In this episode of our spring series, The Way Forward, we walk through Acts 17:16-34 to explore Paul’s encounter in Athens. As Paul engages with Epicurean and Stoic philosophers at the Areopagus, he provides a model for how we can navigate unfamiliar cultures and carry on thoughtful, faith-filled conversations in our own time.

How do we move forward when our efforts seem to go unnoticed, or when we feel like we are investing in places where there is little immediate "fruit"?

In this talk, we reflect on:
The challenge of exceptionalism: How the gospel invites us to dismantle the walls we build between ourselves and others.
The "Unknown God": Paul’s sermon on the universal intent of God’s care and renewal.
Overcoming discouragement: Why your life’s service, creativity, and love are never just "throw-away lines," even when the results are hidden from view.
Join us as we explore what it means to faithfully pursue the "way forward" in the far-off places of our lives.

Scripture Reference: Acts 17:16-34

In this message, we explore the story of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15, examining how early believers navigated deep conflict and cultural shifts within the church.1

Key topics include:
The Nature of Conflict: Why "certain people problems" are a normal, albeit challenging, part of community growth.
Navigating Change: Understanding what to keep from the past and what to leave behind as the mission evolves.
The Power of Conversation: How the Jerusalem Council demonstrates that holy, transformative dialogue is central to the life of the church.
Grace and Inclusion: A look at the paradigm shift that expanded the circle of belonging, prioritizing grace over legalism.
Bobbi also shares updates on the upcoming Marda Loop Commons launch and current community life at Commons Church. For more details on upcoming events and team-building opportunities, visit commons.church.

In Acts 13, the spotlight shifts from Jerusalem to Antioch—a diverse, unexpected community where the Holy Spirit is doing something entirely new. From former outsiders and unlikely leaders to the commissioning of Paul and Barnabas, this chapter reveals a church that chooses mission over comfort, creativity over control, and expansion over preservation.

In this message, we explore how God's grace continually pushes the church beyond its assumptions, why the most transformative movements often emerge from the margins, and what it means to trust the Spirit enough to send our best into the unknown.

Whether you're navigating change, wrestling with tradition, or discerning what's next, Acts 13 reminds us that the future of God's kingdom has always belonged to communities willing to follow where the Spirit leads.

How does faith change us over time?

In Acts 10, Peter encounters a vision that challenges everything he thought he knew about who belongs, who is welcome, and how God works in the world. As he meets Cornelius—a Roman centurion and outsider to Israel's covenant story—the early church discovers that the Spirit of God is already moving beyond the boundaries they assumed were fixed.

This message explores slippery slopes, spiritual growth, unexpected relationships, and the surprising truth that transformation is normal in the Christian life. What if the Spirit is at work in places, people, and experiences you never expected?

📖 Scripture: Acts 10:1–45

In this teaching, we explore:

• Why Peter's vision was so shocking
• How spiritual growth often happens gradually
• The role relationships play in transforming our theology
• What it means that Jesus is "Lord of all"
• How the Spirit continually pushes beyond our assumptions

Commons Church exists to create space for spirituality, curiosity, and community. We'd love to connect with you.

🔗 Learn more: https://commons.church
📍 Calgary, Alberta, Canada

#Acts10 #CommonsChurch #ChristianFaith #SpiritualGrowth #BibleTeaching #PeterAndCornelius #HolySpirit #Theology #Church #Sermon

What gives ordinary people the courage to speak truth, resist fear, and remain hopeful in a fractured world?

In Acts 4 and 5, the early church faces its first wave of persecution after Peter and John heal a man at the temple gates and boldly proclaim the resurrection of Jesus. Confronted by powerful religious leaders, threatened, imprisoned, and punished, the apostles discover that true power is not found in coercion or control, but in resurrection, community, and the Spirit of God.

In this sermon, Yelena explores:
• Why the message of Jesus provoked opposition
• What Acts teaches us about power and courage
• How community helps us face fear
• Why joy can still exist in suffering
• What it means to live nonviolently and faithfully today

Whether you’re wrestling with fear, longing for deeper community, or trying to live with integrity in a divided world, this conversation invites us to become people of courageous witness together.

Scripture: Acts 4–5

Commons Church
Love God. Love People. Tell the Story.

What if the judgement of God looks nothing like we imagined?

In Acts 2 we step into Peter’s first sermon after Pentecost—the moment the church begins to find its voice. But instead of fear, vengeance, or religious certainty, Peter announces something radically different: resurrection changes everything.

Together we explore:

- The real miracle of Pentecost
- Why not everyone recognizes new movements of God
- “Your sons and daughters will prophesy” and the expansiveness of the Spirit
- The Day of the Lord reinterpreted through Jesus
- Resurrection as God’s victory over violence and death
- Why Peter sees the cross not as divine punishment, but divine participation

This is the story of a church learning to see the world differently in the light of Christ.

Scripture: Acts 2

Commons Church — Calgary, Alberta

What do you do when the future feels uncertain, God feels quiet, and the old season is clearly over?

In Acts 1–2, the early church finds itself in that exact moment — caught between resurrection and Pentecost, between promise and fulfillment, between what was and what will be. And somehow, in the waiting, God is already moving.

This week at Commons Church, we explore how faith often begins not with certainty, but with trust in the middle of transition.

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📍 Commons Church
🌐 https://commons.church
📷 Instagram: @commons.church

#Acts #BibleTeaching #ChurchOnline #Faith #HolySpirit #CommonsChurch

What if the real miracle of love isn’t finding the right person—but becoming the kind of person who can stay?

In this final message of The Miraculous series, we explore the ancient story of Ruth and uncover a vision of love that goes far beyond romance. This is a story about commitment, community, and the quiet, steady work of choosing one another—again and again.

From friendships to family, from social responsibility to romantic connection, love is revealed as something we build, not something we stumble into. And maybe, just maybe, it’s this kind of love that holds everything together.

✨ If love is more than a feeling… what does it look like to practice it this week?

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Commons Church
Calgary, Alberta
More messages: commons.church/watch