Willow Creek Weekend Podcast

We’re diving into a new series focussed on short books of the Bible, and we kick it off with Jude! The Book of Jude is a one-chapter, short book of the Bible that’s really not a book at all, but a letter written by Jude, a half-brother of Jesus. But while the Book of Jude is short, it is packed with spiritual nutrition to strengthen our faith. He talks about fake teachers and leaders; to be wary of them leading people astray, and encourages Christ-followers to stand firm in their faith. Pastor Dave takes us through the small but mighty Book of Jude and how we can apply it’s teachings to our lives now.

Sometimes it’s hard to know how to pray. Whether you’re just starting to learn, need a refresher on how prayer works, or just a boost in your prayer life, we can all turn to Jesus for guidance. Because Jesus gave us the best prayer template: The Lord’s Prayer. Otherwise known as the “Our Father Prayer”, the Lord’s Prayer, from Matthew 6, tells us exactly how to pray, straight from Jesus’ own lips! This week, Pastor Dave leads us through the Lord’s Prayer and why our own prayers can–and should be–a simple conversation between us and God.

We’re continuing to explore the red letters in the Bible; the things Jesus actually said, with a couple of His most famous, and perhaps most misunderstood, quotes: “Love thy neighbor” and “love your enemies”. Pastor Thomas dives into Matthew 5 43-48 to discover why Jesus gave us this important task and what it means to reflect the radical love of God onto those we may find it hard to love.

Dive into the intriguing notion of the ‘unforgivable sin’ and unravel its meaning. Pastor Megan Marshman navigates the choppy waters of forgiveness, emphasizing God's unchanging love amid human imperfection. Explore the emotional depths of Jesus' sacrifice in Gethsemane and discover how it relates to graceful redemption. The conversation reflects on the necessity of both giving and receiving forgiveness, transforming faith through the Holy Spirit. Finally, listeners are invited to deepen their worship experience, responding authentically to divine love.

Who am I? How do I find my worth? How can I feel valued?—Do you ever ask yourself these questions? We can find our identity in work, or our value in money, but how sustainable are these? This week in our series exploring the things that Jesus actually said, the red letters in the Bible; Pastor Shawn looks at Matthew 16, verses 24-25, and shows how we can know our true value and worth in something that will never go away.

Continuing our series about red letters and the things Jesus actually said, we look at Matthew 23. Did you know the phrase “practice what you preach” comes from the Bible and from something Jesus Himself said? We explore the passage from which this phrase began, learn the proper phrase and Jesus’ intention in saying it. HINT: Jesus doesn’t want or need you to perfect to be loved by Him.

We kick off a new series all about the red letters: the things Jesus said that are typically highlighted in Bibles using red ink. Red letters in the Bible tell us the words Jesus spoke Himself—and all too often Jesus is misquoted. So let’s look at those red letters and how they help us today. You’ve probably heard the phrase “judge not lest ye be judged”, but what did Jesus mean? Pastor Dave takes us into Matthew 7 and what exactly Jesus was saying.

When was the last time you did something just because it was fun? We wear badges of exhaustion, efficiency, and productivity, having lost the wonder and benefit of simply playing. In Luke 18:16, Jesus says the Kingdom of God belongs to children, so what does it look like to live with childlike faith and wonder? Rediscover the goodness of play with a message centered around laughter.

How do we invite God into our work life? Whether you are a student, a server, doctor, lawyer, teacher, caretaker, or at home with kids. Whatever your daily work looks like, God has a greater purpose for the everyday moments. This week Pastor Dave looks at what happens when we invite God’s kingdom into the places we spend so much time. When we realize that any place we engage with other people can become sacred space, God energizes our work.

Often, when we think of ‘family’ we think of the traditional nuclear family. Early followers of Jesus had a much broader definition, opening their doors to strangers, orphans, and widows. We will dive into Deuteronomy 6 to learn more about how to intentionally invite Jesus to be the center of our inner circles and to infuse more joy into these families.