Christ Church Vienna Christ Church Vienna

James calls the church to be a unique community, a righteous community: a people in right relationship with God and with one another. But instead the churches are filled with fighting and quarrels. Why? Because of their passions and desires–what they want. But what we want and who we are is not just an internal […]

James warns his readers about the dangerous power of our words. The tongue can be a spark that catches a whole forest on fire. The things we say can spread great harm and evil if not controlled. But like God who created life and beauty and flourishing by his words, the things we say can […]

Note: At the beginning of this sermon, Pastor Johnny Kurcina addresses the topic of child sexual abuse that took place at another church between 1990-2002. In James 2:14-26, James calls out the hypocritical nature of believers in the churches. Faith without works is dead–it is useless, it does not save. Both a words only faith […]

In James 2:1-13, James calls out the practice of showing favoritism within the church community–especially honoring the rich and looking down on the poor. Favoritism is wrong because of who Jesus is and who we are. Because of what God has done for us in Jesus we are called to a radical love of our […]

[Unfortunately, the audio file for the sermon was not able to record directly through the sound system resulting in a less than ideal recording.] As James, the brother of Jesus and head of the church in Jerusalem, begins one of the earliest letters in the New Testament, he calls his readers to develop steadfastness–faithful endurance–in […]

Matthew 28 and 2 Corinthians 4-5 Faithful Christianity or honest Atheism are the two worldview systems with the most complete philosophical consistency and intellectual integrity. Atheism says we are here by chance and life is meaningless. Christianity claims there is a creator and a savior in the person of Jesus–and it all hinges on the […]