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329 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 2 years ago - ★★★★ - 1 ratingA Jesus-centered community in Waverly, Iowa
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Episodes
The Baptism of Jesus (His Story #28)
August 13, 2017 19:33 - 57.6 MBWe live in a day and age where "fake news" is a regular part of the cultural conversation. But did you know that there has been quite a bit of "fake news" shared about the sacrament of baptism? This week, we look at the baptism of Jesus and the context surrounding it in Matthew chapter 3. Through this passage, we discover 5 "fake news" headlines about baptism that get debunked, helping us see what baptism is truly all about. So listen in to learn more about the beautiful sacrament ...
Jesus & the Whale (His Story #27)
August 06, 2017 19:26 - 69 MBThis week, we look at the biblical story of an incredibly hypocritical Jewish prophet, and see how his hypocritical life points to the non-hypocritical life of Jesus.
Jesus in the Lions’ Den (His Story #26)
July 30, 2017 18:51 - 61.7 MBOftentimes when people read the Bible, they engage in a case of "mistaken identity." When they read a story, they unintentionally read it as if they were the main character. And one story we often engage in "mistaken identity" is the story of Daniel and the Lions Den. In this week's message, Pastor Erin Bird helps us see that Daniel's story in the sixth chapter of the book that bears his name isn't first about us, but rather about Jesus. And when we realize that the identity of Dani...
Jesus Resurrects Dry Bones (His Story #25)
July 23, 2017 20:03 - 54.5 MBIn the book of Ezekiel is a famous story about dry bones becoming skeletons which become bodies which become living human beings. But did you know this famous story from Ezekiel 37 can also help you in the moments you are struggling to trust God in your darkest moments? Listen in to be encouraged that your current condition is not your forever condition.
The New Covenant (His Story #24)
July 16, 2017 19:10 - 53.5 MBIn America, we are addicted to new. New movies, new music, new clothes, new cars, new relationships, new everything. Let's face it: We like new. But oftentimes, we make the mistake of believing that "new" makes us better. Now, don't make the mistake of thinking "new" then is bad. God actually wants you to experience "new" life. But rather than give us external things like clothes or cars, He wants to give us a new heart. If you want a new heart and to experience the life God has for...
Jesus in Isaiah (His Story #23)
July 09, 2017 06:51 - 106 MBIn this unique Worship Gathering, we weaved together passages from the Old Testament book of Isaiah with contemporary songs that point to the birth, life, death, & resurrection of Jesus. As you listen, may you worship God and be blown away at the revealing of Jesus over 700 years before He ever was set in a manger in swaddling cloths.
Jesus in the Psalms (His Story #22)
July 03, 2017 15:45 - 58.4 MBIf you've ever been ridiculed, or betrayed, or lost a dear loved one, or battled depression, you have felt alone. You have felt unloved, unwanted, disconnected, and isolated. Some people, when they feel this way, try to medicate the pain through sleep or drink or thrills. But some people try to medicate the pain spiritually. And for thousands of years, many people have used the Book of Psalms to try to spiritually heal the emotional aloneness they feel. In this twenty-second part ...
Naaman, A Slave Girl, & Jesus
June 25, 2017 19:37 - 57.4 MBHave you ever considered what it is that makes people like Mother Theresa or Martin Luther King Jr. so inspiring? It's humility. Humility is the ability to put the needs of others before your own. It's hard, but it can be powerful. Listen in to the story of Naaman and the power of humility, even when shown reluctantly.
The Temple of God (His Story #20)
June 18, 2017 19:35 - 65.5 MBMost people know a temple as a sacred building that some religion believes contains the presence of their deity. They gather at the temple to engage in various religious practices to worship their god and fulfill spiritual requirements. The ancient Jews weren't much different. In the book of 1 Kings, the wise King Solomon had the first Jewish temple built to house the Ark of the Covenant so that the presence of God could be with the nation and the people could worship the One True G...
Three Core Beliefs
June 11, 2017 21:46 - 66.4 MBWhen making small talk with a young person, we often ask, "What do you want to do when you grow up?" And when they respond, we might follow up with something like, "That's great! How are you going to make that dream become a reality?" But rather than ask WHAT they want to do and HOW they are going to do it, perhaps we should be asking "Who are you?" When we ask this of ourselves, this critical question of WHO helps us know who we are, which then affects what we do. But did you know...
