Connexus Church Audio Podcast

If you're going to live your life with great purpose, one of the most important skills you can develop is learning how to say no. That's a tough discipline to foster, especially if you want people to like you. We'll look at biblical story that clearly explains the problems with saying yes to everything, and we'll look at how you can learn to say no to the things that matter less...nicely.

What's your life really all about? If you don't know how to answer that question, it will be hard to figure out how to spend your time. Jesus knew precisely what his life was about, and knew there would be 1000 distractions that would try to keep from accomplishing it. We'll look at why you don't get the most important things in your life done and a very practical way to change that.

Why is it that hanging out with some people totally energizes you, while hanging out with other people actually drains you? Sure...it's a chemistry thing. But it's deeper than that. You would think Jesus spent equal time with all people, but he didn't. In fact, he was completely unfair. He followed a principle that literally changed the world. We'll study it and how it applies to your life.

While everyone might get 24 hours a day, not all hours are created equal. Your energy ebbs and flows throughout the day. Sometimes you're on top of the world, other times you struggle to stay awake. What's with that? Surprisingly, even Jesus dealt with the limitations of human existence in his time on earth. This week, we'll show you how to make the most of your limits.

Ever wish you had more time? And yet you've probably noticed that when you get more responsibility at work or you decide to have another child, nobody gives you any additional time. No matter how complicated your life gets, all you get is 24 hours a day. In this message, we review three gifts God has given everyone and explore why simply managing time is never the solution to your time management issues.

You wish others loved the things that you love. So you talk up that great new restaurant. Or maybe you try to convince them to join in that hobby. Or perhaps it's all about cheering on that team. We're great at sharing the little things in life--the superficial things. But what about the most important? Why is it so hard to have a natural conversation about faith? How can you share the significant with those around you?

So many people think the key to beating overwhelm is to find balance. What if it isn't? When you look at history, meaningful lives are rarely characterized by balance. Jesus and other biblical figures that changed history could hardly be described as balanced people. Instead they're lives were characterized by something far greater. It could transform your life too.

Of all the things you could do this year, what could make the biggest difference? What if the answer is prayer? Yet many people struggle with prayer. So what if Jesus taught you how to pray? To kick off 2017, we'll look at exactly what Jesus said when people asked him to teach them how to pray.

Is stress looking like it might have the final word for your family this Christmas? Don't let it, there is hope.

God knows what you need. He sent Jesus into the world for you, to meet your greatest need. The Christmas story is personal. Here's how to make it your story.

There's a light that can cut through your doubt, anger, sin, shame, and disappointment with God. Here's what you need to do to find it.

For many, the Christmas season is complicated. It's a reminder of broken relationships, unmet expectations, and missed loved ones. But no matter your circumstances, Christmas can also be a reminder of the light that overcomes the darkness.

Getting married is one thing. Being married is another. The journey actually just starts when you become a Christian. There's a life together that can be deeply challenging but also tremendously rewarding. The ancients called it 'sanctification,' and this week we'll explore what it actually means to be a Christian and how that looks over a lifetime.

So what exactly happens when a couple gets married? Why is it that one minute, they can simply break up, but the next minute they have to get an annulment or even a divorce? Well, at a wedding, something permanent happens. It's exactly the same when you become a Christian. We'll look at what happens, why it happens and how to make it happen so something changes forever in your life.

So it's going well enough to make it permanent, sort of. You like her enough to stick around, but you're afraid of commitment. So you move in together. Frankly, that's what a lot of people do with Jesus. They don't want to commit, but they don't want to leave. The question is: where does that leave you?

Every relationship starts out with two people who like each other. Your emotions take over. You feel things you haven't felt before. But then you ask yourself: is this just a phase? Will it go as quickly as it came? Can it be this fun for long? The same thing happens spiritually. What begins as a curiosity about Jesus always lands somewhere else. But what do you do with that?

Don't like the church? Is that your fault or the church's? In this episode of Brand:New, Andy exposes how the church veered off course.

