Hillside Community Church Podcast
550 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 months ago - ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsHillside Community Church will live out Jesus’ life-changing message, seek to love our neighbors well, and develop authentic community where all people are welcome, worthy, and have a place.
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Episodes
Meeting Our God: Confession
January 22, 2017 05:00 - 30 minutes - 14.2 MBPsalm 51One of the important phrases we teach children to say is, “I’m sorry.” We want them to learn to admit their mistakes and ask for forgiveness. We want them to learn this because we know that this is the way to freedom and healthy relationships. This morning we’ll look at the fact that God wants us to learn that lesson as well. This morning we’ll think about what it means to say “I’m sorry” to God in our worship. Support the Show.
Meeting Our God: We Praise
January 15, 2017 05:00 - 23 minutes - 10.8 MBPsalm 145Some things call for a response. When we see a great football play or a beautiful sunset, when we read a great book or hear an awesome song, it stops us. We enjoy it and need to do something - clap or smile or tell someone about it. We need to praise the thing or person. It's what we do. This morning we're going to recognize that when we see God and what He has done, we need to respond in praise as well. Support the Show.
What Do I Say?
October 23, 2016 04:00 - 34 minutes - 15.7 MBImagine you’ve been praying for someone who doesn’t know Jesus. You’ve tried to live out your Christian faith and you've shown them hospitality. Then it happens. They actually say, “Tell me about your Christian faith. How might I become a Christian?” What would you do ? What would you say? This Sunday we’ll think about how you might be ready to talk about your faith.Text: I Peter 3:15-16Message by Pastor Ron Kool Support the Show.
Showing Hospitality
October 16, 2016 04:00 - 35 minutes - 16.2 MBWe’ve been talking about sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with those who don’t know Him. We’ve talked about praying and about living a life that is weird andwonderful. This morning we talk about another part of sharing the Good News—showing hospitality. One of the ways we connect with people is by spending time with them and just getting to know them. It takes time (and maybe some money), but part of loving people who don’t know Jesus is making some space and a place for them—showing hos...
Being Weird and Wonderful
October 09, 2016 04:00 - 29 minutes - 13.5 MBWhen people we love don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior, we have a desire for them to experience God’s amazing grace and peace. But how can we help people come to know Jesus? Last week we said that the first thing we can do is to pray for them, that God would open doors to their hearts. This Sunday we’ll take a look at a second thing we can do: Live a life that would help them to see the joy and peace of knowing Jesus. We can be weird and wonderful.Text: I Peter 2:11-12Message by Pastor Ron K...
Prayer
October 02, 2016 04:00 - 29 minutes - 13.5 MBGod is the One who opens people’s hearts and minds to the gospel. He is the One who saves. So prayer is a key and powerful tool for outreach and evangelism! It’s like the spiritual artillery that “softens the ground” before the troops move in. Without prayer we often find ourselves working in our own strength and we accomplish little. But with prayer and God’s help, we accomplish much (John 15:5). This is why the Apostle Paul repeatedly asks those he wrote to to pray for him -- and in Colossi...
The Final Exam
September 25, 2016 04:00 - 29 minutes - 13.7 MBGenesis 22 We come to the end of our study of Abraham this morning. We've seen Abraham's ups and downs, but this morning we're going to see the ultimate test of whether Abraham trusts God with all that he has. As we look at Abraham we'll have to ask how deep our trust in God is. Support the Show.
Beginnings: A Surprise from God
September 18, 2016 04:00 - 27 minutes - 12.5 MBGenesis 20One of the dangers we face as we go through life is making assumptions. We think we know what people are like. We think we know who is good and who is bad. And sometimes we even think we know who God likes and does not like. As we turn again to Abraham this morning we’ll see that sometimes God surprises us with where He is at work. Support the Show.
Beginnings: Leaving Sodom
September 11, 2016 04:00 - 38 minutes - 17.7 MBGenesis 19Two weeks ago we saw that the sins of Sodom were so great that God decided to bring judgment to the city. You'd think it would be easy for everyone who knows that to just leave, right? This morning we'll see that even though sin destroys us, we often have a hard time leaving it behind. Support the Show.
