Downtown Community Church

Join Pastor Nate Schaidt as we continue our series through Paul's Letter to the Ephesians.

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Join Pastor Ben Kaempfer as we continue our series through Paul's Letter to the Ephesians.

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Would you rather be followed out of fear or out of love? Is this how you follow God or want to follow Him? To follow the Lord out of fear is drastically different from following Him because we love Him so deeply. In fear, we act safely to avoid repercussions. In love, we act willingly. We act as servants to the Lord because we know the sacrifices Jesus made on our behalf. To be so in love with God that we only live to serve Him. So, how do we move forward from where we are? We are all...

Are we just fans of God, or do we truly know Him? This line can be blurry in our daily lives, but Paul's prayer in the book of Ephesians is for us to truly know Him deeply. When we know the Lord better, we have access to Him and His power. Through Him we can do all things, and this gift alone, to be able to know God truly, is one we are not deserving of. Yet, it is given anyway. This is something to celebrate! Join Pastor Shannon Butler as he reads through Ephesians 1:15-23 and analyzes what...

We are sinners, but God made us holy. Why? The simple reason is that He loves us! He has given us His Spirit while on earth so that we may know Him more. We do not deserve this inheritance, but he gives it anyway. The Lord has promised to come back, and this is His way of making sure we know this promise will be kept. Join Pastor Ben Kaempfer as he starts our new series on Ephesians! In Ephesians 1:1-14, Pastor Ben Kaempfer guides us on how deeply this passage can affect us and why it is good...

It's clear James didn't simply view prayer as an important practice in the life of someone who follows Jesus, rather, he viewed it as absolutely vital. Prayer has purpose and changes things. Join Pastor Shannon Butler as he leads us through this last section of our series through the Book of James.

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It is so easy to get caught up in the comforts of this world. How do we get out of this zone when we don't need to worry about what is next? We aren't suffering. But is all we have and all we do, all for the glory of God? Instead of our mindset being 'I have to', when we love Jesus with our entire being, that changes this mindset to 'I get to'. From 'how much must I?' to 'how much can I?' Join Pastor Ben Kaempfer as he explains James 5 and the substance this passage ho...

It is sometimes difficult to trust the Lord and the plans He has for us. When we know what we want, why can't we have that? Typically, the things we want are not what the Lord has in store for us. He knows our greatest desires and wants us to be happy and knows how to us get there. That why we trust Jesus. His plans for us are far greater than we could ever imagine. Join Pastor Ben Kaempfer as he teaches on James 4:11-17 and explains what this passage means.

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Leaving is hard. Change is hard. Even doing what you are called to do by Jesus is hard. So, how do we handle that well? When change is imminent and unavoidable, how can we face it head on and trust that everything will be okay? It really is easier than it seems, we trust the Lord. All He wants for us is good, he has so much in store for us that we can not begin to comprehend His plans. Sure, it is hard, but to follow Jesus does not come without sacrifice. So, in the midst of change...

How can we have hope in times of mourning? This year, Easter feels heavy. We may feel desperate, lost, or even angry. We live in a broken world, and to grieve is normal and good, but we must grieve with hope. Hope that our Lord is going to take our pain away. This Easter is still a joyous celebration of the Risen King. He will take our pain away. He will wipe away every tear from every eye. He is Risen! The Easter story of our Lord is one of hope! Join Pastor Ben Kaempfer as he retells the st...

In a world where we can get instant satisfaction with a click of a button it is hard to be servant-hearted. We often look to God and want him to serve us when we are meant to serve Him. For Him to build our kingdom instead of us building His. The story of Palm Sunday is a celebration of Jesus entering Jerusalem. So why were the people of Jerusalem so quick to turn on Jesus? Join Pastor Ben Kaempfer as he walks us through this story of celebration in Mark Chapter 11.

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We wrapped up our series in Jonah by looking at Jonah's heart posture in chapter 4, seeing that he was really more concerned about his own kingdom than about God's kingdom. On Palm Sunday, we saw the crowd with a similar heart posture, and when we look inward, we see that we often have the same problem. But through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we have been invited into the Kingdom that will last forever so we can lay ours down.

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In a world of temptations it is difficult to know what the Lord desires for us. We are being constantly pulled in every direction with each pull being from desire and passion. Within all of us however, we have a decision. We can feed the godly self or feed our flesh and give into the world. Tune into what Pastor William Colle offers about the beginning of James chapter 4 as he tells us the reality of what following Jesus looks like.

