The Vine Church Podcast

Vine Stories – McKinley

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 12:30:00 GMT

Today Warren speaks with McKinley. McKinley has only been at The Vine for less than six months, but she has become a valuable and active member during that short time. In this episode, she discusses her personal history and how she has encountered faith, deconstruction, reconstruction, disconnection, and wholeness, all while dealing with issues of mental health and the normal challenges of emerging in early adulthood.

This is the latest in a series of conversations with people at The Vine about their lives and faith journeys. As we encounter people at church, we may not know about the struggles, blessings, successes, and failures that have brought them to this point in their lives. As we get to know others and their stories better, we gain a little more of the image of Christ and the wholeness God wants for us. That is the mission of Vine Stories. If you want to be featured in a future episode or want to learn more about The Vine Church, please email Warren Gray at warren@thevinetemple.com.

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De-Masculinizing the Church – Part 2

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 13:39:49 GMT

[NOTE: This is part 2 of a 2-part episode that was recorded at once. The first episode was released on January 22, 2024, and Part 2 is released on January 29, 2024.]

On November 30, 2023, Pope Francis gave brief comments about the need “to make the Church less masculine” and to understand how “the Church is woman.” In this episode Warren welcomes Karen Smith and Jennifer Jones, and the three of them use the Pope’s comments as a launching point to discuss the space for women in modern theological and religious spaces. To read the Pope’s comments for yourself, you can view a transcript here.

If you are interested in learning more about The Vine Church, please email Warren or subscribe to the weekly email newsletter. If you want to become a member or volunteer to serve at The Vine, you can do that on the website.

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De-Masculinizing the Church – Part 1

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 13:36:31 GMT

[NOTE: This is part 1 of a 2-part episode that was recorded at once. The first episode is being released on January 22, 2024, and Part 2 will be released on January 29, 2024.]

On November 30, 2023, Pope Francis gave brief comments about the need “to make the Church less masculine” and to understand how “the Church is woman.” In this episode Warren welcomes Karen Smith and Jennifer Jones, and the three of them use the Pope’s comments as a launching point to discuss the space for women in modern theological and religious spaces. To read the Pope’s comments for yourself, you can view a transcript here.

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The Music of Advent [rebroadcast]

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 11:58:56 GMT

This is an episode that was originally published on December 14, 2020, but we thought it was time to share it again.

In this conversation about Advent, Warren and Jason are thrilled to have a special guest on this episode, John Hatfield. John is Director of Contemporary Worship at Clear Lake Church United Methodist Church in Houston Texas. (He was at Ecclesia Church Clear Lake at the time of recording.) In this episode, the three of them discuss the ways that music can help shape our advent experience, helping provide the spiritual preparation for the season. They also discuss the value of the church calendar for spiritual development and debate the merits of Whataburger versus In-N-Out Burger.

Go here for more information about John's Hymnistry Podcast. If you would like more information about John and his music, or to purchase his music, visit his page on Bandcamp.

Music for this episode: "Hope is Here" by John Hatfield, Hope is Here - EP (used with permission)

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Vine Stories – Timothy Noble

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 13:15:23 GMT

Warren speaks with Vine member, Timothy Noble. Timothy is deaf, but he treads his own path in the liminal space between the hearing and non-hearing world, which also parallels his faith journey between what he has been taught and what he had come to believe. Warren and Timothy discuss identity for him as a deaf person and how his identity has contributed to his faith development.

Music: Spirit Of Achievement [Full version] by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/42-spirit-of-achievement-full-version

Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

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Attachment And Our Relationship With God

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 11:59:52 GMT

Study and understanding of attachment styles is a branch of psychology that helps therapists and parents understand how children bond with parents. It can inform our understanding of the freedom and safety children feel as well as the dangers and anxieties. But the implications do not end in childhood. Attachment lessons learned early in life inform the relationships we develop and nurture throughout our lives, including our relationship with God.

Jason and Warren welcome back to the podcast friend of The Vine, Dr. Jude Austin, to engage in a discussion about Attachment Theory. What is it? How might we think about it? And what can it tell us about ourselves and our relationship with God? The three of them describe attachment theory and how understanding it can help us better grasp why we may struggle to accept the good things in life, including the love of a savior.

For a brief primer about attachment theory, please see this simple explainer.

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Vine Stories – Jessie Castro

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 12:29:48 GMT

Jessie Castro has only been a member of The Vine for less than a year, but he and his fiancé, Derek, have been faithful Christians for most of their lives. In today’s episode, Warren interviews Jessie about his story of faith. It includes love, loss, grief, anger, alienation, and redemption. His is a story that many can relate to in good ways and bad, but Jessie also provides inspiration for others looking for God’s will in their lives and God’s comfort in suffering and tragedy.

Music: Spirit Of Achievement [Full version] by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/42-spirit-of-achievement-full-version

Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

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Reading and Misreading Parables

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 12:38:56 GMT

After a long hiatus, Warren and Jason are back on the podcast. This week's discussion is about one of the more enigmatic parts of Jesus's teachings: parables. While some seem straightforward in their lesson, other are difficult if not impossible to understand, confusing even the audiences of Jesus's time. After an opening discussion about the challenges of parables, the conversation turns to a specific parable about a king's banquet. What are we to learn from this parable? Can we really ever know for certain what it means? What might be some hypotheses about it?

If you are interested in learning more about The Vine Church, please email Warren (warren@thevinetemple.com) or subscribe to the weekly email newsletter. If you want to become a member or volunteer to serve at The Vine, you can do that on the website (https://thevinetemple.com/membership).

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Vine Stories — Bridget Jarrett

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 12:30:08 GMT

Today Warren talks with Bridget Jarrett about her ongoing faith journey, including how her life-long doubt has actually made her faith stronger. They also talk about the profound impact that her brother’s death by suicide affected her and continues to affect her. [Note: While there is no discussion of his manner of death, in case there are listeners sensitive to that topic, Warren & Bridget do discuss suicide and associated topics in this episode.]

This is the first in a series of conversations with people at The Vine about their lives and faith journeys. As we encounter people at church, we may not know about the struggles, blessings, successes, and failures that have brought them to this point in their lives. As we get to know others and their stories better, we gain a little more of the image of Christ and the wholeness God wants for us. That is the mission of Vine Stories. If you want to be featured in a future episode, please email Warren at warren@thevinetemple.com.

Music: Spirit Of Achievement [Full version] by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/11216-spirit-of-achievement-full-version

Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

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Time and Tension in a Season of Waiting

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 18:14:37 GMT

We often take time for granted. We assume that time simply marches on in a linear fashion; everything is past, present, or future, and we merely float along. During the Advent season, however, as Christians prepare for the coming Christ that is already here, as well as not yet, the concept of time becomes more ambiguous. Continuing on the theme of time that Warren discussed in his December 11 sermon, Jason and Warren return to the podcast to discuss time and how rethinking time in relation to our lives as Christians may be an important component to living out God's will. They also discuss the tension that grows during times of waiting, conflict, or distress and how Christians may understand and even utilize that tension for good.

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Illuminate 2022 – Q&A with Justin Lee

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 13:30:41 GMT

In early October 2022, The Vine Church was proud to host author and speaker Justin Lee for the Illuminate Series. Begun in 2019 Illuminate is The Vine's (potentially) annual invitation to a noted Christian speaker to speak to the church and community for a couple of days. We were blessed by Justin Lee's message, Praying on Empty. The 3 sessions that he led (including the sermon on Sunday morning) can be found on The Vine's YouTube channel. He closed out his time at The Vine with a Q&A session during Sunday morning classes, moderated by Warren Gray. This is the audio of that Q&A session.

Illuminate Session 1 (Saturday AM)

Illuminate Session 2 (Saturday PM)

Illuminate Session 3 (Sunday morning sermon)

To learn more about Justin Lee, visit geekyjustin.com

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Affirming – Part 4

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 12:30:29 GMT

This fall season, The Vine Church is engaging in a series titled "Affirming" in our adult class, with a parallel class for high school students. This series is an exploration of the theology of an affirming view of sexuality and Scripture. Thomas Nichols, Tom Clark, Jason Martin, and Warren Gray are each teaching different class sessions.

In this 4th part of the Affirming class, Jason discusses some of the science and psychology of sexuality before leading a discussion with the class about the spiritual nature of sex and sexuality. Finally, the participants shared some of their experiences with their faith in sexuality and the challenges of accommodating new information.

Class notes

If you want to participate in the conversation, feel free to join us at The Vine every Sunday for worship at 10 AM and class at 11:15 AM, but we are continuing to post each class session as podcast episodes.

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Affirming – Part 3

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 12:30:00 GMT

This past Sunday, Tom Clark led the adult class about the "clobber passages" of Genesis 19, Leviticus 18, and Ezekiel 16:50, discussing the contexts of each passage, the way they have been used historically within the church, and the messages God may want us to learn from them.

Notes from the class can be found here:

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Affirming Class – Part 2

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 12:30:51 GMT

This past Sunday during class at The Vine Church, Thomas Nichols sharing his journey as a gay man searching for his role in the Kingdom of God. Thomas's journey begins as a young child, raised in the faith but also raised with strong heteronormative beliefs about scripture. From an early age, he struggled with how his own nature conflicted with what he was taught, and he searched the scriptures and his personal relationship with God, bringing him to a healthier understanding of how God embraces him. Drawing upon many different scriptures, including the "clobber passages" typically used to condemn same sex relationships, Thomas provides a powerful description of his own Bible-based, scriptural, and faithful journey to affirm his sexuality.

This class was recorded in a large room without the aid of a microphone. While I've tried to enhance the audio to be heard better, some parts are a challenge to hear. We appreciate everyone's patience as we learn how to better record these class sessions.

Thomas's slides can be found here
Notes from the class can be found here
This class includes audio from the trailer for the film "1946: THE MISTRANSLATION THAT SHIFTED CULTURE - Original Music by: Mary Lambert"

If you want to participate in the conversation, feel free to join us at The Vine every Sunday for worship at 10 AM and class at 11:15 AM. We hope to have future classes recorded and posted as podcast episodes.

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Affirming Class – Part 1

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 12:30:00 GMT

The Vine returned to Sunday classes this week with a class for adults and older teens taking part in "Affirming: An Examination of the Theology & Paths Toward an Affirming Faith." We originally planned to record the class session, but that did not happen, so Warren and Jason are back this week to discuss some of the ideas, concepts, and scriptures that were discussed in class. They discuss why paradigm shifts are difficult but sometimes necessary. They also define what becoming an "open and affirming" church means and why that definition is important.

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What's Happening at The Vine

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 12:05:00 GMT

This summer has brought a lot of changes to The Vine! As was reported in the previous podcast episode, The Vine Church in Temple, TX decided to move forward as a completely open and affirming church towards LGBTQ individuals. In the months since, a number of close friends have left to worship elsewhere, but The Vine has also welcomed many new individuals and families who had been looking for a church like The Vine. We are excited about what God has in store for The Vine Church. In this episode of the podcast, Warren and Jason talk about the less regular podcast schedule. There will still be the occasional episode, but listeners should not expect a regular schedule or predictable episodes. Warren and Jason also discuss what is coming this fall to The Vine, including Sunday morning classes and Wednesday evening activities.

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The Vine Church – An Open and Affirming Christian Community

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 15:05:15 GMT

After a year of discussion, study, and discernment, The Vine Church on June 15, 2022 announced that it would be taking a completely open and affirming stance towards LGBTQ individuals. That means that such individuals will be welcomed as full members, able to engage in all activities and positions at The Vine, and they will be affirmed in their identity. As expected, the decision was not met with universal approval, and a number of members decided to amicably leave The Vine as a result. Nevertheless, those who remain believe this to be the right, Godly decision, as difficult as the process may have been.

In this episode of the podcast, Warren and Jason discuss this new direction, what it means for the church, and why The Vine decided to take this controversial path.