Want to know the one thing Jesus said you can't avoid with loopholes, shortcuts, or workarounds? Watch this episode of Brand:New.

Religion is powerful—so powerful it can shape the way we view ourselves and treat others. For more, watch this episode of Brand:New entitled 'Recycled.'

Jesus stepped into a world where religion was characterized by the Temple Model and initiated something entirely new. For more, watch this episode of Brand:New entitled "Apoplectic."

The arrival of Jesus signaled the end of the Temple Model and the beginning of something entirely new! For more, watch this first episode of Brand:New entitled Letting Go.

Starting October 2nd, we're starting a new series called "Brand: New - How Jesus Redefined Church". We're excited and you should be too - listen in to find out why!

Every day our friends and neighbours feel like life is against them, and in some cases God is against them. Imagine if people in the cities of Barrie and Orillia knew that Connexus was a community of people who was FOR the city? Even more importantly, what if our church and our lives became a megaphone to let them know that Jesus is FOR them?

Even if you have a clearer understanding of eternity than ever, knowledge can still leave you with the question "So what?" Maybe the ultimate question isn't "So what if it's true?" Perhaps the ultimate question is "So what are you going to do?" The decision you make about Jesus today echoes forever.

Many NDEs seems to be positive experiences, but what about judgment and hell? Are both simply outdated concepts? Surprisingly, not all NDEs are positive experiences. In fact, 23% are hellish. What both the scripture and NDEs reveal about judgment may shock you but ultimately save you.

A common, beautiful thread weaving many stories of near death experiences together is that of the overwhelming love they felt in the presence of Jesus, the being of light. This was in spite of the fact that He knew everything about them, good and bad. That kind of all-seeing, unconditional love is what we all crave deep within our hearts. But is this being actually Jesus...or who is he?

So...will you recognize the people you love in heaven? Will the relationships that mattered most to you in life matter in heaven? Many NDEs reveal a lot about relationship and so does scripture. We'll look at what our relationships will be like in heaven, and how that changes things on earth.

Perhaps the most common theme from NDEs is experiencing a beauty that fills the soul and is hard to put into words. People who get a glimpse of the world to come encounter a majesty that is beyond their ability to fully comprehend. It turns out that this heavenly world is the one that the Bible has been pointing to all along.

So is heaven real? Like real, real? And if it is, what's it like? We'll share 5 misconceptions about heaven in this message, and look at what scripture points us toward. We'll also look at some near death experience accounts, both ancient and current. Maybe if someone came back from the dead and told us what heaven is like, we'd believe.

When we're in the midst of pain and suffering, it can feel like we'll never be happy again, nothing good can come from our circumstances, and there's no reason to continue living. But those are lies. God can redeem, use, and work through our pain. And when he does, we eventually have the opportunity to comfort others. There is a "Fellowship of Suffering." People who've suffered are uniquely equipped and qualified to comfort people who are suffering.

Jesus told his followers that unavoidable trials aren't aberrations; they are expectations. They can actually serve a beneficial purpose. Why? Because God can redeem, use, or work through the undeserved, unavoidable, circumstantial trials in our lives. But in order for that to happen, we have to believe and persevere.

Our new series, Imagine Heaven, launches August 14th. In this interview, Carey interviews 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 NDE's and scripture to bring us a vivid and fascinating account of what happens after people die.

What do you do when life hasn't gone in the direction you hoped or wanted it to go and there's nothing you can do to change your circumstances? What do you do when you're living in "the meantime"? If you've ever been In the meantime or if you're currently in the meantime, you can't help but conclude you'll never be happy again, nothing good can come from your circumstances, and there's no point in continuing. Can it really be true that God will make things right?

What do you do when there's nothing you can do? Relationally, financially, professionally, physically, or academically, It just is what it is. There's nothing you can do to change your situation. Challenging circumstances can make you jealous or resentful. They can make you angry with God. They can breed discontentment. But the problem with discontentment is that it can drive you in self-destructive directions that will eventually leave you with regret. So, what is the secret of finding contentment even when times are tough?

