A message from the series “2019 Student Mission Team Reports.” In June, four mission teams comprised of teens, young adults and adult volunteers traveled to Belize, Bolivia and Kentucky to serve impoverished communities. All team members share with the congregation their favorite part of the trip and what God taught them.
A message from the series “Skeptical.” There are passages in the Old Testament in which God commands the Israelite Army to utterly destroy certain Canaanite cities in the land that God promised to Abraham and his descendants. This sermon addresses hard questions: Is God a genocidal, malevolent bully? Is the God of the Old Testament the same God we read about in the New Testament? Pastor Nate gives three responses. One, God brings judgment upon a generationally wicked Canaanite culture. Two, God desired to stop the spiritual poison (of the Canaanites) from spreading to the Israelites and the nations. Three, God was exceedingly patient with the Canaanites. In the New Testament, God displays both His judgment and His love through the sacrifice of Christ. Christians are now agents of God’s love, reconciliation and peace – not God’s judgment.
A message from the series “Skeptical.” In this sermon, Pastor McNutt focuses on two questions. First, does fear-based faith reflect a healthy understanding of God’s power? Second, are we asking the wrong questions of scripture? There are several key considerations in addressing these questions. Our bias can lead us astray when interpreting scripture. The Bible was not intended to be a scientific textbook. The purpose of scripture is to point us to God. All truth is God’s truth. Ultimately, faith and science complement each other.
A message from the series “Skeptical.” The evangelical church and Brandywine Valley Baptist Church view scripture as authoritative, true and applicable to our lives. This sermon answers two key questions. One, what do LGBT+ affirming Christians and churches believe? Second, what does the Bible teach about homosexuality? Scripture teaches that Jesus does not call us to a life of self-fulfillment but to self-sacrifice. Christians must help to carry each other’s crosses. This means we have to be ready to love like Jesus, not showing alienation nor affirmation, but full of grace and truth.
A message from the series “Skeptical.” Yes, Christianity is an exclusive belief system, but other religions are also exclusive. Christianity differs from other religions in that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the most inclusive message in the world. Unlike other religions, there are no qualifications for accessing it. Pastor Nate addresses the world view of religious inclusivism; that every religious belief ought to be accepted as an equally valid and true path to God. He provides four challenges to religious inclusivism and responds to objections regarding the exclusivity of Christianity.