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Beyond Self Esteem - Part 3: Love Stories (Repost)

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 12:31:00 GMT

In December 2019, The Vine Church had the pleasure to welcome Dr. Richard Beck to speak about how our identity as Christians can change the way we think about the self. Over the next three weeks, we will be reposting the three sessions on the podcast. This is the final of the three episodes.

This session is the sermon he delivered on Sunday, December 8, 2019, bringing the ideas discussed on Saturday directly into how we respond to the grace and love of God. Part 3 of 3: Love Stories

For a generation or more, our culture has told us that building a healthy self-esteem is the foundation of well-being and happiness. But look around: rates of depression, anxiety, addiction, and suicide are all sky-rocketing. What has gone wrong? Perhaps self-esteem isn't all that it's cracked up to be, and might actually be at the root of our problems. Is self-esteem a trap? In his talks fusing psychological science and spirituality, author and psychologist Richard Beck will point us beyond self-esteem toward a more secure and joy-filled life. Dr. Beck is an award-winning author, blogger, and professor of Psychology at Abilene Christian University.

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Beyond Self Esteem - Part 2: An Alternative Path (Repost)

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 12:27:00 GMT

This is Part 2 of 3: An Alternative Plan

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Beyond Self Esteem - Part 1: The Self Esteem Trap (Repost)

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 20:26:00 GMT

Part 1: The Self Esteem Trap

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Drafting Moments from the New Testament

Wed, 11 May 2022 12:30:00 GMT

What was it like to actually BE there? That's a question we have all asked at one point or another. So many moments and events throughout history that we learn about and are amazed about what happened. But most of human history didn't have video cameras or instant replay. But what must it have been like to be there? In this week's podcast, Warren, Rachel, and Jason draft the top 5 moments in the New Testament that they would like to have witnessed. Some tragic, some joyful, all incredible and engrossing. How did they appear, sound, smell, or feel? We can only imagine, and this episode attempts to discuss the top moments the three would love to witness first-hand.

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In the Beginning

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 12:30:00 GMT

In an episode that coincides with our current Sunday morning sermon series, Warren and Terry discuss authorship possibilities regarding Genesis and give some thoughts on the book’s first chapter. Along the way they talk about reasons we conversations about authorship matter (and why to a certain extent they don’t as it relates to our faith), the importance of being open-minded in our approach to Scripture, and more. In the episode, Warren references a more in-depth essay entitled “When Was Genesis Written And Why Does It Matter?” This essay, written by Pete Enns which suggests authorship other than solely Moses, can be read here.

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Completing the Armor of God

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 12:30:00 GMT

This past Sunday, Warren concluded the "Standing Firm" sermon series, looking at the Armor of God from Ephesians 6:13-17, but there were a few pieces of the armor that were not addressed in the series. In this week's podcast, Warren, Rachel, and Jason discuss the meaning and implication of the shoes of readiness, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit.

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Experiencing the Holy Lands

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 12:30:00 GMT

There is great value in exploration, discovery and understanding something from someone else’s perspective. These types of experiences can happen from the comforts of our own home or while riding a bus across Israel. In this episode Warren talks with Terry and Zoe Rascoe about their recent trip to Israel and Jordan, where they were able to explore and discover a part of the world they have read about in Scripture for decades. In talking about some of the places they were able to visit, the Rascoes share some of why the trip was personally meaningful for each of them. Over the course of the conversation Terry and Zoe talk about the impact of traversing the area’s hilly and mountainous terrain, discovering one of Zoe’s new favorite dessert, tensions in that part of the world, “Sabbath elevators,” and more.

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The Powerful Impact Of Our Beliefs

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 12:30:00 GMT

We all have beliefs: religious beliefs, political beliefs, social beliefs, and many more. But we do not always examine why we believe what we believe. As we grow and learn more about ourselves, our beliefs may grow as well. But mindful are we about how our beliefs may change? How do we reckon with the ways our beliefs may impact others, often in ways we do not want? Dr. Jude Austin from UMHB and Vista Church joins Warren and Jason to talk about how we form beliefs, how those beliefs influence our actions, and how those actions may have negative impacts on others.

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Praying Other People's Words

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 17:09:49 GMT

For many people, prayer is a very personal expression of faith. When we pray, we want to create our own statements and sentiments to take to God. For some of us, praying prayers that we have not come up with ourselves may feel inauthentic, as if we are committing spiritual plagiarism. But that denies the rich, ancient practice of praying the prayers of others. Even Jesus himself gives his followers a prayer that draws upon the Jewish tradition of liturgical prayer in ways that can surprise many modern Christians. In this week's podcast, Warren and Jason discuss the challenges and benefits of praying the prayers of others, not only the Lord's Prayer, and encourage listeners to embrace the practice to perhaps help address some of our modern barriers to prayer.

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House of Prayer

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 13:30:00 GMT

In a discussion that is in conjunction with our current Sunday morning sermon series entitled “Jesus & Prayer,” Warren, Rachel and Terry discuss the story of Jesus “clearing the Temple” in Mark 11. In commenting on this story, Matthew, Mark and Luke all quote Jesus as referring to the Temple as a “house of prayer.” In this episode we think about the imagery of “a house of prayer” while also looking at the broader picture of what Jesus seems to be doing in this story. How should we envision this “house of prayer” language in our context? Where might we be acting in self-seeking ways in our own lives? Does the setting of prayer matter? We explore these questions and more in this episode.

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The Beautiful, Wonderful Tapestry of Scripture

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 13:30:00 GMT

After taking time off during the holidays, the podcast is back. Warren, Rachel, and Jason get the band back together to talk about how scripture guides our lives. If the Bible is God's Word, then we would be wise to understand and follow what it says, but as we all know, it isn't that simple. Different people from different walks of life read and understand it differently. The limitations of human perspective and understanding make agreement on scriptural hermeneutic challenging, but the group offers some metaphors and perspectives that help us make sense of such immense, diverse texts.

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Advent Scripture for December 25, 2021, Read by Kaci Allen

Sat, 25 Dec 2021 13:30:00 GMT

During this Advent season, the members and friends of The Vine church are pleased to provide thematic scripture readings, meant to help focus your mind on the coming Lord in the season. Every day will feature a different scripture read by a different individual. We encourage listeners to meditate on these scriptures and share them with friends and family throughout the season.

The scriptures this week are on the theme of LOVE, and today's scripture is John 1:1-17 read by Kaci Allen. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for December 24, 2021, Read by Zeke Payne

Fri, 24 Dec 2021 13:30:00 GMT

The scriptures this week are on the theme of LOVE, and today's scriptures are Micah 5:2-5 and Titus 2:11-14 read by Zeke Payne. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for December 23, 2021, Read by Kelsey Wilbanks

Thu, 23 Dec 2021 13:30:00 GMT

The scriptures this week are on the theme of LOVE, and today's scriptures are Matthew 1:18-24 and John 3:16-21 read by Kelsey Wilbanks. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for December 22, 2021, Read by Regan Martin

Thu, 23 Dec 2021 00:33:13 GMT

The scriptures this week are on the theme of LOVE, and today's scripture is Luke 1:26-55 read by Regan Martin. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for December 21, 2021, Read by Dawnyell Jackson

Tue, 21 Dec 2021 13:30:00 GMT

The scriptures this week are on the theme of LOVE, and today's scripture is Psalm 118 read by Dawnyell Jackson. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for December 20, 2021, Read by Jamie Huddleston

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 13:30:00 GMT

The scriptures this week are on the theme of LOVE, and today's scripture is I John 4:7-21 read by Jamie Huddleston. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for December 19, 2021, Read by Eisley Gray

Sun, 19 Dec 2021 13:30:00 GMT

The scriptures this week are on the theme of LOVE, and today's scriptures are Philippians 2:1-5 and 1 Corinthians 13:1-7 read by Eisley Gray. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for December 18, 2021, Read by Bryan Parson

Sat, 18 Dec 2021 13:30:00 GMT

The scriptures this week are on the theme of JOY, and today's scriptures are Isaiah 12:2-6 and Psalm 30 read by Bryan Parson. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for December 17, 2021, Read by Kari Martin

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 13:30:00 GMT

The scriptures this week are on the theme of JOY, and today's scriptures are Psalm 146 and Luke 13:31-35 read by Kari Martin. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for December 16, 2021, Read by Pam Greene

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 13:30:00 GMT

The scriptures this week are on the theme of JOY, and today's scriptures are Matthew 2:1-12 and Psalm 5:1-3, 11-12 read by Pam Greene. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for December 15, 2021, Read by Rod Backus

Wed, 15 Dec 2021 13:30:00 GMT

The scriptures this week are on the theme of JOY, and today's scripture is Luke 2:1-20 read by Rod Backus. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for December 14, 2021, Read by Jenni Nachtwey

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 13:30:00 GMT

The scriptures this week are on the theme of JOY, and today's scriptures are Psalm 126 and Philippians 4:1, 4-7 read by Jenni Nachtwey. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for December 13, 2021, Read by Jason Martin

Mon, 13 Dec 2021 13:30:00 GMT

The scriptures this week are on the theme of JOY, and today's scriptures are Philippians 1:2-11 and 1 Thessalonians 3:8-13 read by Jason Martin. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for December 12, 2021, Read by Shaiquan King

Sun, 12 Dec 2021 13:30:00 GMT

The scriptures this week are on the theme of JOY, and today's scripture is Psalm 63 read by Shaiquan King. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for December 11, 2021, Read by Warren Gray

Sat, 11 Dec 2021 13:30:00 GMT

The scriptures this week are on the theme of PEACE, and today's scripture is Psalm 29 read by Warren Gray. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for December 10, 2021, Read by Aidan Martin

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 13:30:00 GMT

The scriptures this week are on the theme of PEACE, and today's scriptures are 2 Peter 1:3-9 and Psalm 1 read by Aidan Martin. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for December 9, 2021, Read by Rachel Tate Yattor

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 13:30:00 GMT

The scriptures this week are on the theme of PEACE, and today's scriptures are Luke 3:1-6, 19-20 and Luke 7:18-23 read by Rachel Tate Yattor. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for December 8, 2021, Read by Zoe Rascoe

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 13:30:00 GMT

The scriptures this week are on the theme of PEACE, and today's scriptures are Malachi 3:1-4 and John 1:67-79 read by Zoe Rascoe. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for December 7, 2021, Read by Bridget Jarrett

Tue, 07 Dec 2021 13:30:00 GMT

The scriptures this week are on the theme of PEACE, and today's scripture is Luke 1:5-20, 57-66 read by Bridget Jarrett. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for December 6, 2021, Read by John Jarrett

Mon, 06 Dec 2021 13:30:00 GMT

The scriptures this week are on the theme of PEACE, and today's scriptures are Psalm 18:25-33, Psalm 16:5-11, and Psalm 117 read by John Jarrett. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for December 5, 2021, Read by Ashley Gray

Sun, 05 Dec 2021 13:30:00 GMT

The scriptures this week are on the theme of PEACE, and today's scriptures are Psalm 122 and Psalm 148 read by Ashley Gray. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for December 4, 2021, Read by Terry Rascoe

Sat, 04 Dec 2021 13:30:00 GMT

The scriptures this week are on the theme of HOPE, and today's scriptures are Romans 5:1-11 and Romans 13:8-14 read by Terry Rascoe. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for December 3, 2021, Read by Gillian Kinney

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 13:30:00 GMT

The scriptures this week are on the theme of HOPE, and today's scripture is Psalm 33 read by Gillian Kinney. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for December 2, 2021, Read by Yvonne Eele

Thu, 02 Dec 2021 13:30:00 GMT

The scriptures this week are on the theme of HOPE, and today's scriptures are Romans 8:1-4 and Romans 15-28 read by Yvonne Eele. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for December 1, 2021, Read by Thomas Nichols

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 13:30:00 GMT

The scriptures this week are on the theme of HOPE, and today's scriptures are Isaiah 9:1-7 and Psalm 4:4-8 read by Thomas Nichols. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for November 30, 2021, Read by Theresa Whittington

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 13:30:00 GMT

The scriptures this week are on the theme of HOPE, and today's scripture is 2 Peter 3 read by Theresa Whittington. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for November 29, 2021, Read by Marcia Morehead

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 13:30:00 GMT

The scriptures this week are on the theme of HOPE, and today's scripture is Psalm 25 read by Marcia Morehead. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Advent Scripture for November 28, 2021, Read by Kevin Huddleston

Sun, 28 Nov 2021 13:30:00 GMT

After a brief introduction to the series by Warren Gray, Kevin Huddleston provides the first of the scriptures this week on the theme of HOPE. Today's scripture is Jeremiah 33:14-16 and Psalm 147:1-9. We hope you are blessed.

