Langdon Palmer

In the midst of many church services is an activity that seems like the mosty holy mystery to some folks and a strange empty ritual to others... What is this thing we do called The Lord's Table? Why do we do it? What does it accomplish ? Does it really change anything? We take two soundings from the book of 1st Corinthians from chapter 10 and chapter 11 and find out there is a whole lot more going on than meet's the eye !

What is your church known for? What should it be known for? Why are so many mainline churches dying ? Why do some churches prosper while others slowly fade away ? If we are the church, if we are the body, if we are supposed to have unity - where does that unity come from ? We look at the first and most important ingredient for a thriving church - a common faith. It turns out that many of the things we think are important for church sucsess are actually rotting the church from the inside out...

Living the Christian life is like sitting on a three legged stool - you need all three legs for it to work. One leg is love of God and the worship and faith that follow it. The second leg is mission and service to the world - acting on our faith - doing something based on what we believe. But third leg which is so vital is often overlooked. It is part of God's plan to grow us up and fill us with joy but it is the leg we often ignore. Today we encounter that third leg and what it means to be the incubator church! For another take on the basics of a healthy church listen to http://podpoint.net/South_Ridge/Nicene_Creed_1_-_We_Believe_-_Joshua_24:14-15,_Mark_9:14-27 For more resources go to www.SouthRidgeWorship.com

Did you ever feel like your life is full of so many thoughts, issues, and questions that you don't even know what you believe anymore - like the noise and busyness of life has grown like weeds - covering and hiding the underlying assumptions and choices you are living by ? Today we take a weed-whacker to the undergrowth and cut back the weeds so you can see clearly where you stand on the road of faith. We start at the most basic questions of life and look at how major religions of the world answer them, and travel the distance between Joshua Joshua 24:15-15 and Luke 2:15-35 and find a challenge for how to live in this coming New Year!

All of us struggle with self doubt - but what makes some people fearless despite it ? What makes some people live with honor and dignity even though they know full well what a mess they are? We are so easily defeated - is there a set of convictions that can set us free from the paralyzing effect of feeling so small? YES! C.S. Lewis shows us a way to live firmly here in this world by setting our eyes firmly on the promises of God and he does it through the most surprising character - a mouse ! We look at the character Reepicheep in Voyage of the DawnTreader and find a refreshing vision that helps us understand the promises of Hebrews 11:13-16... oh and yes that is the slurpping of Egg Nog you hear at the begining of the talk!

Ever wish you were somebody else or wish you had what they had? It is a natural thing to compare ourselves to others instead of delighting ourselves in God. Ever wish you could hear what people were saying about you behind your back? How about if you really could ? We follow Lucy into a Magician's house and learn from the temptations she faces there - not only the temptation to be somebody else and the temptation to eaves drop, but also the temptation of fear itself. We find an amazing connection between this fantasy story by C.S. Lewis and the teachings of 1 Corinthians 10:11-14. Join us as we get a fresh perspective on dealing with fears and temptations.

There once was a boy named Eustace Clarence Scrubb – and he almost deserved it. What would it be like to become on the outside what you were on the inside? What if that happened and you looked in the mirror - only to see a Dragon looking back at you? In this first talk on The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, 3rd book in C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia series, we find out what happened to Eustace, investigate the incredible parallel to 2nd Corinthians 5:17-21, and discover how what happened to Eustace in Narnia can help us to live our ordinary lives here and now on Planet Earth.

Ever feel like you are stuck in your spiritual life - like it is going nowhere? What if the Hillsong classic "From the Inside Out" contained a four step dance that results in a life of deep joy - a way to get unstuck and purse a deeper walk with God? We dig into the scriptures echoed in this song: Isaiah 60, Romans 12:1-2, Matthew 23:26-27, Luke 11:33-41 and Psalm 100:5 to find the good life - the life focused on the art of losing myself in bringing God praise.

