Stephen Walsh Teaching Podcast

This is Week Two of our Advent 2024 series "The True Light" where we walk through the famous prologue found in the first chapter of the Gospel of John. This teaching is called "The Light that Shines in the Darkness" and it explored verses 4-5 of the prologue, wherein it discusses the fact that Jesus is the Light and Life of all mankind. Our world is filled to the brim with public intellectuals, podcasters, and politicians all who profit on masquerading as "light bringers." It's a tale as old as the garden, when false knowledge corrupts our vision and leads us away from the true Light that is Christ. John the Apostle sets the stage in the prologue with these assertions that Jesus is in fact the True Light and that he exposes all counterfeits. Because we have many counterfeits in our world today, all vying for our attention, it's more I important than ever before to return to the true Light this Christmas season, and exalt Christ for who He truly is: the Light of the World. Thank you for listening,We pray this teaching encourages you, reconnects you with the Father, and points your your vision towards Christ this Christmas. 

This is Week Thirteen of our series "Thrive: How Christians Live". On the eve of the 2024 presidential election, we thought it was needed to speak for a few moments on Life Church's views on political theology and how a Christian should think about ending with society through the lens Jesus establishes in the debacle he encountered concerning the poll tax found in Matthew 22. We hope and pray you are encouraged, strengthened and instructed by this teaching, especially in this crucial time as a Christian.Thank you for listening,We pray this teaching challenges you to love your neighbor and stand up for the rights of Christianity in your political sphere.  

This is Week Three of our follow up series "Thrive: How Christians Live". This teaching explores the many seasons of live a Christian will find themselves in. From spring to winter, we see from Scripture that God lays into place the boundaries and guardrails to our lives. As Scripture teaches that there is a time and season for everything, we too must understand that to Thrive in Christ, doesn't equate to personal success. It looks like understanding the season that the Sovereign lord has given you. Harvest doesn't always look like material, personal, or emotional health, and it always comes at the end of a lesson. When we view our seasons through the life of Joseph, we learn the vital lesson that God truly does work everything out for His good. We hope and pray you are encouraged, strengthened and instructed by this teaching.Thank you for listening,Take joy in the Lord, always.  

This was Week Twelve of our series "Thrive: How Christians Live". Coming off the back of our Rooted series, talking about Christian orthodox beliefs and right belief, we wanted to begin to tackle some of the Christian practicals, but from a slightly different perspective. Because what we are called to do as Christians and how we're called to live cannot simply be something we attempt passively, but thoughtfully. This teaching does a mix of things: analyzing the psychological obsession our culture has with attention and visibility, discovering Jesus' life of obscurity in the midst of pressure to do the opposite, and how we can be called to do likewise.We hope and pray you are encouraged, strengthened and instructed by this teaching.Thank you for listening,Take joy in the Lord, always.  

This is Week One of our follow up series "Thrive: How Christians Live". Coming off the back of our Rooted series, talking about Christian orthodox beliefs and right belief, we wanted to begin to tackle some of the Christian practicals, but from a slightly different perspective. Because what we are called to do as Christians and how we're called to live cannot simply be something we attempt passively, but thoughtfully. This first teaching kicks us off with the foundational paradigm that in order to thrive in life, we must know what we hold at the center. The Biblical mandate is that we esteem God, most rightfully on the throne. If He is the center of our love, worship and joy, everything in our lives begins to take shape.We hope and pray you are encouraged, strengthened and instructed by this teaching.Thank you for listening,Take joy in the Lord, always.  

This the FINAL Week of our series "The Kingdom Code" where we explore the core foundational doctrines and beliefs of the Christian faith. This week, we're looking at our final doctrine of the series, the Doctrine of the New Heavens & New EarthThe Resurrection of Jesus Christ isn't the only radical belief that Christianity ascribes to: We believe that the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is not simply the "end" of all things, but the that the Bible teaches us that it's the hinge that all reality rests. The hinge that opens the door to a brand new, and yet strangely familiar reality!   The New Heavens and New Earth are just that -- the stripping down to the core, all that Sin, evil and death have built, and the renovation of the entire earth and cosmos. All of this, for the purpose of creating a new space where humanity and God may be finally reunited. Counter to the prevailing cultural idea of "heaven", this is what Christianity actually speaks to when it refers to the "age to come." A time when God will right everything. But what we may not have expected, is that there is much to do in this next eternity....._______________________________________________________________________We hope & pray that the Kingdom Code series was stirring, applicable, has given you more language, knowledge and has brought you closer to the God of the Bible, and the Risen Jesus.We can't wait to hear what you think, so please connect on social media at @swteachingpod or if you'd like to listen to this on it's home podcast, check out @kingdom_youngadultsnj or our Kingdom Young Adults podcast, here on Spotify.Be blessed, and we pray that this teaching helps you Encounter Jesus and Counter the Culture.

