Parker Ford Church's Podcast

Ever feel like your prayer life is bone-dry, eerily distant, or totally distracted? This Sunday at PFC, we are kicking off our summer series, Practices, with a dive into The Practice of Prayer. Join us as we look at Luke 11 and challenge ourselves to put down our phones and move from a self-absorbed monologue to a life-changing dialogue with God!

After Paul wraps up his teaching on the Armor of God, Ephesians ends with a brief personal note from the Apostle. It is four brief verses that could easily be overlooked. But they are actually packed with rich spiritual truths. God calls his church to the “undying love” of Christ.

The Armor of God passage is one of those sections of the Bible that may be so familiar that we can miss some of the most important aspects of Paul's teaching. Here are three helpful things to remember. First, it's GOD'S armor. It's not ours. Second, it is defensive in nature - specifically helping protect us from the attacks of God's spiritual enemy. Third, it is collective and communal. While I have an individual role to play, the armor of God is for the body of Christ. So in a deeper sense, we, all together, put on the full armor of God. Shield wall!

The Armor of God passage is one of those sections of the Bible that may be so familiar that we can miss some of the most important aspects of Paul's teaching. Here are three helpful things to remember. First, it's GOD'S armor. It's not ours. Second, it is defensive in nature - specifically helping protect us from the attacks of God's spiritual enemy. Third, it is collective and communal. While I have an individual role to play, the armor of God is for the body of Christ. So in a deeper sense, we, all together, put on the full armor of God. Shield wall!

What does following Jesus look like in the living room and in the break room? This Sunday, we’ll explore Ephesians 6:1-9 and discover how Christ transforms our most ordinary, daily relationships both at home and at work. Join us as we learn to bring gospel honor, integrity, and purpose into the rhythms of our everyday lives. 

The New Testament teaches us that Jesus - who rightfully possesses all authority and power - laid down his divine rights as God to become a servant. His humility and service extended to the point where he laid down his life on the Cross. This is THE picture of what it means for humans to love one another. Jesus is the Standard. Husbands - love your wives as Christ loved the Church. 

Are you living in the light? This week, we’re in Ephesians 5:1-20, looking at the radiant life Jesus offers. From our private thoughts to our public actions, we’re exploring what it looks like to leave behind the shadows of impurity and greed and walk in the love and light of Christ. Join us as we learn how to wake up and let Christ shine through us.

When we enter into a relationship with Christ, we become something radically new. There's a new way to be human and it is based on the standard of life set by Jesus. Ephesians 4:17-32 lays out for us a great list of ways we should be living out this new identity... and some behaviors that we should be putting to death.

There’s a Latin phrase stamped on our coins – “E pluribus unum” which means, “out of many, one.” It originally represented the unity of the original 13 colonies. This was also the appeal Paul makes to the believers in Ephesus … that out of their many backgrounds, many cultures, many preferences; that they would be one and preserve the unity of the Spirit. This Sunday, we’ll explore what it looks like to move beyond "loving the idea of unity" and actually start doing the hard but beautiful work of living it out each day in all our relationships. 

This week we are exploring the second half of Ephesians 3, discovering how the Holy Spirit empowers us to move past spiritual plateaus and grow together as a faith family. Paul reveals we have an "all-access pass" to God; we can bring our most authentic selves, as His children, into His presence with confidence. By rooting ourselves in the community of believers and practicing spiritual habits, we open our lives to receive Christ’s immeasurable love and the power to accomplish more than we could ever imagine. 

Chapter three of Ephesians pulls back the veil, allowing us to peer into the mystery of the cosmos: the eternal plans of God and our part within it. 

When Jesus died, hope died along with him. All His followers went into hiding, thinking it was game over. No one was planning to keep this new Jesus movement going, because, after all, it seemed Jesus wasn’t who he had claimed to be. But then something happened! This Easter Sunday we’ll look at this event that changed everything. It’s a story of a God who truly wants to be with us and because of that, we can depend on Him for/in everything. 

