The Spiritual Disciplines

Community

October 20, 2024 • Jake Poole • Galatians 3:28, Matthew 18:15–17, Genesis 2:18, Hebrews 10:24–25, 1 Corinthians 12:21

We are a lonely people in a lonely world. Despite the fact that we are hyper-connected to others via our phones and busy schedules, many still feel alone, isolated, and separated. Always surrounded but never truly known. But even though our modern age pushes away from relationship, Jesus invites us into a new way. Pastor Jake wraps up our series with the spiritual discipline of Christian community.

Hospitality

October 13, 2024 • Dennis Turner • Hebrews 13:1–3, 1 Peter 4:8–10, Luke 5:27–32, Luke 7:36–50, Luke 10:38–42

Christian hospitality is a spiritual gift for some, but a spiritual discipline that all of Jesus’ followers are called to practice. As we continue in our series on the spiritual disciplines, we will be challenged in two dimensions of hospitality (the vertical and the horizontal) and encouraged to engage in hospitality as both host and guest.

Confession

October 6, 2024 • Jake Poole • Psalm 139:11–12, Proverbs 28:13, Genesis 3:7, James 5:13–16, 1 John 1:5–9

As humans, we are prone to hide. It's been our default reaction since the Garden – we want to hide our brokenness and sin. But God knows our heart and sees our failure, and He offers us a pathway to experience deeper freedom and love than we could imagine. Join Pastor Jake as he explores confession in the next installment of our Spiritual Disciplines series.

Fasting

September 29, 2024 • Jake Poole • James 1:14–15, Galatians 5:16, Romans 7:19, Psalm 37:4, Matthew 4:1–4

As humans, we are innate pleasure seekers. From entertainment to food to gaming to social media to shopping – we love to indulge. But sometimes those desires lead us into sin. Jesus invites us into a spiritual practice that starves the flesh so we can desire more of Him. Pastor Jake continues on in our spiritual disciplines series with a look at the practice of fasting.

The Word

September 22, 2024 • Sean Homan • 2 Timothy 3:16–17, John 1:1–5, John 17:17, Psalm 119, Hebrews 4:12

Scripture – and meditating on it – often is looked at as a task to accomplish or knowledge to gain and retain. What if we look at it as something that transforms? Not just purely from a consumption-and-restate mindset but as something that takes the old and makes it new? As something that nourishes and grows/matures the reader? Pastor Sean continues in our series on the spiritual disciplines by encouraging us to approach God's Word with an attitude of meditation that will guide us into transformation.

Sabbath

September 15, 2024 • Jake Poole • Genesis 2:2–3, Exodus 20:8–11, Deuteronomy 5:12–15, Mark 2:24–27, Exodus 5:2–8

The gods of our modern world constantly demand more. How can we ever possibly stop? But our God is a God of rest, and Jesus invites us into a spiritual practice that allows us to enjoy rest regularly. Pastor Jake continues on in our series on the spiritual disciplines with a deeper look at the gift of Sabbath.

Solitude & Silence

September 8, 2024 • Jake Poole • John 6:15, Luke 5:16, Mark 1:29–38, Psalm 46:10, Romans 8:26–27

Surrounded by incessant noise and constant demands for our attention, we have to wonder: How can I possibly slow my soul down and hear from God? In the way of Jesus, He shows us a spiritual practice that can remove the noise and allow us to give our attention to God. Pastor Jake continues our series on the spiritual disciplines with a look at solitude and silence.

Prayer

September 1, 2024 • Jake Poole • John 14:12–14, Ephesians 2:18, Matthew 6:5–6, Philippians 4:6–7

Our soul is formed by the things we give our life to, but prayer is a counter-practice to those internal and external forces that shape us. Pastor Jake kicked off a new sermon series on the spiritual disciplines by exploring how prayer can, quite literally, change our life from the inside out.

Freshwater Church in Wadsworth, Ohio

A New Way of Living