Music is “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, available on Bandcamp.

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Wrapping Up The Ten Words

Wed, 03 Nov 2021 12:30:00 GMT

In today’s episode Warren and Rachel give some final thoughts on our recent series covering the Ten Commandments, or “Ten Words.” They discuss some specifics of the final two commands before giving reflections, takeaways and concluding thoughts on the commandments and series as a whole. In the process they discuss how this series has been a reminder of the partnership aspect of covenants, the wisdom and relevance of Old Testament scriptures, and the intentionality that is required to pursue life in the Spirit.

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The Quilt of Scripture

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 12:30:00 GMT

Taking a break from the 'Ten Words' series, Warren is joined this week with friend and son of The Vine, Dr. David Kneip. David is a former member of The Vine and the son of former elder Bill & Cathy Kneip. He is also currently a professor and Associate Director of the Siburt Institute at Abilene Christian University. Warren and David discuss the literature of the Bible. Our Christian Bible is a collection of writings, letters, poetry and more — a collection that includes various genres of literature. So what genres do we find in our Bible? How does knowing more about the variety of literature we find in the Bible help us as we read and interact with Scripture? And how might we misread Scripture if we don’t recognize the variety that we find within the Bible? These questions and more can help Christians learn how to be better readers of the Bible.

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To Honor and Value Life

Wed, 06 Oct 2021 12:30:00 GMT

As The Vine continues its deep dive into the Ten Words, we have consistently encountered novel and insightful understandings of commands that previously seemed so simple, and this week is no different. Warren, Rachel, and Jason address the 5th and 6th Commandments: "Honor your father and mother," and "Do not kill." While seemingly straightforward, these two present some challenging questions: How do we honor people who may not always be honorable? What is the difference between honor and obey? What, if anything, does the command not to kill tell us about the value of life? The answers to these and many other questions are addressed in this episode, each with an of the different ways that people will understand the role of these commends in our lives.

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The Goodness of Christian Rest

Wed, 22 Sep 2021 12:30:00 GMT

This week Warren and Rachel discuss Sabbath in another episode that coincides with our current “Ten Words” sermon series. There’s much to talk about as it relates to the history, purpose and importance of Sabbath. So in this episode Warren and Rachel discuss more of the context of this command, Jewish thoughts and teachings about Sabbath and its physiological effects on our bodies, Jesus and the Sabbath, and more.

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On Images and Other Gods

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 12:30:00 GMT

The entire Vine Church has been studying the "Ten Words" (aka Ten Commandments) for the last three weeks, and the past two weeks have been diving into the first two words, drawn from Exodus 20:3-4. While it may be easy to dismiss these words as mostly irrelevant to modern Christians, they may be the most relevant and most easily broken. We are consistently tempted to place other priorities (i.e. gods) before Yahweh; we often construct an image of God to fit our purposes, putting God in a box that cannot contain Yahweh. Warren, Rachel, and Jason discuss these Words and difficult aspects that challenge us to continue turning back to the One True God.

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Introducing "Ten Words"

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 12:30:00 GMT

The podcast is back! This week’s episode features some introductory topics connected to our new comprehensive Sunday morning series, “Ten Words.” This series began on Sunday, August 22, and you can listen to the introductory sermon as part of Sunday’s service on our YouTube channel. But there’s plenty of material to think about at the outset of this series, so in this episode Warren, Rachel, and Terry cover some things that weren’t discussed on Sunday and also look ahead to the rest of the series. Topics include connections between “The Ten Commandments” and the creation narrative, covenantal language, the stone tablets that contained the “words” or commands and allusions to Jesus in Exodus and the rest of the Old Testament.

In two weeks, we will return with a discussion of the first two of the ten commandments.

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Sunday Morning - August 15, 2021 - Wisdom: Where Can It Be Found?

Sun, 15 Aug 2021 18:37:01 GMT

PROGRAMMING NOTE: Beginning next week (Sunday, August 22, 2021), The Vine Church will resume live-streaming worship services on YouTube, and future services will be viewable there. This podcast will continue to post the midweek discussion, now to be about 2-3 episodes per month, but the Sunday morning worship will be exclusively on The Vine Church YouTube channel.

As we begin to embark on a new school year, we think about wisdom and its pursuit. Drawing from Job 28, Rachel Tate Yattor, Family Life Resident at The Vine Church, this morning brings a message about the search for wisdom and pursuit of knowledge that is from God. What is the source? What does the pursuit look like for people? Real wisdom is not theoretical; it is actionable in daily life. It is a skill that must be practiced and may improve.

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Podcast Announcement

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 15:31:16 GMT

The mid-week podcast will be taking a short break and then returning with less frequent episodes.

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Sunday Morning - August 8, 2021 - Persistence: The Judge and the Widow

Sun, 08 Aug 2021 19:01:37 GMT

At the beginning of Luke 18, Jesus tells his disciples a story about why "they should always pray and not give up.” The story he then tells is one about a widow who keeps “bothering” a judge until he finally gives in and sees that she gets justice. It’s a story about persistence, but also a story that leads us to some questions. What does this story tell us about God? Where do we find him in a story about an unjust judge? And should we take this story to mean that God will give me anything I ask for if I simply keep bothering him? Or perhaps is there something deeper that Jesus wants us to learn about persistence, patience and justice?

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Combatting the Stigma of Personal Mental Health Care

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 12:30:00 GMT

Mental health is a topic that does not get much attention in churches. Spiritual health gets much attention, of course, and physical health is sometimes addressed, but churches and Christians have often been resistant to conversations about mental health, let alone advocating for mental health treatment. Some of this is attributed to the sometimes adversarial relationship that religion and science have had historically, but as we learn more about the integration of mind, body, and spirit, we're also learning that mental health care deserves the same attention in our churches.

For this week's discussion, Warren and Jason welcome Dr. Daniel Morehead to talk about the unnecessary stigma around mental health. I addition to being a psychiatrist with Tufts University, Dr. Morehead is also the son of The Vine's own Dave and Marcia Morehead. He recently wrote the book, Science over Stigma: Education and Advocacy for Mental Health, defending mental health treatment for everyone, even Christians. The conversation further addresses some of the resources that God provides, such as psychiatry and counseling, which are as important to our mental health as vaccines and regular check-ups are to our physical health. Finally, they discuss how good mental health can benefit our spiritual practice and vice-versa and why working with mental health professionals can be beneficial for anyone.

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Sunday Morning - August 1, 2021 - The Rich Man & Lazarus

Sun, 01 Aug 2021 22:53:17 GMT

In Luke 16 Jesus tells a parable about a rich man and a poor man. This is a unique parable for many reasons. The point of the story seems to be about God comforting someone who led a difficult life and was overlooked and neglected in his earthly life — including by a rich man whose gate he lived by. But the end of the story also encourages us to think about what would need to happen in order for us to make changes in our own lives.

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The Questions of Jesus

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 17:27:59 GMT

Many of Jesus’ parables are framed at the beginning or end by a question that he himself asks, and when you look at the entirety of Jesus’ ministry you find that question-asking was not confined to his parables. By one count Jesus is recorded as asking 307 questions over the course of the Gospel accounts. Examining and thinking about Jesus’ penchant for asking questions not only gives us some insight into the ways in which he taught and communicated, but it also invites us to consider how to go about doing the same things and encourages us to see the value and power in good questions.

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Sunday Morning - July 25, 2021 - The Wicked Tenants

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 00:35:45 GMT

In Matthew 21 Jesus tells a parable about “wicked” tenants. This parable is surrounded by an encounter Jesus has with a figless fig tree and his well-known Temple visit where he overturns tables and drives people out of the Temple courts. It’s a busy couple of days in Jerusalem! The parable — and the other stories that surround us, invite us to consider to what extent we have accepted Jesus’ vision of the Kingdom as well as the type of fruit that our lives are producing.

**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE PODCAST**

Continuing through the end of July 2021, the podcast will include two episodes a week. The first each week, usually on Sunday afternoon, will be a recording of the sermon from that day's worship service. This is in lieu of the live streaming and other online content we have had since March 2020. We want to resume the livestream later, perhaps as early as August 2021, but the livestream setup we had before now was unsustainable, so we plan to use the rest of the summer to create a plan that we can maintain for the long run.

The second podcast each week will be the regular podcast episode that you are used to, usually an interview or conversation. That will now be released on Wednesday morning each week.

So please enjoy today's sermon now, and come back on Wednesday morning for the regular podcast.

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A Parable Through the Ages

Wed, 21 Jul 2021 12:30:00 GMT

Some parables are difficult to grasp, which leads to numerous potential interpretations. Others have a message so simplistic and easily understood that it can be comprehended by young and old alike. Those parables invite us to consider how our understanding of the parable grows over time, how we teach the parable to our kids and the value of continuing to sit with parables that seem to be the most simplistic in meaning. In this episode Warren and Rachel, along with the help of a special guest, discuss what might be one of the easiest parables to “interpret” but one of the most difficult to fully live out.

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Sunday Morning - July 18, 2021 - Small: Stories about the Kingdom

Sun, 18 Jul 2021 18:42:25 GMT

In Matthew 13, Jesus tells a couple of stories in which he compares the kingdom of Heaven to a mustard seed and yeast. These stories are part of a continuing theme of imagining the kingdom as small and sometimes insignificant items. These stories are reminders that kingdom work and movement is often not seen in the grand and overwhelming, but in the small, consistent and mundane.

**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE PODCAST**

The second podcast each week will be the regular podcast episode that you are used to, usually an interview or conversation. That will now be released on Wednesday morning each week.

So please enjoy today's sermon now, and come back on Wednesday morning for the regular podcast.

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The Parable of the Shrewd Manager

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 12:30:00 GMT

The parables are interesting, inspiring, and often confusing. This week, Warren and Rachel are joined by Terry Rascoe to talk about one of Jesus's most enigmatic parables, The Parable of the Shrewd Manager in Luke 16. While many parables have clear parallels to God and His will for our lives, this parable is not so straightforward. What does Jesus want us to learn? What is the role of God in the parable? There do not appear to be clear answers, but Warren, Rachel, and Terry give it a shot, sharing differing opinions along the way.

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Sunday Morning - July 11, 2021 - Lost: Three Stories from Luke 15

Sun, 11 Jul 2021 17:57:58 GMT

In Luke 15, Jesus tells three stories that follow almost an identical pattern…until he gets to the very end of the third story. The parts of the three stories that match give us a picture of a loving, merciful and celebratory God. The ending of the third parable invites us to consider how we view God acting in such a way toward others. Themes of love, celebrations, forgiveness, what was lost being found, etc. are prevalent in these stories.

**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE PODCAST**

The second podcast each week will be the regular podcast episode that you are used to, usually an interview or conversation. That will now be released on Wednesday morning each week.

So please enjoy today's sermon now, and come back on Wednesday morning for the regular podcast.