This is Week 21 of our series "The Kingdom Code" where we explore the core foundational doctrines and beliefs of the Christian faith. This week, we're looking at our 16th doctrine of the series, the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit in Community.What is the purpose of the Holy Spirit in the lives of a Christian? - Is it only to empower us? - Is it only to give us good feelings?- Is it purely just an individual thing, or does the Holy Spirit desire for us to reach out towards others? - Is there something more? We tackle in this teaching from our Friday Night Young Adults, what the Holy Spirit does in the life of an individual for the purpose of the group.When we look at scripture and the teachings of Christ and the example of the disciples, it is clear that the Holy Spirit operates in a process of sanctification of the purpose of forming and creating a people who look more and more like Christ every single day. We pray that this teaching would: 1. Humble you2. Teach you3. Unify you4. Mature you5. and Empower youIn Jesus name.We can't wait to hear what you think, so please connect on social media at @swteachingpod or if you'd like to listen to this on it's home podcast, check out @kingdom_youngadultsnj or our Kingdom Young Adults podcast, here on Spotify.Be blessed, and we pray that this teaching helps you Encounter Jesus and Counter the Culture.

This is Week Eleven of our series Rooted: What Christians Believe. At the time in our church life, we believed that a fresh look at Christian Doctrine was needed. We summarized some of the main Christian beliefs into 14 weeks of teaching. Week Eleven centers around the revolutionary claim that Jesus Christ rose from the dead! It's no small claim, and it is the centerpiece of Christian message. In this teaching, I tackle some of the deep seeded desire for an afterlife found in our modern culture, some of the arguments and evidences for the resurrection, and then some of the reasons the Resurrection matters for each of us today. Please let us know if anything inspired, illuminated, or challenged you!Thank you for listening,Peace to you.

This is Week Nine of our series Rooted: What Christians Believe. At the time in our church life, we believed that a fresh look at Christian Doctrine was needed. We summarized some of the main Christian beliefs into 14 weeks of teaching. Week Nine centers around the cross of Christ. But what most Christians might not know is the larger narrative that the Cross fits into according to the Bible. Thus, a larger picture is presented: the cross according to the Bible: Past, Present and Future.  Please let us know if anything inspired, illuminated, or challenged you!Thank you for listening,Peace to you.

This is Week 18 of our series "The Kingdom Code" where we explore the core foundational doctrines and beliefs of the Christian faith. This week, we're looking at our 15th doctrine of the series, the Doctrine of the Atonement.Does Christianity really believe that God needed to send his son to die for us? Why? At first, the notion of a substitutional sacrifice seems off-putting at best to our post-modern ears. But the grounding for all of Christian faith rests on the sacrifice of Christ on the cross for the sake of the world. In this teaching, we tried to tackle some of the most fundamental questions surrounding why Jesus had to die and the circumstances surrounding the misconceptions around the cross that we see then and today. We can't wait to hear what you think, so please connect on social media at @swteachingpod or if you'd like to listen to this on it's home podcast, check out @kingdom_youngadultsnj or our Kingdom Young Adults podcast, here on Spotify.Be blessed, and we pray that this teaching helps you Encounter Jesus and Counter the Culture.

This is Week 16 of our series "The Kingdom Code" where we explore the core foundational doctrines and beliefs of the Christian faith. This week, we're looking at our 14th doctrine of the series, the Doctrine of the Humanity & Deity of Jesus Christ.Was Jesus man? or God? Or some mixture of the two? We are going deep this week. Political theory, religious history, this teaching has quite a bit of ground to cover. It's heading towards the idea that humanity all aspires to reach the everlasting, whether it be through massive political visions of the future through progress or revolution, or each moment we reach for it through satisfying needs. We all yearn for the everlasting. Jesus is the perfect union of the everlasting, become particular. It's one of the most foundational claims of Christianity: that Jesus was indeed, God's Son, raised from the dead, equal with God the Father. Jesus is the Word, who created all things, and all things come together in Him. Jesus is not only a great human teacher, He is God in flesh. And He isn't only the picture of the everlasting, but also the relatable, particular man. We can't wait to hear what you think, so please connect on social media at @swteachingpod or if you'd like to listen to this on it's home podcast, check out @kingdom_youngadultsnj or our Kingdom Young Adults podcast, here on Spotify.Be blessed, and we pray that this teaching helps you Encounter Jesus and Counter the Culture.

