Bridgewater Hallstead’s Podcast

Unlikely Christmas: an Unlikely Birth

A birth predicted 1000 years before it happened. A star guiding magi to the birthplace of a special child. A heavenly message proclaimed by angels to simple shepherds. A virgin giving birth…to a child…who was God. What do all these things have in common? They seem unlikely. But could it be that God uses the most unlikely circumstances to bring about the most wonderful outcomes? We think so. And we invite you to join us as we celebrate an “Unlikely” Christmas.

We cannot control how likely or unlikely our life events will be.  We can only control our response to them.  Mary’s circumstances were beyond unlikely; they were miraculously impossible.  But Mary had an unlikely response to her confusing and frightening circumstances – she completely trusted God.  She wanted what God wanted, even when she didn’t understand.  In the most unlikely birth in human history, Mary had a very unlikely response to God – she trusted Him.  Will you?

Luke 1:26-38

Speaker: Brett Bixby

This is What We Do: We Live For the Line

Jesus warns us not to store up treasures on earth. It’s not just because wealth might be lost; it’s because wealth will always be lost. Either it leaves us while we live, or we leave it when we die. No exceptions. The more you have, the more you’ll leave behind. So the wise will store up treasures in heaven, living not for what is temporary (the dot), but for what is eternal (the line).

Matthew 6:19-21

Speaker: Luke Thomas

This is What We Do: We Ask the Better Question

When confronted with a need, it is typical to assess your resources and determine what you can afford to give to meet the need. Is this the right approach? Or is there a better question to ask? Jesus challenges us to ask “What do I have?” rather than “What can I afford?” Then He uses what we give in a powerful way.

Matthew 14:13-21

Speaker: Josh Jones

This is What We Do: We Put God First

Do you do This? This opens doors and solves problems. This inspires others to do This, too—it’s the good kind of contagious. When they tell our life stories, we want them to put This at the top. We are hardwired for This. This is who we are, and This Is What We Do.

Giving may be an action, but generosity is a posture. When we are generous with our resources, we follow the example of our God, who is not only generous toward us, but multiplies the impact of our giving and the joy we experience as a result of our generosity. Generosity, beginning with the tithe, helps us to put God first.

 

2 Corinthians 9

Speaker: Josh Jones

Starting Point: Invitation

Many people are looking for more purpose in their lives and circumstances. As we wrap up our Starting Point series, we will see that our uniqueness finds its fullest and best expression when connected to God's divine purpose in the world. As followers of Jesus, we are a part of something so much bigger than ourselves--and it's called the Church.

Acts 9

Speaker: David Wyman

Starting Point: Grace

Most religions want to negotiate with God. The Bible tells us that God isn’t interested in negotiating, because He is more interested in giving to us than getting from us. In this week of Starting Point, we talk about how grace explains why we can’t bargain with God.

Ephesians 2

Speaker: David Wyman

Starting Point: What Can Wash Away My Sin?

“What can wash away my sin?” It is the age-old question everyone and every religion asks. We all have seasons of our lives and things in our lives we wish we could erase or forget. What do we do with them? In this week of Starting Point, we talk about the solution to our guilt and shame

Mark 1

Speaker: David Wyman

Starting Point: The Role of Rules

Rules, Rules, Rules! Why are there so many rules? Sometimes when you read the Bible it can very quickly feel like all it is is a list of do’s and don’ts. Some people even think that the 10 Commandments are the centerpiece of the Christian faith and that obedience is required to get in. But what if a relationship with God doesn’t depend on obedience? When it comes to your relationship with God, what is the role of rules?

Exodus 20

Speaker: Brett Bixby

Starting Point: A Great Big Mess

We can all agree that our world is a mess! The world’s three largest faith traditions claim the same starting point - Abraham, and they all agree that God stepped into the mess of our world to do something about it. The question is - how do we get the help He provided?

Genesis 12

Speaker: David Wyman

Starting Point: The Problem

Everyone makes mistake, right? But is it a mistake when you do it on purpose? What do you call a mistake that you can’t seem to stop doing even though you really want to? Our problem isn’t that we are mistakers. Our problem is that we are sinners. We must first recognize our sin for what it is. But we must also see how Jesus came not to condemn us in our sin but to restore us.

Matthew 5:20-22; 27-28

Speaker: David Wyman