Following Jesus Together: Gathering | People of the Word | August 8

Sermon by Michael Bailey on August 8, 2021.

The average sermon is 40 minutes in length. So if you were to attend each Sunday, the total cumulative time spent listening to sermons in a year would be 36 hours. Taking that in account, what are you hoping will happen as a result of that time? Why spend so much time having someone teach you from the Bible each and every week? More broadly, why is one of the focal points of our time together reading from, explaining and applying a 2000+ year old collection of literature?

To answer that, we’ll look at a handful of passages including 2 Timothy 3, Hebrews 4, Titus 2, and Luke 8.

Following Jesus Together: Gathering | Embodying a Better Way | August 1

Sermon by Michael Bailey on August 1, 2021.

Our world has changed significantly in the last year and a half. With Covid, people’s perceptions have mutated on a large scale when it comes to all sorts of things. Perhaps one of the most noticeable questions that followers of Jesus are asking is, “How should I spend my Sunday morning?”

For this week we’ll be answering the question - Why do we gather every week and why does it matter?

Midweek Podcast | Gratitude, Contentment, and Being in the Mission Together

Fill out this 30 second survey! - https://forms.gle/ptxqzoi4oBNeFdmr8

This week we’re with pastor Kent Bateman from City Church (citychurchknox.com) to talk more about this week’s sermon.

Questions? Comments? Favorite local spot to check out? Send us an email.

Knoxville Local Spotlight:

• Stock & Barrel - 35 Market Square, Knoxville, TN 37902

• Chivo Taqueria - 314 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902

• KoPita Vegan & KoPita Meat- 524 & 522 S Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902

Resources Mentioned:

• Philippians sermon series - Downtown | Two Notch | Lexington

Audio engineering by Andrew Miles

Philippians | Contentment & Giving | July 25

Sermon by Michael Bailey on July 25, 2021.

In Philippians 4:10-20, Paul concludes his letter with gratitude to the Philippian church. They came to his aid when he needed it the most. As he wraps up, two themes rise to the top: the secret of contentment and the blessing of giving.

Midweek Podcast | Resources on Neuroplasticity + New Segment!

Fill out this 30 second survey! - https://forms.gle/ptxqzoi4oBNeFdmr8

This week we’re with pastor Brandon Clements to talk more about this week’s sermon.

Questions? Comments? Favorite local spot to check out? Send us an email.

Columbia You’d Rather Be Here Local Spotlight:

• Riverbanks Zoo & Gardens - 500 Wildlife Pkwy, Columbia, SC 29210

Resources Mentioned:

• Philippians sermon series - Downtown | Two Notch | Lexington

• How God Changes Your Brain: Breakthrough Findings from a Leading Neuroscientist by Andrew Newberg

• The Other Half of Church: Christian Community, Brain Science by Jim Wilder

• Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts by Jeannie Allen

• Your Future Self Will Thank You: Secrets to Self-Control from the Bible & Brain Science by Drew Dyck

• Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport

• Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Distracted World by Cal Newport

• “Why Do I Feel So Bad All the Time?” video by Seven

• Also check out The Social Dilemma on Netflix to hear more about how social media is impacting us on a neurological level

Quotes Mentioned:

The mind can descend far lower than the body, for in it there are bottomless pits. The flesh can bear only a certain number of wounds and no more, but the soul can bleed in ten thousand ways, and die over and over again each hour.

-Charles Spurgeon

Audio engineering by Andrew Miles

Philippians | The Skillful Management of Attention | July 18

Sermon by Brandon Clements on July 18, 2021.

While we aren’t in total control of our circumstance, we have within us the ability to cultivate the type of people we want to become. So how do we do that? In Philippians 4:8-9, Paul shows us in practical ways how we can anchor joy down into our bones.

Midweek Podcast | Doomscrolling, Self-Help, and the Buoyancy of Joy

Fill out this 30 second survey! - https://forms.gle/ptxqzoi4oBNeFdmr8

This week we’re with Andrew Flowers to talk more about this week’s sermon.

Questions? Comments? Favorite local spot to check out? Send us an email.

Columbia You’d Rather Be Here Local Spotlight:

• The Haven Coffee House - 121 East Main St, Lexington, SC 29072

Resources Mentioned:

• Philippians sermon series - Downtown | Two Notch | Lexington

Audio engineering by Andrew Miles

Philippians | An Unsinkable Joy | July 11

Sermon by Andrew Flowers on July 11, 2021.

Philippians 4:6-7 states to "Rejoice always. Don’t be anxious about anything." A verse like this oftentimes is posted to social media feeds in an artsy graphic as it seems like good advice for our virtual world. Yet beyond the screen, applying this scripture to the realities of life can sometimes seem impossible or at least incredibly difficult. In today's sermon, we learn how to put this into practice and make it possible to live by.

Midweek Podcast | Jesus is The Gaines

This week we’re with pastor Allen Tipping to talk more about this week’s sermon.

Questions? Comments? Favorite local spot to check out? Send us an email.

Columbia You’d Rather Be Here Local Spotlight:

• Spring Valley Country Club - 300 Spring Valley Rd, Columbia, SC 29223

Resources and Quote Mentioned:

• Mere Christianity by CS Lewis

• Philippians sermon series - Downtown | Two Notch | Lexington

"The cross of Christ is sometimes put in Scripture for the life which is the result of faith in Christ. What kind of life should that be? Well, first, a life of self-denial. No man who is the friend of the cross of Christ will give license to his passions, or indulgence to his appetites. If he does so, he proves that he is the enemy of the cross of Christ.”

