May 5, 2025

Speaking Of Life 4023 | A Different Sort of Power

There is no shortage of examples, today and in history, of individuals using their influence and power to control and harm others. But Jesus’ power is different. Jesus displayed his power by laying down his life and overcoming evil with truth, love, and light. His name is above any other name!

May 4, 2025

Clothed in White Robes

Text: Revelation 7:9-17
Pastor Steve Schantz
  Last week in worship we heard from Dr. Dan Rogers as we turned to the book of Revelation chapter 5 and saw with John this panoramic vision of God’s throne room. We observed the central act of worship that was being offered by three concentric circles of worshipers: the twenty-four elders, the four creatures, and the multitude of angels. We took note that the first two circles were praising the Father. And with the addition of the angels, this same worship was attributed to Jesus, the One who was found worthy to open the scroll. After this, another circle was added that was made up of “every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them”.   We will continue in the book of Revelation tomorrow picking up the text in chapter 7, verses 9-17. Revelation 7:9-17 NRSVUE
April 28, 2025

Speaking of Life 4022 | The Great Disruptors

Jesus invites us to participate in his upside-down kingdom. He disrupts our broken systems, takes us out of our comfort zones, and ushers in peace while healing our broken world.

April 21, 2025

Easter Sunday—The Joy of His Salvation

Rejoice! Christ is risen! This Easter, we celebrate the victory of Jesus over death, the joy of salvation, and the promise that God is making all things new.

Voiceover by: Mike Rasmussen – Surrey Hills, Oklahoma, US

More about the GCI Worship Calendar here: https://www.gci.org/articles/the-churchs-worship-calendar

April 20, 2025

Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead

Text: 1 Corinthians 15:3-10
Pastor Steve Schantz
We live in an increasingly disillusioned world…A world in which false narratives often carry as much weight as the truth, and sometimes more! Christians encounter resistance to a way of life as well as the foundational pillars of truth that undergird that way of life. We live in a skeptical environment. Today marks perhaps the most important pillar of our faith in the living God… The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. But how do we answer those who resist this miracle? What if ALL of Christianity rests on the reality of Jesus’ resurrection?
April 19, 2025

Good Friday—Jesus’ Humble Self-Offering

On this Good Friday, we remember the deep, selfless love of Jesus—His willing sacrifice to bear our burdens, set us free, and draw us into the arms of a loving God forever.

Voiceover by: Julie Frantz – Cincinnati, Ohio, US

More about the GCI Worship Calendar here: https://www.gci.org/articles/the-churchs-worship-calendar

April 14, 2025

Liturgy of the Passion

Jesus turned His face to Jerusalem, walking the path of suffering and love to fulfill God’s promise of redemption—may we follow Him with trust and gratitude this Palm Sunday.

Voiceover by: Tommie Grant – Ladson, South Carolina, US

More about the GCI Worship Calendar here: https://www.gci.org/articles/the-churchs-worship-calendar

April 7, 2025

Speaking Of Life 4019 | A Path Through the Jackals

Have you ever felt like you were alone in a wasteland? Maybe during a break-up, financial crisis, or losing someone dear to you. Even in the wastelands, when all is hopeless, Jesus continues to meet us wherever to restore us and make us whole again.

March 31, 2025

Speaking Of Life 4018 | Labels

Labels make the grocery experience so much better by giving us an idea of what’s inside a product. For us humans, it might be difficult for us to express to the world who we are inside. It’s easy to get labeled by people for how we look, say, or what we even wear. Society might fail to understand us but Jesus fully accepts and loves us for who we are beyond our flaws and mistakes.

March 24, 2025

Speaking Of Life 4017 | Praying for Deliverance

In a fractured world, it is easy to feel powerless in situations that are out of our control. Even when everything is shattered and broken, let us remember that we can always talk to our Father who surrounds us with his love and assurance of hope to keep us whole.

March 23, 2025

When We Aren’t Faithful

Text: 1 Corinthians 10:1–13
Pastor Steve Schantz
Regardless of our progress or slipups, we can count on God’s mercy and patience. God’s faithfulness is our theme this week, and our readings show us that while we think we want fairness and equity from God, what we really want is grace. And because we want that for ourselves, we should also want that for others.
March 17, 2025

Speaking Of Life 4016 | The Integrity of God’s Covenant

Have you ever broken a promise? Or maybe the other way around, has anyone broken their promises with you? It’s easy to lose our faith and trust in someone who will always be fallible. Just as God blessed Abraham, God’s promises of faithfulness, mercy, and love will always be available to us, in every circumstance.

March 10, 2025

First Sunday in Easter Preparation—God Our Deliverer

During Easter Preparation, we come to understand that God doesn’t take away our struggles but walks with us, giving us strength, hope, and guidance as we follow Jesus’ path.

Voiceover by: Peter Mill – Glasgow, Scotland

March 3, 2025

Transfiguration Sunday—Removing the Veil

This Transfiguration Sunday, we are gently reminded of how Jesus revealed his true glory, helping us see God’s love and plan more clearly by lifting away the things that keep us from Him, inviting us into His light and peace.

Voiceover by: Bharat Naker – Adelaide, Australia

February 24, 2025

Speaking Of Life 4013 | The Boy from the Well

It is often said that there’s nothing sweeter than revenge. But, in Joseph’s story, we see the power of grace when reconciliation is chosen over revenge.

February 17, 2025

Speaking Of Life 4012 | If No Resurrection…

From changing water into wine to raising Lazarus from the dead, these events from the Bible might sound impossible to believe. But are we forgetting that we have a God who is beyond logic and understanding? Paul reminds us that we cannot place our great God inside a small box. He is beyond that! Even when we can’t comprehend the greatness of our God, he continues to pursue us with no bounds.

February 16, 2025

Was Jesus Really Raised from The Dead

Text: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Dr. Dan Rogers
Many in the world today don't believe in Jesus. They don't believe he died, was buried, and rose on the 3rd day. Many Liberal ministers preach from their lecterns that the stories of the bible are just that - - -stories. The flood? Was a man really swallowed by a whale? The Red Sea really open? Did Jesus really die, was buried, and rose? Are all these scriptures just words? Was there a resurrection? The Apostle Paul said something about the resurrection of Jesus. In 1 Corinthians 15: 1-11 didn't Paul believe that the bodily resurrection of Jesus was real? What about us as Christians today? Do we believe that Jesus did die, was buried, and was resurrected on the 3rd day? Do we believe that the Holy Bible is holy? Are the scriptures divinely inspired? We're going to examine 1 Corinthians 15: 1-11 today and answer these questions. 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 NIV The Resurrection of Christ 15 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. 9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
February 10, 2025

Speaking Of Life 4011 | The Story Since Day One

There is power in storytelling. From the stories, we will tell our friends after work to the bedtime stories we tell our kids before they sleep. From the beginning of time, humans have passed on our histories through the stories told by family and friends. To this day, Jesus’ story continues to be shared with everyone. He inspires us with the love and peace that will continue to grow in our hearts as we move along the world.

February 2, 2025

The Most Excellent Way

Text: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Pastor Steve Schantz
The last two weeks we have traced Paul’s words to the Corinthian church as he addresses some of the problems they have been struggling with. This week, we will continue where we left off, however we will not rehash an old problem or address a new one. Rather, Paul will fill out what he introduces as “the most excellent way.” We will see that this is how the believers in Corinth were to work through all the problems they faced, and it is the same way for us to move forward as well.