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Bible Translation & Refugee Ministry

Wed, 07 Jul 2021 12:30:00 GMT

This week Rachel interviews two of her friends from school about their unique work for the kingdom of God. Although they are currently in the United States to visit family and eat tacos, Aaron & Grace serve very different yet connected ministries in Milan, Italy. They felt called to minister with people who are as far removed from main stream Christianity as you can possibly be in our world. While Aaron works with refugees in Italy, Grace works to translate the Bible into languages that have never had God's Word. Rachel talks with them about these unique opportunities and how the work is both a challenge and a blessing.

If you want to learn more about the work that Aaron and Grace are doing and contribute to their support, visit them at Pioneer Bible Translators.

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Sunday Morning - July 4, 2021 - Ted Lasso, Jesus & Stories

Sun, 04 Jul 2021 18:18:26 GMT

Today we begin a new series entitled "Stories As Told By Jesus." This series will be a look at the stories Jesus told, stories that we call "parables." Parables can sometimes be frustrating and inscrutable, but they are also clever ways to reveal God’s Kingdom in various layers that can speak to differently to people with different levels of spiritual growth. In this first installment in the series, Warren helps us to understand how to approach understanding the parables with a simple quote of Walt Whitman, by way of Ted Lasso: “ Be curious, not judgmental.”

**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE PODCAST**

The second podcast each week will be the regular podcast episode that you are used to, usually an interview or conversation. That will now be released on Wednesday morning each week.

So please enjoy today's sermon now, and come back on Wednesday morning for the regular podcast.

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Getting to Know Zeke Payne

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 12:30:00 GMT

This week, Rachel sits down for a conversation with longtime Vine member, Vine youth member, and recent addition to the Vine worship team, Zeke Payne. They discuss Zeke’s passion for music and theater as well as the connections between developing compassion and empathy for the characters on stage and learning to do so for others in life. He also talks about favorite memories from the Vine and how his faith has been shaped and has led him into is own relationship with Christ.

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Sunday Morning - June 27, 2021 - Rachel Tate Yattor

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 20:00:18 GMT

On Sunday, June 27, while Warren was out, The Vine Church was blessed to have Rachel Tate Yattor, Family Life Resident at The Vine, bring a sermon about the false starts we often have in life. Whether due to our own unpreparedness, our hubris, or the random challenges we face in life, we frequently are frustrated with failures and difficulty making progress. But God provides us with the grace to start anew.

**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE PODCAST**

The second podcast each week will be the regular podcast episode that you are used to, usually an interview or conversation. That will now be released on Wednesday morning each week.

So please enjoy today's sermon now, and come back on Wednesday morning for the regular podcast.

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Getting to Know Rod Backus

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 19:09:22 GMT

Rod Backus has not been attending at The Vine Church for very long, but he has become an encouraging joyful presence in the short time he has been at the church. But as Rod tells in this episode, he has not always had that joy or encouragement. Warren interviews Rod about his journey through alcoholism, being a "dry drunk," and looking for God in all the wrong places, before coming to know the one true God.

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Sunday Morning - June 21, 2021 - Dave Morehead

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 00:20:06 GMT

**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE PODCAST**

Beginning today and continuing through the end of July 2021, the podcast will include two episodes a week. The first each week, usually on Sunday afternoon, will be a recording of the sermon from that day's worship service. This is in lieu of the live streaming and other online content we have had since March 2020. We want to resume the livestream later, perhaps as early as August 2021, but the livestream setup we had before now was unsustainable, so we plan to use the rest of the summer to create a plan that we can maintain for the long run.

The second podcast each week will be the regular podcast episode that you are used to, usually an interview or conversation. That will now be released on Wednesday morning each week.

So please enjoy today's sermon now, and come back on Wednesday morning for the regular podcast.

This morning, Dr. Dave Morehead fills in while Warren is on vacation. A long-time member and former elder of The Vine, Dr. Morehead brings a message about the power of God's love for us as our Father, on this Father's Day Sunday.

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Perspectives on Reading & Interpreting the Bible

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 12:30:00 GMT

Studying the Bible can be a challenging endeavor, especially when we attempt to look for historical facts to justify the scripture, but is that really as helpful as we think? In this week’s podcast, Warren and Jason welcome a guest to discuss the Bible and how we study the Bible, for better or worse. Dr. Dale Martin has been a New Testament scholar for many years, most recently he retired as the Woolsey Professor of Religious Studies at Yale University in 2018. He is the author of many books, most recently, Biblical Truths: The Meaning of Scripture in the Twenty-first Century. He also happens to be Jason’s uncle. Dale’s career was built on understanding the history of the Bible and how that may or may not align with tradition or even what the Bible itself says. Yet, he has found faith and truth in the words & meaning of the Bible that transcends whatever historical inaccuracies we might apply.

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Reading the Verbs

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 12:15:00 GMT

If you've ever deeply studied and meditated a passage of scripture, you know that it is very easy to get lost in the language, nouns, verbs, and adjectives of scripture. Today, Warren, Rachel, and Jason do just that, focusing specifically on the verbs. Inspired by the book, Rehearsing Scripture: Discovering God’s Word in Community by Anna Carter Florence, they take a deep look at the verbs of Colossians 3:1-17 to get at the heart of the action and the being of the words. Follow along with this study, and then perhaps look to apply this technique to your own individual Bible study.

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Embracing Mystery

Mon, 31 May 2021 20:40:14 GMT

What has been revealed to us about the Kingdom of God is amazing, but there are plenty of mysteries and unanswered questions. While the scriptures seem to contain many mysteries, the more important mysteries might be the roles that Christians are called to play on earth. Drawing upon Colossians 1:24 - 2:3, Warren, Rachel, and Jason discuss what God's mysteries mean to us, how we may explore these mysteries in ways that are edifying and encouraging to each other.

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Humor in the Bible

Mon, 24 May 2021 18:13:43 GMT

Most people might not look at the Bible, particularly the Old Testament, and see it as a book of comedy, but Warren and Rachel aren't "most people." In this week's episode they talk about various humorous stories mostly from the Old Testament, but they also look at the humor that Jesus often brought to his teachings. God calls his people to be people of joy, which sometimes means looking for humor, laughter, and joyful perspectives in places and situations we may not expect.

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Cosmic Community of Colossae

Mon, 17 May 2021 12:08:00 GMT

Paul's letters to various churches have a wide range of purposes, exhortations, challenges, and encouragements. But they all have a spirit of love and concern. As The Vine Church embarks on a new sermon series about Colossians, Warren, Rachel, and Jason kick things off with a discussion about the opening verses of the letter. Paul's greetings and encouragements gives some clues about who may be writing, who they are writing to, and how we in our age may learn about community through the lens of a first-century church.

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Rightly Named Israel

Mon, 10 May 2021 12:30:00 GMT

We have been discussing lately about Jacob and the contentious relationships with some of his closest family members. Deception, manipulation, and selfishness are major components of his history. Yet, God was faithful to Jacob and his family. In a mysterious event, Jacob wrestles with the angel and receives a new name: Israel, a name by which a nation of people would be known, God’s people. In this final episode of the series, Warren, Jason, and Rachel discuss the lessons of Jacob’s personal journey and how no matter what others think of us, we can choose our own way.

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The Integrity of Jacob

Mon, 03 May 2021 12:30:00 GMT

The story of Jacob is a difficult one to digest. In almost all of the stories of Jacob's life, there is an element of deception, either Jacob deceiving others, usually his own family members, or those same family members manipulating or deceiving him. Even Jacob's birth seems to hint at this deception, with Jacob grabbing onto the heal of his brother Esau. In this podcast, Warren goes it alone to talk about deception and how Jacob could have embraced the role of the "sly fox," deciding to lean into the role that see,Ed destined for him. But he does not. In a plot twist that no one sees coming, Jacob deals justly with his uncle, Laben, whom has deceived Jacob, and demonstrates that we don't have to live down to the expectations of others. We can choose to rise to the expectations that God has for us.

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A Well, a Rock, and Weeping: When Rachel met Jacob

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 12:30:00 GMT

You think you know the love story of Jacob and Rachel? Think again. In this follow-up to Sunday’s sermon, Warren and Rachel talk about Genesis 29 and some aspects of the story of Jacob and Rachel that can be easy to miss. From feats of strength to the presumed smell of a shepherdess, they dissect at the significance of meeting at a well and the possibilities of Laban’s ulterior motives.

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Heritage of Faith

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 12:30:00 GMT

Warren is joined first by Rachel to discuss the story of Jacob and some of the challenging aspects of what we know about him, both challenging for him and for us. Later he is joined by Terry Rascoe to discuss Jacob's father Isaac. As one of the Ancient Fathers who tends to get less attention, they unearth some interesting conclusions about Isaac and what those conclusions may mean for those who followed.

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Do Everything in the Name

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 12:30:00 GMT

In another installment of “Getting to know,” Rachel interviews a member of The Vine Youth, Regan Martin. In addition to being a member of The Vine youth group, Regan is also a sophomore and a member of the Belton Magic Belles dance and drill team at Belton High School. Rachel and Regan talk about what it takes to be a dancer, a mentor, and a person of faith. They talk about the challenges of pursuing difficult objectives, as well as dance as an expression of faith.

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Answering the Call

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 12:30:00 GMT

During her time at Baylor, Rachel was blessed to be mentored by a woman who had been in the mission field and was studying for church ministry. This week Rachel interviews her friend and mentor, Jamie McCallum. Jamie is the pastor at Belfair Community Church in Belfair, WA, and she has served as a missionary in Egypt. Rachel interviews her about ministering in a rural area of the United States that is generally unchurched and new to Christianity. They also talk about Jamie's call into ministry and missions and how being a woman in ministry has had its unique challenges and rewards, in both her personal and professional life.

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Fortson Update about Neema Village

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 12:30:00 GMT

Warren is joined this week by Michael and Dorris Fortson. The Fortsons are members at The Vine, but they spend most of their time in Arusha, Tanzania as the co-founders and co-directors of Neema Village, a home for infants in need. They provide an update not only on how they got started with Neema but also the amazingly diverse ways they continue to grow their ministry to the babies, their mothers, and the families. The Fortsons show what it truly means to use a servant’s heart to do the will of God. For more information and to help out, visit neemavillage.org.

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Pillars of Lent

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 11:30:00 GMT

This week Rachel and Warren continue the discussion about Lent, focusing on one of the pillars of Lent, prayer. In Matthew 6:5-8, Jesus calls out the purpose of prayer and problems with using prayer for the wrong purposes. As we strive in Lent to fast for the purpose of growing closer to God, our focus of prayer should reflect that sacrifice: sacrifice our ego, our ambitions, our wealth. These matters cannot be the focus of our prayer, but often it is. Prayer, as with all of life, is to be done to the glory of God. Rachel and Warren discuss the challenges of doing so and ways to keep the focus on God.

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Learning to See

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 13:30:00 GMT

In what could be another installment of the “Getting to Know” series, Warren sits down with long-time member of The Vine, Maxine Huddleston. While they don’t talk as much about Maxine’s life and faith, the discussion focuses more on art and how Maxine uses art to serve God and others. In terms of how she draws and paints, Maxine describes herself as more of a technician than a creative. She “copies” photos or other art, infusing it with her own touches. The conversation demonstrates how an artist must see in their mind what they want to see on the canvas. Such is the same with our lives. As an artist working to paint on canvas, we too are tasked to learn to see.

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He saw everything clearly

Mon, 01 Mar 2021 13:30:00 GMT

Christians understand that Jesus is the role model for our mission and purpose in life. He presented a perfect model for how we are to submit to God, serve others, and humble ourselves. Both in big ways and small, we should strive to live out the Spirit of Jesus. But even his closest companions struggled to understand the nature of Jesus and how to model his example. In this week’s podcast, Warren and Rachel draw upon Mark 8 to wrestle with the vision that God through Jesus brought to the world. The disciples were touched by Jesus during his lifetime, but many of them did not really get the point until much later. Only later were they able to see everything clearly. This episode asks how we might be able to see Jesus more clearly allowing ourselves to be continually influenced, not just once but with new eyes each day.

