The execution of Stephen looks to our modern eyes as ludicrously extreme. What could have caused this rioting mob to go to these extremes? Only when the Gospel exposes your deepest commitments, and threatens them, can we hope to see its freedom.

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Acts 08- How The Gospel Sets You Free

The early church was growing! But no sooner does it start than the problem of divisions in the church arise. But rather than make the new converts feel guilty about it, the Apostles appoint a new office to insure that the ministry of the Word and Deed remain together.

Acts 03- Growing Pains

Opposition from outside the church is one thing, but hypocrisy from within is equally (if not more) dangerous. Only the fearlessness of a Spirit filled community could create the integrity needed to firmly establish this new revolutionary movement.

Acts 06- Opposition from Inside

Jesus' mission to repair the world from the effects of sin meets almost immediate opposition from the religious elite. Their opposition to the disciples message still resonates with attacks on Christianity even our day.

Acts 05- Opposition From Outside

Many people who traffic on the outskirts of Christianity have weird notions of what it looks like to live a "Spirit filled life." But in the wake of Pentecost, there were tangible signs that the Spirit had come in power to transform a fledgling group into a worldwide movement.

Acts 04- In The Wake Of The Spirit

The coming of Holy Spirit at Pentecost was the "shot heard around the world" for the Kingdom of God. This was the decisive event for the church, but it can be hard to understand the meaning behind it. What does Pentecost mean for us today?

Acts 03- The Coming of the Spirit

The mission of Jesus continues with him taking his place beside his Father at the Throne of the universe. Without this key insight, God's people can (and often have) severely missed his purposes for what his kingdom is like AND how it's going to advance.

Acts 02- The Coronation of Jesus

The book of Acts is the second part of Luke's Gospel, so it's not a new movement that's being started, but God's advance into the world to plant Jesus Communities and heal the world. Father, Son and Holy Spirit working together to advance a Kingdom.

Acts 01- Jesus, Continued...

There are few greater questions that a Christian can get answered than the question of "How do I change?" The world offers many paths to transformation, but Christianity is unique when it says that we only change when we abide in Christ. What does that mean?

Spiritual Formation06- Biblical Transformation

Peter lays out the foundation for a life of service for God's people with a simple premise: we serve because we have been served. That means a unique gifting for all of God's people to be hospitable to the strangers around them. This is where real healing starts.

Spiritual Formation 05- Serve

Paul makes an assumption that Titus and the people he leads need to be "trained" to renounce ungodliness and live upright lives. But the whole project has to be powerfully rooted in the grace of God that has appeared in my past and will appear again in my future!

Spiritual Formation 04- Train

When John starts to unpack the reason for his letter, he uses a power packed word that we (weakly) translate as "fellowship." But he's talking about so much more. He's talking about a powerful connection that exists among God's people.

Spiritual Formation 03- Connect

The writer of Hebrews makes a dramatic statement about how essential it is that we be aware and commit to being together in public worship. Truth is: we take on the attributes of our Tribe. Why that's the case is the topic for this week's discussion.

Spiritual Formation 02- Attend

We should be curious about any church we join "what do you want to see in me? What do you want to shape me into as a person?" We call this topic "spiritual formation" and Paul gives us some fascinating insight into how a Christian uniquely thinks about it.

Spiritual Formation 01- The Necessity of Formation

Jesus ends the sermon on the mount by walking his followers through three barriers to genuine faith. False teachers, self-deception and bad foundations can all keep us from being what Jesus is forming in us. How can we make it through?

Sermon on the Mount 14- The Challenge of Integrity

Les Newsom is the Lead Pastor at Christ Presbyterian Church in Oxford, MS.

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