Flagstone Church of Christ
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Sunday lessons and Wednesday Night Unscripted talks. For video, check out our Youtube Channel at https://youtube.com/flagstonechurchofchrist
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We have a clearer picture of where non-Christians are coming from, and we’ve recognized what’s at the core of some of our own hesitations when it comes to sharing our faith. Now it’s time to get a little more practical. How do we engage in a spiritual conversation with an unchurched person? What do we need to say? What do they need to hear from us?
After gaining a little bit clearer understanding of the perspective and mindset of non-Christians in our community, in this lesson we turn our focus more towards ourselves as Christians. What are ways we have tried to share our faith with others in the past, and how effective have those methods been? We need to also take an honest look at some of the factors that can cause us to be hesitant when it comes to engaging in spiritual conversations.
The mission is simple: "Make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19) and sharing Jesus makes all the sense in the world when you are surrounded by fellow Christians, but in the real world it might look intimidating and even anxiety inducing. Does it really matter? Am I even allowed to share my faith in corporate America? In this class we will seek to better understand the "unchurched" in our community and fan to flame the Spirit inside of us to go after our friends, colleagues, and family that desperately need Jesus just as much as us.
//Note: Some sections have been clipped due to not being able to hear questions asked. Marshall and Brandon attempt to repeat questions as needed.
Welcome to Unscripted! Church leaders Marshall Brown and Brandon Dodd engage in meaningful conversations and topics aimed at asking questions honestly about culture and faith.
This week's episode is about meaningful community, and more specifically about online friendships and relationships. For a long time, there's been a stigma about online relationships, but can they actually be healthy and effective?
Welcome to Unscripted! Church leaders Marshall Brown and Brandon Dodd engage in meaningful conversations and topics aimed at asking questions honestly about culture and faith.
This week's episode is about meaningful community, and more specifically how we are biologically designed for connection. We know that we have a natural desire to connect with people and be a part of a community, but how do our brains actually work when it comes to connection?
Jesus Juke Podcast Ep. 2
MUST OR DUST THANKSGIVING EDITION
// We're just two guys talking life, family, weird stories, and the occasional Jesus Juke *Heisman Sounds*. In our second episode, Marshall and @Brandon Dodd talk turkey with Thanksgiving just a few days away. There are some definite dishes that should grace each of our holiday tables, but there is some disagreement on which ones. What dishes are landing on YOUR Thanksgiving tables this season?
WELCOME TO THE JESUS JUKE PODCAST
// We're just two guys talking life, family, weird stories and the occasional Jesus Juke *Heisman sounds*. In our Pilot episode, @Brandon Dodd and Marshall Brown challenge each other to a Jesus-Juke-Challenge with some random prompts where we expect each other to make something spiritual out of funny life circumstances.
// Let us know in the comments who won the Jesus Juke Battle, and what random topics you think would be funny for us to cover next!
As Christmas Day approaches, many of us go through our lists of people we need to buy gifts for to make sure we haven't left anyone out. There are some gifts that are more generic and given without a lot of thought. There are some gifts that have a special significance to them or a special reasons behind the giving. Centuries ago there was an old man who took an infant in his arms and recognized that he was hold a special, precious gift. Who was this man? And what can the song that he sang hundreds of years ago teach us about God's grace and acceptance?
The winter holiday season can easily become one of the most stressed-filled, chaotic times of the year. We have parties and gift exchanges and travel plans and holiday traditions that can quickly create a sense of anxiety and pressure. Add to that the negative feelings many of us experience during this time of year with broken relationships, family strains, and maybe memories of lost loved ones. Sometimes the thing we feel the least during the holiday season is the thing we need most - peace. And yet that's what a special group proclaimed in song the night Jesus was born - that God was bringing mankind the gift of peace. So who were these special singers? And how do I experience the peace they sang about when Jesus came into this world?
Many of us have watched so many Christmas pageants, sang so many Christmas carols, and gazed at so many nativity scenes that we may no longer feel surprise or wonder when we look at the story of the birth of Jesus. But the nativity story is full of unexpected moments, including when Jesus’ mother Mary was surprised by a visit from an angel. What was her reaction to this unexpected messenger? And what does the song she sang in the middle of her fear teach me about trust and about surrendering to God’s will?