This week we will highlight that Christ’s sacrifice destroyed the "dividing wall" between people, transforming former outsiders into fellow citizens and members of God’s own household. This biblical foundation is applied through the framework of Belong, Believe, and Become, emphasizing that a sense of community must come before behavioral change. Ultimately, the "good work" the Church is called to perform is the cycle of inviting others to the table of grace, allowing them to find a sense of belonging as they are built together into a living temple for God.  

Martin Lloyd-Jones famously wrote, “The Gospel may be summarized in these two words: ‘But God.’” Pastor Ernest Daniels Jr. elaborates, “Those two words change everything. We were guilty - but God. We were enslaved - but God. We were condemned - but God.” Ephesians 2:4-5 says, “But God is so rich in mercy…even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life.” We were dead....BUT GOD!

 If you could have one superpower, what would it be? Personally, I would like to fly around and avoid traffic and 422 forever! That would be nice! This Sunday in our Ephesians series, we’ll hear the Apostle Paul pray for his friends to have “super sight” so they can know God more and more in 3 specific ways. It’s a family service and we’re going to have some fun as kids will read our text and we’ll worship Jesus who is above everything!  

We’re diving into the beginning verses of Ephesians, where the Apostle Paul outlines a "benefit package" that puts every earthly compensation plan to shame. In this soaring opening to his letter, Paul reveals that in Christ,  we are given every spiritual blessing! We’ll unpack some of these together and discover that our identity is not based on what we do; it’s about what has been done for us! 

What is our place in the story that God is telling? What role does the Holy Spirit desire for PFC to play in the Kingdom and in our region? Today we're taking time to ask and think about these vital questions. It's Vision Sunday! 

Unity in the Church and in our relationships requires navigation through tension. Tension has always been part of the story of God’s people. In Acts 15, as the Church grew beyond its original boundaries, cultural and theological tensions arose that threatened to fracture the body of Christ. These moments could have led to division—but instead, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they became catalysts for clarity, strengthening, and mission. Without tension, there is no growth or forward movement. Yet unhealthy tension can damage relationships and hinder God's work. Today, Tim Doering will share about Netzer's work in equipping the Church to capitalize on the God-given tensions across the kingdom. We will also examine our own call to embrace various forms of tension with wisdom, allowing the gospel to transform potential rupture into resilience, unity, and maturity. 

Para Bastida, "Yolanda Díaz decidiu enriquecer o debate económico español lembrándonos que o presidente da CEOE Antonio Garamendi gaña 23 veces o salario mínimo interprofesional. Un argumento profundamente económico, como se pode comprobar. Non é un dato especialmente relevante para fixar o SMI, nin para avaliar o seu impacto sobre o emprego, nin para estimar a súa absorción sectorial nin para anticipar os seus efectos sobre a negociación colectiva. Desde o punto de vista técnico, é absolutamente irrelevante que Garamendi gañe 5, 23 ou 200 veces o SMI para determinar se a subida é absorbible por pemes, impacta en emprego xuvenil, comprime salarios baixos de convenio ou se afecta a marxes en sectores de baixa produtividade".

This week, we will come and see—and hear—the beautiful things the Lord has done and is continuing to do among PFC, throughout Pottstown, within Netzer, and across the Regional Church. Together, we will reflect on his faithfulness and meditate on what he has been teaching us along the way. Come with hearts ready to praise the Lord for his mighty works, and with minds open to receive His wisdom.

Revelation 21 teaches us that God, through Christ, is making all things new - including a new heavens and a new earth. Those who trust in Christ and are adopted into the eternal, multi-ethnic (every tribe, tongue, and nation will be represented) family of God will spend eternity with Christ and with one another in this new creation. Today, whenever and wherever people participate in Kingdom life, it is an "appetizer" of the feast that will be served in eternity. 

