Coram Deo Denver

Practices - Introduction to Fasting

In this message, David focuses on Matthew Chapter 6 from the heart of the Sermon on the Mount. He challenges us to see that fasting was a normative part of Christian life until the mid-17th century. Not coincidentally this was also a time period that saw the rise of rationalism and an increasing emphasis on the disembodied aspects of the faith. He closes with a story about the foundational place neediness has in our receptivity to and pursuit of Jesus. 

Practices - The Formative Power of Community

In this teaching, Matt tells some stories and reviews some Scriptures highlighting the power of family to shape us. He provides some deep thoughts for you to reflect on the life of Jesus and our lifestyles as disciples of Jesus.

Practices - Introduction to Community

In this short teaching, Dave introduces our second practice of Weekly Community. We are in a season of exploring six foundational practices that Jesus assumes his followers have integrated into their lives. Prayer and Community are foundational practices because they both invite us to present our authentic selves so that God can transform us.

Sunday Gathering - Welcome to Advent

In this short message, Matt invites us into the season of Advent reminding us of the posture of (1) Remembrance, (2) Hope for the future, and (3) living in the present.

Sunday Gathering - Defining Church

In this message, Dave draws from a scene in Acts 20 where Paul is depicted giving his final goodbyes to his friends from the Church in Ephesus. It is a scene charged with prayer, family, and a sense of mission. He kicks off by reflecting on Church as an identity that defines our shared biblical anthropology. Then he reflects on the three aspects of (1) Prayerful (2) Family (3) on Mission that we use to define church. 

Sunday Gathering - Defining a Disciple

In this message, Matt reflects on the definition of a Disciple as someone who is trying to be with Jesus, become like Jesus, and do what Jesus did. He reflects on these phrases through his own life and the life of Levi the tax collector. 

Sunday Gathering - Sending Out

In our final Sunday Gathering for this season, Donny offers a vision casting message on why we gather in smaller communities during the scattered season. Then, Matt wraps things up with some comments about the scattered season and a benediction prayer!

Handling Scripture - The Narratives of Genesis

In this message, Christy models how to be a faithful reader as she engages the book of Genesis. She uses the illustration of Geology to invite us to see the way Narratives function while you are still living in them. She zooms out on the whole book of Genesis to gain some narrative and literary context, then zooms in on the story of Joseph and his family. She gives some guiding principles for engaging narratives and concludes by inviting us to re-envision our own lives within the context of God's long history of engaging with the lives of real people.

 

 

Handling Scripture - The Book of Amos

In this message, Justin models how to be a faithful reader as he engages the book of Amos. He gives some context for the role and function of the Prophets and provides some broader context for Israel's history. Then uses chapter 5 to highlight God's displeasure with religious behavior that neglects those in our midst who are poor, oppressed, and suffering. He then shares parts of his own story to embody for us the place of the prophet for the corporate body of the church today.

Handling Scripture - The Book of Ecclesiastes

In this message, Dave tries to model how to be a faithful reader as he engages the book of Ecclesiastes. In the first half, he observes and overviews the basics of the text, genre, history, and culture that surrounds the book. Then he expands upon the meaning of the book within the broader narrative of Scripture and his own life through some personal stories. Ultimately, he urges us to see the way Jesus' resurrection answers the problem posed by the book of Ecclesiastes.