Creekwood Christian Church

This week on the pod, we try to provide some clarity on what the rapture is, why people like to talk about it, and if there is anyway for it to seem less scary. 

This week, Gabe and Whitney shed some light on what the Bible says about immigration. 

This week, Gabe and Whitney answer a question they get asked a lot as ministers ...What is the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)?We are sharing some history, our personal experiences, and the things we love most about our denomination and the church we call home. 

We have made it to the end of our Scripture Soundtrack series. And after you listen to this podcast, you will have made it to the end, too! Join us to learn about different ways to read Revelation and why it is such an important book, even if it's a little scary sometimes.You can listen to this episode's playlist by clicking here.If you'd like to check out the two resources Whitney mentions in the podcast, you can do so by visiting the links below:PBS Frontline Revelation ArticleRob Bell's What Is The Bible

On this episode of the podcast, we finish covering the letters of the New Testament. In this romp through scripture, you can look forward to learning about the letter to the Hebrews, James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1, 2, and 3 John, and Jude. Gabe shares some wisdom about reflect Christ's glory and Whitney pulls out her soapbox. You can listen to this episode's accompanying playlist here.

This week, we are beginning to move through letters, or epistles, in the New Testament. This week, we focus on 1 and 2 Corinthians, books of scripture known for their wedding worthy verses, advice for women to keep quiet, and arguments among people who are trying their best to honor God. We cover all three of these topics on this installment of the podcast.For the accompanying playlist, listen here.

In this installment of the pod, we look at the book of Acts, the sequel to Luke. Acts is a book full of-- you guessed it-- ACTS that the disciples and apostles perform while trying to establish the early church following Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension. The apostles and disciples were the first evangelists and church planters, responsible for helping the teachings of Jesus survive the next generation and to expand the number of people following Jesus across the Roman Empire (and beyond!). Each of these apostles and disciples had different gifts for ministry, their own approach to sharing the Gospel, and a particular understanding of what Jesus imagined the future would look like for his beloved community of followers. Because of these nuances and differences, Acts is a book full of examples for us of how the early church leaders could disagree well, while respecting each other, remaining steadfast and faithful, and opening themselves up to the possibility that there is more than one right way establ

This week on the podcast, we are covering the Gospel of Luke. Luke widens its perspective more so than any of the other Gospels to consider God’s overall historical purpose and the place of the future church within it. In its original form the Gospel of Luke and Acts were one book, written as one volume to show the transition from the ministry of Jesus to the ministry of the church. We will help lay the groundwork for next week's episode by diving into Luke!To listen to the accompanying playlist, click here.

This week, we are looking at the Gospel of Matthew! It is one of the three synoptic Gospels, sharing source material with Mark and Luke. However, Matthew is also full of plenty of original material, unique to this Gospel. Join Gabe and Whitney as they take us through some passages that are particular to Matthew. To listen to this week's accompanying playlist, click here.

12. Not just the number of disciples or angry men. Though, those are both not necessarily terrible descriptions for the 12 minor prophets we are discussing on the podcast today! We are looking at the finals twelve books in the Old Testament. These prophetic texts span the 8th century BCE to the 5th century BCE, taking us from the days before the fall of the Northern Kingdom and into the return from Babylonian exile. Each book covers a different facet of Israel's relationship with God. You can listen to the accompanying playlist here.

On this episode, we dive into Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Ezekiel: the so-called Major Prophets. They are so-called because these are hefty books of scripture. And it makes sense that they would be lengthy, because the prophets have many stories to share about their calling to care for the people of Israel, guiding them back to right relationship with God and offering words of both reprove and renewal for them.You can listen to the corresponding playlist here.

On this episode of the podcast, we are looking at Proverbs, Daniel, and Esther. From the outset, these books seem to have precious little in common. One is a collection of pithy sayings that may or may not actually be good advice. One is a story about dreams interpreted and futures secured with a science fiction twist. And one is probably the original source material for ABC's The Bachelor. However, these three books have more in common than you might think! Each one is tasked with providing an example for the people of Israel on how to survive this life. Join us this week as we explore more.You can listen to the corresponding playlist here.

