National Community Church Audio Podcast
353 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 3 years ago - ★★★★★ - 237 ratingsAudio messages from National Community Church in Washington, DC. For more information please visit us at national.cc
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Episodes
Unshaken, Part 11: Courage in Crisis - Heather Zempel
August 23, 2020 16:00 - 21.2 MBDaniel 11 is written like prophecy but it reads like history. While the people of God are coming to the end of exile and will be able to return to their land, Daniel is told that things will get worse before they get better. Israel will be sandwiched between two warring kingdoms, and the people of God will face a crisis of identity, a crisis of faith, and a crisis of hope. In order to find the right perspective and posture, they must be the kind of people who do not accept the c...
Unshaken, Part 10: The Unseen Battle - Joel Schmidgall
August 16, 2020 16:00 - 23.1 MBHave you ever had your eyes opened to something that was always there, but you just hadn't noticed before? Our text today will leave you with your eyes wide open! We continue in our series on the book of Daniel, and today walkthrough chapter 10. After seeking God through fasting and prayer for 3 weeks, God gives Daniel a vision and opens his eyes to see the realm of the unseen. The heavenly realm, in which there is good and evil clashing behind the scenes. Believe it or not, ...
Unshaken, Part 9: Agents of the Apocalypse - Dr. Mark Batterson
August 09, 2020 16:00 - 25.6 MBWith all that is happening in our 2020 world, a conversation about eschatology seems apropos! What does the Bible say about the end times? Are there any hints that can help us navigate the crisis we find ourselves in? What can I do to get ready for what's next? Those are some of the questions we'll explore this week, and a few answers may surprise you! The good news? God's got this. Don't lose faith in the end of the story!
Unshaken, Part 8: An Elevated Perspective - Pastor Joshua Symonette
August 02, 2020 16:00 - 22 MBIn the 1980s, the Transformers toy and animation series debuted with a phrase, "more than meets the eye," which was simply about perspective. They were not what they seemed to be on the surface. Daniel 8, which on the surface seems weird and is difficult to grasp on the surface, is also about perspective. The vision that Daniel has is about the future and the struggle against good and evil. Daniel and his contemporaries see themselves in crisis, as the power of nations struggle ...
Unshaken, Part 7: The Long Game - Dr. Mark Batterson
July 26, 2020 16:00 - 24.8 MBWe think forwards, but God is working backwards. God begins with the end in mind. Occasionally, he pulls back the curtain of time and reveals His plans and His purposes to His prophets. The goal of prophecy isn't figuring out timelines. It's a reminder that GOD'S GOT THIS. It's a reminder not to lose hope, not to lose heart. It's a reminder to GET READY for the part God wants you to play!
, Part 7: The Long Game - Dr. Mark Batterson
July 26, 2020 16:00We think forwards, but God is working backwards. God begins with the end in mind. Occasionally, he pulls back the curtain of time and reveals His plans and His purposes to His prophets. The goal of prophecy isn't figuring out timelines. It's a reminder that GOD'S GOT THIS. It's a reminder not to lose hope, not to lose heart. It's a reminder to GET READY for the part God wants you to play!
Unshaken, Part 6: An Audience of One - Dr. Dick Foth
July 19, 2020 16:00 - 20.5 MBAs the whole world shakes, instant and constant access to the Most High God is our greatest asset and deepest hope.
Unshaken, Part 5: The Second Mountain - Dr. Mark Batterson
July 12, 2020 16:00 - 24.8 MBIt's never too little. It's never too late. If you're still breathing, God has a plan and purpose for your life. In Christ, you are never past your prime! We overestimate what we can do in a year or two, but we underestimate what God can do in ten or twenty or seventy years. We think right here, right now. God is thinking nations and generations. Don't lose faith in the end of the story! God's got this. God's got you.
Unshaken, Part 4: Prophetic Imagination - Dr. Mark Batterson
July 05, 2020 16:00 - 24.2 MBOne of the greatest gifts God can give us is letting us get to the end of our rope! That's often when and where and how we discover that there is a God. And just as important, I am not Him! Playing God is impossible! The good news? God is still on His throne! Don't lose faith in the end of the story! Virtue signaling won't get us where we need to go as a nation. Neither will hashtags. What we need is revival sparked by repentance. God opposes the proud, but He gives grace to the...