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Getting to Know Yvonne Eele

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 21:45:46 GMT

In our Getting to Know You series where we reach for closeness with Vine members, Rachel Tate Yattor interviews Yvonne Eele who has been worshipping with The Vine for nearly a decade. Yvonne shares insight about the power of connecting with God through his creation, trusting God's justice and mercy even in the bad times, and learning to forgive. We believe this conversation will be a blessing for you.

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Embracing the Spirit of Lent

Mon, 15 Feb 2021 13:30:00 GMT

The Lenten season may be foreign to many Vine members, but it has much to offer Christians who choose to connect with God in a deeper way, setting aside the weights of the present to embrace the love, forgiveness, and undeserved grace that the Cross provides. As we encounter Lent this week, Warren, Rachel, and Jason discuss the ways that Christians can take advantage of this season to refocus themselves and set their sights on matters of God, even if Lent has never been a point of connection for some in the past.

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Getting to Know Carol Johnson

Mon, 08 Feb 2021 13:30:00 GMT

This week the podcast continues a series of episodes that help listeners get to know various members of The Vine Church who haven't been on the podcast but have interesting stories to tell. Rachel interviews Carol Johnson about her life. Carol has lived in numerous states and raised a family while owning a business. She also helped care for her husband in the final years of his life, until his death two years ago, and learned how to rely on God's grace and comfort.

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Walk in Love Uganda

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 13:30:00 GMT

In today’s episode, Warren talks with The Vine’s own Sherry Caffey. Sherry’s daughter Kelly and son-in-law Matt are co-directors of Walk In Love Uganda, and Sherry recently took a trip to Uganda to visit family and get a first-hand look at their work there. After beginning this work in Uganda with one plan in mind, Matt and Kelly had to quickly shift gears in light of COVID restrictions in Uganda. Over the course of the conversation Sherry gives some details about Walk In Love’s revised efforts during “COVID season” while also sharing personal reflections on her trip and the difficulties of being separated from family for such long stretches of time. Along the way Sherry and Warren also talk about the importance of knowing your mission and purpose, Indian food, and reasons why support and encouragement matter so much to those working in foreign mission efforts.

For more information on Walk In Love, you can like their Facebook page (Walk in love - Uganda), visit walkinloveinternational.org or donate to their ministry at donorbox.org/monthly-donors-14 (you can specify “Ugandan Programs” in the dropdown menu).

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Why Parables?

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 13:42:00 GMT

Perhaps Jesus's favorite and most confounding teaching tool is the parable. He uses parables to help demonstrate the tangibility and reality of God's Kingdom on Earth. But despite their presumed accessibility, parables continue to be some of the most confusing and controversial aspects of his teachings. Why did Jesus choose such methods? What should we be looking for in his parables so many centuries later? In this episode, Warren and Rachel preview an upcoming sermon series by asking such questions and touching on the intense depth of what can sometimes seem like simple stories. They are found to be anything but simple.

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Why We Gather

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 20:51:08 GMT

One of the lessons learned over the last year is that gathering virtually online, which not the same as in person, can have its benefits and create some real spiritual connection, even when we are not physically together. Online worship and offerings have also create a unique experience that has its own benefits and opportunities. Taken to an extreme, some might begin to wonder, "Why do we need to get together in person in the first place?" Warren, Rachel, and Terry Rascoe gather online in this episode to address that question and look at how gathering in person benefits the Church, even as online, virtual gatherings becoming more common and beneficial. They then discuss new plans at The Vine Church to develop additional outdoor spaces for safe, in-person gatherings.

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Struggling with New Year Resolutions

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 18:38:07 GMT

Warren and Jason discuss the merits and drawbacks of New Year Resolutions, and Jason recommends an alternative, The Theme System. They then discuss what 1 John has to say about revisiting something you have already known. At the beginning of the year, we often want to reexamine our life, our habits, and perhaps even our beliefs. John writes about "a new command that is actually an old command." That seems to imply that we should revisit what we think we know and consider if we should see those matters with new, more mature eyes. As we enter a new year, now may be a good time to examine ourselves in that way.

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Let Us Raise Our Ebenezer!

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 13:30:00 GMT

We have closed out the year 2020, a year that was very different for everyone than anyone could imagine going into it. While we do not know what 2021 will bring (and while we're still grappling with the effects of 2020), we are thankful for God leading us through such a year. 1 Samuel tells of God leading the Israelites through a difficult time as well, and while there was much struggle and heartache, God's help was evident, symbolized by raising an Ebenezer (or "stone of help"). At the dawn of this new year, Warren and Rachel take a moment to discuss how God has helped. We can't say it was a year that went well, but God's hand was evident in various ways as we navigated its trials. So, how should we think about the role of God in guiding us through? Where have we experienced God's help this year? Rachel and Warren give us their account and encourage us all to do examine our year in such a way.

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The Vine Church Virtual Christmas Pageant – Director's Commentary

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 13:30:00 GMT

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 brought many unexpected changes for everyone. For The Vine Church in Temple, TX, one such change was the decision to produce a virtual pageant. What resulted is a wondrous, joyful celebration of God's Love, reminding us that even in times of uncertainty and fear, God is still there to care for us. In this episode of the podcast, Warren and Jason discuss this event and much of the challenges and joys that went into making it. From discussing concerns about reverence for the nativity to the incredible joy in watching families in isolation pull together such an event, they also discuss the role that art & artistic expression play in worship and our spiritual lives.

Watch “Do Not Be Afraid – The Vine Church Virtual Christmas Pageant”

Music in this episode:

“I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” by John Hatfield

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The Music of Advent

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 13:30:00 GMT

In continuing the conversation about Advent, Warren and Jason are thrilled to have a special guest on this episode, John Hatfield. John is Music and Associate pastor at Ecclesia Clear Lake Church in League City Texas. He previously served as worship leader at Clear Lake United Methodist Church, when Jason was a member there. In this episode, the three of them discuss the ways that music can help shape our advent experience, helping provide the spiritual preparation for the season. They also discuss the value of the church calendar for spiritual development and debate the merits of Whataburger versus In-N-Out Burger.

Go here for more information about John's Hymnistry Podcast. If you would like more information about John and his music, or to purchase his music, visit his page on Bandcamp.

Music for this episode: “Hope is Here” by John Hatfield, Hope is Here - EP (used with permission)

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The Meaning of Advent

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 05:28:00 GMT

As we enter the second week of Advent, Warren and Jason are joined by friend of The Vine, Michael Van Huis, to discuss the meaning of Advent and what it means to each of them, each of whom grew up in faith traditions that didn't really observe advent but have since come to appreciate the benefit and meaning in observing Advent. From Michael's experience with adoption to the concepts of hope, waiting, and preparation, they explore different unappreciated aspects of this season in the Christian calendar.

Music for this episode: “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” by John Hatfield, Peace EP

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Returning to Thanks

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 13:30:00 GMT

How does gratitude and thankfulness change our perception? Gratitude isn't merely an effect of having received a blessing. It is a blessing itself that continues to offer joy and the ability to see more of what we have to be grateful for. Awareness is a key. Rachel is joined on this week's episode by Marcia Morehead to discuss the important intentionality of gratitude, and how that intentionality helps shape our faith and perspective on life. They also discuss three domains of thankfulness that can help our gratitude in any season of life.

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To Be Truly Thankful

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 01:30:00 GMT

With this being the week of Thanksgiving in the United States, this episode is a conversation about what it means to be truly thankful. How much thankfulness should we have? Should we be thankful for only the good things and the things we appreciate, or is there more to it? While looking at 1st Timothy 4:1-6 and 1st Corinthians 10:27-30, Warren, Rachel, and Jason talk about the depth of thankfulness that can reap benefits throughout the year.

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Meaning of Confession

Mon, 16 Nov 2020 13:30:00 GMT

This week, Warren continues the occasional series on confession by speaking with two individuals from very different backgrounds about what confession means to them. First, Warren interviews Vine Church member Bridget Jarrett about what confession means to her as someone who grew up as a very devout Catholic, regularly practicing the sacrament of penance & reconciliation, as confession is formally known. Then Warren is joined by Rylan Scott, Pastor of Students at Houston Northwest Church. Although Northwest is a predominantly white, Baptist church, Rylan grew up in a predominantly black church in Houston that was steeped in the charismatic, Pentecostal faith tradition. As such, he learned the role of emotional and spiritual expression in confession. These two very different perspectives help continue to paint a technicolor tapestry of confession and the role it can play in Christian faith.

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Prayers for the Nation

Mon, 09 Nov 2020 13:30:00 GMT

This is a different podcast than we have done before. In light of the recent election and the divisive political process that played throughout our country, we thought it appropriate to lift up in prayer the leaders and people of our country. We know we are called to be part of the Kingdom of God, first and foremost, but that doesn't mean we often don't get caught up in the distress of earthly nations. In this episode, the elders of The Vine, Terry Rascoe, Kevin Huddleston, Bill Kneip, and Jason Martin, each offer prayers for our nation, asking God for healing, discernment, humility, and peace.

We would also love to hear your own prayers for our nation. We ask that the prayers stay away from partisan politics, as we are seeking to bring unity and peace and a reminder that our primary allegiance is to the Kingdom of God. If you wish to share prayers of your own , please either type it out or record the audio and email it to Warren. We may share the prayers offered to our listeners in the future. (Let us know if you would rather us not share yours.)

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Five People from the Bible

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 22:26:01 GMT

NOTE: A previously posted version of this episode had a gap in audio. That issue has been corrected, and this version of the episode is complete. Apologies for the mistake.

There are so many compelling and fascinating stories, perspectives and voices amongst the people we meet in Scripture. If you could sit down for a meal with just five of them, who would you choose? In this week’s episode, Warren, Rachel and Jason consider that very question as they each “draft" a list of five individuals from Scripture with whom they would like to share a meal. This conversation is an attempt to get us thinking about our approach to Scripture and questions we have about God, faith and the Bible in a fun, light-hearted manner. The “draft choices” end up reflecting not only the wide variety of people in Scripture but also the various strategies and goals with which each of the drafters builds their list. We hope you enjoy this approach to the conversation, and we’d love to hear your feedback on the format and on our lists!

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Confession within Community

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 12:30:00 GMT

Continuing the series on confession, Warren, Rachel, and Jason discuss The role of confession, both private and public, in our spiritual development and Christian community. Confession can be challenging, painful, and difficult, but we emerge from the experience better people and better Christians. The comparison is made to that of pruning a tree, cutting back what appeared to be healthy and vibrant branches in order for the tree overall to grow stronger and healthier. It's a painful process, but God calls us to do so for our betterment.

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The Healing Nature of Confession

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 12:30:00 GMT

Continuing a conversation begun on the podcast a couple of weeks ago, Warren, Jason, and Rachel discuss the practice of spiritual confession as a healing activity and one that is challenging to understand and difficult to practice. But confession can play a role in the life and relationships of Christians, at times calling us to forgiveness and reconciliation and other times to humility and self-reflection.

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Ministering To Those In Crisis

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 12:30:00 GMT

This week Warren and Rachel talk with special guest Paula Taylor from the Sulphur Christian Community Coalition in Sulphur, Louisiana. In today’s episode Paula shares from her experience serving a hurting community as we talk about ministering to communities and individuals in crisis. The past few years have seen a number of powerful storms and hurricanes knock out entire communities, and recently Sulphur, Louisiana, has been hit especially hard. This weekend Paula and others in Sulphur had to evacuate from their home for Hurricane Delta while still recovering from damage caused by Hurricane Laura. After Hurricane Laura made landfall on August 27, Paula and SC3 jumped headlong into cleanup and relief, ministering to their community in the midst of crisis. As we talk and think about disaster relief and crisis management, we also consider how lessons learned in those areas can help us encourage, support and love those who may be grieving or struggling in our own lives.

