Rise City Church Podcast

Community Killers

Have you ever been in a relationship or community that just felt off, or maybe even ended up completely broken, but you couldn’t put your finger on what went wrong?

This week, Zach talked to us about the community killers that Peter laid out in 1 Peter 2. Malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander.  But… those are such bad-sounding words and we are pretty good people, so that couldn’t be applicable to us, right? When we pull back the curtain and look at the actual definitions, we realize they constantly surround us. And, if we don’t actively guard against them, they will make their way into our circles.

Luckily, Peter didn’t stop with the killers of community, he turns us back to the fulfillment in Jesus. Join us as we learn about how leaning into the identity that God is calling us to can provide all of the protection we need.

Build Life-Changing Community

Friendship and community are one of the greatest longings of the human heart. We dismiss it saying we are introverts, loners, or enjoy solitude. We build up walls because of shame and pain in our past. We are afraid of deep relationships, and pride holds us back from engaging with others. And let's be real, deep relationships are hard and have conflict. So how do we actually build a life-changing community that is founded on a love that supports one another, calls each other to more, and is ready to weather the hard moments?

This week, Pastor Jason walks us through Hebrews 10 to look at how to live in light of what Jesus has done for us. Join us to see how your character is formed in community, how to sustain commitment, and how to stand beside someone to truly build life-changing community.

How Community Forms us

You are being formed. Whether you know it or not your community and the culture around you are forming you and setting a path for your life. Often we settle for insight and knowledge, but God is calling you to be radically transformed deep within your soul through steps of obedience.

This week, Pastor Russell walks us through a theology of community formation and the path of revival in our culture. We open Ephesians 4 to see that Christ calls us to be transformed into the image of Jesus through relationships with others in community. Listen in to catch a vision of the redemptive potential that is in you.

Build Your Circles

How do you find people that actually get you? How do you create friendships that last the test of time, and can stand against challenging moments? Jesus lived a life filled with friendships of all kinds — from closeness with just a few, to a group that he poured into and that cared for each other. He gives us the example of a life full of relationships but finding those can be hard.

Listen in this week as Pastor Jason walks us through the Scriptures to look at how to create friendships, what to look for in people, and how to be a great friend. Let's explore how Jesus lived in relationship with others because discipleship and growth happen in friendship circles.

We Are Garden People

We are in a friendship recession. Between the pandemic and the false reality of closeness we pursue through social media, we're left with emptiness and loneliness — something God never intended. What if you could replace those feelings and fill the community-shaped hole in your soul with genuine friendships? What if you could truly find your people?

This week, Pastor Jason leads us through Genesis 1-3, looking at how God created us in His image and for community and closeness with others, and how Jesus came to restore our brokenness. Listen in to week 01 of Find Your People.

The Devil

We treat the Devil more like a cartoon character than a threat to us. We have a distorted understanding of who he is, how he works, and how we give him a handhold in our lives. But the Scripture teaches us he is a real enemy on the prowl planting deceptive ideas, that play to our disordered desires—always telling us that God is holding out on us.

In John 8, Jesus breaks down the lies of the enemy, and tells us the depth of the deception we are facing. Listen in as Pastor Jason walks us through how to identify the threat and stand in the truth of God’s Word.

The Flesh

Do you know that feeling of wanting what isn't good? Do you feel the pull and temptation of desiring things around you? Do you find yourself battling your mind and heart over your actions and behavior?

We are at war with our own flesh — the corrupt inner nature that serves to please ourselves rather than God. We can't escape those desires, but we can address them by arming ourselves with the Word, the Spirit, and prayer. Listen in as Scott Bean walks us through Galatians 5 and teaches us how to practically combat the flesh and drive out complacency so that we can live according to God's plan bearing the fruit of the Spirit.

The World

Have you ever watched the news and felt overwhelmed by the sadness? How do we simultaneously see an ever-increasing advance in technology and science yet darker things keep happening?

The Bible teaches that human beings live in the midst of what it calls “Babylon” or “the World”. This is a categorical “enemy” that wars daily against our souls. So here’s the question: Where can we find hope? Can we thrive in Babylon? Listen in to this teaching from Genesis to Revelation, and find that in Jesus there is hope for people exhausted by the World.

Seven Lessons in Seven Years at Rise

Do you ask yourself, "Where can I play a part in the local church? Is there really a need for me? How do I grow in my discipleship and become a contributor to the church?"

Listen in to this special Team Night edition where we share one big announcement and Nolan Tjaden shares seven lessons he's learned in serving at Rise for the last seven years, and how ministry can be boiled down to one simple statement.

World Flesh Devil

We are at war. But who are we up against? It's not a war against people or culture—it's a war against the three enemies of the soul. This is a battle that is around us, within us, and constantly tempting us to draw our focus from the life Christ died for us to have.

 

In Ephesians 2, we learn that in order to walk faithfully after the Lord we need to embrace the power of grace, and understand the importance of our Gospel mission. To do that we need to identify our enemies for who they truly are— the World, the Flesh, and the Devil.