Unshaken, Part 3: Who is Your God? - Pastor Joshua Symonette
June 28, 2020 16:00 - 20.3 MBOur choices reflect both our priorities and values. Who we are and what we believe is a culmination of our choices. In Daniel 3, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, contemporaries of Daniel, are government officials appointed by King Nebuchadnezzar. They are faced with a situation where they have to choose between submitting to God or a gentile king. It is seemingly a no-win situation. Should they compromise to save themselves? Who will know? We may never be in a life or death situ...
Unshaken, Part 2: Revealer of Mysteries - Pastor Heather Zempel
June 21, 2020 16:00 - 21.2 MBGod trusted Daniel with insider knowledge of the future. What kind of person does God trust with the future? God trusted Daniel to stand before kings. What kind of person does God place as his representative before kings? It's the people who boldly declare that the impossible is possible when God is in the equation. It's the people who dare to believe that God is still at work when the world seems to be falling apart around us. It's the people who live unshaken in the knowledge ...
Unshaken, Part 1: God’s Got This - Dr. Mark Batterson
June 14, 2020 16:00 - 24.2 MBUnshaken is confronting the brutal facts with unwavering faith, even when you're taken captive by enemy armies. Unshaken is refusing to compromise your convictions, even when the rest of the world is bowing to a 90-foot statue. Unshaken is living countercultural, even if it costs you a fiery furnace. Unshaken is letting your conscience be your guide, even if it lands you in a lion's den. God is not nervous. God is victorious. Simply put, God's got this!
, Part 1: God’s Got This - Dr. Mark Batterson
June 14, 2020 16:00Unshaken is confronting the brutal facts with unwavering faith, even when you're taken captive by enemy armies. Unshaken is refusing to compromise your convictions, even when the rest of the world is bowing to a 90-foot statue. Unshaken is living countercultural, even if it costs you a fiery furnace. Unshaken is letting your conscience be your guide, even if it lands you in a lion's den. God is not nervous. God is victorious. Simply put, God's got this!
NCC, Part 1: Awake, O Sleeper - Dr. Mark Batterson
June 07, 2020 16:00This is a teachable moment for us as a nation. God is WAKING us up. God is SHAKING us up. If we are humble enough to repent of racism and bold enough to believe for reconciliation, God will shake generational sins and break generational curses.
Valleys, Part 7: The Valley of Breakthrough - Dr. Mark Batterson
May 31, 2020 16:00 - 20.3 MBThis weekend we venture into the final valley in this series, the Valley of Breakthrough. Breakthrough happens in lots of different ways. It's small steps of faith. It's long obedience in the same direction. It's forgiving those who have hurt us. The common denominator? Zechariah 4:6 says, “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord.” In the midst of tremendous uncertainty, one thing is certain. God is able. In fact, God is able to do immeasurably more than all...
Valleys, Part 6: The Valley of Opposition - Pastor Heather Zempel
May 24, 2020 16:00 - 20.6 MBThe Valley of Opposition calls us to pray bold, faith-soaked, creative prayers that are rooted in a theology of the greatness of God, a record of the goodness of God, and a practice of the presence of God. If we want to see a move of God today, we have to put a magnifying glass on the miracles He did yesterday. If we want to stand on the promises of God today, we have to anchor ourselves in the promises He fulfilled yesterday. If we want the presence of God to shift our world to...
Valleys, Part 5: The Valley of Heartbreak - Dr. Mark Batterson
May 17, 2020 16:00 - 18.8 MBGod is in the business of healing broken hearts. Heartbreak is incredibly painful, but it has a pruning effect in our lives. It unseats the idols in our lives, and helps us empathize with others. There is no hurt that God cannot heal, in time or eternity. In fact, He can turn the Valley of Heartbreak into the Door of Hope.
Valleys, Part 4: The Valley of Dry Bones - Dr. Mark Batterson
May 10, 2020 16:00 - 18.5 MBThe Valley of Dry Bones is the place where God's resurrection power is revealed. It's the place where we discover our authority as Christ-followers. There comes a moment when you need to stop talking to God about your problems, and start talking to your problems about God. You have to prophesy to the mountain, prophesy to the storm, prophesy to the dry bones. What do we speak? Life. Love. Truth. We echo, “Let there be light.” We echo, “Peace, be still.” We echo, “Hear the word o...
Valleys, Part 3: The Valley of Weeping - Joel Schmidgall
May 03, 2020 16:00 - 17.9 MBHave you ever gone through a season of life that has broken you? A season that drained your energy, that tested your resolve, that wore you out? Today, we want to talk about a place called “Baka.” It literally means weeping. It was a point on the journey of pilgrimage to Jerusalem in the ancient middle east. We'll unpack Psalm 84:5-7 to learn how to not just go TO Baka, but to go THROUGH it. We have something to learn in that place. We have strength to gain. We have something to...
