Commons Church Podcast

In this sermon on Hebrews 11–12:2, Bobbi explores "learning to listen to ancestors." The message reclaims Christian tradition not as a restrictive relic to escape, but as an inherited wisdom that anchors people against isolation and everyday pressures. 

By examining how the writer of Hebrews reframes flawed historical figures and presents Jesus as the pioneer and finish line of faith, Bobbi illustrates how individual stru...

Scott draws on the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19 to examine how nature speaks to our greatest fears, and how it can also move us into moments of divine encounter. He argues that Elijah’s experience of stillness in the natural world is a model for us to follow in a world full of so much noise. 

We’re invited to welcome the ways that nature grounds us and guides us in all our next steps.

I Kings 19:1-18

What if loving your neighbour begins with listening—before deciding who they are or what they deserve?

In this message, we revisit the Good Samaritan in Luke 10 and explore how Jesus shifts the question from identifying our neighbours to becoming a neighbour. Along the way, we consider the invitation to hear at the heart of the greatest commandment, the familiar stories we’ve stopped listening to, and the compassion that...

What if your doubts don’t disqualify you from faith?

In Mark 9, a father brings Jesus an honest prayer: “I believe; help my unbelief.” His story invites us to let go of perfection, make room for uncertainty, and take the next step toward the future we hope for.

From the mountaintop transfiguration to Jesus’ compassion in the valley, this message explores how hope becomes tangible in ordinary life—and why...

In this return to the familiar conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, Scott explores how we regularly face experiences we can't explain. 

He considers how curiosity can be a form of faith when we're swept beyond our intellectual limits, how our hunger to start over is divine, how Jesus uses the metaphor of wind and Spirit, and how we can participate in a tangible mysticism every day.

Scripture: John 3:1-21

What do we do when life unfolds beyond our control?

In the closing chapters of Acts, Paul learns to release the communities he helped build—and eventually loses control over his own journey. Yet even amid imprisonment, uncertainty, and shipwreck, he retains something vital: the freedom to choose how he will show up.

Jeremy explores the difference between control and agency, the courage required to let go, and how we can meet li...

In this sermon from our Soapbox Sundays series, Yelena explores the layered and universal idea of "home". Grounded in Ephesians 2:19–22, this message looks at how Christ breaks down dividing walls, invites outsiders into full belonging, and joins us together into a living sanctuary where God makes a home.

Key Topics Covered:
The Complexity of Home: How personal memories, mobility, and cultural contexts shape our understandi...

In the first message of the Soapbox Sundays series, Scott makes the case for how an intellectual, reflective life is a spiritual life. Looking at the wisdom literature of Proverbs 4, this teaching explores how engaging our minds across generations, embracing curiosity, and asking hard questions helps us love God and serve our neighbours more deeply.

Key Takeaways & Outline:
Welcome & Fall Outlook: Reflecting on community ...

Psalm 7 is a song for anyone who has ever felt falsely accused, misunderstood, or desperate to be vindicated.

But underneath David’s very reasonable words is something more volatile: anger, frustration, and the desire for God to feel exactly what he feels.

In this sermon, Jeremy Duncan explores the poetry of Psalm 7—from Taylor Swift and ancient Hebrew wordplay to necks, noses, swords, and bows—and asks what happens...

What can ancient prayers teach us about our own experience of chaos, confusion, or distress?

In this week’s installment of our Summer Songs series, Yelena walks us through Psalm 86—a powerful "psalm of disorientation." Whether life feels stable or everything is falling apart, the Psalms provide a sacred space for profound honesty with the Divine.

In this message, we explore:
Asks and Reasons: Why naming our disorientat...

What do you do when God feels far away? Psalm 13 is a song for those moments. In this message, we explore how naming our pain and shifting our perspective can help us move from lament to praise.

Key topics covered:
• The relationship between lament and praise: Why the "Book of Praises" is full of sorrow and how lament provides a place to stand while we grieve.
• Challenging our categories: Understanding how we use bias to simp...

What do you do when the world feels unfair and you find yourself “fret-burning” with anger? In this message, we explore the wisdom of Psalm 37—not as a transactional set of rules, but as a roadmap for finding composure, delight, and hope in the midst of life's messiness.

While many read the Psalms looking for guarantees, they are actually poetic invitations to engage with the world honestly. When we choose to notic...

What does it mean to trust God when there are still very real reasons to be afraid?

Psalm 46 doesn’t promise a life without chaos. Instead, it points to the presence of God—our refuge and strength—within our complicated histories, uncertain futures, and present moments.

In this message, Alexandra explores how remembering, hope, creativity, mindfulness, and nonviolence can make us more aware of the God who is as clos...

What if the greatest idols in our lives aren't statues—but fear, security, money, and the stories we tell to protect them?

In Acts 19, Paul arrives in Ephesus and unintentionally sparks a city-wide riot. On the surface, it's a conflict over religion. But beneath the shouting lies something far more familiar: economic anxiety, fear of outsiders, and the temptation to use spiritual language to defend our own interests.

As we conc...

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 i...

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 Co...

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 b...

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, spir...