Woodland Hills Church
1,538 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 days ago - ★★★★★ - 90 ratingsWe believe God's love extends to everyone—no matter who you are, no matter what you’ve done, and no matter what you believe. That love has the power to radically transform all of our lives, and is the only thing that can make real change in the world. Our hope is to welcome you into our community where we’re learning to love. Together.
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Episodes
Stay Salty
November 08, 2020 10:50 - 52 minutes - 36.1 MBJesus said, "You are the salt of the earth." What are the functions of salt, and what does this mean for us today? How does this shape the way we interact with the world? Greg explores these questions in this sermon.
Moving Forward
November 01, 2020 11:00 - 1 hour - 46.6 MBThis final sermon is a panel discussion that addresses practical issues of being a Kingdom ambassador who offers Jesus' kind of love in the divisive political environment that we experience today.
Principles Without Poison
October 25, 2020 10:35 - 58 minutes - 39.9 MBGod has called us to seek the peace of the land in which we live, to be God's ambassadors who offer a third way. How do we do this? In this conversational sermon, Bill Doherty, from the organization Braver Angels, shares his experience of leading workshops that include Democrats and Republicans with the goal of helping each group understand the other.
We Will Not Be Played
October 18, 2020 10:30 - 1 hour - 49.6 MBOne of the primary means the enemy uses to divide people today is social media. While social media has many advantages, it also is designed in such a way that it can easily be used as a tool of Satan. If we are not intentionally resisting the schemes of the enemy, we will too easily be played by them.
Taming the Raging Elephant
October 11, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 48.3 MBWhen we disagree, we usually assume that reason, not emotion, is driving the interaction, but actually the opposite is true. Greg explains how our default is to use reasoning to justify our emotions, and how knowing this can help us respond well during a heated discussion.
A Tale of Two Kingdoms
October 04, 2020 10:35 - 1 hour - 50.1 MBIn the midst of a divided and polarized world, how does the church respond in a way that reflects God's kingdom? To answer this question, we must understand the nature of God's kingdom and how it stands in contrast to the kingdoms of this world.
Resisting the Polarizing Powers
September 27, 2020 10:30 - 45 minutes - 31 MBWhat is the real cause of the persecution that Jesus says leads to blessedness? The answer is found in the refusal to make enemies of others or to embrace an "us vs. them" mindset. By opting out of this game, we no longer fit on either side and persecution becomes the norm.
The Moon vs. The Porch Light
September 20, 2020 10:30 - 40 minutes - 27.8 MBIn a world where violence is promoted as the solution to conflict, Jesus teaches us that God's children are to be those who live in and offer peace.
The Woe Road
September 13, 2020 10:33 - 1 hour - 45 MBIn Luke's version of the Sermon on the Mount, he includes Jesus' teaching on those who have embraced idols and are not blessed as they are on the path of woe. This sermon addresses what these "woes" mean and how we can fight against the woe road.
Yard Signs and Yearning
September 06, 2020 10:30 - 47 minutes - 32.7 MBOur world offers continual distractions that overwhelm us and keep us from purity of heart, and therefore hinder our sight of God. To have purity of heart is to have a single-minded focus on one thing, the one thing that matters.
Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment
August 30, 2020 11:49 - 1 hour - 44.4 MBIn the midst of a culture of perpetual judgment, God has called the church to be a people of mercy. We will receive mercy to the degree that we offer mercy, and judgment to the degree that we judge.
What Do You Hunger and Thirst For?
August 23, 2020 11:36 - 42 minutes - 29.1 MBGod created us with a homing device in our souls which causes us to hunger for LIFE that can only be filled through our connection with him. However, we too often fall into the trap of hungering and thirsting after idols that leave us empty and leave us restless.
Meek Is the New Strong
August 16, 2020 09:38 - 39 minutes - 26.9 MBJesus taught that those who are meek will actually inherit the earth. What does this counter-cultural teaching mean? How does it relate to being humble and the reality that people are forced to be humble by those in power? This sermon explores these questions and then provides practical direction to embracing Jesus' teaching.
Good Mourning
August 09, 2020 10:44 - 52 minutes - 36.4 MBJesus taught that those who mourn are blessed. This occurs as the people of God know how things should be and set God's beauty in contrast to the ugliness of the world. And thus, we mourn for God to come and bring his deliverance.
Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit
August 02, 2020 11:24 - 1 hour - 42 MBThe Sermon on the Mount opens with a teaching on being poor in spirit, which refers to an attitude one has before God. It means not being self-reliant, but broken and dependent upon God for life.
The Expert
July 26, 2020 12:23 - 1 hour - 48.3 MBThis sermon introduces the Sermon on the Mount by asking why we should trust the words of Jesus found in Matthew 5-7. Jesus addresses big life questions and if we don't know why we should trust his answers, then we might place the authority of others on par with that of Jesus. Christ is the expert of all experts, which is the reason his teaching must be heeded.
Not a New Problem
July 19, 2020 11:32 - 1 hour - 47 MBThis concluding sermon in our Race Conciliation series briefly addresses how prevalent racism has been in the history of the church. Then we hosted an extended panel discussion to answer questions we've gotten about race, and to discuss how to move forward as a reconciling people.