Valleys, Part 2: Valley of Giants - Dr. Mark Batterson
April 26, 2020 16:00If you want to REPEAT HISTORY, keep doing it the way it's always been done. If you want to CHANGE HISTORY, dare to be different. What you perceive to be your biggest disadvantage may prove to be your greatest advantage. In Christ, you are nobody's underdog! Your brave is someone else's breakthrough.
Valleys, Part 2: The Valley of Giants - Dr. Mark Batterson
April 26, 2020 16:00 - 19.9 MBIf you want to REPEAT HISTORY, keep doing it the way it's always been done. If you want to CHANGE HISTORY, dare to be different. What you perceive to be your biggest disadvantage may prove to be your greatest advantage. In Christ, you are nobody's underdog! Your brave is someone else's breakthrough.
Valleys, Part 1: The Valley of Crisis - Dr. Mark Batterson
April 19, 2020 16:00 - 19.6 MBThe Valley of Crisis is where we discover who we are, and more importantly, who God is. It's the place where faith is forged, vision is birthed, and character is cultivated. How do you get to the other side? You've got to PRAY YOUR WAY THROUGH and WORSHIP YOUR WAY OUT of the crisis.
The Jesus Way, Part 8: The Waymaker - Dr. Mark Batterson
April 12, 2020 16:00 - 18.5 MBLike the disciples two thousand years ago, we find ourselves sheltered-in-place this Easter. Fear is in the air. Uncertainty is everywhere. The good news? The tomb is still empty! When Jesus walked out of the tomb, death was no longer undefeated. When it seems like all is lost, we go back to the empty tomb. That is where our faith is found. That is where our hope is anchored.
The Jesus Way, Part 7: The Way of the Garden - Joel and Nina Schmidgall
April 05, 2020 15:06 - 20.5 MBWe find ourselves in a season of isolation, chaos, frustration, grief, readjustment. We are adjusting to a completely new normal all the while facing weeks and months of new pressures and challenges. In our text today, Jesus found himself facing pressure, pain, and challenge in the moments before He would face the cross. As He entered the garden, He grappled with all that was to come and shared honestly about His desire for a different path. In fact, He shared his agony and an...
The Jesus Way, Part 6: The Way of the Table - Heather Zempel
March 29, 2020 15:06 - 15.3 MBThe table is one of the most ubiquitous yet overlooked settings in the Scripture. Throughout the Old Testament, the table is where people encountered the power, provision, promise, and presence of God. In the New Testament, the table is where the powerful were confronted, the oppressed were uplifted, the outcasts were invited, the self-righteous were ridiculed, and the seekers were given a glimpse of the kingdom of God. He encouraged his followers to remember him when they came ...
, Part : Midweek Message from Pastor Mark: March 26, 2020 - Dr Mark Batterson
March 26, 2020 23:49We find ourselves in a season of tremendous uncertainty. With every news cycle, anxiety seems to escalate. It's in situations like this that we've got to be dialed into what God is saying, what God is doing. This is a teachable moment for the body of Christ. This is our moment to step up, step in and BE THE CHURCH.
The Jesus Way, Part 5: The Way of The Sparrow - Campus Pastors
March 22, 2020 12:36 - 33.8 MBIn a season of social isolation and anxiety, this weekend we're taking a team approach to our message. You'll see a show of unity in isolation with all seven of our Campus Pastors taking a part in the sermon via ted talk. On a daily basis we find ourselves inundated with new data and further pushed into isolation from one another. Questions are consistently swirling. What if I get the virus? Am I going to survive financially through this? How can I do my job and home school my ...
The Jesus Way, Part 4: The Way of the Child - Dr. Mark Batterson
March 15, 2020 04:01 - 38.3 MBAs we age, pieces of our personality are held hostage by painful moments in our past. Jesus came to set the captive free—the inner child within each one of us. It's never too late to be who you might have been.
The Jesus Way, Part 3: The Way of the Vine - Joshua Symonette
March 08, 2020 16:38 - 26 MBSuccess and outcomes seem to constantly dominate our focus. All of our decisions seem to hinge on them. Jesus was also concerned about success and outcomes for his disciples. But in John 15, he uses the metaphor of the vine to explain to them that their success (or rather fulfillment of their purpose as his disciples) hinged upon one particular input; remaining in him.
