Willow Creek Weekend Podcast

This week we look at 1 John 4 and the importance placed here on “abiding” with God. When we ‘abide’ with God, we become closer to Him. To abide means to sit, dwell, be near, or make our home with God. That sounds pretty good. Right? Join us as we  learn about abiding with God and why we should do this consistently.

We know about God's love for us, but did you know that God is love itself? And to believe in God is to love others too? All Christians have a responsibility to love others as ourselves. What does that look like in actuality? It means showing God's love in practical ways to others, with no strings attached. Pastor Dave takes us through 1 John 2 to explore this idea and why it's important to love God, love people, and change the world.

Explore the depths of God's love and the assurance it brings through belief in Jesus. Delve into the importance of prayer and rekindling faith as a loving journey. Discover the transformative power of walking in divine light and the necessity of genuine fellowship for spiritual growth. Learn how to embody Christ's character in daily life, even amidst challenges, and see how positivity and kindness can shine brightly in the darkest environments.

In our new series, This is The Way, we're studying some of the foundations of Christianity–namely, spiritual disciplines and why they're important. Jesus taught the disciples all about spiritual practices that would keep them close to God. Things like; how to pray, live generously, give time to others who need it, and Bible study. And these spiritual disciplines help us today to stay close to God, too. Pastor Dave tells us how these practices are still relevant to our lives as he teaches from 1 John 2.

God designed us to be in community with others. It's not healthy for us to be alone. Isolation is dangerous to our mental health. But how many of us have felt like outsiders, misfits, or 'other' at some point in our lives? This week Pastor Megan Marshman talks about the distinction between sameness and belonging. Every person has a place in the Kingdom of God to belong and contribute to the community. As the community of Christ, we are to care for the parts that are hurting. We are to offer belonging to one another, combating loneliness and isolation, even if all some of us can do is be present.

Every single person is placed on Earth by God, and He has a purpose for all of us. We each have a myriad of reasons as to why we are here, even if we can't see it. When life's circumstances get us down, it can be hard to discern our purpose and how to keep going. What impact is my life really having? Would the world be better without me? No, it wouldn't! God put you here for a reason. Even the most challenging parts of your life can be used for good in God's plan. This week, Pastor Dave teaches from Ephesians 2:10 to help us tackle the devil's most damaging lie: that we don't matter.

A healthy mind comes with healthy rest. A large part of our mental health self-care is rest and resting well. God designed our bodies and minds to function at their peak with rest! Pastor Dave shows us how Elijah was forced to stop and rest on his journey in 1 Kings, demonstrating that rest is essential and God-given. Without rest, we can't function at such a high capacity without facing burnout and crash.

What does "Love the Lord your God... with all your mind" mean? Mark 12:30 gives us the greatest of all commandments, but 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ But we tend to neglect the mind part. Pastor Shawn talks with a mental health professional about how God wants us to be of a healthy mind, body, and soul and how caring for our mental health honors God.

How to speak to God or how to pray can be mysterious, even confusing. Pastor Dave uses James Chapter 5 to teach us how our prayer life can offer a great first defense line or help us step out into unknown and daring places knowing God has got us. And, it is easy! How to pray and speak to God are covered here, plus why prayer matters.

God created the world by speaking. And when God created us in His image, He gave us the gift of language marked by incredible power. But that power can either build up or devastate and destroy. This week we take a look at the power of our words and how to steward them well.