Athey Creek | Video Podcast

The recorded account of Paul’s journeys concludes in Acts 27:38-28:31 as his storm-battered ship runs aground on the island of Malta. After a potentially life-threatening snakebite and interesting interactions with the natives, Paul sets sail once more and finally arrives in Rome to testify before Caesar – just as God promised.

As Paul sets sail for Rome, his journey takes a dramatic turn when a violent storm threatens to destroy the ship and all aboard. As we watch this story unfold in Acts 27:1-37, we learn why who we listen to matters, practical advice for navigating our own storms, and the benefits of having an infectious faith that brings hope to others.

Paul defends himself in Acts 26 by sharing his dramatic testimony of coming to Christ and declaring the amazing things the Lord wants to do for the lost through the power of salvation. As we study Paul’s message, we are encouraged to shine our light in dark places, consider ourselves happy despite any circumstance, and stand together in truth and love as the body of Christ.

After hearing Paul preach, King Agrippa declines to accept Christianity because he is unwilling to leave his lifestyle, power – and one particularly alarming sin—behind. As we learn just why Agrippa was so hesitant to accept what Paul preached in Acts 26:27-30, we examine the sins we also cling to and why it is so imperative that we don’t hesitate to leave them behind.

Paul’s courtroom saga continues in Acts 24-25 as his accusers present their case before Felix, using misinformation and flowery flattery in an attempt to defeat Paul once and for all. After Felix wavers, Paul is sent to Festus, who equally doesn’t know how to handle the situation, and the ongoing indecision sets Paul on a course to Rome, where he will stand before Caesar.

In Acts 24:24-25, Paul preaches a powerful three-point sermon to Governor Felix that leaves him trembling with fear, yet unwilling to take action. As we examine each point in depth, we learn essential truths about sin and salvation and the danger of delaying a decision about Jesus.

After his arrest, Paul finds himself in Acts 23 being shuffled between the Sanhedrin and Roman government officials—none of whom know what to do with him. Meanwhile, a group of Jews conspire to ambush and kill him. However, through a miraculous set of circumstances, their plot is thwarted, and Paul continues to await his fate as He trusts in God’s promises.

As the Apostle Paul sits in a Jerusalem jail, waiting to see how the plot against him will unfold, he is visited by the Lord, who, in Acts 23:11-13, tells him to "be of good cheer." This isn't the first time we have seen Jesus offering these words of encouragement, and they still apply to us today. As we look at the reasons we can also be of good cheer, we find fantastic encouragement to face any trials or trouble that may come our way.

Paul reaches a pivotal moment in his ministry in Acts 21-22 as he decides to go to Jerusalem – against the advice of his fellow believers. Upon his arrival in Jerusalem, he is met by both joyful disciples and fierce opposition, which sets him on a course toward more trials and the threat of imprisonment.

Paul’s determination to travel to Jerusalem in Acts 21:10-14 sets him on a path towards imprisonment and death, yet he freely accepts it despite pleas from the Christians in Caesarea not to go. As we examine Paul’s resolve, we consider not only the possibility of facing physical death for our faith but also the certainty of the spiritual death we are called to as we live out our daily lives.

Paul makes several stops on his final missionary journey in Acts 20, where he continues to share the Gospel, encourage the believers, and instruct the elders on things concerning the church. As we follow along, we see Paul’s faithfulness amid trials, his impact on those he encountered, and his fervent desire for the church to remain grounded in God’s Word.

Paul exhorts the church elders at Ephesus in Acts 20:17-21 with a ministry model that remains relevant today. As we examine his guidelines for effective ministry, we explore why this list applies to all of us, learn how to put his instructions into practice and see why this is essential as we seek to share the Gospel.

Paul’s third missionary journey in Acts 19 takes him to Ephesus, where his preaching of the Gospel dramatically impacts the city. While there, he disciples the believers, teaching them about salvation through Jesus Christ, baptism and the Holy Spirit. However, several dramatic events also unfold, including a failed attempt by unbelievers to cast out a demon and a riot incited by silversmiths whose idol sales suffer as people turn to Christ in repentance.

The Word of God radically transformed both individual lives and the entire community of Ephesus in Acts 19:20—and it still carries the same power today. As we study together, we learn what the Word of God is, see how preaching and teaching the Word played a vital role in the early church, and discover the blessings we can expect when we commit to reading and studying our Bibles.

Paul’s missionary journeys continue in Acts 18 as he shares the Gospel and strengthens the believers in cities like Corinth, Ephesus, Antioch, and Galatia. Along the way, we meet key figures in the early church, like Priscilla, Aquila, and Apollos, and see the response of both the Jews and Gentiles in the places Paul visits.

Paul’s second missionary journey continues in Acts 17 as he visits three cities with three radically different responses to the Gospel. As we observe how the people of Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens reacted, we learn how to share the Word effectively, the importance of continually searching Scripture, and why we should never give up on those who initially reject the Gospel.

As Paul and Silas set out on their missionary journey in Acts 16, they find themselves re-routed from their intended course and end up beaten and imprisoned. Yet, despite these seeming setbacks, they continue to rejoice and share the Gospel, leading to salvation for many and a growing church in Philippi built on the Word of God and faith.