The Jesus Way, Part 2: The Way of the Towel - Joel Schmidgall
March 01, 2020 23:12 - 25.8 MBAs we explore The Jesus Way, today's passage leads us to Jesus turning the social structure of the day upside down in the way he leads. Jesus lays down his position and instead picks up a towel. It wasn't a singular commendation of service or an isolated call to humility…it was the combination of both. We'll spend our time today unpacking this beautiful story in the form of five values: Humility, identity, filling of the Spirit, obedience, and love.
The Jesus Way, Part 1: The Way of the Wilderness - Dr. Mark Batterson
February 23, 2020 22:25 - 39.1 MBThe Holy Spirit will sometimes lead us where we don't want to go, but He always goes with us! The wilderness is not the enemy. The wilderness is a part of the way, the Jesus way.
State of the Church, Part 1: Pitch a Tent - Dr. Mark Batterson
February 16, 2020 22:49 - 27.2 MBSeeking God with greater consistency, greater intentionality, and greater priority is the solution to a thousand problems. You don't FIND time. You have to MAKE time. How? You've got to pitch a tent like Moses. You need a TIME and a PLACE where you get off the grid and get with God. The only ceiling on your intimacy with God and impact on the world is daily spiritual disciplines.
Disorientation, Part 6: People of the New Eyes - Dr. Dick Foth
February 10, 2020 02:10 - 28 MBJesus teaches us to love our enemies. It's counter-cultural but is entirely freeing. Henri Nouwen states, “Loving our enemies is the way of becoming free of our enemies.” To close this series, we are praying for new eyes - to see people the way God sees them and to be more for them than we are against them.
Disorientation, Part 5: An Eye for An Eye: The Third Way - Jenni Clayville
February 02, 2020 20:25 - 26.1 MBWhen we hear “turn the other cheek” or “go the second mile”, what we usually translate that to is “just let them win” or “roll over and play dead”. But what Jesus of Nazareth is telling us in this passage is actually quite provocative. He's not actually telling us to fight back with violence or take a passive stance. Rather, Jesus is offering us a third way of non-violent defiance. Let justice win.
Disorientation, Part 4: Keep It 100! - Joshua Symonette
January 26, 2020 14:49 - 19 MBDeep down we all want to be able to trust each other's character and not be tricked, fooled, or played. But it is hard to trust because regularly people do not keep it real. This was an issue with the Pharisees that Jesus addresses in Matthew 5 (as part of the Sermon on the Mount). They had the tendency to make vows with loopholes so they could not be pinned down. Jesus directly challenges them on what it means to have integrity. And it is a message to us all on how to respond a...
Disorientation, Part 3: Icons and Idols: Jesus’ Teaching on Adultery, Lust, and Divorce - Heather Zempel
January 20, 2020 04:02 - 24.9 MBThe teachings of Jesus are disorienting. They are disorienting because some of them are difficult to understand and all of them are difficult to apply. Jesus points us to a Creator who designed sexuality to reflect the eternal joys and mysteries of heaven, and he teaches us to walk in relationships with one another in a way that reflects his perfect love. This message tackles the tough teachings of Jesus on adultery, lust, and divorce.
Disorientation, Part 2: Peeling Back the Layers of Anger - Joel Schmidgall
January 12, 2020 18:25 - 22.7 MBIn Matthew 5:21-24, Jesus unpacks the true meaning behind the sixth commandment. The pharisees focused on the act of murder, but Jesus said, the anger in our hearts has the same judgment before God. Have you ever taken time to look under the hood of the anger in your life? Anger is a secondary emotion. When we dig beneath the surface, we find anger is often born out of an unmet need or expectation. And we find that there are other emotions and challenges at play that lead to ang...
Disorientation, Part 1: Lick the Honey - Dr. Mark Batterson
January 05, 2020 14:56 - 23.5 MBHalf of spiritual growth is learning. The other half is unlearning. Jesus didn't do an orientation with his disciples. He did a disorientation. Six times in the Sermon on the Mount He says, “You have heard that it was said, but I tell you.” Jesus was uninstalling Old Testament paradigms and reinstalling New Covenant principles.
Unwrapped, Part 3: Submit to the Process - Joshua Symonette
December 30, 2019 00:32 - 21.5 MBWe often have plans, goals, and things that we are pursuing. That is not a bad thing. But what happens when the plans we've made go left or don't materialize? How do we respond to that? In the life of Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, we see how to move forward when God has a different plan.
