Purposely Equipped

Have you heard of Archelaus? He is not a well known person in the Christmas story. Pastor Barry Crane from North Sound Church discusses the character of Archelaus. Archelaus, who is mentioned only once in the Bible, was a narcissistic and immoral leader who ruled over Judea after the death of his father, Herod the Great. Pastor Crane contrasts Archelaus with King David, who, despite his flaws, was humble and repentant. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3T6UEFs

Who are the Magi? Why are they important to the Christmas story? Gordon Kenada from Japanese Family Church joins Mark Holland today to look at the story of the Magi from the Bible. He highlights that the Magi were Gentiles who sought out Jesus, despite not fully understanding who he was. As we contrast the reaction of the Magi with King Herod, we are all reminded to consider whether we are willing to give up our own 'thrones' for God. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3uNMh7G

Jen Ervig from The Grove Church joins Mark today to discuss Herod the Great. Herod, a non-Jewish king appointed by the Romans, was known for his paranoia and fear of losing his throne. When he heard about the birth of Jesus, he saw it as a threat to his power and ordered the killing of all male infants in Bethlehem. Despite his negative reputation, Herod was also known for his architectural achievements and attempts to win the love of his subjects. His role helps to emphasize the importance of placing one's identity in Christ and not clinging to earthly power or status. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3GtY0uI

If an Angel appeared to you would you freak out a little bit? Let's look at where the Angel of the Lord appeared and how people reacted? Why did God use the Angel in this way? Kim Martinez from Shoreline Community Church joins Mark Holland as we kick off The Cast of the Christmas Story to deepen our faith and understanding of the Christmas story. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3RaROga

How often do we read the words in Luke or Matthew without really thinking about them? Sure, we know the basic story, but have we ever really looked at how God constructed it. So, this year, we read through the Christmas story as told by both Luke and Matthew and wrote down all the ‘characters’ we encountered in our reading. Over the next 13 episodes we will be talking about these characters and their importance in the Christmas story. We hope it will help you shine fresh eyes on Christmas and the beauty of how God wove it together. Stop for a moment and listen to the scriptures in Luke and Matthew while we get ready for Cast of the Christmas Story to start on 12/4!

Pastor Riley Taylor of Calvary Fellowship joins us in our final episode of Why Church where we tackle how to get started if you currently don't attend church. This is where the rubber meets the road. Let's dig in! Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3r6iTYz

Pastor Jesse Bradley of Grace Community Church in Auburn discusses with Mark the importance of attending church for a Christian's spiritual journey. Church is not just a place for worship, but also a community for learning, healing, and serving. Find out what else fosters deeper relationships and spiritual growth, and what can connect, serve, and grow you in your walk with God. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3sunDaW

It's a question no one wants to tackle, but we're going there today as we discuss how to handle being hurt by the Church. Herb Hartso of Antioch Bible Church joins Mark Holland today as we dig into this challenging topic. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3OLSGXl

Part 2 of our Why Church series as we are looking at church expectations. Can we and should we expect churches to be perfect? Pradeepan Jeeva of Kalos Church sits down with Mark Holland to discuss. Don’t miss the incredible story of how the church saved Pradeepan’s family. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3s9KqZv

We are starting a new series today on the Purposely Equipped podcast digging into church. Mark Holland welcomes Tyler Clark from Table of Hope church to discuss the topic: What is church? Let's jump in while we unpack what the original definition of church was, what Jesus says about the church in the book of Matthew and what church is today! Show Notes: https://bit.ly/47r8cjJ

Pastor Alec Rowlands discusses the history of revival, focusing on the Second Great Awakening and its impact on society, in Part 2 of A History of Revival. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3YfLabq

Pastor Alec Rowlands joins Mark Holland to discuss the History of Revival. What is it? What isn’t it? And how does God use it to change people and society for the better? Listen to Part 1 of the conversation.

Now What? We've walked through the Holy Week looking at the journey of Christ from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday. With all this....how do we respond? How do we apply it to our lives? How do we take what we've learned at walk forward. Mark is joined by Alec Rowlands of Westgate Chapel to discover just that. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3TRoiwP

The truth of the resurrection is powerful. It has the power to transform the way you life your life. Listen as Mark Holland talks with Ryan Bunbury of Calvary Christian Assembly about why the resurrection is essential to the Christian faith and why we all need to pay attention to all the evidence that the resurrection happened and changes everything. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/42Iliqq

The disciples have been traveling with Jesus for 3 years. They've just witnessed the crucifixion. And suddenly on this Silence Saturday they feel like all hope is gone. Not only that but it feels like God has gone silent. What is this day about? What does God want us to experience alongside the disciples? Join Mark at Tyler Sollie from Life Center as we look at the profound nature of this day of waiting. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3KeLL7P

It's a big day. As we look at the power in Good Friday Nick Waldsteadt of Gold Creek Community Church dives into why Good Friday is considered Good, why it's a part of holy week that shouldn't be rushed, and how it changes everything in our own lives. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3Ki4zD3

This day is packed with meaning as we look at scripture and what was happening on this day. The Last Supper is an important meal Jesus shares with his disciples. As this meal begins, we'll see the ceremonial washing of feet and understand our true need for a savior. Andrew Franklin from Mosaic Eastside helps look at the scriptures to guide us through the incredible meaning of these important moments. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3zghKOH

In order to reflect on the betrayal of Judas, we need to look back at the story of Jesus as he spends time with Simon the leper. Pastor Greg Janke of Sonlight Community Church unpacks Matthew 26 for us as we look at the moment that Judas agrees to betray Jesus, what this means about Judas, and what this means about each of us. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/40MexCp

We found out yesterday that Jesus curses a fig tree. Why did he do this? What does this illustration show us? What deeper spiritual problem does he point to in the story he tells? Journey with Mark and Riley Taylor from Calvary Fellowship Church as we follow Jesus on day 3 of this Holy Week journey and how we can apply these truths in our lives. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3nvnZeM

We think of Jesus as caring and sharing and healing, but in this particular story Jesus gets really upset. He was not happy. How do we process this? What does this say about his view of the church? Pastor Casey Treat from Christian Faith Center joins the conversation as we ponder where Jesus is on day 2 of this Holy Week journey and what it means for us today. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3lDooLW