Connexus Church Audio Podcast

No matter what phase your family is in, you've discovered one thing...though the days can feel long, the years really are short. From sleepless nights to managing screen time to an empty nest, figuring out family life isn't easy and the truth is that every phase seems to be different. How do you thrive in the phase you are in today and be sure that you are headed in the right direction in the long-term? In this series, we'll be talking about strategies to navigate the pressures of family, timeless principles that apply to parenting, and discover the hope that, no matter your phase of life, God may be writing a bigger story in your family than you think.

It's easy to love your friends, but it's almost impossible to love your enemies. Which is exactly why Jesus tells you to do just that. One of the defining characteristics of people who follow Jesus should be love for their enemies. If you think it's impossible to do that, think again.

If you really want to get countercultural, just look at Jesus' teachings on sex, marriage and adultery. Almost nobody believes that stuff anymore. Except for Jesus. When it comes to Jesus' alternative teachings on sex and relationships, maybe it's not just a question of what he's longing to save you from. Maybe it's a question of what Jesus is trying to save you for.

Well known. Poorly applied. That's an accurate way of describing so many of Jesus' teachings, including his teachings on anger. Some people think Jesus was just spouting hyperbole. Actually, he was ushering in His Alt Kingdom. We'll start this journey with Jesus' teachings on anger. If you think you have a right to be angry, think again.

It's one thing to know how everything turns out and to decide for the side of good and the side of God, but it's another thing to make it until then. In the meantime, suffering remains—cancer, addictions, broken relationships, conflict, tragedy. Is personal anxiety, stress and fear always bound to be on the rise? In this final week of the series, we'll share a critical key to navigating the personal suffering that seems inevitable in this world.

In this interview, Carey talks with author John Burke and asks, "What can we learn from the thousands of near death experiences people have reported? Are they consistent with biblical depictions of heaven? John Burke shares years of research he's done comparing NDEs and Scripture to bring us a vivid and fascinating account of what happens after people die.

In this interview, Carey and Jeff discuss some of the more complex sections from biblical passages about the end of the world. Join Jeff and Carey as they do a deeper dive into the Antichrist, the rapture, and so much more of what Scripture says (and doesn't say) about the final days.

It's great to know how things end, but in the meantime, what's with evil? So often evil seems to be winning, and so many people are angry at God for letting that happens. It's a good point. If God is so loving, why does he allow so much evil and suffering? While that question is difficult to answer convincingly, God does something more spectacular and powerful with evil. Eventually, evil self-destructs. And when evil throws itself at God, he does something unbelievable with it.

So what exactly will happen next? Will we blow ourselves up? Will AI take over and turn us into a sub-species? Will climate change wipe us out? Will God allow any of this, or will he protect the people he loves and we'll magically work it all out? Jesus has a lot to say about what's coming, and with it, extends a powerful invitation.

Most of us hold the idea that the future will always get better...that somehow we will figure this out. But the question is, can we? Is this even true? We'll look at two ancient stories that tell us more about ourselves than most of us want to admit, and realize why the struggle apart from God is more futile than we think. Are people inherently good, or a mixed bag? Is there a limit to human progress? And if we're so enlightened, why do we keep almost destroying ourselves again and again?