Unwrapped, Part 2: What is the Meaning of Joy? - Joshua Symonette
December 22, 2019 18:27 - 16.8 MBDuring the most wonderful time of the year, as dubbed by the popular Christmas song, many people don't have the same sentiment. And there are many reasons for that. But the proclamation of Jesus' birth, was not related to gift giving, holiday cheer, or decorations. It was all about joy found in the ultimate gift of Jesus.
Unwrapped, Part 1: The Art of Unwrapping - Dr. Mark Batterson
December 15, 2019 21:01 - 31.8 MBGod's greatest gift came wrapped in swaddling cloths. That gift is right relationship with God. It's God with us, God for us, God in us. But that gift, like any gift, must be unwrapped.
Peacemakers, Part 6: The Position, Posture and Power of a Peacemaker - Dave Schmidgall
December 08, 2019 20:07 - 22.4 MB4 simple words exploding with meaning - "peace be with you". Jesus' first words after being raised from the dead are loaded with cultural and historical meaning. There is much more than meets the eye and more relevant to our culture in crisis than ever.
Peacemakers, Part 5: The Cost of the Peacemaker: Persecution - Joel Schmidgall
December 02, 2019 01:09 - 23.2 MBToo many believers are following Christ, but at a distance. We're close enough to see God's power, but too far to experience his fellowship. In Matthew 5, the scripture inspires us to be peacemakers, but also exhorts us that there will be persecution that comes in following Christ. What we learn though is that challenges actually lead to purpose. Today we lean in to both the scripture as well as stories of those who have walked through persecution. We pray you are both challeng...
Peacemakers, Part 4: The Art of Agreeing to Disagree - Dr. Mark Batterson
November 24, 2019 18:21 - 23.5 MBIn a pluralistic culture, we've got to get better at agreeing to disagree. This week's podcast unpacks five practices, five principles. Check Your Ego At The Door Identify Least Common Denominators Let your Conscience be your Guide Don't be Dogmatic about Disputable Matters Love people when they least expect
Peacemakers, Part 3: Do Your Work First - Joshua Symonette
November 18, 2019 00:27 - 24.7 MBJesus said in what is known as the Beatitudes, "blessed are the peacemakers." In this series, we have been focused on how to be peacemakers. One of the ways we can be effective peacemakers is by addressing our own bias and perspectives. Later on in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus outlines how we are to do this. He says, do not judge. Instead, have a critical eye on you before you try to help others.
Peacemakers, Part 2: Racial Reconciliation - Latasha Morrison
November 10, 2019 22:31 - 26.9 MBOur speaker, Latasha Morrison, is a leading advocate for racial reconciliation in our society. Latasha is the Founder and President of Be the Bridge. Be the Bridge is an organization whose mission is to “empower people and cultures towards racial healing, equity, and reconciliation.”
Peacemakers, Part 1: The Story of Shalom - Heather Zempel
November 03, 2019 22:50 - 24.4 MBSomething has gone wrong with the world, God has a plan to set it right, and his people are challenged to play a role in the restoration. Jesus said “blessed are the peacemakers.” Peacemakers go out of the way to make peace, love their enemies to make peace, and leverage their power to serve to make peace. In this series, we will endeavor to be on mission with Jesus every day by practicing the ways that make for peace. Ask anything, listen well, disagree freely, love regardless....
Double Blessing, Part 3: Flip the Blessing - Dr. Mark Batterson
October 27, 2019 12:26 - 30.6 MBThe secret to the Double Blessing is this: the way you GET IT is by GIVING IT. God doesn't bless us to raise our standard of living. God blesses us to raise our standard of giving. Discover five steps to flipping the blessing: Take inventory Find your signature Learn their love language Little things are big things Have fun
Double Blessing, Part 2: The Attitude of Gratitude - Dr. Mark Batterson
October 20, 2019 15:21 - 24.6 MBThe will of God is a lot less circumstantial and a lot more attitudinal than we imagine. The circumstances we are asking God to change may be the circumstances God is using to change us. How do you cultivate the attitude of gratitude? Whatever you don't turn into PRAISE turns into PRIDE. Your FOCUS determines your reality. Don't let what's WRONG WITH YOU keep you from worshipping what's RIGHT WITH GOD.
Double Blessing, Part 1: Original Blessing - Dr. Mark Batterson
October 13, 2019 19:58 - 25.2 MBBefore original sin there was original blessing. If we get that sequence wrong, the entire algorithm is off. Why? Because it changes who we see when we look in the mirror. Because it alters the way we relate to God. Blessing is God's most ancient instinct. It's also our deepest longing. The good news? God wants to bless you beyond your ability to ask or imagine.