The eternal story continues this Sunday! Conflict shows its ugly face in the midst of goodness and beauty. The story reads like a tragedy. That is, until the Lead Character becomes our Redeemer and resolves the conflict. What a story. What a Savior!

The Apostle John begins his Gospel with the poetic statement, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." What is this Word? Christian theology teaches us that the Word of God is several things simultaneously. First, and most foundationally, the Word is Jesus Christ. On a secondary level, as a gift given and proceeding from Christ, the Word of God comes to us in the form of the Scriptures - the Bible. As the Psalmist writes in Psalm 119, this gift is: "sweeter than honey." This week we go back to the basics of the Christian faith to examine the sweetness of the gift of the Holy Bible.

This week we continue to look at God’s eternal story, asking who we are within it and how we must reject false narratives. Scripture reveals that humans are created as God’s image-bearers…meant to reflect His glory and loving rule. But sin distorts that role by replacing God’s story with our own. Through Christ, we are restored to true humanity, called to live lives that reflect God’s light so that others may see Him and glimpse His coming kingdom.

Happy New Year! As we clear away the confetti and settle into 2026, we’re starting a new series at PFC called, "New Year, Eternal Story." We’re going to discover that the eternal story of Scripture is God revealing Himself to humanity and restoring our relationship with Him. This Sunday, we’re starting at the very beginning with the lead character of the story: God. Who is He? Why does the Trinity matter? Find out how a God who exists in community invites you into His family!

As we embark on a new year, it’s a good time for a reset. In the coming days, we’ll probably get hit with a bunch of ads promoting a ‘new year - new you’ and urging us to make various resolutions. But what if we instead just focused on one thing in this coming year? We’ll reflect on this verse together from Psalm 27 - “The one thing I ask of the Lord—the thing I seek most is …” 

God – with – us. Today we reflect on the meaning of these three powerful words describing the name given to Jesus at His birth – “Immanuel.” We’ll reflect on the gift of Jesus’ presence with us in the good times, bad times, and everywhere in between. Through worship, selected readings, testimony, and prayer … encounter Jesus, Immanuel this Sunday at PFC!  

Times of chaos inevitably lead to times of confusion. For the Jewish people, anxiously awaiting the Messiah, the years leading up to the birth of Christ were filled with chaos and therefore, also with much confusion. Our days are still filled with chaos and confusion. Jesus says, "I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matt 28:20). God is with us, even in times of chaos and confusion. 

This week we will continue to explore the name Immanuel—“God with Us”—showing that God’s presence is experienced in moments of suffering, as seen in the story of Hagar and Ishmael. Through God’s questions, compassion, and provision for Hagar, we learn that God sees us, knows us, and brings hope even when grief/suffering can blind us to what is already there. 

We don't have to wait for a Christmas miracle to experience the presence of God. Jesus, Immanuel is already here. He is present in the past, in this very moment, and in the years to come. Today we’ll look back at the ancient prophecy from Isaiah and see the difference Immanuel made in the life a teenage girl, Mary and the powerful presence of Immanuel in our lives as well! God is with you … are you with God? 

This Sunday we're taking time to reflect on God's faithfulness through the generations of PFC. The service will include testimonies from the Wenger, Doering, and Elliott families as we wrap up our Building PFC series. We'll be encouraged and challenged by these stories of God's provision and grace.

Today we’ll share some reflections, teaching, and inspiration around our current building expansion project and invite you to participate! Let’s make beautiful physical space for the unique calling and mission God has given to PFC.

In our current series, "Building PFC: Up, In, & Out", we’ve described the first step “out” as prayer and the second step “out” as service. The third step is evangelism - sharing the “good news.” What is the “good news?” What is “evangelism?” Let’s dive in and find out! 

The first step "out" is prayer. The second step is service. Jesus said in Matthew 20:28, "The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve...and lay his life down as a ransom." In Philippians 2:7 Paul writes about Christ, "He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant." What does it look like for us to learn to serve others like Christ has first served us? 

