National Community Church Video Podcast - 480p

We will explore the tension of suffering and surrender that came from Jesus' "letting go of His place and glory" to become One of us described in Philippians 2.

Are you living outside in? Or are you living inside out? In a culture that is divided by racial tension and political polarization, we stand in the gap as peace makers, grace givers, truth tellers, tone setters, and joy bringers. We love those who hate us, pray for those who persecute us, and bless those curse us. And when we do, it provokes questions for which the gospel is the answer. We don't take our cues from trending hashtags. We live according to our biblical convictions. We don't reflect the attitudes and opinions of those around us. We shift the atmosphere with faith, hope, and love.

Will I ever truly find happiness, contentment, or joy? In Philippians 1, Paul gives the context and purpose that are critical to being able to answer that question for yourself, as well as being able to keep that discovery alive.

Joy. It's not getting what you want. It's appreciating what you have. Joy isn't always the easiest choice or the obvious choice, but joy is a choice. The Apostle Paul said, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again, rejoice!” And his life is louder than his words. Paul writes his letter to the Philippians from a prison cell. You can choose joy anywhere, anytime, anyway!

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Dr. Foth continues our series on the Holy Spirit!

When Paul the Apostle wrote to the Christians in Galatia, he wanted to address a debate about the evidence of righteousness. Circumcision was at the center of the debate and it was both a theological and cultural issue. Paul makes a clear case that our only hope for righteousness is God's spirit. And the fruits of the spirit are the evidence of his spirit at work in us.

Pastor Heather Zempel continues our series on the Holy Spirit. Big moves of God often begin with small steps of obedience. But small doesn't necessarily mean easy. If we tune our ears to the voice of the Holy Spirit and train our wills to move in obedience, our lives will take turns towards adventure. Sometimes, that adventure may take us along a desert road, but if we partner with him, we get to be a part of new life springing forth.

Dr. Mark Batterson kicks off our new series on the Holy Spirit. We find ourselves in a Hebrews 12:27 moment—everything that can be shaken will be shaken. God is shaking false securities and false identities, false assumptions, and false narratives, false idols, and false ideologies. But we are STIRRED, not shaken. Why? We are grounded in God's word, standing on God's promises, and filled with God's spirit. We don't take our cues from cultural talking points. We don't put our trust in horses and chariots. STIRRED is rising above the rhetoric and living according to your convictions. STIRRED is giving the Holy Spirit veto power. STIRRED is operating in the power of the Holy spirit while obeying the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Robb Schmidgall wraps up our series on doubt. Doubt is inherent in all our lives. The question is are we allowing it to work FOR us, or against us.

Doubt is more emotional than it is intellectual. There are many examples of this in our lives. This message shines a light on how emotional trauma, sustained oppression, and the degradation of identity causes people to walk away from Christianity. Fortunately, the scriptures, written by the poor, people of color, and the oppressed show us God's true intentions, despite the misrepresentation of that hope.

Life is infinitely uncertain and God is infinitely complex. The net result? Doubt. We think of doubt in negative terms, but it's a key catalyst when it comes to faith. Doubt breaks down our false narratives, false assumptions, and false beliefs. It forces us to deconstruct and reconstruct our faith by digging a little deeper. How do you deal with doubt? - Seek Wise Counsel - Keep Asking Questions - Create a Deuteronomy 29:29 File - Take a Field Trip - When all else fails, Eat A Watermelon. Yes, eat a watermelon. (Trust me, it'll make sense when you listen to the message!)

In the first century, death by crucifixion was not uncommon. Lots of people died on Roman crosses, but only one person predicted their own resurrection and then pulled it off. His name is Jesus! The foundation of our faith is an empty tomb. That is where heaven invades earth, eternity invades time, and life defeats death. Faith is not the absence of doubt any more than courage is the absence of fear. But that is when and where and why we RUN TO THE TOMB. If the tomb is empty, all bets are off and all things are possible!

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This weekend, our multicultural team (Lora Batterson, Joel Buckner, Pastor Dave Schmidgall, and Pastor Marion Mason), help us explore what it practically looks like to journey towards becoming a Beloved Community.