Exit Church Teachings

Have you ever wondered why God doesn't do grandiose miracles everyday in our lives? In this passage, Forrest Brown preached about how Jesus advances His kingdom through small things--through the woman with the bent back, the parable of the mustard seed, and the parables of the yeast. Who would have imagined that in a matter of a couple thousand years, God's kingdom would advance from one man, to eleven, to millions/billions today? It may be an indication that our expectations need to realign with the Father's will. 

Scripture speaks to the concept of repentance quite a bit. But what does it actually mean? Forrest Brown preaches on the topic, addressing many of the misconceptions about repentance and also reveals God's heart for people in the process.

We're finding in Luke chapter 12 that Jesus has some harsh and direct words for his listeners. And this week's passage is no different. Why did Jesus bring fire to the earthy? Why did he say that he came to divide families? For a culture that primarily sees Jesus as a soft, gentle man, these words can seem startling. Yet, when we unpack them, we realize how good Jesus is and how his words are for our good.

Earlier in Luke 12, we observe Jesus addressing the issue of money, and now he furthers his emphasis--not simply on money but on the entire orientation of one's life. Jesus is calling his followers to stay alert, ready and pursuing the mission at all times until the end of our lives.

One of the topics that Jesus speaks about the most is money, and his words are difficult to accept and apply. Because his kingdom is not about amassing personal wealth but rather himself and his glory. And when we make our lives about him, we trade in our earthly currency for real, eternal wealth. Listen in as Pastor Forrest Brown preaches on one of Jesus' most difficult texts. 

It seems that there is a growing divide in our own culture and Scripture with how we are to parent our children. Forrest Brown preaches on just two verses that both speak into how the Lord disciplines his own children, why that is good news for us, and as a result, how to view disciplining our own children. 

What does it actually mean to honor the Lord with your wealth? Elder Tim Carpenter preaches on this often misquoted Proverb.

Forrest Brown continues the series in Proverbs, looking at what it means to trust in the Lord with all of our hearts.

Bob Petty preaches on always keeping the Lord in front of us, beholding him, which leads to a faithful walk with God.

What is God's will for my life? Many times we desire that God's direction for our lives would be as simple as shaking a magic 8 ball. And while the Lord sometimes speaks to us and gives us clear direction, his normative method of communication is through his Word. And, in the words of Solomon, God's will is that we dig into his Word and walk in the path of wisdom, not the path of folly/sin. 

Forrest Brown introduces a new book--Proverbs--specifically focusing on how wisdom always starts with the fear of the Lord.

This last section of Joel focuses on the final Day of the Lord that is to come--where Christ will return to judge the world. 

New book! Forrest Brown starts the book of Joel, which will only be a 3-week series. In this passage, the author, Joel, calls his people to repentance (even himself) because of the coming judgment of God. In particular, the focus is on grieving/lamenting of the brokenness of the relationship with the Lord. 

In this Psalm, elder Muchun Yin preaches on where we find our refuge. Peter preaches a portion of this Psalm in Acts chapter 2, showing us that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Psalm. Therefore, Jesus was the refugee that left the glory of heaven to sacrifice himself to redeem us from our sin. And the result of his sacrifice is eternal pleasure at the right hand of the Father. Likewise, we must also become refugees in the sense that we do not trust in ourselves but rather in the Lord. And just like Jesus, we can enjoy pleasures forevermore.

David wrote Psalm 24 to celebrate the Lord as the King of Glory. The Creator-God is the King of Glory and has come down to dwell in the midst of the city of man. How do we respond to him? Listen as elder Tim Carpenter preaches on this Psalm of celebration.

Have you ever asked if Christianity is worth it? When terrible things happen to Jesus followers and good things seem to always happen to those that oppose God, it's common for even the most devoted followers to question God's goodness. In this Psalm the author asks a similar question. And ultimately he finds his conclusion in God's character and closeness. 

In this Psalm, David offers to us a metaphor for how we are to approach the Lord--as a weaned child, contented with simply being close to his mother. In this short passage, David denounces pride in himself and confident hope in the Lord to meet his deepest needs.

Psalm 137 a difficult psalm for a number of reasons. It is a lament in very dark times for the psalmist. It also contains dark language. Listen in as Forrest unpacks the last few verses of the Psalm that represent the hope for a future that is better than the present for the psalmist, yet contain some very dark language about the death of children. 

JC Herring preaches on how we are to follow the Psalmist David in tasting and seeing that the Lord is good.