North.church Podcast With Pastor Rodney Fouts

In week two of "Superior", Pastor Rodney preaches about "Growing Up in Christ" which emphasizes Jesus as the superior High Priest, sinless and eternal, offering us a permanent solution for sin. He focuses on the importance of spiritual growth, urging us to mature in our faith beyond the basics. Pastor stresses the importance of learning from suffering, taking responsibility, and handling challenges in a Christ-like manner. Be encouraged, as you listen, to deepen their relationship with Jesus through trust and obedience.Support the Show.

In week one of "Superior", Pastor Rodney focuses on the superiority of Jesus Christ as emphasized in Hebrews 1. He shows us that Jesus, being God's Son, radiates God's glory, sustains all creation, and cleansed us from our sins, taking a place of honor at God's right hand. He emphasizes that faith must be active and not merely a means to an end. He encourages believers to hold firm to our faith in Jesus, who is far superior to the Old Law and everything else.Support the Show.

In week four of "Be Glad", Pastor Samson preaches from Psalm 80 where the people of Israel cry out for God's grace and restoration after facing the consequences of their sins. They acknowledge their abandonment of God, which has led to their suffering and loss. He illustrates how the psalmist uses three metaphors to describe the relationship between God and Israel: a shepherd guiding his sheep, a gardener tending to his vine, and a restorer who will save them. Through this sermon, we are reminded that we often do not realize we are lost until we experience the pain of our own actions, but there is hope and redemption through God's grace. By turning to God and recognizing our need for a savior, we can find new life and salvation. Listen and be challenged.Support the Show.

In week three of "Be Glad", Pastor Rodney preaches from Psalm 78, where we see the importance of remembering and listening to God's instructions. He highlights the necessity of passing down stories of God's deeds and miracles to future generations, ensuring they set their hope anew on God and avoid the mistakes of their ancestors. This message shows us the impact of forgetting God's goodness, which leads to disobedience and a hardened heart. We are reminded of God's faithfulness and why we should focus on His promises rather than our failures, and to share the story of Jesus with future generations to maintain a faithful and obedient community. Listen and be challenged.Support the Show.

In week two of “Be Glad”, Pastor Samson examines Psalm 72, a psalm of Solomon that envisions an ideal king who embodies justice, peace, and dominion. He emphasizes that while Solomon's reign was prosperous, it ultimately fell short of the psalm's high aspirations, pointing us to Jesus Christ, the true King who fulfills these ideals perfectly. Unlike Solomon's limited and divided kingdom, Jesus' reign is universal and eternal, starting within our hearts and extending to all nations. Pastor Samson urges us to recognize that our desire for justice and peace can only be satisfied by submitting to Jesus, the perfect King who fulfills the deepest longings of our hearts. Listen and be challenged. Support the Show.

In week one of our new collection of talks, “Be Glad”, Pastor Rodney encourages us to find joy in God despite life's challenges. Drawing from the story of the Ark of the LORD's return and Psalms 68, we as believers are to rejoice in God's presence regardless of circumstances. True joy is not dependent on feelings or external factors but is rooted in faith in God. When we recognize the importance of God's presence in our lives, we will find the transformative power of choosing joy in Him. Listen and be challenged.Support the Show.

In week five "Unlikely Heroes", Pastor Rodney reflects on Hannah's story from 1 Samuel 1, highlighting her barrenness and distress, yet her steadfast faith in prayer. He emphasizes the qualities of honest, humble, and hopeful prayers, urging us all to surrender to God's will. Hannah's vow to dedicate her son, Samuel, to the Lord demonstrates the cost of surrender, along with the importance of dedication and worship. Listen and be challenged.Support the Show.

In week four of "Unlikely Heroes", Pastor Rodney preaches from Daniel 3, the familiar story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the fiery furnace. In his sermon, he emphasizes the importance of choosing to live faithfully in the world, not isolating or imitating it, but rather infiltrating it with the light of Jesus. Pastor also highlights the significance of the company we keep, the choices we make, and the confidence we have in God. Through this story, we are encouraged to trust in God's power and protection, even in the face of adversity.Support the Show.

In week three of "Unlikely Heroes", Pastor Rodney uses the story of Esther to illustrate how God can turn impossible situations around for your good and His glory.  He discusses how Esther's obedience, patience in preparation, and courage to act played crucial roles in her story, showing that opportunities from God are often disguised as obstacles that require boldness to seize. Through this message, we are called to reflect on the difference between coincidence and providence, the constant presence and work of God, and how obedience, patience, and courage prepare believers for God's providential work in our lives. Listen and be challenged.Support the show

In week two of "Unlikely Heroes", Pastor Samson preaches from Joshua 10, the story of the sun standing still, to illustrate a deeper message. Despite Gibeon's deceptive treaty with Israel, when surrounding kingdoms attacked them, Joshua honored the covenant and defended them. This act, born out of a previous misstep, demonstrated obedience to God. The sermon emphasizes that our mistakes and challenges can be used by God to elevate our faith and bring about victory. Just as Joshua found victory in obeying God after a misstep, we too can find triumph when we align with God's ways, even in our biggest battles. However, the greatest miracle is not the sun standing still but Jesus coming down for us, and through faith-filled prayers, we can find salvation and victory. Listen and be challenged. Support the show

