Podcast | Ekklesia Church
Ekklesia Church at Raleigh
The Church is to be "a sacrament of the world’s possibility. A sign of what the world can be." — Luke Timothy Johnson. This quote describes our highest hope. That we would be a sacrament of the world’s possibility. That we would love radically, inclusively, and generously — regardless of age, race, orientation, ethnicity, marital status or disability. That we would be a “first-fruits” of what Creation will one day become when God sets all things to rights. Join us live, Sunday mornings 10:45am at Athens Drive Magnet High School in Raleigh, or on YouTube at https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube.
The Lord’s Prayer – Part Seven: Lead Us Not Into Temptation
02/16/2025 – The Lord’s Prayer – Part Seven: Lead Us Not Into Temptation
This Sunday, we arrive at the line of the Lord’s Prayer: ‘Lead us not into temptation.’ However, ‘temptation’ can also be translated as ‘testing.’ How does this translation change the way we look at this line? Plus, a brief discussion about the Super Bowl halftime show.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/yout
The Lord’s Prayer – Part Six: Forgive Us Our Trespasses
02/09/2025 – The Lord’s Prayer – Part Six: Forgive Us Our Trespasses
Forgiveness isn’t only personal – it’s also communal. In this sermon on ‘forgive us our trespasses,’ we explore how Germany’s approach to historical memory offers lessons for our own angry, divided moment. From Jewish tradition to contemporary examples, we’ll explore what it means to acknowledge our trespasses and find freedom in forgiveness.
Our services are streamed
The Lord’s Prayer – Part Five: Our Daily Bread
02/02/2025 – The Lord’s Prayer – Part Five: Our Daily Bread
When Jesus tells us to pray for our daily bread, he is not introducing a new concept. Rather he is building on centuries of tradition. This Sunday we look at the stories Jesus is pointing us to with this line of the prayer and ask what we are really aiming for when we pray it.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube).
The Lord’s Prayer – Part Four: Thy Kingdom Come
01/26/2025 – The Lord’s Prayer – Part Four: Thy Kingdom Come
With divine timing (or perhaps divine humor), this sermon on “Thy Kingdom Come” lands during inauguration week, inviting us to examine what this prayer truly demands of us. Through stories of ancient Rome and Civil Rights history, we discover how Jesus’ vision of God’s Kingdom remains a radical challenge to every earthly power structure – calling us not just to pray different
The Lord’s Prayer – Part Three: Hallowed Be Thy Name
01/19/2025 – The Lord’s Prayer – Part Three: Hallowed Be Thy Na
The Lord’s Prayer – Part Two: Our Father in Heaven
01/12/2025 – The Lord’s Prayer – Part Two: Our Father in Heaven
“Our Father in heaven” – four words that have opened countless prayers through history. This week we consider their surprising meaning in Jesus’ world, and what they could mean for us today.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch
The Lord’s Prayer – Part One
01/05/2025 – The Lord’s Prayer – Part One
This year we will be walking through the historic Christian Catechism – The Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and the Apostles Creed. Today we look at some background and context, as we prepare to look at the Lord’s Prayer in more detail over the next 8 weeks.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us
Christmas Eve – Gifts & Withholdings: Lessons from the Magi
12/24/2024 – Gifts & Withholdings: Lessons from the Magi
In this reflection on the story of the Magi, we explore the beautiful complexity of human hearts – how we, like the Wise Men, both give and withhold, longing for God’s Kingdom while clinging to our own. How might this ancient story speak to our modern struggle between surrender and self-preservation?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube chan
Advent Week Four: Which Love?
12/22/2024 – Advent Week Four: Which Love?
On this fourth Sunday of advent, our theme is love. Love is one of the most important words in the life of faith, but (in English at least) its meaning can be elusive. When we say God is Love, what is it we actually mean?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of
Advent Week Three: Joy (and avocados?)
12/15/2024 – Advent Week Three: Joy (and avocados?)
Through an unlikely pair of stories – a Christmas airline surprise and an ancient couple’s unexpected news – we explore what it means to participate in God’s joy. Together they reveal how God delights in bringing life to barren places, and invites us to do the same.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org
Advent Week Two: Two Peaces
12/08/2024 – Advent Week Two: Two Peaces
Jesus is the Prince of Peace. But when Jesus was born, the title of Savior / Bringer of Peace was already taken. What does Luke’s Gospel and his Christmas story teach us about Peace?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of this message here: https://www.youtube.co
Advent Week One: Hope as Defiance
12/01/2024 – Advent Week One: Hope as Defiance
During World War II, Japanese Americans in internment camps launched a quiet rebellion – not with weapons, but with vegetable gardens, poetry, and baseball leagues. Through their story of creating beauty behind barbed wire, this Advent sermon explores what it means to practice hope as an act of holy defiance, both then and now.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouT
Hope & Humility: Part Eight – Not From Here
11/24/2024 – Hope & Humility: Part Eight – Not From Here
As we prepare for Advent, the lectionary wants us to be thinking about the nature of kingship. The Jewish people had a long, checkered history with kings. In Jesus, they would find a King whose Kingdom was not from this world.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Wat
Hope & Humility: Part Seven – Labor Pains
11/17/2024 – Hope & Humility: Part Seven – Labor Pains
Through the parallel stories of Hannah’s prayer at Shiloh (1 Samuel 1:4-20) and Jesus’ prophecy about the temple’s destruction (Mark 13:1-8), this message explores how God’s kingdom emerges not through political power or force, but through the patient “birth pains” of love and faithful presence.
