Podcast Audio Alliance

All In: This year my tomato plants are a bit of a mess. They are big…well actually they’re huge. But they are not overflowing with tomatoes. Something went wrong and they are not flourishing. Sometimes that happens in life… we fail to flourish. We might look big and bushy but we are not living into all we were made to be. This weekend we will hear …

All In - Romans 12:3-13: Friendship is a remarkable gift. It is a bond of affection, frivolity, joy, laughter, and even tears. Friends are one of the greatest gifts in life. However, more and more of us are feeling lonely, lost, and anxious. This year we are leaning into Kingdom Friendships and exploring how we might build deep connections that spa…

All In - Jeremiah 29:4-14: It is a new season at Foothills! This Sunday we launch into the new year and are looking at the question: what does God want to do with my life? Many of us feel a gnawing sense of purposelessness and thousands in Calgary feel it too. This Sunday, we are going to look at the Everyday Mission that God has for us and how we …

All In - 2 Chronicles 7:1-6, 11-18: It is a new season here at Foothills and likely in your life too. How do we start this year off right? How do we welcome in all the good, beauty, challenges and growth that God has? We prepare our hearts for this new season by entering a time of extraordinary prayer. We believe that God has a new season for Footh…

One Body, Many Parts - 1 Corinthians 12:12-27: What makes someone a butcher? A baker? A candlestick maker? 😊 Is the equipment they use? The uniform they wear? The words they speak? Is it the shoes?? What makes any of us anything? Be it a banker, an engineer, a teacher, an artist, a plumber? What about a Christian? The bible has something to say abo…

Hosea - Hosea 14:1-9: When was the last time you felt truly blessed? When did you experience a surprise gift, a word of encouragement or a moment that filled your soul? One of the most beautiful aspects of the character of God is this: He loves to bless. However, God is also one who will not be mocked—He will not simply bless us if we are rebelliou…

Hosea - Hosea 11-13: Love and judgement. These two words seem to be polar opposites. And yet, careful insight and thinking demonstrate that these concepts are intimately linked. When we think of nearly anyone or anything we care about, correction is necessary for success. If you are a business owner or manager, you need to correct your employees fo…

Hosea - Hosea 8-10: How quickly we forget. I am a chronic forgetter. If it weren’t for calendars, to do lists, schedules and every other memory tool I’d be a lesser man. One of the solutions to this problem is a carabineer for my keys to wear on a belt loop. My key forgetting has been reduced by 95% in incidents. It begs the question, how are we to…

Hosea - Hosea 6-7: Have you ever had a hard heart? Where your love for others, God or even self ran cold? It is a common experience. The great hymn, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, recalls this reality. The writer states, “prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love.” As we study Hosea 6-7, we will see the nation of Israel, c…

Hosea - Hosea 4-5: We all have a price. Whether we like to admit it or not, all of us have a price at which we have sold ourselves to someone or something that is not The One True God. We are prone to making gods for ourselves and making gods of ourselves. In the Book of Hosea, God brings His charge against Israel, lays out the evidence of their re…

Hosea - Hosea 3: Are you really particular about what you buy? Do you look over everything carefully, checking things twice, to make sure that nothing is rotten, or damaged, or defective, before you make a purchase? That just seems like good common sense! But what if buying something that is broken is the better choice? What if that’s actually what…

Hosea - Hosea 2: 'But Me she forgot', that is where spiritual defection always ends up, living as if God doesn’t matter or even exist. In the case of Israel, they treated God as if He was irrelevant to life. And if we're honest, we can fall into the trap of doing the same thing today. We can find ourselves chasing after all kinds of things we are c…

Hosea - Hosea 1: Scandal and grace. These are two words that do not seem to fit well together. And yet, as we look into Scripture, we see that they aptly describe the heart of God. As we begin a new summer series on the book of Hosea, we are going to see God’s scandalous grace towards undeserving people. In this first chapter of Hosea, we see both …

Fourfold Gospel: A great portion of Christ's time was dedicated to healing the sick. He healed all kinds of people: the blind, the paralyzed, the lame, the deaf, lepers, those who had fevers, and many with chronic illnesses. We find no record in the gospels of Jesus turning away anyone who came to him for healing, nor do we find that any disease wa…

Fourfold Gospel - Revelation 22:6-21: One of the most loaded statements in the Christian faith is this: Jesus is coming back. It stirs ups theological controversy, it stirs up hope and joy, it stirs us up questions about timing. In short, it stirs us up. As a result, many churches simply put this great teaching to the side and focus on other issues…

Fourfold Gospel - 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8, 5:16-24: Have you ever had a moment where you felt dissatisfied with your Christian experience? Where you longed for a greater sense of freedom, empowerment, and life change? For many of us, if we are honest, we find ourselves longing for more. We have experienced the first few tastes of the goodness of Jesu…

