It’s hard being friends with a cocky, arrogant & self-centered person. It’s what makes “Humility” such an important characteristic. It’s needed in every relationship, including (or maybe even – especially) in the family of God - the Church. But what does “Humility” actually look like in practical terms? Is it about being less confident and sure of ourselves, or is it something else completely? How does the Gospel make us humble? Join us next week for Week #3 in our “United” series as we continue journeying through the book of Philippians together.
Jeff Jantzi
Jeff is the Lead Pastor at The Gathering Ottawa and preaches most Sunday mornings.
To Live Is Christ
"For me to live is Christ, to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21). How counter-cultural is this statement? Most of us are afraid of dying and far too often choose to live for ourselves (and not Christ). Just imagine how dangerous we would be for Christ and how united we would be as the church if we actually embraced this statement for ourselves!
Watch as Jeff teaches from Philippians 1:12-30.
Partners (Thanksgiving Sunday!)
“Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.” (Philippians 1:3). What would it take for us to have the same reaction when we think of one another? How would our church be different if we saw ourselves as 'partners' and not just 'participants'? Join us this Sunday as we talk through Philippians 1:1-11 together and consider what it means to be "United" in Christ!
Church as a ‘Sent People’
It’s easy to make church “all about me” and my personal preferences. “Do I like the Pastor?” “Do I like the preaching?” “Do I like the music?” “Do I like the people?” And in doing this, we run the risk of turning the church into a social club full of people with similar interests and beliefs. But is that really the kind of Church that Jesus envisioned when he said that, “I will build my church and the Gates of Hell will not prevail against it”? Is that really what he hoped for when he told his first disciples to, “Go and make disciples of every nation”? No chance! So what, then, does it look like for the church to be a “sent people” and to live on mission? Hint: It has very little to do with the whether or not we like the preacher.
Church as a ‘Family’
We live in a world where, through technology, people are more connected than ever before and at the same time more lonely than ever before. Even in churches, at times. People can attend regularly and yet feel completely disconnected from others, leaving many of them to wonder why they bother with church at all. But what if God’s vision for church was something completely different? What if the church was supposed to be a family? What if real (messy) community can be found in a Church Family?
Church as a ‘Gathered People’
People are attending church services at an all-time low these days. The Church, for many, has become irrelevant and attending a worship service has fallen off the radar completely. And yet churches continue to meet each and every week. But why? What makes the Sunday morning Church service so important? And why would anybody commit to attending on a regular basis? Because there has to be a better reason than, “Because you should.”