Our services are streamed every Sun
Hope & Humility: Part Six – Intermissions of Light in the Darkness
11/10/2024 – Hope & Humility: Part Six – Intermissions of Light in the Darkness
TThis Sunday we discussed two stories in Mark chapter 12: the greatest commandment, and the widows offering. These stories represent light, joy, and hope in the midst of a dark chapter. What can we learn from these stories and characters to help light our way in the season ahead?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel
Hope & Humility: Part Five – All Saints, Elections, and Sacred Citizenship
11/03/2024 – Hope & Humility: Part Five – All Saints, Elections, and Sacr
Hope & Humility: Part Four – The Blind Man Who Sees
10/27/2024 – Hope & Humility: Part Four – The Blind Man Who Sees
Hope & Humility: Part Three – From Bias to Breakthrough
10/20/2024 – Hope & Humility: Part Three – From Bias to Br
Hope & Humility: Part Two – The Center
10/13/2024 – Hope & Humility: Part Two – The Center
In Mark chapter 10, Jesus is approached by a man who wants eternal life. He has faithfully lived the commandments, but Jesus asks him to sell everything, give it to the poor, and follow him. The story is often filed under Jesus’ teaching about money, but it is about much more than that. How can the story help guide us in engaging in politics faithfully?
Our services are streamed every
Hope & Humility: Part One – Faithful Dissent
10/06/2024 – Hope & Humility: Part One – Faithful Dissent
What can Job’s resilience and Jesus’ unexpected stance on divorce teach us about faithful, Christlike civic engagement in today’s polarized world? Discover how these two stories challenge our modern political assumptions and offer a surprising ‘third way’ for Christians navigating public life with both conviction and compassion.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouT
The Book of James???
9/29/2024 – The Book of James
The book of James??? Description: as we conclude our September study of the book of James, we look at both the beginning and the end of the letter. As we do, so, we are confronted by two questions: (1) How important is a name? And (2) what does money have to do with prayer?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am
The Grapes of Wrath, Community, and the Art of Stopping
9/22/2024 – The Grapes of Wrath, Community, and the Art of Stopping
What can Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath” teach us about building authentic Christian community? In our non-stop world, could the simple act of stopping be the key to deepening our faith and connections?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording o
Practical Discussion: Discipleship
9/15/2024 – Practical Discussion: Discipleship
Jesus compares a neglected or poorly formed faith to a half-built tower, seen and ridiculed by onlookers. What practices can we take up that would lead us to a more vibrant and fully formed faith?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of this message here: https://
The Power of the Tongue
9/15/2024 – The Power of the Tongue
In today’s message, we dive deep into the power of words. Drawing from James 3, we explore how our speech both reflects our hearts and directs our hearts.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of this message here: https://www.youtube.com/live/3dgUuEAxS5U?t=1645s
First Sunday in our New Home – Practical Discussion
9/8/2024 – First Sunday in our New Home – Practical Discussion
In these early days in our new home, following each shortened message there will be a brief practical discussion about what lies ahead.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of this practical discussion here: https://www.youtube.com/live/Plb1uBDtIn8
Salvation Has Come to this House
9/8/2024 – Salvation Has Come to this House
Today’s message explores the nature of salvation through the lens of Zacchaeus’ encounter with Jesus. True salvation is transformative, leading to tangible changes in how we view and treat others, with faith and works arriving in tandem. Salvation isn’t merely heady or cerebral or theoretical. It is real and earthy and intimately connected to this life.
Our services are streamed every Sunday
Changes – Worship at Pullen Park
9/1/2024 – Changes
As we prepare to move into St. Mark’s, today’s message challenges us to embrace change not just in location, but in our approach to faith. Drawing from James’ wisdom, it calls believers to move beyond mere intellectual understanding to active, transformative faith—creating a community we can’t live without and others can’t help but be drawn to.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ek
New Building, Same House
8/25/2024 – New Building, Same House
One of our lectionary texts this Sunday is the story of the grand opening of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem. What can that story teach us as we conclude our time at Athens Drive high school and prepare to start a new chapter in a new building?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived reco
Remembering and Re-membering
8/18/2024 – Remembering and Re-membering
As we prepare to leave a beloved space, today’s message explores how the mystery of communion can guide us into our next chapter. Discover how remembering and re-membering the flesh and blood of Jesus can animate our lives and inform our actions, bringing the Kingdom of God with us, no matter where we gather.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.
