Element Church Podcast - Sermons

Can you relate to doing your best to make good decisions, but everything still seems to be going wrong?  In today's message we'll take a look at a story of three characters who were trying to do what they believed to be right, but found themselves in a tense situation where things got, shall we say, heated.  Though their obedience lead to a seemingly worse situation, we'll ultimately find strength remembering that faithful obedience is our responsibility while the outcome is God's.Support the show (https://elementchurchlaurel.com/give)

How do you decide what you're going to spend your time on?  Do you always have too much time, always get everything done early, and never seem to be busy?  In today's message we are cautioned and coached to make the most of our time and opportunities.  We'll work through ideas about how to discern the will of God and ultimately live for our purposes.Support the show (https://elementchurchlaurel.com/give)

When life feels out of balance do we typically look for ways to cut our losses, or ways to be generous?  We've been focusing on the idea that living with balance isn't the goal; living with purpose is.  To help us with that idea, we'll visit some stories in the Bible where God called people to make life decisions with an open-handed mindset, and consider practical next steps for our own lives.  We'll also hear about life-change happening in Laurel because the people of Element have been generous.Support the show (https://elementchurchlaurel.com/give)

Have you ever felt like life is out of balance?  It seems like any time we pick up something new, or something changes, things go out of balance.  In today's message we'll challenge the idea of "life balance" by considering that the goal of life isn't balance, it's purpose.Support the show (https://elementchurchlaurel.com/give)

How do you feel about some of your closest friends?  Is there a lot of trust and certainty between you?  Or are there aspects of betrayal as well?  In today's message, we'll take a look at the relationship between Jesus and Peter.  We'll meet Peter at a time of guilt and shame, having denied that he even knew one of his closest friends, and find hope in the way Jesus restores him.Support the show (https://elementchurchlaurel.com/give)

How do you respond to growth and change in yourself and others?  Do you celebrate change or are threatened by it?  In today's message we'll hear about an instance when Jesus healed a paralyzed man but the people around him responded negatively to the things he did.  Ultimately we'll discover that God is not scared of our deficiencies nor defines us by our accomplishments.Support the show (https://elementchurchlaurel.com/give)

If you know bad decisions are harmful, what are some practical ways to avoid them?  Just praying harder and "surrendering" isn't always helpful in deal with struggles, so is there any hope?  In this message we'll not only discover tools to deal with struggles, but also be challenged to actively eliminate them.Week 4 challenge:Journal your struggles and begin to inspect what leads to sin.Discuss your journal with someone you can trust.Support the show (https://elementchurchlaurel.com/give)

What does it mean to root in Jesus, and how do we do that?  Why would we be willing to trust him with anything?!  In today's message, we'll remember that growth is a process and discover hope in areas of our lives that we may see as dead.  Ultimately we can learn to trust Jesus because he can bring the dead back to life.  Sometimes, what we see as dead God sees as just sleeping.Week 3 challenge:Re-read PhilippiansCircle what you should doUnderline what to avoidSupport the show (https://elementchurchlaurel.com/give)

Is there any kind of growth that occurs instantaneous?  If so, is that natural?  In today's message we'll take a look at some characters in the Bible who discovered growth is a process.  As we engage with this message we'll find encouragement that growth is our own lives is also a process.Week 2 challenge:  Read the book of PhilippiansSupport the show (https://elementchurchlaurel.com/give)

Have you ever been frustrated that you don't have it all together and you're not where you're supposed to be? What does that even mean and, more importantly, how you fix it? In today's message we'll encounter a message Jesus taught in the way that Jesus taught it. He used a object that everyone was familiar with to describe the process of growth: dirt.Week 1 challenge:  Read Psalm 139:23-24Support the show (https://elementchurchlaurel.com/give)

Today's message is a very special Q&A with Ryan and a panel of 3 couples talking about relationships. We've received a ton of questions about this topic that we're excited to talk about. If you're single, dating, newly married, married for a while, re-married, there's something for everyone.  If you have questions that didn't get answered in this discussion, please feel free to reach out to us on social media.Support the show (https://elementchurchlaurel.com/give)

If relationships are the lifeblood of our lives, how do we do relationships better? In this message we'll take a look at a passage in the Bible that talks about becoming people of honor and what that has to do with improving the relationships in our lives.Support the show (https://elementchurchlaurel.com/give)

Matt Steen has been one of Element's overseers since before launch. In many ways, Element is what it is largely due to Matt's wisdom, guidance, and encouragement. In this episode, Ryan interviews Matt during the Sunday morning team meeting and Matt shares some very encouraging and helpful thoughts.Support the show (https://elementchurchlaurel.com/give)

If your heart follows your treasury, what does your calendar say? In today's message we'll consider an idea that the things we schedule in our calendars are a reflection of the things we prioritize in life. We'll be challenged to filter out things that are not helpful to prioritize pursuing healthy relationships.Support the show (https://elementchurchlaurel.com/give)

How would you describe the quality of the relationships in your life? Whether they're healthy or toxic, we all live in relationships and we could all do them better. In today's message we'll take a look at how clear communication is related to our integrity, and how good communication and integrity improve our relationships.Support the show (https://elementchurchlaurel.com/give)

Do you consider yourself to be a leader? Does that fill you with confidence, or dread? In today's message, we'll take a look at some ideas from the book of Acts exploring how becoming a leader might just be someone's next step.Support the show (https://elementchurchlaurel.com/give)

Can you relate to being scammed? Scams may feel like many things, including just plain distracting. In today's message, we'll take a look at a moment where Jesus walked into the temple in Jerusalem and witnesses extortionists taking advantage of faithful people. We'll see how his response to that scene redefines true worship and compassion. We'll also be challenged to do our best to invite our loved ones to church and clear away all distractions so they can freely bump into Jesus.Support the show (https://elementchurchlaurel.com/give)

What are some of the things you care about that you contribute time and money to? Are there things you invest in without knowing what the payoff will be? In today's message we'll look at some instructions Jesus gives us about being generous. We'll also take a moment to remember the sacrifices that have already made to take care of broken and hurting people long before they ever darkened our doors.Support the show (https://elementchurchlaurel.com/give)

How would you describe the people you surround yourself with? Based on the people in your life, how would you describe your connection to that community? In today's message we will contrast two characters of the Bible and how they related to the people in their community. We will examine the quality of their lives and consider the lessons we can apply to our own.Support the show (https://elementchurchlaurel.com/give)

How do we typically grow or improve anything? Isn't it usually by taking one step at a time? In today's message we'll consider the idea that the first step in growing our faith is to attend church. At Element we believe that life is best experienced living in community, and attending a Sunday morning worship experience is the first step to that.Support the show (https://elementchurchlaurel.com/give)