Fourfold Gospel - Titus 3:3-7: When was the last time you needed someone to bail you out? To save your bacon? To throw you a lifeline? It’s not something that we ever expect, and certainly not something that we ever want to experience. But what if I were to tell you that this is the exact thing that we need to understand and accept in order to trul…

Sermon On The Mount - Matthew 7:24-29: In one of the most well known passages in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus will deliver one of the most terrifying points about discipleship—we can construct a life that is built on counterfeit faith. We can have the appearance of walking with God, of loving the church, and when trials, storms, and even final ju…

Sermon On The Mount - Matthew 7:15-23: I was learning to tie my shoes at the ripe age of 4. My family lived on site of a summer camp and the space was our domain. Being right on the lake provided several fun opportunities, the best being boating, of course. After one dinner at the camp, I unfortunately stepped on a shoelace of mine and undone the h…

Sermon On The Mount - Matthew 7:12-14: Life seems to be a paradox and whenever Jesus taught, He embraced mystery of life. This week, Jesus will show us that the only way to be truly free is to be completely restricted. We understand this concept intuitively—if you want to be truly free while skating on ice you must dedicate yourself to practice for…

Sermon On The Mount - Matthew 7:7-11: Regardless of your religious beliefs, background or upbringing, chances are you’ve had at least one moment in your life where you have prayed. You may not have known what to say or to whom you should say it, but the impulse to pray – to reach out to someone or something beyond ourselves in our moments of need –…

Sermon On The Mount - Matthew 7:1-6: Judgment. A concept so powerful, so terrifying, that most of us do not want to think about it. And yet, so many of us find ourselves feeling judged by others. If we are honest, we often can catch ourselves judging others too. Shockingly, Jesus taught that we are not to judge others—a point that most Canadians lo…

Sermon On The Mount: What makes you worry? What keeps you up at night? What are the challenges that face you that make you feel like you’re losing control. According to mentalhealth.org, nearly 74% of us will face stress so profound that we feel like we have lost control. Although their problems were different, the experience of anxiety was well kn…

Sermon On The Mount - Matthew 6:19-24: We are back in the Sermon on the Mount! And this week, Jesus is going to steer us right into the topic of money, bondage, and how we get free. In Matthew 6:19-24, our text this week, Jesus sets up a repeating set of contrasts that demand our attention. We have the choice to live a life with great freedom, joy,…

Easter 2023: It is Easter! The highest moment in the Christian calendar. A day of celebration, victory, family and even treats. But why? What is the big deal about Easter and the resurrection of Jesus? One of the great challenges 21st-century people face is this: what does the resurrection tell me about every day life? What is the significance? Eve…

Easter 2023 - Luke 19:28-40: If you are a Christian, do you trust Jesus? If you don't identify as a Christian or hold another religious belief, do you trust the idea of Jesus? Who he was? What he did? What he taught? A different take on the question: Do you trust Jesus as king? As an authority? Think about the last time you were betrayed or hurt by…

On Mission - Mark 1:29-39: When you hear the word “missions” what comes to mind? For some, it evokes images of career missionaries moving to distant nations to share the gospel. For others, it looks like short-term trips given to relief work like digging wells or building a school. But what if missions was described not only as something done “over…

Be Still: What are the most common thoughts that run through your head? What do you say to yourself, about yourself? How are your stress and anxiety levels? One of the great challenges of modern life is the level of complexity and stress that we face in day-to-day life. And much of the challenge relates to how we think. In this message, we will loo…

Be Still: Be still. How do you feel about those words? It is one of the commands of God to learn to be still and in that stillness we begin to know who He is. In quietness, we begin to receive revelation about the very nature, character and person of God. In this series we are looking at how being still can invite us into significant freedom, life …

Be Still: Be still. How do you feel about those words? It is one of the commands of God to learn to be still and in that stillness we begin to know who He is. In quietness, we begin to receive revelation about the very nature, character and person of God. In this series we are looking at how being still can invite us into significant freedom, life …

Matthew - Upside Down Kingdom - Matthew 6:16-18: What are we having for supper? It is a question I dread, but one that is asked every day because everyone needs to eat! God created us flesh and spirit, so it should not be surprising that Jesus’ call to follow him is addressed to our whole selves. Even food has a place in helping us to become like J…

Matthew - Upside Down Kingdom - Matthew 6:5-15: One of the great critiques of the Christian faith by Calgarians is that Christians are too normal. We think differently about money, sexuality, the nature of reality and yet, we do not seem to be any different in how we live our lives. In fact, many people would say that your average church-goer does …

Matthew - Upside Down Kingdom - Matthew 6:1-4: Have you ever been desperate for approval? Someone in your life that you needed to love or respect you? Maybe it was a parent, a romantic interest, or a boss. Regardless, we all have had the haunting experience of longing for approval—it is a universal reality. This same desire for approval also creeps…

Matthew - Upside Down Kingdom - Matthew 5:38-48: In the coming days, Canadians will spend over three billion dollars expressing their affection to those they love at Valentines Day. Shop early because there will be the predictable run on chocolate, flowers and reservations at local restaurants in this regard. Some will even put pen to paper and sta…