The Hair Incident Explained
8/11/2024 – The Hair Incident Explained
In this season, the Lectionary is telling the story of David. This Sunday we learn of his son Absalom’s death, in part because of his luscious locks. This story is part of a much larger story about the latter part of David’s reign. What does this story teach us about Scripture, Sin, and Jesus?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Joi
The Dark and Light of David’s Confession
8/4/2024 – The Dark and Light of David’s Confession
What happens when King David’s darkest failure becomes a public psalm? What can we learn from the raw honesty and troubling omission in David’s confessional-Psalm after his sin against Bathsheba?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of this message here: http
The Dark and Light of David’s Confession
8/4/2024 – The Dark and Light of David’s Confession
What happens when King David’s darkest failure becomes a public psalm? What can we learn from the raw honesty and troubling omission in David’s confessional-Psalm after his sin against Bathsheba?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of this message here: http
Wide, Long, High and Deep
7/28/2024 – Wide, Long, High and Deep
In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul offers a prayer for the church. The prayer doesn’t focus on wisdom, intelligence, or morality. Rather it focuses on grasping the immensity of God’s love. How can this prayer guide us in our complex world today?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archive
The Onion, The News, and The Good News
7/21/2024 – The Onion, The News, and The Good News
In a world inundated with misinformation and constant news updates, how can we navigate truth and maintain our sanity? Today’s message explores the dangers of misleading narratives and information overload, while offering practical wisdom from Jesus’ example on finding rest and discernment in our digital age.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekkles
Camp Reunion Sunday
7/14/2024 – Camp Reunion Sunday
On this special camp reunion Sunday, Pastor Greg shares some key insights and funny stories from the past week spent with our students at Higher Ground Adventures Camp. Find out what our students were up to at camp, why it’s important to retell stories, and how much “rizz” our students have.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sunda
Slaying Giants, Crushing Serpents
6/23/2024 – Slaying Giants, Crushing Serpents
What if the David and Goliath story is more than just a tale of bravery? Discover the hidden Hebrew wordplay and biblical connections that reveal a deeper message of ultimate hope and victory.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of this message here: https://www.y
A Tale of Two Seeds
6/16/2024 – A Tale of Two Seeds
In our gospel text this morning, Jesus tells two parables about seeds. One of them we like a lot. The other one less so. But we need the messages of both to help us follow Jesus effectively. (Q&A about the possibility of moving begins at 21m 40s).
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived reco
The Truest Thing About You
6/9/2024 – The Truest Thing About You
In a world that often defines us by our mistakes and shortcomings, what if there was a truth about ourselves that we’ve been overlooking? Join us as we explore some thoughts from the book of Genesis that invite us to discover our true identity in a fresh and transformative way.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays onlin
Rats, Cheesecake, and Sabbath (and a special announcement)
6/2/2024 – Rats, Cheesecake, and Sabbath (and a special announcement)
Our lectionary texts this week focus on the Sabbath. Deuteronomy 5 tells us to observe the sabbath and keep it holy. But in Mark 2 and 3, Jesus finds himself in conflict over the sabbath. Was Jesus breaking the sabbath, or was he trying to show us a better way?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join u
Old and New Stories
5/19/2024 – Old and New Stories
This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday, the day the church celebrates the giving of the Holy Spirit in Acts chapter two. This is one of the stranger stories we encounter in the New Testament, but it turns out the symbols and phenomena in the story are pointing to deeper stories, both old and new.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays
Rooted Yet Reimagined – and a great church launch postcard
5/12/2024 – Rooted Yet Reimagined – and a great church launch postcard
What can the early church teach us about navigating the tension between being rooted in tradition and simultaneously reimagining a more just expression of faith and church? Also, we will compare who had the better church launch postcard: Ekklesia or the early church.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube).
Rooted Yet Reimagined (and a great church launch postcard?)
5/12/2024 – Rooted Yet Reimagined (and a great church launch postcard?)
What can the early church teach us about navigating the tension between being rooted in tradition and simultaneously reimagining a more just expression of faith and church? Also, learn about a great church launch postcard?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch th
Secrets of the Vine
5/5/2024 – Secrets of the Vine
Our lectionary texts in the gospels last week and this week come from John 15. This remarkable chapter speaks about the nature of the Christian life through the metaphor of a vine and branches. What lessons can we learn about our lives from this important passage?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch t
Bakos and the Boundless Gospel
4/28/2024 – Bakos and the Boundless Gospel
In Acts chapter eight, an early follower of Jesus (Philip) meets an Ethiopian Eunuch (Bakos) and begins to understand just how big and expansive God’s boundless gospel actually is. The story challenges us to reconsider our own understanding of God’s radical welcome and inclusivity today.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join u
Laying Down Your Life
4/21/2024 – Laying Down Your Life
Our lectionary texts this morning focus on Jesus as the good Shepherd who lays down his life. What does it mean to lay down our lives for others in our faith, and how can the many faithful people throughout history inspire us to do so?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of t
When Shame Meets Jesus
4/14/2024 – When Shame Meets Jesus
After a crippled is healed at the temple gate, a crowd surrounds Peter and John astonished at what has happened. Just a few months earlier, Peter had denied Jesus 3 times. What happened between that moment and this one? What can we learn from Peter’s transformation and his appeal for the crowds to repent?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtub
A Life of Togetherness
4/7/2024 – A Life of Togetherness
Exploring the radical communal life of the early church in Acts, Pastor Greg discusses the possibility of modern Christians embracing similar togetherness in today’s world. (Plus, we get to learn some peculiar facts about some of our middle school and high school youth.)
