Grassroots Church | Thunder Bay, Ontario Grassroots Church

Guest speaker Scott Baker takes time to look at what it means to Christians that Jesus worked as a carpenter. He looks at what that might have been like for Jesus, and what it means for how we view our own relationship with work, and how we should treat people who work with us. It's a little bit of a Father's Day message.
Scriptures this message: Mark 6:1-3, Matthew13:55-57; Matthew 20:1-7; Luke 3:21-23
This message was originally delivered on June 16, 2024.

In the final message in the series, Pastor Steve talks about how we might begin to go about taking all of the beautiful truths of the Jesus of the Centre that we've learned and move them from our head to our heart; from intellectual ascent to transformation of our being. What does it mean for Jesus to become more than just a list of concepts for us? 

Continuing our series on Jesus' teachings and character, Pastor Steve looks at how Jesus as a non-violent peacemaker. In a world saturated with violence, Jesus calls us to bring peace. Pastor Steve also examines why the modern church often avoids this aspect of Jesus' life and teachings.
This message was originally delivered on June 2, 2024.
 
 

In this message, Pastor Steve looks at how Jesus stands with the "least of these", who are people who recognize their profound need for Jesus. As Christians, we are to model ourselves after Jesus and  care for the poor, the sick, and the oppressed. We also need to make sure that, like the "least of these", we never lose sight of our need to have Jesus move in our lives. Finally, we seek to be radically inclusive like Jesus and be on everyone's side.
Pastor Steve references this article by Michael Pahl on a Jesus-centered response to the conflict in Gaza.
If you'd like to listen to "Poke You in the Eyes" by the band Humans on the Floor you can follow this link.
This message was originally delivered on May 26, 2024. There was no podcast last week because our church spent Sunday picking up litter around Thunder Bay.

Pastor Steve looks at the unconditional and profound love that Jesus reveals. God loves the whole world, that love looks like Jesus laying down his life on the cross, and there is nothing we need to do to earn that love.
Pastor Steve references this podcast with Father Gregory Boyle of Homeboy Industries that is worth checking out.
We kept the final song as it related so well to the message. It sounds pretty good but not quite as good as it did live.
This message was originally delivered on Mother's Day, May 12, 2024.

Pastor Steve resumes the series on revealing the Jesus of the Centre by looking at the means in which the work of Jesus is done on earth - How does Jesus do what he does? In other words, what does Jesus' power look like? We find out that Jesus is never coercive and that the form of power Jesus uses looks entirely unlike what we know to be power. This is a power that works "with" us... not "over" us. 
David Fitch's new book, "Reconciling with Power" helped inform Pastor Steve's thoughts on this topic.