Paul and Silas are unjustly thrown into prison, but they have a surprising reaction to their suffering in Acts 16:25-26. As they pray and sing hymns to the Lord, they find strength and experience an unexpected miracle that creates an opportunity to lead many to salvation.

As many Gentiles come to faith in Christ, a dispute arises over whether they should also follow Jewish customs and laws. As a council assembles in Acts 15 to make a decision, we see compelling statements about salvation from Peter, Paul, and James and learn what they determine the new believers should do and why.

A debate arises in the early church in Acts 15:1-11 over whether the new Gentile believers should be circumcised and follow Jewish law. As we explore how they settled the issue, we turn to the Old Testament to see the answer in a striking parallel between Joseph and Jesus, which gives us great insight into salvation by grace through faith.

As they continue their first missionary journey in Acts 14, Paul and Barnabas encounter extraordinary opportunities but also fierce opposition from a group of Jews who continually stir up trouble. But despite these violent uprisings – and even a near-death experience for Paul – they continued performing miracles, preaching the Gospel, and strengthening the faith of the new believers who accepted Jesus as their Savior.

After Paul and Barnabas are mistaken for gods, Paul addresses the fervent crowd in Acts 14:11-19 to redirect their worship to the one true God. As Paul boldly explains the folly of idolatry and points to how God reveals Himself through creation, his words once again incite hostility, culminating in a violent uprising against him.

Paul and Barnabas embark on their first missionary journey in Acts 13, encountering both fierce opposition and incredible opportunities. Along the way, they face resistance from a hostile sorcerer and Paul’s first sermon angers the Jews yet blesses the Gentiles who eagerly receive the Word of the Lord.

In Acts 13:36-39, Paul makes a powerful declaration that we can only find forgiveness and salvation through Jesus Christ. But what does this actually mean for us? As we study, we learn why forgiveness is necessary, the benefits of confession, repentance, and salvation, and why Jesus Christ is our only access to these things.

Following Peter’s vision concerning the Gentiles, the church continues growing, and the Gospel spreads rapidly in Acts 11-12. However, the explosion of Christianity sparks persecution from Herod, who kills James and imprisons Peter. Yet we still see that God is in control as Peter is miraculously freed through the power of prayer and angelic intervention while Herod meets a ghastly demise.

The Gospel reaches the prominent but wicked city of Antioch in Acts 11:19-21, and many people become believers as a result. Similarly, we desire to impact the city of Portland, Oregon, and shine the light of Jesus Christ within our dark community. In this special message, Pastor Brett shares plans to reach the Portland metro area with the Good News of Jesus Christ as we officially launch the PDX Crusade 2025. Billy Graham Crusade footage (1957 New York City, NY, and 1992 Portland, OR) courtesy of BGEA. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.billygraham.org. Some footage courtesy of KGW.

God orchestrates an extraordinary scenario in Acts 10, leading to the salvation of Gentiles and their inclusion into the Church. As we watch the story unfold, we meet a diverse cast of characters who all played a unique role, see how God combined vision and confirmation to accomplish His purpose, and hear the Gospel message of salvation through Jesus Christ preached to the Gentiles in Caesarea.

While praying on a rooftop, Peter receives a vision in Acts 10:9-20 that would interestingly impact the early church and Christianity to this day. As we study Peter’s vision and its implications, we examine how the Lord can still give us dreams and visions as we seek Him and how we can have confirmation that they are from Him.

Things take a significant turn for the early church in Acts 9:20-43 as Saul, once their primary persecutor, converts to Christianity and exits the scene to prepare for his future ministry. Meanwhile, we catch up with Peter, who continues to follow Jesus' example while boldly sharing the Gospel throughout the region.

Saul of Tarsus is on his way to threaten and murder the Christians in Damascus when he has a life-changing encounter with God in Acts 9:1-19. In this dramatic account of his conversion, we see God knock Saul down to show him the error of his ways and extend his free gift of salvation to even the most unlikely person.

When Saul's persecution begins to scatter the church, Philip travels to Samaria, where he encounters a sorcerer and an Ethiopian eunuch. As we meet this interesting cast of characters in Acts 8, we study the varied responses to Philip's preaching while learning important lessons about evangelism, salvation, and the power of the Holy Spirit.

In an incredible God-ordained circumstance, Philip finds himself in the desert sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with a traveling Ethiopian in Acts 8:26-40. In the same way, we are also called to share the message of salvation through Jesus with the people God places in our path. With Philip as our example, we learn how God often orchestrates circumstances for us to present the Gospel, how we should respond when we find ourselves with an opportunity, and how to obtain the power to be bold as we share.

Stephen concludes his sermon in Acts 7:37-8:3 with bold accusations against the religious leaders for continually failing to truly follow God’s law, turning to idolatry, missing His glory, and being spiritually dead. As their outrage culminates in Stephen’s death by stoning, we are introduced to Saul, who launches a rampage of persecution against the early church.