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45a
Recentering Easter
3/31/2024 – Recentering Easter
We have arrived at a point in our culture where Christmas seems like the center of the Christian calendar. But it is not. Jesus’ death and resurrection are always the center. Even the date of Christmas shows us that.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of this message here: http
A Tale of Two Processions
3/24/2024 – A Tale of Two Processions
Today’s message explored the clash of processions entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday: one of imperial might, the other of humble love. Plus, we looked at Mark’s unique gospel focus on Peter’s missteps. How do these stories speak to us today?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recor
Seeds, Fruit, and Loving Your Life
3/17/2024 Seeds, Fruit, and Loving Your Life
WAs Jesus interacted with people in the temple, and prepared for his impending death, he told a parable about a seed dying that gives birth to great life. He was hinting at his own death on the cross, but he was also pointing to the life his followers were called to live. How does this text speak to us today, all these years later?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channe
‘Then’ is ‘Now’: A Bigger Understanding of John 3:16
3/10/2024 ‘Then’ is ‘Now’: A Bigger Understanding of John 3:16
When you see someone holding up a sign that says, “John 3:16” what is your reaction? How do you feel? Our current Christian culture has reduced this verse into something small and judgemental. How might we reclaim it and let it affect our lives today?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online
Wisdom and Foolishness
3/3/2024 Wisdom and Foolishness
In 1 Corinthians, Paul talks about wisdom and foolishness. How does this text, written thousands of years ago, speak to us today? Watch the archived recording of this message here:
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of this message here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dbhjyP
The Messiah We Want vs. The Messiah We Need
2/25/2024 The Messiah We Want vs. The Messiah We Need
Peter may have correctly confessed Jesus as the Messiah, but his expectations clashed with reality. From viral internet moments to surprising twists in Jesus’ narrative, our perception of the Messiah is challenged. And it needs to be!
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the arch
The Beauty of Baptism
2/18/2024 The Beauty of Baptism
On this first Sunday of Lent, our gospel lectionary text is once again the baptism of Jesus. As we prepare to do baptisms on Easter Sunday, we take a look at the meaning of this important sacrament. Baptism has become fraught in our modern culture, but is it possible to get back to more beautiful and productive vision of it?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiar
The Last Man Standing
2/11/2024 The Last Man Standing
In the dramatic transfiguration story, Peter’s suggestion to build three shelters for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah prompts a divine response. What does this story reveal about Peter’s beliefs, and how does this story challenge our understanding of the Bible?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archiv
The View from 100
2/4/2024 The View from 100
Isaiah 40 reminds us how great God is and how small we are. How can a 100th birthday party, a pop star comeback, and the Bible remind us of our place in the cosmos? And how can we live with the central Christian combination of wonder and humility?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording
The Art of Wonder
1/28/2024 The Art of Wonder
Drawing upon Psalm 111 as well as a conversation with a friend, the animated series “Bluey”, and the movie “Soul”, this message explores the theme of finding wonder, awe, and aliveness in the ordinary moments of life.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of this message here: https:
Our Problem with Jonah
1/21/2024 Our Problem with Jonah
This Sunday we talked about the story of Jonah and the calling of the first disciples in the Gospel of Mark.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of this message here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5KueKPDfH4&t=1600s
Samuel, Eli, and “Deconstruction Influencers”
1/14/2024 Samuel, Eli, and “Deconstruction Influencers”
Whether we know it or not, our faith journeys have likely been impacted by what we’ve heard, read or watched from “deconstruction influencers.” Join us as we explore this phenomenon through the lens of Samuel and Eli’s story – discussing anger, correction, and the pursuit of healing.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube
The Baptism of the Lord
1/7/2024 The Baptism of the Lord
This weekend, we began the season of Epiphany. Saturday was Epiphany, and Sunday is the day we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord – a story that looks both forward and backward.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of this message here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_Pxgl0K1l
Christmas Eve: Beneath All that is Broken
12/24/2023 Beneath All that is Broken
On that Bethlehem night, Jesus was born into a world hell-bent on rejecting him. In this Christmas Eve homily, we reflect on one possible answer to the question: What kept Jesus going?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of this message here: https://www.youtube.com/watch
Christmas Music and John the Baptist
12/17/2023 Christmas Music and John the Baptist
John the Baptist is one of the central figures of Advent. In many ways he embodies the spirit of this season of faithful waiting. In this third Sunday of Advent, we ask what Christmas music can tell us about our current cultural moment and what John the Baptist calls us to in its midst.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Jo
O Great and Terrible Day
12/10/2023 O Great and Terrible Day
In 2 Peter 3, Peter instructs us to earnestly desire the coming “day of the Lord” — a day when our lives and deeds will be exposed for what they are. Why on earth would we desire such a day? Peter also gives us advice on how to wait.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of t
An Unexpected Starting Point
12/03/2023 An Unexpected Starting Point
This Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent, and we begin with a seemingly odd text for December (Mark 13). A text with cryptic statements about stars falling and keeping watch. It turns out a version of this text is our starting point every year for Advent, so what makes it so special and important?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube)
Hope for the Goats?
11/26/2023 Hope for the Goats?