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When life challenges you it gives you the opportunity to seek wisdom. A word that is so robust in its meaning that it is almost overwhelming. So, what does the Bible say about wisdom? It is a popular topic in the Word but how do we go about seeking it out? Through Jesus! What Jesus tells and shows you is the wisest council you will ever need. Join Pastor Ben Kaempfer in the study of James 3:13-18 as he guides us on the wisdom we seek out in the Bible and through our peers.

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In Jonah 3, we see the Ninevites turn from their evil ways and repent, but what led them to that point? What leads us to repent from our evil ways? Only God's love, shown through His grace and His mercy and sometimes even His wrath, can truly change a heart and turn a life around.

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“Faith without deeds is dead.” This is a sobering phrase that we all can struggle with especially in our walks with Jesus. When we face life together with Jesus it is so hard to obey what the Lord wants us to do. What we can constantly take comfort in is that He is trustworthy and will use us to perform miracles. To be faithful is to love Jesus with all our hearts that our faithful deeds, or obedience, flows through us as we walk this life hand in hand with Jesus. Join our guest pastor, Pastor John Parker from Summ...

"So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead," (James 2:17). This verse directly addresses a key message communicated by James throughout his book, but it's one that can be so easily misunderstood. If followers of Jesus are saved by faith alone, what do our works have to do with it all? Join Nate Schaidt in our ongoing study through the Book of James as we learn about the relationship between our faith and the things we do.

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Favoritism. What is it really? We know that it is showing one person more attention than the others but how does that relate to Christians? It is a secret and constant battle that everyone struggles with. In our day to day life we show people favoritism. But why is that the topic of this sermon? Because it is a sin, a complex but real sin that every single one of us battles with. Join Pastor William Colle in our continuing study of James on chapter 2 verses 1-13 and walks us through what scripture says about favoritism.

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It is so easy to be angry. We get in traffic jams, angry, stub our toe, angry. There are so  many things tat make us mad and cause us to make poor choices in this world. How can we be slow to anger and hold our tongues when there is so much malice in the world, and potentially in us? The short answer, we listen. Join us in our study of James 1:19-27, as Pastor Shannon Butler walks us through each verse and offers insight on what James is teaching us about being quick to listen.

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We all struggle in life. From anxiety to grief, we all experience a multitude of trials. It is easy for these trials to consume our lives too. To let them coerce us into temptation time and time again. Trials are a part of life, but God uses them to deepen our faith! Without trials, life would not be as sweet! When we live a life with Jesus, He will guide us through these obstacles and into a richer life with Him. Kicking off our new series James, tune into how Pastor William Colle guides us in the study of...

Jump back into Jonah with us as we study chapter 2 where we see what Jonah does in his rock bottom moment and ask ourselves what WE do in a similar place. Will we cling to worthless idols or choose to accept that grace that God freely gives us?

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It is so hard to be silent nowadays. To just sit still and be quiet seems almost impossible in the busy and fast moving world we live in. But that is exactly satan wants, to make us too busy for the Lord. When we sit and be with Jesus and Jesus alone is when we can deepen our relationship with Him. The Lord will talk to you in some way! Whether it is a verse or a name or just one word, the Lord is there with you. Join Pastor Shannon Butler as he explains the importance of silence...

Food is a wonderful and precious thing in life. Every day, in and out, we eat to satisfy our bodies. The Lord provides, for us, amazing feasts every day alongside His many blessings in life, but what happens when we purposefully take that commodity away and fast? What even is fasting? What does it mean? These questions are some of what Pastor Shannon Butler answers in todays sermon. Join him as he reads through the story of Jehoshaphat and explains what the spiritual rhythm of fasting is, what it can do for us and how it can be done.<...

As a follow up from Sundays Sermon on Sabbath, join William Colle, Grace Markwell, Nate Schaidt & Nolan Cannon as we discuss what Sabbath looks like for them in different stages of life. 

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Sabbath, what is it exactly? We have heard this word over and over again in the church. The idea is neat, taking a full day of rest? How could we not like that? But what does Sabbath really look like? Yes, it is a time of rest, but not only that, it is how we can further build our relationship with Jesus. But sabbath is hard. That is the reality. To stop our busy lives on purpose is difficult, but it is worth it. Join Pastor William Colle as he studies Sabbath and guides us through the meaning and...

Prayer is a foundation of the church and faith as a whole. Even though we know this, praying is hard. How do we do it? Why do we do it? If we know Jesus already has everything planned out for us, why do we pray? We pray because we depend on the Lord. He gives us the hope and comfortability to talk with Him, and gives us the steps on how to do it. Join Pastor Ben Kaempfer in his study on Matthew 6, reading and analyzing The Lord Prayer and guides to a better idea of the Rhythm of...

