The Town Church / Fort Collins

In 1 Samuel 8, Israel grows tired of the system of judges that God had set in place and demand a king. Their dissatisfaction challenges us to consider ways we may be discontent with our own lives and how that can impact our view of God. 

Today, the conversation on coincidences and the sovereignty of God continues. Do we view everyday occurrences in our own lives as under God's control? What specific ideas from these three chapters convicted our own hearts? This episode begs the question: will Eric ever try pogo sticking again? 

Does anything happen by coincidence? These chapters in 1 Samuel reveal God's providential hand in all things -- for His glory and for the good of His people. 

What are we expecting from God in each of our lives? How do we move forward when we feel defeated? Our discussion of 1 Samuel 4 brings about these questions, as well as recognition of God's sovereignty and His faithfulness to do all He has promised. TIP: don't keep your leftovers as long as Betty so you don't end up like her. 

This week's passage challenges us to remember that God's plans are sovereign, even when they don't play out in ways we expect or desire.

We are reminded this week of how vital the Word of God is to the life of the Christian. How do we personally engage with Scripture? What does it look like to remain in the Word even in seasons where it is more exhausting than fruitful? How have we sensed God speaking to us in our own lives?  

We live in a world where the truth of God has been abandoned, and the absence of God feels as real as it did in the opening verses of 1 Samuel 3. However, we know God desires to be known, and He graciously gives us the means to know Him. Where do we find our own hearts as we exist in this culture? How can we seek God's presence through His Word?  

Today, we flesh out some harder topics from yesterday's sermon and consider how the passage struck each of us individually. ALSO: Eric uses "flesh out" correctly in a sentence! 

This week's passage contrasts the rebellion of Eli and his sons with the righteousness of Samuel and his family. How does God respond to unrepentant hearts? What hope can we find in the midst of a dark story? 

This week we flesh out some big questions from the passage, including the Lord's role in closing Hannah's womb, her heart behind her prayer, and...polygamy? 

We begin our sermon series on 1 & 2 Samuel by exploring some important context of these books and how they point to the coming of the True King. Additionally, the beginning chapters of 1 Samuel show us the pain of Hannah and how the Lord met her in that pain.  

In this episode, we tackle some difficult questions surrounding prayer, especially those that arise in seasons where prayer feels particularly hard. How do our own prayers interact with the sovereignty of God? Should we avoid praying when we have the wrong heart posture? What are personal examples of prayers that have not been answered in ways we expect?Also, who was most likely to be a pastor in high school? Who was most likely to follow the rules? 

Oftentimes, our prayers are filled with questions that appear to be met with silence. Prayers from Paul and Jesus Himself challenge us to see what is revealed when God answers our prayers, even if it is in ways we do not expect. 

This week, we look at Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3 as an example of how to pray. It leads us to ask a few important questions: how do we approach God in prayer? What can we be seeking Him for in prayer? What is the ultimate end goal of prayer? 

Today, we consider what it looks like to seek God for inner transformation rather than only the fulfillment of physical needs. Is it wrong to bring practical supplications before God? How do we each personally approach God in prayer? 

The advent season concludes with the celebration that Jesus truly is the Christ -- the true God who dwelt among us and the Messiah who came to save his people from their sins.

This week, we discuss how the sacrifice of Christ inspires awe in each of us. Since we live outside of the sacrificial system, what rhythms help us remember the weight of Christ's sacrifice? How do we understand the relationship between God's holiness and His love? Also, who does a better introduction: Eric or Betty? Send in your votes! 

Today, we consider how Christ our Sacrifice inspires our awe of God. What fundamental attribute of God is meant to inspire our awe? What allows an unholy people to have relationship with a holy God? How is the sacrifice of Christ the true and sufficient sacrifice? 

We know that Jesus is fully God, and without this truth the entirety of the Christian faith would crumble. Is this something we've wrestled with before? How do we approach conversations with others who may be experiencing doubt? This week, Kirsten finally answers Eric's intro question! (Plus: how do you pronounce "deity?") 

How do we know that Jesus is truly God? This week, we examine a few of the many passages in Scripture that point to the deity of Christ.  Because we know this is true, we are confident that God Himself came down to earth, and this advent season (and every season) we can celebrate the truth that He did come to dwell with us.