The parable of the Sheep and the Goats ends with the king dismissing the goats to “eternal punishment.” Is it possible these words hold hope for the goats to be restored? What is the worst way to read this parable? What is a better way?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of thi
Tension, “Refugia” and Good Trouble
10/22/2023 Tension, “Refugia” and Good Trouble
Imitating Christ put Paul in tension (“good” trouble) with his culture. Imitating Paul put the Thessalonian church in tension (“good” trouble) with their culture. If the U.S. church lacks tension (“good” trouble) with our culture, what questions should we be asking of ourselves and of our faith?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/yout
The Political Letter to the Philippians
10/15/2023 The Political Letter to the Philippians
Philippians is one of the most fascinating letters in the New Testament. It is simultaneously revolutionary and relational. In this sermon, we do a quick crash course on the letter, the history of Philippi, and what it might have to say to us today.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. W
Consider it All Crap
10/08/2023 Consider it All Crap
Where do we find our true identity? Is it within ourselves, our ideologies and our accomplishments? Is this the way of Christ? Drawing inspiration from the life of the Apostle Paul and his own experiences, Pastor Greg offers a different perspective – finding our identity by looking beyond ourselves.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join
The “Value Gap” Lie
10/01/2023 The “Value Gap” Lie
Using language from writer and activist James Baldwin, Pastor Curtis explores the “value gap” lie upheld by the Chief Priests and the Elders of the temple system in Jesus’ day. Where do value gap lies exist in our lives, and what can we do to confront them?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the arch
Looking Back to Egypt
9/24/2023 Looking Back to Egypt
The lectionary readings for this Sunday include some of the most famous texts in the Bible. We focus on Exodus 16, when the Israelites long for Egypt as they grumble against God in the wilderness. What does the story tell us about human nature and about what God is calling us to?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at
Lessons on Forgiveness: From King George to King Jesus
9/17/2023 Lessons on Forgiveness: From King George to King Jesus
From the story of Joseph, to words from Paul, and a parable from Jesus, today’s message explores (1) how power dynamics impact forgiveness-and-reconciliation, (2) our tendency to make disputable matters indisputable (and vice versa), and (3) the impact forgiveness should have on our lives (but often doesn’t).
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (
Just Between the Two of You
9/10/2023 Just Between the Two of You
In Matthew 18, Jesus provides a plan for how to deal with sin and hurt in a church community. For modern Americans, this is a deeply uncomfortable text. Not because it is harsh or judgmental, but because it is deeply personal and communal. What can we learn from this teaching not only about how to deal with conflict, but about our deeper spiritual reality?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on
Midwives of Resistance: Birthing a Prophetic Alternative
8/27/2023 Midwives of Resistance: Birthing a Prophetic Alternative
Among the women of the Bible, the names Shiphrah and Puah might not ring familiar, yet their extraordinary defiance of Pharaoh in the Exodus narrative is nothing short of amazing. Raised in the confines of slavery, how did they discover the hope for a better world? And what empowered them to transform that hope into action in the violent historical moment they found the
Living in Unity
8/20/2023 Living in Unity
Our Psalm for today talks about the beauty and significance of God’s people living in unity. That is a refreshing but difficult message in our divided in divisive world. How can we begin modeling and practicing unity in our daily lives? Watch the archived recording of this message here:
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online
More than a Night at Sea
8/13/2023 More than a Night at Sea
At first blush, Matthew 14:22-33 is an incredible story of Jesus and the disciples surviving a terrible storm while crossing the sea of Galilee. But if we only read this story as a historical moment, we miss the point and do ourselves a grave disservice.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the arc
What Was the Bigger Miracle?
8/6/2023 What Was the Bigger Miracle?
Today’s gospel story is the feeding of the 5000. What can two different interpretations of the story teach us about the gospel and how we’re called to live? Also, should Spider-Man have organic or mechanical web shooters?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of this messa
Special Guest: Dr. Dumas Harshaw
7/30/2023 Who Shall Separate Us?
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” Special Guest Dr. Dumas Harshaw brings us a timely word from the book of Romans.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of this message here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4hxRzZNPNE&t=2064s
Love Transforms
7/23/2023 Love Transforms
Focusing on Psalm 139, Reverend Chalice Overy shares about the importance of receiving the affirmation of God’s love for us that we might have the capacity to spread love in the world. Because love transforms.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of this message here: https://www.yout
The Parable of the Sower
7/16/2023 The Parable of the Sower
We take a closer look at the parable in Matthew 13 with our focus on the sower and what this can teach us about God’s practice of abundance over scarcity along with how we might respond to God’s generous love.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of this message here: https:
How Wonderful! How Terrible! We’ll see.
7/9/2023 – How Wonderful! How Terrible! We’ll see.
