Since when did "church" become a thing?
What is the Christian life really supposed to look like?

How did the gospel ever get to Duluth?

And what should we do with it now that it's here?

The book of Acts has the answer to all these questions and more.

Some Christians are hoping Jesus will give them the ideal life.
They beg and they plead, but it's still not happening. 

Maybe we need to quit waiting around for things God won't give,

and get to the place in life where we can receive the Holy Spirit.

New ministries are launched every day.
With 4,000 churches planted each year in the U.S. alone, believers are pooling resources, renting spaces, and choosing leaders at an unprecedented rate.

But Scripture begs the question: Are they actually ready to do that just yet? 

They say that language differences are a "barrier" to direct communication,
and that linguistic variations are a challenge to the spread of the Gospel.

While that may be true on some level, it isn't always the case.

If and when God decides to make a point, He can easily make it loud & clear.

The strongest churches are built on a foundation of solid rock.

As long as the substructure remains true, the church will survive.

But if Christ isn't central to the preaching, the construction is weak already.

I know of a guy who used to fish. He made a career out of it for a while,

but then He met Jesus. And it wasn't until after he retired from the trade

that he made the biggest catch of his life.

Peter always loved fishing; he just needed a Carpenter to train him how to do it right.

If you could pick the perfect church, what would you look for?
Good parking? Exceptional childcare? Strong coffee?

Sometimes the best church is the one where nobody's picky.

They're just glad to be with one another.

A lot of Christians have never experienced the power of God in their life. Sometimes it's because they're too critical of the church or so enamored with the world.

But most modern Christians aren't walking with Christ simply because they're perfectly content to keep living like beggars.

Some people think a sunny forecast is good news.

Others might prefer clouds.

But whether it's rain or shine,

anybody can change their mind about it.

It's been said that we're all running from something.
If that's true, it begs the question: What are you running toward?

If the answer to that question happens to allude you,

maybe it's because you're running aimlessly.

Seeking to become more attractive to the world,

many Christians have ceased being bold. 

And while surrendering our boldness, we've lost much of our beauty as well.

What does a church look like when it's bold & beautiful at the same time?

We're all familiar with names like Jimmy Stewart, John Belushi, and Marilyn Monroe. They all died a long time ago, yet they're still famous for their acting skills.

But have you ever heard of Ananias & Sapphira? They're dead too.

All because their acting didn't fool anybody.

They didn't kill Jesus for what He did. They killed Him for what He said.

Speaking the truth of Christ is bound to get us all in trouble sooner or later.

If persecution is inevitable, what if we just tried to relax and enjoy it?

Even a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. That's why they make ovens, fireplaces, and furnaces.

If they aren't contained, those glowing embers could burn the whole church down.

It's through the foolishness of preaching that souls get saved.

It's also why the preacher himself sometimes gets killed.

But no matter what happens at the end of the sermon,

the preaching MUST remain foolish from beginning to end.