Sermons
What If You’re the Part That’s Missing?
It was his turn to do the day’s maintenance. This was not any ordinary maintenance, however. This particular man was an astronaut aboard the International Space Station. And maintenance meant an EVA (Extra-Vehicular Activity). His second of the week and something he was looking forward to. Like every other time he suited up, checked the... Read More →
The Advent of Grace
In 2005, a badly damaged painting appeared at a small auction in New Orleans. It was darkened by years of grime. Cracked. Covered over with heavy-handed touch-ups from previous restorations. To most people, it looked tired and unimpressive—certainly not special. Experts believed it was just a copy of a much more famous work—a valiant attempt... Read More →
The Advent of War
“Don’t stay out past dark or the Demon of the Jungle will get you!” A mother called after her children as they ran barefoot down a dirt path in a small Philippine village, the sun already slipping behind the trees. The air was thick and warm, heavy with the smell of damp earth and woodsmoke.... Read More →
What is my Inheritance as a Christian?
There’s an old story about a small kingdom perched high on a mountain—though “mountain” may be generous. It was really a hill, just high enough to lift its people above the valley below. From that height they could see every road and river that ran through the farmland spread beneath them. The mountain folk lived... Read More →
What Does It Mean to Be a Christian?
Gary turned 40 in 1964, and like every other man of his generation, his attention was captured that spring by the launch of the Ford Mustang. It was magical — the roar of that V8 driving 2,500 pounds of pure Americana, 271 horsepower, and a 4-speed manual transmission. He wanted it desperately, but he couldn’t afford... Read More →
Reclaiming the Wilderness
I wanted to start by sharing with you the tale of an idiot—an idiot who threw away everything: his education, his career, his home. An idiot who did so in spite of good counsel, stern admonition, and even full-throated rebuke. An idiot who pursued his own destruction with reckless abandon, somehow believing it was a good... Read More →
Freedom in Christ
Opening Story I want to start this morning with a story about a single mom. She grew up in a small town, moved away to a big city in another country when she grew up, married a man, had a baby… then it all fell apart. Divorced, isolated, unemployed. She moved back home to be... Read More →
Justified by Faith
Opening Illustration & Setup Once upon a time in a land far, far away… The globe stands at the precipice of war. The world is watching, the people are holding their collective breath. One man, a power-hungry autocrat who thinks his nation has been cheated, wronged by the nations around him and the world at... Read More →
A Simple Invitation
HOOK [Welcome everyone // Introduce yourself // Hand out Bibles] Who here is an introvert? [Raise hands] I, too, am an introvert, and if you are like me, you probably didn’t raise your hand out of fear that someone might see you… and… want to talk to you about it—that’s the kind of introvert I... Read More →
Living with Purpose and Perseverance
Hook Good morning, church! My name is Conrad, and I’m one of the pastors here. If you need a Bible throw your hand in the air and our of our Serve Team members will make sure you get one. Go ahead and turn to the book of Hebrews. And while you’re finding the book of... Read More →
Batman, Barbie, and Jesus
Hook Good morning all, my name is Conrad and I am one of the pastors here. If you need a Bible to follow along in our Bible study this morning, put your hands in the air and one of our ushers will make sure you get one. I have long said that my two favourite... Read More →
The Portrait of Love
Hook [Intro yourself. Hand out Bibles. Communion in coming.] I used to spend my summers in Toronto working with my father. He owned a roofing company, but did plenty of other general contracting work. One day he dropped my brother and I off at this old Italian lady’s place to do lay a brick patio.... Read More →