Christ & Culture: The 3 M's of Cultural Transformation
September 04, 2016 04:00 - 32 minutes - 15.1 MBLuke 10: 1-20Have you ever felt fully satisfied in Christ? Can you think of a time when you fully and physically alive? Abundant living is not only a goal for you, but it's a place where Jesus wants us to be in order to be used by Him in transforming our culture. This Labor Day Sunday we'll look at a kingdom building effort triggered by Jesus. It's an intensive cultural engagement campaign led by 72 of Christ's followers. Support the Show.
Abraham: When God says Enough
August 28, 2016 04:00 - 40 minutes - 18.4 MBThe Bible clearly teaches that God is full of grace and mercy and love. But the Bible also says that there are times when God says, “Enough!” There are times when God says that judgment needs to come. This morning we’ll look at what Abraham learned about God’s heart and His mercy and judgment when it comes to Sodom and Gomorrah. Support the Show.
Beginnings: Sarah Laughs
August 21, 2016 04:00 - 26 minutes - 12.2 MBGenesis 18:1-15Have you ever felt like you deeply wanted something but didn't dare get your hopes up? You don't want to let yourself believe that something good could happen because you "know" that once you start to hope, you're going to be deeply disappointed? If you have eve felt this way, you'll be able to relate to Sarah was feeling in our text this morning and you'll want to hear God's word for Sarah and for us. Support the Show.
Abraham: What About the Outsider?
August 14, 2016 04:00 - 33 minutes - 15.4 MBGenesis 18:15-27 We’ve seen that God makes it clear to Abraham that He is going to work through Isaac, the son not yet even born to Abraham. That’s great, but it also raises a question: What about Ishmael? What about the one who is not “The One?” What does God do with the outsider? Support the Show.
Abraham: Our Identity in the Contemporary World
August 07, 2016 04:00 - 39 minutes - 18.2 MBHow do you identify yourself to your peers? Who determines your identity? This morning – in the story of Abram – God dispels the cultural illusion that we can decide for ourselves our own identity. Let’s take a look at how God establishes our identity. Support the Show.
Abraham: What to Do?
July 31, 2016 04:00 - 38 minutes - 17.5 MBGenesis 16 Last week we saw Abraham meet God in such a way that strengthened his belief and faith in God's promise. Some might say he quite literally had a mountain top spiritual experience. When Abraham returns home he's faced with reality and a decision to make: it's a decision we're all too familiar with today... Do I wait on God or is God calling me to take action. Support the Show.
Beginnings: Stars & Stews
July 24, 2016 04:00 - 36 minutes - 16.6 MBGenesis 15 Waiting is not easy. Especially when we're waiting for something really important. This morning we'll look at two gifts that God gives Abram that helped him (and can help us) while we're waiting for God to work in our lives. Support the Show.
Abraham: In the Heat of Battle
July 17, 2016 04:00 - 30 minutes - 14 MBEach one of us has life struggles. We’re engaged in various battles. This Sunday we will look at the war Abraham led in order to rescue his nephew, Lot. Was Abraham successful? Was Abraham alone in waging this war? Support the Show.
Abraham: Trusting is Tough Work
July 10, 2016 04:00 - 31 minutes - 14.7 MBGenesis 13 Last week we sam that, when Abram was faced with a tough situation, he compromised on his commitment to God and God needed to rescue Abram. This week we'll see Abram in another tough situation and we'll take a look at whether he does any better this time. Support the Show.
Beginnings: (Not so) Full of Faith
July 03, 2016 04:00 - 33 minutes - 15.4 MBGenesis 12:10-20 Last week we saw Abram make an amazing leap of faith, leaving behind his old security and old identity and trusting God to go wherever God took him. God has promised to bless Abram and bless the whole world through Abram. Abram was probably feeling like things were going to go really well for him, but sometimes things don’t always go as we planned… Support the Show.
