Christ Compels Us
/Rev. Mary McDonald continues in our series on Discovering a Passion for Scriptural Compassion, looking at social justice issues related to gender and how the Gospel can speak into those issues.
Not So With You
/Pastor JT preaches on James 2:1-13 and Matthew 20:28. He looks at how Jesus and the Apostles dealt with division arising from differences in class and points to how we in the Church today can follow their example.
The Least of These
/Pastor JT kicks off our new sermon series, Discovering a Passion for Scriptural Compassion, preaching on the importance of integrating our faith and our action.
Isaiah 58:1-14 and Matthew 25::31-46
Eunuchs and Dogs
/Chris Meckley preaches on Jesus' enigmatic encounter with the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15, as well as Isaiah 56 and looks at how Christ has welcomed in outsiders and broken people, and how we are called to do the same.
Spiritual Generations: Suffering
/Pastor JT preaches on suffering, looking to 1 Peter. He looks at how suffering can actually benefit our faith and bring us deeper and closer in our commitment to Christ.
Spiritual Generations: Avoiding Common Mistakes
/Pastor JT preaches on Luke 5 and looks at how we intersect with the culture outside the church. He also examines some common mistakes that we make, and looks at how we might be able to avoid those mistakes.
Godly Mentors, Faithful Students
/Chris Andrews preaches on the importance of having and being spiritual mentors. Looking at Paul and Timothy, he points out that the relationship between a Godly mentor and a faithful student can be life-changing.
A Personal Encounter with Jesus
/Scott Cramer preaches on Luke 18 and the story of the blind beggar Bartimaeus, showing us the importance for each of us to have personal encounter with the Christ.
Spiritual Generations: The Power of Our Testimony
/Pastor JT looks at 2 Timothy 1:1-14 and Acts 26 and talks about the incredible power of our personal testimonies and how we can use those to increase and strengthen our spiritual generations.
As Christ Loved the Church
/Pastor JT preaches a homily before the wedding of Justin and Bina Bentley, looking to the example of Christ to see how we ought to love each other in marriage.
Spiritual Generations: Social Justice
/Pastor JT preaches on the importance of having a holistic faith and practicing Christianity in a way that takes social justice seriously.
Spiritual Generations: Conflict, Curiosity, Conversion
/Pastor JT looks at Paul's evangelistic efforts in Athens recorded in Acts 17 and looks at how we can model our evangelistic efforts after his example.
The Ordinary Life
/Chris Meckley preaches on Romans 5:1-11. He looks at the importance of "Ordinary Time" in the church calendar, and how the "ordinary" life for the Christian should be a life of mission to the world around us.
Spiritual Generations: The Missional Heart of the Trinity
/Pastor JT examines the ideas of sending and submission as they appear in the Trinity, and looks at how we are also called to be sent and to submit to God.
Spiritual Generations: Impress Them on Your Children
/Chris Meckley preaches on Deuteronomy 6 and looks at how our biological generations fit into God's plans for Spiritual Generations. What responsibilities do our families and churches have towards our children?
Spiritual Generations: Apostolic Israel
/Pastor JT looks at several Old Testament passages, outlining God's apostolic plans for Israel to be a light to the nations, and also shows how this plan continues for us today.
Spiritual Generations Challenges to Mission
/Jack McDonald, one of our deacons, continues our series on Spiritual Generations by sharing some of his own experience in the mission field in Bolivia.