Southside Baptist Church Podcast

A recent study found that the average American spent $722 on health and beauty products and services in 2023, with Gen Zers spending more than double that at $1,754. While our society pursues eternal youth and beauty, another part of our human being goes largely ignored – our souls. The evidence of this oversight is obvious when you consider the growing mental health crisis we are facing in America. Join us for a six-week series exploring what the Bible says about caring for the most important and only eternal part of you – your soul.

If I could see the world like you, I would think and act differently. Our perspective on life and truth is limited, but what if we could access God’s perspective? What if we had directions on how to live life according to the author of life Himself? Join us for the final sermon of 2023 and the kickoff to 85 hours in the Word. 

The greatest expression of love the world has ever known arrived with little recognition and no fanfare. Jesus was born in a barn and laid in a manger. He never wrote a book, held political office, or traveled more than 200 miles from where He was born. He never did any of the things that we associate with greatness, yet because of His death and resurrection, people around the world have come to believe that Jesus is the perfect embodiment of God’s love. Join us for the final message in our Advent series, Joy to the World, where we will explore the wonders of His love. 

Ask any gardener and they can tell you about the curse of weeds and thorns that infest the ground. It will require work if you want to grow flowers, vegetables, or a beautiful yard. The things we don’t want will grow without effort, while the things we want require constant attention. This is the nature of sin in our lives and the world. Join us for part 4 of Joy to the World, where we will learn how Jesus came to change the landscape of our world and your life.

If Luke were writing his Gospel today, his version of the Christmas story might very well be a Broadway musical! In chapter one, Luke shares the songs of Zechariah and Mary, and in chapter two, all heaven breaks into song as the angels announce the birth of Jesus. But this Broadway production wasn’t performed for the elite, but for those the world often overlooks. Join us for part three of Joy to the World, where we meet the unlikely recipients of the best news ever.  

We sing it every year, “Joy to the World, the Lord Has Come!” But what does that mean? With war, injustice, and division all around, how can Christians believe that a baby born two thousand years ago has brought joy to the world? Join us for part two of Joy to the World, where we will discover God’s conspiracy to overturn the corruption of this world and establish his Kingdom of Joy. 

“Joy to the World” is one of the world’s most recognizable songs. The lyrics, written in 1719 by Sir Isaac Watts, are based on Psalm 98 and describe the arrival of King Jesus and His impact on the world. Join us for an Advent series exploring the joy that Jesus brings to every heart that prepares Him room. 

Aspire Church San Marco will celebrate 85 years of ministry in 2024. With a tremendous legacy behind us, a compelling mission ahead of us, and a faithful Savior leading us, how should Aspire Church San Marco members faithfully run the race set before us? Join us as we begin a year-long journey Back to the Future.

The Bible tells us to rejoice always, but is that realistic? Given the real problems we face personally and globally, how can God expect His people always to be filled with joy? Join us for the final message in our Philippians series, where we will learn the three essential elements of relentless joy and why we need it now more than ever. 

We see it in almost every institution. Our government is paralyzed by it. Schools, corporations, and media are defined by it. Our courts are overrun because of it. The fracturing and division of our society can make it seem as if everything is coming apart at the seams. Then what is the Church’s answer? Unfortunately, too often the same division we see in the world has also infected the Church. Join us for part 10 of our Philippians series, where we will learn that the unity of the Church is essential to the mission of the Church.

Looking at old pictures can be embarrassing. Things we thought stylish eventually become dated. Time eventually sees the passing of every fad. What’s true about fashion and hairstyles is also true about more essential things such as beliefs and ways of living. Join us for part 9 of Philippians: Relentless Joy, where we will discover how the mind of Christ changes how we understand our past, future, and other people. 

Perhaps you grew up singing, “Jesus loves me, this I know,” but do you believe that? Would you care so much about what others think of you if you did? Would you work so hard to impress your boss, your girlfriend, or your parents? What drives you to achieve and accomplish things? What is behind your insatiable appetite to consume? Join us for part 8 of Philippians: Relentless Joy, where we will explore the two ways to live.

Throughout the fall, you see it – faces painted, flags waving, fight songs sung with pride. Football fans loudly cheer on their favorite teams. We’ve come to accept this harmless form of tribalism as a part of our culture. Fans pulling for opposite teams on Saturday are the best of friends on Sunday. But what happens when our faith becomes tribal? Join us for a message from Philippians 3, where we will see the dangers of tribalism and how Jesus overcomes our tribal religions. 

Your favorite barista took another job. The person who cut your hair for years retired. The manager who hired you and became a friend and mentor resigned suddenly. Personnel changes are disruptive. Sometimes, they result in minor inconveniences, and sometimes, they lead to a tidal wave of change. Join us for part 6 of Philippians: Relentless Joy, where we will see how God uses personnel changes to accomplish His work in our lives.

JimBo Stewart is a follower of Jesus, Audrea’s husband, and father of three Stewart Littles. Professionally, JimBo serves as the Associate Director of Replant at the North American Mission Board (NAMB) and as the Replanting and Revitalization Strategist for First Coast Churches in Jacksonville, FL. He is also the co-founder of replantbootcamp.com. He holds a D.Min. in Church Revitalization and an M.Div. in Urban Missions, both earned at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. JimBo also loves exploring new places and playing disc golf with his kids. We are grateful for Jimbo’s contribution to the Kingdom and are excited to welcome him today as our guest teacher at Aspire Church San Marco.

Aspire Church is pleased to welcome home one of our own! Pastor Blake Bennett and his wife, Cierra, were high school sweethearts who grew up in Jacksonville and now live in San Marco with their two children, Eloise and Ezra. Blake joined the staff of Aspire Church in 2015 as a church planter sent by Aspire to start TheCity.Church at San Marco. Since 2015, TheCity.Church has expanded to include three additional congregations: TheCity.Church at Bartram Park, TheCity.Church at Riverside, and TheCity.Church at the Highlands. Blake’s leadership and passion for the local church are a blessing to our city. We are delighted to welcome Pastor Blake as our guest teacher this morning.

One of the most famous mug shots in American history is that of Dr. Martin Luther King after his arrest in Birmingham, Alabama. But what should have symbolized the humiliation and destruction of Dr. King’s legacy became a sign of his cause. Join us for a message from Philippians 1:27-30 where we learn that sometimes the very thing that appears to be for our destruction is really for our salvation. 

One of the most repeated arguments against the existence of God in general and the truth of Christianity in particular has come to be known as “the problem of pain.” The argument goes something like this: “How could an all-powerful, all-loving God allow the kind of pain and suffering we experience in this world?” Even if you believe in God and call yourself a Christian, you’ve probably wrestled with this question. Join us for part two of our series through the book of Philippians where we learn how Paul addressed the problem of pain.

We all have unfinished projects. From that home improvement project you started last year to the novel you began in school. Every unfinished task is ultimately a race against the clock. Will you run out of time before your projects are finished? But what if time was not a factor? What if you had eternity to finish everything you’ve started? Join us for part one of a new sermon series from the book of Philippians, where we will learn that the eternal God always finishes what He begins.

We’ve all made exchanges. Whether it was a product purchased, a career change, or even a change of mind, most people have made the conscious decision to make an exchange. But what happens when someone wants to exchange their entire life for another? Is such an exchange even possible? Join us for the conclusion of Summer Palms Mixtape vol. 2 as we explore Psalm 30 and the joy that comes when we exchange our life of sorrow for an eternity of joy.