dailyreflections's Podcast

Today's message is the final in our series on UMC Bishop Robert Schnase's book, Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations.  The challenge before us is to be the kinds of congregations who welcome people with the love of Christ (without judging their appearance or background) and lead them into a life changing relationship with Jesus Christ.  Thanks for listening and may God bless you.

Today's message is the fifth in our series on Bishop Robert Schnase's book, "The Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations."  Listen to discover the biblical call to a life of extravagant generosity toward God and others.  God calls us to commit all we are and have to the mission of Christ in the world.  Thanks for listening and God bless.

Jesus didn't call his church to a life of mediocrity and inactivity.  He called his church to carry on the mission he began in his earthly ministry.  Risk-taking mission and service is the way effective churches embrace their call to be in ministry in the world.  Ministry in the way of Christ is risky, but so worth it.  Thanks for listening and God bless!

Today's message is the third in our series on Bishop Robert Schnase's new book, Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations.  Listen as we discover a renewed purpose for the ministry of education in our congregations.  This sermon challenges us to move Christian education from the realm of information to the realm of spiritual transformation.  Thanks for listening and God bless.

Today's message is based on Bishop Robert Schnase's book, "The Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations."  Vital, passionate congregational worship is essential to a healthy and growing congregation.  Thanks for listening and may God bless you.

Today's is the final installment in a month long series on the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  Listen and discover three realities of Spirit empowered living: 1.) A Spirit empowered life is an obedient life; 2.) A Spirit empowered life is a victorious life; 3.) A Spirit empowered life is a fruitful life.  Thanks for listening and may God bless you on your journey with Him.

Today's message takes us on a journey into the community spiritual life of the first century (A.D.) Christian church.  Learn 10 aspects of their life together that challenge the Church today to evaluate the health and effectiveness of their relationships within the Body of Christ.  Thanks for listening and God bless!

Today's sermon is about the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  We tackle the question many believers want to understand more: What does the Holy Spirit do?  Jesus helps us understand the Spirit's ministry in this passage from John 16.  Thanks for listening and may God bless you!

This message kicked off a month long sermon series focused on the Holy Spirit.  Too often the Church fails to live in the power and be led by the presence of the Holy Spirit.  Individual believers often fail to understand the Holy Spirit's role in their faith journey and the amazing spiritual resource his ministry provides.  Thanks for listening and God bless.

Today's message encourages us to open to the therapeutic, healing power of God's Holy Spirit as we encounter Him through authentic worship.  This is part 3 in Pastor Eli's series on worship.  Thanks for listening and God bless!

Listen to part two of our month long series on worship.  Today Pastor Eli challenges the Church to nurture worship experiences that create a vital connection to God.  Vibrant worship speaks to the spiritual need of all people at all times and only the Church of Jesus Christ can lead people into a vital worship connection with God.

Today's message opens a month long series on worship.  As a mainline denominational church re-visioning how think about and experience worship is essential to connecting with the wider culture and in being intentional about creating worshipful environments that assist people in connecting with God.  Thanks for listening and God bless!

This was our 2008 Father's Day Sunday sermon.  Dads listen to this practical advice about how to be the best father and husband you can be.  Learn today that being an excellent dad starts with learning how to be an authentic son of our Father God.  Thanks for listening and may God bless you!

Today's message challenges us to see that excellence in faith begins with transformed living.  Thanks for listening and may God bless you!

This message was preached on Mother's Day 2008 and focuses on encouraging moms in their daily lives at home.  Learn how moms motivate, administrate, comfort, and minister to their families.  Thanks for listening and God bless you on the journey!

Listen today to discover biblical advice for making your home a safe, loving environment where conflicts are resolved and those in the family are committed to speaking only those words that will uplift and encourage one another.  May God bless you as you listen today!

The love of Christ is a love that stoops to reach out and reach into the lives of the hurting and broken; to be a voice for the voiceless; and to leave a lasting imprint for Christ on the world.  Thanks for listening today and God bless.

Authenticity is about desiring to be honest and transparent more than protecting the image you project to others.  As Christians, authenticity is essential to our growth in grace.  Thanks for listening and may God bless you!

God allows us to experience times of suffering because he knows that it cultivates spiritual fruit in us that we need: perseverance, character, and hope.  Listen today to discover a hope that won't and can't disappoint you because it is founded in the love of God.  Thanks for listening and God bless!

Spiritual renewal is a need for every Christian.  The human condition is an unavoidable reality we are born with.  Humanity is broken and in need of renewal and restoration.  Today, learn why we need spiritual renewal, what it accomplishes, and determine when the conditions in your life are ripe for renewal.  Thanks for listening and may God bless you!

 Repentance is an important spiritual practice brought about by godly sorrow for sin and the realization that our sin breaks the heart of God.  When we realize how far we have wandered from intimacy with Christ, repentance calls us back in the direction of Christ.  This Lent we are challenged to consider our personal need for repentance in our spiritual lives.  Thanks for listening and may God bless you!

Looking into a mirror can be hard, especially when we don't want to face the truth about ourselves.  Spiritual reflection calls us to look into God's mirror asking the Lord to reveal the true condition of our hearts and lives before him.  What he reveals is not just the stuff in need of change and transformation, but also the amazing potential we have for beauty and goodness.  Thanks for listening and may God bless you today!

This sermon asks, "Is your heart a fit dwelling place for Christ?"  Lent calls us to prepare our hearts to grow in intimacy with and devotion to Christ.  Thanks for listening and may God bless you.

Passing the baton of leadership is an important work in the Church.  A lot of churches flounder when it comes to raising up new leaders to carry the vision and mission of the church into the future.  If we are intentional about handing off leadership and mentoring the next generation of leaders as they are ready to step up the transition can be beautiful and full of joy.  Thanks for listening and may God bless you!

Break away from the things that hold your church from growing into a godly future by cultivating a generous, permission giving spirit.  God is the head of the Church and gives us his authority to carry on the work of Christ in the world.  For new ministry to start we must develop permission giving hearts that say yes to God.  Thanks for listening and God bless!

Tradition is important, but it only matters when we continue to pass on the meaning and purpose behind the traditions we embrace to future generations. Tradition reminds us that we are part of a larger story.  Tradition has the power to limit freedom and innovation in the church or it can inspire us with the vision we need to live into our place in the story of God's on-going love relationship with humanity as his faithful followers today.  Thanks for listening and may God bless you!

After the holidays our return to normal life can be discouraging and depressing.  Listen today to find out how to beat the post-Christmas blues. 

Listen as we celebrate the wonderful gift of Jesus Christ.  Nothing can compare to knowing Christ.  No present under the tree can fulfill and satisfy like Jesus.  Don't let this Christmas slip away without receiving the best and most precious gift of all-Jesus!  Thanks for listening and God bless.

Today's message challenges us to put our concerns for the future in the hands of the God who holds the future in the palm of his hand.  God promises, through the OT prophet Jeremiah, that if we put our trust in him our future is secure.  Thanks for listening and God bless.

The message of Isaiah 40:28-31 is that 1.) Understanding who God is gives us hope for life, 2.) Godly strength and power are the gifts of hope, and 3.) The effects of godly hope are a renewed strength and a faith that perseveres.  Thanks for listening and may God bless you.

Jesus' arrival on planet earth would secure the grace that has the power to set us free from lives of committed to sin so that we might live a grace filled, grace empowered life with Christ.  This is Good News!  Thanks for listening and may God bless.