As Stephen is stoned to death, he utters some truly remarkable last words in Acts 7:59-60 that reveal the powerful transformation Jesus had upon his life. In much the same way, Jesus wants to change us too. As we study, we learn how He can bring about this change in our lives by rescuing us from our sins and giving us new hearts that will help us face any circumstance while glorifying God —just like Stephen.

In one of Scripture's most powerful sermons, Stephen recounts Israel's history to reveal how it foreshadowed Jesus as the Messiah while addressing the people's repeated rejection of God’s plan. As we study the first half of his message in Acts 7:1-43, we cover their history from Abraham to Moses to see the prophetic implications, the beginning of God's plan for the Jewish people, and how Jesus was pictured throughout this history.

Accused of blasphemy by the religious leaders, Stephen begins his defense in Acts 7:2-8 with a history lesson on God’s promise to give Abraham’s descendants the land of Israel. Starting with Stephen’s statement, we trace Israel’s history to the present day to explore who should possess the land and why, the current narrative in the Middle East, and how these controversies are leading to God’s ultimate plans for the Jews in the End Times.

The early church is growing and doing great things in Acts 6, but complaining begins to creep in as organizational challenges arise. As we study their problem, we see how church leadership addressed the issue and how their solution continues to influence the organization of the church even today.

While Stephen is preaching about Jesus in Acts 6:8-15, a group of men come against him by spreading lies and accusing him of sharing misinformation. And unfortunately, twisting the truth is the oldest trick in the book and is still in play today. As we study how truth is distorted, we learn how to combat these attacks by knowing what Scripture actually says and how we can become people full of faith and power, like Stephen.

The early church is flourishing in Acts 5 as many come to know the Lord, miracles abound, and the Gospel is boldly proclaimed. However, Satan attempts to stop the growing power of the church with attacks from both within and without, and the opposition becomes increasingly hostile.

Ananias and Sapphira appear to be outstanding members of the early church in Acts 5:1-11, but an act of hypocrisy and deceit leads to their dramatic destruction. By examining why God made an example of them—and others throughout Scripture—we uncover why hypocrisy in the church is so serious, the importance of fleeing from unrighteousness, and how God’s grace and mercy cover us when we are overtaken by our faults.

The religious leaders are furious with Peter and John in Acts 4 for preaching the name of Jesus Christ and respond by arresting them and forbidding them to do so. Despite this mounting persecution, Peter and John are ultimately released, and the church gathers to pray for boldness, asking the Holy Spirit to fill them with the courage to continue declaring the truth and power of Jesus Christ to everyone – including those opposing them.

After healing a crippled man and preaching about Jesus to the astonished crowd, Peter and John find themselves in big trouble with the religious leaders. As Peter defends their actions in Acts 4:1-14, he boldly declares who Jesus is and that salvation can only come through Him.

After healing a crippled man, Peter addresses a marveling crowd in Acts 3, telling them about the promised Messiah whom they rejected and crucified and how He fulfilled Old Testament prophecies. As we study his powerful message about Jesus, we learn about the power of faith, the necessity of repentance, and how Jesus’ death ultimately blessed the entire world.

In Acts 3:1-11 we meet a crippled man begging near the Temple gates. As Peter and John come across him, they offer him something far greater than silver or gold. As we see the man healed and enter the Temple with rejoicing, we uncover valuable lessons about salvation, listening to the Holy Spirit, and what our praise should look like.

The disciples and their fellow believers were gathered together on Pentecost in Acts 2 when the Holy Spirit rushes upon them as a mighty wind. As we watch the aftermath of this event unfold, we begin to explore what speaking in tongues and prophesying means and hear Peter preach a powerful Scripture-based sermon that would lead many to Christ and launch the early church.

What should a church look like? Are the things a church chooses to focus on really important? How can we know if a church is doing what God desires? Fortunately, Acts 2:41-47 helps us answer these questions by giving us a clear model of what churches should be doing and what matters when it comes to how we worship, teach, and engage with each other.

Luke begins his account in Acts 1 by recounting the events following Jesus' resurrection, His ascension, and the actions of the disciples afterward. As we dive into this study, we explore how Jesus' promise of the Holy Spirit sets the course for the book, what the disciples did while they waited, and how Jesus' ascension helps us understand the rapture, end times events, and His Second Coming.

We begin our study of the Book of Acts by exploring Luke's prologue in Acts 1:1-3 as an introduction, followed by a high-level overview of what the rest of the book holds. Join us as we examine God's model for the church and learn the incredible history of how Christianity took root and spread across the world.

As we conclude our study of the Gospels in John 21, we witness two poignant scenes between Jesus and His disciples on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Through these final object lessons, Jesus prepares them for what lies ahead, and we see the foundation of the church take shape as the disciples are reminded of their calling to be fishers of men and shepherds of the flock.

After fishing all night and catching nothing, the disciples encounter Jesus, who bids them to come ashore and eat with Him in John 21:3-12. And this isn’t the first time Jesus has extended a similar invitation. As we study, we learn what Jesus offers us and what we can gain when we follow His call to come.