The Failure of the King (His Story #19)
June 04, 2017 19:55 - 75.2 MBAncient nations longed to have a king rule over them because they believed that a good king would make them safe, strong, victorious, and fulfilled as a nation. We aren't much different in our day and age. While we do not want political kings, we do find personal kings. We long for things, people, or experiences that make us feel safe, strong, victorious, and fulfilled. The problem is, none of these kings can ever come through 100% of the time. Each and every one of them will fail...
The King 2.0 (His Story #17)
May 21, 2017 18:27 - 106 MBEver felt like a failure when your Plan A didn't go as envisioned? This week, in "The King 2.0" (Part 17 in the "His Story" sermon series from Riverwood Church in Waverly, IA), Pastor Erin Bird shows us the biblical pattern that Plan B might actually be God's Plan A, and you aren't a failure at all - rather you are exactly where God wants you to be.
Jesus Loves Ruth (His Story #16)
May 14, 2017 19:19 - 76.3 MB"Jesus Loves Ruth" is Part 16 in the His Story series from Riverwood Church in Waverly, IA. This week, Pastor Erin Bird walks us through the Old Testament book of Ruth.
Jesus at Jericho (His Story #15)
May 07, 2017 19:46 - 81.9 MBLaunch Sermon PlayerTo surrender is incredibly difficult (just ask a kid who doesn’t want to obey their parent!). But to have the type of relationship with God that we want, it means we have to surrender. In the story of the battle of Jericho, there are four types of surrender that can help someone become […]
Nate Luck’s Personal Story
April 30, 2017 19:35 - 24.2 MBLaunch Sermon PlayerOn April 30, Riverwood member Nate Luck shared his story about his spiritual journey of finding Jesus.
Jesus, the True & Better Moses (His Story #14)
April 30, 2017 19:24 - 79.7 MBLaunch Sermon PlayerIn Deuteronomy 18, Moses told the Israelites that God would raise up a prophet, a leader, like him. Listen in to learn how Jesus fulfills this prophecy completely.
Looking Back Looking Forward (Riverwood’s 3rd Birthday)
April 27, 2017 00:04 - 19.7 MBLaunch Sermon PlayerHave you ever looked at a decision and said in your head “I can’t do that!” or “That’s not possible”? In the book of Numbers chapter 13, we see the Israelites, upon hearing some hard news, adopt a mentality of “impossible!” But in the midst of the people saying, “we can’t!” there were two men who looked toward God […]
Jesus the GOAT (His Story #13)
April 16, 2017 18:31 - 32.4 MBLaunch Sermon PlayerWhat is your definition of a GOAT? Is it an animal or is it more? In this next message in the His Story series, we take a closer look at (the very boring book of) Leviticus and see how 2 goats show us that Jesus is the GOAT.
Jesus in the Ten Commandments (His Story #12)
April 09, 2017 18:54 - 35 MBLaunch Sermon PlayerA few years ago, the Ten Commandments were in modern-day news. Should they still be observed? Should they be ignored? Or do these ancient Jewish laws fulfill some other purpose for Jesus-followers in light of the Gospel? Listen in as Pastor Erin explains from Exodus 20:1-17 how the Ten Commandments should or should not affect your life today.
Jesus in the Passover (His Story #11)
April 02, 2017 18:34 - 86.4 MBLaunch Sermon PlayerEvery human alive has had at least one significant day that changed their lives. Whether it’s the birth of a child, a wedding, graduation day, or their own birth, everyone has gone through a day that changed everything. The ancient Israelites went through a day that changed them as a nation and changed their religion. […]
Meet Moses Meet Jesus (His Story #10)
March 26, 2017 19:34 - 39.8 MBLaunch Sermon PlayerRunning a marathon requires a lot of work and training to get up to the point of running 26.2 miles. But what if you did all the prep work in the last week instead of taking months to train? Or what if you had to give a book report, but all you used in your […]
Jacob, Joseph, Judah, JESUS (& You) – His Story #9
March 19, 2017 19:42 - 91.8 MBLaunch Sermon PlayerThe story of Jesus goes through some very questionable characters. For instance, this week in Genesis chapters 37-50, we meet a cocky 17-year-old who gets sold into slavery by his half-brothers and thrown in prison by his master, while his older brother sleeps with a cult prostitute – who turned out to be his daughter-in-law. Pretty […]
Jesus Loves the Leahs (His Story #8)
March 12, 2017 19:52 - 37.4 MBLaunch Sermon PlayerEver felt unloved or even unlovable? The story of Leah and her dysfunctional relationship with her husband, Jacob, and sister, Rachel, from Genesis 29 shows that you are seen, heard, and attached to God, who is worthy to be praised. So listen in to hear just how much you are loved.
