St. Paul's Leaskdale Audio Podcast

Mark 1:16-18 - This Sunday, we begin a message series on Practicing the Way. When Jesus lived bodily among us, he taught and modelled many things, including practices like praying, fasting, solitude and Sabbath. These weren’t harsh measures to separate the strong from the weak; they were gifts to grow intimacy with God and develop a deep well of character and grace. In this week’s passage, Jesus calls Peter and Andrew, two ordinary run-of-the-mill fishermen, to be his apprentices. It turns out Jesus can work with anyone.

Acts 17:16-34 - Acts 17 tells the story of a Christian who spoke in a public setting about the hope Jesus brings. It was a moment to put aside churchy language and use ‘street speak’. Paul encouraged his audience in their search for God and carefully took the time to show where that search had lost it’s way. And then he gave them Jesus, who is the Truth.

Acts 13:1-5 - The first Christians had small groups! They knew, because Jesus modelled it, that we’re much better in groups than we are as individuals. The group that gathered in Antioch was diverse, zoned in on Jesus and figuring out how to be outward-facing. Your own group will want all that and more!

Acts 8:9-25 - Simon put on a good show (literally!), but his heart was full of bitterness. He wasn’t healthy and wasn’t taking the steps to be healthy. What about us today?

Acts 2:40-47 - As a church, we’re taking some time to talk about our vision and strategy. We’re hoping to add clarity to why and how we do what we do in this season. We’ve found ourselves pondering the story of the earliest church in the book of Acts. In one day, uncertainty turned to full-out joy, and church membership blew up 2500%! Jesus was alive, they experienced God’s promised Spirit alive in them, so they locked into being together, learning, sharing and praying. It's hard to improve on that!  

Psalm 129 is a bit of a nasty Psalm! The writer has been oppressed and doesn’t hold back in expressing what that feels like. You might think being a believer means your troubles disappear, but that has never been the case. The good news is that God is neither blind nor indifferent to our struggles. In time (often not as fast as we want), God always intervenes. There’s even hope for the oppressor in this Psalm! Good news travels.

Psalm 131 - The Psalms of Ascent have it all: anguish, anger, encouragement, and wild joy.  Psalm 131 is all about contentment. Where does contentment come from? What ruins it? What does it feel like? How can I be content in an age where marketing, social media and mirrors breed discontent?

Psalm 133 - The Psalms of Ascent were songs for the journey—worshippers sang them as they traveled together toward Jerusalem and the Temple. These Psalms give voice to the sorts of things that go through worshippers' hearts as they prepare to worship. Today’s Psalm (133) is about relationships, people getting along and how God blesses us as we choose to live in harmony.

Psalm 104 is a song of praise that marvels at the beauty and order of God’s creation. From mountains to seas, seasons to creatures great and small, it reveals a world sustained by His power and care. This psalm invites us to stand in awe, give thanks, and consider our role as stewards of His handiwork. As we reflect, we’ll explore how creation points us to God’s character, draws us closer to Him, and shapes the way we live in His world.

We humans need help! The question is, where will we turn for it? Psalm 121 invites us to look to God for true help.

Psalm 127 reminds us that unless the Lord builds the house, our efforts are in vain. It's a call to trust—learning to rest in God's provision while recognizing that every good gift, including our work, our homes, and our children, ultimately rests in His hands.

A life of faith is a life of prayer. It’s also a life lived with others. When we follow Jesus, we belong to Him and to one another as brothers and sisters. As a family, we care for one another in weakness, confess our sins to each other, and gently confront one another.

James 4:6-10 - James knows that the heart of the Christian message is grace. God gives us good that we couldn’t ever deserve. The truth is that we earn and deserve justice and punishment. Thankfully, Jesus took both of those for us and gave us the good he deserved. As powerful as grace is, there is one thing that can resist it. Listen in to find the one thing that repels grace.

James 3:1-18 - James is at it again! He has a real concern for the words that Christians use on themselves, with each other and with the world. Our tongues (James' favourite image for our words) can cause such destruction, and they are nearly impossible to control. What’s the solution? Fortunately, Jesus gets to the root of the problem and to the fix that works.

James 2:14-26 - James continues to press deep into the muscles and tissues of our faith. Is your faith doing what it was designed to do? Just like you might go to the doctor for a physical check-up, James offers a self-administered faith check-up in this passage. Where do you see signs of life in your faith?

James 1:19-27 - James is direct: angry words, thoughtless words, and religious words don’t have a place in a life of faith. Our words don’t work … but God’s word does! Our job is simply to cooperate with his word.

James 1:1-18 - James gets right down to business! For everyone not currently soaking in a hot tub, suffering is a first order of business. In just a few verses, James explains how trials can grow maturity, how wisdom helps the journey, and how to avoid wasting a suffering experience.

Acts 1:1-11 - Baptism is recognized throughout the Church as the beginning of a ‘God thing.’ John’s baptism was a visible demonstration of the start of a new life — clearing out the junk to prepare for what God was about to do. Jesus’ baptism reveals the true heart of baptism: God’s desire to bless and express His delight. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is the start of the Kingdom. Ordinary women and men were now filled with the Spirit of Jesus to continue on the ministry Jesus started.

Luke 3:21-22 - At Jesus’ baptism, the Father said, “You’re my son. I love you. I’m proud of you.” As Christians, our baptism is a sign that we are in Christ, that what is true about him is true about us, and that the Father’s blessing now defines us.

Luke 3:1-20 - The first mention of baptism in the Bible begins with John. John was the cousin of Jesus and also His opening act. John called the people of his day to "Get Ready." The public sign of a life getting ready for God was, and still is, baptism. Get washed so God can do what God wants to do.