Do you live in a world where the self-revelation of God is possible? Why would Michael W. Smith take the most bizarre, spooky, supernatural verses in scripture and put them in the most fun-loving normal top 40 style melody imaginable? Does a song like You Are Holy trivialize the great truths and revelations of scripture? No it puts them in their right place. It turns out that the best way to have a down earth, normal, natural life is to be in direct exposure to the super-naturally radical reality of the living God. Join us as we look at the verses in Isaiah 6, Isaiah 9, Daniel 7, Revelation 4 and Revelation 5 that form much of the lyrical base for the song You Are Holy

One of the current classic praise songs is Matt Redman s Better Is One Day... but what is it all about? We look at the rich scriptural foundation of this song as we step through the song line by line. We discover that Psalm 84 is a song for the road - a song for those on the journey when the going get's tough. It turns out that your life was meant to be a living waterfall and no matter how much is broken, no matter how much you have lost - your life can still be a beautiful gift both to those around you and to God. Join us as we seek after the Maker of Heaven and Earth together through this great song based on an ancient psalm - Better is one day...

In this third sermon in the Great Divorce series we move from the basic sins of the Big Man to the sins of intellect of the Bishop. We discover a man who views him self as very religious yet doesnt even realize he is living in Hell. Not all spirituality leads us to Jesus. There are ways of understanding faith, Jesus, and the scriptures that are so distorted that they actually lead us away from Jesus. The scriptures are full of warnings about false teachers. In our own day we can feel the pressure to conform our beliefs to what is currently in vouge, what is considered thoughtful, tolerant, reasonable ... even if it is actually none of those things. We look at 2 Timothy 3:1-17 and discover a practical way to uncover the assumptions of the strand of heresy C.S. Lewis personified in the bishop - the very strand we are most in danger of swallowing in our day.

What does it mean to dwell in the house of the Lord - Is David talking about the physical temple, eternity with God, or something else ? In this final sermon on the 23rd psalm, we review the psalm and conclude with this wonderful promise that tells us how we can live our lives now, and how the story of our lives will end !

Should the end of Psalm 23 say I will dwell in the house of the lord forever, or I will dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long? In this aside from the main sermon, we look at the details of the hebrew and issues of translation to come to a conclusion.

There are two very different ways to understand the idea that goodness and kindness shall follow me all the days of my life - One involves the Hound of Heaven who refuses to leave us alone that we might not be alone, and the other is concept of that our life leaves a wake like a ship on the water - what does the way you live leave in your wake - do you leave blessing, goodness, and lovingkindness in your wake? Yes, or No, join us for this teaching !

Have you been feeling bugged lately? Are you butting heads with anyone? Does your cup feel like it is overflowing or does it feel like it has run dry? What does this verse mean, and what was Jesus called the anointed one? This short verse gives us insight into how to deal with difficult situations as it brings us closer to Jesus, the anointed one who offers us the cup that never runs dry - the cup of the New Covenant.

If God offered you a meal - would you really like what was on the menu ? What does it mean that God sets a table for David in the presence of his enemies? Is David just gloating as he eats while his hungry enemies look on? We look deeply into this verse of the 23rd Psalm as well as Hebrews 5:12-14, Mark 10:45, Proverbs 9:1-6,Matthew 26:31 and discover there a Table of Wisdom, of The Word, of Wonder, of Welcome, and of Worship.

How could anyone find a rod or staff comforting? Is God more about love or discipline ? Isn't questioning authority a good and necessary thing? Then why is it that most of our modern dictators arose by doing that very thing? What does it mean to make Jesus your Lord? We look at the ways a shepherd uses the rod and the staff and discover that when it comes to Jesus - that the good shepherd stretches out his arms to hold both Rod and Staff - upon the cross - and the space between his Rod and Staff has a name - The Mercy Seat - the only place that true comfort can ever be found.

Has your life felt like you were walking through a dark valley that seems like it will never end? This verse is the hinge that turns Psalm 23 from theology to prayer. We take an honest look at what it is like to walk through the valley and still be able to say EVEN THOUGH ...

I keep trying to restore myself, but it never sticks. What are the paths of righteousness, and how do I get there ? It turns out God doesnt just give us the map, he walks alongside us every step of the way - and so I can say with the author of Psalm 119: I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free!

What does it mean to lie down in green pastures and be led by still waters? Today we learn more about sheep than we wanted to know and find out that they look awfully familiar. In a culture of high speed high tech pseudo-life, we find that the Christian life can be one of rhythm and quiet confidence.