For more information on SC3, you can visit sulphurccc.org.

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Confession: An Introduction

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 12:30:00 GMT

In this episode, Warren, Rachel, and Jason begin a series of conversations about confession. While confessing one’s sins has long been part of the Christian tradition, we often struggle with how to implement it effectively in our modern lives. Is confession purely about telling the church about your sins, or is there a greater benefit? In what will be an ongoing topic, they discuss the healing benefits of confession and how modern Christians might be able to use confession even to heal generational wounds.

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What we will miss (and what we want to retain)

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 12:30:00 GMT

As we prepare to return to in-person worship on October 11, Warren, Rachel, and Jason reflect on the online worship experience and what we might actually miss from online worship. They also discuss how we can use the lessons learned to make our worship experience on Sunday morning more inclusive and possibly more edifying going forward.

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Intro to Leviticus – Seriously, Give It a Shot

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 12:30:00 GMT

In conjunction with our upcoming sermon series, today’s podcast is an introductory look at the book of Leviticus. Leviticus is an oft overlooked book full of insight into God, his love for his people and his desire for people to live in holy community with him and each other. Today Warren Gray, Rachel Tate Yattor and Terry Rascoe discuss the importance of Leviticus within the Jewish scriptures and thought, potential misnomers about the book and even its title, and more. Along the way Warren and Rachel also reveal their lack of knowledge of a prominent American film maker, and Terry calls out the elephant in the room related to the name of our upcoming sermon series — all while beginning to think about the question “Why is it important for us to study this book?”

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Greetings and Salutations

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 11:00:00 GMT

Note: We have decided to no longer post the Sunday morning sermon to the podcast for the time being because the entire service can be found on The Vine’s YouTube channel.

How we greet each other doesn’t get much attention. Whether it’s “hello” or “how are you” we tend to offer token niceties before getting into the heart of our communication. And at first glance, Paul’s letters seem to have similar niceties before getting to the heart of his messages, but that perception probably ignores much of the way that Paul extends love and care to early Christians while providing loving correction and discipline. Warren and Rachel take a look at the greetings in many of Paul’s letter’s and discuss how we can learn the purpose, value, and importance of greetings, particularly when we are attempting to share the love of Christ.

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Back to School

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 12:48:00 GMT

Note: We have decided to no longer post the Sunday morning sermon to the podcast for the time being because the entire service can be found on The Vine’s YouTube channel.

It’s a “back to school” time like none we have seen before as teachers, administrators, students and parents gear up for school during the time of COVID. This week we talk to a college professor, public school educator and high school senior to get each of their unique perspectives on the challenges and opportunities ahead of them, and we also discuss the places where we as people of faith can find kingdom work in this unique circumstance.

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Overcoming Unbelief

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 12:45:00 GMT

Note: We have decided to no longer post the Sunday morning sermon to the podcast for the time being because the entire service can be found on The Vine’s YouTube channel.

In today’s podcast, Warren and Jason discuss the story of a man bringing his spirit-possessed son to Jesus in Mark 9:14-29. As we read the story, it’s easy to imagine the ways in which this man would be someone struggling with doubt, fear, anger and pain. One can envision the ways in which his words come from a place of brokenness and despair. His final words in the story are as relatable as they are contradictory on a surface level — “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief.” In discussing this passage, Jason and Warren talk about faith, belief, prayer and the ways in which we are equipped to move forward in times of uncertainty.

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Place of Prayer

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 07:01:55 GMT

Note: We have decided to no longer post the Sunday morning sermon to the podcast for the time being because the entire service can be found on The Vine’s YouTube channel.

Prayer is such an essential part of the Christian lifestyle, but it is becoming increasingly more difficult for Christians to practice prayer in a regular or normative way of life. In today’s podcast, Warren and Rachel discuss the discipline of prayer that keeps the spirit nimble and resilient. They discuss the struggles with the language of prayer, our inadequacies with prayer, and how the physical space may or may not be important. In a world and society often devalues activities that may not have a tangible outcome, prayer may be the single greatest tool to helping Christians remained focused on faith in God to lead us through times of darkness and ground us in times of joy.

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Introducing Rachel Tate Yattor

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 14:56:51 GMT

Note: We have decided to no longer post the Sunday morning sermon to the podcast for the time being because the entire service can be found on The Vine’s YouTube channel.

Rachel Tate Yattor will soon begin work as the new Family Life Resident at The Vine Church. She and her husband, Hezekiah, come to The Vine from Kenya where Hezekiah grew up and Rachel has been living for the past 4 years. Jason and Warren spend this episode of the podcast getting to know Rachel better and hearing about her experience in the Kenyan culture and how they will adapt to American culture. They discuss race, wedding planning, Kenyan food, and other unique aspects of Rachel’s bi-cultural life and how that informs her ministry.

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Mode of Operation

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 12:30:00 GMT

The Vine Church has now been meeting online (aside from 2 weeks in June) for 22 weeks. What have we learned? What has it been like? What opportunities has this presented? On today’s podcast, Warren and Jason reflect on the online worship experience. Because worshiping online has been our standard “mode of operation” for quite some time now, we take time to check in on how we are engaging with and worshiping online, what we miss about in-person gatherings and lessons we might have picked up along the way. We’d love to hear how others have experienced online worship and hear your personal reflections on some of what we discuss in this episode.

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Open Our Eyes

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 17:25:44 GMT

For the full worship service, including video of the service, visit The Vine Church on YouTube.

Series Description: There are a lot of conversations in our culture right now about when, if and how certain places, businesses and organizations should “open.” In a season when everything seems disorienting, distanced, confusing and more — in a time when so much is “closed” — how do we continue to be the church and live out our faith? This series will explore some conversations around that question, including questions specifically related to things we typically do communally as a church family in worship, and will hopefully help each of us to examine what it looks like to be a disciple and part of the church today.

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Blessings of the Traveler

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 00:13:47 GMT

Jason isn't on the podcast this week, but Warren is joined by Santiago Casas. Santiago is the son of immigrants whose journey has led him to pursue a love for travel and a path to US citizenship. Santiago’s perspective on travel and his own journey to citizenship serves as a continuation of a desire to hear from diverse voices, recognizing that truth is not contained to each individuals experiences and perspective. The conversation covers topics ranging from tacos to hitchhikers. There are also themes woven into this episode that have been part of other conversations we have engaged at The Vine, including the ways in which exposure to other people, cultures and locations can help us to be more open-minded and partake in the benefits of gratitude.

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The Church is Open

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 22:46:16 GMT

For the full worship service, including video of the service, visit The Vine Church on YouTube.

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Science and Faith

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 06:21:57 GMT

Despite the fact that God has created the natural work and ways that we can learn about it, there sometimes appears to be an aversion to science and scientific fact within some faith communities. We are troubled when science does not fit a particular narrative of faith that we may have taken as truth. But is science and faith do not have to be in opposition. Science can give credence to what we believe in God and doesn't have to stand in opposition to faith. This week, Jason and Warren are joined by two guests who work in science and live by faith. They talk about how science and faith work together and enhance each other in their lives.

Dr. Terry Rascoe is a family Physician and formerly the Vice Chair of Dept. Family Medicine at Baylor Scott and White Hospital in Temple, TX. He has 30 years in primary care medicine and currently serves as the Chair of the Department of Telemedicine at Baylor Scott & White. He has been a member of The Vine Church in Temple for many years, and he currently serves the church as an elder.

Dr. Giuli Krug is the founding program director of the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, TX. She previously taught occupational therapy at the University of Missouri – Columbia for several years before coming to UMHB in 2017. Giuli attends The Vista Community Church in Temple. She is married and has three young adult children.

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I am the Vine

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 02:38:30 GMT

For the full worship service, including video of the service, visit The Vine Church on YouTube.

Series Description: In the book of John Jesus makes seven “I am” statements, and we learn different things about Jesus in the ways that he describes himself. But we also learn about how our relationship is to be shaped and formed by the knowledge and understanding of those descriptions. In Jesus’ seven “I am” statements we not only learn a great deal about who he is, we learn a great deal about who we are called to be as well. We find comfort, peace and hope in these statements while also being challenged, called and equipped for service.

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What is truth?

Tue, 21 Jul 2020 12:30:00 GMT

As part of Sunday’s worship we mainly focused on the “way” portion of Jesus’ statement “I am the way, the truth and the life.” In today’s episode we pick up with the next part of that statement in a conversation about truth, Jesus’ identity as truth and the challenges that arise from discussing and understanding the concept of truth.

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I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life

Mon, 20 Jul 2020 22:47:38 GMT

For the full worship service, including video of the service, visit The Vine Church on YouTube.

Series Description: In the book of John Jesus makes seven “I am” statements, and we learn different things about Jesus in the ways that he describes himself. But we also learn about how our relationship is to be shaped and formed by the knowledge and understanding of those descriptions. In Jesus’ seven “I am” statements we not only learn a great deal about who he is, we learn a great deal about who we are called to be as well. We find comfort, peace and hope in these statements while also being challenged, called and equipped for service.

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Misunderstanding Jesus

Tue, 14 Jul 2020 12:30:00 GMT

In today’s midweek podcast, Warren and Jason begin with a discussion of a recurring trend in John’s Gospel. There’s a pattern that emerges in the conversations John records where Jesus and the other person in the conversation are either talking about different things (spiritual vs. worldly) or the “other person” simply doesn’t understand what Jesus is talking about. What can we take or learn from that, and what might John be communicating to his readers by continually pointing this out about Jesus’ conversations?

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I Am the Resurrection and the Life

Mon, 13 Jul 2020 23:28:07 GMT

For the full worship service, including video of the service, visit The Vine Church on YouTube.

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Race and the Church: Part 2

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 12:58:00 GMT

This week’s podcast episode is the second part of a two-part conversation on “Race And The Church.” In today’s episode, Warren and Jason are joined again by two of the three guests from part 1 to hear about their experiences, stories and perspectives as black Christians in America. As our country grapples with issues around race and racism, we hope these conversations will be informative and insightful regarding the ways in which those conversations specifically play out within a church context. Churches remain one of the most segregated spaces in American life, and that can create issues and — in the words of our guests — “dissonance” within many Christians. Some of the challenges and issues created by this reality are obvious, but others are more subtle and nuanced. We hope you’ll take time to listen, reflect and join us in considering how the church can offer helpful voices, perspectives and initiatives as we collectively move forward.Chris Daughtery is the author of the book entitled From Boys to Gentlemen and founder of a mentoring program of the same name dedicated to developing life skills for at risk kids. His book is a tool for healing child parent relationships. He is a motivational speaker, husband, and father of 4 boys. He lives in Abilene, Texas.Tomishia Williams is originally from Bermuda, but she now lives in Temple, Texas and has been a regular member of The Vine Church for almost 4 years. Raised outside of the US and as a Muslim, Tomishia’s spiritual journey and experiences with race and the church provide a unique perspective that challenges American notions of what it means to practice their faith.

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I am the Good Shepherd

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 04:07:48 GMT

For the full worship service, including video of the service, visit The Vine Church on YouTube.