Beginnings: Abraham
June 26, 2016 04:00 - 35 minutes - 16.4 MBWhenever God comes into our lives, He invites us, encourages us, calls us into a relationship with Him. And the call that God places on our lives is very similar to the call He made to Abram several thousand years ago. This morning we'll think about what it means that God has called us to follow Him. Support the Show.
Beginnings: Abraham
June 19, 2016 04:00 - 30 minutes - 14 MBRomans 4:16; James 2:23We’re going to begin a new series this morning where we will take a look at a key element in the Christian story - the Old Testament story of Abraham. Abraham is an amazing character who played an essential part in what God was doing to redeem His broken world. As we look at the stories of Abraham’s life this summer, we’ll learn a great deal about who God is and what God is doing in our lives. This morning we’ll look at two titles the New Testament gives to Abraham: ...
The Gospel Through the Eyes of Rahab
June 12, 2016 04:00 - 29 minutes - 13.6 MBJoshua 2 We live in a world that loves to label everything. We label our foods, our stuff, and we even label people. Rahab was a woman who spent her life dealing with the labels of this world; Foreigner, Prostitute, Harlot. This morning we’ll take a look at her life, and consider how the good news of the gospel transforms our earthly labels into a much more important one. Support the Show.
Keep on Keepin' On
June 05, 2016 04:00 - 26 minutes - 12 MBHebrews 12: 1-3 Following Jesus is not always easy. Sometime we get tired and discouraged and we feel like throwing in the towel. This morning we'll look at Hebrews 12 to see how we can keep running even when it feels like we want to quit. Support the Show.
Remembering God's Heroes
May 29, 2016 04:00 - 39 minutes - 18.1 MBOn this Memorial Day weekend Hebrews 11 reminds us of the essential qualities of the heroes in God’s everlasting kingdom. In this sense we’ll look at our Lord as our Commander-in-Chief – not only the author but also the perfecter of our faith. Support the Show.
Maximum Impact: Thankful for You
May 22, 2016 04:00 - 22 minutes - 10.3 MBI Thessalonians 1:2&3What inspires you? What gets you excited? Nature? Music? Sporting events? This morning we’ll take a look at one of the things that inspired the Apostle Paul and we’ll see if it can give us some inspiration and encouragement as well. Support the Show.
Salvation Comes to the City
May 15, 2016 04:00 - 31 minutes - 14.4 MBActs 2:14-21; 36-42 This Sunday we will explore what Pentecost means for us. What does it mean that we have the Spirit? What difference does it make in or family or in our workplace? Are we better husbands, wives, better kids? Are we better teachers, workers, or businesspeople? The Spirit used Peter to bring the good news to the city of Jerusalem. How is God using you and me to save our city? Support the Show.
Maximum Impact: Leaving a Legacy
May 08, 2016 04:00 - 30 minutes - 13.8 MBII Timothy 4: 6-8 We were created by God to be difference makers, to have an impact on our world. The question is this: What kind of impact will we make? What kind of legacy will we leave when our time on earth is done? This morning we'll take a look at what the Apostle Paul says about his legacy. Support the Show.
When God Taps Us on the Shoulder
May 01, 2016 04:00 - 26 minutes - 12.1 MBExodus 3 & 4 It's really exciting to think about and see what God is doing. We like to watch God at work. But God calls us to be more than watchers. He calls us to get into the game, to be part of what He is doing. This morning we'll think about what we'll do when God taps us on the shoulder. Support the Show.
Maximum Impact: How does God work?
April 24, 2016 04:00 - 36 minutes - 16.8 MBWe saw last week that God is making all things new- He’s restoring everything to its right place. This week we’ll look at something really amazing: God chooses to so this through His church- That’s you and me!! This morning we’ll look at what Jesus has to say about the church. Support the Show.
What is God Doing?
April 17, 2016 04:00 - 31 minutes - 14.4 MBColossians 1:19-20 As we begin to think about making a maximum impact as a church, it's important that we start with making sure that we're making an impact in the right area and the right way. We want to make an impact that God wants us to make. So we begin by thinking about what God is doing in our world. Support the Show.
