Ada Presbyterian Church Pulpit Podcast

Stories at sea, and more specifically, stories of shipwrecks and the struggle against the sea, stir something primal in us; the spirit of adventure, of the unknown, of life and death struggle, stir the imagination.  And so it's not surprising that the Bible contains some of the world's greatest shipwreck stories--we think of Jonah in the Old Testament, and Paul in Acts chapter 27.  These are great stories on their own right, but they also reveal something about the heart of God for the world.  Join us today as we take a deeper look at God's love for the world revealed in the shipwreck stories of the Bible.

God calls us to courage, but the truth is, there are many times we'd rather play it safe.  The call to courage in the Christian life though, isn't about digging down deep to overcome our fears.  It's more about leaning into the strength that God provides.  Join us today as we continue our Acts series and learn about the pillars of courage in the Christian life.

Paul is intent on traveling to Jerusalem--much to the consternation of his friends, who know that hardship and persecution is waiting him there.  But Paul is desperate to go because he wants to strengthen the ties between the Jewish church and the Gentile church.  He longs to see the unity of the church expressed.  Upon his arrival though, his dream for the church runs into the harsher reality of the facts on the ground, which aren't favorable for him.  Join us today as we learn about the unity of the church and how to handle the disappointment of a church that doesn't always live up to its ideals.

It's easy for churches to allow their leadership teams to devolve into a "board of directors" model, concerned only with the bottom line.  But the Bible sees elders more as shepherds of people, caring for them as Christ loved his own.  Join us for today's message as we learn about the role and responsibilities of elders in the life of the church.

Paul's mission continues in Acts chapter 19, and here we find much to give us hope and confidence in the effectives of the gospel message.  In Ephesus, we learn that the word of the Lord prevailed mightily.  It prevailed in the marketplace of ideas and in healing the spiritual climate of the city.  Join us for today's sermon.

Paul arrives alone in Corinth.  By his own admission he arrives fearful, weak, and with much trembling. Join us today as we see the ordinary ways that Jesus encourages him and continues to build up the church even when we don't feel up to the task.

As we celebrate America's 250th this weekend, we linger over a couple of verses in Paul's famous "Mars Hill" sermon, where he speaks of the formation of nations and their purpose (Acts 17:26-27).  Join us as we explore questions like patriotism and religious freedom, while thanking God for this nation he has given us to call home. (originally preached July 5th, 2026)

In Acts 16 we see the gospel advancing to the continent of Europe for the first time as Paul and Silas travel to Macedonia.  It turns out the gospel impacts the city on more levels than one, and its success gives us high hopes for God's work today and in the future.  Join us for today's message.

It's easy to think that the early church always had things figured out, but a loose collection of stories here in Acts 15-16 show us otherwise.  It turns out that even the early Christians had to navigate life in the fog.  Join us this morning to see how we navigate times of tension and uncertainty in our lives.

When a seemingly minor theological debate has outsized implications, it's worthy of your attention.  Join us today as we look at the Jerusalem Council's debate in Acts 15 and how the outcome preserved both the gospel and the church itself.