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Race and the Church: Part 1

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 03:47:02 GMT

This week’s podcast episode is the first part of a two-part conversation on “Race And The Church.” In today’s episode, Warren and Jason are joined by three guests to hear about their experiences, stories and perspectives as black Christians in America. As our country grapples with issues around race and racism, we hope these conversations will be informative and insightful regarding the ways in which those conversations specifically play out within a church context. Churches remain one of the most segregated spaces in American life, and that can create issues and — in the words of our guests — “dissonance” within many Christians. Some of the challenges and issues created by this reality are obvious, but others are more subtle and nuanced. We hope you’ll take time to listen, reflect and join us in considering how the church can offer helpful voices, perspectives and initiatives as we collectively move forward.Chris Daughtery is the author of the book entitled From Boys to Gentlemen and founder of a mentoring program of the same name dedicated to developing life skills for at risk kids. His book is a tool for healing child parent relationships. He is a motivational speaker, husband, and father of 4 boys. He lives in Abilene, Texas.Dr. Jude Austin is currently an Assistant Professor in the Professional Counseling Program at the University of Mary Hardin Baylor. He is also in private practice in Temple, Texas, working with individuals, couples, and families. His research focuses on finding ways to help counseling students develop therapeutic presence in session. He is also the co-author of numerous books about counselor self-care and counselor educator.Tomishia Williams is originally from Bermuda, but she now lives in Temple, Texas and has been a regular member of The Vine Church for almost 4 years. Raised outside of the US and as a Muslim, Tomishia’s spiritual journey and experiences with race and the church provide a unique perspective that challenges American notions of what it means to practice their faith.

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I am the Door

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 04:48:40 GMT

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Reflections on gathering in person once again

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 00:59:17 GMT

Summary: Warren and Jason take time to reflect on worship this past Sunday, the first that The Vine Church had in person since March 8. How did worship feel? Did the precautions put in place take away from the worship experience? How might the online viewing experience later in the day have been changed because it was mostly recorded with an audience?

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Not Giving Up

Mon, 22 Jun 2020 17:53:21 GMT

Summary: For our first “live” and in-person worship gathering since March 8, our sermon focuses specifically on the words in Hebrews 10 that extol believers to not give up meeting together. As worship gatherings and the very nature of church itself shift and change around us, it’s a good time to consider what these words might have to say to us. As part of this lesson we break down the language of this teaching, look at potential cultural factors that might have caused the original hearers to “give up” and think about what it looks like for us to live out this teaching. Scriptures: Hebrews 10:23-25, 32-36

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The Power of Balance

Tue, 16 Jun 2020 15:30:46 GMT

This is part of a series of “Wednesday Studies” to help get us through this difficult time of disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An accompanying handout for this week’s material can be found here, and our weekly Wednesday night Zoom gathering will be a conversational and interactive chance to engage the same topic and material.

Series Description: In our current situation, we all find ourselves waiting for something. This tension manifests itself differently within each of us, but we feel it. Social distancing, self quarantines and a time period defined almost exclusively by the narrative around the coronavirus leaves us struggling to understand and make sense of how we are experiencing and processing all of this. This series is designed to help equip us to find opportunities for growth, maturation and renewal during this time of waiting — tools that we can use now and going forward to be more fully formed into the likeness of Christ.

Handout: Available here.

Zoom Gathering: Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m. Link available in midweek e-mail.

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Crying Out

Mon, 15 Jun 2020 16:37:17 GMT

For the full worship service, including video of the service, visit The Vine Church on YouTube.

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The Power of Letting Go

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 13:00:00 GMT

Handout: Available here.

Zoom Gathering: Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m. Link available in midweek e-mail.

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I am the Light of the World

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 04:47:39 GMT

For the full worship service, including video of the service, visit The Vine Church on YouTube.

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The Power of Ethical Living

Tue, 02 Jun 2020 01:15:00 GMT

Handout: Available here

Zoom Gathering: Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m. Link available in midweek e-mail.

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I am the Bread of Life

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 18:56:18 GMT

For the full worship service, including video of the service, visit The Vine Church on YouTube.

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The Power Of Word And Breath

Wed, 27 May 2020 00:35:20 GMT

This is part of a series of “Wednesday Studies” to help get us through this difficult time of disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An accompanying handout for this week’s material can be found here, and our weekly Wednesday night Zoom gathering will be a conversational and interactive chance to engage the same topic and material.

Handout: Available here.

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Persevering through Detours

Tue, 26 May 2020 19:53:31 GMT

For the full worship service, including video of the service, visit The Vine Church on YouTube.

Series Description: Hope is a word we toss around somewhat flippantly, often using it interchangeably with words like “wish” or “want.” Throughout Scripture, we find hope used at times in similar contexts. But there’s also a larger more robust concept of hope that the writers want us to grasp. A hope that “does not put us to shame” and serves as “an anchor for our soul” — a "living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” For Paul and other New Testament writers, this living hope in Christ — and the assurance they find in such hope — is what fills them with strength, faith and endurances for uncertain times. This series examines some of those writings about hope and stories of hope from Scripture while encouraging us to live with the same hope in Christ.

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Power UP!

Mon, 18 May 2020 23:00:00 GMT

Handout: Available here.

Zoom Gathering: Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m. Link available in midweek e-mail.

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The Selfishness of Fear

Mon, 18 May 2020 19:28:10 GMT

For the full worship service, including video of the service, visit The Vine Church on YouTube.

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Illuminating the Monster

Tue, 12 May 2020 00:00:00 GMT

This is part of a series of “Wednesday Studies” to help get us through this difficult time of disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Supplementary study guides and other information can also be found on The Vine Church website.

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Brought Near By Christ

Mon, 11 May 2020 21:14:51 GMT

For the full worship service, including video of the service, visit The Vine Church on YouTube.

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What's in a Name?

Mon, 04 May 2020 20:57:57 GMT

For the full worship service, including video of the service, visit The Vine Church on YouTube.

Series Description: Hope is a word we toss around somewhat flippantly, often using it interchangeably with words like “wish” or “want.” Throughout Scripture, we find hope used at times in similar contexts. But there’s also a larger more robust concept of hope that the writers want us to grasp. A hope that “does not put us to shame” and serves as “an anchor for our soul” — a "living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” For Paul and other New Testament writers, this living hope in Christ — and the assurance they find in such hope — is what fills them with strength, faith and endurances for uncertain times. This series examines some of those writings about hope and stories of hope from Scripture while encouraging us to live with the same hope in Christ.

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In Conclusion

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 13:00:00 GMT

Series Description: Paul’s letter to the Philippians is written from a jail cell — a place of uncertainty. We currently find ourselves in our own place of uncertainty, and throughout this series we will seek to gain wisdom and encouragement form Paul’s words on how to stand firm in the face of uncertainty and difficulties. Our hope is that this study will serve as a way to continue to provide spiritual formation resources to our church family and as a way to maintain a sense of community and connection to each other in this time of “social distancing.”

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The Hope Of The Covenant

Mon, 27 Apr 2020 18:43:05 GMT

For the full worship service, including video of the service, visit The Vine Church on YouTube.

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What We Have Attained

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 13:00:00 GMT

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A New Normal

Sun, 19 Apr 2020 18:45:00 GMT

For the full worship service, including video of the service, visit The Vine Church on YouTube.

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In Christ Jesus

Wed, 15 Apr 2020 13:00:00 GMT

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The Hope of the Resurrection

Sun, 12 Apr 2020 17:55:00 GMT

For the full worship service, including video of the service, visit The Vine Church on YouTube.

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Be Glad and Rejoice

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 13:00:00 GMT

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Renewed Hope

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 17:51:56 GMT

For the full worship service, including video of the service, visit The Vine Church on YouTube.

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Pursuing The Mindset Of Christ

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 13:00:00 GMT

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Extending Grace

Sun, 29 Mar 2020 18:34:00 GMT

For the full worship service, including video of the service, visit The Vine Church on YouTube.

Series Description: The Sermon On The Mount is the longest continuous teaching from Jesus that we find in Scripture. Within it Jesus covers a wide range of topics in a challenging, encouraging and at times humorous lesson. The sermon covers so much ground that some of the thoughts may seem disconnected from the others. But there are a couple of common threads that run throughout, tying everything together: Jesus is the fulfillment of the law, and our calling is to lead Kingdom-focused lives in response to that truth. In this sermon, Jesus is painting a picture of what that looks like in the lives of those pursuing “Kingdom Living.”

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To Die Is…Gain?

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 21:00:00 GMT

Series Description: Paul’s letter to the Philippians is written from a jail cell — a place of uncertainty. We currently find ourselves in our own place of uncertainty, and throughout this series we will seek to gain wisdom and encouragement form Paul’s words on how to stand firm in the face of uncertainty and difficulties. Our hope is that this study will serve as a way to continue to provide spiritual formation resources to our church family and as a way to maintain a sense of community and connection to each other in this time of “social distancing.”

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Trusting God

Sun, 22 Mar 2020 18:22:00 GMT

For the full worship service, including video of the service, visit The Vine Church on YouTube.

Series Description: This is a standalone lesson given on the first of our online worship experiences in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak.

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In Chains

Wed, 18 Mar 2020 21:00:00 GMT

Series Description: Paul’s letter to the Philippians is written from a place of uncertainty. We currently find ourselves in our own place of uncertainty, and throughout this series we will seek to gain wisdom and encouragement form Paul’s words on how to stand firm in the face of uncertainty and difficulties. Our hope is that this study will serve as a way to continue to provide spiritual formation resources to our church family and as a way to maintain a sense of community and connection to each other in this time of “social distancing.”

This is the first of a series of “Wednesday Studies” to help get us through this difficult time of disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Supplementary study guides and other information can also be found on The Vine Church website.

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Don’t Worry

Sun, 15 Mar 2020 19:00:00 GMT

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Hypocrites Anonymous

Sun, 08 Mar 2020 17:19:00 GMT

This morning we had the privilege of welcoming back Michael Fortson to The Vine. Michael is a long-time minister, and the former preacher at The Vine. He and his wife, Dorris also founded Neema Village, a home for abandoned and indigent babies in Arusha, Tanzania. Michael is still a member of our church, despite spending most of his time in Tanzania. But we always appreciate when he returns to share God’s Word with us.

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Be Perfect

Mon, 02 Mar 2020 18:32:05 GMT

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The Weight Of Integrity

Sun, 23 Feb 2020 17:30:57 GMT

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Pursuing Faithfulness

Sun, 16 Feb 2020 17:47:18 GMT

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Fulfilling the Law

Sun, 09 Feb 2020 17:41:12 GMT

Series Description: The Sermon On The Mount is the longest continuous teaching from Jesus that we find in Scripture. Within it Jesus covers a wide range of topics in a challenging, encouraging and at times humorous lesson. The sermon covers so much ground that some of the thoughts may seem disconnected from the others. But there are a couple of common threads that run throughout, tying everything together: Jesus is the fulfillment of the law, and our calling is to lead Kingdom-focused lives in response to that truth. In this sermon, Jesus is painting a picture of what that looks like in the lives of those pursuing “Kingdom Living.”

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Salt and Light

Sun, 02 Feb 2020 17:59:32 GMT

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Right-Side Up or Upside Down: The Beatitudes

Mon, 27 Jan 2020 04:03:35 GMT

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The Wise & Foolish Builders

Sun, 19 Jan 2020 18:37:11 GMT

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2020 Vision

Mon, 13 Jan 2020 03:10:54 GMT

Summary: As we begin 2020, this sermon looks ahead at some ministry plans and other aspects of our “2020 Vision.” Taking our cue from stories in Acts, we strive to be a church that is open to the movement, presence and guiding of the Holy Spirit that desires to create “on ramps” for people to come to Jesus and join in ministry efforts of our church family. The sermon then looks at a few items that will result from the implementation of our 2020 Vision. Scriptures: Various parts of Acts 11-15

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Renewing the Spirit

Sun, 05 Jan 2020 19:33:21 GMT

Jason Martin brings the message this morning. Jason is a psychotherapist and clinical professor at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. He is also a member at The Vine with his wife and two kids.

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Joseph the Dreamer

Sun, 29 Dec 2019 19:13:00 GMT

Series Description: Matthew 2 tells a story full of twists and turns — a proverbial “emotional roller coaster.” It’s a story about Herod’s fear, Joseph’s obedience and the heavens declaring the glory of God. It’s a story about the inability of darkness and evil to overcome God’s redemptive plan. It’s a story of hope in the face of despair. But at the center of the narrative is the story of some “wise men” in search of “the one born king of the Jews.” We all find ourselves searching at one point or another. The story told in Matthew 2 and the season of Advent encourage us to consider our own searches and the answers that may be found in Jesus, the one born a king.

