In this episode, host Anthony Mullins interviews Mike and Juli Rasmussen. The Rasmussen’s have been married for 36 years and have shared ministry together throughout their marriage, and they both love small groups! Together, Anthony, Mike, and Juli and how these smaller relational gatherings practically fit into the overall GCI vision of Healthy Church.
“I love the idea that you can sit down and get to know 6-12 people, or so, in an intimate setting. In an intimate way, that you would never get to do at church. At church you’re going to spend time afterward talking to a couple of other people and it stays relatively shallow, even if it goes deep, it is not going to go nearly as deep as a connect group. And so, you bond in way that... Read the article
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One in Christ w/ Jeff Broadnax
Listen in as host, Anthony Mullins and guest, Jeff Broadnax, unpack these lectionary passages:
July 4 - Proper 9
2 Corinthians 12:2-10 (NRSV) “My Grace is Sufficient”
(04:23)
July 11 - Proper 10
Ephesians 1:3-14 (NRSV) “Chosen”
(17:16)
July 18 - Proper 11
Ephesians 2:11-22 (NRSV) “One in Christ”
(28:49)
July 25 - Proper 12
Ephesians 3:14-21 (NRSV) “Grounded in Love”
(37:06)
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Psalm 14:1-7 • 2 Samuel 11:1-15 • Ephesians 3:14-21 • John 6:1-21
The theme this week is God gives us all we need, and then some. The call to worship Psalm is a reiteration of faith in the God of Israel who will provide more than they need. 2 Samuel 11 is the painful story of David going around God’s provision to steal another man’s wife. John 6 tells of Jesus providing a feast for a crowd from a sack lunch. Our sermon comes from Ephesians 3, Paul’s prayer that this church can explore the unreachable depths of identity in Christ.
Paul’s Crescendo of Prayer
Ephesians 3:14-21 ESV
Any symphony will have a crescendo—perhaps a few, as the piece goes on. You know it, it’s the loud part—that deafening roar at the end when... Read the article
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Psalm 89:20-37 • 2 Samuel 7:1-14a • Ephesians 2:11-22 • Mark 6:30-34, 53-56
This week’s theme is Jesus the true king. The call to worship Psalm 89 pairs with the story in 2 Samuel, which recounts Nathan’s prophecy of the shepherd David being chosen as king to rule over God’s people along with God’s affirmation and confirmation of it. The Gospel reading in Mark also draws on the shepherd motif where those “like sheep without a shepherd” and shows the true shepherd king providing compassion and healing to the people. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians announces Jesus as our peace who has broken down the wall of hostility that divides.
Jesus Is Our Peace
Ephesians 2:11-22 (ESV)
A sermon titled “Jesus Is Our Peace” may... Read the article
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Psalm 24:1-10 · 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 · Mark 6:14-29 · Ephesians 1:3-14
The theme for this week is our redemption story, strange and beautiful. We are reminded that God’s romance with humanity is both familiar and uncanny. Our call to worship Psalm gives us insight into God working through the dynasty of Israel through the centuries. 2 Samuel 6 describes the sacred and dangerous work of moving the Ark of the Covenant. Mark 6 tells the tragic end of the story of power and pride. Our sermon is on Ephesians 1:3-14, in which Paul tells the compressed story of our faith from before creation and into eternity.
The Choice, the Plan, the Inheritance
Ephesians 1:3-14 ESV
Begin with a reading of Ephesians 1:3-14 ESV.
Ever since human... Read the article
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Psalm 48:1-14 · 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10 · Mark 6:1-13 · 2 Corinthians 12:2-10
The theme for this week is God is with us despite our flaws. Psalm 48, our call to worship, reminds us that while people can let us down, God is our Guide who will never fail us. David’s rise to power, as discussed in 2 Samuel 5, occurred because “God was with him” despite his flaws. In Mark 6, Jesus shares his disappointment with the people’s hardheartedness. Our sermon text comes from 2 Corinthians 12 where Paul tells the story about how weakness can actually be connected with power.
Beauty in Imperfection
2 Corinthians 12:2-10 (NRSV)
Kintsugi (pronounced kin-SOO-kee) is a Japanese art form that repairs broken pottery by mixing gold dust with... Read the article
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Discipleship is a life-long journey and not a one-time event. As the Holy Spirit guides us into a deeper understanding of who God is, the development of our faith often follows through similar stages. This Church Hack outlines the stages of faith and can be a helpful tool in identifying the challenges and beliefs about God that members of your connect group are working through. #gcichurchhacks
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Here is information on how to register and set up your Denominational Celebration watch party.
Before you do anything else, register for the GCI Denominational Celebration. Individual and watch party registrations are available.
If you would like to make the Celebration a local church retreat, we have developed a guide on how to host a watch party. Check it out at this link. Read the article
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If handled well, tough questions can provide you and your young people a tremendous opportunity for discipleship and growth.
“If God loves me, why did he let my father die?” William was a quiet, shy young man and rarely spoke. I was a youth pastor at the time, and he regularly came to our weekly meeting with his sister, Ellie. Despite my best efforts to make them feel like they belonged, every Friday evening, they sat in the back and barely spoke. Every Friday, I would sit down next to them and ask them “getting-to-know-you” questions and crack corny jokes. This time was like the other times except that William and Ellie’s dad had unexpectedly and suddenly died of cancer two weeks before. When William’s father got the... Read the article
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Sharing faith, hope and love with grandchildren and other young members.
By Bob Regazolli, Grandad and Pastor, Australia
One of the joys we experience in our local congregation is seeing the evidence of cross-generational care in children’s and youth ministry. Parents and grandparents are actively involved in the various classes. Some grandparents bring their grandchildren to services. The children’s parents don’t attend, but when asked, they are glad for their children to attend church with their grandparents.
It is a blessing to see the children learning with their grandparents (by birth or by church adoption) about the life of Jesus as we celebrate the great events in his life as highlighted in the Christian... Read the article
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