This is Week 15 of our series "The Kingdom Code" where we explore the core foundational doctrines and beliefs of the Christian faith. This week, we're looking at our 13th doctrine of the series, the Doctrine of the Incarnation.The Incarnation, simply put (If you couldn't even do that!) is that the very God who created everything and created us, saw us in our distress and came down and dwelled among and with us in order to save us. This is one of the most central and seismic moments about the Gospel story, and it's one we discussed more in depth in today's teaching. We hope and pray this pulls at your heart the way it pulled on our community's heart in the room that night. We can't wait to hear what you think, so please connect on social media at @swteachingpod or if you'd like to listen to this on it's home podcast, check out @kingdom_youngadultsnj or our Kingdom Young Adults podcast, here on Spotify.Be blessed, and we pray that this teaching helps you Encounter Jesus and Counter the Culture.

This is Week Four of our series Rooted: What Christians Believe. At the time in our church life, we believed that a fresh look at Christian Doctrine was needed. We summarized some of the main Christian beliefs into 13 weeks of teaching. Week four centers around the idea of the Doctrine of the Trinity. On one level, it's very easy for a Christian to answer the question: Who is God? Jesus Christ. But ask another "Christian" who is God, and depending on their view of the Trinity, they might parse out that question differently, and according to the Nicene creed: wrongly. In this teaching, we discuss the Christian orthodox view of the Trinity: 1. God is one divine being, and only one.2. This one God is and has three divine, equal, distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 3. All three of these co-equal persons are equally divine and co-authoritative.4. There is no lesser God or person among them.Here, I tackle some of the theological questions in the Christian faith by what we mean when we talk about God, and I also talk about some of the consequences of getting the Christian God wrong. Lastly, I discuss some practical aspects for our Christian life, that flow from our proper understanding of God as a Trinity.Please let us know if anything inspired, illuminated, or challenged you!Thank you for listening,Peace to you.

This is the 14th week of a teachings series I began in 2024 for the young adults ministry of our church: Kingdom Young Adults. This week we discussed one of the most central doctrines of Christianity: Sin. Sin is Christianity's answer to what is wrong with the world. Modern psychology, sociology, and history all have answers they bring to bear upon life's greatest and most complicated questions. But Christianity does not look outside first, it looks within. It diagnoses the issue in a way uncomfortable and incompatible with most other fields. It addresses the innate sickness of the human heart and reveals the need for healing. Luckily for Christianity, this cancer of the heart, which turns all things inward upon itself, has a 100% curative record, if only accepted freely.We began this teaching series entitled "The Kingdom Code" after a sense that what was missing in the young adult Christian landscape of modern American Christianity and specifically our own, was not so much the desire for Spirit-filled awakening and experience, but a deep abiding knowledge of the core foundational doctrines of our faith and a respectful attitude towards learning the tradition that came before us.So "The Kingdom Code" is just that: 25 weeks of the core doctrinal beliefs that have carried the church since its inception. We'll be talking about doctrine, creation, scripture, salvation, sin, hell and eternity, and we'll talk about it together. We can't wait to hear what you think, so please connect on social media at @swteachingpod or if you'd like to listen to this on it's home podcast, check out @kingdom_youngadultsnj or our Kingdom Young Adults podcast, here on Spotify.Be blessed, and we pray that this teaching helps you Encounter Jesus and Counter the Culture.

This is Week One of our series Rooted: What Christians Believe. At the time in our church life, we believed that a fresh look at Christian Doctrine was needed. We summarized some of the main Christian beliefs into 14 weeks of teaching. Week one centers around the idea of what doctrine is. There are questions that arise when doctrine is discussed, especially in evangelical and pentecostal circles. Questions like:- Is doctrine man made? - Doesn't doctrine simply overcomplicate things?- Do we need doctrine if we have the Word of God?In this teaching, I liken doctrine to a trellis that helps us be connected to the vine of Jesus (Jn 15). I do my best to summarize the basic understanding of what doctrine is, what it does, and how it helps us grow in the right direction.Please let us know if anything inspired, illuminated, or challenged you!Thank you for listening,Peace to you.

