The most basic meaning of the biblical word for judge/judgment means to "separate" or "rule over." Jesus says, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged" (Mt 7:1). Paul writes, "Who are you to judge someone else's servant?" The idea here is that everyone who is a follower of Jesus is a servant of God. Jesus alone can sit in the judgment seat (separa…

Don’t even think about hitting that snooze button! The alarm is going to sound this Sunday at PFC and the text is going to challenge us to wake up and get dressed. The Apostle Paul will explain why there’s such urgency and will also tell us how we are to dress and live in a spiritual sense.Av Parker Ford Church

This week we are looking at something that can often make us squirm… authority. In Romans 13, which is right after Paul talks about love, he hits us hard on what it looks like to honor authority. How do love and authority coexist?Av Parker Ford Church

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." From the Garden of Eden, down through the history of ancient Israel, into the age of the early church, and on through church history to us, this simple encouragement is given by the Spirit of God to every generation. How do we overcome evil with good? Jesus. He is embodied good.…

So often, we tend to think that “true worship” takes place in our hearts and minds. Yet, Romans 12 explicitly shows us that it is the sacrifice of our bodies that the Lord declares holy and pleasing worship. Shannon Vining, our Worship and Creative Arts Director, guides us in taking a closer look at what it means to worship God with our bodies.…

You may have heard us talk about it before...but the word "good" is one of the most theologically rich and spiritually significant words in the Bible. It features prominently in crucial passages like Genesis 1-3. It is also a key word in understanding Romans 12. The Apostle Paul says, "Hate what is evil, cling to what is good." This phrase catapult…

In Christ we’ve been given unique gifts of God’s grace. This Sunday we’re going to look at Romans 12:3-8 and discover that we are to use these gifts in our community of faith. There are numerous ways here at PFC and elsewhere to use your God-given gifts. It’s more fun to play on the field than to merely spectate from the stands! Let’s go!…

Today we will unpack the phrase, “God’s will”. What does it mean exactly? How can we know it, test it, and approve it? How do we describe it? As we look closely at Romans 12:1-2, we’ll see that it’s not a mysterious code to be cracked but it’s the result of a life wholly consecrated to God and a mind renewed by God’s Word and Spirit.…

As we jump back into Romans we'll be taking several weeks to walk through chapter 12. Romans 12 is truly one of the soaring heights of the New Testament. In it we find rich theology and very practical wisdom for how to walk out the Christian life. We'll start by meditating on the famous phrase, "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind." What do…

Happy Labor Day weekend! Today, we will be looking at the difference between having a busy life versus a full life. Jesus’ life was full, but we would not consider him busy. What biblical principles are we using to live a full but simple life?Av Parker Ford Church

The glorious hope we have as followers of Jesus is that one day we will live in a never-ending union with God in the New Creation. In Jesus’ final hours with the disciples (as told in John 14:1-14), He promises His frightened friends that they will dwell with Him forever in God’s presence. How comforting this must have been to them in the midst of …

The glorious hope that we have as followers of Jesus is that God’s space will again be united with our space in the New Creation. Join us as we challenge some of our mental maps of Heaven and what popular Christian culture has handed us and look with fresh eyes at what God says through Scripture. We’ll journey through the Garden of Eden, the temple…

I don’t know about you, but I love the Olympics! 206 countries from all over the world are represented at this year’s Olympic games in Paris. It’s a moment every 4 years, when the world comes together. This is the world that God so loved that He gave one and only Son, Jesus. Today, we will be hearing from several folks who served on Mission Teams t…

Join us as we reach the exciting conclusion of the story of Ruth! We’ll see themes of redemption, loyalty, and the providential hand of God in generational blessing. For a sneak peak, read Ruth chapter 4!Av Parker Ford Church

Human flourishing always takes place within the context of a self-sacrificing and loving community. Ruth 3 exemplifies what happens when people love one another in this manner. Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz each model the steadfast loving-kindness of the Lord. Their actions are not aimed at self focused advancement, each of them works for the good of the o…

This week we will be looking at Ruth 2. The women in this story lived with purpose. Do we? The Lord has called us to live with purpose in every area of our life. How do we take steps to become more like Jesus in the way that we live?Av Parker Ford Church

In the book of Ruth we encounter individuals who are married and individuals who are single. Singleness and marriage are both equally valid vocations for Christians. Whether we are married or single, if we are in Christ, we ultimately belong to Christ and are full fledged members of His family. As we walk through Ruth 1 we will examine the unique v…

The book of Ruth summarizes the story of the entire Bible in four beautiful, literarily brilliant chapters. It is the story of Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Consummation revealed in the lineage of one broken human family. Psalm 78 approaches this same story from another angle. In Psalm 78 Asaph encourages us to bless the next generation, freeing …

As we begin our study in the book of Ruth we will be taking a look at the first 5 verses in the book. Tragedy has struck a family. What is the response of the family and the response of God? When our plans get interrupted, or when tragedy hits, what should our response be?Av Parker Ford Church

As we transition into the summer months at PFC we're taking a Sunday to look at where we've been, where we are, and where we're headed. Utilizing the imagery of a healthy and thriving ecosystem, Pastor DJay will be highlighting Romans 5:1-11 to help recap the first 11 chapters of Romans and set up the PFC summer teaching and ministry schedule.…

As we wrap up Romans Chapter 11, let’s respond in humble adoration, awe-filled wonder, gratefulness, and praise to our merciful and omniscient God! Let’s pour out our praise and give Him glory!Av Parker Ford Church