What songs are on your Christmas playlist? “All I Want for Christmas Is You”? “Last Christmas”? Or maybe something a little more classic like “Jingle Bells” or “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”? Christmas playlists help us enjoy the holiday season with songs dedicated to Santa Claus and sleigh rides and winter wonderlands. But there are also several Christmas songs that help focus our thoughts on the birth of Jesus. Actually the Bible itself shares multiple songs that announced and celebrated the arrival of the Son of God into our world. This Christmas season at Flagstone, we are going to discover those ancient “Christmas Playlists,” and we are going to recognize that the messages conveyed in those celebrations still contain truths for us today.
Regardless of the holiday season, HOPE can sometimes be in short supply. We may have placed our greatest hopes in finite things that have failed us, or been let down by someone or something in our lives that promised satisfaction. When Paul tells us in Romans 15:13 that we can have hope abundantly along with joy and peace, he wasn't kidding. Because we place our hope in someONE that is unshakable, always satisfying our deepest needs. Jesus Christ himself. Let's see how Paul lays out his argument for hope in Romans.
We live in a culture that consistently communicates "what's mine is mine." It's my stuff...it's my house...it's my car...it's my bank account. And the danger in only seeing my money and my possessions as "mine" is that I become less willing to share those things, less willing to be generous or to give. But God has always had an expectation for His people to 1) enjoy the blessings He gives them, and 2) share those blessings with others. Because of all the ways God pours good stuff into our lives, we are called to pour that same stuff into the lives of other people - our love, our kindness, our compassion, our forgiveness...and even our finances. Why is it that God expects me to give to others what He's given me? And how do I become a more consistently cheerful giver?
We live in a culture that often seems to encourage people to have a "me-first" mentality. We are encouraged to look out for ourselves and make sure our own needs are being met before we worry about anyone else. This is not a new concept however; people in Jesus' day seemed to have a similar focus. What was Jesus' response? "If you want to be first, you have to be last." "If you want to be the greatest, you have to be the least." Jesus calls us to be servants and to put others' needs above our own first. His challenge is to take the blessings that He pours into our lives and then turn around and pour those blessings into the lives of others. So how do I do that? And why should I think of "you" before I think of "me"?
This is the time of year that many of us are reminded of all the different ways God has blessed us. But God’s expectation in sharing these blessings is not just for us to enjoy them ourselves but to use those gifts to benefit others. This month at Flagstone we’re going to spend time together thanking God for all He’s done and also discovering ways we can pour the blessings He has given us into the lives of others.
Shame is a harsh slavemaster. Shame wraps itself around our minds and our hearts and convinces us that, not only are we bad people who don't deserve acceptance or who don't measure up, but also that we can't ever be set free from it. We become convinced that this feeling of self-doubt and unworthiness is just going to be part of our lives from now on. But Jesus came to set us free from the lie that says we're not worth it. He came to accept us where we are and make us into what He has in mind for us. So how do I experience that? Is there something I need to do in order to take hold of that freedom?
Shame is such a powerful emotion. It goes beyond just a sense of guilt or remorse for past mistakes. Shame leads me to believe, not just that I did something bad, but that I am a bad person. That kind of perspective can be devastating to my sense of self-worth. But Jesus came into our world to conquer the things that keep us separated from God, including our shame. So how do I recognize if shame is something that is impacting my attitude and actions? And how do I allow Jesus to defeat and remove feelings of shame from my mind and heart?
The pursuit of happiness is one of the "rights" outlined in the Declaration of Independence. It's a concept that permeates our culture even today - pursue happiness...search for and find what makes you happy. But is being happy truly the goal in life? Is that what God wants for me? To just make sure that I'm happy? Scripture seems to indicate that God calls us to choose something even greater than happiness. God calls us to choose joy. But aren't joy and happiness the same thing? If they're not, how do I know the difference? And how do I make sure that I'm moving beyond pursuing happiness to taking hold of joy?
The Bible consistently calls God's people to experience joy. Over and over different authors in scripture talk about rejoicing and celebrating God's blessings and God's presence...and that's a good thing! But sometimes I don't feel very joyful. There are days when I'm hurting or I'm tired or I've lost something or someone that meant a lot to me - there are days when I'm just sad. But is that wrong? Does it make me a bad Christian if I have feelings of sadness? How do I keep my moments of sadness from taking over my thoughts and controlling my actions?
There are seemingly countless phobias that affect millions of people worldwide. There are constantly fear and anxiety-inducing situations many of us deal with on a regular basis. Then we read scriptures that say "do not fear" and "don't be afraid," and we feel guilty because we actually are afraid. So is it wrong to feel anxious? Is it wrong to feel fear? And what do I do when it seems like, instead of conquering my fear, my fear is conquering me?
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