The Gospel of the Nobodies: The Frightened
April 10, 2016 04:00 - 38 minutes - 17.5 MBLuke 24: 36-49 What brings you peace? What calms your fears and anxieties? This morning we're going to look at the last teaching moment of Jesus in the gospel of Luke. It's a message that the resurrected Jesus has for his frightened disciples. Support the Show.
The Gospel of the Nobodies: When We Want to Give Up
April 03, 2016 04:00 - 34 minutes - 16 MBLuke 24: 13-35 It happens to al of us. We get tired. we get discouraged. Life seems overwhelming. We just want to quit. We want to walk away from it all. This morning we'll look at two of Jesus' followers who were discouraged and who decided to go home. But even more importantly, we'll look at what Jesus does about it. Support the Show.
The Gospel of the Nobodies: The Worst Day is Not the Last Day
March 27, 2016 04:00 - 30 minutes - 13.9 MBWe’ve all had bad days. But for many of us, we have a few that stand out and maybe even one that we can name the Worst Day Ever. This morning we’ll take a look at Mary Magdalene as she deals with her worst day ever and discovers some amazing things. Luke 24:1-10 Support the Show.
The Gospel of the Nobodies: At the End of the Day
March 20, 2016 04:00 - 24 minutes - 11.2 MBWe can be so inconsistent in our lives. Sometimes we do the right thing in a tough situation. Sometimes we fail when it isn't that difficult. In the story we're going to look at this morning, the Apostle Peter is at a huge moment in his life. Will he stand strong? or will he fold? At the end of the day, what kind of disciple is Peter? At the end of the day, what kind of disciple am I? Support the Show.
The Gospel of the Nobodies: Set Free
March 13, 2016 05:00 - 36 minutes - 16.6 MBLuke 18: 18-28 Having money in the Bible is not always a bad thing. But it is always a dangerous thing - money is pretty powerful and can become too important in our lives. This morning we’ll take a look at a story that challenges us to think about whether we have our stuff or our stuff has us. Support the Show.
The Gospel of the Nobodies: The Humble
March 06, 2016 05:00 - 34 minutes - 15.7 MBLuke 18: 9-14 We all want to encounter God in church and in our private devotions. This morning we will look at a parable about prayer, told by Jesus, for those who were confident of their righteousness and were looking down on everyone else. The question today are: What does it mean to meet God? What do we expect to get from attending church? What is proper attitude in prayer? Support the Show.
The Gospel of the Nobodies: Jesus is for Everybody
February 28, 2016 05:00 - 36 minutes - 16.6 MBLuke 8:40-56 We often put people into different categories: rich or poor; strong or weak; smart or foolish; male or female; somebody or nobody-the list could go on. Those differences can be real, but there is another sense in which all of us are the same-we all are deeply in need of Jesus. Support the Show.
The Gospel of the Nobodies: The Danger of Thinking We're Somebodies
February 21, 2016 05:00 - 32 minutes - 14.8 MBLuke 5:36-50 Jesus loves every one of us. That’s not the question. The question is whether we know we need His love and grace. Sometimes the biggest danger we face is thinking that we’re somebodies all on our own. Support the Show.
The Gospel of the Nobodies: The Sick
February 14, 2016 05:00 - 38 minutes - 17.8 MBLuke 5:27-32 What’s so amazing about grace is that it’s unmerited and free. When was the last time you were overwhelmed by generosity or by someone’s kindness? This Sunday morning we’re going to discover the caring and loving side of Jesus in relationship with what we might think of as nobodies. Support the Show.
5 Great Questions: Why be Good?
February 07, 2016 05:00 - 32 minutes - 14.7 MBRomans 6: 1-4 The Bible makes clear that we are saved by God's grace, not by anything that we've done. And the Bible makes clear that even if we sin again, God is going to forgive us. That raises a great questions, Why be good? Why not just live however I want and ask God for forgiveness? This morning we'll look at what the Bible says about why we should seek to do good. Support the Show.