This week we are looking at the middle of Romans, chapter 11. Paul is using a tree metaphor to describe the Gentiles being grafted into God’s people. Paul also gives us a warning about how believers should be conducting their lives. When Jesus is our Lord, the way we live should be different.Av Parker Ford Church

Today we will see God’s grace showered on those who faithfully follow Jesus with open eyes and ears. The few are those who don’t bend the knee in worship of anything or anyone other than the Lord. The faithful are those who are spiritually sensitive toward God. Are you part of the few and the faithful?…

This week we are going to continue to look at Romans chapter 10. Paul is still answering the question: Why has Israel missed out on the righteousness of Christ while the Gentiles welcomed and received it? We will notice in these scriptures, we have a God who is in continual pursuit of his people, and those of us who are in the family of God, play a…

If you've lived any amount of life you have likely been on the receiving end of a "non-apology apology." Someone says to you, "I'm sorry I hurt you...but." Or, "I'M SORRY! Are you happy now?!" I hate fake apologies. Unfortunately, I've probably given them before! If you've been on the receiving end of a classic non-apology from me...let me just say…

It's really this simple - put your faith in Jesus the Messiah! Yet, so many don't and miss it because of their various religious games, misplaced passion, "God-projects" and Jesus-knockoffs. Don't get tripped up by these things. This Sunday we'll find Jesus on the way, not in the way.Av Parker Ford Church

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We see God’s sovereignty and mercy on full display in Romans 9:14-29. One of the pictures that is used is that of a potter and a lump of clay. We’ll be reminded that our job as the lump of clay is to be grateful for our part in the beautiful story that God is writing. He is full of compassion and is faithful in keeping His promises.…

We are staring a new section in Romans this week, Chapters 9-11. This section seems to be an abrupt stop in Paul's pastoral flow from Romans 8. Therefore, we need to know and understand why this is happening. Have we been reading Romans 9-11 with the wrong contextual view? Have we missed Paul's heart and intention? Possibly. We will examine and exp…

If you’re a Sixers fan, you just groaned when you read that phrase. I apologize. This Sunday we’ll be taking a closer look at a promise that is often misused and misunderstood. God wants us to become more and more like Jesus so He is constantly at work in our lives. The good, the bad, and the ugly – God is taking it all and using it for our good an…

Christ is risen! The empty tomb is such a sweet symbol of ultimate victory! 2,000 years ago, Jesus suffered and died, was buried, but rose again three days later … why? Because He loves you just that much! He is the ultimate champion who is for you and with you! And there is absolutely nothing in this broken world that can separate us from His love…

Personal stories and testimonies are a big part of our culture here at PFC. We believe it is important to share and receive what God is doing in the lives of those in our church, as well as those in our community and around the world. This Sunday we will take a deeper dive into Romans 8:17-19 “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth co…

Have you heard the kids use the phrase, “I’m just built different”? Basically, it’s a way of bragging that I, or someone else, is better at something than normal. For example, “Michael Jordan was built different.” But human competition is ultimately futile. Guess what happened to MJ? He got old. His 61 year old body wouldn’t make it 5 minutes in to…

Living in the Spirit starts with understanding “WHOSE we are,” which then leads to understanding “WHO we are” and where our identity should come from. Knowing our identity is the key to living in the Spirit.Av Parker Ford Church

For those who belong in Christ Jesus, the curse of sin has been broken by the cross! This is our present reality – no condemnation… now! Oh but how we often live so conditioned to our failures, shortcomings, and mistakes. Join us as we look at this amazing truth in Romans Chapter 8. We’ll also see how this reality played out in Peter’s life as Jesu…

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Sometimes, it's a little too easy to see the Law as the problem. As Paul continues his teaching in Romans 7, he wants to make it abundantly clear that the Law is not the enemy to overcome - sin is the problem. Unfortunately, sin is so pervasive and powerful, that it can even twist the Law (a gift given by God to Israel) into something evil. A hamme…

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This week are continuing our study in Romans. Chapter 7 is a continuation of answering the question Paul states in chapter 6:15: “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means!” He is telling us one of the ways we must live under God's grace is to walk by the Spirit and not the flesh. And being tied to the La…

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We will serve someone. In Paul's worldview, every human is a servant of a master - even earthly kings who seem to be 'on the top.' It may appear that Caesar is a servant of none, but actually every one of us is either an instrument of sin or an instrument of righteousness. We will be used. Thankfully, when we are used by God...we're not abused.…

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Do you have any patterns or cycles in your life that you'd like to break, but you feel completely stuck? Sometimes it feels like personal change or spiritual renewal is unreachable. Jesus came to break the cycle!Av Parker Ford Church

By Gil Vining from the Bros Bacon Breakfast.Av Parker Ford Church

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Have you been waiting for the day when someone finally told you that you didn't have to evangelize anymore? No more street preaching? No more awkward conversations with relatives? No more memorizing what to draw on a napkin just in case someone randomly asks you your thoughts on salvation? Since pastors *technically* aren't allowed to say any of th…

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This Sunday at PFC, we’ll discover that Jesus wants us dead & alive! It will make more sense as we look at our Biblical text – Romans 6:1-14. There are some things that we need to declare death to – R.I.P! These things no longer hold power over us because of Jesus’ death and resurrection! We’ll also see what (or Who) we need to be fully alive to. Y…

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At Christmas, we celebrated the gift of the incarnation - God becoming flesh, the birth of our Savior, Jesus! However, that’s just the beginning. There’s more! Oh yes, the gifts keep on coming! As we tear open these incredible gifts in Romans 5:1-11, we’ll see that these have been purchased by Jesus’ sacrificial, unconditional, and incomparable lov…