Shows
The WellGod’s Design for Biblical Womanhood | The Well Podcast S3E19In this episode of The Well podcast, bestselling author, podcast, and speaker Heidi St. John joins Pastor Phil and host Les Norman to talk about biblical womanhood and God’s design for families. Heidi is a bestselling author, podcaster, and speaker who is passionate about faith and family. She shares her insights on femininity, motherhood, and identity in a world rapidly shifting its values.
Heidi talks about common lies and misconceptions about motherhood and encourages women to reject cultural pressures that blur gender lines. She also addresses the importance of finding identity in Christ and giving yourself grace amidst the ch...2025-05-1241 min
The WellAre You Ready for the Return of Christ? | The Well Podcast S3E17In this episode of The Well Podcast, Pastor Phil and host Les Norman discuss how believers should prepare for the return of Christ. Comfort, prosperity, and cultural distractions can lull believers into spiritual slumber. We need to wake up, redeem our time, and prepare for the return of Christ.As we anticipate the return of Christ, we need to stay alert, active, and engaged in our faith. Let’s be a church awake, alive, and ready, living every day as if Christ is returning!Want to learn more about how to prepare for the return of...2025-04-2847 min
The WellThe Origins of Easter | The Well Podcast S3E16Do the origins of Easter begin with the resurrection of Jesus? In this special Easter conversation, Pastor Phil and host Les Norman explore the history and origins of Easter, debunking common misconceptions and exploring the true foundation of the Christian faith—the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Pastor Phil answers pressing questions about Easter, including:
Is Easter a pagan holiday?
Where do colored Easter eggs come from?
How do we know that the resurrection is true?
What is the evidence of the resurrection?
What does the resurrection mean for our daily life?
Pastor Phil and Les walk listeners through the real st...2025-04-2142 min
The WellWalking in Love | The Well Podcast S3E14Clayton King is back on The Well podcast with Pastor Phil and Les Norman to talk about walking in love and keeping the fire alive in marriage.
Clayton challenges us to answer the question, “Are you walking in love right now?” Falling in love is just the beginning. Walking in love for a lifetime is the real treasure.
Walking in love is a daily habit. In marriage, you can’t maximize the gift God has given you in your spouse and the idea of being one flesh if you aren’t walking in love. You become one flesh when you get marr...2025-04-0746 min
The WellGenerosity and the Kingdom of God | The Well Podcast S3E13In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Phil and Pastor Chad talk about the Sermon on the Mount and what that sermon reveals about the Kingdom of God and stewarding our treasures.
The Kingdom of God is the rule of God in our hearts. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declares Himself the Messiah and tells us what the Kingdom of God is all about. When we receive Jesus as the King of our lives, we are welcomed into an upside-down kingdom where things are completely opposite from the world.
Jesus tells us that where your treasure is...2025-03-3142 min
The WellWho is My Neighbor? | The Well Podcast S3E12In this episode of The Well Podcast, Pastor Phil and Pastor Chad talk about the parable of the Good Samaritan and answer the question, “Who is my neighbor?”
The Jews thought that loving their neighbor meant loving people who were like them and who were close to them. But Jesus challenged that mindset with the parable of the Good Samaritan. The parable of the Good Samaritan teaches us that we have to balance our care for people with sharing the gospel. If we’re not sharing the gospel, then what have we accomplished when we care for people?
The most prevai...2025-03-2441 min
The WellThe Dangers of Covetousness | The Well Podcast S3E11In this episode of The Well Podcast, Pastor Phil and Les talk about idolatry, greed, and covetousness.
Our idols lie dormant, but they can quickly resurrect themselves at any time. The way you battle idolatry is by intentionally pursuing the things God treasures. Don’t wait until you feel like treasuring it. Start pursuing it even when your heart doesn’t fully treasure it! Pursuing the things of God and the things of heaven is how you battle covetousness and greed and develop a heart for what God loves.
Jesus taught that your spirituality cannot be measured by what you have...2025-03-1731 min
The WellA Changed Life Changes Lives | The Well Podcast S3E10In this episode of The Well Podcast, Pastor Phil and Les are joined by Pastor Jonathan Buttram, the pastor of Re:generation recovery ministry at Abundant Life. Pastor Jonathan talks about the life change he has seen through Re:generation and shares his testimony of coming to faith in Jesus.
Re:generation is a transformative ministry that combines discipleship and recovery, offering a path to freedom, peace, and hope for both the spiritually healthy and those struggling. Everyone has struggles, and Satan wants to steal, kill, and destroy the things God wants to do through us. Re:generation is about...2025-03-1041 min
The WellThe Gift of Abundant Life | The Well Podcast S3E9In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Phil, Les, and Olivia talk about how to follow Jesus as the Good Shepherd and live the abundant life He offers. They emphasize that following Jesus is about more than just salvation; it's about pursuing sanctification and consecrating your life to Him. We receive the gift of life abundantly when we confess Jesus as our Savior and consecrate our lives to Him.
Many Christians today are like the Ancient Israelites, with enough faith to get out of Egypt but not enough faith to come into the Promised Land. The Israelites chose to...2025-03-0344 min
The WellSharing the Gospel with Boldness | The Well Podcast S3E8In this episode of The Well Podcast, Pastor Phil is joined by Pastor Jeremy to talk about missions and living sent.
Jeremy believes he wouldn’t be where he is if he hadn’t said yes to the invitation he received to go on his first mission trip in 2007. He talks about how taking next steps is vital in our relationship with the Lord. Your destination is only discovered as you’re going in that direction. We should pray for boldness daily as we seek God’s plan for our lives and practice sharing the gospel with our neighbors and the nati...2025-02-2444 min
The WellThe Biblical View of Marriage and Love | The Well Podcast S3E7In this episode of The Well Podcast, Pastor Phil and Les talk about the biblical view of marriage and how spouses can meet each other’s emotional needs.
Men and women are equal, but not the same. We’re all created in the image and likeness of God, but the fact that we’re equal doesn’t mean we’re the same. Society fails to recognize and appreciate the differences between men and women and tries to teach us that equality means sameness.
Men and women have different emotional needs, and you must be willing to learn the emotional needs of your sp...2025-02-1736 min
The WellBiblical Wisdom for Romantic Relationships | The Well Podcast S3E6In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Chad is back with Les to discuss how to navigate romantic relationships in a way that honors God.
The Bible is full of wisdom that can be applied in various areas of our lives, including romantic relationships. When you apply the word of God to your life, it begins to dictate your relationship. Our romantic relationships are just a shadow of our greater relationship with Jesus Christ.
Most people don’t know what they need to be doing to prepare for dating and marriage, but they are longing for that next phase in...2025-02-1058 min
The WellWhat Does the Bible Say About Dating? | The Well Podcast S3E5In this episode of The Well Podcast, Pastor Chad and Les talk about what the Bible says about dating, sex, and how to walk in purity.