This is the tenth week of a teachings series I began in 2024 for the young adults ministry of our church: Kingdom Young Adults. This week we discussed one of the most complicated and argued problem facing the message of Christianity, the problem of evil. If God is so good, then why do bad things happen in the world. The doctrine of Sovereignty is not understood, and rarely called upon to answer some of life's toughest questions. In this week, we discussed the two major views on sovereignty, and a third and more Biblical way of approaching the sovereignty of God. We pray this blesses you if you have been walking through a difficult season and to know that you can trust the Rock of your salvation.We began this teaching series entitled "The Kingdom Code" after a sense that what was missing in the young adult Christian landscape of modern American Christianity and specifically our own, was not so much the desire for Spirit-filled awakening and experience, but a deep abiding knowledge of the core foundational doctrines of our faith and a respectful attitude towards learning the tradition that came before us.So "The Kingdom Code" is just that: 25 weeks of the core doctrinal beliefs that have carried the church since its inception. We'll be talking about doctrine, creation, scripture, salvation, sin, hell and eternity, and we'll talk about it together. We can't wait to hear what you think, so please connect on social media at @swteachingpod or if you'd like to listen to this on it's home podcast, check out @kingdom_youngadultsnj or our Kingdom Young Adults podcast, here on Spotify.Be blessed, and we pray that this teaching helps you Encounter Jesus and Counter the Culture.

This is the seventh week of a teachings series I began in 2024 for the young adults ministry of our church: Kingdom Young Adults. This seventh week peels back the layers of one of the most wide reaching, but often misunderstood doctrines of the Christian faith: the Character of God. Though the character of God may not fit neatly into a one sentence doctrinal statement, the Bible gives such a kaleidoscopic display of God's character, especially when directing Exodus 34. Christianity believes that God is not just eternal in name, but also in character. What iis true for God's name is true for his character. Compassion, Mercy, grace, boundless love, forgiveness, and justice are essential hallmarks, not peripheral, but central to understanding God rightly. We began this teaching series entitled "The Kingdom Code" after a sense that what was missing in the young adult Christian landscape of modern American Christianity and specifically our own, was not so much the desire for Spirit-filled awakening and experience, but a deep abiding knowledge of the core foundational doctrines of our faith and a respectful attitude towards learning the tradition that came before us.So "The Kingdom Code" is just that: 25 weeks of the core doctrinal beliefs that have carried the church since its inception. We'll be talking about doctrine, creation, scripture, salvation, sin, hell and eternity, and we'll talk about it together. We can't wait to hear what you think, so please connect on social media at @swteachingpod or if you'd like to listen to this on it's home podcast, check out @kingdom_youngadultsnj or our Kingdom Young Adults podcast, here on Spotify.Be blessed, and we pray that this teaching helps you Encounter Jesus and Counter the Culture.

This is the fifth week of a teachings series I began in 2024 for the young adults ministry of our church: Kingdom Young Adults. This fifth week peels back the layers of one of the most foundational, yet complex doctrines in Christianity: the doctrine of the Trinity. What does it mean that God is three in One? Where can we go wrong when thinking about this? How does this affect our daily Christian lives?We began this teaching series entitled "The Kingdom Code" after a sense that what was missing in the young adult Christian landscape of modern American Christianity and specifically our own, was not so much the desire for Spirit-filled awakening and experience, but a deep abiding knowledge of the core foundational doctrines of our faith and a respectful attitude towards learning the tradition that came before us.So "The Kingdom Code" is just that: 25 weeks of the core doctrinal beliefs that have carried the church since its inception. We'll be talking about doctrine, creation, scripture, salvation, sin, hell and eternity, and we'll talk about it together. We can't wait to hear what you think, so please connect on social media at @swteachingpod or if you'd like to listen to this on it's home podcast, check out @kingdom_youngadultsnj or our Kingdom Young Adults podcast, here on Spotify.Be blessed, and we pray that this teaching helps you Encounter Jesus and Counter the Culture.

This is week seven of our series entitled: The Hopeful Minority, where we journey through the letter of 1st Peter. The Apostle Peter writes his epistle to the scattered Christian churches of Asia Minor, and his message is loud and clear: Be strengthened with an eternal Hope, while you actively subvert the empire around you.In chapter 3, we see Peter speak to a few things that help Christians with their outward witness to non-believers who are seeking the truth: - Our behavior- Our testimony - Our example in sufferingThese three actions make a witness for non-believers to the truth of the Christian message. We too, should be challenged and encouraged to remember how our behavior, testimony and example in suffering may lead someone to Christ.Please let us know if anything reached out to you, or challenged you!Thank you for listening,Peace to you.