Every once in a while, we run into people stuck in unchangeable, unalterable, in-the-meantime circumstances who get to the place where they're able and willing to receive their circumstances, their afflictions, their illnesses, their losses, and their disabilities as coming from the hand of their heavenly Father. How do these people maintain extraordinary faith despite extraordinarily difficult circumstances? Where do they find the peace that characterizes their lives?

What do we do when our circumstances are so challenging there's no way forward and no way out? We have problems for which there seem to be no solutions. We have questions without answers. During times like these, we're tempted to run or give up. We're tempted to give in to jealousy, resentment, and anger . . . especially anger toward God. That's because when life gets hard, it feels like God is absent, apathetic, or angry. But what if he isn't? Is it possible to hang on to joy, hope, and patience in the meantime?

Of all the things that can confuse the human heart, money is among the most vexing. We all need it. Most of us want more. But even when we gain more, our appetite isn't satisfied. Why? Jesus identifies the heart of the problem, and this week, we'll show you an option that will help curb your longing for more.

Nothing touches us more deeply than the relationships we have with those closest to us. No human bond is stronger than the love for a family member or close friend. They are also the ones who can hurt and disappoint us the most. Why is it that these loving relationships fall apart? How can we love someone so much, only to have that love fade? How come families move from a place of love to disappointment so quickly?

Ever notice that what you think will satisfy doesn't? Money, success, homes, relationships and even family often promise more than the seem to deliver. You always want more. Why? This week, we'll introduce you to how idols–even sophisticated idols—work, and why elevating the gift God gives you above the Giver always disappoints.

In this special bonus podcast episode, Carey interviews Clay Scroggins about being a young leader. Clay will be teaching our upcoming series "Bad Blood" and is the lead pastor of the Alpharetta location of North Point Community Church.

If God is love, why do people often feel so hopeless? Perhaps it's because we tie our hope to circumstances and emotions. God invites us to tie our circumstances to something profoundly different. Even something unshakable.

Maybe you think the Bible is unreliable or that, even as a historical book, it's riddled with errors and mistakes. This week, Carey will be joined by world-renowned New Testament scholar Dr. Craig Evans, who has been interviewed on Dateline NBC, by the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and lectured at Yale, Princeton, Harvard and Oxford Universities. Together, they'll discuss why many of the world's brightest thinkers have come to trust the scriptures.

So maybe you can accept that God is real and Jesus is who he said he is, but you're reluctant to get involved in Christian community or a church. After all, Christians and Christian leaders are pretty much all hypocrites. True? Absolutely. And here's why you should get involved anyway.

Many people read the Old Testament (the first part of the Bible) only to be shocked by the violence they see, even some, apparently, sanctioned by God. Why did God order the slaughter of children? Why would God support war? There are answers….

So if there is a God, and he has a plan for our lives, why does it seem to be so difficult to figure out? The answer to that question might be simpler than you think. And, for those moments when it seems confusing, there’s actually a shortcut to finding God’s will that we’ll share with you.

One of the greatest objections to the existence of God is this: If God is loving, why does he allow good people to suffer? Many world religions tackle this question with different answers. Christianity’s is unique, as God responds not with information, but with something far more profound.

You probably have questions. You wish God would answer now. If anyone had questions that deserved to be answered, it was Job, who lost everything. He finally gets a chance to ask his questions directly to God and learned something that completely changed his questions.

We’ve all been part of a disorganized workplace or group and had our motivation sapped. Add to that an impulse within all of us that prefers independence, and you have a world in which few individuals and organizations ever realize their full potential. What if everyone’s life could be better by aligning their gifts around a common mission, vision and strategy?

Selfishness is not an attractive quality in others, but it’s a quality that comes naturally to all of us. Why battle it? And if you don’t look out for yourself, who will? Jesus provides a radically different perspective and a completely different way to find what you’re really looking for.

When something goes wrong, do you believe the best or assume the worst about the situation? Or about the people involved in the situation? Believing the best can seem so naive, until you realize it can trigger something SO much better than you imagined.