Why Do All Our Friends Look Just Like Us?
July 12, 2020 11:36 - 1 hour - 46.4 MBWe are expected to go through life with friends who look like us. Being close with people who do not look like you is unusual in our culture, and the church tends to perpetuate this pattern. However, God's Kingdom is comprised of people from all kinds of backgrounds that don't look like our own. The question we all face is, "what will we do about it?"
The Wheat and Weeds Creation
July 05, 2020 12:27 - 1 hour - 51.3 MBWe live in a world where Satan has laid claim to creation, while at the same time God is fighting to redeem all things through the work of the cross. These two fundamental forces are simultaneous, and we see them everywhere. Our calling is to participate in the good work that God is doing in order to advance the Kingdom.
Liberating and Reconciling Christians
June 28, 2020 11:05 - 35 minutes - 24.2 MBSin not only resides in the hearts of individuals; it also is woven through the systems and structures of our corporate way of life. Jesus entered into these systems to transform them and he now invites us to join him, offering our voices to bring liberation and reconciliation to our world.
Responding to the Powers
June 21, 2020 11:13 - 47 minutes - 32.5 MBGod is inviting us to respond to the volatile issues around racism in a uniquely Kingdom way, a way modeled by Jesus. This Kingdom way provides concrete handles for battling against the rulers, authorities and powers that drive racism in our world.
Revolting Against the Powers
June 14, 2020 11:24 - 57 minutes - 39.2 MBWe primarily think about the problems we face today in terms of individualism, pointing fingers at persons who are making bad choices. However, the Bible speaks of the struggle against systemic issues, what are called "principalities and powers" that shape the structures of how we live. The unique call of Kingdom people is to focus our struggle against these systems, rather than against people.
White Heresy
June 07, 2020 11:55 - 1 hour - 53.8 MBWhy did Jesus die on the cross? The common response-to reconcile us to God-is only half of the answer. The other half, which is usually not preached in the white church, is to reconcile us to one another and creation.
Please... I Can't Breathe
May 31, 2020 11:47 - 1 hour - 58.7 MBThis has been a troublesome week, with the gruesome murder of George Floyd and the unrest that this has caused both in Minnesota, and around the country. Greg offers a Kingdom perspective on the situation and challenges the church to wake up and see the changes that we need. After his sermon he was joined on stage for a discussion with several people of color from Woodland Hills.
Please… I Can’t Breathe
May 31, 2020 11:47 - 1 hour - 58.7 MBThis has been a troublesome week, with the gruesome murder of George Floyd and the unrest that this has caused both in Minnesota, and around the country. Greg offers a Kingdom perspective on the situation and challenges the church to wake up and see the changes that we need. After his sermon he was joined on stage for a discussion with several people of color from Woodland Hills.
Lamenting A to Z
May 24, 2020 11:20 - 49 minutes - 33.9 MBIn this sermon, Greg shares about the importance of lament during a time of loss and liminality. Building upon the ideas introduced by David last week, he expands on the topic and shares about his own experiences and the emotions he's been wrestling with.
Hitting the Wall
May 17, 2020 11:07 - 39 minutes - 27.4 MBIn the midst of the pandemic, many of us are experiencing a degree of intense anxiety. What do we do with that? How do we meet God in that experience? How do we find hope?
Kingdom Starters
May 10, 2020 11:24 - 58 minutes - 40.3 MBFrom the parable of the yeast, Jesus is teaching us about how the Kingdom of God works. Instead of expanding with landmark gestures and grandiose acts, it infiltrates life in small ways, often hidden from view, but as it expands, it actually touches every part of life.
"Well Done!"
May 03, 2020 11:28 - 1 hour - 41.6 MBFrom the parable of the talents, we can see that God trusts us to participate and partner with him in his work, as we have been entrusted with an offering that can advance the Kingdom. Though we don't often see this reality, we must embrace what God says about us and what we have been given.
"Well Done!"
May 03, 2020 11:28 - 1 hour - 41.6 MBFrom the parable of the talents, we can see that God trusts us to participate and partner with him in his work, as we have been entrusted with an offering that can advance the Kingdom. Though we don't often see this reality, we must embrace what God says about us and what we have been given.
Your People Will Be My People
April 26, 2020 11:28 - 1 hour - 43.3 MBThe book of Ruth speaks to our deep desires for faithful living, along with specific issues regarding faithfulness in the midst of the struggles of the pandemic. In this sermon, we hear the call to faithfulness and explore what it means.
In Adam, In Christ
April 19, 2020 10:47 - 1 hour - 49.7 MBIndividuals are interconnected as a part of the whole of humanity, something we are experiencing during this pandemic. Often, we can tend to view humanity with disdain, and feel that people in general are stupid. However, God looks upon humanity with compassion.
The Coin (Easter 2020)
April 12, 2020 11:04 - 26 minutes - 18.3 MBLove, not death, should have the last word. When you love someone, you come to know how much infinite worth they have. The idea that all that they are just ends with death doesn't seem right. Something in the core of our being says, "NO." That gut intuition is a faint echo of the heart of God.