There’s resistance against walking in purity in Christian culture when that should be something we highly value. Our culture is all over the map when it comes to how to navigate dating relationships. There’s no line when it comes to sexual immorality in our culture.
The Bible is clear: flee sexual immorality! It uses poetic language to talk about God’s design for sex. His intent is for sex to happen only within...2025-02-0347 min
The WellAn Honest Conversation About Singleness | The Well Podcast S3E4In this episode of The Well, Katie Ward, the Crossroads Ministry Leader, joins Pastor Phil and Les to talk about the gift of singleness.
Katie shares how singleness allows her to live lighter and gives her freedom with her desires, time, and finances. She also has an honest conversation with Pastor Phil and Les about the seasons of struggle, loneliness, and contentment she’s walked through in singleness.
Marriage is not a reward. It is a gift that God gives, and so is singleness. You don’t have to be married to experience the greatest love this life offers. As a be...2025-01-2751 min
The WellThe Rapture, the Bride, and the Return of Christ | The Well Podcast S3E3Studying the historical and cultural context of the Bible helps us better understand our relationship with Christ and what we should do while we wait for Him to return. The love story recorded in Song of Solomon depicts the three stages of a Hebrew wedding. This story gives us hope in the promise of the return of Christ.
In Hebrew culture, an engagement was binding and unbreakable. That’s the same as the covenant Christ made with us. Solomon would have told his bride that he would build a room for her and then return for her when it was re...2025-01-2045 min
Abundant Life Family PodcastA Heart for Fostering and Adopting | Abundant Life Family Podcast S2E10Matt and Jocelyn Kepner joined the hosts to talk about the importance of fostering and adopting. They talk about Matt’s difficult upbringing. He bounced around houses from the time he was 15 years old until he was an adult. When Matt married Jocelyn, he was worried about being a good father because he didn’t have any good examples while growing up. Jocelyn brought up fostering. They prayed about it, seeking guidance on making such a large commitment and if it would be right for their family. Later on, they felt God calling them to it.
Jocelyn explains the purpose of f...2025-01-1426 min
The WellGod’s Redeeming Love | The Well Podcast S3E2In this episode of The Well Podcast, Pastor Phil and host Les Norman talk about the redeeming love of Christ pictured in the Song of Solomon.
Song of Solomon tells the story of a man and woman and a love that lasted a lifetime. 1 Kings 4 tells us that Solomon composed more than a thousand songs during his lifetime, but he believed this one was the song of all time.
Why was Solomon considered an authority on marriage? Although he was a wise and godly king, he had 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3). Despite this, God used Solomon to write a story...2025-01-1349 min
The WellGod’s Call to the Abundant Life | The Well Podcast S3E1In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Phil and host Les Norman kick off season 3 by discussing how to discern God's call and live the abundant life He offers.
Discerning God’s call doesn’t mean waiting for a burning bush! Sometimes people are waiting for an unmistakable epiphany from Him, but that’s not the reality of how God leads most of the time. The voice of God is found in the Word of God. When you are reading the Word of God, you hear the voice of God.
You’re never too young or too old to obey God...2025-01-0652 min
Abundant Life Family PodcastHandling Family Conflict with Your Teen | Abundant Life Family Podcast S2E9Toshaun Avery, the Student Pastor at Abundant Life joins the hosts to talk about dealing with family conflict, especially for families with teenagers. Toshaun encourages parents to remember relationships are the foundation. He says they need to be honest with themselves about where they’ve invested in their child’s life and if they really know their teen.
Toshaun says when handling family conflict, parents should answer the following questions for themselves:
What do you want them to know when addressing conflict?
What do you want them to do after this conversation?
What do you want to accomplish by having this...2024-12-3126 min
The WellThe Reason for Christmas | The Well Podcast S2E13In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Phil, Pastor Chad, and host Les Norman talk about how the five women in Jesus’ genealogy give the story behind the story and the reason for Christmas.
The virgin birth is an essential element of our salvation. Only a virgin-born Savior could be sinless and bear the penalty of our sin. Why was the virgin birth essential? Because only the death of an innocent man could reverse the curse of sin on men for all time. We sin because we are born sinners. Jesus was born of a virgin so that He wo...2024-12-3039 min
The WellHope is Found in Jesus | The Well Podcast S2E12In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Phil, Pastor Nick, and host Les Norman talk about how our hope is found in Jesus.
The Hebrews would have been intimately familiar with the story of David and Bathsheba. This story would have grieved Matthew’s audience as they recounted a sad, tragic memory in Israel's history.
David acknowledged his sin before the Lord when the Prophet Nathan called him out. He was quick to repent and make things right with God. Then, God promised to establish a new king in his line who would redeem the sins of adultery and mu...2024-12-2336 min
The WellGod is in the Details of Our Stories | The Well Podcast S2E11In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Phil and host Les Norman are joined by Olivia Poettgen, the content writer at Abundant Life. They talk about the story of Ruth and how God is in the details of our story and redeems our grief and suffering.
In the Book of Ruth, a miracle was in the making. But sometimes miracles happen so slowly and subtly that you can’t see them. The miracle in this book was redemption. God was in the details of Naomi and Ruth’s lives, redeeming their stories in ways they could not see or unde...2024-12-1647 min
The WellGod’s Forgiveness and Rahab’s Faith | The Well Podcast S2E10In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Phil and host Les Norman talk about God’s forgiveness and Rahab’s faith in Joshua 2.
Rahab was a pagan Canaanite prostitute living in Jericho. God had promised that city to the Israelites, but because they were fearful and lacked faith, they wandered in the wilderness outside Jericho for 40 years. While the Israelites lived in fear of the Canaanites, the Canaanites lived in fear of the Hebrew God.
Fear always distorts reality and keeps us from seeing what God has promised us and has in store for us. Rahab had heard about the...2024-12-0945 min
Abundant Life Family PodcastParenting Tools to Raise Kids God’s Way | Abundant Life Family Podcast S2E7The hosts welcome Brandon and Susan Fields, members of Abundant Life, who are raising three young boys. The Fields talk about their journey to becoming parents and the choices they have made to raise their children God’s way.
Before having children, the Fields were both pharmacists, working 40 hours a week, living in what they thought was their dream home. After having their first son, they both felt compelled to make changes, like downsizing their home, so they could focus more on parenting.
They shared some of the parenting tools they have learned in a resource at Abundant Life. The co...2024-12-0329 min
The WellGod’s Redemptive Plan for Man | The Well Podcast S2E9In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Toshaun and Pastor Nick are back with Pastor Chad to talk about God’s redemptive plan for man. God’s plan to redeem and restore us to a relationship with Him is clearly illustrated through the five women Jesus’ genealogy.
We often think that God uses clean, moral people to accomplish His purposes, but that is not the case. The Bible is full of stories where God redeems terrible, negative circumstances for a person’s good and His glory.
It’s okay to not know or understand why God does something, but we need to...2024-12-0234 min
The WellWhat Is God’s Call for My Life? | The Well Podcast S2E8In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Chad is joined by Pastor Toshaun and Pastor Nick. The pastors share how they were called into ministry and how to discover God’s call for our lives.
