As we enter 2013 and the 10th anniversary of Renaissance Church, Pastor Scott walks us through the early trials and hard lessons he’s had to learn as a church planter in New England. But from location to location, as God continues to pour out a fuller vision for what Ren is meant to be, what stands clear through the years is that God answers those who seek Him desperately.
Ren Vision + Mission: 4 Roots of Ren Identity (Mission)
In the final part of our series on the 4 Roots of Ren Identity, Pastor Scott talks through the importance of mission in our church life. Whether it's the refugee community, or the high school next door, or the downtown homeless, we at Ren believe that the best way to impact the city is by partnering with those who are already on the ground doing the daily work of serving the most needy populations. We are honored to call these organizations our friends and invite you into the work of self-sacrifice and kingdom restoration – the same work which Jesus began 2000 years ago.
Ren Vision + Mission: 4 Roots of Ren Identity (Spirit-Empowered)
Lots of good things can be accomplished, and have been accomplished, without the Spirit of God. But the things that are eternal, the things that dramatically turn the world upside-down in an instant, the things that convict us of Truth – only by the power of the Holy Spirit do we see the supernatural in-breaking of God's reality into everyday life. And we increase God's Spirit in our lives not by secret charismatic formulas, but by humbly travailing with God in a yearning lifestyle of prayer.
Ren Vision + Mission: 4 Roots of Ren Identity (Holy)
Why do we stubbornly choose to picture ourselves as sinners, when the Bible calls us saints? In part 2 of our meditation on the core values of Ren, Pastor Scott powerfully reminds us that we are each morally accountable for the way we live our lives. Instead of sympathizing with our weaknesses, God calls us to receive the grace available to us today: not by our own works, but by the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. We must rise up to the calling to be set apart – not only in our hearts, but in our entire lifestyle.
4 Roots of Ren Identity (Biblical)
Does the Word of God affect you in your everyday life? In the first part of our new series discussing the 4 roots of our church identity, Pastor Scott unpacks what it truly means to live a biblical lifestyle. It's not about knowing the right answers or going to church functions; being biblical means being in zealous pursuit of God, willing to make the necessary sacrifices to interact with Him on a daily basis.
Standalone Sermons: God's Love Song
There's nothing we can do to separate ourselves from the transformative love of God. All too often we disqualify ourselves from His compassion because of self-doubt or feelings of unworthiness, but God never ceases to seek after us – He adores us and sings love songs over us. We have only to receive. This recording contains the message from both the 9AM and the 11AM services.
Standalone Sermons: The Call to Pursue
One of our missionaries to Africa returns this summer to tell us not only about her stories and experiences, but more importantly, to tell us about God's heart – His heart to pursue. And just as God called Hosea to pursue a faithless spouse, He calls every one of us to take on the relentless pursuit for 2.8 billion people who live without hope in their lives.
Standalone Sermons: The God in Your Pocket
Throughout the Bible, God seems to display the worst marketing strategies ever for church growth – how did the congregations respond when He killed Uzzah for touching the ark, or when He killed Ananias for lying? The fear and reverence of God has been replaced today by a happy-go-lucky Jesus that has the widest audience appeal and lets us do whatever we want. Pastor Scott powerfully reminds us that God does not want hypocrites in His church.
Ren Vision + Mission: Ren Life
As Renaissance continues to grow, we will be taking a fresh approach to nurturing the life of the church and doing ministry together. Pastor Scott lays out the 4 basic areas of church life that will seek to help every member to move into the full expression of their identity in Christ. This message is foundational to the vision of our community in this next phase of Renaissance!
Standalone Sermons: New Birth
Scott preaches out of Ezekiel 27 on the New Birth. This recording contains both the 9AM and 11AM sermons.