5 Great Questions: What Happens When I Believe?
January 31, 2016 05:00 - 35 minutes - 16.5 MBII Corinthians 5:21 Last week we talked about having true faith and truly believing in Jesus Christ. This week we move on to another great question: What happens next? What happens when I believe? Support the Show.
5 Great Questions: What is True Faith
January 24, 2016 05:00 - 32 minutes - 14.9 MBOften our culture frowns when someone uses the label, "People of Faith." If we hear that phrase, we immediately wonder whether the person comes from a Christian, Jewish, or Muslim background. However, Jesus is exclusive. He is radical in his claim, "Believe in me!" "Have Faith in God!" Without faith it is impossible to please God. Whoever does not believe will be condemned. As we continue our journey through the Heidelberg Catechism today, we focus on Q&A #21, "What is true faith?" Suppor...
5 Great Questions: Is There Any Way We Can Get Out of This Mess?
January 17, 2016 05:00 - 30 minutes - 14 MBRomans 5: 12-19 The Bible (and the Heidelberg Catechism) makes it clear that we are in a bad situation. We are dead in our sins and we deserve eternal punishment. It can be really hard to accept that. Isn't there some way we can get out of this? Shouldn't the fact that I'm trying really hard matter? Can't God just look the other way? Isn't He forgiving? Support the Show.
5 Great Questions: What is My Only Comfort?
January 10, 2016 05:00 - 31 minutes - 14.7 MBHebrews 8:38-39 For any of us, storms can strike in an instant. The doctor calls with bad news. We lose our job. A tornado rips through our house. We are falsely accused of something. When those things happen, our worlds shake. And when those things happen, we need to ask ourselves - what holds my life together? What gives me strength? Support the Show.
5 Great Questions: The Heidelberg Catechism
January 03, 2016 05:00 - 41 minutes - 19.2 MBHebrews 4:14 As we begin the new year we also begin a new sermon series. In this series we’re going to take a look at five questions and answers from the Heidelberg Catechism. This morning we’ll begin by asking why would we look at a 480-year-old document at all and then look where the Catechism begins – question and answer 1. Support the Show.
Light in the Darkness: Who is this Child?
December 27, 2015 05:00 - 36 minutes - 16.8 MBThe story of Jesus’s birth is known by the vast majority of people. We are reminded of it every Christmas season and every time we see a nativity scene. But did you know that the gospels share different account of the story? Why does Matthew talk about the Magi and Luke doesn’t? Why does Luke talk about Shepherds while Matthew doesn’t? Our tendency is to combine all the stories into one, however, each narrative tells its own unique story about who Jesus is and what it is God will do thro...
Light in the Darkness: The Word Became Flesh
December 24, 2015 05:00 - 26 minutes - 12.2 MBChristmas Eve Service - Merry Christmas Support the Show.
Light in the Darkness: The Gifts of Jesus
December 20, 2015 05:00 - 28 minutes - 12.9 MBJohn 1:14-17 For many of us, one of the hardest questions anyone can ask us is this: What do you want for Christmas? We loved the questions when we were younger, but it gets tougher as we get older. This morning we'll take a look at the gifts Jesus brings to us - the gifts that we really need. Support the Show.
Light in the Darkness: The Day the True Light Came
December 13, 2015 05:00 - 20 minutes - 9.66 MBJohn 1:9-13 We all seem to use Christmas lights in our front yard or on the Christmas tree. But why do we do that? Why is John telling us that Jesus is the True Light? How would you explain this to an unbeliever? This morning we will learn what the Apostle John wanted to say by this expression. Support the Show.
Light in the Darkness: You are NOT the Light
December 06, 2015 05:00 - 31 minutes - 14.7 MBJohn 1:6-8; 16; 19-20 This is a time of the year where the stress can feel overwhelming. There are so many things to do and so many people who need us. And sometimes we can feel like we are supposed to take care of everyone. This morning we're going to learn that we can't do everything - and that's good news! Support the Show.