This is the fourth week of a teachings series I began in 2024 for the young adults ministry of our church: Kingdom Young Adults. This fourth week launches into the second doctrine of Holy Scripture, and the many facets, narrative story, design patterns, and utility of the Bible as the Word of God in our lives.We began this teaching series entitled "The Kingdom Code" after a sense that what was missing in the young adult Christian landscape of modern American Christianity and specifically our own, was not so much the desire for Spirit-filled awakening and experience, but a deep abiding knowledge of the core foundational doctrines of our faith and a respectful attitude towards learning the tradition that came before us.So "The Kingdom Code" is just that: 25 weeks of the core doctrinal beliefs that have carried the church since its inception. We'll be talking about doctrine, creation, scripture, salvation, sin, hell and eternity, and we'll talk about it together. We can't wait to hear what you think, so please connect on social media at @swteachingpod or if you'd like to listen to this on it's home podcast, check out @kingdom_youngadultsnj or our Kingdom Young Adults podcast, here on Spotify.Be blessed, and we pray that this teaching helps you Encounter Jesus and Counter the Culture.

This is the third week of a teachings series I began in 2024 for the young adults ministry of our church: Kingdom Young Adults. This third week introduces the first doctrine, of Revelation, which has three parts: General, Special & Incarnational.We began this teaching series entitled "The Kingdom Code" after a sense that what was missing in the young adult Christian landscape of modern American Christianity and specifically our own, was not so much the desire for Spirit-filled awakening and experience, but a deep abiding knowledge of the core foundational doctrines of our faith and a respectful attitude towards learning the tradition that came before us.So "The Kingdom Code" is just that: 25 weeks of the core doctrinal beliefs that have carried the church since its inception. We'll be talking about doctrine, creation, scripture, salvation, sin, hell and eternity, and we'll talk about it together. We can't wait to hear what you think, so please connect on social media at @swteachingpod or if you'd like to listen to this on it's home podcast, check out @kingdom_youngadultsnj or our Kingdom Young Adults podcast, here on Spotify.Be blessed, and we pray that this teaching helps you Encounter Jesus and Counter the Culture.

This is the second week of a teachings series I began in 2024 for the young adults ministry of our church: Kingdom Young Adults. This second week launches into the perceived misunderstandings around the word doctrine, and begins to construct a Biblical perspective of why doctrine matters and how, like a trellis, it helps Christians grow in the right direction. We began this teaching series entitled "The Kingdom Code" after a sense that what was missing in the young adult Christian landscape of modern American Christianity and specifically our own, was not so much the desire for Spirit-filled awakening and experience, but a deep abiding knowledge of the core foundational doctrines of our faith and a respectful attitude towards learning the tradition that came before us.So "The Kingdom Code" is just that: 25 weeks of the core doctrinal beliefs that have carried the church since its inception. We'll be talking about doctrine, creation, scripture, salvation, sin, hell and eternity, and we'll talk about it together. We can't wait to hear what you think, so please connect on social media at @swteachingpod or if you'd like to listen to this on it's home podcast, check out @kingdom_youngadultsnj or our Kingdom Young Adults podcast, here on Spotify.Be blessed, and we pray that this teaching helps you Encounter Jesus and Counter the Culture.

This is the first week of a teachings series I began in 2024 for the young adults ministry of our church: Kingdom Young Adults. This week launches into the series and explores the idea of Augustine's two city thesis in one of the most influential books since the Bible was canonized, the City of God. We began this teaching series entitled "The Kingdom Code" after a sense that what was missing in the young adult Christian landscape of modern American Christianity and specifically our own, was not so much the desire for Spirit-filled awakening and experience, but a deep abiding knowledge of the core foundational doctrines of our faith and a respectful attitude towards learning the tradition that came before us.So "The Kingdom Code" is just that: 25 weeks of the core doctrinal beliefs that have carried the church since its inception. We'll be talking about doctrine, creation, scripture, salvation, sin, hell and eternity, and we'll talk about it together. We can't wait to hear what you think, so please connect on social media at @swteachingpod or if you'd like to listen to this on it's home podcast, check out @kingdom_youngadultsnj or our Kingdom Young Adults podcast, here on Spotify.Be blessed, and we pray that this teaching helps you Encounter Jesus and Counter the Culture.

This is week two of our series entitled: The Hopeful Minority, where we pick up where we left off at the end of last year, where we walked through the book of Daniel, and begin our journey as a church through 1 Peter. Peter writes his epistle to the scattered churches of Asia Minor, and his message is loud and clear: Be strengthened with an eternal Hope, while you actively subvert the empire around you. This is what it means to be a Hopeful minority & in this teaching, a Subversive Society. Please let us know if anything reached out to you, or challenged you!Thank you for listening,Peace to you.