Prayer is a foundation of the church and faith as a whole. Even though we know this, praying is hard. How do we do it? Why do we do it? If we know Jesus already has everything planned out for us, why do we pray? We pray because we depend on the Lord. He gives us the hope and comfortability to talk with Him, and gives us the steps on how to do it. Join Pastor Ben Kaempfer in his study on Matthew 6, reading and analyzing The Lord Prayer and guides to a better idea of the Rhythm of...

How do we know that God is with us? We all wrestle with the idea of God, and desire for his presence more. We go to immense lengths to feel the presence of Him, but question if that sensation we felt was real. But God is always with us. How do we know this? Through scripture we can see how much Jesus lives in us and how much He loves us. Join Pastor Ben Kaempfer as he studies scripture and reads just how often Jesus is with us.

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Join us for College Nights this semester as we dive into the book of Jonah! As we began in chapter 1, we saw that like Jonah, we run from God far more often than we care to admit or than we even realize. However, when we finally admit that rebellion, we'll see that God is far more merciful than we could ever imagine and that He will stop at nothing to pursue us with His love.

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There has always been a thought around God. Since the dawn of time, there have been ideas, notions, and questions about this sense of transcendence. But what is the one question we all have? What is the one thing thing that we have been searching for? His presence and how are we able to experience it. Join Pastor Ben Kaempfer in our new series, Rhythms, as he uses John 1to analyze these questions.

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Originally given in March 2023, this sermon dives into the Lord's prayer and we see how Jesus teaches us HOW to pray through the Lord's prayer. You can find the full series on our podcast. 

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Why is this season so special, magical even? We get so excited to celebrate Christmas, but why? We may know the old story of Saint Nick, and we may even love him. Saint Nick was loved because he loved God and worked to serve Him. Join Pastor Ben Kaempfer in studying Luke 2 to acknowledge the true meaning behind what we celebrate and why.

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When was the last time you had so much joy, it made you want to shout? This world is full of surprises and we never know what is going to happen. But, the Lord desires to bring genuine Joy to YOU and the world! What greater joy and surprise is there than what comes from dead hearts coming alive? Join Pastor Shannon Butler as he explains the true meaning behind the classic hymn Joy To The World!

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Have you ever caught yourself spinning in circles trying to solve problems and accomplish everything? In reality, it is a hard thing that we all struggle with. Yet, this was never ours to achieve, it was solely meant for the Lord to obtain on our behalf. Join Pastor Shannon Butler as he analyzes the classic carol Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, and explains the true meaning behind what we are singing.

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We may know the lyrics to O Come O Come Emmanuel, but do we understand what we are saying? This hymn and its history is yet another sign that Lord is constantly with us, even in our rebellion. Join Pastor Ben Kaempfer he leads our study of the classic melody O Come O Come Emmanuel

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Have you ever experienced betrayal by a trusted friend or family member? While human promises may fail, rest assured that God will never let us down. The Bible assures us of God's unchanging character, which means His promises will always remain steadfast. Join Pastor Shannon Butler in Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 2:1-20, as he highlights God's faithfulness in the lives of Mary and Joseph. Where does your faith rest?

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In the story of Gideon, he had a great start with the Lord. But, by the end of his life, he didn’t finish well. How does a successful life fall apart? How do we manage the success we experience in partnership with God without selfishly taking the glory for ourselves? Join Dylan Nielander in Judges 8 to examine the story of the once-lowly Gideon turned to a prideful ruler, ultimately ruining the positive changes the Lord had instilled in Israel through Gideon.

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What are the areas where you're asking and begging God to reassure you? Like Gideon, we constantly need confidence in what the Lord has set out for us. But, following in Gideon's footsteps, we ought to gain this reassurance through intentional prayer and communion with God. Join Pastor Shannon Butler in Judges 6:36-7:25 to dive into the story of Gideon's army overcoming the Midianites and to examine God's great reassurance.

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To do His work through you, God wants to do a work in you. Resistance often accompanies the call to action, but obedience in removing your idols is essential for progress. Join Pastor Ben Kaempfer in Judges 6:25-35 to examine Gideon's task of dismantling idols. What idols in your life need dismantling in order for you to walk in obedience to the Lord?

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We know prayer is important but what is its purpose? What does praying actually do? Join our College Womens Director, Grace Markwell, as she answers these questions and explains her two main points; Prayer changes things AROUND us through the power of God and prayer changes things WITHIN us as well. 

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