In Portland as it is in Heaven. All teachings are available to stream and download at bridgetown.church.
From the series, "Gospel of Matthew." We finally come to the last, and most radical, of Jesus’ six examples of his way: enemy love. For Jesus, it’s not enough to reject the flight or fight options, and look for a creative alternative to violence. He’s actually after love for our enemy. If we only love people we like, how are we any different from the world?
From the series, "Gospel of Matthew." Few of Jesus’ teachings are more thought-provoking and jarring to our culture than what he has to say on nonviolence and enemy love. To follow Jesus is to reject the either/or option of flight or fight, and to look for a third way, a creative, wise, intelligent, bold, and at times risky way to fight evil in a nonviolent way. The way of Jesus.
What does it look like for God to move? How do we bless what he is already up to in our place and time? Maybe even more important is how do we encourage God to move among us? Join us as Alex Rettmann looks at three key things for the family of God to do to bless his movement.
From the series, "Gospel of Matthew." It can be easy to skim the surface of what Jesus has to say about oaths. Our culture doesn't work the same way anymore. We don't really take oaths in our day-to-day lives. Jesus is getting at something deeper; living in complete honesty and integrity. If we are people living out the reflection of our creator, we should be a community of truth-tellers, understanding that our lives are predicated on Jesus' commitment to tell the truth and then fulfill it.
From the series, "Gospel of Matthew." When Jesus recounts the Laws from the Torah, he doesn't simply address the behavior, he gets to the heart of sin. His insight to the human condition and our need for God is monumental. Our weakness in lust creates a wake of objectification and oppression in the lives of others. Jesus is calling us to take drastic measures to eradicate the poison of lust from our lives.
From the series, "Gospel of Matthew." We live in a culture that says anger is good, that we should use it as the fuel for fighting injustice; anger can motivate us to finally get past our indifference. But the way of Jesus, as always, is different. Jesus reveals the vicious cycle of anger we all get sucked into, and more importantly, how to break it and live into his vision of the kingdom.
From the series, "Gospel of Matthew." What exactly does Jesus think about the Bible? In a time where the Bible is under assault, from both the right and the left, is there an option C? A new, creative way forward based on Jesus’ teachings on the Bible?
From the series "Prayer" as part of Practicing The Way. We tie off our series on prayer with Paul’s command to “pray constantly.” What exactly does he mean? Go join a monastery? Or is he inviting us to a life of “the practice of the presence of God”? John Mark Comer teaches out of his own life journey: to slow down, open up to the flow of the Spirit, and arrange each day around abiding.
In this teaching, Alex Rettmann leads our Church through the theology of prayer as outlined by the life and teaching of Jesus. This is a great resource for bringing the Kingdom to your community or church by understanding different types of prayer as well as practical steps for engaging the Spirit of God.
From the series "Prayer" as part of Practicing The Way. When Paul says that we have "the mind of Christ" he's getting at something profound: We can actually know the thoughts of God. Through the practice of listening prayer we can begin to distinguish God's voice and heart from everything else that can occupy our minds.