The story of Ruth serves as an example of loyalty to Naomi, her mother-in-law, who is a vulnerable widow. But Ruth herself is vulnerable! Her vow to never leave Naomi involves Ruth leaving her past behind and facing an extremely risky future as an outsider. She serves as an example for Christians who live in an individualistic culture where anything that gets in the way of our personal interests is an obstacle to be eliminated.
God makes deals with the community that are called covenants. These require participation from God and Israel. In this message, Bob shows how the story of Scripture is a series of covenants that embody God's grace, expectations, and continued presence.
Humans are not meant to be alone. God gives us a mission to expand and share a blessing with the nations. In the ministry of Jesus this is done by gathering the widest group of people and living with them in a way that reinforces the values of God.
The creation accounts of Genesis 1-2 do not attempt a scientific description of the world's origins, but instead show how God's identity, values, and agenda are present in God's creative action. In this message, Bob shows how these texts function for the worship and formation of Christians today.
Romans 1 describes what happens when humanity refuses to worship or give thanks to God. Sexual immorality is part of this decline. In this message, Bob discusses forms of sexual misconduct and how White Station can provide community for those wrestling with sexual sins.
The story of Job illustrates the kind of deep darkness that a person can experience from the unfairness of life. When we experience that dark place of depression, we hold on, trusting that somehow God is still there and our life still matters.
Friendship is incredibly rewarding but not always easy. Friendships can be durable, but they are fragile, too. God can do a lot through a healthy friendship and can even work through a broken one. Broken friendships provide opportunities to start new friendships. The story of Paul and Barnabas provides instruction and encouragement as we navigate friendships.
Many of us will deal with financial hardship. But it can be hard to talk about with others. This message reminds us that God consoles us in our affliction so that we can console others.
Staging a house makes it look good so that just the right person will be impressed enough to buy it. The problem is a staged house loses all of its functionality. Churches can be staged as well. When we focus on how church looks, it’s easy to lose sight of the church’s function. Jesus clearly lays out the mission of the church in Matthew 16.
One of the most significant conflicts between Jesus and religious leaders relates to Sabbath observance. Jesus argues that they had missed the point and forgotten the intentions of the day. By doing so, ministers in a way that looks wrong, but aligns with God's heart.