Up Close and Personal With God

We are told that we need to “know” God but rarely are we told HOW to know God. We are told that God wants an intimate relationship of love with us but we are not told what our part is or how to do it. Join Mark on Thursday nights from 6:30-8:30 pm; Jan 22, [...]

New Book – Reluctantly Supernatural – coming soon

Science has failed to answer our deepest questions concerning the purpose and significance of human life. As a result, our culture is turning to the supernatural realm for the answers. The Bible is literally filled with the supernatural power of God intervening into human affairs. Not only does God act supernaturally into the lives of [...]

What did Jesus do with demons?

This is part two of Deliver us from Evil - see Part 1 And this brings us to the central difference between authority and religion. Jesus began his role as teacher by teaching about the Kingdom of God but he didn’t stop at simply teaching about it. Jesus demonstrated the Kingdom of God by demonstrating [...]

What do we do about evil?

We had a very interesting video testimony scheduled for last Sunday about a family set free from years of negative spiritual activity in their home, referred to as "haunting". I decided that I should take the opportunity to speak on the subject of our Christian authority over evil. There is a very illuminating incident in [...]

Do you want to get up close to God?

Up close and Personal,  A practical guide to an intimate relationship with God. We are told that we need to “know” God but rarely are we told HOW to know God. We are told that God wants an intimate relationship of love with us but we are not told what our part is or how [...]

IS MEGA BETTA? Is big always God’s will?

Today, I suggest we kill a sacred cow. The sacred cow is, "bigger is better." I planted the first church I pastored, and I did it as a church growth disciple. I began with what I took to be a foundational tenet of the church growth movement; "Your church will succeed or fail based on your leadership". [...]

What’s the Problem with Religion?

All religions are basically the same. A spiritual, material, eternal reward is offered and a system of behavior is required. When properly applied, the behavior brings the reward. The rewards differ: Nirvana, 72 Virgins, Cosmic Consciousness, Heaven, etc. As well, the system of behavior differs: prayer wheels, jihad, religious rituals, moral living, etc.  But the [...]

We don’t, be He can.

So how do we change our identity from a merely conscientious [yet failing] servant to “successful son or daughter”? The short answer is; we don’t, but He can. Listen to full sermon here. Many times I have reminded you that sin is not the bad things that we do but the deep desire within all of [...]

A question you don’t often hear in church?

What are the words that come to mind when you hear the word “Naked?” When I ask this question when I am teaching, I get the following word answers: “shame”, “ugly”, “sin”, “vulnerable”, “exposed”, “embarrassed”.  Most of these are negative – fear shame, etc. Have you ever noticed how you can read a verse and [...]

Dialogue about my book

Hi Bob Thank you for taking the time to comment on my book. I think you have some great questions so please put them in the comment box so we can get some more thoughts on these points.

Hear what people are saying who have previewed my new book.

Mark Cowper-Smith   The pre-release reviews I have received are far more positive than anything I expected or hoped for. Isn't God good? The review I value most is one in which the writer [who is also a writer] said she felt the presence of God as she read the book. What more [...]

What do you make of 1 Corinthians 5:11?

  Mark Cowper-Smith 1 Corinthians 5:11  But as it is, I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a sexual sinner, or covetous, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner. Don't even eat with such a person. (see full chapter [...]

How do I respond to those who object to modern day prophecy?

Mark Cowper-Smith I was asked this question recently: Mark, I was reading John 6:28-29 & wanted to get your opinion. The people wanted to perform miracles, but Jesus said that God only wanted them to believe. If someone rebuts modern-day prophesy w/this scripture, what should I say? I responded as follows: The context [...]

Attracting God’s Blessing

ATTRACTING GOD’S BLESSING – GUARANTEED! We have been teaching a sermon series on blessing and focusing on being a blessing.  We have defined being a blessing as “passing on to others the blessings of God.” But before we pass them on we have to receive them. So how do we “attract” the blessings of God? [...]

Book of Philippians

The book of Philippians is a letter to a church. To understand the letter we have to understand the church. Churches are just like people; they have a genetic code which they received from their parents. They are formed as well, through the experience of their early formative years.  The church of Philippi is the [...]

Life of Jesus – Geneologies

Two writers start their stories of Jesus' life by giving his life line, who fathered who way back to the start. This is not unusual in biographies. What is unusual is that these two writers do not tell the same story. Their records are not the same. Matthew's list starts at Abraham and Luke's starts [...]

Life of Jesus Intro – Part 1a

Today we begin a series of sermons which I have been waiting to do for two years. For some time we have been telling you that our goal is to raise up Christians who are apprentices of Jesus. That being like him in character and words and deeds is what the Christian life is all [...]

Go to Top