Jesus and Abraham (His Story #7)
March 06, 2017 02:48 - 33.9 MBLaunch Sermon PlayerAbraham is the father of the Jewish faith. The covenant God established with Abraham in Genesis 15 promised a nation would come from Abraham and his descendants. But did you know that same covenant ceremony also pointed to Jesus and the Gospel? Listen to to hear how God revealed the Gospel thousands of […]
Jesus at Bable (His Story #6)
February 26, 2017 23:56 - 40.1 MBLaunch Sermon PlayerWe use language everyday. When we communicate well, things go very smoothly. But when there is a breakdown in communication, there is a breakdown in unity. So why would God confuse the language of humans in Genesis 11? And how does the story of the Tower of Babel point to Jesus? Listen in to […]
Jesus and the Ark (His Story #5)
February 19, 2017 19:57 - 30.8 MBLaunch Sermon PlayerThe story of Noah and the Ark is one of the most horrific stories in all of Scripture. The mass killing of every human on earth except 8 people? Really?!? Come on! And yet, hidden inside this Rated-R story is evidence of Jesus and His gospel message of love and grace.
Cain & Abel & Jesus (His Story #4)
February 12, 2017 19:59 - 82.5 MBLaunch Sermon PlayerWhy do we do the things we don’t want to do? We eat too much, we drink too much, we buy too much. We know we shouldn’t do them, but we do them anyway. In this fourth message in our His Story series, we see through the sad story of Cain & Abel […]
Jesus at the Fall (His Story #3)
February 08, 2017 19:52 - 87 MBLaunch Sermon PlayerFor some people, the subject of sin is a very uncomfortable topic. For others, it is a ridiculous topic. And yet for others, it’s simply no big deal. But the Bible treats the topic of sin as a very important one that MUST be addressed. And the topic is first discussed very early in […]
Jesus in Creation (His Story #2)
January 29, 2017 19:54 - 77.6 MBLaunch Sermon PlayerThere is a mistake that many Christians make with their theology. They start at the wrong place in the Bible. If you follow Jesus and don’t want to make the same mistake, listen in. And while you are at, you’ll also hear about the crazy love God has for humans.
What is the Bible? (His Story #1)
January 22, 2017 19:56 - 76.4 MBLaunch Sermon PlayerWe all love stories. We love reading about a character who overcomes great odds on some kind of adventure. Well, guess what? God wants to author an amazing story in your life. But we’ll warn you – that epic story begins when you understand what the Bible is.
Trust (Values #3)
January 15, 2017 19:58 - 86.1 MBLaunch Sermon PlayerSometimes we mistakenly treat intangibles (like love) as if they were tangible objects (like cookies). We act as if giving away the intangible will leave us with less. But things like love and grace and respect aren’t like cookies or gum. Rather, the more you give it away, the more you actually have. […]
Truth (Values #2)
January 08, 2017 20:00 - 67.2 MBLaunch Sermon PlayerTruth is incredibly important. In this second part to the Values series, we look at the topic of truth, seeing how there is a negative affect of truth, but a powerful positive aspect to it as well. So listen in to learn why Riverwood as a church values truth, and what it can do for you as […]
Grace (Values #1)
January 01, 2017 19:02 - 102 MBLaunch Sermon PlayerIf your relationship with God seems a little stale, or you are investigating the Christian faith, or you just want to start your new year off right, we invite you to listen in to this first message from the Values series about the amazingness of Grace.
Love All (Do Christmas Different #4)
December 18, 2016 19:13 - 61.4 MBPart 4 of 4 in the Do Christmas Different series from Riverwood Church in Waverly, Iowa. This week's passage is John 3:16-17 (along with Luke 2:10).
Give More (Do Christmas Different #3)
December 11, 2016 19:15 - 61.1 MBPart 3 in the Do Christmas Different series (an Advent Conspiracy message series) from Riverwood Church in Waverly, IA. This week's topic was Give More. The passage was Matthew 2:9-12.