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Gifts & Treasure

Sun, 22 Dec 2019 18:00:00 GMT

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Star of Wonder

Sun, 15 Dec 2019 17:51:53 GMT

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Beyond Self Esteem - Part 3: Love Stories

Fri, 13 Dec 2019 23:07:00 GMT

The Vine Church had the pleasure to welcome Dr. Richard Beck to speak about “Beyond Self Esteem: Finding Peace in an Age of Anxiety”. During two sessions on Saturday and a sermon on Sunday, Dr. Beck covers this topic and how our identity as Christians can change the way we think about the self.

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Beyond Self Esteem - Part 2: An Alternative Path

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 10:54:00 GMT

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Beyond Self Esteem - Part 1: The Self Esteem Trap

Tue, 10 Dec 2019 22:21:54 GMT

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The Time of Herod

Sun, 01 Dec 2019 20:45:00 GMT

Series Description: Matthew 2 tells a story full of twists and turns — a proverbial “emotional roller coaster.” It’s a story about Herod’s fear, Joseph’s obedience and the heavens declaring the glory of God. It’s a story about the inability of darkness and evil to overcome God’s redemptive plan. It’s a story of hope in the face of despair. But at the center of the narrative is the story of some “wise men” in search of “the one born king of the Jews.” We all find ourselves searching at one point or another. The story told in Matthew 2 and the season of Advent encourage us to consider our own searches and the answers that may be found in Jesus, the one born a king.

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Life’s Greatest Decision

Sun, 24 Nov 2019 18:16:00 GMT

This week, we welcome Vine Church member Lyle Burwell back to deliver the message. Lyle grew up on a farm near Red Cloud, NE and graduated from Ozark Bible College, Joplin, MO, May, 1977. Over the years, he has held ministries in Arkansas, Montana, Kansas and Wyoming. We are blessed that he and his wife, Linda, are current members at The Vine.

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The One Who Saw

Sun, 17 Nov 2019 17:34:32 GMT

Series Description: We are in a time of year when words like thankfulness, thanksgiving and gratitude are more commonly heard in conversation and are more prevalent in our culture’s general rhetoric. In Scripture we find that gratefulness is an incredibly important part of the path of discipleship, and we now know from modern studies just how impactful adopting a mindset of gratitude can be for a person’s mental, physical and emotional health. During this series we will explore topics connected to gratitude in an effort to pursue lifestyles that are “overflowing with thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:7).

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Feeling Sheepish

Sun, 10 Nov 2019 17:33:33 GMT

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Life’s Not Fair

Sun, 03 Nov 2019 18:00:00 GMT

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The Spirit of David’s Men

Sun, 27 Oct 2019 16:35:17 GMT

Series Description: I Samuel is a book of stories. Stories that dig deep into the hear, motivations and decisions of individuals and people groups. And perfect for Fall, there are even a few ghost stories and supernatural elements. These stories drive some important narratives in the book and have meaningful messages for us today.

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Desperate Times

Sun, 20 Oct 2019 18:00:00 GMT

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Relief from Evil Spirits

Mon, 14 Oct 2019 05:36:30 GMT

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Chasing Ghosts

Sun, 06 Oct 2019 16:27:11 GMT

Series Description: I Samuel is a book of stories. Stories that dig deep into the hear, motivations and decisions of individuals and people groups. And perfect for Fall, there are even a few ghost stories and supernatural elements. These stories drive some important narratives in the book and have meaningful messages for us today.

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The Servants Knew

Sun, 29 Sep 2019 16:31:03 GMT

Refresh: Week 6

Series Description: Metaphor and imagery are important concepts in connecting the narrative of Scripture. One important element is water, which is presented in both real and metaphorical instances. We find that water in Scripture often carries with it notes of transformation, redemption and salvation. This series explores the narrative use of water over the course of Scripture, culminating with a look at baptism and the ways in which many of those same redemptive elements are experienced in the waters of baptism.

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Baptism and Forgiveness

Sun, 22 Sep 2019 16:44:08 GMT

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The Pouring out of the Spirit

Sun, 15 Sep 2019 16:31:15 GMT

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The Gift of Living Water

Sun, 08 Sep 2019 17:13:49 GMT

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Through the Waters

Sun, 01 Sep 2019 16:12:00 GMT

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Refresh: The Transforming & Redeeming Waters of Scripture

Wed, 28 Aug 2019 23:16:19 GMT

NOTE: Due to a technical difficulty, part of this sermon was not recorded. At the 30:10 mark, the audio cuts out and comes back a few seconds later. This represents where the missing content is, about 2-3 minutes of missing sermon. We apologize for the compromised file.

Series Summary: In this series we will look at the theme and metaphor of water that runs throughout the narrative of Scripture. The sea and water would have had a connotation of chaos and danger in the ancient world — and at times water is visualized and utilized with that understanding in Scripture. But water in Scripture also carries with it notes of transformation, redemption and salvation. We will take a look at some of the ways this plays out over the course of Scripture — in the ways that water connects Genesis and Revelation, in the story of Noah, in Jesus’ ministry and more — and end the series with a look at baptism and the ways in which many of those same redemptive elements are experienced in the waters of baptism.

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A Dirty Story about Simple Things

Sun, 18 Aug 2019 16:40:34 GMT

This lesson is part of our “Back To School” activities. While there are specific lessons for students, teachers and others headed back to school, the story of Naaman has something for everyone!

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The Power of Good Questions

Sun, 11 Aug 2019 16:35:12 GMT

Series Description: Jesus has a lot to say about money and about what it means to be “rich” — or better yet, he tells us toward whom we should be rich. (Spoiler Alert: It’s God.) Jesus seems to talk about money in terms of investing, encouraging us to "lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” So what if we asked ourselves a simple question: What am I investing in?

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The Story of Two Gifts

Sun, 04 Aug 2019 16:46:52 GMT

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The Shrewd Manager

Sun, 28 Jul 2019 16:23:19 GMT

Series Description: Jesus has a lot to say about money and about what it means to be “rich” — or better yet, he tells us toward whom we should be rich. (Spoiler Alert: It’s God.) Jesus seems to talk about money in terms of investing, encouraging us to "lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” So what if we asked ourselves a simple question: What am I investing in?

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The Promises of Greed & Bigger Barns

Sun, 21 Jul 2019 16:31:27 GMT

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Good News for Everyone

Sat, 20 Jul 2019 16:59:12 GMT

Doug Page is the Lead Minister at the Kaufman Church of Christ, where he has served in that role for 8 years. Doug is a graduate of Abilene Christian University and loves preaching and people.

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Paul & Peace (The Apostle: Week 4)

Sun, 07 Jul 2019 17:03:00 GMT

Series Description: Many of our thoughts about faith, church and Jesus come from the writings of Paul. What do we know about Paul the person that can help us understand what he wrote? And what threads and themes do we find over the course of his writings that give us insight into the things Paul valued and prioritized? We’ll think about these questions and others in this four-week series.

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Paul and the Old Testament (The Apostle: Week 3)

Sun, 30 Jun 2019 16:36:00 GMT

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What Counts Now? (The Apostle: Week 2)

Sun, 23 Jun 2019 18:29:00 GMT

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Can He Say That? (The Apostle: Week 1)

Sun, 16 Jun 2019 20:03:00 GMT

Today Warren begins a series about The Apostle: As Series about Paul and the Man Behind the Words.

Many of our thoughts about faith, church and Jesus come from the writings of Paul. What do we know about Paul the person that can help us understand what he wrote? And what threads and themes do we find over the course of his writings that give us insight into the things Paul valued and prioritized? We’ll think about these questions and others in this four-week series.

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God's Concern for Your Life: The Essentials

Mon, 10 Jun 2019 16:05:50 GMT

For a second week, we have a guest preacher while Warren is out. This week, Lyle Burwell will deliver the message. Lyle grew up on a farm near Red Cloud, NE and graduated from Ozark Bible College, Joplin, MO, May, 1977. Over the years, he has held ministries in Arkansas, Montana, Kansas and Wyoming. We are blessed that he and his wife, Linda, are current members at The Vine.

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The Faith of a Step

Sun, 02 Jun 2019 16:35:43 GMT

While Warren is on vacation, we are blessed to hear the Word brought to us from Katy Ann Herring, the Family Life Resident at The Vine. She is pursuing a Master of Divinity at Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary and is a 2018 graduate of Abilene Christian University.

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Jesus and Jonah (Jonah Week 4)

Sun, 26 May 2019 16:27:41 GMT

The book of Jonah is a fascinating, beautifully crafted look at a terrifically flawed and seemingly unloving prophet of God. But more importantly, it’s a book about a God who is patient, loving and extravagantly gracious. The narrative contains encouraging insight into the nature of God and challenging insight into the nature of people. It’s a book that invites many questions — questions about the narrative itself and questions about our own lives, faith and journeys.

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Saving Jonah (Jonah Week 3)

Sun, 19 May 2019 17:22:23 GMT

Series Description: The book of Jonah is a fascinating, beautifully crafted look at a terrifically flawed and seemingly unloving prophet of God. But more importantly, it’s a book about a God who is patient, loving and extravagantly gracious. The narrative contains encouraging insight into the nature of God and challenging insight into the nature of people. It’s a book that invites many questions — questions about the narrative itself and questions about our own lives, faith and journeys.

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Rock-Bottom Prayers (Jonah Week 2)

Sun, 12 May 2019 18:25:43 GMT

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Jonah: A Story about God's Extravagant Grace

Sun, 05 May 2019 18:46:00 GMT

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Love with All Your Strength (Week 6: FIRST)

Sun, 28 Apr 2019 22:38:00 GMT

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Love with All of Your Soul

Mon, 22 Apr 2019 02:34:21 GMT

First: A sermon series about the most important command. Week 5 - Soul

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Love with All Your Mind

Sun, 14 Apr 2019 17:33:51 GMT

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The God Who Sees

Sun, 07 Apr 2019 22:18:00 GMT

At one point in the Old Testament, an angel of God finds a vulnerable slave girl in the desert, alone and out of options, and communicates God's care and concern for her by asking a simple question. This lesson looks at the impact one question had on Hagar while thinking about its implications for God’s care and concern for all people and our call to embody God’s empathy toward others.Scripture: Genesis 16

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Love God with All Your Heart

Sun, 31 Mar 2019 22:48:00 GMT

At one point in his ministry, Jesus is asked the question “Which is the most important command?” Another way to read that would be: “Of the more than 600 commands in the Jewish text, which is first?” Jesus answers, “The most important one is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'” (Mark 12:30) This series digs into that command piece by piece as we examine what it looks like for believers today to live out this “first” command.This first sermon in the series addresses the heart. Loving God with all of our hearts has a lot to do with a recognition of the gift available to us in Jesus Christ. When our hearts are turned to Christ, a veil is removed that allows us to clearly see, understand and comprehend the glory of God. This lesson looks at Paul’s imagery of the veil of our hearts being removed in Christ and looks back to a story in the Old Testament from which Paul borrows the imagery of a veil or covering. Exodus 34:27-35, 2 Corinthians 3

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Gazing at the Tomb

Sun, 17 Mar 2019 22:55:00 GMT

Today we welcome back beloved friend and former interim minister, Michael Van Huis. In today’s sermon, Michael reminds us that the The body of Christ is comprised of those who gaze at the tomb in reverence or reluctance.Mark 16:1-8

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The Nature of Forgiveness

Tue, 13 Nov 2018 19:53:10 GMT

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The Limits of Forgiveness

Tue, 13 Nov 2018 19:43:01 GMT

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The Lord Remembers

Tue, 13 Nov 2018 19:27:04 GMT

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