Community Church of West Garden Grove

Cultural Ills: Exceptionalism

Guest teacher, Elliot Stone lead us through the concepts of social memory and exceptionalism both in the nation of Israel and America.  How do we look back on the past, and what lens do we honestly and humbly understand our position in our world and faith is the main themes explored in this teaching.
Teacher: Elliot Stone
Text: Various

Cultural Ills: Ambition

Ambition is a drive, a motivation that is very difficult for us to determine its roots and source.  When is ambition a good thing, when does it become destructive?  James and John (and their Mother) display an unhealthy source of ambition--its curses.  And Jesus offers us the cure.  
Text Matthew 20.20--28
Teacher: Eric Williams

Cultural Ills: Pluralism

Coexist?  Have you seen the bumper sticker endorsing a plurality of religions?  What about the elephant and the three blind men that claims all religion only perceive a sliver of the truth?
Is this possible and what might the message of Jesus say into this ill of culture?  
Text: Acts 17, Matthew 22
Teacher: Eric Williams

Cultural Ills: Secularism

This week we start a new series based on some cultural narratives that we perceive as ill.  We want to carefully observe the culture, see what it proposes as truth, and then contrast how the message of Christ speaks to that.
This opening week, we are diving into the narrative of Secularism.  The subtraction story of God and the divine from our cultural landscape and what it means for the church, Christianity and the Kingdom of God.
Text: Colossians 2/3
Teacher: Eric Williams

Ruth/Esther Review

Our Ruth/Esther journey started on Mother's Day 2019!!  It has now come to an end and this week we spend some time in review and reflection.  
Text: Ruth and Esther
Teacher: Eric Williams

Esther: Patience and Darkness

Haman is gone, but the difficulties remain.  One of which is going back to King Xerxes to make sure the edict to exterminate the Jews is addressed.  In addition, we see a particular dark side of Esther in chapter 9 and explore the venom that comes with leadership.
Text: Esther 8.3--11, 9.11--17
Teacher: Eric Williams

Esther: Haman

Continuing on in Esther, we study the destruction of Haman and with that some solid advice on how to destroy your life, as Haman did.  
Text: Esther 5--7
Teacher: Eric Williams

Esther: Paragraphs

Esther just keeps coming at us.  This week we break down Esther chapter 4, paragraph by paragraph and observe the insights the text has to teach us--Fasting, insignificance, identity, destiny and decisions.
Text: Esther 4
Teacher: Eric Williams

Esther: Part 3 Mordecai's Compromise

Mordecai finally reaches his breaking point.  The line in the sand where he can go no further and refuses to bow to Haman.  We explore the areas of compromise in our lives, where we have settled and what the Lord is speaking to us.
Text: Esther 2.19--23, 3
Teacher: Eric Williams 

Esther: Part 2

In part two of Esther, we are introduced to Mordecai and Esther who are trapped between two worlds; Persia and Israel.  In addition, we observe the moral breakdown of chapter 2 and how that introduces us to the Gospel of weakness.
Text: Esther 2.1--20
Teacher: Eric Williams