Spend Less (Do Christmas Different #2)
December 05, 2016 20:17 - 78.6 MBPart 2 in the Do Christmas Different series from Riverwood Church in Waverly, Iowa. This Advent Conspiracy message is from Matthew 2:1-8.
Worship Fully (Do Christmas Different #1)
November 27, 2016 19:45 - 53.9 MBPart 1 in the Do Christmas Different Advent Series at Riverwood Church in Waverly, IA. This week's theme is Worship Fully and the passage is Luke 1:26-56.
The Low Path to the Top (Uphill #9)
November 13, 2016 20:51 - 80.8 MBThe ninth and final message in the Uphill message series, a study of 1 Peter from Riverwood Church in Waverly, Iowa. This week's passage is the entire chapter of 1 Peter 5.
Remember the Right Path (Uphill #8)
November 06, 2016 19:53 - 92.1 MBPart 8 of the Uphill sermon series at Riverwood Church in Waverly, Iowa, a message series from 1 Peter. This week's passage is 1 Peter 3:18-4:11.
Suffering Uphill (Uphill #7)
October 30, 2016 20:55 - 88.4 MBPart 7 in the Uphill series from 1 Peter at Riverwood Church in Waverly, IA. This week's passage is 1 Peter 3:13-17, 4:12-19, which is all about suffering.
The Path to Blessing (Uphill #6)
October 23, 2016 19:57 - 88.6 MBPart 6 in the Uphill series, a study of 1 Peter from Riverwood Church in Waverly, Iowa. This week's passage is 1 Peter 3:8-12, all about how to be a blessing to others through honor.
Respect for the Climb (Uphill #4)
October 09, 2016 19:09 - 77.3 MBPart 4 of the Uphill sermon series out of 1 Peter from Riverwood Church in Waverly, IA. This week's passage is 1 Peter 2:13-25.
Rocky Paths (Uphill #3)
October 02, 2016 20:11 - 96.8 MBPart 3 in the Uphill message series from Riverwood Church in Waverly, IA. This week's passage is 1 Peter 2:1-12.
Motivation to Climb (Uphill #1)
September 18, 2016 19:13 - 110 MBPart 1 in a verse-by-verse series from 1 Peter called Uphill at Riverwood Church in Waverly, Iowa. This week's passage is 1 Peter 1:1-12.
Interrupted Desires (Interrupted #5)
August 21, 2016 20:01 - 95.6 MBLaunch Sermon PlayerIt’s easy to see when someone is engaging in an activity that isn’t good for them. But when someone tries to interrupt OUR desires, well… that’s a different story! But what if God is interrupting our desires not to rob us of something good, but rather to give us something even better? That’s […]
Interrupted Expectations (Interrupted #4)
August 14, 2016 18:32 - 75.1 MBLaunch Sermon PlayerWe carry expectations into everything. Into the movie theater, into restaurants, into marriage, into our jobs, into a class, into church, and even into our relationship with God. Some expectations get met, some are exceeded, but some never get met. But what do you do when God fails to meet your expectations? That’s what this […]
Interrupted Prayer (Interrupted #3)
August 07, 2016 19:35 - 77.3 MBLaunch Sermon PlayerJust like an addict needs an intervention from their loved ones who desire the best for them, sometimes people need a spiritual intervention from God who desires the best for them. But how will YOU respond when He intervenes in your life? In this third part of our Interrupted series studying the book of […]
Interrupted Escape (Interrupted #2)
July 31, 2016 19:38 - 87.1 MBLaunch Sermon PlayerMost people long to have someone pursue them – to go to great lengths to display their love and devotion. In the story of Jonah, we see God go to tremendous length to show His love for Jonah. Likewise, in the gospel, we see the extreme lengths God went to to show His love […]
Interrupted Life (Interrupted #1)
July 24, 2016 18:40 - 76.3 MBLaunch Sermon PlayerDon’t you just hate interruptions? And yet, life is filled with them! So what should you do when a major interruption disrupts your everyday living? That’s what we look at in this new series, “Interrupted.” Through this series, we will study the Old Testament book of Jonah, discovering how Jonah messed up the […]
ReUnderstanding Baptism (#Unexpected #16)
July 18, 2016 19:42 - 78.5 MBThe final message in the #Unexpected teaching series from Riverwood Church in Waverly, Iowa, where we look at the baptism of Jesus, the prequel to the Sermon on the Mount.