The story of Rebekah’s betrothal to Isaac is told as a sign and testimony of God’s favor. But upon getting married, life is anything but easy. What happened? Was God’s favor withdrawn? Or does our understanding of God’s favor need a makeover?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the
When the Prince of Peace brings a Sword
6/25/2023 – When the Prince of Peace brings a Sword
Among Jesus’ stranger sayings is this: “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” How do we reconcile these words coming from the Prince of Peace? Could there be a “peace” Jesus rejects? Could there be a “peace” Jesus confronts with a sword?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiara
Sheep Without a Shepherd
6/18/2023 – Sheep Without a Shepherd
In Matthew 9, Jesus looked at a crowd with compassion because they looked like sheep without a shepherd. What does this tell us about how Jesus feels about us and how we are called to live.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of this message here: https://www.youtube.com/w
The Upside of Darkness Exposed
6/11/2023 – The Upside of Darkness Exposed
In the wake of the release of two documentaries exposing the dark side of the church (Shiny Happy People, and The Secrets of Hillsong), the temptation is to cry out “Where is God?” But could these exposés be a sign of something good?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recordi
Trinity Sunday and the Temple
6/4/2023 – Trinity Sunday and the Temple
This Sunday is Trinity Sunday. As we reflect on the Trinity, we are looking at an often overlooked aspect of scripture. Namely, that it is a story about a temple.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of this message here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fqxw7-hlH0&t=19
Miraculous and Mundane
5/28/2023 – Miraculous and Mudane
This Sunday is Pentecost, the day we celebrate the giving of the Spirit in Acts 2. It is a strange and powerful story. But the most powerful part might be what comes next.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of this message here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95ooWRaFcYk&t=
The Ever-Expanding Gospel
5/21/2023 – The Ever-Expanding Gospel
In Acts 1:8, Jesus calls his disciples to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. But what if this call extends to us today? Perhaps the “ends of the earth” is an invitation for each of us to continually expand who we include in our circles.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at
Rethinking Evangelism
5/14/2023 – Rethinking Evangelism
The word “evangelism” and the idea of sharing our faith currently carries with it a LOT of baggage. How might the story of the Apostle Paul speaking at the Areopagus give us a new perspective and help us let go of some of that baggage?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of t
Suffering Well
5/7/2023 – Suffering Well
This Sunday we read the story of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. What can his story teach us about the life of discipleship (and human life in general)?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of this message here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL7zMDkY6JM&t=1703s
5th Sunday Worship with Bryana Clover
4/30/2023 – 5th Sunday Worship with Bryana Clover
Jesus’ encounter at the well with a Samaritan woman is a model for racial healing today.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of this message here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8tLCGwcFlI&t=1551s
Jesus in a Different Form
4/23/2023 – Jesus in a Different Form
On the road back home to Emmaus, Jesus appears to two disciples, but “in a different form.” Why? It seems we ALL need to see Jesus “in a different form” from time to time in order that we see him more fully. What does this mean for us today?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived reco
Doubting Thomas
4/16/2023 – Doubting Thomas
On this first Sunday after Easter, the lectionary gives us the text of doubting Thomas. Often in the church we downplay or hide from doubt. But what if doubt is actually a gift that can lead to greater insight and wisdom?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. Watch the archived recording of this message here: h
Easter 2023 – Do Not Hold On to Me
4/9/2023 – Easter 2023 – Do Not Hold On to Me
When Mary sees Jesus in the garden outside the empty tomb, she fell to the ground, “clasped his feet and worshiped him.” In that moment, Jesus says to her “Do not hold on to me.” Today on Easter Sunday, we explore the meaning of Jesus’ seemingly cryptic words. What did they mean to Mary? What do they mean for us?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesi
Lent: Week Six – Liturgy of the Passion
4/2/2023 – Liturgy of the Passion
On Palm Sunday, the lectionary gives us two choices for worship: the liturgy of the palms, or the liturgy of the passion. Though we might prefer the singing and excitement of the triumphal entry, this Sunday we will look forward to the darkness of the cross.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. To watch
Lent: Week Five – Dry Bones
3/26/2023 – Dry Bones
According to a recent study from the Pew Research Center, the category of non-religious/unaffiliated has become increasingly “sticky” (gaining a lot more people than it is shedding). Christianity is experiencing the opposite. In the most well-known passage from Ezekiel, he has a vision of a “valley of dry bones.” How might this scripture relate to the church today?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our You
Lent: Week Four – Mud, Blindness, and the Pool of Siloam
3/19/2023 – Mud, Blindness, and the Pool of Siloam
Our Gospel lectionary text on this fourth Sunday of Lent is the story of Jesus healing a man born blind and sending him to the pool of Siloam. This is a powerful act with resonance beyond what we often realize. And it poses the challenging question: what does it mean to be truly blind?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube).
Lent: Week Three – We Are Not Nowhen
3/12/2023 – We Are Not Nowhen
In the beautiful and compelling story of Jesus encounter with the woman at the well, we realize that God does not just meet us where we are, he meets us *when* we are. What does this mean? What gift might this create for us and for the world?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. To watch the archived live-str
Lent: Week Two – Cell Phones and the Spirit
3/05/2023 – Cell Phones and the Spirit
Today is our annual meeting. We’ll spend a few minutes talking about how much things have changed over the last 12 years of our life together as a church. And we’ll also discuss the famous passage when Jesus tells Nicodemus you must be born again.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. To watch the arc
Lent: Week One – Make it Easy. Make it Spectacular.
2/26/2023 – Make it Easy. Make it Spectacular.
The gospel reading for this first Sunday of Lent is the story of Jesus in the wilderness where the devil tempts him to turn stones into bread, and to jump from the highest point of the temple and be caught by angels. What do these strange temptations mean? And are we still tempted today in the same way?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.
Transfiguration Sunday
2/19/2023 – Transfiguration Sunday
This Sunday is transfiguration Sunday. What does this unique story tell us about the world we live in? And how does it relate to movies and video games?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. To watch the archived live-streamed version of this message, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMDcMjSU9Ik&t=16
Epiphany Week Six – Jesus’ Sermon on the Margins
2/12/2023 – Jesus’ Sermon on the Margins
Today’s gospel reading from the sermon on the mount is well-known to most Christians. But being so removed from Jesus’ context — living under Roman occupation with the loss of status, freedom and autonomy — how well do we actually understand it? What might help us understand this sermon better?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). J
Epiphany Week Five – Intellectual Wisdom or Incarnational Wisdom
2/5/2023 – Intellectual Wisdom or Incarnational Wisdom
At our Youth Winter ski retreat, I was reminded that there are two kinds of knowledge: intellectual knowledge, and incarnational knowledge. As followers of Jesus, we are called to incarnational knowledge. How does this awareness change our understanding of evangelism and faith in general?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/you
Epiphany Week Four – Micah 6:8 and Alexa Reminders
1/29/2023 – Micah 6:8 and Alexa Reminders
What does the Lord require of you? Throughout much of early Jewish history, Israel thought the answer to this question was “sacrifices.” Throughout my faith journey, I’ve embraced several different answers to this question. How does Micah answer this question?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am.