As a believer, your primary call is to intimacy with God, not ministry. If you are trying to discern God’s call for your life, you need to draw near to Him and go where He’s leading you. Ultimately, God is calling you to trust Him.
God puts a calling and gifts on our lives that are irrevocable. Once you discover those things, you ne...2024-11-2544 min
Abundant Life SermonsThe Call of God | Live Sent (Part 2)How do you discern the call of God on your life? The story of Jonah teaches us a lot about God’s call on our lives.
Jonah was called by God to be a messenger of the truth and a messenger of peace! That is what missionaries are called to do—to carry God’s truth as messengers of peace. God’s call on our lives is twofold—it’s the call to “come” and the call to “go.”
1.) God calls you to come.
God calls you to come to Christ through salvation. He offers you a personal invitation to join His family. But...2024-11-2453 min
The WellThe Joy of Saying Yes to God | The Well Podcast S2E7In this episode of The Well Podcast, Pastor Chad and host Les Norman talk about the rewards of saying yes to God.
Pastor Chad and Les are joined by Pastor Bill and Jeremy, who are on staff with the Live Sent ministry at Abundant Life. They share an update on how many kids were sponsored during Compassion Sunday and their vision for sponsoring 1,200 kids in Tanzania.
Pastor Bill reminds listeners that you can’t take the gospel to the wrong address. It always needs to go a little bit further. The disciple Thomas had a “little bit further” mindset. He said y...2024-11-1847 min
Abundant Life SermonsWhat We Can Learn from Doubting Thomas | Live Sent (Part 1)In the Bible, the disciple Thomas earned the title “Doubting Thomas” because he doubted that Jesus appeared to the disciples. But after he saw Jesus, Doubting Thomas went from skeptical to fully surrendered.
Are you living like Thomas?
1.) Thomas lived skeptical.
What questions have you brought in regard to your relationship with God? Jesus invited Doubting Thomas to examine His wounds and confirm that it was really Jesus in the room.
2.) Thomas lived surrendered.
Doubting Thomas surrendered his questions and chose to place His faith in Jesus. Have you surrendered your life to Jesus?
3.) Thomas lived sent.
Thomas knew that Jesu...2024-11-1742 min
The WellLiving Out the Gospel | The Well Podcast S2E6In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Phil, Pastor Chad, and host Les Norman discuss living out the gospel through Abundant Life’s partnership with Compassion International and the church plants in Peru.
Compassion deeply cares about people's physical and spiritual needs and is focused on releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ name. Pastor Phil shares some stories from his recent trip to Peru, where he visited the Compassion resource center and church plants with which Abundant Life has partnered. He and several church members met and spent time with the kids they sponsor in these areas.
We’re all ca...2024-11-1138 min
Abundant Life SermonsThe Ripple Effect of Our Actions | Mark JohnsPastor J. Mark Johns from Canvas Church joins us to talk about living sent both locally and globally. One way we can do this is by sponsoring children to release them from poverty in Jesus’ name.
We have no idea the ripple effect our obedience and faith can have. Pastor Mark reminds us that everything in this world has some sort of ripple effect. This means that what we do matters, and our choices today can impact the future for us and others.
Join us for Live Sent weekend as we talk about the ripple effect that is set in mo...2024-11-1040 min
The WellWhat Does the Bible Say About Liberty? | The Well Podcast S2E5In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Phil, Pastor Chad, and host Les Norman discuss some of the threats to our freedom as Christians and American citizens. In a time of high emotions, we must think biblically, not politically.
Religion shapes culture, and culture shapes laws. Godly people in power bring godly outcomes. But when godly people do not influence the institutions that shape our country, you get ungodly outcomes.
We all have a responsibility to understand the history of our country and the values that our Founding Fathers established our country on. We must be ready to defend...2024-11-0439 min
The WellTeaching Kids a Biblical Worldview | The Well Podcast S2E4In this episode of The Well Podcast, Pastor Chad and host Les Norman talk about raising children to have a biblical worldview.
It is a parent’s responsibility to raise their kids and teach them a biblical worldview. You never finish educating your kids. You need to be committed to raising them up to know God’s ways, His voice, and His word so they can develop a biblical worldview.
Chad shares some practical things parents can do to pass their faith onto their children:
-Seek the Lord in private
-Sing to Him in public
-Eat around the table together
-Pra...2024-10-2854 min
The WellRomans 13 and Obedience to Civil Authority | The Well Podcast S2E3God instituted civil authority for the peace and prosperity of society, apart from which there would be anarchy. We are called to obey governing authorities (Romans 13:1-4), but God is our ultimate authority.
God’s primary purpose for human government is to protect its citizens from violent offenders. The biblical responsibility of government is to maintain order and peace in society.
Paul wrote Romans to help people understand who they are in Christ and how to live justified and sanctified in a secular culture. Faith has always intersected with politics because religion shapes culture, and culture shapes laws. If you wa...2024-10-2153 min
The WellIs There Hope for Us? | The Well Podcast S2E1In this episode of The Well Podcast, Pastor Phil, Pastor Chad, and Les Norman talk about the new sermon series, Hope for Us. Even though we live in a deeply divided world and people feel hopeless, there is hope for us in the gospel!
Romans 1 gives us the four steps to abandoning faith in God:
Truth suppression.
God’s demotion.
Man’s promotion.
Moral destruction.
Many people fool themselves into thinking that they can form the Bible around what they want it to say or make it fit the lifestyle they want. Post-modern philosophy tells us that there is no abso...2024-10-0743 min
The WellWhat Does the Bible Say About Hospitality? | The Well Podcast S1E26In this episode of The Well Podcast, Pastor Chad, Pastor Kyle, and Pastor Jonathan take a deep dive into the practical applications of Hebrews 13.
Hebrews 13 offers a long list of ways believers can take their next step to look more like Jesus. The pastors talk about how to live these out and answer the question, “What does the Bible say about hospitality?”
Hebrews 13:1-3 calls believers to be hospitable to strangers, believers, and prisoners. This is a command for all believers, not just for the early church.
Pastor Kyle shares his take on what the Bible says about hospitality and how...2024-09-3047 min
Abundant Life Family PodcastCelebrating a Girl’s Rite of Passage | Abundant Life Family Podcast S2E2After raising three girls to adulthood, Todd and Angela have much wisdom to share on helping girls mature into women. They join the hosts to talk about celebrating a girl’s rite of passage.
Angela shares about the resources she used to raise her girls. She encourages listeners to do what best fits their family when it comes to a girl’s rite of passage. The key is to be intentional about the way you do it!
Girls need their parents to be present when they are processing emotions and changes. Angela shares about the conversations and special parts of the...2024-09-2424 min
The WellAll Have Fallen Short of God’s Glory | The Well Podcast S1E25In this episode of The Well Podcast, Pastor Phil, Pastor Chad, and host Les Norman talk about the symbolism of Mount Zion and Mount Sinai in Hebrews 12.
