Acts concludes with Paul's implicit charge to future followers: go forth among the Gentiles. In our world, we are the ones to heed his call to examine our own hearts…
As we welcome new members into Ankeny UCC, we look to Paul's outreach to followers of John the Baptist and understand how the diversity of our faith journeys changes us…
Sometimes, the stories are just a little bit funny, and we have to lean into the reality that we present our whole lives to God and one another.
Paul's message to Athens is not only that God has always been with them, but also that we are called to do more than just talk.
Peter's vision completes the work God is doing with the early church in the wake of Jesus's resurrection. This time, God reminds us that no matter what direction the church…
We often talk about Saul's "Damascus Road" conversion. But of course, his mind, heart, and actions don't change on the Damascus Road. For that, he needs to be subject to…
The story of the early church is one of unlearning assumptions and learning the power of the Holy Spirit. When Philip ran into the Ethiopian eunuch on the road, the…
In this somewhat idealized vision of the early church, we see what the Holy Spirit can do when the church is trying to build something together. In the midst of…
On the birthday of the church, the Holy Spirit gave the disciples a gift that helped them overcome their fear, build relationships, and leave a place of familiarity.
The first chapter of Acts reminds us that Jesus's time on earth ended, but that the church went on. In the wake of Easter, what will we do to bring…
We always must remember how many gifts of the spirit are dedicated to listening and communicating. In the midst of an oppression that is the legacy of a country founded…
Paul complaining about division in Christianity is a little funny to careful readers, but his warning to avoid tribalism in our thinking is sound.
Sometimes in Christianity, the only meaning of Jesus that is said to be important is his death. But Jesus lived and embodied life, and rose again, and meaning may be…
In the culmination of three weeks where we asked, "What Next?" we see that, empowered by the holy spirit, disciples like we can step outside our comfort zones and heal…
The message in Acts 1 is clear: Jesus was not conquered in death, and it's on us to take his message and mission into the world. And since we aren't…
Pastor Nathan is back from sabbatical. On Pentecost, Luke describes what it was like to hear all those voices on Pentecost, and Pastor Nathan thinks it must be a little…
In our church identity statement, we profess to be a church "serving beyond." As the context of church changes, each generation must understand how we are called to go beyond…
Defining the boundaries of Progressive Christian Theology can be hard, often because it's all about asking questions and understanding that the answers may be unsatisfying. But we should never stop…