Good Friday 2020
April 10, 2020 19:01 - 52 minutes - 35.8 MBThrough a message, worship, creative storytelling, poetry, special music and art, we express the heaviness and hope of Good Friday as we reflect on Jesus' sacrifice for us all.
Coronavirus Q&A
April 05, 2020 10:44 - 56 minutes - 38.6 MBPeople have a lot of questions about what God is doing during this pandemic. In this teaching, leaders from Woodland Hills address questions that have been submitted over the last few weeks.
Coronavirus Q&A
April 05, 2020 10:44 - 56 minutes - 38.6 MBPeople have a lot of questions about what God is doing during this pandemic. In this teaching, leaders from Woodland Hills address questions that have been submitted over the last few weeks.
Are We Being Punished?
March 29, 2020 11:27 - 1 hour - 50.4 MBIn the midst of great suffering and ugliness, there is also goodness breaking through. We are seeing this in the midst of this unusual time and it points us to how God works to bring his cross-like love in the middle of horrible circumstances. This teaches us that God is not the cause of this pandemic, but is the one who will win in the end.
Giving Thanks, No Matter
March 22, 2020 11:17 - 1 hour - 15.4 MBIn this surreal time, we can let our lives be dictated by the circumstances of our situation, or we can live according to the reality that our lives are "hid" with Christ in God. How exactly do we do this in the midst of so much tumult? One way is to learn to give thanks "in all circumstances," as Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5.
COVID-19: A Kingdom Perspective
March 15, 2020 08:46 - 32 minutes - 7.44 MBCOVID-19 is impacting the entire world, changing life globally, locally, and personally. How should we as Kingdom people respond to this pandemic?
Who Knows?
March 08, 2020 13:45 - 48 minutes - 11.1 MBThis week we begin our new sermon series about moral relativism by exploring how early Christians lived out their faith, the point being that Truth is only true when it is lived.
Listen Up Q&A
March 01, 2020 16:40 - 45 minutes - 31.5 MBThis final teaching in the Listen Up series is a Q&A that speaks to the practical implications about listening to God's voice in our daily lives.
Listen Up Q&A
March 01, 2020 16:40 - 45 minutes - 31.5 MBThis final teaching in the Listen Up series is a Q&A that speaks to the practical implications about listening to God's voice in our daily lives.
Tuning In
February 23, 2020 14:24 - 47 minutes - 33 MBGod is still speaking, offering an invitation to dialogue with him. However, this dialogue will be as unique as you as an individual are. The question for us is whether not we will take up this challenge and learn how to listen, or if we will simply go with the status quo.
New Normal
February 16, 2020 13:46 - 45 minutes - 31.3 MBThis weekend we discussed how God's voice gets drowned out by the background noise of our day-to-day lives, and also about how once we tune into God's voice, we find that the kingdom of God is defined by the love of the "other."
Everyday Whispers of Encouragement
February 09, 2020 16:02 - 42 minutes - 29.1 MBThis past weekend in Osheta's sermon, "Everyday Whispers of Encouragement" we take a deeper look at "the still, small voice" of God. We focus on the story of Elijah hearing God in a whisper, and how this passage can give us guidance today on how we can tune our ears in order to have ears to hear.
The Letter & the Spirit
February 02, 2020 12:44 - 48 minutes - 33.5 MBAs we continue our Listen Up series, this week Greg discusses how being open to hearing from God through our imagination affects the quality of our faith. Faith is about getting on the inside and working out our questions once we're in relationship. If we are expectant that our relationship with God is a two-way street and that he not only wants to hear from us, but also wants to speak with us, and we're open to our imagination being the place that conversation happens, then we're much more ...
The Letter & the Spirit
February 02, 2020 12:44 - 48 minutes - 33.5 MBAs we continue our Listen Up series, this week Greg discusses how being open to hearing from God through our imagination affects the quality of our faith. Faith is about getting on the inside and working out our questions once we're in relationship. If we are expectant that our relationship with God is a two-way street and that he not only wants to hear from us, but also wants to speak with us, and we're open to our imagination being the place that conversation happens, then we're much more ...
The Sound of Silence
January 26, 2020 12:24 - 47 minutes - 32.9 MBFor many, hearing God's voice and sensing the Spirit's leading is a foreign concept. This sermon addresses why we should be hearing God, and some of the major obstacles that keep us from hearing what God is saying.
The Inclusive Kingdom
January 19, 2020 13:30 - 45 minutes - 31 MBAs we reflect on the message of Martin Luther King Jr., we can see the parallel between what he taught and what Jesus told us the Kingdom of God looks like. To understand this, Greg unpacks the difference between xenophilia (the love of those who are different) and xenophobia (the fear of those who are different) and how it relates to racism.
Cruciform Inspiration
January 12, 2020 13:02 - 43 minutes - 30.1 MBThis week we look at how our scars, mistakes and imperfections (and even painful tattoos) all tell a story of God breathing and interacting, and enhancing the beauty of an imperfect thing.