Mount Sinai is an example of religion. It’s all about your efforts to reach God.
God’s standard is perfection, but we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). It’s impossible for you to bridge the chasm between your sin and God’s perfection. Since we couldn’t reach God, He sent Jesus to bridge the gap.
Mount Zion represents grace and forgiveness. Even though we have all f...2024-09-2344 min
The WellHow to Pursue Peace with All People | The Well Podcast S1E24In this episode of The Well Podcast, Pastor Kyle, Pastor Toshaun, and host Les Norman unpack Hebrews 12:12-17 and how believers should apply it to their lives.
Hebrews 12:14-17 makes us hold up a mirror and do some self-introspection. We all have areas of our lives where we need to lighten the load. Unnecessary weight slows us down and keeps us from fulfilling the call God has placed on our lives.
Jesus wants us to run with endurance. He wants to help us take off this extra weight, and if it requires chastening, that’s what He will do. We ne...2024-09-1650 min
Abundant Life Family PodcastCreating Family Experiences | Abundant Life Family Podcast S2E1In this episode of the Abundant Life Family podcast, hosts Bill and Jen Hildebrand are joined by Drew Davis, the director of Equipped Outdoors.
Drew and his wife, Charissa, use Equipped Outdoors as a ministry to introduce families to God’s creation in the outdoors. They believe that while objects and gifts come and go, experiences can last for a lifetime.
We only have a short period of time with our kids. How can you create family experiences with your kids so you can be their primary source of influence, development, and growth?
Drew shares some valuable tips on navigating fa...2024-09-1028 min
The WellLaying Aside Every Weight | The Well Podcast S1E23In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Phil, Pastor Chad, and Bart Cox continue their conversation about running with endurance. They talk about the idea of “laying aside every weight” that the author presents in Hebrews 12:1.
You cannot run with endurance if you’re not working to endure things. You have to train to prepare. Part of that training included taking any unnecessary weight out of your pack.
We all carry backpacks through life, but we choose what we carry. We need to choose carefully what we carry in our pack. God doesn’t want us to be weighed down by...2024-09-0945 min
The WellWhat Does It Mean to Run with Endurance? | The Well Podcast S1E22In this episode of The Well, Pastor Phil and Pastor Chad are joined by Bart Cox, the Senior Executive Pastor at Abundant Life. Pastor Phil and Bart just got back from a hiking trip in the backcountry of Glacier National Park, and they’ve got lots of stories to share!
Bart shares a story about the biking accident that led to his joining the Abundant Life staff and the history of his friendship with Pastor Phil. He now applies the skills he learned in a secular work environment to execute the big visions of Abundant Life. He is also Pastor Ph...2024-09-0243 min
Abundant Life Family PodcastBlended & Blessed (Part 2) – Parenting as a Team | Abundant Life Family Podcast (Episode 35)Join Bill and Jen Hildebrand as they continue their conversation with Scott and Lori Ridings about building a blended family.
Scott and Lori share some important lessons they learned while blending their families. They were intentional with the language they used to talk about their family, which allowed them to build trust with their kids.
Scott and Lori share how they worked to connect with their kids by making time and space for conversations when the kids were ready. They share stories about disciplining their kids and navigating tough conversations.
They encouraged couples to be unified, loyal, consistent, and forgiving...2024-08-2825 min
The WellHow Does the Church Grow? | The Well Podcast S1E21In this episode of The Well Podcast, Pastor Chad and Les Norman are joined by Kyle Worsham, the Online Pastor at Abundant Life. Kyle shares the heart behind the church house movement and how we can live sent in our communities.
Living sent doesn’t require training or a program. There are lost people all around us. All you need is your story and a willing heart to be used by God. Our obedience, as a result of faith, can change our lives and trajectory. It can also change the lives of those around us.
God CAN use you despite yo...2024-08-2651 min
The WellBy Faith, They Obeyed | The Well Podcast S1E20In this episode of The Well Podcast, Pastor Phil, Pastor Chad, and host Les Norman recap what God did at Revival Weekend. They also talk about the examples of Moses, Abraham, and Sarah and what they teach us about obedience by faith.
Abraham, Sarah, and Moses obeyed God by faith. They did not know where He was taking them or when they would see the fulfillment of His promises, but they obeyed by faith. However, their lives were not without suffering and pain.
Jesus never promised us health, wealth, and prosperity. Being faithful doesn’t guarantee that life won’t be p...2024-08-1955 min
The WellBiblical Faith Releases God’s Power | The Well Podcast S1E19In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Phil, Pastor Chad, and host Les Norman talk about how to live by faith during the last days.
Hebrews 11:5-7 recounts the faith of Enoch and Noah. Enoch set an example for how we should walk with God in the last days, and Noah showed us what it looks like to work for God.
If you want to see God move in your life, you must put your faith into action. Faith is the trigger that releases God’s power in your life. But why is faith so hard sometimes?
Reasons why fa...2024-08-1244 min
The WellImitating the Heroes of the Faith | The Well Podcast S1E18In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Toshaun and Pastor Nick join host Les Norman to talk about the heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11.
Faith is not a feeling; it’s more than an emotion. Your emotions aren’t meant to govern you but to guide you. Many people lead a feelings-based life, but that isn’t the type of life God wants us to live.
In Christ, our feelings are transformed into righteous feelings. Because we are under the curse of sin, our feelings often come out in sinful ways. But through Christ, our feelings and emotions can be...2024-08-0552 min
The Well7/29 | How to Grow in Your Faith | The Well Podcast S1E17In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Chad and Pastor Kyle discuss how to grow in your faith and provide practical tools for reading the Bible, praying, and finding community.
Hebrews 10:22-25 calls Christians to do 3 things to continue growing in their faith:
Draw near to God.
Hold fast to the confession of hope without wavering.
Consider one another.
Knowing how to grow in your faith and do these things can sometimes be overwhelming. Here are 2 things to reflect on to help you grow:
Recall past trials and God’s faithfulness within them.
Look forward to the return of Ch...2024-07-2944 min
The WellOvercoming Temptation | The Well Podcast S1E16In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Phil and host Les Norman talk about overcoming temptation.
We will struggle with sin and temptation, even as born-again believers. The question is, when your flesh cries out for you to give it something that does not honor God, what will you believe?
When you struggle with temptation, you must believe that what God says is true, no matter what you see. God says your flesh is dead, and you’ve been set free from the power of sin. You can overcome temptation by depending on Christ’s power. To overcome temptation, you...2024-07-2247 min
The WellShadows of the New Covenant | The Well Podcast S1E15In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Phil, Pastor Chad, and host Les Norman dive deeper into Hebrews 9 and the shadows of the New Covenant.
You cannot understand the New Covenant (New Testament) if you don’t know anything about the Old Covenant (Old Testament). The Old Testament is the picture book of the New Testament. The author of Hebrews said the Old Testament contained prophetic foreshadows of things to come in the New Testament.