Epiphany Week Three – Labels and the Lake
1/22/2023 – Labels and the Lake
Today, as we look at the story of the calling of the first disciples, and Paul’s call to the church in Corinth to have no divisions among themselves, we turn our attention to two deep wells of wisdom: Darth Vader and sports rivalries!
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. To watch the archived live-streamed
Epiphany Week Two – A Shift in Perspective & An Unusual Wedding
1/15/2023 – A Shift in Perspective & An Unusual Wedding
When reading through the book of Isaiah, it’s not hard to see a shift take place from beginning to end. Isaiah (and Israel’s) understanding of God’s hopes expands. With insights from an unusual wedding ceremony, we explore this shift and learn what it could mean for us today.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join
Epiphany Week One – Failed Utopia Blues
1/8/2023 – Failed Utopia Blues
After Christmas I always feel a case of the blues. Might this be because of the way we’ve come to celebrate Christmas in our culture? The historic liturgical view of Christmas is very different from cultural Christmas. What can this view teach us as we prepare to embark on a new year?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays onlin
Christmas Eve 2022 – Earthbound Places
12/24/2022 – Earthbound Places
Jesus’ birth wasn’t announced to Kings or Priests, and it didn’t take place in a palace or city. It was announced to shepherds, and it happened in a stable. If we are willing to hear it, perhaps these facts teach us something about how God likes to show up in our lives.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. T
Finding Advent in Unexpected Places
12/18/2022 – Finding Advent in Unexpected Places
Our lectionary texts for this Sunday give us some strange Advent texts, particularly one. Why would Romans 1 be an Advent text? Is it a quirk in the readings, or is there some thing about Romans that shows us the very heart of Christmas?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. To watch the arc
Taking Offense at Jesus
12/11/2022 – Taking Offense at Jesus
Our gospel reading tells the story of John the Baptist in prison hearing about everything Jesus was doing, prompting him to ask “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” It seems John took offense at Jesus’ methodology. Jesus frustrated John’s expectations, and He frustrates our’s as well.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.o
Prince of Peace?
12/04/2022 – Prince of Peace?
This Sunday’s advent theme is peace. Jesus is called the Prince of peace, but what kind of peace does he offered us? The peace of escapism? Or the peace of resurrection?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. To watch the archived live-streamed version of this message, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXIR
The Recital Has Begun
11/27/2022 – The Recital Has Begun
With help from some young piano students playing Christmas recital songs, today we learn how Jesus — when he lived and walked on this earth — was kind of like a piano teacher playing a new song for his students. He was teaching us heaven’s song; the sounds of God’s Kingdom. Now that we know what it “sounds” like, what’s next?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekkle
Reign of Christ
11/20/2022 – Reign of Christ
Today is a big Sunday. It’s the start of the World Cup. But it’s a big Sunday for another reason as well. On the church calendar this is known as reign of Christ Sunday. What can we learn from both of these exciting and important occasions?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am.
Beautifully Odd
11/13/2022 – Beautifully Odd
When Jesus predicted that the temple in Jerusalem would crumble, is seems this was only a metaphor for what ultimately needed to crumble. Not the outside of the temple, but the inside. Jesus was a beautifully odd, strange and alluring presence in the world. When those inside the temple lose their oddness, something needs to crumble. How might we become “beautifully odd” in the way of Jesus once more?
