Check out these resources gathered by our Resource Team!

RECOMMENDED BOOKS:

The Other Half of Church by Jim Wilder & Michel Hendricks

“Join Michel and Jim's journey as they couple brain science with the Bible to identify how to overcome spiritual stagnation by living a full-brained faith. You'll also learn the four ingredients necessary to develop and maintain a vibrant transformational community where spiritual formation occurs, relationships flourish, and the toxic spread of narcissism is eradicated.” This book was part of the inspiration for our ““Seen. Known. Loved” sermon series!

RECOMMENDED ARTICLES:

Ligonier Ministries - 3 Things You Should Know about Philemon

“At face value, Paul’s letter to Philemon seems like a private letter written to address a painful problem that had arisen in a Christian family in the New Testament world. It is indeed just that; but, in God’s wider purpose, He saw fit to include it in the New Testament canon for the benefit of the church through the ages.”

Gospel Coalition - Uncovering Treasures in Paul’s Shortest Letter

“Even though sending Onesimus away would be like sending his very heart, Paul saw the reunion of Philemon and Onesimus as an opportunity for both men to provide the church—and the world—with a living parable of gospel reconciliation and partnership.”

Desiring God - Once Worthless, Now Precious

“The book of Philemon reminds us that not only are we like Onesimus, but we also have other Onesimi in our life. Paul shows us in Philemon what gospel love looks like. The gospel not only changes our status and makes us new; it also changes how we love others.”

RECOMMENDED VIDEOS:

Bible Project - Book of Philemon Summary: A Complete Animated Overview

“Watch our overview video on the book of Philemon, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. In this letter, Paul helps his friend Philemon to reconcile with his escaped former slave Onesimus and shows that they are equals because of Jesus.”

Spoken Gospel - Philemon: The Bible Explained

“The letter of Philemon is written to the master of a runaway slave. In it, the apostle Paul asks the master to accept his runaway not as a slave but as a brother and partner.”

Paul David Tripp - Philemon Summary & Bible Study

“Vertical reconciliation produces the hope of horizontal reconciliation. Pastor and best-selling author, Dr. Paul David Tripp, continues his weekly Bible Study by summarizing the book of Philemon.”

RECOMMENDED SERMONS/TEACHINGS:

Jen Wilkin - Fight Good Fights

“Unity matters. Christ prayed his church would be marked by it. Yet disunity among Christians abounds, and it’s not always civil in tone. With the Bible’s clear admonitions about foolish controversies and quarreling, how can we know when a fight is worth having? Jen Wilkin offers a framework for diagnosing how to pick your battles and how to conduct yourself when a battle is worth the fight.” This is a great resource as you consider this series’ focus on community identity and correction!

Alistair Begg - Philemon Part 1 / Philemon Part 2 / Philemon Part 3

“Paul had the apostolic authority to demand reconciliation between Philemon and his runaway slave Onesimus. Instead, he appealed to them on the basis of love. Alistair Begg emphasizes that love is foundational in our service to Christ and our responses to each other. Just as Paul encouraged Philemon to welcome Onesimus’s return as a brother, our relationships should also be radically transformed by Christ.”

Tim Mackie - Forgiveness: Why Forgive?

“The reality is that the person most impacted by forgiveness is the person who needs to forgive. When we refuse to forgive, pockets of anger and bitterness begin to form in the depths of our hearts and that affects and shapes how we see God, others and ourselves.” This is a teaching from one of our reference passages for Philemon.

RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

Warehouse Podcast

Welcome to The Warehouse! Has a Sunday sermon ever left you running to Google with new theological questions? Have you ever wished that you could peer behind the curtain to see how the message comes together? That’s where we come in! Here at Cornerstone Church, we spend hours every week talking about the Bible. This is the place to learn about Scripture, dive into its context, and study the Bible’s cultural background. Come to the Warehouse–where we’ll extend the stuff you learn from the stage.

Spoken Gospel - Philemon is Not About Slaves

“The book of Philemon is not about slaves, masters, or their freedom but about the power of Jesus to reconcile brothers at odds with one another. Seth and David talk about the only letter of Paul to have no mention of Jesus's death and resurrection but how Paul acts like Jesus to reconcile a slave and a master in conflict.”

You're Not Crazy - Biblical Criticism and Correction

“The You’re Not Crazy podcast is a ministry of the Gospel Coalition. In this episode, Ray Ortlund and Sam Allberry discuss the dos and don’ts of biblical criticism and correction.”

Ask Pastor John - How Not to Correct a Fellow Christian / How Can I Learn to Receive Criticism?

These two resources go hand in hand. They are a helpful tool to use for our Seen. Known. Loved. series as we explore how to apply phrases like “This is who we are” and “We don’t do that” to our group identity.

With the Perrys - Conflict, Confrontation, and Arguing Well

“Confrontation is a necessary function of a healthy relationship and it can create more intimacy in relationships. But how do we honor God and one another as we move through conflict? The Perrys have some thoughts from what they’ve learned over the past five years.” This is another helpful resource for applying “This is who we are” and “We don’t do that” to our group identity.