In the Old Covenant, the Israelites had to sacrifice animals to atone for their sins. There was no forgiveness without the shedding of blood. Ho...2024-07-1543 min
The WellResources for Studying the Bible | The Well Podcast S1E14In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Phil, Pastor Chad, and host Les Norman answer questions about resources for studying the Bible.
The Bible is a self-interpreting book. It is meant to be studied by comparing Scripture with Scripture. You don’t have to be smart to know and understand the Bible, but it’s helpful to have resources. When you read a commentary or other resource for studying the Bible, you must remember that it’s written by a man, so it’s an opinion.
A good Bible commentary will accelerate where you’re trying to go. It can cut yo...2024-07-0845 min
The WellWhat Is the New Covenant? | The Well Podcast S1E13In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Phil, Pastor Chad, and host Les Norman discuss the New Covenant.
A covenant is binding, unbreakable, and irrevocable. In God’s covenant, we are saved by grace through faith. We don’t have to do anything. We are declared righteous before God if we believe in Him and surrender our lives to Him.
In Hebrews 8, the author clarifies the main point of his letter. He wants people to understand why Jesus is a better High Priest and the freedom of the New Covenant. Jesus’ sacrifice atoned for all our sins. His grace is gre...2024-07-0148 min
The WellConfidence of Salvation in Christ | The Well Podcast S1E12In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Phil, Pastor Chad, and host Les Norman discuss how Jesus is our anchor, giving us the certainty of salvation.
In Hebrews 6:9-20, the author reminds the Hebrews of the things that give them confidence that their salvation in Christ is permanent. He reminds them that they do not gain salvation through works but that their works are a reflection of their salvation.
If we had to earn our salvation, we could never do enough. If it was up to us to keep, we never could. However, we can have certainty in our...2024-06-2442 min
The WellA Father’s Role | The Well Podcast S1E11In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Phil and Pastor Chad are joined by Rob and Olivia Poettgen for a special Father’s Day episode.
When a religion distorts the genuine Gospel, it diminishes the power of Jesus's finished work. The evidence of being born again is that Jesus has changed us, and the mark of maturity is living in obedience to Jesus. A father’s role is to be the spiritual leader for his family by modeling a life of obedience.
Rob shares his testimony of being born and raised Catholic and how that religion impacted his view of G...2024-06-1744 min
The WellHow Do I Grow in Spiritual Maturity? | The Well Podcast S1E10In this episode of The Well Podcast, Pastor Phil, Pastor Chad, and host Les Norman discuss how believers can grow in spiritual maturity.
Many Christians are still in infancy spiritually, even after walking with and following Jesus for years. Often, believers think that because they know a lot, they’ve grown a lot. However, a disciple is someone who walks obediently to God, not somebody who’s simply studying deeper theology.
To stay on the path of godliness and spiritual maturity, you must clothe yourself with God’s Word. You cannot grow up to look more like the Son of God if...2024-06-1037 min
The WellThe Word of God Is Living and Powerful | The Well Podcast S1E9In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Phil, Pastor Chad, and host Les Norman talk about how the Word of God is living and powerful in believers’ lives.
Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the Word of God is living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword. His Word is true, trustworthy, and eternal.
The enemy doesn’t want us to use God’s Word to fight temptation. He wants us to depend on others for revelations from God so that we never discover its power in our lives. But God has given us the Bible, the sword of the spirit and on...2024-06-0351 min
The WellWhat Is the Purpose of the Sabbath? | The Well Podcast S1E8In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Phil, Pastor Chad, and host Les Norman discuss the purpose of the Sabbath for believers.
Life is a marathon, not a sprint. To stay in the race and finish strong, believers must get in the rhythm of having a weekly Sabbath.
The purpose of the Sabbath is to intentionally rest and recharge your soul. We’re not commanded to keep a day as the Sabbath to earn righteousness before God like the ancient Israelites. However, we practice the Sabbath to enjoy the abundant life Jesus offers us.
To Sabbath doesn’t mean you’...2024-05-2745 min
The WellWhat Is God’s Will for My Life? | The Well Podcast S1E7In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Phil, Pastor Jeremy, and host Les Norman tackle the question, “What is God’s will for my life?”
Have you ever wondered what God’s will is for your life? God’s will is made known through His Word. His plan will differ for each person, but His will can be found in His Word. He has commissioned us to live sent and share the gospel with those around us.
Every believer is called to ministry, but some people do it vocationally while others live on mission in their careers and daily lives. Bef...2024-05-2045 min
The WellThe 3 Elements of Saving Faith | The Well Podcast S1E6In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Phil, Pastor Chad, and host Les Norman talk about the elements of saving faith.
In Hebrews 3, the author warns the ancient Hebrews not to doubt Jesus’ sufficiency. He reminds them of the Israelites who escaped captivity from Egypt. They had enough faith to get out of Egypt but not enough to enter the Promised Land!
Although God constantly provided for them, the Israelites lacked the three elements of saving faith. They complained bitterly, doubted God’s promise, and disobeyed His commands. The Ancient Hebrews would have known this account well, and the illu...2024-05-1350 min
The WellReflecting the Image of God | The Well Podcast S1E5In this episode of The Well podcast, Pastor Phil, Pastor Chad, and host Les Norman talk about God’s plan for man and how creation reflects His image.
All creation, even those who don’t believe in God, demonstrate a need and desire for Christ. God desires that His image would be reflected in all His creation. He wants to be known, and He wants us to know Him. Once we know Him, He wants us to take Him to others so we can know Him too.
The 3 Roles of Man:
Reflect God’s image.
Rule over the earth.
Reject the De...2024-05-0648 min
The WellReceiving the Gift of Salvation | The Well Podcast S1E4In this episode of The Well, Pastor Phil, Pastor Chad, and host Les Norman discuss the difference between knowing about God and believing in Him.
In Hebrews 2, the ancient Hebrews were drifting from their faith. Although they hadn’t rejected Christ and weren’t hostile to the gospel, they had neglected to respond to Christ’s gift of salvation.
The nature of a drift is that it is subtle and slow, like a lazy river. In our culture, distraction and complacency often contribute to people drifting away from God. However, Jesus is throwing us a lifesaver to allow us to grasp...2024-04-2948 min
The WellHow To Know If You’re a Christian | The Well Podcast S1E3In this episode of The Well, Pastor Phil and Les Norman are joined by Clayton and Shari King from Clayton King Ministries. Clayton and Shari shared wins from the marriage conference they led at Abundant Life this past weekend and answered the question, “How do you know you are a Christian? It’s easy to distort what it means to be a Christian. You can be wrong about many things, but salvation is the one thing you must be right about because you do not get a second chance at salvation after you die. Clayton share...2024-04-2243 min
The WellAngels, Spiritual Warfare, and the Supernatural | The Well Podcast S1E2In this episode of The Well, Pastor Phil, Pastor Chad, and host Les Norman dive into what the Bible says about angels. How do angels reveal themselves to us? What do we know about spiritual warfare? Why is there a growing fascination with the supernatural?