Our se
All Saints Day
11/06/2022 – All Saints Day
This Sunday we celebrate All Saints Day. What can this day on the Christian calendar and the book of Daniel teach us about how we orient ourselves to time?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. To watch the archived live-streamed version of this message, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USL0mVH1DCA&t=1723s
All Religion is Small Religion
10/23/2022 – All Religion is Small Religion
When Jesus tells the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector in the temple, it is spoken to those “confident of their own righteousness.” I used to see this as a story addressing only the arrogant faith of my youth. But now, the story has been turned on its head. This text no longer simply addresses me then. This text addresses me now.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our You
Wrestling With God
10/16/2022 – Wrestling With God
A story of two estranged brothers. A story of wrestling and redemption. A story of limping into a new life. Is this CJs favorite movie or a text in the Bible? The answer is both.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. To watch the archived live-streamed version of this message, go to https://www.youtube.com/
Frogs Don’t Eat Edamame
10/09/2022 – Frogs Don’t Eat Edamame
IHow does Israel – whose defining story is God setting them free from slavery in Egypt – build God’s Temple using slaves, and produce priests and kings who commit injustice and abuse power? Today with help from a children’s song, we look at the cause and cure of our inclination to abuse power (including our modern “more-acceptable” abuses of power: refusing forgiveness, holding on to grievances, wit
Unworthy Servants
10/02/2022 – Unworthy Servants
In our lectionary gospel text today, Jesus tells us we should think of ourselves as just unworthy servants when we fulfill our calling. This can feel uncomfortable to modern ears. What can CJ’s life as a competitive athlete teach us about this difficult text?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. To watch the
Buy the Field
09/25/2022 – Buy the Field
With the Babylonian army about to take control over Jerusalem and all of Judah, God tells Jeremiah to buy a field. Why buy a field that is about to be unusable? How might this story be an encouragement for us today in 2022?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. To watch the archived live-streamed version of this
The Parable of the Unjust Steward
09/18/2022 – The Parable of the Unjust Steward
What can we learn from a shady steward who steals from his master twice … and gets commended for it?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. To watch the archived live-streamed version of this message, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qry1uUjE4w&t=1448s
Demoting ‘The Greatest of These’
09/11/2022 – Demoting ‘The Greatest of These’
A tragic reversal has taken place in our political and religous lives. Where policy/positions used to be flexible and civility/virtue nonnegotiable, we now embrace the opposite. Virtue has been demoted … and we don’t even seem to mind.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. To watch the archived
Time is Offensive
09/04/2022 – Time is Offensive
With kids heading off to new schools, I have been thinking a lot about time and what it means to live a life of substance. What does the image of chaff and Jesus teaching on the cost of discipleship reveal about the subject?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. To watch the archived live-streamed version of
Broken Cisterns
08/28/2022 – Broken Cisterns
What does a news story about traffic accidents, a news story about economic mobility, and a prophecy from Jeremiah teach us about how we live faithfully in a changing world?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. To watch the archived live-streamed version of this message, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
When One Thing Is Two Things
08/21/2022 – When One Thing Is Two Things
Our lectionary texts today include two texts about the sabbath, but they couldn’t be more different. The heart behind what we do is as important as what we do.
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am. To watch the archived live-streamed version of this message, go to https://youtu.be/yqbrkxnIYaY?t=1
Peace or Division?
08/14/2022 – Peace or Division
What did Jesus mean when he said, “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division,” what did he mean? Is it as simple as it sounds, or are there layers to the text that shed different light on this difficult saying? (Hint: it’s the second one!)
Snickers, Milk, and Hope
08/07/2022 – Snickers, Milk, and Hope
Our lectionary texts this morning are all about faith, but they are also about where faith is lived out… in an Already and Not Yet Kingdom. What can Snickers bars, communion, and NT Wright teach us about how to live this faith in a world full of both Beauty and Brokenness?
Watch this message on our YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/LqUlYc7d1no?t=1533
Peacekeepers to Peacemakers
07/24/2022 – Peacekeepers to Peacemakers
Today we welcome back Dr. Donna Battle to share what it means to be peacemakers in a world where peace has never been achieved for many. She explores the misconceptions we tend to make based in Philippians 4. (Watch this message on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dJbHC5J7C8)
The Only Enemy Left
07/17/2022 – The Only Enemy Left
Today Pastor Greg shares about some of his personal struggles with anxiety and how *bad* religion actually contributed to that problem. Plus, he’ll be sharing his deepest, darkest secret from last week’s Higher Ground Adventure Camp! (Watch this message on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYLbkMjC20I&t=1474s)
When Religion Behaves Badly
07/10/2022 – When Religion Behaves Badly
In the parable of the Good Samaritan, we usually focus on the wounded man and the kindness of the Samaritan. But Jesus includes two other figures in his story — a Priest and a Levite — who fail to act as they should. The church today still has many moments where we fail to act as we ought. What should our response be? Stay compliantly? Leave defiantly? Or is there a third option? (Watch this mes
The Initiator of Hope
07/03/2022 – The Initiator of Hope
Today we are privileged to welcome back Dr. Telika McCoy from Mt. Peace Baptist Church, preaching from the story of Namaan’s healing in 2 Kings 5, a message titled The Initiator of Hope. “Though 2022 presents social, political and economic challenges, God is able to keep us hopeful in challenging times. Are we looking to Jesus to heal the areas where we lack hope?” (Watch this message on our YouTube c
When Freedoms Collide
06/26/2022 – When Freedoms Collide
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” At a conscious level, most of us desire the freedom Christ wants for us. But just underneath our knowing and awareness, we are absorbing and living out a distorted version of freedom. How are these two freedoms at odds?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel (https://ekklesiaraleigh.org/youtube). Join us Sundays online at 10:45am.
“From Baptist to Anabaptist”
06/19/2022 – “From Baptist to Anabaptist”
Ekklesia has long been a place of healing for wounded people. Sometimes even for wounded pastors. This Sunday, we have the privilege of hearing Pastor Josh’s story. A former Baptist pastor, he will be sharing his story about how pastoring in 2020 and 2021 changed his life. He and his wife, Rudy, and their 4 children have been worshiping with us since summer 2021. Following this Sunday, they mo
Wisdom is Calling, but No One is Listening
06/19/2022 – Wisdom is Calling, but No One is Listening
If wisdom is calling on the heights and at the crossroads (Proverbs 8), and if the spirit of Christ is guiding us into all truth (John 16), it seems that no one is listening. No one is paying attention. None of us are being led. What can we do? How can we change? What will it take to help us better hear Wisdom’s call?
Our services are streamed every Sunday on our YouTube channel