Matthew - Upside Down Kingdom - Matthew 5:33-37: Many commentators argue we are living in a “post-truth” era. Social media has amplified a tendency to select only those “facts” that confirm our own perspective. These same platforms condition us to carefully curate how people see us online and off. In these circumstances, what does it mean to be hon…

Matthew - Upside Down Kingdom - Matthew 5:27-32: The Bible is the most relevant text ever written. It speaks directly to a myriad of issues: human emotion, forgiveness, the nature of reality, and even sexuality. This week, Jesus is going to speak to the issue of sexual desire, healthy articulation of it, and the cohesiveness of covenant commitment.…

Matthew - Upside Down Kingdom - Matthew 5:21-26: What makes you angry? We all have pet peeves, frustrations, real pains and a longing for justice that can produce the emotion of anger in our lives. Sometimes the anger is justified, healthy and even holy. And other times it is dark and dangerous. As we travel through the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus i…

Matthew - Upside Down Kingdom - Matthew 5:17-20: It is 2023. A brand New Year! Many of us have pondered the changes we want to make. Have you ever thought about why we make New Year's resolutions? Why do we have goals? The truth is we are all looking to have a meaningful life. The challenge comes in defining what a meaningful life is. How do we def…

Advent - Matthew 2:13-23: As we turn our backs on 2022 and look ahead to a New Year, there are certain principles found in the Bible to help us on our way. We’ll look at the new year that faced Mary and Joseph, after the visit of the Wisemen, and soon find out that life didn’t become any easier for them with the arrival of Jesus. One would think it…

Advent - John 1:1-18: This Sunday is Christmas Day! For many the day will be filled with gifts and food, family and friends. But, no matter where or how you are celebrating, we encourage you to take time to pause and join us online for a simple service of carols and reflection. As we gather around God’s Word we will marvel at the mystery of Jesus; …

Advent - Luke 2:8-20: Why does Christmas persist? Is it a clever marketing scheme used to prop up consumerism? Is it a rock solid tradition that helps keep society intact? Or is it something deeper. This Saturday, we are going to pause and reflect on the glory and beauty of Jesus Christ and what Christmas is truly about. I’d also encourage us to pa…

Advent - Matthew 2:1-12: Are you a Star Gazer? When you think about it, from early childhood we've been taught to 'wish upon a star,' to 'count our lucky stars' and recitd 'twinkle, twinkle, little star!' What is it about the human experience that finds our heads and hearts in the heavenlies seeking some sign of luck or good fortune we hope is comi…

Advent - Matthew 1:22-25: Is Christmas comforting or scandalous? For many of us, Christmas represents the most predictable time of year—family, tradition, maybe even a fireplace. However, the Bible presents Christmas as a moment that tears a hole in the fabric of reality with the stunning news that now God is with us. This week we are going to look…

Advent - Matthew 1:18-21: Christmas is shrouded in mystery. The frost in the air, the snow on the trees and the incandescent lights all add to the ambience of mystery. Then you have the presents, wrapped to conceal a great gift. The biblical narrative is also cloaked in mystery. A child born in a manger. A virgin birth. God with skin on. How do we …

Advent - Matthew 5:13-16: As the days get shorter and physical darkness increases, Advent invites us to reflect on the darkness of our world in order to increase our longing for God to break in with divine light. In the season of Advent, we enter the story of God in a posture of waiting. We position ourselves with God’s people of old, who waited fo…

The Book of Matthew - Matthew 5:1-12: A blessed life. It’s a beautiful concept but hard to define. And yet, Jesus begins His most famous sermon by outlining what life looks like under the blessing of God. As He teaches about the kingdom, Jesus outlines the upside-down nature of reality and how the kingdom of God reveals what it means to be truly bl…

The Book of Matthew - Matthew 4:23-25: Pain, suffering and misery. Confusion, alienation, despondency. These words, and dozens more like them, describe moments of human existence. And we all experience some of them. And Jesus Christ came to heal them all. This week, we are looking at the ministry of Jesus - what He did to those who were in pain, ho…

The Book of Matthew - Matthew 4:18-22: Have you ever felt the joy of being chosen? It might have been sports team, a love interest, or getting a job you truly desired. When you are chosen there is a burst of energy and joy that erupts in the soul. But being chosen also carries a weight of responsibility. When you are chosen, it means your life is a…

The Book of Matthew - Matthew 4:12-17: If you could improve the life of everyone in Calgary, what would you do to make it happen? What do you think the people of our wonderful city would need that would apply across the board? I don't know honestly. I have ideas and maybe a couple of solid theories but I doubt I'd be the one to be the voice on that…

The Book of Matthew - Matthew 4:1-11: Security, food, wealth, reputation, honor, family, blessing. These are just a few of the beautiful aspects of life that human beings desire. We love good things. But what happens when our admiration turns into affection and our desire becomes a craving? How does this happen? And what is happening spiritually th…