Angels can take on human form and a human body to carry out God’s will. They are God’s messengers and ministers. However, Satan and his army of angels also masquerade as angels of light. Their job is to deceive and turn our attention away from God and the truth.
Satan has always wanted to b...2024-04-1442 min
The WellHow to Study the Word of God | The Well Podcast S1E1In this episode of The Well, Pastor Phil, Pastor Chad, and host Les Norman give an overview of the Book of Hebrews. Who wrote it? What is the historical setting? Who was it written to? How should we study it?
The theme of Hebrews is the complete sufficiency and the absolute supremacy of Jesus Christ. It was written to strengthen the Jews’ wavering faith and prove that Jesus is the Messiah.
For many people, Jesus is just a mascot, not a Messiah. When you have a small view of the Word of God, you have a small view of the So...2024-04-0840 min
Abundant Life Family PodcastAbundant Life Family Podcast Episode 24 | Navigating ConflictWhether you've been married 30 minutes or 30 years, conflict is inevitable. But it's how we deal with conflict that makes or breaks a marriage. On this episode of the Abundant Life Family Podcast, our hosts Bill and Jen Hildebrand sit down with Jonathan and Angela Buttram and talk about how to handle conflict in a healthy and biblical way. James 4:1 says "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?" Whether it's love, respect, significance, or something else...when we are fighting, we are battling for something. The key, in marriage, or...2024-03-1223 min
Abundant Life SermonsThe Rocks Will Cry Out | Love on Display (Part 1)Apart from Christ, we are born spiritually stone dead. It’s Christ who makes us spiritually alive—living stones!
1 Peter 2:5, “…you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
As living stones, we can worship God in 2 ways:
1.) We put His love on display through giving generously.
2.) We put His love on display through sharing the gospel openly.
Jesus alone has the power to give us life. If the rocks could cry out His praises, they would never stop testifying about who Jesus is and wha...2024-03-0336 min
Abundant Life SermonsThe Christian’s Role in GovernmentWhy should Christians be involved in government? Godly people engaged in government influence godly outcomes. Examples of Christians in government abound, including Joseph, Daniel, and Nehemiah, who brought godly outcomes even in ungodly governing systems. In Matthew 5:13, Jesus calls us to be the salt of the earth. Because the Church is no longer “salty,” our society is decaying morally and spiritually. How can Christians be the salt of the earth? By seeking first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33). As Christians, our allegiance must first be to the Kingdom...2024-02-2547 minAbundant Life SermonsThe Call to Go | Matt Carter – Send NetworkMatt Carter is the vice president of mobilization for Send Network, a partnership of people planting churches everywhere for everyone. Before joining Send Network, Matt founded The Austin Stone Community Church, which sent over 300 full-time missionaries to unreached people groups around the world during his time there. The Great Commission is a call for all believers. Send Network exists to help believers fulfill the Great Commission by reaching cities with the Gospel, making disciples, and planting churches. 3 reasons why every believer should engage in the Great Commission: 1) Jesus...2024-02-1841 min
Abundant Life SermonsNames of God: Isaiah 9:6-7In Isaiah 9:6-7, we find 4 names of God describing who Jesus is. Only as you know who Jesus is can you know who you are! The 4 names in Isaiah each have a personal meaning for believers.
1. Wonderful Counselor - Jesus has the wise counsel we need for every situation.
2. Mighty God - Jesus is a warrior. He is completely unstoppable and all-powerful!
3. Everlasting Father - Jesus is more than a “distant deity.” He came to make us part of His family. Jesus came to reveal the Father who loves His sons and daughters.
4. Prince of Peace - When Christ returns, He w...2023-12-1732 min
Abundant Life Family PodcastEpisode 15: Single ParentingThe ideal situation is not always reality. In America today, almost half our children are raised in a home that is either a single parent household, a blended family, or being raised by a family member that is not the biological parent. Single parenting can come with lots of challenges. But there is hope. In today's episode of the Abundant Life Family Ministry Podcast, our hosts Bill and Jen Hildebrand sit down with Pastor Phil Hopper to give spiritual encouragement for single parents who are trying to walk the path and commit their children to Jesus. Pastor Phil gives...2023-11-0726 min
Abundant Life SermonsCastles Part 3 – Biblical Roles in MarriageIn marriage, there is no struggle for control of the throne when Jesus alone sits on the throne of your home. The way to end the battle of the sexes and establish roles in marriage is for men and women to get off the throne and let God build their homes!
IF YOU DON’T WANT A MARRIAGE ON THE ROCKS, DON’T ROCK THE ROLLS
Responsibilities are interchangeable; roles aren’t!
In marriage, men and women are equal, but we’re not the same – we differ in function. Our society has tried to reverse the roles, erase the roles, and rock t...2023-09-0349 min
Abundant Life SermonsCastles Part 2 - What Does the Bible Say about Marriage?In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus teaches us what the Bible says about marriage. He reminds us that the foundation for your house – your marriage – must be the Rock, the Lord Jesus Christ!
WHAT A CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE SHOULD LOOK LIKE
We live in a time of self-idolatry and anarchy. Homes around us are suffering because couples aren’t willing to die to their flesh and serve their spouses. When you say, “I do,” at the altar, you say, “I die,” too. A Christian marriage should be filled with…
The fear of the Lord – submitting to God’s authority brings peace instead of anarchy.
Obedience...2023-08-2748 min
Abundant Life SermonsA Study of Thessalonians (Part 3) | How God’s Word Changes YouThe Thessalonians were a church of irresistible influence because they were a church of irresistible life change. Their changed lives were unexplainable yet undeniable! Discover how God’s Word changed them and can change you!
HOW GOD’S WORD WORKS IN YOU TO CHANGE YOU…
IT MUST BE RECEIVED. A changed life begins with a new birth by the “seed” of God’s Word. Spiritually you are born by the “seed” of God’s Word, and you grow by the “milk” milk of God’s Word.
IT MUST BE BELIEVED. You don’t change by getting into God’s Word. You change when God’s Word g...2023-06-0436 min
Abundant Life SermonsA Study of Thessalonians (Part 2) | The Church That Is Irresistibly Authentic“Irresistible authenticity” describes early Christianity and the Apostle Paul’s ministry. People can argue with what we say but can’t argue with what they see.
3 STEPS TO MAKING AUTHENTIC DISCIPLES OF CHRIST…
Be the Church that is irresistibly authentic.
REACHING. It was what Paul did more than what he said that proved the authenticity of his ministry, which is why he reached many. This is why he had faith worth following!
TEACHING. You grow spiritually from infancy to maturity by increasing your knowledge biblically and walking obediently.
