Three of my five grandchildren are preschoolers. If you have exposure to any preschoolers / toddlers, you’re surely familiar with that famous emphatic toddler phrase: “Mine!” Rarely do we hear, "Sure, you can play with my favorite truck." Three and 4-year-olds tend to cling passionately to their stuff. Sharing just isn’t a priority. But we expect this from a toddler. But what if an adult still acts like a toddler? When it remains “Me” instead of “We.
Part 3 - “Us & We” vs “I & Me”
Romans 15:1-6
May 27, 2018 • Senior Pastor Armin Sommer • Romans 15:1–6
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How Not To Sabotage Your Church
Part 4 - Receive One Another
June 3, 2018 • Senior Pastor Armin Sommer • Romans 15:7–13
The church is made up of a broad spectrum of preferences & traditions… disputable issues. And there can be tension. Some of the disputable issues in the church today include preferences regarding proper dress (“Sunday Best” vs “Casual” and even “sloppy”). Other issues revolve around the consumption of alcohol and appropriate forms of entertainment. Still others center on acceptable styles of worship and accompanying body language. These are just a couple of examples of issues that cause tension. Life within the body of Christ is not just about my individual freedoms; it’s about accommodating to others without being enslaved by the preferences of others.
Part 2 - Food Fight!
May 20, 2018 • Senior Pastor Armin Sommer • Romans 14:13–23
There was tension between the 2 groups that comprised the congregation of Roman Christians. One group consisted of those who, in order to avoid association with paganism, avoided meat and wine, which would often be purchased from vendors who had dedicated them to pagan deities. They were essentially vegetarians. (“Weak in faith”) The other group was made up of Christians who felt free to eat & drink anything. (“Strong”) They enjoyed great freedom in Christ. Last wk’s: Don’t make disputable issues into non-negotiables. In this week’s passage he focuses on the responsibility of the “stronger brother” toward the “weaker brother”.
Part 1 - Don't Sweat The Small Stuff
May 13, 2018 • Senior Pastor Armin Sommer • Romans 14:1–12
The church in Rome likely began with a group of Jewish visitors from Rome who were present in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:10). They became followers of Christ in and took the message back to Rome. So the church in Rome initially consisted of Jewish believers (Messianic Jews). But that changed over time, with Gentiles outnumbering Jewish believers. Tension had grown between the 2 groups and it was sabotaging the life of the church. Tensions like this can wreck a church. Over these 4 weeks, we’ll learn “How NOT to sabotage our church.”