In week one of our new collection of talks, "Unlikely Heroes", Pastor Rodney discusses the story of Joshua and his preparation to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. He emphasizes three key points: serving, believing, and receiving. Joshua's preparation involved serving Moses for over 40 years, showing commitment and contentment in his role. He also demonstrated courage by obeying God's commands, believing in God's promises, and positioning himself to receive blessings by being filled with the spirit of wisdom and staying close to God's word. Listen and be challenged.Support the show

Celebrating our resurrected King, Pastor Rodney preaches about the significance of the veil tearing in the Temple, symbolizing the end of separation between God and people through Jesus Christ. Sacrifices in the Old Testament symbolized the need for a perfect sacrifice, fulfilled in Jesus where He is presented as the sinless Savior who died and rose again, offering redemption and breaking the cycle of sin. We now have access to God's presence and can reflect His glory, being transformed into His image. We have the assurance that God's redemption extends to all, showing His ability to redeem any story. Listen and be challenged. Support the show

In week three of "In the Desert", Pastor Rodney discusses hypocrisy, focusing on Jesus's entry into Jerusalem and his subsequent weeping over the city. He illustrates the danger of putting on a false front, acting one way externally but being different internally. We are encouraged to examine our hearts and actions, ensuring we align with our professed beliefs. Pastor Rodney also stresses the importance of genuine love for God and others, highlighting that only through growth in the Gospel can hypocrisy be rooted out. As you listen, invite the Holy Spirit to search your heart, ask for a new heart, and implement new habits consistent with that new heart.Support the show

In week two of "In the Desert", Pastor Christian delves into the topic of complaining, drawing from the biblical account of the Israelites in the desert. He shares a personal experience of complaining, highlighting how easily we complain about things we once prayed for. His sermon explores the reasons for complaining, such as hardships and negative perspectives, and emphasizes the detrimental effects of complaining on our spiritual journey, along with the importance of surrounding ourselves with positive influences. Listen and be challenged to shift from complaining to praising.Support the show

In week one of our new collection of talks, "In the Desert", Pastor Samson explores the patterns of behavior exhibited by the Israelites in Numbers 11, which prevented them from entering the promised land. These patterns include complaining, a lack of trust in God, and a longing for their past in Egypt. Moses, though a mediator, was unable to change their hearts. The sermon draws parallels to our lives, highlighting the need to break free from our own patterns and trust in Jesus, who is a better mediator than Moses. The filling of the Holy Spirit is crucial for experiencing God's promises in our lives and we must become self-aware of our sinful tendencies, boldly approach Jesus, and ask for the Holy Spirit to transform our patterns into promises. Listen and be challenged. Support the show

Our final day of Revival welcomes our friend, Mercy Lokulutu, from Dallas, TX. Preaching from Luke 14, Mercy shows us the power of our thoughts and how it can affect our destiny, whether we realize it or not.  Being transformed by the renewing of our mind goes beyond replacing a negative thought with a positive one, but by thinking about ourselves less and about God more. There is a standing invitation for us at the table of God. Don't allow excuses to keep you from it because there is still room for more. Listen and be challenged. Support the show

Night three of Revival welcomes Pastor Faith Cho from Mosaic Covenant Church in Paramus, NJ. Preaching from II Samuel 6, she shows how the mysteries of God should make us want to go deeper in His word, seek after Him more, and use it as an open door to His presence. We have to move from disappointment to revival and that cannot be done until we abide in Him and forfeit our expectations. Listen and be challenged.Support the show

Day two of Revival welcomes Pastor Chet Pete of Elevation Church in University City, NC. Using the story of God promising Abraham and Sarah a child, he illustrates how the lies we believe can affect our destiny. We must not allow our limitations, insecurities, or experiences dictate and overshadow the promises God has made to us. Because He is in us, we can declare, "I AM!" Listen and be challenged.Support the show

Opening our Revival experiences is Pastor Greg Ford of One Church in Columbus, OH. He brings a powerful and timely word from the book of Genesis, using Abraham as an example of why we can't let our minds convince us that going beyond the familiar, to follow the purpose God has laid out for us, is something we cannot handle. We must pray, process, and persevere, not allowing ourselves to be limited by our past. Listen and be challenged.Support the show

In the eighth and final week of “Life After the Garden”, Pastor Rodney encourages us to go "Beyond Belief" by seeking a deeper experience of God's presence. Preaching from the book of Exodus, he emphasizes surrender, sacrifice, and obedience, warning us against seeking comfort over growth. As you listen, begin to realize, position, and practice God's presence which will impact both your personal life and your interactions with others.Support the show