REPRODUCING. As a spiritual father, Paul desired to reproduce Christlikeness in his spiritual...2023-05-2846 min
Abundant Life SermonsA Study of Thessalonians (Part 1) | The Church of Irresistible InfluenceThe church at Thessalonica was a church of irresistible influence. They were living proof of a loving God to a watching world.
3 things made the Thessalonians a church of irresistible influence…
Their work of FAITH. They placed their faith in the resurrected Christ, radically changing lives. Their faith in Christ unleashed the work of the Holy Spirit within them and revealed the holiness of the one true God.
Their labor of LOVE. The Thessalonians were loving and serving, despite persecution and affliction. Many find the Church irresistible for being a loving community, yet others fie it reprehensible for its holy li...2023-05-2144 min
Abundant Life SermonsThe Power of MotherhoodThe power of motherhood is to shape their children and future generations. While our modern culture sometimes teaches that women having children is a problem, God considers having children a privilege and the role of the mother of utmost importance.
The goal of motherhood is to train up our children to be more than “good” but truly godly! This demands we start early and do the hard work daily.
The priority and power of motherhood is to teach their children their identity. Children naturally ask, “Who am I?” Who they are is defined by whose they are. God created and made the...2023-05-1440 min
Abundant Life SermonsGod Has a Mission for You!Jesus sends us on a mission to take the gospel to our neighbors and to the nations. God has a mission for you! Ask Him how He wants you to live sent.
John 20:21 says, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
GOD’S MISSION FOR YOU IS TO LIVE SENT
The Apostle Paul lived sent by keeping these 3 things in mind…
He was a bondservant to Christ.
Paul described himself as a debtor and a bondslave of the Lord Jesus Christ. A bondslave was not “forced” into servitude but one who willingly chose to serve their master, giving up al...2023-05-0749 min
Abundant Life SermonsA Fountain of Living Water | Living as a Spiritual PioneerJesus came to give a dying world a fountain of “living water.” John 7:37-38 says, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive…”
JOURNEY THROUGH THE WILDERNESS
In Exodus 17, Israel set out on their journey through the wilderness, but there was no water to drink. They complained. They doubted God would provide, and they cast blame, saying, “Why is it you (Moses) have brought us out of Eg...2023-04-2349 min
Abundant Life SermonsEaster 2023 | Receive Living Water and Eternal LifeIn John chapter 4, Jesus met a woman at a well and used “living water” as a picture of eternal life! Water is essential to life. The Apostle John later wrote about a city where “a pure river of water of life” flowed…
“And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the...2023-04-0949 min
Abundant Life SermonsCommunion & Baptism ServiceA special service celebrating baptism and communion for Palm Sunday.
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Do you want to see your life changed by...2023-04-0234 min
Abundant Life SermonsDo You Seek First the Kingdom of God? What Does a Kingdom Mentality Look Like?Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Having a kingdom mentality means living generously because it focuses your life spiritually.
PRACTICE GENEROSITY. HAVE A KINGDOM MENALITY.
Practicing generosity in Jesus’ name publicly declares the King you serve. It states that you belong to a different Kingdom.
The kingdoms of this world are built on greed, idolatry, selfishness, and self-centeredness.
Our King invites us to give in a world that takes. In a world of greed, Jesus invites us to give.
Join Pastor Phil Hopper as he tells...2023-03-2644 min
Abundant Life SermonsHow to Be a Good Steward | Managing What God Has Given YouHow can we be good stewards and manage what God has entrusted us?
Recognize that we own nothing, and God owns everything!
-Deuteronomy 10:14 says everything in heaven and on earth belongs to the Lord.
-James 1:17 says every good gift comes from God.
-1 Corinthians 6:16 says we belong to God.
Recognize we are not called to be owners but faithful stewards.
1 Corinthians 4:2 says we must be faithful stewards, or managers, of what belongs to God and what He has put in our care.
WHAT IS STEWARDSHIP?
Stewardship is the management of our abilities, opportunities, energy, and money for godly priorities. All...2023-03-1247 min
Abundant Life SermonsWhat Does Living Generously Mean? And How Do You Do It?Living generously means living with a “margin mentality.” By working hard for our money and living wisely, we create a margin financially to live generously.
Proverbs 6:6-8 says…
“Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.”
So what does Proverbs 6 have to do with living generously?
These verses explain the difference between and ant and a slug. The ant is always working while the slug is always resting.
God commands us to work unless we physically can’t. Whe...2023-03-0545 min
Abundant Life SermonsBook of Acts & Biblical Leadership (Part 9) | How to Lead through the Storms of LifeSpirit-filled leaders bring calm and clarity in times of chaos. But what does leading through the storms of life look like?
Acts 27 tells the story of a ship carrying Paul and other prisoners to Italy. Along the way, the ship was caught in a hurricane-force storm.
It was the Apostle Paul, who was not a trained sailor, who brought calm and clarity to the ship.
How?
He believed in God and encouraged others to do the same.
In Acts 27:22, Paul stated, “And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but on...2023-02-2645 min
Abundant Life SermonsBook of Acts & Biblical Leadership (Part 8) | What Is an “Almost” Christian?The world is full of “almost” Christians. But what does that mean? And what keeps someone from fully surrendering to Jesus?
In Acts 28, we read how King Agrippa was “almost” a Christian.
He understood Jewish culture.
He knew the prophecies recorded in Jewish scripture.
He acknowledged the logic of Paul’s argument and couldn’t counter it.
Yet Agrippa couldn’t surrender to Jesus. Why?
There were 4 things standing in the way of King Agrippa moving from “almost” Christian to full surrender to Christ.
Seduction
Pride
Family
Religion
Acts 26:28 says…
“Then Agrippa said to Paul ‘You almost persuade me to become a Christian.’”
Jo...2023-02-1944 min
Abundant Life SermonsBook of Acts & Biblical Leadership (Part 7) | Spirit-filled Leaders Live in Fear of GodSpirit-filled leaders live in fear of God, not in fear of man. This is a biblical leadership principle many of us in the Church need to understand for today.
But how do we apply this principle?
KNOW THIS…
To the degree you fear God, you will fear no man. When you apply this biblical leadership principle, you…
Will not fear being “canceled.”
You will not be controlled by people’s opinions.
Join Pastor Phil as he…
Tells you 4 ways to make the gospel irresistible to a hostile culture
Reveals the real enemy in our culture
What the fear of man leads to, an...2023-02-1253 min
Abundant Life SermonsBook of Acts & Biblical Leadership (Part 5) | Spirit-filled Leaders Live on Mission for ChristSpirit-filled leaders live for an eternal mission. Acts 1:8 says, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
HOW DOES JESUS USE SPIRIT-FILLED LEADERS?
To seek and save those who are lost.
The Spirit of God sends the person of God to share the good news of the Son of God. The Spirit-filled life is always reflected in simple obedience to the Spirit of God as directed by the Word of God.
PHILIP’S EXAMPL...2023-01-2946 min
Abundant Life SermonsBook of Acts & Biblical Leadership (Part 4) | Spirit-filled Leaders Lay Down Their Lives for ChristWhat does it take to be a strong spiritual leader? Spirit-filled leaders don’t save their lives.
