No Small Parts: Phoebe and the Church

Paul greeted Phoebe as a deaconess of the church. Paul recognized her not to make a point about women in leadership or anything political but because she was a faithful servant in the Body of Christ who had an impact in her community. Paul’s letters were written to real people that filled the local church. These people were the application of the Gospel, the intended recipients of the epistles. These words were not intended for only the heroes or celebrities or household names, but people serving and loving their local communities.

No Small Parts: Abigail

Continuing in our No Small Parts series, the story of Abigail shows that God’s Kingdom is revealed, propelled, and instrumented by the variety of God’s people, not the isolated, random, heroic or famous individual. Her story takes place during the time when David is on the run from King Saul. The Lord uses Abigail’s intelligence, cunning, and boldness to redirect the future King David’s actions, remind him of God’s promise and calling. The result is that her own household is spared from ruin and David is spared from having unnecessary bloodshed on his hands.

No Small Parts: Korah

Through looking at Korah and The Sons of Korah as mentioned in Numbers, the Psalms, and Jude, we see the long story of God’s redemption, correcting pride, and teaching us to “be still and know that I am God”. Knowing their story, the Psalms written by the Sons of Korah speak in new ways.

No Small Parts: Eutychus

Eutychus is mentioned in only a few verses of one story in the book of Acts but was the subject of a substantial miracle of resurrection. Pastor Josh discusses this passage of scripture along with a debrief of the Vineyard National Conference to encourage repentance for our unbelief in the healing miracles of the Holy Spirit and to encourage waiting on God and blessing His work in ministry.

No Small Parts: Simeon and Anna

VCHS elder Brant Cannon looks at the role of Simeon and Anna in recognizing and announcing the arrival of the Messiah when Jesus was presented at the temple and the lessons we can learn about hearing God from these two devout servants who patiently awaited God’s promise.

No Small Parts: Elishama

Elishama was a secretary in the temple. He heard the words of God given to Jeremiah, and read out loud in the temple by Baruk, and recognized them as from the Lord so he honored and preserved it even though the king wanted to destroy the scroll. God’s word will be revealed and it will accomplish its purpose. Elishama shows us an example of faithfulness in our charge and a diligence in following God.

No Small Parts: Hannah

Jeremy Geelen discusses Hannah’s passion in pursuing the Lord for a son and offers encouragement to us to be as free in our love and pursuit of God as she was.

No Small Parts: Jael

Jael is a woman found in the book of Judges in the time of Deborah. She was chosen by God to play a very important part in a battle the Israelites were facing and she is a perfect example of God equipping the called instead of calling the equipped.

No Small Parts: The Demoniac

The Demoniac was a man possessed with many demons and he lived among the tombs alone. Once Jesus delivers him, instead of allowing the man to travel with him, Jesus sent him back to his own family and community to share the gospel. And the effects of this man’s obedience is seen in later parts of scripture where the gospel is advancing. As N.T. Wright put it, this man was the first apostle to the Gentiles!

No Small Parts: The Forgotten Disciples

Several of Jesus’ own disciples were mentioned just a few times in scripture, yet they were dearly loved by the Lord and the impact they had for the gospel was widespread. These three men were faithful, patient and consistent and were certainly no less important or effective.

No Small Parts: The Midwives

Today we begin a new sermon series: No Small Parts. This series is about lesser known Bible characters that you may not be familiar with. It’s not a celebration of mediocrity but instead a look at how there are no minor characters in the Kingdom of God. We must be faithful in our sphere of influence to bring the love of Jesus to the people and situations that God has placed in our paths. The midwives of Israel feared God and not Pharaoh so they didn’t follow the Egyptian King’s instruction to kill any baby boys that were born.

40 Days of Prayer and Fasting

The Vineyard Association as a whole will be engaging in 40 days of prayer and fasting from Memorial Day through 4th of July leading up to the National Conference this summer. In this sermon, Administrative Pastor Leah Pavel shares the heart and motive for this corporate fast and discusses what true fasting that pleases the Lord looks like.

God in a Broken World

Revival isn’t about recreating the past or trying to be like the early church, but about being the people of God that humble ourselves to pray and seek the Lord for his intervention in our community. A heavenly minded church brings about actual, real earthly good in their walking out of their mission. God has a plan for this world and His people have a central role to play in seeing it come about.

Poured Out For Jesus

Guest speaker and VCHS member, William Simkiss, takes us through a detailed and fresh look at the story of the woman (or women!) that anointed Jesus’ before his crucifixion and all the rich meaning that can be seen in this story.

Easter Sunday: Death Lost Control

On Easter, those who follow Jesus found everything they’d lost and more. Death lost control and power, yet those who continue to use and follow the world’s ways are still subject to it. But those who follow the way of the cross gain life and freedom.

Palm Sunday: Jesus Confronts Loss

Going beyond the typical Palm Sunday story, Pastor Josh looks at the incidents of Jesus cursing the fig tree and driving the merchants out of the temple and how Jesus confronted the loss and disappointment of Israel not living up to their calling.

Lost & Found: The Word of God

In the intertestamental period, a span of about 400 years, God was silent. There were no prophets speaking to God’s people and nothing being written that would later be canonized into scripture. This time was even prophesied about in the book of Amos. But we would not have had John 1:1, where the Word became flesh, without that period of silence. The Word of God is life to those who need it.

Lost & Found: Lost Land

Continuing in our Lost & Found series leading up to Easter, Pastor Josh reflects on the nature of exile as seen through the story of the Israelites and examines how we can find ourselves in exile-like situations having lost a home, job, place, time etc, that is important to us.

Lost & Found: Lost Lineage, Lost Authority

At one point or another through our sin and rebellion, we have rejected God as our Father and King. We have lost our heritage and lineage. Jesus came as our King to establish a Kingdom not of this world. He refused to allow His followers to make Him king by force but instead retreated to be by Himself and spend time with the Father. Jesus regathers the lineage and the people that had been scattered and calls them back to follow Him in discipleship. When our lineage is restored, our authority to minister is also restored.

Lost & Found: Cast From the Garden, Cursed Ground

In this life, each of us has experienced loss: loss of relationship, innocence, loved ones, time, etc. In this first sermon of our new series “Lost & Found” which will lead up to Easter, we’ll be looking at how what we’ve lost in this life is recovered in the Kingdom of God. This week, Pastor Josh examines the first loss that people experienced when they were exiled from the Garden of Eden after allowing sin to enter in. But when we really sit with the scriptures in Genesis, what we discover is not just how much we lost, but how much God the Father lost.