-Charles Spurgeon

Audio engineering by Andrew Miles

Philippians | You Got to Hold On | July 4

Sermon by Jake Blair on July 4, 2021.

Following after Jesus can be hard. It takes work. No one stumbles into godliness, but it is a disciplined pursuit often full of sacrifice and suffering. In today’s passage, we'll see why we need to hold on to Christ, how we need to hold on to Christ and examples of what it looks like to hold on to Christ.

Midweek Podcast | Faithfulness is Getting Back Up

This week we’re with pastor Ant Frederick to talk more about this week’s sermon.

Questions? Comments? Favorite local spot to check out? Send us an email.

Columbia You’d Rather Be Here Local Spotlight:

• Sandwich Depot - 1211 Taylor St, Columbia, SC 29201

Resources Mentioned:

• Walking with God Through Pain and Suffering by Tim Keller

• Philippians sermon series - Downtown | Two Notch | Lexington

Audio engineering by Andrew Miles

Philippians | Surpassing Worth | June 27

Sermon by Michael Bailey for June 27, 2021.

In Philippians 3:1-11, we’ll see what really pushes us toward being Jesus-centered by reminding of us of how good Jesus truly is.

Midweek Podcast | Friendships and Ministry Relationships

This week we’re with pastor Brandon Clements to talk more about this week’s sermon.

Questions? Comments? Favorite local spot to check out? Send us an email.

Columbia You’d Rather Be Here Local Spotlight:

• Bodhi Thai Dining - 126 E Main St, Lexington, SC 29072

Resources Mentioned:

• Philippians sermon series - Downtown | Two Notch | Lexington

Audio engineering by Andrew Miles

Philippians | Gospel Friendships and Gospel Goodbyes | June 20

Sermon by Brandon Clements on June 20.

In Philippians 2:19-30, we see a “gospel goodbye" that Paul didn't necessarily want to have but he did. And in the process, he was able to spread his Kingdom joy to others.

Midweek Podcast | Ministry is Sacrifice

This week we’re joined by lead pastor of Citizens Church Tim Olson!

Questions? Comments? Favorite local spot to check out? Send us an email.

Charlotte Local Spotlights:

• The Giddy Goat Coffee Roasters - 1217 The Plaza, Charlotte, NC 28205

• Cabo Fish Taco - 3201 N Davidson St., Charlotte, NC 28205

• Whitewater Center - 5000 Whitewater Center Parkway, Charlotte, NC 28214

• Optimist Hall - 1115 N Brevard St, Charlotte, NC 28206

• The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery - 4150 Yancey Road, Charlotte, NC 28217

• Sycamore Brewing - 2161 Hawkins St, Charlotte, NC

• Legion Brewing - 1906 Commonwealth Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205

Resources/Quotes Mentioned:

• A Burning in My Bones: The Authorized Biography of Eugene H. Peterson by Winn Collier

• Philippians sermon series - Downtown | Two Notch | Lexington

Audio engineering by Andrew Miles

Philippians | Joy in Our Perseverance | June 13

Sermon by Jacob Kirby on June 13.

In this passage, Paul shows us how our obedience leads to joy. Rather than viewing God as restrictive, when we obey God we grow in His joy towards us, the world’s joy, our leaders’ joy, and our joy.

Midweek Podcast | Good Theology, Bad Math

This week we’re with pastor Jon Ludovina to talk more about this week’s sermon.

Questions? Comments? Favorite local spot to check out? Send us an email.

Columbia "You’d Rather Be Here” Local Spotlight:

• Black Rooster (201 Meeting St, West Columbia, SC, 29169)

Resources/Quotes Mentioned:

• Delighting in the Trinity by Michael Reeves

• Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem

• The Trinity by Augustine

• "St Patrick’s Bad Analogies" by Lutheran Satire

• “Christological Controversies in the Early Church” by The Gospel Coalition

• “Lower Still” by My Epic

• Philippians sermon series - Downtown | Two Notch | Lexington

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"Humility' is the most difficult of all virtues to achieve; nothing dies harder than the desire to think well of oneself."- T.S Eliot

"Nothing sets a person so much out of the devil's reach as humility." - Jonathan Edwards

"God created the world out of nothing, and as long as we are nothing, He can make something out of us." - Martin Luther

"Just as water seeks and fills the lowest place, so the moment God finds the creature empty, His glory and power flow in to exalt and bless." - Andrew Murray

"The only hope of decreasing self is an increasing Christ." - F.B. Meyer

Audio engineering by Andrew Miles

Philippians | The Way of Jesus vs. The Way of Caesar | June 6

Sermon by Jake Blair on June 6.

In our previous teaching, we learned that unity is one of the distinct markers of being citizens of Jesus’ kingdom. But we are a diverse people, so how do we practically live that out? How is it possible to be a church family? In today’s teaching, Paul answers this by offering some of the densest theology on Jesus found in the New Testament.

Midweek Podcast | “Are you going to follow your king?"

This week we’re with Pastor Ryan Rike as we discuss the sermon from Sunday.

Questions? Comments? Favorite local spot to check out? Send us an email.

Columbia "You’d Rather Be Here” Local Spotlight:

• Drip on Main (1441 Main St, Columbia, SC 29201)

Resources Mentioned:

• Philippians sermon series - Downtown | Two Notch | Lexington

Audio engineering by Andrew Miles

Philippians | Live as Citizens of the Gospel | May 30

Sermon by Brandon Clements on May 30.

While the church in Philippi lived in a different context than us, the call is still the same. We are to live as citizens of the gospel of the King. In this week’s teaching, we'll unpack three ways in which we can live out our Kingdom citizenship.