They lay down their lives for Christ. Their focus is on Christ and others. They, like Stephen in the book of Acts, aren’t concerned about living for now. They are on a mission of multiplication for the Kindom to come.
In other words, to God, the greatest tragedy is not the life laid down but the life lived solely for oneself.
In Act 7, the leaders told Stephen to explain himself, as they thought he was speaking blasphemous words against God. Stephen wasn’t inte...2023-01-2254 min
Abundant Life SermonsBook of Acts & Biblical Leadership (Part 3) | How to Multiply Yourself as a LeaderDo you want to know how to multiply yourself as a leader? Spirit-led leaders don’t merely minister to people; they minister through people. They encourage teamwork so that God’s Word and mission are fulfilled.
HEALTHY CHURCHES HAVE HEALTHY LEADERS
What does a healthy church look like?
In a healthy church, every member is a minister. There are no spectators, only participators. In the average American church, the “pews” have become the “bleachers,” where Jesus’ “fans” come to watch the professionals “play.”
THE PROBLEM
Sadly, those who come only to watch miss out on great blessings to…
Grow their faith and know their ide...2023-01-1549 min
Abundant Life SermonsBook of Acts & Biblical Leadership (Part 2) | How Are Leaders Supernaturally Empowered?It’s the Spirit of God that supernaturally empowers every born-again child of God to be a powerful witness for the Son of God. Biblical leaders are filled with the Spirit and led by the Spirit.
God promised to give us His Spirit so we could be powerful witnesses of His Son. The book of Acts is a historical record of the acts of the Apostles and the early Church fulfilling the Acts 1:8 mandate.
WHAT IS THE ACTS 1:8 MANDATE?
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jeru...2023-01-0846 min
Abundant Life Sermons“Oh, Holy Night” | Remembering the Night of Jesus’ BirthThe song “Oh, Holy Night” helps us remember the night of Jesus’ birth.
The lyrics guide us through how…
Jesus taught us to love
His law is love and His gospel is peace
He breaks chains of slavery
He makes all oppression cease
“OH, HOLY NIGHT” LYRICS…
Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and err...2022-12-2526 min
Abundant Life SermonsWhat Is the Song “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” About?“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” dates back more than a thousand years to the Monastic movement and reflects the prophecy written in Isaiah 7:14.
“O COME, O COME, EMMANUEL” LYRICS…
“O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appears. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.”
“O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free thine own from Satan’s tyranny; from depths of hell thy people save, and give them victory o’er the grave. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.”
“O come, Thou Dayspring, from on high, and cheer...2022-12-1840 min
Abundant Life SermonsWhat Is the Song “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” About? Pointing to the Theology of Salvation“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” was written in 1739 by John Wesley as a musical celebration of Luke 2:8-14.
“HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING” LYRICS…
“Hark! the herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn King: peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!’ Joyful, all ye nations, rise, join the triumph of the skies; with angelic hosts proclaim, ‘Christ is born in Bethlehem!’”
“Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all He brings, risen with healing in His wings, mild He lays His glory by, born that man no more may die. Born to raise the s...2022-12-1144 min
Abundant Life SermonsWhat Is the Song “Joy to the World” About? Reflecting Two Kingdoms“Joy to the World” was written in 1719 as a musical interpretation of Psalm 98, a prophecy about the coming King.
“JOY TO THE WORLD” LYRICS…
“Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns. Let all their songs employ. While field and floods, rocks, hills, and plains, repeat the sounding joy…”
“He rules the world with truth and grace and makes the nations prove. The glories of His righteousness, and wonders of His love…”
PSALM 98
“Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory. The Lord has made known His salva...2022-12-0439 min
Abundant Life SermonsIrresistible (Part 7) | How the Parable of the Good Samaritan Reveals God’s CompassionIn the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus taught what makes the gospel irresistible is God’s compassion for all people. Those that others find reprehensible God finds irresistible.
There is no price too high that God would not pay for any of us. We matter to God. We are priceless to Him!
THE CHARACTERS IN THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN…
A Certain Man
“A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.”—Luke 10:30
The certain man represents us in our fallen con...2022-11-2045 min
Abundant Life SermonsIrresistible (Part 6) | Planting the Kingdom of GodWhat does planting the kingdom of God look like today? Jeremiah 29:5-7 tells us…
“Build houses and dwell in them, plant gardens and eat their fruit. Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters—that you may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace.”
PLANTING THE KINGDOM OF GOD…
BUILD houses
PLA...2022-11-1336 min
Abundant Life SermonsIrresistible (Part 5) | Church Houses Are Multiplying the Movement of GodGod is on the move and doing something new! Abundant Life Church Houses are multiplying the movement of God by gathering in small groups to…
Worship together
Grow spiritually
Find biblical community
Live missionally
God always intended His temple to be a light to the nations. In the Old Testament, it was a BUILDING, but in the New Testament, it’s a BODY! First Corinthians 3:16 says, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”
The church is not a building with stained glass and a steeple—THE CHURCH IS THE PEO...2022-11-0641 min
Abundant Life SermonsIrresistible (Part 4) | What It Looks Like to Be the Salt of the EarthJesus said, “You are the salt of the earth…” (Matthew 5:13-16) What did He mean? Who was He talking to? What does it look like to be the salt of the earth?
In Scripture, salt symbolizes the truth of God’s Word. We are to be “salty” with the truth of the gospel.
Salt…
Preserves
Fights infections
Makes people thirsty
To be the salt of the earth means that…
By the power of God, we—the Church—are to be a preservative in the world, slowing down the moral and spiritual decay that takes place every day. We are to present the gospel t...2022-10-3044 min
Unwritten with Maddy ShoeEating Disorder Recovery with LivingProof MNIn this episode I discuss what living with an eating disorder is like with Sasha and Shira. We discuss what recovery looks like, how to live our most beautiful lives and what freedom feels like. It was a privilege to interview these two ladies, and hear their journeys to recovery. For anyone needing support please reach out and seek help. You can access LivingProof MN's resources through this link https://www.livingproofmn.com 2021-08-0450 min
Hometown Headlines Radio Edition: Local news without the static.Suspect held in bank robbery. Safe landing on I-75. LivingProof expanding. Second voting site. Peaks & Valleys on Peach State, voting.A busy Monday is under way with these headlines:
Rome Police says a suspect arrested on armed robbery, probation violation in Synovus hold-up case last week.
In another case, a Rome face faces 20 counts including rape, kidnapping and battery.
Safe landing for pilot, passenger on I-75 near Union Grove interchange north of Adairsville on Sunday. This was the second emergency landing this month around here.
LivingProof Recovery hopes to add services in Lindale; also partnering with Emory University nursing program in 2020. Look for additional outreach as well.
Election: After strong turnout for weekend voting (240 ballots), advance voting this w...2019-10-2808 min