Bridgetown Video Podcast

The Truth About Lies: Part 1

From the series, "Fighting the World, the Flesh and the Devil" as part of Practicing the Way. The modern, secular world laughs off the idea of the devil as a relic from the pre-scientific age. "Now we know better" is the mantra of the progressive west. And yet, secular theories that attempt to explain evil fall flat of the human experience. For Jesus, there is an invisible but intelligent evil at work in the world, but his primary strategy isn't what most of us expect. It's lies. Fighting the devil is first and foremost about the war to believe truth over lies.

Vision Series 2018: Part 3: On Earth as it is in Heaven

From the series, Vision Series 2018. In this teaching we put forward our vision of practicing the way of Jesus, together, in Portland at Bridgetown Church. 

Vision Series 2018: Part 2: Life of an Apprentice

From our 2018 Vision Series. Practicing the way of Jesus is all about creating space for love. Making room to be with Jesus, become like Jesus, and do what he did. In this vision Sunday teaching, we lay out a vision for apprenticeship to Jesus, as well as the year ahead at Bridgetown Church.

Vision Series 2018: Part 1: Alpha Sunday

From the 2018 Vision Series. Guest speaker, Jason Ballard of Alpha Canada casts vision for how the church can partner together to host those who are seeking. Alpha is structured around an open and informal dialogue about faith, the person of Jesus and what it all means. For those who do not identify as followers of jesus, we want to hear your thoughts and questions as we explore these themes without the pressured atmosphere that usually accompanies these conversations. Come enjoy a meal with good company and engage important conversation about life. No cost. Follow the link to register: bridgetown.church/alpha

A Problem With Tradition

From the series, "Gospel of Matthew." As Jesus continues his work, he stirs up controversy with religious leaders by doing good at the expense of formal rule-keeping. And in normal fashion, Jesus is constantly challenging our desire for a black and white world by offering us something unexpectedly better. What does it mean for us, as disciples of Jesus, to understand the value in tradition without lapsing into ritualism? 

Part 8: The Altar and the Table

From the series, "Eating & Drinking" as part of Practicing the Way. In the last teaching on the practice of eating and drinking, we go back to the Hebrew ideas of animal sacrifice and covenant meals to better understand God's design and intention for communion. Since the fall, God has been longing for intimacy with his creation and through the altar he provided a way to the table. 

Part 7: How the Meal Became the Mass

From the series, "Eating & Drinking" as part of Practicing the Way. The Lord’s supper, communion, the eucharist – whatever you call eating and drinking with God, this practice is at the very center of the church. And yet it’s changed over the years. What started out as a full meal, around a table, in a home, with a spirit of gratitude, joy and celebration, has since become a quiet, contemplative, individualistic meditation on our sin and its cost to Jesus. How did this practice evolve? Or devolve? And how could we re-imagine this practice as a meal?

Part 6: Dining Room Table Christianity

From the series, "Eating & Drinking" as part of Practicing the Way. We near the end of our practice of eating and drinking with the third dimension: eating and drinking with God. The Lord’s supper was originally exactly what it sounds like, a supper. A meal around a table with Jesus and his community. This core practice changed the Roman Empire. Could it change our world yet again?

The Secret of the Easy Yoke

From the series, "Gospel of Matthew." As apprentices of Jesus, we are just as capable of following Jesus in some aspects of our lives as we are to completely reject him in others. What does it mean to fully accept the easy yoke Jesus offered?

We’re All Thomas Now

From the series, "Gospel of Matthew." In a secular society, doubt is the new normal. But doubt is nothing new; we see it in John the Baptizer, a prophet that Jesus called the greatest man to ever live. And in this story of John’s wrestle with doubt, we see that Jesus’ invitation isn’t to certainty, but to trust.