This week on the pod, we are looking at four very different books within the Bible that are all united by a common theme. Each of these books aims to answer a question that plagues people of faith:What do we do when confronted with suffering?The wisdom of Ecclesiastes' narrator, Qoheleth, tells us that life is equal parts suffering and joy, so get what you can out of both experiences.Job teaches us that suffering doesn't have to rob us of our faithfulness or the goodness life promises.Ruth lifts up how much more bearable hardships become when we do not have to suffer them alone.Jonah reminds us that God is always far more gracious and forgiving than we could ever imagine-- a truth that is equal parts awe-inspiring and annoying. You can listen to our accompanying playlist here.

What if the Psalms tell us the story of the conversations we have with God? The honest, hard, holy, and hurtful conversations we have with God.  What if the Psalms also tell us about the silences we share with God? The confounding, callous, contemplative, and captivating silences we experience in the presence of God. Part of what gives poetry its power is tension between the presence of sound and the presence of silence. Every raw edge of our human experience is exposed in the Psalms.Join us on the pod this week as we get into the Psalms and our feelings.To enjoy the accompanying playlist, click here.

In the books of 1 and 2 Chronicles, we hear again about the kings of Israel, but from a writer who is wearing slightly more rose-colored glasses as he recounts the history of Israel. At breakneck pace, we move through the genealogy of Adam all the way to the reign of King David. While revisiting stories of Israel's success and failures, we hear a refrain of God's faithfulness before, during, and after exile. 

When we read biblical poetry and the prophets, the events that they are speaking about poetically and prophetically are the ones we hear about in 1 and 2 Kings as well as 1 and 2 Chronicles. It provides context to the strong emotions, dire circumstances, and harsh hot takes. Kings and Chronicles cover the same period in Israel, but have different areas of emphasis.  The stories that have been elaborated on and included about the kings are intentionally juxtaposed with these specific stories about the prophets to show us that God is still at work in Israel and seeking out ways to make God’s power, hopes, and mercy known.  With that in mind, for our key overviews today, Gabe and I did want to call your attention to the most important events in the life of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah in Kings, so you have a sense of the BIG PICTURE things shaping what life looks like for God’s people. So, let’s do it! To listen to the Kings playlist, click here.

We all likely have a cautionary tale of how this proverbial warning, "Be careful what you wish for" has come up in our own lives. Big and small ways that we have wanted something so badly, were certain our lives would be better as a result, and we discover ... that isn't exactly true. Our desires and wants do not always match with our needs. What we wish for might be wonderful, helpful, and even life-changing, but that doesn't mean we are necessarily ready to receive it or really know what to do with it once we get it.So goes the story of 1 and 2 Samuel, the books we are focusing on in worship this week. Israel has been begging God for a King, confident that a strong, singular leader will be the one to bring them to prominence and peace. God feels ... differently. But, God offers the people of Israel what they've asked for and prepares to journey with them through the triumphs and trials. To hear this week's playlist, click here.

This week on the pod, we dive into the book of Judges. The Judges of Israel were rulers who helped preserve the people and land of Israel between the conquest of Canaan led by Joshua and the implementation of Kings. In this chronicle of this portion of Israel's history, we observe the natural consequences Israel experiences when they are disobedient. And, in turn, discover how God continues to provide leaders who deliver them from destruction. You can listen to the accompanying playlist for the book of Judges by clicking here. 

Joey Jeter, a former Professor of Homiletics at Brite Divinity School, once quipped that he would call his book on preaching Joshua, "How to Preach on the Worst Book of the Bible." And, we can promise you: preachers everywhere would have per-ordered their copy. Joshua is an incredibly difficult book to read-- full of more violence than an episode of Game of Thrones and probably the primary supporting text used by anyone who identifies God as jealous, angry, and vengeful. It is a difficult text with which to contend. At best, it calls into question our understanding of God as gracious, loving, and merciful. At worst, it endorses a way of life that is violent, malicious, and dehumanizing. There are plenty of questions for us to ask when we read the book of Joshua-- and Gabe and I ask most of them on the podcast this week. While the questions are easy to find, the answers are not. But, hey, let's give it a shot!To listen to this week's accompanying playlist, click here.