This Sunday, we’re stepping “Out” as we move on to the next part of our series by learning to pray for our neighbors—not just the ones we like, but all of them (1 Timothy 2:1). Prayer is a powerful tool in loving our neighbors well. We’ll discover a really helpful app for our phones that will prompt us to pray for our neighbors by name. Get ready to pray and see what God will do!

This week, we are going to talk about a powerful truth that’s foundational to our identity as “A people following Christ IN”. We are called to be a temple. Not just any temple…the temple of the Living God.  And this is our call not only individually, but for our faith family here at PFC corporately, as well as the entire Body of Christ. 

🎶 “We are family. I got all my sisters with me. We are family. Get up, everybody, and sing!” Now that classic song is going to be stuck in your head for the rest of the day - you’re welcome! But have you ever stopped to think about what it truly means to be family? In Christ, we are more than just friendly acquaintances; we are adopted as sons and daughters of the King and have all the family rights! Then, this divine adoption immediately makes us irreplaceable members of one another. That’s where it gets fun! Join us this Sunday as we build PFC “In” by stepping into our roles in the family of faith.

Because of the surpassing grace of Jesus Christ, because He alone is worthy of all glory, because Christ is building His Church from every tribe, tongue, and nation on earth, and because He has torn down the wall of hostility between God and man - we, His people, are called to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” 

Knock, knock. Who’s there? Jesus … Okay, there’s no joke here but a way to get us thinking about this declaration that Jesus makes in John 10, “I am the door.” As we continue our series, we’ll be invited by Jesus to enter and abide with Him. As the door, He provides us with protection, freedom, provision, relationship, and real life. Yet, we often knock and pull on other false doors.

Jesus is the irreducible, irreplaceable foundation on which we build our lives, our families, and our church. This Sunday were going to bypass the granite countertops, spacious living area, and instead follow the home inspector to the basement to check out the concrete walls and floor. What are we building on?

As we launch our Fall sermon series "Building PFC: Up, In, & Out" we are starting with the metaphor of Christ as the chief cornerstone. If we're not building on him, we're building on sand. If Christ is not at the center, then we are worshiping idols. Jesus says, "Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's". Caesar's face is on our coins. But whose blood courses through the veins of the church?

In Matthew 8 & 9, following the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount, there are 11 accounts of miraculous healings. Matthew 8:16-17 says, "He drove out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick, so that what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: He himself took our weaknesses and carried our diseases." These stories include spiritual, emotional, physical, and relational healings. As we wrap up the Upside Down Kingdom series, we enter into these stories of healing and ask Jesus to heal the brokenness in our lives. 

Jesus wraps up his sermon with a simple and powerful parable. Those who hear the words of Jesus and obey them build their lives on a rock that cannot be shaken. Those who hear the words of Jesus and do not seek to walk them out, build their lives on a foundation of sand. What are you building your life on? Who is building with you?

This sermon will explore salvation and the Kingdom. True faith is necessary and will always be transformative. Through faith, our lives will change and we will be known by God. 

How do we know if someone is the real deal or not? Jesus says, inspect their “fruit.” This Sunday, we’ll dive into what Jesus means with all this talk of fruit trees, figs, and false prophets. But be ready, because this is not just about others but about us as well. 

This Sunday we welcome Pete Kontra who serves as the District Executive of the Atlantic Northeast District Church of the Brethren. www.ane-cob.org.

Let's unpack a life-transforming paradox in Jesus’ teaching (Matt. 7:13-14). Jesus says that the spacious life (life that is full of peace, satisfaction, joy and more) is found by actually squeezing through the narrow gate and following Jesus on this narrow path by putting His teachings into practice. The path is difficult, uncomfortable, and even feels constricting but it’s the path that actually leads to a spacious life with God here and now. Who’s up for a hike?