June 5, 2011

What Does Christian Community Look Like?
W. Gregory Pope, preaching


Click arrow to listen

Series: Practice Resurrection 
Galatians 5:13-6:2
(Holy Communion)

Once upon a time, there was a young man who lived, for the most part, alone.  He lived in a garage apartment behind his brother’s house. And he did everything he could to keep himself isolated from them.  He refused their dinner invitations.  He hid from them when they came to knock on his door.  He did much the same thing with his colleagues at work and the people at his church.  He went about his life as quietly and anonymously as he possibly could.  He was polite, never even raising his voice, but it was obvious he wanted no part of any real human community.

May 29, 2011

Transforming Worship
W. Gregory Pope, preaching


Click arrow to listen

Series: Practice Resurrection
Isaiah 6:1-8; Romans 12:1-2; John 4:19-24

The title of the sermon today should be read in two different ways:

1) Transforming Worship as worship that transforms us.

2) And Transforming Worship in the sense of transforming the ways in which we worship.

 

Encounters with God touch us in deep places and leave us differently than before. 

May 15, 2011

"Why Are We Here?"
W. Gregory Pope, preaching


Click arrow to listen

Series: Practice Resurrection

Philippians 2:12-18; Luke 4:14-21

We are living in this Eastertide season of resurrection with prayers and dreams of resurrection for the church.  We believe the Risen Christ lives among us and within us,  and as a community of faith, we are to here to practice resurrection, to embody the life and love of the Risen Christ in the world.

Why do you come to church? 
Why are you a part of this community of faith?
What are your dreams for us?
What do you hope happens among us?

From what I have seen and heard in my twenty plus years of being a pastor, there are five almost universal reasons that, I believe, sum up the answer to those questions for most people who come to church.

May 8, 2011

"A Church For All People"
W. Gregory Pope, preaching


Click arrow to listen

Series: Practice Resurrection

Galatians 3:26-28

I . . . am . . . speechless!
Speechless with gratitude and pride.
For you, Crescent Hill Baptist Church, outdid yourself last weekend!
I have never been more proud of a congregation that I am of you for the giving of
      your time,
      your love,
      your hard work,
      and your gracious hospitality
to make the Alliance of Baptists Convocation such a wonderful experience for so many.